Topic: Called by Name [Our Daily Bread 12 Tuesday June, 2018]

Read: John 20:11–18, Bible in a Year: Ezra 3–5; John 20

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” John 20:16

Advertisers have concluded that the most attention-grabbing word that viewers react to is their own name. Thus a television channel in the UK has introduced personalized advertisements with their online streaming services.

We might enjoy hearing our name on television, but it doesn’t mean much without the intimacy that comes when someone who loves us says our name.

Mary Magdalene’s attention was arrested when, at the tomb where Jesus’s body had been laid after He was crucified on the cross, He spoke her name (John 20:16). With that single word, she turned in recognition to the Teacher whom she loved and followed, I imagine with a rush of disbelief and joy. The familiarity with which He spoke her name confirmed for her beyond a doubt that the One who’d known her perfectly was alive and not dead.

Although Mary shared a unique and special moment with Jesus, we too are personally loved by God. Jesus told Mary that He would ascend to His Father (v. 17), but He had also told His disciples that He would not leave them alone (John 14:15–18). God would send the Holy Spirit to live and dwell in His children (see Acts 2:1–13).

God’s story doesn’t change. Whether then or now, He knows those whom He loves (see John 10:14–15). He calls us by name.

Prayer: Loving Father, living Jesus, comforting Holy Spirit, thank You that You know me completely, and that You love me unceasingly.

The God who created the cosmos also made you, and He calls you by name.

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

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

Topic: Play to Win [Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Tuesday June 12, 2018]

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? – 1 John 5:5

I’ve often heard people say, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” That’s nonsense. If you play the game right, you’ll win!

Any coach will tell you that part of playing the game right is having a winning attitude. That’s what God wants us, as believers, to have. He wants us to have so much faith in Him that we expect to whip any obstacle the devil brings our way. He wants us to expect to win at the game of life.

But most of us don’t come by that attitude easily. We’re so accustomed to losing that we have to totally change our way of thinking if we want to have a winning mind-set. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul told the Church to renew their minds. Like us, they needed to change their attitudes, to renew their minds to the fact that Jesus overcame the world.

If you haven’t already, you need to do that too! You need to develop a glorious sense of confidence that says, “Hey, Devil, I’m going to be victorious and there’s not a thing you can do to stop me!”

“But, Brother Copeland, you don’t know the kinds of problems I’m facing.”

I know I don’t, but Jesus does and He said you should “cheer up” because He can give you peace in the midst of tribulation. He said that when Satan comes against you with everything he has, you should take heart because He’s already beaten it—Jesus has already overcome it and so can you!

First John 5:5 puts it this way, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Do you know what that scripture means? It means that if you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world. Think about that. Meditate on it. Start developing a winning attitude today!

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:29-39

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: The Heart Matters [Andrew Wommack Tuesday June 12, 2018]

John 7:22 “Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.”

Text: John 7:21-24

The covenant of circumcision was given to Abram in Gen. 17:9-14. In v. 14, the Lord said that any man who did not carry this sign of the covenant in his flesh was to be killed. This placed a great importance on the act of circumcision. Paul says in Rom. 4:3-13, that Abraham had already been justified by faith before he was circumcised. It was Abram’s faith that saved him at least 13 years before the Lord commanded Abram to be circumcised. The Jews had focused on the outward act of obedience instead of the inward act of faith that caused Abraham to be obedient. This was the source of the contention between Jesus and the religious leaders too. They were emphasizing all the outward acts that the Lord had commanded and were totally disregarding the motives of the heart. Jesus was saying that if an individual would cleanse his heart, then his actions would inevitably change too.

The truth of salvation by faith had been lost in Judaism, and even though many of the Jews had come to put faith in Jesus as their Savior, they were trying to mix faith and the keeping of the commandments together as a requirement for salvation.

The condition of a person’s flesh is not the important thing. It doesn’t matter if that flesh is circumcised or holy. It is the condition of the spirit that matters with God. Today the act of circumcision is not the issue, but acts of holiness are still deemed by many as essential for receiving salvation. This same legalistic thinking lives on today in the doctrine of water baptism, church membership, and other acts of holiness which some preach are necessary for salvation. Faith alone in the love of God, as expressed through Jesus, is the only thing that God demands for justification. Religious rites mean nothing. The only thing that counts is becoming a new creation.

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 Wisdom of God [Billy Graham’s Devotional Tuesday June 12, 2018]

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. — Psalm 37:5

To know the will of God is the highest of all wisdom. Living in the center of God’s will rules out all falseness of religion and puts the stamp of true sincerity upon our service to God. You can be miserable with much, if you are out of His will; but you can have peace in your heart with little, if you are in the will of God. You can be wretched with wealth and fame, out of His will; but you can have joy in obscurity, if you are in the will of God. You can have agony in good health, out of His will; but you can be happy in the midst of suffering, if you are in God’s will. You can be miserable and defeated in the midst of acclaim, if you are out of His will; but you can be calm and at peace in the midst of persecution, as long as you are in the will of God. The Bible reveals that God has a plan for every life, and that if we live in constant fellowship with Him, He will direct and lead us in the fulfillment of this plan.

Prayer for the day: In everything I do, Your will must be uppermost in my life, Lord. I, as Your child, trust You to lead 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: Another Gehazi? [Open Heavens 12th June 2018, Tuesday Daily Devotional]

Memorise: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. – Matthew 10:8

Read: 2 Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 7-8, Acts 9:23-43

MESSAGE:

Being endowed with spiritual gifts comes with great responsibility and the need for accountability. Grave consequences are also attached to their misuse. For this reason, every child of God needs to be very careful not to take undue advantage of the gifts of the Holy Spirit deposited in them by God. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew that man was susceptible to abusing the power of God, and so he warned His disciples against merchandizing the free gift of God (Matthew 10:8). He sternly told them that what they had received freely must be freely given out. It is a fearful thing to turn the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us into objects of merchandise traded for money, favors or gifts. This was what Simon tried to do when he offered money to Peter to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost operating in Peter’s life. Acts 8:18-19 says:

“18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”

Knowing the implication of this act, Apostle Peter rebuked him and advised him to desist from such diabolical ways. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of some people concerning the ministry of the gospel today.

Today’s Bible reading speaks about a potentially mighty prophet of God who denied himself the opportunity of receiving multiple portions of Elijah’s anointing, all because he loved material possessions. 2 Kings 5:20 says,

“But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”

The astonishing part of the above scripture is that Gehazi was not the vessel through whom Naaman was healed! In spite of this fact, he was still hell-bent on getting some form of reward the miracle Naaman had received. In the same vein, no minister of God can perform any miracle. Jesus is the only miracle-worker and all Christians are vessels through whom these miracles are performed. Therefore, taking advantage of His works through His Spirit in us is fraudulent and diabolic. We must be very careful so that we do not become victims of the grave consequences of such acts of covetousness like Gehazi. The good Lord will bless you in His own way and in His own time as you surrender yourself for His use in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, I don’t want to be another Gehazi; please help me to know when to receive or reject a gift as I minister before You in Jesus’ Name.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Open Heavens 11 June 2018 – The Glory of A Consecrated Life

Hymn 12: Take My Life, And Let It Be

1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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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