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Abundance Of Blessing Ministries Inc., #20 Chikwe Street, Rumuokwurushi, Port Harcourt (2026)

23/06/2014

Monday,
June 23, 2014

Restored By The Master

[You] have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. —Colossians 3:10

Over the centuries, many attempts have been made to restore damaged and time-worn masterpieces of art. While some of these efforts have skillfully preserved the original work of artists, others have actually damaged many works of genius, including ancient Greek statues and at least two paintings by da Vinci.

In Paul’s letter to the Christians at Colosse, he described a restoration process that is impossible in the world of art. It’s a restoration of God’s people. Paul wrote, “You have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:9-10). This is no attempt at renovating the work of a deceased artist. It is a spiritual renewal from the living God who created us and gave us new life in His Son, Jesus Christ. His forgiveness brightens the colors of our lives while His grace sharpens the lines of His purpose for us.

The canvas of our lives is in the skilled hands of our Lord who knows who and what He designed us to be. No matter how sin-damaged and dirty we may be, there is hope for renewal and restoration. The Master Artist is alive and at work within us. David C. McCasland

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To His feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing. —Lyte

Jesus specializes in restoration.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2014 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555

18/06/2014

Wednesday,
June 18, 2014

Smile!

The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. —Numbers 6:25

A recent study that I read concluded that smiling can be good for your health. Research shows that smiling slows down the heart and reduces stress.

But smiling isn’t just good for you; a genuine smile blesses those on the receiving end as well. Without saying a word, it can tell others that you like them and that you are pleased with them. A smile can hug someone with love without giving them even the slightest touch.

Life does not always give us a reason to smile. But when we see a heartfelt smile on a child’s face or through aged wrinkles, our hearts are encouraged.

Smiles are also a hint of the image of God in us. In the ancient blessing recorded in the book of Numbers we get an indication that God “smiles”: “The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Num. 6:25-26). Those words are a Hebrew idiom for the favor of God on a person’s life, asking God to smile on His children.

So today, remember that you are loved by God, and that He is pleased to be gracious to you and to shine His face upon you. Joe Stowell

Lord, may my life be so pleasing to You that You are
pleased to have Your face shine on me. And as You
graciously smile on my life, may I find someone
today with whom I can share Your love through a smile.

Your smile could be a message of cheer from God to a needy soul.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2014 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555

17/06/2014

Tuesday,
June 17, 2014

The Light Of The Lamb

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. —Revelation 21:23

For countless generations people have looked to the sun and moon to light the day and the night. Whether illuminating our path or providing the life-giving radiance for fruitful crops and the nutrients our bodies need, the sun and moon are part of God’s marvelous provision of light. The book of Genesis tells us that God gave “the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night” (Gen. 1:16).

But someday God will provide a different kind of illumination. Of the eternal heavenly city, John writes: “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (Rev. 21:23). Interestingly, the word translated “light” here is more accurately rendered lamp. Christ in His glorified state will be the spiritual lamp that lights up that joyous new world.

The Lord Jesus Christ is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He is also the source of spiritual illumination that makes those who follow Him “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). But in eternity He will be the Lamp that lights our way (Rev. 21:23). What a thrill it will be one day to live in the light of the Lamb! Dennis Fisher

No darkness have we who in Jesus abide—
The light of the world is Jesus;
We walk in the light when we follow our Guide—
The light of the world is Jesus. —Bliss

The Light of the world knows no power failure.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2014 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555

14/06/2014

The Wonder of Praying

Scripture: "So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding." (Colossians 1:9).

Every now and then, a person in the news will capture my attention. When this happens, I try to pray for them. People pay attention to celebrities; they have a lot of power to influence others -- for good or for evil. I pray that those famous people will come to know the Lord and respect His ways, so they themselves can receive God's blessing, and because of their influence, share it with others.

Please the Lord

I sometimes think about what it would be like to be a celebrity who influences others. The truth is, we don't need to be famous to affect others. When the Apostle Paul prayed for his friends in Colossi, he hoped that "the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better” (Colossians 1:10). Living humble, Spirit-filled lives, we can trust God that others will notice and, we hope, follow the example God lets us provide.

When you pray for your friends and family, and strive to live a godly life before them, some will accept God's salvation, but others will not. This can be frustrating, but St. Paul continued in his prayer, "that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father” (Colossians 1:11-12a). You might not see the results of your prayers, but God knows your efforts; and your influence is valuable to those around you.

God has given us an amazing gift, one that cannot run out nor be "used up." We are blessed to be able to share His love and the message of His salvation. St. Paul wrote, "He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light" (Colossians 1:12b). When it comes down to it, one of the best ways to influence people is to love God, live for Him, and help lead others to His eternal life.

* The Prayer, Care and Share (PCS) series is a guide to help you pray and care for others and share your faith in Jesus *

(The “Take 5” Challenge continued from last week)

Scripture: Col 1:9-14

We all know someone who doesn’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, or who may have even lost the faith they used to have in Him. Last week, I challenged you to choose five people in your life that you want to reach out to and share Jesus with. I called the challenge “Take 5”. If you haven’t thought about that, will you take a minute to do that now?

Here are some tips for completing the “Take 5” challenge:
•Set aside 5 minutes every day to pray for the people on your “Take 5” list.
•Pray that God will bless them and that they will ask Jesus to be their Savior.
•Scheduling 5 minutes to pray on your calendar will help you remember.

My life was changed because people did not stop praying for me: While I was in the hospital, someone visited me to share about Jesus. I believe he was sent from God. I was deeply moved and asked Jesus to be my Savior. My biggest surprise was still to come: When I told my wife what had happened, she confessed that she had been praying for EIGHT years that Jesus would show Himself to me. The previous eighteen months she had been diligently praying daily!

Our Lord is so good and merciful! The Apostle Paul led by example to pray for the Colossians without stopping (Col 1:9-14). He also thanked the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. You also should pray without stopping for people who need Jesus because their alternative is the dominion of darkness forever (Col 1:13).

Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, show me the five precious souls that you want me to pray for on a daily basis. I pray that You will bless them and bring them into Your Kingdom. I plead that each one will cancel their reservation in hell and accept You as Savior. I pray this in Your Name Lord Jesus, Amen."

Why pray for just five people? It may become overwhelming to pray diligently and intentionally for more than five. So, I suggest that you start with five and follow the Lord’s leading. If you only have 2 or 3 pray for them faithfully. Every soul is important!

Give us some feedback

Click here to share how the Prayer, Care and Share guide is helping you learn and grow.

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