Topic: Pictures of Love [Our Daily Bread 29 Friday June, 2018]

Read: 2 John 1:1–6, Bible in a Year: Job 14–16; Acts 9:22–43

I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 2 John 1:5

My children and I have started a new daily practice. Every night at bedtime, we gather colored pencils and light a candle. Asking God to light our way, we get out our journals and draw or write answers to two questions: When did I show love today? and When did I withhold love today?

Loving our neighbors has been an important part of the Christian life “from the beginning” (2 John 1:5). That’s what John writes in his second letter to his congregation, asking them to love one another in obedience to God (2 John 1:5–6). Love is one of John’s favorite topics throughout his letters. He says that practicing real love is one way to know that we “belong to the truth,” that we’re living in God’s presence (1 John 3:18–19). When my kids and I reflect, we find that in our lives love takes shape in simple actions: sharing an umbrella, encouraging someone who is sad, or cooking a favorite meal. The moments when we’re withholding love are equally practical: we gossip, refuse to share, or satisfy our own desires without thinking of others’ needs.

Paying attention each night helps us be more aware each day, more tuned in to what the Spirit might be showing us as we walk through our lives. With the Spirit’s help, we’re learning to walk in love (2 John 1:6).

Prayer: Lord, let us not love just in words, but in actions and in truth. Teach us to be obedient to Your call to love.

How can I show love today?

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

This message was written By Amy Peterson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Grow In Grace [Andrew Wommack Friday June 29, 2018]

Luke 9:55 “But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.”

Text: Luke 9:54-56

Jesus was constantly being accused of breaking the law of Moses. He taught differently than the law of Moses (Mt. 5:21-48), and now He rebukes His disciples for desiring to do what an Old Testament prophet did with God’s blessing and power. However, Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.

Jesus came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them (Jn. 3:16; 10:10).

“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Cor. 5:19). Jesus was just in doing this because He bore our sins (Isa. 53:4-6) and the accompanying wrath of God (Mt. 27:46; Heb. 2:9). Jesus didn’t reject God’s judgment against sin; He bore it (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore, He was able to extend the grace and mercy of God to those who would have been doomed under the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39).

The Old Testament law was like a judge passing sentence upon sin. Jesus became our advocate (or lawyer). Even more than that, He became our substitute, bearing “our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

He didn’t destroy God’s judgment; He fulfilled it in Himself, so that we could go free. This forever changed God’s dealings with sinful man. In light of what Jesus has done in the New Covenant, we would be rebuked for trying to release God’s wrath upon others as was done in the Old Covenant. Likewise, if Jesus would have been on the earth in His physical body, reconciling the world unto Himself in the days of Elijah, then Elijah would have been rebuked for his actions, as recorded in 2 Kings 1:9-15. There is a difference between Old Testament law and New Testament grace. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17). Grow in grace.

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

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: The Hands of Jesus [Billy Graham’s Devotional Friday June 29, 2018]

. . . I was hungry, [and] you gave me food . . . — Matthew 25:35 (NEB)

During the war a church in Strasburg, Germany, was totally destroyed; but a statue of Christ which stood by the altar was almost unharmed. Only the hands of the statue were missing. When the church was rebuilt, a famous sculptor offered to make new hands; but, after considering the matter, the members decided to let it stand as it was—without hands. “For,” they said, “Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work on earth. If we don’t feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, entertain the stranger, visit the imprisoned, and clothe the naked, who will?” Christ is depending on us to do the very things which He did while upon earth. My friend, if the gospel we preach does not have a social application, if it will not work effectively in the work-a-day world, then it is not the Gospel of Christ.

Prayer for the day: I look at my hands, Lord Jesus, and ask You to use them this day. Make me conscious of the needs of those who hurt.

“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.

Topic: Share Your Responsibilities [Open Heavens 29th June 2018, Friday Daily Devotional]

Memorise: And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, – Mark 3:14

Read: Exodus 18:13-27 (KJV)

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Bible in One Year: 1 Chronicle 16-17, Acts 19:21-41

MESSAGE:

It is amazing that not only are many leaders guilty of self-abuse by working more than is necessary, they are also guilty of stressing themselves out to the point of exhaustion, thereby leading to their untimely death. When God created man, He created us in His image and likeness and so we are expected to be like Him in many respects. One area we should resemble him is in the attribute of delegating responsibility. Genesis 2:15 & 19 reveals how God readily delegated the responsibility of keeping the Garden of Eden and the naming of animals to Adam. There is no monopoly of responsibility in the attributes of God. We need to begin to emulate God by sharing and delegating responsibilities with our colleagues, subordinates and neighbours to avoid burning ourselves out and even killing ourselves.

In Exodus 18:13-27, Moses was taught the art of labour by his father-in-law, Jethro came visiting, he observed that Moses hardly had time to rest, because he was ever busy attending to every case brought to him by his people- even monitor cases that were domestic in nature. Although the reason Moses gave for this arrangement was genuine and good intentioned, Jethro pointed out the folly of what he was doing to him. In Exodus 18:17b-18, Jethro said:

“17b The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. “

Jethro then taught him how to delegate his judicial responsibilities to elders who were able and capable. Moses heeded his advice and it worked: judgment was no longer delayed and Moses had time to take care of himself.

Members of the Body of Christ need to be willing to work, and their pastors need to be willing to prepare them to take responsibilities. Nevertheless, responsibilities must not be delegated carelessly. They should not be passed on to those who would destroy the work you have laboured so much for. In delegating responsibilities, adhere to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:2:

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Apply this principle to your church, business and family and you will find rest for your soul.

Action Point: Join an empowerment program that will increase your effectiveness today.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Open Heavens 28 June 2018 Thursday Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye — Even The Meek Can Be Offended!

Hymn 4: Trust And Obey.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Chorus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

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