Topic: To My Dear Friend [Our Daily Bread 3rd Friday August, 2018]

Read: 3 John, Bible in a Year: Psalms 63–65; Romans 6

The elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 3 John 1

What the apostle John did for his friend Gaius in the first century is a dying art in the twenty-first century. John wrote him a letter.

One writer for the New York Times, Catherine Field, said, “Letter-writing is among our most ancient of arts. Think of letters and the mind falls on Paul of Tarsus,” for example. And we can add the apostle John.

In his letter to Gaius, John included hopes for good health of body and soul, an encouraging word about Gaius’s faithfulness, and a note about his love for the church. John also spoke of a problem in the church, which he promised to address individually later. And he wrote of the value of doing good things for God’s glory. All in all, it was an encouraging and challenging letter to his friend.

Digital communication may mean letter-writing on paper is fading away, but this shouldn’t stop us from encouraging others. Paul wrote letters of encouragement on parchment; we can encourage others in a variety of ways. The key is not the way we encourage others, but that we take a moment to let others know we care for them in Jesus’s name!

Think of the encouragement Gaius experienced when he opened John’s letter. Could we similarly shine God’s love on our friends with a thoughtful note or an uplifting call?

Prayer: Lord, help us know how to encourage others who need a spiritual boost from us.

Encouraging words bring hope to the human spirit.

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

This message was written By Dave Branon [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Topic: Comfort In Eternity [Andrew Wommack 3rd August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Luke 16:22 “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;”

Text: Luke 16:19-31

This story clearly teaches that there is life after death. It shows that there is no “soul sleep” where our souls are awaiting the resurrection of our bodies, but we go into a conscious eternity immediately. It also shows that there are only two destinations possible after death. We either go to a place of torment for the wicked or a place of blessing for the righteous. There is no “limbo” or “purgatory” and there is no second chance, illustrating the finality of our eternal destiny once we die.

Abraham’s bosom is a symbolic term designating a place of comfort for the righteous dead. It was located in the heart of the earth, in the same region as hell, where the ungodly dead go. The rich man’s body was in the grave and yet this scripture speaks of him lifting up his eyes and seeing Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom. Our soul mirrors our physical shape so closely that it is recognizable. It is probable that one’s soulish body is an exact duplicate of their physical body.

Part of this man’s torment was from the flames. However, he was also tormented by the thought of his loved ones’ lives on earth and their eternal destiny. Surely his helplessness to warn them would make his misery worse.

Also, the fact that he could see Lazarus and Abraham in a place of total blessing and comfort would keep him from ever adjusting to his situation.

In the light of Jesus’ words, we can see that hell will be much more than just a place of physical torment. Those who are consigned to that place will also be tormented with the thoughts of what could have been if they had trusted Jesus. The greatest witness that anyone could ever receive is the witness from God’s Word. The gospel is the “power of God unto salvation”.

Also 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: Sufficient to Save [Billy Graham’s Devotional Friday August 3, 2018]

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. — Proverbs 14:12

A line of human thought that seems right to many people is the idea of self-redemption. Man thinks he must work at righteousness to save himself. After all, it was man who sinned and as we say, “God helps those who help themselves.” But a greater truth than this emerges from the Bible-the truth that God helps those who cannot help themselves. We cannot save ourselves. It is noble to be upright if we can. It is admirable to be honest, kind, and compassionate. It would seem that these characteristics would be sufficient to save our souls. But the Bible says that though this way seems right, it is wrong.

Prayer for the day: Father, I know that my attempts at living a good life are nothing compared to my beloved Savior, Jesus Christ; but because of Him I can come to You, knowing He has redeemed 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: Arise and Build [DCLM Daily Manna 3rd August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Text: Nehemiah 3:6-22 (KJV)

Key Verse: “And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain” (Nehemiah 3:12,22).

MESSAGE:

Commenting on leadership ability to understand people’s mood and take appropriate action, a Scottish philosopher, Francis Hutcheson said, “Action is best when it procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers”.

Nehemiah, which means, “The Lord comforts”, was the personal cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes. He received permission from the king to go to Judah to restore his people’s fortunes. This did not come on a platter of gold but until after he had been informed that “the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire” (Nehemiah 1:3).

This prompted him to fast and seek God’s face in prayer. Nehemiah mobilised the people and the rebuilding of Jerusalem walls became a matter of national emergency. Everyone was involved.

Today, many places of worship look more like poultry than God’s houses; some even without walls and gates. There is great need for leaders with vision and concern for the building of befitting places of worship for the Lord. These should be leaders, who like Nehemiah, will mobilise everyone for the attainment of noble objectives. All hands must be on deck as we all bear witness of God’s great provision for the redemption of lost mankind.

God in His mercy gave us the best through His Son’s death on the cross. The best service should flow from those redeemed by the blood to serve the living God.

Thought For The Day: Standing out in true service to the Most High is a noble act.

Bible Reading In One Year: 2 Chronicles 32-33

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM Daily Manna HERE

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

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: Time Sensitivity and the Maximization of Life’s Opportunities [Seeds of Destiny 3 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Scripture: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesian 5:12

Thought For The Day: People of impact are people who have a very high sense of urgency.

In my book, 10 Principal Secrets of Principal People, I made it clear that principles are the secrets of principal people. This means, there are principles principal people know and practice that make them great on earth. In the same way, to be one of the most important personalities on earth, one must do the most important things.

Now, one of the most important things on earth is the maximization of life’s opportunities.

One way to maximize your life’s opportunities is living with the sense of urgency. It is the refusal to be a time or opportunity waster. It is to recognize opportunities and take advantage of them. Urgency affects destiny. Time is the stuff of life. The wastage of time is the wastage of life. People of impact are people who have a very high sense of urgency.

Destiny is time sensitive. A man at the age of 55 cannot join the military force to become a soldier or join a football club to play football; he may be interested but it is too late. Also, the regular education is easier than adult education.

All time-wasters will end up being life wasters. When you spend three hours on the internet, not because you want to carry out a research but to chat with someone aimlessly, you are wasting your time. The same time people use to make inventions, receive songs and messages from heaven, generate fresh oil, sharpen mentality and upgrade their lives is the same time others are spending in wasting their lives.

As a principle of life experience, every day of my life is scheduled. I have a book that contains the daily schedule of my life. I would not walk into the day without a scheduled list of what to do for that day and then allow anything to just happen to me. There are people things happen to and there are those that happen to things. Do not let life plan you; plan your life.

My counsel is, schedule your life; have a daily and weekly schedule in order to avoid time wastage. Avoid the company of time wasters. Run away from procrastination. Yesterday was the best time to do what you want to do tomorrow.
Remember this: People of impact are people who have a very high sense of urgency.

Assignments:
1. Refuse to waste your time and opportunity.
2. Maximise every time and opportunity to impact people.
3. Have a daily and weekly schedule for your life.

Prayer: Help me Lord, not to waste the time and opportunities of my life. I receive the grace to schedule my life and maximize my life’s opportunities, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:14 to 34:33, Romans 16:10 to 27, Psalm 26:1 to 12, Proverbs 20:19

Amazing Fact: An adult hippo needs to resurface every three to five minutes to breathe

Today In History: 03/08/1936 – Jesse Owens won the first of his four Olympic gold medals.

Quote: Where there is no mentality, there is no opportunity. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by Dr Paul Enenche.

Don’t Forget To Attend: The Home church meeting tomorrow by 6pm at the centre nearest to you. Come with your friends and loved ones.

Also Read: Seeds of Destiny 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.