Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Repentance and Rededication

Leave a comment

 

NEW!Listen Now

When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple.
Jonah 2:7

Recommended Reading: Psalm 32:1-5

Though Isaac Watts was the Father of English Hymnody, he was first and foremost a local pastor. On the subject of prayer, he encouraged his congregation to include repentance as a part of their habit in coming to the Lord. He wrote, “We should confess our sins under the sense of the guilt of them, as well as under the deep and mournful impressions of the power of sin in our hearts.”1

Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2 is essentially a prayer of repentance and of rededication. Though Jonah was deep in the heart of the ocean, the Lord heard every word. If God listened to Jonah from the depths of the sea, don’t you think He will listen to you no matter where you are or what you’ve done?

Let’s learn to include repentance and rededication in our prayers. The Lord is more willing to forgive us than we are to ask for forgiveness. But we should confess our sins so as to have fresh joy in our daily walk with God.

Thus I abandon every thing that would divide me from God, to whom I have made a surrender of myself.
Isaac Watts

  1. Isaac Watts, The Works of the Reverend and Learned Isaac Watts, Vol. III (London: J. Barfield, 1810), 114.

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Open Invitation

Leave a comment

 

Compel them to come in, 
so that my house will be full. Luke 14:23

Today’s Scripture

Luke 14:15-24

Listen to Today’s Devotion

Apple LinkSpotify Link

Today’s Devotion

Before my close friend’s wedding, we meticulously set the table for two hundred guests at the reception. With joyful anticipation we spent hours folding napkins, aligning cutlery, straightening tablecloths, and arranging flowers. After putting in all that work, we couldn’t wait for guests to arrive and enjoy it! But when many seats remained empty, we were sorely disappointed.

Jesus shared a similar story with some Pharisees as they ate together (Luke 14:15-20). He described a man who lovingly planned a great banquet for many people, but few attended and gave flimsy excuses. The man was angry at their rejection. He extended his invitation to society’s outcasts, “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” (v. 21). When there was still room, his servants went even further abroad to “compel [others] to come in” (v. 23).

This parable reminds us that many of God’s chosen people refused Jesus as their Messiah and rebuffed His invitation into His kingdom (John 1:11). To continue God’s plan to save the world despite their rejection, He opened His invitation to the gentiles, people not of Jewish heritage. All who receive Jesus by faith are welcome to God’s kingdom banquet, regardless of whether the world thinks they’re worthy. The invitation is still open today.

Reflect & Pray

What do you think the guest list to God’s kingdom banquet looks like? How can we spread the good news?

Dear Jesus, thank You for making a way for me to experience a personal relationship with You.

Today’s Insights

In the first century, feast invitations played a role in establishing and promoting social status. Invitations were typically extended to people at the same level of social standing or slightly lower. For someone’s banquet invite to be rejected by his peers (Luke 14:17-18) would’ve been humiliating, and responding to such rejection by inviting those far below the host’s own social class (vv. 21-23) would’ve been unheard of. In Jewish thought, God’s kingdom was often portrayed as a banquet (see Isaiah 25:6-9). Through this parable, Jesus challenged His listeners’ focus on securing social status (Luke 14:7). He emphasized that God’s kingdom is expansive and includes everyone. All who receive Him by faith are welcomed into His kingdom.

For further study, read: Having A Personal Relationship With God

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – How to respond to criticism with wisdom

Leave a comment

 

In nearly 40 years of association with collegiate athletics, one of the most notable changes has been the advent and growing presence of social media. What could not have been anticipated is the impact and influence this medium has on so many players and coaches, and on their sense of worth and well-being.

While bullying was once limited to the elementary school playground, cyberbullying has empowered a new generation of keyboard critics with the ability to belittle, shame, disparage, and denigrate with an unrelenting zeal, finding fault as if there will be an award for it. Thus, I’m not surprised that one of the most requested and popular subjects I’m asked to address in team-development sessions is how to filter the critical voices and minimize their negative impact.

Kennedy and Lincoln on the price of leadership

Too often, we think only those in leadership roles are the targets of criticism, and that it comes with the territory. And indeed, it does.

Continue reading Denison Forum – How to respond to criticism with wisdom →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Ready to Pounce

Leave a comment

 

 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. 

—Genesis 4:7

Scripture:

Genesis 4:7 

Many years ago, my son Christopher was lying out in the sun at our house when he woke up to find a huge gopher snake, coiled up and hissing at him, poised to strike. The snake must have been six or seven feet long. Terrified, he ran into the house and shut the door behind him.

His encounter serves as an illustration of the danger of sin—it’s always ready to strike. To use another analogy, sin waits at the door of our lives, looking for an opportunity to enter. In some cases, it’s already slithered across the threshold and made itself at home.

This is the amazing, but difficult, truth that we’re going to look at today: Sin is a potential threat—not just every day or every hour, but every minute we draw breath in this life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (NLT). Unfortunately, though, sin never goes out of season, even when it seems like it should. Many Christians have learned too late that they’re most vulnerable to sin after a “mountaintop experience”—that is, a powerful spiritual experience. Emboldened by a sense of spiritual victory or maturity, they let down their guard and leave themselves open to sin.

Other times, it’s not quite so lofty circumstances that make us vulnerable. We see this in the tragic story of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis. When Cain saw that the Lord accepted Abel’s offering but not his, he was angry. That in itself wasn’t a sin. Anger is an emotion, and it isn’t always sinful. But what we do with anger can be right or wrong.

God recognized the vulnerable position Cain was in and gave him a warning. He essentially told Cain what was going to happen to him if he didn’t get himself under control. “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master” (Genesis 4:7 NLT). Like a wild animal, sin is crouching, ready to pounce.

We don’t have to be victims of its attacks. In fact, we don’t battle sin in our own strength. Our heavenly Father helps us resist sin and put it to death.

The next time sin comes knocking at your door, you might say, “Lord, would You mind getting that? I’m going to stand in Your strength. I’m going to trust in You. You’re the only one who can give me the strength to overpower sin.” In order for us to master sin, we must first be mastered by Him who conquered it.

 

Reflection question: How can you keep from letting down your guard against sin? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – God’s Remnant

Leave a comment

 

by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.” (2 Kings 19:4)

These words were part of King Hezekiah’s plea to Isaiah for help in prayer against Rabshakeh and the Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem. It marks the second time in which this particular word is used for “the remnant.” The first occurrence was in Genesis 45:7, when Joseph assured his brothers that God had sent him into Egypt to preserve for Israel “a posterity” in the earth. This word (Hebrew sherith) is prominent later in the writings of the prophets, who frequently refer to the faithful Israelite “remnant” during times of apostasy.

The same doctrine appears in the New Testament. Speaking of the children of Israel during the time of their dispersion among the nations because of their rejection of Christ, Paul says, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). There are many Jews even today who have received Jesus as their Messiah and personal Savior, even though Israel as a nation still rejects Him.

This biblical doctrine of the remnant applies especially to faithful Israelites who witness to God’s truth even in times of national apostasy. Nevertheless, the principle seems also to apply to so-called Christian nations as well. Although nominally Christian, each of these nations, like the church at Sardis, “hast a name that thou livest, and art dead,” as far as true biblical Christianity is concerned (Revelation 3:1). Nevertheless, in each, there is still a remnant of real, believing Christians, and these have the great responsibility to maintain a true witness for Christ in just such a time as this. HMM

 

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – No Longer a Victim

Leave a comment

 

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.

Isaiah 40:29 (NKJV)

Do these words sound familiar to you? Powerless. Defenseless. Helpless. Hopeless. Maybe they are familiar because they describe ways you have felt in the past or ways you feel right now. Anyone who has been abused, wounded, or victimized may know exactly how these emotions feel.

The good news is that even if these words describe you today, they do not have to define you in the future. When you ask God to heal your soul and you follow as He leads, you move from being powerless to being powerful, from being defenseless to realizing that God is on your side, from being helpless to having the Helper, the Holy Spirit, living in you, and from being hopeless to being filled with hope and faith. As He heals you, you walk out of sorrow into joy and out of weakness into strength. You exchange every negative thing you have suffered for all the good things God has for you.

You are not weak and helpless, and there are things you can do to protect yourself against further hurt and damage to your soul. Choose your companions in life wisely and confront people who treat you cruelly and disrespectfully.

In some cases, abuse is so severe and abusers are so dangerous that the best course of action is to get away from them. People who abuse others because they are bullies, though, will often back down when confronted. In fact, they typically do not respect people who meekly accept or submit to their bad behavior. Although standing up to them may be difficult at first, it is usually the only way they will stop abusing. Many of them secretly wish someone would challenge them and stand up to them.

When we choose to stand up to people who bully or abuse us, we should do so after praying and seeking God for the right time, the right place, and the way we are to deal with them. We should certainly use wisdom and also decide in advance that we will behave in godly ways, no matter how ungodly the other person may act.

The only way we will know how to handle this kind of situation properly is to rely on God to guide us and to be obedient to what He teaches us. I had to learn to stand up for myself, and although it was difficult to do, it was worth it. I urge you not to give in to the fear that might be trying to hold you back. God will give you the courage and strength to do what He guides you to do.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, heal my soul and give me courage to stand against abuse. Help me exchange weakness for Your strength and walk in obedience to You, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Let Us Worship 

Leave a comment

 

Play

On Mount Carmel, in full view of 850 false prophets, “Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:30).

Why? Why did the prophet rebuild the altar? Because it was a tool of worship. Do we long to see revival? Then let us begin at the altar.

Why does worship matter? Simple. The devil wants the top spot. When you worship God, when you publicly praise Jehovah in song and sacrament, Satan is defeated. He has no recourse to a worshipping church—none. When we sing, angels stand. When we pray, demons flee. When we look to God, heaven hearkens to listen, and hell hurries to leave. Wonder happens when God’s people worship.

 

 

 

Home

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Right Priorities

Leave a comment

 

Read Ezra 2:64–70

My family and I travel by car twice a year from our home in Sandpoint, Idaho, to a little school in the mountains of Colorado about 1,200 miles away. It usually takes us three days, with several stops and, of course, an overnight at a hotel with a pool. In the book of Ezra, the journey home for the exiles (50,000 people!) was about 900 miles. They traveled by caravan, not by car—a journey that took around four months. What an ordeal!

Now, imagine yourself on a four-month, 900-mile walk with 50,000 of your closest friends. What are you thinking about when you arrive? Crashing into bed? Setting up your new home? Getting something to eat? I’m sure the returnees did all that, but verse 68 describes one thing in particular they did: “When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.” God’s people gave! They had just made what must have been an exhausting trip across the Middle East, and the first thing they did upon arrival was to give. Why did they give? So the temple could be rebuilt. Think about that.

I’m sure they were exhausted, hungry, tired, worn out, ready for a nap, anxious to get started on their own homes, and a million other things that needed to get done so they could settle into this new life in the promised land. But they put the first thing first. They prioritized restoring God’s temple, because they knew that their relationship with God mattered more than anything else. This example is a reminder for us today to prioritize God and our relationship with Him above all else.

Go Deeper

Why did God’s people prioritize giving upon their return? How can you prioritize your relationship with God above all the other things competing for your attention?

Pray with Us

Father, in the hustle of our everyday lives, we often forget to prioritize spending time with You. Please draw us closer to Yourself. Our relationship with You matters more than anything.

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.Psalm 86:11

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Discipline for Our Good

Leave a comment

 

NEW!Listen Now

For [our fathers] indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
Hebrews 12:10

Recommended Reading: James 1:2-4

The New Testament occasionally uses the earthly family to illustrate God’s familial relationship with us (Romans 8:15-17). The writer to the Hebrews compares how earthly fathers discipline their children to the ways that God disciplines us (Hebrews 12:1-13). His purpose is for us to be “partakers of His holiness.”

The story of Jonah is a good example of God’s discipline. The discipline started with a storm at sea that resulted in Jonah being thrown into the deep where he was swallowed by a great fish. During his three days in the fish, Jonah called out to God and repented of his sin. After Jonah was deposited onto dry land, he obeyed God’s original commission to go to Nineveh and warn them of God’s impending judgment. While Jonah struggled with yielding to God’s purpose, the hardship he endured at least led him to repent of his initial disobedience.

If you find yourself in a season of hardship, seek the Lord and ask Him if there is something He wants you to do or learn.

Those that would enjoy the dignities and privileges of Christ’s family must submit to the discipline of it. 
Matthew Henry

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – What a Fellowship

Leave a comment

 

Stand firm in the one Spirit. Philippians 1:27

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 1:27; 2:1-4

Listen to Today’s Devotion

Apple LinkSpotify Link

Today’s Devotion

Rachel “church hopped” for three years before finding a Bible study group that provided what she couldn’t find in a traditional church—community. Rachel is Deaf. Around the world, many Deaf people face similar worship challenges. Her house church nurtures community by watching a Deaf church service on YouTube, discussing the teaching with each other, and then sharing a meal. The small group provides the Spirit-led church family Rachel craves.

The apostle Paul explains what makes a church a community: the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Writing from prison, he urged this connection to the church at Philippi. His hope, in part, was to encourage spiritual unity in a congregation he’d formed and loved.

“Stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one,” Paul urged (Philippians 1:27). He added, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, . . . then make my joy complete by being like-minded” (2:1-2).

So don’t be selfish, he said, “not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (vv. 3-4). Those wise words can guide all church families. By the power of God’s Holy Spirit, our communities can serve Him in harmonious fellowship with each other.

Reflect & Pray

How do you sense the Holy Spirit working in your life? 
How can God’s Spirit help you grow His fellowship in your church?

Dear God, in a sometimes-unloving world, please inspire me to follow Your Holy Spirit’s leading to help build communities that reflect You.
For further study, read Give Me Jesus: Philippians 2 at odbm.org.

Today’s Insights

Paul made the appeal for unity among brothers and sisters in Jesus (Philippians 1:27) from a context of factions and persecution. As he wrote, he was imprisoned, yet he said, “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (v. 12). He noted that some were “[preaching] Christ out of selfish ambition” (v. 17). He knew his own life was in danger (v. 20), and he warned his hearers that they’d also face opposition (vv. 27-28). Yet he knew they’d “stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (v. 27). Their behavior needed to contrast with those whose motivation was prideful (2:3). Any suffering they might endure would serve to enhance their unity. Such courage and unity only take place through the power of the Holy Spirit. He guides us and helps us grow in fellowship with one another.

For further study, read: Give Me Jesus

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – 9/11 and finding hope on the hardest days

Leave a comment

 

Here’s a less-than-encouraging thought to begin your day: on average, 174,349 people will die today, including 8,150 Americans. Recent examples range from the Amazon plane crash in Miami that killed five to the Nepal flash floods that killed at least 1,300, with some 5,000 missing. Humans are threatened these days by volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and floods.

But we know that airplanes sometimes crash and natural disasters sometimes occur. What we don’t expect is to go to work in the morning and never come home because people espousing an ideology we’ve never heard of decide that they should hijack airplanes and use them to kill us.

When you think of 9/11, what comes to mind first? For me, it was watching the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapse live on television. Prior to that moment, we held out hope that those inside the flaming buildings could somehow evacuate safely. Then the North Tower followed and all such hope was gone.

Continue reading Denison Forum – 9/11 and finding hope on the hardest days →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Thinking of You

Leave a comment

 

 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 

—Psalm 8:3–4

Scripture:

Psalm 8:3-4 

There’s an old saying that goes, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what other people thought of you if you knew how infrequently they do.” And while the truth of that statement may sting, there’s an amazing truth in Scripture that can bring you tremendous comfort if you’re able to wrap your head around it. Here it is: God is thinking about you.

In Psalm 8:3–4, David, the shepherd and giant-slayer who would become king of Israel, tries to come to grips with that very realization. One night, probably when he was watching over his sheep, he looked up at the incredible array of stars above him and made this statement: “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (NLT).

This same wonder and awe should grip us when we read these verses. It’s incredible to think that the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God who knows every star by name, would care about us. Not only does He care about humanity as a whole, but He also cares about us as individuals. Not only does He care about us as individuals, but He also knows about every detail of our lives. If you want to take it one step further, look at the Lord’s words in Jeremiah 1:5: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb” (NLT).

God even knows the very thoughts that we think. Jesus said, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8 NKJV).

Psalm 40:5 tells us, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered” (NKJV). Psalm 115:12 (NKJV) says, “The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us.”

Your heavenly Father thinks about you because you are precious to Him. He sees what isn’t always apparent to other people. He sees your value, your worth, and your potential. He sees your heart. He sees the raw materials He can use to accomplish amazing things in and through you.

So, even when family and friends have forgotten about you, know this truth: The Lord is thinking about you. The Lord cares about you and takes an interest in even the smallest details of your life. They might seem trivial to someone else—but not to God. If it concerns you, then it concerns Him.

 

Reflection question: What does it mean to you to know that God is thinking about you right now? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Righteous Judge

Leave a comment

 

by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

People often make erroneous judgments. Even those who are officially appointed or elected to judge others are sometimes mistaken, and so we have a whole system of appeals courts. Yet even the Supreme Court, composed as it is of fallible human beings, often seems to be wrong. But as Abraham recognized long ago while interceding for the people in Sodom, we can be confident that the Judge of all the earth will do right!

He not only can judge our actions in relation to His revealed will but can also discern thoughts and motives and, therefore, “judge the secrets of men” (Romans 2:16), and He will do so in absolute rightness. Furthermore, “he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” and “my judgment is just,” asserted the Lord Jesus (John 5:22, 30). To those who reject or ignore His redeeming love, relying instead on their own worth, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26–27).

To those who have been redeemed through saving faith in Christ, there will, indeed, be a judgment day, but it will be for dispensing rewards for faithful service rather than for salvation, and this also will be done righteously. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Timothy 4:8). HMM

 

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Time to Worship

Leave a comment

 

Adapted from Battlefield of the Mind

He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God!

Matthew 14:29-33 (AMPC)

Let’s take a closer look at this story. Peter believed and stepped out, and then doubt filled his mind, and he started to sink. His rational mind reminded him that people can’t walk on water. As soon as his mind turned from the spiritual and supernatural, he failed.

Jesus had already said, Take courage . . . Stop being afraid! (v. 27 AMPC). Those few words were meant to assure the disciples that both the presence and power of Jesus were there to take care of them. Yet only one man responded—one out of twelve.

Peter stepped out and started walking toward the Master . . . then he faltered. He focused on the storm instead of the presence of Jesus, who was only a few feet away from him. As soon as he diverted his attention, doubt and unbelief pressed in on him.

I’ve often wondered if his feet slowly sank into the water or if he instantly plunged downward. The Bible account doesn’t give us that information, but it does tell us Jesus’ response. He grabbed Peter and saved him from the waves, the wind, and the storm.

Even that’s not the end of the story. After Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat, another miracle took place: The storm ceased. It’s easy to spiritualize this incident and point out that whenever Jesus is with us, the storms of life cease and peace fills our hearts. That is true, but this was a real storm, not a figurative or spiritual one, and the winds instantly stopped.

Matthew makes a point of telling us what happened after the storm. During the storm, Peter exercised faith. He believed and he proved it. The others watched and listened, but there was no response from them.

I believe they were still so scared that they hadn’t even moved. They heard Jesus’ voice telling them not to be afraid, but still they didn’t do anything. No one else moved or spoke a word.

Verse 33 (AMPC) tells us that after the storm, the other disciples knelt and worshiped Jesus. I would certainly hope so! Look at the miracles they witnessed. The storm came, the winds blew, and Jesus came to them, walking on the water. He tried to calm their fears by saying, Stop being afraid, but they were not ready to hear Him. Only after Peter exhibited his faith and Jesus calmed the storm were they able to say, Truly You are the Son of God! I’m glad they were able to say those words—finally. It shows that the message got through. But what took so long? How much proof did they need before they were ready to worship?

How much proof do you need of Jesus’ love and presence in your life?

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, sometimes I’m like one of the fearful disciples, requiring all kinds of proof before I can believe You. How many miracles do I need to see before I can call You the Son of God? Help me to be more like Peter, ready and willing to walk with You in any and all storms of life. Thank You for loving me and encouraging me to follow You in faith, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Serve the Lord Only 

Leave a comment

 

Play

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) reads, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Our enemy is the devil. At the end of this age, his time will end. Until then, expect our Father to show up. He will not sit still while Satan harms his creation.

Our days are as dark as were the days of Elijah. Our God is as alive as he was in the days of Elijah. Dare we dream of a renewal that silences the stewards of Satan and reveals them for the frauds they are? Let’s imitate Elijah: Serve the Lord only! God wasn’t one of his options. God was his only option.

 

 

 

Home

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Holy Priesthood

Leave a comment

 

Read Ezra 2:61–63

Growing up Protestant, and Southern Baptist at that, I had very little understanding of what it meant to be a priest. My limited knowledge was based on the depiction of Roman Catholic priests in popular media. In the Old Testament, the priesthood was quite a bit different. Priests were assigned to offer sacrifices on behalf of God’s people and teach the people His law. These priests were descended from Aaron, the first high priest. And, in the New Testament, we learn that Jesus is the ultimate high priest (Heb. 4:14–16). Through Jesus, all believers are priests: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

God’s people had been exiled from the promised land for their sin, which included improperly worshiping the Lord. So, as they prepared to return from exile, it was essential that they worship God in the way He said they should worship Him. These few verses highlight the necessity of only allowing people qualified to serve as priests for that role. In fact, it was so imperative that if a family could not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were in the family tree of Aaron, then they “were excluded from the priesthood as unclean” (v. 62) and forbidden from eating the sacrifices offered to the Lord. Following God’s commands to the letter was that important.

Obeying God fully remains an important part of our relationship with Him today. He is still holy and still demands that we obey Him with our whole hearts. Jesus is our great high priest, and all believers in Jesus are priests with direct access to the Father. Hallelujah!

Go Deeper

What do you think is the significance of God extending the priesthood to all His followers in the new covenant? How does that access to God impact your relationship with Him?

Pray with Us

Holy God, thank You that we have direct access to You through Jesus Christ. May we never take it for granted. You are a loving God.

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.1 Peter 2:5

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Your First Impulse

Leave a comment

 

NEW!Listen Now

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.
Jonah 1:17–2:1

Recommended Reading: Psalm 32:6-7

When we find ourselves faced with a seemingly unsolvable challenge, someone usually reminds us, “When all else fails, read the directions!” A similar reminder is sometimes issued among Christians: “When all else fails, pray!” We often have to be reminded that prayer should be our first impulse, not our last.

Jonah would have done well to have received that reminder when he found himself cast into the Mediterranean Sea. He had rebelled against God, been accused of causing calamity by his shipmates, and been thrown overboard in hopes of placating the storm “gods.” And adding insult to injury, he was swallowed by a great fish! Finally, Jonah decided it was time to pray: “Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.” He didn’t exactly confess his sins, but at least he repented of his pride by calling out to God for help.

Don’t wait until you have tried every solution before turning to prayer. Regardless of the situation, make prayer your first impulse.

Before we can pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we must be willing to pray, “My kingdom go.”
Alan Redpath

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Loving Eye

Leave a comment

 

I will instruct you and teach you in the 
way you should go; I will counsel you 
with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 32:6-8

Listen to Today’s Devotion

Apple LinkSpotify Link

Today’s Devotion

My wife, Sue, and I had just finished walking five miles across the Mackinac Bridge, which links Michigan’s two peninsulas. This annual Labor Day event in the United States is a tradition in our state dating back to 1958. We grabbed a seat on a park bench to rest. A man sat down next to us to catch his breath as well. Soon his wife and adult daughter joined him, and we learned that their family—also believers in Jesus—had suffered through the death of a teenage girl just as we did many years ago.

Together we were able to share how God has sustained us and given us strength and faith through the years. It was amazing to think that among the 33,000 walkers that day, we found a family that understood our hearts.

Two families with similar stories ending up together in a sea of people. It sounds a little like something that can happen only because of what God told King David in Psalm 32. After David expressed his appreciation to God for protection and deliverance, he got this encouraging word from Him: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (v. 8 nkjv).

God watches over His children, and He brings them together because they need each other. It’s another indication that “the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him” (v. 10).

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced something that reminded you that God has His loving eye on you? What does His unfailing love mean to you?

Dear God, thank You that You’re real and that You’re always watching over me.

Today’s Insights

Psalm 32 is one of seven penitential psalms (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), where the petitioner confesses his sins and turns to God for forgiveness. David penned Psalm 51 after repenting from his sins of adultery and murder (see 2 Samuel 11-12), and many scholars believe this was also the context for the writing of Psalm 32. The psalmist speaks of his heavy burden of guilt (vv. 3-4) and the joy of receiving God’s forgiveness (vv. 1-2). David notes the importance of confession of sin (v. 5) rather than stubbornly resisting like “the horse or the mule” (v. 9). God will deal graciously with the contrite and repentant, for “the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him” (v. 10). He’s promised us His watchful guidance and loving care: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (v. 8).

For further study, listen to the Evening Meditations Podcast: The Lord Sees You

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Miley Cyrus drops last name, inspiring me to do the same

Leave a comment

 

A Labor Day reflection on identity and grace

Singer and actress Miley Cyrus has announced that she is dropping her last name and will henceforth be known simply as “Miley.” Her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, supports the decision: “I told Miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. I mentioned Dolly and Cher. Thinking about it more and more . . . Elvis . . . Prince . . . and so on. It’s a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend.”

The news prompted me to consider other people commonly known by only their first name these days. Some sports figures are obvious for the uniqueness of their name: “Tiger” Woods, “LeBron” James, and “Dirk” Nowitzki come to mind. Others are more location-centric: in Dallas, “Troy” Aikman, “Emmitt” Smith, “Michael” Irvin, and “Nolan” Ryan are examples.

And some are transcendent: in basketball, there will only be one “Michael” Jordan, just as in country music, there will only be one “Dolly” Parton and “Reba” McEntire.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Miley Cyrus drops last name, inspiring me to do the same →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Useful to the Lord

Leave a comment

 

 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

—1 Corinthians 10:31

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 10:31 

The Bible is full of amazing truths. In this week’s devotions, we’re going to focus on six specific truths and what they mean for us. The first amazing truth is this: God can use you in a profoundly impactful way.

I remember when, as a young Christian, I would sit in the pews at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa and listen to Senior Pastor Chuck Smith speak. I would think to myself, “I wonder if God would ever use me. I wonder if the Lord would ever speak through me.” Never in my wildest dreams did I think that God would allow me to be a pastor with the privilege of proclaiming the gospel to many. It was beyond my own aspirations.

If you’re planning your future right now, if you’re thinking about what course you want to follow in life, ask God for His direction. Say, “Lord, I want to be the person that You want me to be. I want my relationships and my future to honor You. I want to be in the center of Your will. I don’t want to go out there and blow it. Help me to do Your will.” God’s plans for you are better than anything you’ve ever planned for yourself.

God has given each of us certain abilities, talents, and resources. The question is, what are you doing with them? Are you seeking to use them for His glory? Are you offering your resources and future to Him? The apostle Paul wrote, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT). That covers pretty much everything, doesn’t it? His point is that bringing glory to God should be our highest priority. When you strive to bring glory to God in every area of your life, He can open doors, bring the right connections, and provide the amazing opportunities.

I’m not saying that you must be a pastor or a missionary. But whatever you do, whether you’re a doctor, an architect, a secretary, a computer programmer, a stay-at-home parent, a builder, a musician, a teacher, a carpenter, or work in some other field, you should want to serve the Lord and do it for the glory of God. That’s what matters. Your life can be a testimony and a witness for Jesus.

We should also keep in mind that our idea of what’s important, profound, or impactful may be far different from God’s idea. God may use us in ways that seem comparatively insignificant to the ways He uses other people. This is when we need to remind ourselves that we have an obstructed view. We can’t see the big picture of God’s plan. We can’t see how things fit together. So, we must be faithful with what He gives us, prioritize His glory in everything we do, and then trust Him to accomplish His will through us in a profoundly impactful way.

 

Reflection question: What would doing “all for the glory of God” look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

Receive These Devotions in My Inbox

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.