Topic: Comfort in Mourning [Billy Graham’s Devotional Monday June 18, 2018]

What a wonderful God we have . . . who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us . . . — 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 (TLB)

The Bible teaches unmistakably that we can triumph over bereavement. The Psalmist said, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Self-pity can bring no enduring comfort. The fact is, it will only add to your misery. And unremitting grief will give you little consolation in itself, for grief begets grief. Sorrow, or mourning, when it is borne in a Christian way, contains a built-in comfort. “Happy are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.” There is comfort in mourning, because we know that Christ is with us. He has said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Suffering is endurable if we do not have to bear it alone; and the more compassionate the Presence, the less acute the pain.

Prayer for the day: Thank You, loving heavenly Father, for the promise that when we mourn You will comfort us. I have felt the healing of Your consolation in the past and know You will never fail me.

“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: Misplaced Requests [Teens Open Heavens 18, June 2018]

Memorise: For He satisfieth the longing soul, and fillet the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9

Read: 2 Kings 5:5-7 (KJV)

5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

Bible In One Year: Nehemiah 7-8, Acts 3

MESSAGE:

One reason many needs or desire are not Merissa because they are misplaced. Misplaced requests never get to their destination. It is essential that requests be properly channelled to the appropriate quarters for action to be taken over them. Sometimes, children make good but misplaced requests to parents. Some things are way beyond your parents.
All your needs should be channelled to God. Although parents are to provide for their children, they must not be turned into your source. When you have a need, before you make it known to your parents, tell your source. If you cultivate the habit of going to God concerning every need, it will save you time and bring you desired results.

Action Point: Re-address your misdirected requests to the appropriate person, the El-Shaddai.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Teen Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye’’

Hymn 1
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire !

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

Topic: Want Your Prayers Answered? [Open Heavens 18th June 2018, Monday Daily Devotional]

Memorise: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. – John 15:16

Read: Proverbs 11:30-31, Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV)

Proverbs 11:30-31:
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Matthew 28:18-20:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 18, Acts 13:1-25

MESSAGE:

Queen Esther shows us one example of how to get our requests granted quickly. Although she had prepared a sumptuous banquet for the king and fed him well, she did not dwell on her own needs; neither did she make any request of him on the first banquet night. She prepared another banquet the second night, and after being treated well again by the queen, we see the king himself insisting that Queen Esther ask whatever she wanted. Esther 7:2 says,

“And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.”

At this point, the queen presented her request and it was granted without delay. When you follow Queen Esther’s example in your prayer life, you will get expedited answers to your prayers.

Today’s memory verse reveals one of the ways of receiving expedited answers to your prayers. It clearly states that if you are fruitful, whatever you ask the Father in the Name of Jesus will be granted. Many people do not realise the blessings that accompany the great assignment of soul-winning. I have taught my children on several occasions that the shortest route to receiving answers to their prayers is through soul-winning. This is a divine truth that cannot be wished away, because it is the word of God. The good thing about this assignment is that you are not the one to win souls: Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit does the job. The Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting the hearts of sinners (John 16:8). All Jesus wants of you is to make your mouth, resources and time available for His use.

What happened to Peter when he made his boat available to Jesus at the lake of Gennesaret will happen to you as you yield yourself and your resources to God for soul-winning today in Jesus’ Name (Luke 5:1-7). It is interesting to note that after Peter surrendered his boat for God’s use, Jesus Christ did not wait for Peter to ask for a miracle; He just went ahead and granted Peter what he did not ask or bargained for: a great catch of fish that filled two boats. If He could do it for Peter, He will also do it for you when you table your requests after you have yielded yourself to soul-winning.

Prayer Point: Father, grant me the grace to make myself and my resources available for soul-winning today in Jesus’ Name.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Open Heavens 17 June 2018 – Don’t Misuse Your Tongue

Hymn 7: Wonderful Story Of Love

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Chorus:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

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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