SECOND HAND CHRISTIAN

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: SECOND HAND CHRISTIAN

Genesis 13:5-9 RSV)
We have been reading of this man, Lot, all through the story of Abram. He was Abram's nephew, and he came with him out of the land of Ur. The whole story of this man is told in one brief phrase in Verse 5, "Lot, who went with Abram." That sums up Lot's whole life. He went with Abram! Wherever Abram was, Lot was. When Abram stopped, Lot stopped. "With Abram" -- that is all that can be said of him.
Many of the commentators seem to feel it was wrong for Abram to take Lot with him out of the land of Ur. There is no doubt he was a continual weight around his neck. But Scripture never implies that it was wrong to bring Lot along. Lot evidently responded when God spoke to Abram and called him to go out into a land which would be shown him. Lot wanted to go along, and Abram, wishing to help him, agreed. The trouble is not with Abram, but with Lot.
Lot seems to be a picture of those Christians who depend upon others for faith and inspiration to act. There are many Lots around. They never seem to learn to walk alone with God, but lean on another's faith for strength. As long as they have a strong church to lean on, or a close friend who is a faithful Christian, or they can listen to a gospel radio station all day long, or they have a Christian magazine coming regularly, then all goes well. But where the prop is weak, they are weak also. When Abram's faith failed, Lot's faith failed. Lot just leans on Abram all the way. He is clearly a second-hand Christian. Although his own faith is genuine (and the New Testament makes it clear that Lot was indeed a righteous man), nevertheless, he depends wholly upon Abram for the effectiveness of his service.
And you know when he separated himself he was attacked again until Abraham came to rescues him .

Brethren, it's time for you too be be strong in the Lord. Your pastor faith and the brethren around you might be working for you not, but it will get to a time that you will be left to declare your faith like the 3 Hebrew. Like the apostle in the face of trials. Don't forget you will stand alone to take your judgement, you won't be stand or judge on another man's work.

Ephesians 6:10 KJV
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

LET US PRAY
RECEIVE DIVINE POWER TO BE STRONG AND TO BE A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN IN JESUS NAME

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MIRROR OF A TRUE FRIEND

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: MIRROR OF A TRUE FRIEND.

Amos 3:3 KJV
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Proverbs 18:24 KJV
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

We live in an age of deception and mistrust. It is very difficult to find a true friend. In the world there are all kind of friends.

Bat friends that come out at night.

Faucet friends who turn off and on.

Fake friends who will fake you out when you need them most.

Summer friends who will be there some of the time.

Telephone friends who will turn on the answering machine.

Bubble friends who will burst when the pressure is on.

Nosey friends are those who live in your business.

Jealous friends who want your possesions.

Lying friends who will lie on you.

Unsaved friends who will lead your soul straight to the pit of hell.

But a true friend will not wait on your call, he will call you. A friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. A true fried is one who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

True friendship is one mind in two bodies. A true friend is one who reaches for your hands and touches your heart. In prosperity our friends know us but in adversity, we know our friends. Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. A true friend does not have to tell you he loves you, you know he does.

In the first place, A True Friend Loves With His Heart.

A. He loves with a regenerated heart.

B. He loves with a bible filled heart.

C. He loves with a Spirit filled heart.

In the second place, Let us look at THE ESSENTIALS OF A TRUE FRIEND.

1. True friendship is independant of time.

2. True friendship is independant of circumstances.

3. True friendship is unshaken by slander.

4. True friendship is outlives unworthy treatment.

5. True friendship is not hindered by distance.

6. True friendship is not based on occupation and image.

7. True friendship is not affected by a reduction in

status.

8. A true friend will not let his friend die without Jesus.

In the third place, A True Friend Will Reveal Himself in Adversity.

A. In adversity a friend becomes a brother.

B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C. When in trouble the first thing you will see is his heart.

In the fourth place, A True Friend is a Friend From A to Z.

A. He accepts you as your are.

B. He Believes in you.

C. He calls you just to say "hi"

D. He doesn’t give up on you.

E. He envisions the better part of you.

F. He forgives your mistakes.

G. He gives unconditionally.

H. He is there to help you.

I. He invites you over.

J. He’ll just be with you.

K. He’ll keep you close to his heart.

L. He loves you as you are.

M. He’ll make a difference in your life.

N. He’ll never judge you unfairly.

O. He’ll offer support when you need it.

P. He’ll pick you up when you’re down.

Q. He’ll quiet your fears.

R. He’ll raise your spirit.

S. He’ll sooth your trouble soul.

T. He’ll tell you the truth even when it hurts.

U. He’ll understand you.

V. He values your friendship.

W. He walks besides you.

X He x-plains the hard stuff.

Y. He yells when you won’t listen.

Z. He zaps you back to reality.

In the fifth place, A True Triend Will Give His Life for His Friend.

CONCLUSION:
Calvary reminds us of what a true friend will do to save his friends.
John 15:13-14 KJV
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

LET US PRAY
EVERY UNFRIENDLY FRIEND THAT WANT TO DESTROY YOUR LIFE IS SEPARATED FROM YOU NOW IN JESUS NAME.

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4kinds of freedom

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: 4 KINDS OF FREEDOM

John 8:32, 34, 36 KJV
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [34] Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. [36] If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

There are at least four kinds of freedom. And each one adds a crucial dimension of freedom to the last until we get to the full freedom — "free indeed."

Let me try to sum up these four kinds of freedom in one definition of full and complete freedom:

You are fully free — completely free, free indeed — when you have the DESIRE, the ABILITY, and the OPPORTUNITY to do what will make you HAPPY in a THOUSAND YEARS. Or we could say, You are fully free when you have the DESIRE, the ABILITY, and the OPPORTUNITY to do what will leave you NO REGRETS FOREVER.

If you don't have the desire to do a thing, you are not fully free to do it. Oh, you may muster the will power to do what you don't want to do, but nobody calls that full freedom. It's not the way we want to live. There is a constraint and pressure on us that we don't want.

And if you have the desire to do something, but no ability to do it, you are not free to do it.

And if you have the desire and the ability to do something, but no opportunity to do it, you are not free to do it.

And if you have the desire to do something, and the ability to do it, and the opportunity to do it, but it destroys you in the end, you are not fully free — not free indeed.

To be fully free, we must have the DESIRE, the ABILITY, and the OPPORTUNITY to do what will make us HAPPY FOREVER. NO REGRETS. And only Jesus, the Son of God who died and rose for us, can make that possible. If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed. To be happy forever, our sins must be forgiven and God's wrath removed and Christ must become our supreme Treasure. Only Jesus can do that. In fact, he has already done it. He died for our sins. He absorbed God's wrath. And he rose from the dead and is today therefore supremely precious. And he offers us that now as a free gift.

LET US PRAY
EVERY POWER THAT TIE YOU DOWN SHOULD CATCH FIRE NOW IN JESUS NAME YOU ARE FREE INDEED IN JESUS NAME.

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BE WHOM YOU ARE MADE TO BE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: BE WHOM YOU ARE MADE TO BE.

Text:Jeremiah 18:6 KJV
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord . Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Am going to conclude our winning topic today by telling you a story. It's the story of pencil.
It's actually parable about the pencil to you my reader who will catch insight of the lesson.

Isaiah 45:9 KJV
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting it into the box he said:”
"Before I send you out into the world, there are five things you need to know to become the best pencil you can be."

"ONE, you will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand."

"TWO, you will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a pointed pencil."

"THREE, with an eraser, you will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."

"FOUR, remember the most important part of you is what's inside."

"FIVE, on every paper you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. Remember these five things and you will be a great pencil that you can be."

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Psalm 40:1-2 KJV
I waited patiently for the Lord ; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. [2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Dear meaning mean reader, each of you has a purpose in your heart.
Fulfill that God-given purpose. Learn from the ways of the pencil, learn from the ways of the winners: BE A WINNER

LET US PRAY
Every spirit of failure in you is cast out today in Jesus name, may you fulfill your God's giving purpose in life in Jesus name Amen.

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Nothing is Impossible

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

If you want to be a winner you must believe that there is nothing impossible.
You must always be positive and always use positive words. “nothing is impossible.” The bible clearly says that there is nothing impossible to those who believe.

Do you know who were the first persons to climb to the top of Mount Everest? There were two of them: Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tensing Norgay from Nepal.

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world standing 29,035 feet or 8,850 miles. Everest has long been considered unclimbable. Many climbers had attempted to do it and many lost their lives trying. Climbing Mount Everest is extremely dangerous. Besides the freezing weather (which puts climbers at risk for extreme frostbite) and the obvious potential for long falls from cliffs and into deep crevasses, climbers of Mount Everest suffer from the effects of the extreme high altitude, often called "mountain sickness."

But Hillary and Norgay had a dream. They rehearsed it in their minds day and night. Finally, after years of dreaming and planning and rehearsing their strength, and seven weeks of climbing, Hillary and Norgay became the first persons to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest. Nothing is impossible!

Mark 9:23 KJV
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

LET US PRAY
This week every power of impossibility is destroy by the power of God and your impossibility will turn to possibility in Jesus name.

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IMITATE JESUS

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: IMITATE JESUS
...CONTINUE FROM YESTERDAY

Hebrews 12:2 KJV
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Brethren, to be a winner we have to be like Jesus and that is to imitate him. His character, likes. Dislikes and in Holiness.
Secondly we have to be looking unto him,
Yes if we are to imitate someone who is a winner already we have to look unto him as a perfect coach to train us to win the prize. And to achieve this we have to be looking unto him.

Philippians 3:14-16 KJV
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. [16] Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Christ is the perfect image of humanity. If you must have an American idol, let it be Jesus. The bible tells we are created in the image of God but that image was darkened because of sin. It is like seeing your face in a broken glass. Jesus is the clear mirror of our souls. Each one of us is unique so do not compare yourself with others. If you always compare yourself with others, you will either feel inferior because there are others better than you or you will feel superior because you think you are better than the others. But if you imitate Jesus, you will never fail. Jesus is the supreme example of faith, hope and love.

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME. HELP US TO BE LIKE YOU AND MAKE US A WINNER IN JESUS NAME.

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Winning the prize

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WINNING THE PRIZE.

Philippians 3:14:”My friends, I do not consider myself perfect. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.”

In this world, there are two kinds of people: the losers and the winners. The losers go through life missing the mark, not fulfilling the potentials that God has given them. The winners go through life hitting the mark, always trying to fulfill God’s will. The losers when they try and fail, they get stuck in depression and regret. The winner, when they try and fail, they always rise up. The losers always think that failure is final; the winners always think that “success is never-ending and failure is never final.”

As children of God, we are made to become winners. What are the ways of the winners?

1. WALK WITH FAITH
The first step to become a winner is to walk with faith. How do you walk with faith? Do you walk like this (stoop down in defeat)? Or like this (look up and ahead)? When you walk with faith, you raise your head, you look confident, you look up.
When you walk with faith in your heart, you are not alone. God is there with you. And even when you walk through the storm in your life, you can hold you head up high. You will not be afraid of the dark because the light of Christ dispels the darkness. So walk with faith in your heart. And winning will be as easy as what has been born with you for with God all things are possible

Continue tomorrow...

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, EVERY SPIRIT OF FAILURE IN YOUR LIFE IS CAST OUT NOW IN JESUS NAME.

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Making of Winners

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: MAKING OF WINNERS

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

You've heard it said, "Winners never quit and quitters never win." That maybe true, but there are times when winners feel like quitting. What do they do then? You've heard it said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." That maybe true, but there are times when the going get tough that the tough want to crawl back in bed and hide from the cruel world. What do they do then?

Becoming a winner entails the strength to stay at a task even when you feel like giving up. It is the will power to keep on keeping on when you would rather resign. Call it whatever you would like - determination, endurance, persistence, tenacity - whatever, it is an undeniable mark of a champion.

I. The pictures of staying power
One can find examples of endurance portrayed in almost every walk of life. They are compelling stories of grit and determination. One is that of the apostle Paul. He had been imprisoned, flogged five times, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, gone without sleep and food, and been in danger from various elements. Yet he remained firm in his pursuits. His accomplishments are an unparalleled list of achievements for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

In one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he paints four pictures of endurance.

A. A picture of pressure
“We are pressured in every way but not crushed” (2 Cor. 4:8).

B. A picture of confusion
“We are perplexed but not in despair” (2 Cor. 4:8).

C. A picture of being chased
“We are persecuted but not abandoned” (2 Cor. 4:9).

D. A picture of being thrown down
“We are struck down but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:9).

Can you see yourself in any of these pictures? Do you feel pressured? Confused? Chased? Thrown down?

II. THE SECRETS OF ENDURANCE

All too often people are defeated not because of a lack of ability, but because they quit too soon.

Many people lose heart and throw in the towel before the game is finished. Two times in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote, “we do not give up” (2 Cor. 4:1,16). He uncovers the secrets of endurance.

What are some secrets that will keep us from quitting even though we may feel like giving up?

A. REALIZE THAT PROBLEMS ARE REAL
Problems are a fact of life; we must expect them. Life is not a joy ride.
Life is real with real pain, real problems, and real frustrations. People get sick, they experience disappointment, they shed tears, and they are touched by death. So what do we do?

B. RELEASE THE POWER OF GOD
We have a secret weapon in facing the difficulties and pressures of life. “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7). We are like clay pots - fragile and easily broken - but we have a stabilizing force within us to prevent us from cracking under the pressures and attacks of life. God's desire is to help the clay vessels made in his image to mature in the furnace of trials without cracking.

C. RESPOND TO OTHER PEOPLE'S NEEDS
This thought goes against our very nature. Most often when we are confronted with trouble the more selfish we become. The more we become wrapped up in our own selfish interests and concerns. But enduring strength comes not by becoming selfish, but by becoming self-less.
Endurance comes to those who give their life away to help others in a great cause.

D. REGAIN A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Endurance comes by discovering a new way of looking at the situation. Staying power comes by changing the way you look at your difficulties. The key to persistence is perspective.

LET US PRAY
TODAY THE LORD WILL MAKE YOU A WINNER IN ALL YOUR BATTLE IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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Favour work things out for you

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: FAVOUR WORK THINGS OUT FOR YOU.

...CONTINUATION FROM YESTERDAY...

Material Direction

When you find favour with God, suddenly, whatever you touch begins to prosper and people will begin to wonder how?

Divine Favour can give you just one contract and all of a sudden for the rest of your life you can enjoy.

Luke 5:1-7 Jesus was preaching by the seaside. He saw two boats. One belonged to Peter. One belonged to somebody else and by favour of God it was Peter’s boat that was chosen.

When God decided to favour you, you cannot escape prosperity whether you like it or not. If He says, ‘I’m going to prosper you!" Prosperity will come!

Marrital Direction

If you have been considered barren and God decides to favour you, suddenly those who have been laughing against you will begin to laugh with you. 1 Samuel 1:9-20

Now when you read Proverbs 18:22, the Bible says whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtains favour of God. if you have no husband you’ll get a husband. (Amen!) If you have no wife you’ll get a wife. If you are barren, you’ll have children. (Amen!)

Mental Direction

When God decides to favour you mentally suddenly you begin to have wisdom that you never can explain.

You know Daniel 2:20-22 tells us that wisdom belongs to God and He gives wisdom to the wise. If anybody lacks wisdom God said you should just ask God. That’s in James 1:3.

You will find that when God decides to favour somebody mentally, he has a wisdom he himself cannot explain.

Ministerial Direction

Everyone who is born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, is a minister of God – all you are waiting for is favour from God.

When a minister finds favour with God, it becomes easy for him to do the work of God. He will preach a simple sermon and souls will be saved.

When you find favour with God – any door you knock will open.

Many-fold Direction.

Many-fold direction favour is all round favour – when we study about the man called Joseph. He had All round favour.

He was never sick till he died, he had medical favour.

What about materially? If you read Genesis 45:4-13 Joseph said, "God has made me Lord of all Egypt." and he sent to his father and he said, "Come with all your family. I will feed you for the rest of your life."

What about mental favour? If we read Genesis 41:39 Joseph was referred to here by Pharaoh and Pharaoh said, "there is none as wise as thou art..... there is none as wise as thou art.." because Joseph found favour with God he has a mental capacity that is frightening…

What about marital? If you read Genesis 48:8-20 you will discover that in the home of Joseph there was peace, there was harmony.

He had 2 sons – everything anybody could want in a home was there – he didn’t even have to look for a wife – one was given him! He had favour!

What about materially? As far as Joseph was concerned – everything he touched prospered. Genesis 39:21-23. Everything Joseph touched prospered, even in prison. When they took him to prison, very soon he became the man in charge.

LET US PRAY
I PROPHECY INTO YOUR LIFE, FAVOUR WILL TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND BEFORE THIS YEAR RUN OUT, YOU WILL BE CELEBRATED IN JESUS NAME.

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SPECIAL NOTICE
MORNING MEAL WILL STOP FOR A WHILE DUE TO SOME PERSONAL REASON. GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN. PASTOR IOI.

The direction of divine favour

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: THE DIRECTION OF DIVINE FAVOUR.

Let's look at Divine Favour in a
Medical Direction.

-If you are sick and you are considered incurable and you find favour with God, you will suddenly discover that the incurable will begin to have a testimony.

-In John 5:2-9 There was a multitude by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus came there, saw a man who had been there for 38 years. His face shone on that man. He went to that man, healed that man and left the place. There were several others. Divine Favour singled out that man for a miracle.

-When you read the story of 2 Kings 5:1-14. It tells us the story of Namaan – how he was healed. Jesus said something in Luke 24:27, He said there were many lepers in Samaria in the time of Elisha, only one was cleansed! How many? One! Out of the many, one found favour.

A story was told about A Muslim young man who entered Bible study service one day and God healed him of a chronic kidney disease. He had never entered into a church before and according to him, he was used to make mockery of Christianity, but God decided to favour him in the church.

LET US PRAY
I PROPHECY INTO YOUR LIFE. AMONG MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME PROBLEM, GOD WILL SINGLE YOU OUT FOR FAVOUR. IN JESUS NAME.

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SPECIAL NOTICE
MORNING MEAL WILL STOP FOR A WHILE DUE TO SOME PERSONAL REASON. GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN. PASTOR IOI.

WHAT FAVOUR WILL DO FOR YOU

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT FAVOUR WILL DO FOR YOU.

Today make it the third day I have been inspired by the lord to talk to you about favour, Now basically, amongst several other things Divine Favour will do certain things for you.

-The favour of God found Moses at the backside of the desert. It found David where he was looking after the sheep. It found Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus.

-Another thing that favour does, like we have been told is that it singles you out of a crowd. It doesn’t matter how many people are there, the favour of God will just zero in on you and say ‘You are the one I want!" You yourself will not understand how.

-The favour of God will single you out for a miracle because if you read Mark 10:46-52, the Bible says Jesus came to Jericho and as he was coming out of Jericho a great multitude followed him! A multitude followed Him! But how many of the people in the multitude got a miracle? Only blind Bartemeus who was by the highway side begging!

-When David found favour with God, the boy who was despised by his relatives, the one who they would never have been presented for election to be king, became a celebrated person. Up till today we still talk about David

LET US PRAY
NO MATER HOW FAR YOU HAVE GONE, IN THE NAME OF JESUS FAVOUR WILL SINGLE YOU OUT.

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Description of Divine Favour

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: Description of Divine Favour

a.)When a man is selected for something good among many qualified counterperts.

For instance, Esther was selected among several other beautiful ladies that are qualified to be the queen. Esther 2: 15-17 that is diving favour

b.)When a man is chosen for the position he is not naturally qualified for, especially among others that are far better than him. David was the most unqualified person naturally in his family, but God rejected others to look for him. 1 Samuel 16: 11-13 that is diving favour

c.)When a man seeks the face of God in Prayer, and have all his request granted. A very good example is the account of Jabez. 1 Chron 4: 9-10. that is diving favour

d.)When help is made available unto a man at a time and from a place he least expected. Like the case of the man waiting at the pool of Bethesda. John 17: 1-15 that is diving favour

e.)When a man is called by God to do great work for God when he was not thinking about God. We saw the case of Paul, God called him when he was walking on the path to destruction. Acts 9: 1-6 that is diving favour

f.)When a man is guided to take a little effort, that lead to great achievement. Peter toiled throughout the night with great failure, but at the word of the Lord, he had a great success. that is diving favour

g.)When a man is always receiving kindness from others as a result of God’s hand on his life. At every turbulent time in the life of Joseph, he was always finding help from somebody. that is diving favour

LET US PRAY
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I PROPHECY, YOU ARE THE NEXT PERSON TO RECEIVE GOD'S FAVOUR IN JESUS NAME.

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DIVINE FAVOUR

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: DIVINE FAVOUR

Study Text: Psalms 5:12

For You; O Jehovah, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

-It is seen here that God is willing to bless the rightoeus and also protect him with the weapon of favour. When the favour of God is upon a man, he will be secured and protected against all oppositions and anti-favour moves of men.

-We can see this kind of favor operating in the life of Daniel. He and all the Israelites were prisoners in Babylon. For reasons that can't be explained naturally, though, he had favor with the leaders of the land.

"Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs" (Dan. 1:9).

-In other accounts we learn that Daniel had so much favor with the leaders of the land, he was elevated to prestigious positions in the Babylonian kingdom. Even though the circumstances were stacked against him, Daniel eventually became the prime minister of Babylon.

LET US PRAY
THIS WEEK, IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL YOUR PEOPLE, GOD SHALL FAVOUR YOU IN JESUS NAME.

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How should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: How should we pray?

...CONTINUE FROM YESTERDAY

PRAY THANKFULLY.

David writes (86:12), “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart.” Similarly, right after telling us to pray without ceasing, Paul says (1 Thess. 5:18), “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We cannot give thanks to God from the heart unless we are submissive to His sovereign hand in our circumstances and we believe that He is working even our trials together for our ultimate good.

PRAY IN HUMILITY.

David’s prayer is permeated with humility. He doesn’t angrily demand better treatment in light of the fact that he is God’s chosen king. He doesn’t complain, “After the way that I’ve served You all these years, I deserve better than this!” Rather, he prays for God to be gracious to him (86:3, 16). He refers to himself as God’s servant, the son of His handmaid (86:2, 4, 16). He admits that he is afflicted and needy. He admits his weakness by asking God to grant him strength (86:16).

These were not “cool” things for a king to put in print for everyone to read! Kings have an image to maintain. Kings need to convey that they’re in control of the situation. Kings want everyone to think that they know how to solve problems. But David humbly acknowledges his weakness and his need for God’s strength. Even so, prayer is not asking God to give us a little boost. Rather, it is acknowledging to Him and anyone who is listening that our need is total, not partial.

PRAY IN FAITH.

David affirms his trust in God (86:2). He knows that God will answer him (86:7). His affirmation (86:13), that God has delivered his soul from the depths of Sheol, may be referring to a past deliverance, or it may also be a statement of faith about his present need for deliverance, viewing the future as if it is already accomplished (Kidner, p. 313). His request that God would show him a sign for good (86:17), does not stem from doubt. David is not saying, “Lord, if you give me a token for good, then I’ll trust in You.” Rather, David has been in this trial for some time now, without any hint of God’s deliverance. His enemies are gloating, “Ha! He trusted in God, but God hasn’t delivered him!” So David asks for an encouraging sign that God is going to answer him and shame his enemies, who were really mocking God Himself.

Faith is not a matter of closing your eyes to reality and leaping into the dark. Rather, faith rests on God’s revealed character and on the many revealed instances of how He has answered prayer in the past. Faith does not presume to command God, as many modern, irreverent preachers claim to do. Even Jesus prayed, “yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). But faith rests on God’s power and abundant love. Faith knows that if something is for our good and God’s glory, He will do it.

LET US PRAY
EVERY EVIL HAND THAT IS HINDERING YOUR MIRACLE, I COMMAND HOLY GHOST FIRE TO DESTROY THEM IN JESUS Y.

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How should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: How should we pray?

In this new month brethren, We should pray earnestly, continually, thankfully, in humility, and in faith.

David’s close relationship with God permeates the entire prayer. He knew God intimately and personally. So he felt free to pour out his heart as he does here.

A. PRAY EARNESTLY.

David’s earnestness and intensity oozes out of the entire prayer. It stems from his awareness of his great need. If God doesn’t answer, David knows that he is doomed. So he cries out from his heart for God to save him from these powerful enemies.

The point is, he wasn’t mumbling through a formal liturgy. He wasn’t just going mindlessly down a prayer list. Like a starving beggar, he was entreating God to give him food.

B. PRAY CONTINUALLY.

David says (86:3), “For unto You I cry all day long.” Again, his continual prayers were driven by his intense awareness of his great need. Paul tells us (1 Thess. 5:17), “pray without ceasing.” He does not mean that we should pray non-stop, which would be impossible. Rather, the word was used of a hacking cough and of repeated military assaults. The idea is, keep coming back to prayer over and over again, all throughout the day.
...CONTINUE TOMORROW. HAPPY NEW MONTH.

LET US PRAY
Dear Lord Jesus cast out every power of look-warmness and cast out spirit that make our prayer ineffective in Jesus name.

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To whom should we pray?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: To Whom Should We Pray?

We should pray to the only true God, great in power, love, grace, and mercy.

Palm 86.

This psalm shows that David knew the God to whom he was praying. Knowing God’s attributes and His promises gives us hope and endurance in prayer. To approach God’s holy throne, we must know that He is good, ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Him (86:5). We must know that He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (86:15). In this prayer, David basically pits who God is against his enemies and leaves the outcome to God.

A. GOD IS THE ONLY TRUE GOD, GREAT IN POWER.

David exclaims (86:8-10), “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name. For you are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.”

Seven times in this psalm, David uses the name, Adonai, or Lord (3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15). It emphasizes God’s lordship and sovereignty. He made the nations. He has ordained that they will all come and worship before Him. He is great and does wondrous deeds. The Lord alone is God.

By referring to “the gods,” David means the idols or demons that the heathen worship. Satan is called the god of this world (or, “age,” 2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31). The whole world lies in his power (1 John 5:19). Paul, referring to the demons, says that there are many gods and many lords in heaven and on earth (1 Cor. 8:5; 10:20). These demons are spirit-beings, organized under Satan, with great power over individuals and entire nations (2 Thess. 2:9; Acts 19:13-16; Dan. 10:13, 20).

But, at the time which God determines, He will bring fire down from heaven to destroy His enemies. Satan and all of the demons will be thrown into the lake of fire, where they will be tormented forever and ever (Rev. 20:9-10). And even now, before that time, we are assured (1 John 4:4), “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

This should give us great confidence to pray. Although the forces of darkness are powerful, none of them can compare to God. Hallelujah.

LET US PRAY
EVERY ATTACK OF THE ENEMY IN YOUR LIFE IS SEND BACK TO THE SENDER IN JESUS NAME.

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WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

We should pray because we have great needs.

David begins (86:1), “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy.” The fact that he cries out for God to save him (86:2, 16) shows that David knew that he could not save himself. In 86:7 he mentions that he is in “the day of trouble.”
In 86:14, he specifically mentions the band of arrogant, violent men that were seeking his life. David was deeply aware of his great need, which drove him to earnest prayer.

It sounds obvious to say that we have great needs that should drive us to prayer. But the truth is, our pride blinds us to how needy we really are, so that we rely on ourselves or on other people or on some godless method to get us out of our troubles. Finally, when nothing else has worked, we say, “We’ve done all that we can do. The only thing left is to pray!” It’s our last resort.
But, Prayer should be our first resort!

The main reason that people do not cry out to God to save them from their sins is that they do not see their great need as sinners before the holy God. They see themselves as basically good. Sure, they know they’re not perfect, but they aren’t evil sinners! They compare themselves with terrorists and child molesters and think, “I’m doing okay.” Not seeing their desperate need, they don’t cry out to God to save them.

But, even once we are saved, we fall into this same trap. We’re oblivious to the power of the enemy, who prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8). We overlook the strong appeal of indwelling sin that lurks within us (Gal. 5:17). We don’t recognize our own selfishness, which undermines our relationships in the family and in the church. And so, we don’t pray. So perhaps our first prayer should be, “God, show me my great needs that only You can meet.”

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS SHOW US MORE OF YOURSELF AS WE PRAY TODAY AND BLESS US MORE IN JESUS NAME.

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God Our Refuge

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: God Our Refuge

THE Israelites were in danger as they entered the region of Sinai A fear-inspiring trek lay before them, a journey through a “vast and terrible wilderness infested with poisonous snakes and scorpions.” (Deuteronomy 8:15, The New English Bible)

They also faced the threat of attack by hostile nations. Jehovah had brought his people into this situation. As their God, would he be able to protect them?

God's words were most reassuring: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, that I might carry you on wings of eagles and bring you to myself.” (Exodus 19:4) God reminded his people that he had delivered them from the Egyptians, using eagles, as it were, to carry them to safety. But there are other reasons why “wings of eagles” fittingly illustrate divine protection.

Why do “wings of eagles” fittingly illustrate divine protection?

The eagle uses its broad, strong wings for more than just soaring aloft. In the heat of the day, a mother eagle will arch her wings—which may span over seven feet (2 m)—to form a protective umbrella, shielding her tender nestlings from the scorching sun. At other times, she wraps her wings around her offspring to protect them from the cold wind. Just as the eagle safeguards its young, so God had shielded and protected the fledgling nation of Israel. Now in the wilderness, his people would continue to find refuge in the shadow of his mighty wings as long as they remained faithful. (Deuteronomy 32:9-11; Psalm 36:7) But can we today rightly expect God’s protection?

Yes because he has promise to protect us. So as the year comes to an end put your trust in God and have faith in his protecting power over all that is yours and you shall surely be safe.

LET US PRAY
WHATEVER EVIL PLANED TO ATTACK YOU, I SEND IT BACK TO THE SENDER IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

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THE LOVE OF CHRIST

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: THE LOVE OF CHRIST

The phrase “love of Christ,” as opposed to “love for Christ,” refers to the love that He has toward mankind. His love can be briefly stated as His willingness to act in our best interest, especially in meeting our greatest need, even though it cost Him everything and even though we were the least worthy of such love.

Though Christ Jesus, being God in nature, existed from the beginning of time with God the Father (John 1:1) and the Holy Spirit, He willingly left His throne (John 1:1-14) to become a man, that He might pay the penalty for our sin so that we would not have to pay for it for all eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Because mankind’s sin has been paid for by our sinless Savior Jesus Christ, God who is just and holy can now forgive our sins when we accept Christ Jesus’ payment as our own (Romans 3:21-26). Thus, Christ’s love is shown in His leaving His home in heaven, where He was worshipped and honored as He deserved, to come to earth as a man where He would be mocked, betrayed, beaten, and crucified on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin, rising again from the dead on the third day. He considered our need of a Savior from our sin and its penalty as more important than His own comfort and life (Philippians 2:3-8).

This love which He demonstrated toward us on the cross is just the beginning. When we place our trust in Him as our Savior, He makes us God’s children, co-heirs with Him! He comes to dwell within us through His Holy Spirit, promising that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Thus, we have a loving companion for life. And no matter what we go through, He is there, and His love is ever available to us (Romans 8:35). But as He rightfully reigns as a benevolent King in heaven, we need to give Him the position He deserves in our lives as well, that of Master and not merely companion. It is only then that we will experience life as He intended and live in the fullness of His love (John 10:10b).

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, REMOVE OUR NAME FROM THE BOOK OF HELL AND LET YOUR SAVING GRACE SAFE OUR SOUL IN JESUS NAME.

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IS GOD'S LOVE CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: IS GOD'S LOVE CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL?

God’s love, as described in the Bible, is clearly unconditional in that His love is expressed toward the objects of His love (that is, His people) despite their disposition toward Him. In other words, God loves because it His nature to love (1 John 4:8), and that love moves Him toward benevolent action. The unconditional nature of God’s love is most clearly seen in the gospel. The gospel message is basically a story of divine rescue. As God considers the plight of His rebellious people, He determines to save them from their sin, and this determination is based on His love (Ephesians 1:4-5). Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words from his letter to the Romans:

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

Reading through the book of Romans, we learn that we are alienated from God due to our sin. We are at enmity with God, and His wrath is being revealed against the ungodly for their unrighteousness (Romans 1:18-20). We reject God, and God gives us over to our sin. We also learn that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and that none of us seek God, none of us do what is right before His eyes (Romans 3:10-18).

Despite this hostility and enmity we have toward God (for which God would be perfectly just to utterly destroy us), God reveals His love toward us in the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the propitiation (that is, the appeasement of God’s righteous wrath) for our sins. God did not wait for us to better ourselves as a condition of atoning for our sin. Rather, God condescended to become a man and live among His people (John 1:14). God experienced our humanity—everything it means to be a human being—and then offered Himself willingly as a substitutionary atonement for our sin.

This divine rescue resulted in a gracious act of self-sacrifice. As Jesus says in John’s gospel, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). That is precisely what God, in Christ, has done.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS.
LET YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE CLEAN US FROM ALL HATRED AND LET YOUR BLESSING FLOW IN TO OUR LIFE

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WHAT IS AGAPE LOVE?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT IS AGAPE LOVE?

The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament. How is “agape love” different from other types of love?
The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used.

Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Outside of the New Testament, the word agape is used in a variety of contexts, but in the New Testament it takes on a distinct meaning. Agape is used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God does not merely love; He is love itself. Everything God does flows from His love. Agape is also used to describe our love for God (Luke 10:27), a servant’s faithful respect to his master (Matthew 6:24), and a man’s attachment to things (John 3:19).

We are to love others with agape love, whether they are fellow believers (John 13:34) or bitter enemies (Matthew 5:44). Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of sacrifice for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for us. Agape love as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own.

Agape love does not come naturally to us. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such a love. If we are to love as God loves, that love—that agape—can only come from its Source. This is the love that “has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” when we became His children (Romans 5:5; cf. Galatians 5:22). “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). Because of God’s love toward us, we are able to love one another

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, SEPARATE US FROM EVERY LUST AND ANY FORM IF HATRED AND LET YOUR LOVE BE IN US IN JESUS NAME. AMEN

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD?

loving God requires knowing Him, and that knowledge begins with His Word. It may sound glib, but to know Him is to love Him.

To love God is to worship and praise Him. "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" (Luke 4:8).

To love God is to put Him first. The number-one commandment is to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). It’s an undivided love. God is our priority. If we love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, then we won’t allow other things to crowd in.

Our love for God is manifested by loving people (Mark 12:31), but we do not love the things of the world. “Earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25). We cannot love this present world and God at the same time (1 John 2:15); love for what the world offers can lead us astray (2 Timothy 4:10).

To love God is to desire Him, to yearn for His righteousness, His Word, and His grace. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Once we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), we want more of Him. If we love God, we will be like Mary of Bethany, “who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said” (Luke 10:39).

Suppose a man is separated from his sweetheart and receives a letter from her. His first action will be to eagerly open the letter and pore over its contents. His love for his beloved will naturally cause him to love her correspondence with him. The same is true with our love for God’s Word. Because we love the Author, we love His message to us. We read it avidly and often, we hold it close, and we hide its words in our hearts.

Finally, to love God is to obey Him. Jesus tells us, “If you love me you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3). However, this is not a matter of merely following rules and registering good deeds. It is about having God’s love written indelibly on our hearts. We naturally wish to please those we love. When we love God, we will want to please Him and obey His commands eagerly. “I delight to do your will” (Psalm 40:8).

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST, LET YOUR LOVE BE IN US AND LET POWER OF HATRED BE SUBDUE IN JESUS NAME.

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WHY DOES GOD LOVE US?

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: WHY DOES GOD LOVE US?

This short question is among the most profound questions ever asked. And no human would ever be able to answer it sufficiently. One thing is certain, however. God does not love us because we are lovable or because we deserve His love. If anything, the opposite is true. The state of mankind since the fall is one of rebellion and disobedience. Jeremiah 17:9 describes man’s inner condition: “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” Our innermost beings are so corrupted by sin that even we don’t realize the extent to which sin has tainted us. In our natural state, we do not seek God; we do not love God; we do not desire God. Romans 3:10-12 clearly presents the state of the natural, unregenerate person: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” How then is it possible for a holy, righteous, and perfect God to love such creatures? To understand this we must understand something of the nature and character of God.

First John 4:8 and 16 tell us that “God is love.” Never was a more important declaration made than this—God is love. This is a profound statement. God doesn’t just love; He is love. His nature and essence are love. Love permeates His very being and infuses all His other attributes, even His wrath and anger. Because God’s very nature is love, He must demonstrate love,

Since it is God's essential nature to love, He demonstrates His love by lavishing it on undeserving people who are in rebellion against Him. God’s love is not a sappy, sentimental, romantic feeling. Rather, it is agape love, the love of self-sacrifice. He demonstrates this sacrificial love by sending His Son to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (1 John 4:10), by drawing us to Himself (John 6:44), by forgiving us of our rebellion against Him, and by sending His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, thereby enabling us to love as He loves. He did this in spite of the fact that we did not deserve it. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

God's love is personal. He knows each of us individually and loves us personally. His is a mighty love that has no beginning and no end. It is this experiencing of God’s love that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. Why does God love us? It is because of who He is: "God is love."

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, LET YOUR LOVE CONTINUE TO MANIFEST IN US AND LET THIS WEEK BE OUR WEEK OF BLESSING IN JESUS NAME

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LOVE IS VULNERABLE TO THE OTHER

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: LOVE IS VULNERABLE TO THE OTHER

John 13

love opens up its life to another person. It goes beyond sentimental feelings. It breaks down barriers. It exposes the heart.

Think about Jesus. He left the glory of heaven to come to earth. He veiled His divinity and took on humanity. And what did it get him?
"He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him" (John 1:11).

Can you imagine being away on a business trip for a week, coming home, and your family not recognizing you?
That's similar to what Jesus experienced when he came to earth. Surely that must have hurt. Then, as Jesus hung on the cross, dying for these people that he loved, they hurled abuses, scorn, and ridicule.
His heart was broken. And yet, He forgave them.
Christian love is the most costly investment you will ever make.

LET US PRAY
EVERY SATANIC MANIPULATION IN US THAT IS CAUSING LUST INSTEAD OF GODS LOVE, WE CAST YOU OUT IN JESUS NAME.

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DEMONSTRATION OF THE VIRTUE OF LOVE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC DEMONSTRATION OF THE VIRTUE OF LOVE

How do we demonstrate the distinctiveness of Christian love? Because virtue is moral action we practice, How can we practice the glorious virtue of love?

Love values the other person
Let's not confuse Christian love with its modern counterfeits - lust, sentimentality, and gratification. While love is a wonderful, warm feeling, it is not only a feeling. In fact, according to the Bible, love is primarily an active interest in the well-being of another person. Love acts for the benefit of others.

According to William Barclay love "is the spirit in the heart that will never seek anything but the highest good of its fellow man."
God loved us not because we had something to offer him, but rather because He had something to offer us. "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

God loved us so that He could demonstrate His mercy to us in the person of His Son.

everyone around us is of incredible value to God as a potential object of His mercy. His one and only Son died in their place. Because people matter so much to him, they ought to matter to us. And, we, therefore, need to love them as he loves them.

LET US PRAY
EVERY SPIRIT OF HATRED AND JEALOUSY IN US, LORD JESUS CAST THEM OUT IN JESUS NAME.

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LOVE DISTINGUISH US FROM THE WORLD.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: LOVE DISTINGUISH US FROM THE WORLD.

Embody the distinguishing nature of love

When we demonstrate Christian love, it distinguishes believers from the rest of the world.

Jesus goes on to say, "By this [love] all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Notice Jesus did not say that people will know that you are my disciples if you promote my agenda, or wear Christian T-shirts or a WWJD bracelet, or have a fish decal on your car, but rather if you love one another.

A watching world will be persuaded not when our values are promoted but when they are incarnated, when we become purveyors of love. It is as though Jesus has given the entire world the right to judge whether or not one is His follower simply on the basis of their love for fellow human beings. The vivacious virtue of love distinguishes the Christian.

From the very beginning, God's plan was to develop a people that reflected his character. And what is his character? Love. "God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; for we are as He is in this world" (1 John 4:16-17).

Believers are God's advertisement to a watching society as to how individuals could best live in that society. In fact, Christian love will always be the best apologetic that the church has.

LET US PRAY
DEAR LORD JESUS CHRIST MAKE US YOUR GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE LOVE THAT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD TO YOU IN JESUS NAME.

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UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

When Jesus spoke to the disciples regarding the first and second greatest commands, he explained that "All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands" (Matt. 22:40).

To the people of Israel, as well as for many believers today, it would seem more logical for obedience to be the peg from which the Law hangs, since the point of writing a law is adherence to it.
And it is written, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

Yet Jesus also said, "I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another" (John 13:34).

The apostle Paul goes on to tell us "Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:10).
This may sound irrelevant to our generation that depends on police departments, guns, and force to uphold and fulfill the law. Yet Jesus' simple command requires greater strength than any of us naturally possess - more power than any man-made weapon.
The logic of Paul's interpretation of Jesus' command that love fulfills the Law seems equally simple.
For if one loves his neighbor, he will not commit adultery with his neighbor's spouse. If he loves his coworker, he will not lie to him. And if loves his enemy, he will not slander him.

Love fulfills the law, because if we truly love every person because he is a person, we will not desire to hurt or violate him or her, thus never break the law. God established love as the impetus for obedience.

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER IN JESUS NAME. LET YOUR POWER OF LOVE COME IN TO OUR LIFE AND MAKE US LOVE AS YOU DESIRE IN JESUS NAME.

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MAKE LOVE A PRIORITY

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: MAKE LOVE A PRIORITY

John 13

The Bible says we are to love one another. Sounds good, but can we do it?
Even people at church can be difficult to love. Sometimes we sing a chorus in church: "I'm so glad you're a part of the family of God," and then we look at the person beside us and sing, "I'm surprised you're part of the family of God."
Sometimes it's hard enough to love our own family. One guy told his wife that if she had really loved him she would have married someone else.
How do we make love a dominating characteristic of our lives?

Indeed loving people is difficult. Yet this is what the Bible commands. "For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another" (1 John 3:11).

We spend time on what we deem important. For many of us these choices are valid: time with family and friends, work, prayer, serving the poor, fighting for rights, protesting wrongs. But as the Scripture reminds us, "And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing" (1 Cor. 13:3).

Even though we have the freedom to set our own priorities, Jesus made a point of defining certain ones of them for us: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matt. 22:37-39).

Love, then, is not a gray area the Scriptures. Jesus gave love priority over all other Christian virtues. Every thought, response, and act of goodwill must first pass through the fine filter of love, or it means nothing at all.

In "Strength to Love", Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraged us to realize that "our responsibility as Christians is to discover the meaning of this command and seek passionately to live it out in our daily lives."

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, HELP US TO LOVE TRULY IN YOUR WAY IN JESUS NAME.

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GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ACTIVATED BY OUR CHOICES.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ACTIVATED BY OUR CHOICES.

Deuteronomy 28 is a long chapter of sixty eight verses. This chapter is divided into two parts. These first fourteen verses have to do with blessing. The remaining verses speak of cursing. Blessings or cursing, the choice was theirs.

Deuteronomy 30:15 says, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil."

Israel was left with a choice, and so are we. While God is certainly sovereign, only a fool would deny the fact of human responsibility. Every human born of woman, has a choice to make. In this life, we will choose between God or Satan, eternal life or eternal death; a life of blessing or a life of cursing. As children, our parents make many of our choices, but eventually we must choose for ourselves! The secret to securing the blessings of God, is to choose obedience over rebellion.

The Bible tells us that "God is love," and love must make a choice. God is not going to save you against your will.

How many of us would want to marry someone against his other will?

Marriage is a decision of love. Salvation is a decision of love. God in His divine pure love chose in eternity past to redeem us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We must choose to receive the Son by faith at the preaching of the Word of God and conviction of the Holy Spirit of God.

It is the same when it comes to serving God. We serve Him because we love Him. As God's children, none of us merit or deserve the least of His blessings. All blessings come to us by God's grace! However, everyday we make choices that place us in the path of God's blessings or the path of God's correction. God help us to make the right choices!

LET US PRAY
FATHER IN JESUS NAME, HELP US TO MAKE A RIGHT CHOICE IN JESUS NAME.

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Good morning friends

GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ATTACHED TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.

IOI CHRISTIAN MORNING MEAL

TOPIC: GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE ATTACHED TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.

Text: Deuteronomy 28:1-2. "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God."

Verse 1 tells us that if we hear the Lord God and live in obedience to His commandments, His Word, then we can know we are on the road to His blessings. We find the same condition in John 15:10. Jesus said, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love."

Do you get the message? Keep yourself near the Word of God, the people of God, involved in the things of God, doing the will of God, and God will bless your life. Dwelling with God, living in obedience to His Word, is the secret to securing God's blessings.

Now that is easily said, but is not easy. The flesh, the devil, and the world, are purposed to pull you away from the will and Word of God. Only as you are purposed, determined, to keep yourself focused upon God and His Word, will you be successful in life.

LET US PRAY
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, GRANT US YOUR MIND TO DO YOUR COMMANDMENT IN JESUS NAME.

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Good morning friends