Topic: Dangerous Distractions [Our Daily Bread 15 November 2018 Devotional]

Read: John 13:31–35, Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 1–2; Hebrews 11:1–19

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 nlt

Artist Sigismund Goetze shocked Victorian-era England with a painting entitled “Despised and Rejected of Men.” In it, he portrayed the suffering, condemned Jesus surrounded by people of Goetze’s own generation. They were so consumed by their own interests—business, romance, politics—that they were shockingly oblivious to the Savior’s sacrifice. Indifferent to Christ, the surrounding crowd, like the mob at the foot of Jesus’s cross, had no idea what—or who—they had missed.

In our day as well, believers and unbelievers alike can easily become distracted from the eternal. How can followers of Jesus cut through this fog of distraction with the truth of God’s great love? We can begin by loving one another as fellow children of God. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 nlt).

But real love doesn’t stop there. We extend that love by sharing the gospel in hopes of drawing people to the Savior. As Paul wrote, “We are . . . Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

In this way, the body of Christ can both reflect and project God’s love, the love we so desperately need, to both each other and to our world. May both efforts, empowered by His Spirit, be a part of cutting through the distractions that hinder us from seeing the wonder of God’s love in Jesus.

Read the Discovery Series booklet Truth with Love: Sharing the Story of Jesus at discoveryseries.org/hp141.

To a world living in the fog of distraction, we bring the light of the good news of Jesus.

INSIGHT:
Consider those Jesus chose as His first disciples (Luke 6:13–16). While they were all men and all Jewish, there was much that could (and sometimes did) divide them. Most were from Galilee in the north, but one (Judas Iscariot) was from Judea in the south. While most were fishermen (Mark 1:16–20), Matthew was a tax collector (Matthew 10:3) who served the Romans—harming his own people. Matthew would have been despised by everyone, especially Simon the Zealot (v. 4), a member of a radical Jewish group determined to drive Rome out of Israel. Add to that the attempts by James and John to seek higher places of honor in the kingdom (Mark 10:35–37), and you have a fertile environment for friction. These factors and more would have intensified the difficulty of loving one another. Yet, just as we love God because He first loved us, we love one another—despite our differences—in the power of the love we have received from God. As we seek to dwell together as followers of Christ, loving one another isn’t easy, but it’s vital.

Do you need God’s help to love a particular person in an intentional way this week?

Bill Crowder

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Our Daily Bread Devotionals HERE”

This message was written By Bill Crowder [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: The Dominion Mandate of The Blessing [Seeds of Destiny 15 November 2018 Devotional]

Scripture: And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah,… And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot…. Genesis 14:15-16

Thought For The Day: When you are blessed, you are empowered unto victory in battle.

Yesterday, we saw that being established in the Blessing is a non-negotiable requirement for existence in the realm of dominion and authority in life.

Today, we are going to see how the Blessing positions a person in the realms of authority and dominion.

Now, how does the Blessing position a person in the realm of authority and dominion?

1. The Blessing establishes a leadership mandate on the life of the blessed
The Blessing makes leaders out of ordinary people. It puts the blessed in command spiritually, financially, academically, etc. Beloved, whatever makes you blessed, puts you in front ahead of others.

2. The Blessing empowers the blessed for the conquest of resistance
When you are blessed, you are empowered unto victory in battle. In Genesis 14:13-16, Abraham, the blessed, went into battle and destroyed the army of four nations. So, the Blessing is not gentle; it is a powerful force.
Beloved, you are not permitted to be blessed and end in defeat.

3. The Blessing empowers the blessed to rise to the top
No power on earth is strong enough to prevent the rise of the blessed; to be blessed is to rise in life.

Beloved, I decree the release of God’s Blessing on your life, in Jesus’ Name.

Remember this: When you are blessed, you are empowered unto victory in battle.

Assignments:
1. Make demands on the Blessing of God upon your life.
2. Determine to exercise your dominion mandate as a blessed child of God.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE POWER OF THE BLESSING

Prayer: Father, by Your Blessing upon my life, I decree the termination of every resistance against my life and destiny. Nothing can prevent my fulfilment in life, Lord in Jesus’ Name.

Daily Bible Reading: Ezekiel 31:1 to 32:32, Hebrews 12:14 to 29, Psalm 113:1 to 114:8, Proverbs 27:18 to 20

Quote: It takes a daring heart to experience a victorious life. Culled from RIDING THE STORMS OF LIFE by Dr Paul Enenche.

Amazing Fact: If you cut off a snail’s eye, it will grow a new one.

Today In History: 15/11/1791 – The first U.S. Catholic college, Georgetown University, opens its doors

Also Read: Click HERE to read Other Inspirational Messages by Pastor Paul Enenche

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Topic: Put Love to Work [Kenneth Copeland Devotional 15 November 2018]

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

What do you do when you’re facing a particularly stubborn problem? A problem that resists your every effort to solve it?

Put the power of love to work on it! The power of love is the greatest power in the universe. It’s beyond defeat. It never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).

The Bible says God is love. So when you release love into a situation, you have released God into it. Think about that! When you start releasing love into a situation, Jesus becomes responsible for its success.

What is this love I’m talking about?

First Corinthians 13 tells us it’s patient and kind. It’s not jealous or haughty or conceited or rude. It doesn’t insist on its own way. It’s not touchy or resentful and it pays no attention to a suffered wrong.

Love rejoices when right and truth prevail and it bears up under anything and everything that comes. It’s ever ready to believe the best of every person. Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything without weakening.

The person who refuses to love is missing out on the very best God has to offer.

Don’t you miss out on any of it. Release love every moment into every situation, every prayer and every thought until it totally consumes your life. It will strengthen you and cast out every fear that has robbed you of God’s greater blessings. It will drive the devil out of your affairs and set you free from every torment of darkness.

Put love to work on the stubborn problems in your life. It’s the one solution they’ll never be able to resist.

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional Here’’

This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.

Topic: Chose To Serve [Andrew Wommack Devotional 15 November 2018]

Matthew 26:51 “And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.”

In Romans chapter one, Paul calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ. Out of the six Greek words for “servant” used in the New Testament, Paul used one of the most slavish terms possible. The word used in this passage is “doulos” and comes from the root word “deo” which means “bind.” Paul literally speaks of himself as a bondman or slave of Jesus Christ – a slave by free choice; yet owned and purchased by Jesus Christ.

The idea of being a love-slave by choice comes from Old Testament passages such as Exodus 21:2-6 and Deuteronomy 15:12-17. If an Israelite bought a Hebrew slave, he must set him free in the seventh year. However, if the slave loved his master and said, “I will not go away from thee,” then a hole was to be bored through the lobe of his ear pronouncing him a bond-slave forever.

Jesus is the supreme example of selflessness – He puts others ahead of Himself.

We see clearly from Jesus’ example, that the way to exaltation in God’s kingdom comes through humility and servanthood to others. Christ’s humiliation, displayed in His coming to earth as a man, is not only a lesson in Christology but also an example to all believers of what greatness in God’s kingdom entails. Let this attitude of heart, taken from the example of Jesus Christ, continue to motivate all true believers in Jesus Christ.

The Creator became the creation; the Lord became the servant; the Highest became the lowest. All of this was done because of God’s great love for us.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Andrew Wommack Daily Devotional 

This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).

Topic: Divine Artistry [Billy Graham Devotional 15 November 2018]

Yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. — 2 Corinthians 12:5

Dr. Edward Judson, in speaking of the life of his father, Adoniram Judson, at the dedication of the Judson Memorial Church in New York City, said, “Suffering and success go together. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered; if you are suffering without succeeding, it is that others after you may succeed.”

Happy are they that mourn. They can be happy because they know that their pain, their distress, and their privation are the travail of a new creation, the birth pangs of a better world. They can be happy if they are aware that the Master Artist, God, is employing both light and shadow to produce a masterpiece worthy of divine artistry.

They can also glory in their infirmities, smile through their tears, and sing in the midst of their sorrow, because they realize that in God’s economy, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.”

Prayer for the day: In suffering I will learn to praise You, loving Savior.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Billy Graham’s Daily Devotional HERE

Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.