Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Ministering Spirits

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Are [angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:14

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 1:10-14

It’s fascinating to notice what angels did in the Bible. Throughout Scripture, angels are constantly at work behind the scenes. They protected Lot (Genesis 19:15-17), guided Abraham’s servant (Genesis 24:7, 40), strengthened Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-8), defended Daniel (Daniel 6:22), ministered to Jesus (Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43), announced Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28:5-7), rescued Peter from prison (Acts 12:7-11), and encouraged Paul in the midst of a violent storm (Acts 27:23-24). God assigns specific tasks to angels for our aid. When we are unable to fight our own battles, God sends His helpers to encourage, deliver, and empower us.

Perhaps the best definition of angels is in Hebrews 1. They are ministering spirits sent to serve those who inherit salvation. That’s you and me! We seldom see them, and most of their work is done without our awareness. But they are nonetheless near at hand.

Allow that thought to linger in your mind through this day and evening, and take comfort. All day, all night, angels are watching over you. Rely on that help today.

Angels descending, bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Fanny Crosby

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Praying for Answers

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Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 2 Corinthians 12:8

Today’s Scripture

2 Corinthians 12:6-9

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Today’s Devotion

When Monica’s son Augustine wanted to leave home for a city known for its immorality, she pleaded with God not to let him go. But he went anyway, which greatly grieved his mother, yet it was there that God transformed his life. In his Confessions, Augustine later prayed, “Yet in your deep counsel you heard the central point of her longing . . . [so] that you would make me what she continually prayed for.” Augustine not only became a believer in Jesus, but he also became one of the most influential Christian thinkers in history.

Sometimes God doesn’t give us what we ask for—giving us instead something of greater worth. Like Monica, the apostle Paul asked God for something he didn’t receive. We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn” in his flesh was, but we know it tormented him, and “three times” he “pleaded with the Lord to take it” from him (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). Yet God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). In the end, Paul concluded that he would “boast all the more gladly” about his weaknesses so that he might know more of “Christ’s power” (v. 9).

Paul’s response shows us the way forward when we’re waiting for God’s answers, or when they aren’t what we expect. Jesus is our hope in all things, and in His strength we have more than we need.

Reflect & Pray

When have you asked God for something and received something else? How did Christ help you in this?

Ever-wise Savior, please help me to trust Your goodness in all things and to daily draw strength from You.

Today’s Insights

God in His all-knowing wisdom doesn’t always give us what we ask for in prayer. Paul prayed for Him to remove the “thorn in [his] flesh,” whatever that may have been (2 Corinthians 12:7). But he knew God loved him and would do what was for his best (vv. 8-10; see Romans 8:28). The apostle’s weakness kept him humble and focused on God and His strength rather than on his own (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). And God used him to spread the gospel to many people. Paul had much he could boast about (11:16–12:5), but he chose instead to boast about the things that showed his weakness and God’s strength (12:6-9). Jesus’ prayer reminds us to pray according to God’s will: “Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). As we pray today, we can be assured of God’s faithfulness and that He’ll provide what’s best for us.

For further study, read: The Wilderness of Broken Dreams

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Three-day weddings and Tuesday midterms

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How to sacralize the secular

More than fifty million Americans cast ballots in early voting prior to today’s midterm elections. Among them was Pope Leo XIV, who submitted a mail-in ballot for the midterms, becoming the first pope to vote in a US election and likely the first to vote in a secular democratic election. More than a hundred million people are expected to join him by voting today.

But why do we vote on a Tuesday? The US is one of only twenty-eight democratic countries that typically hold national elections on non-holiday weekdays. By contrast, sixty democracies typically hold elections on Saturdays or Sundays, and sixteen others hold elections on weekdays but declare them public holidays.

Our reasoning goes back to the nineteenth century, when the nation was primarily rural and all voting was in person. Wednesday was farmers’ market day, so it was out. And Sunday wasn’t an option because so many people were in church.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Three-day weddings and Tuesday midterms →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – No Compromise

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 Peter swore, ‘A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!’ And immediately the rooster crowed. 

—Matthew 26:74

Scripture:

Matthew 26:74 

Spiritually speaking, it’s hard to beat the apostle Peter’s résumé. He was part of Jesus’ inner circle. He witnessed the Transfiguration. He walked on water with Jesus. He rushed into Jesus’ empty tomb. He heard these words from the Lord Himself: “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT). According to church tradition, Peter was crucified upside down because he didn’t believe he was worthy to be executed as Jesus was.

Yet Peter is also remembered for his lowest moment, for failing Jesus on an epic level. After Peter boldly promised that he would remain faithful to Jesus, he denied even knowing the Lord—not once, not twice, but three times. Just as Jesus had said he would. Peter’s humbling experience reveals the danger of compromising our standards as believers, which is the hot-button issue we’re going to talk about today.

Peter’s denial of Jesus did not happen over a period of seconds or minutes, but over at least an hour (see Luke 22:59). An hour had passed from the time the first person said, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean” (Matthew 26:69 NLT), to the time Peter made his third denial. He had ample opportunity to hightail it out of there, but he remained in the situation.

He sealed his failure in Matthew 26:74: “Peter swore, ‘A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!’ And immediately the rooster crowed” (NLT).

This heartbreaking story reminds us that no person is safe from temptation except the one who flees from it. Peter, having been warned by Jesus Himself, should have avoided any place where he might have been weakened. He certainly should have steered clear of all roosters. I would have said, “Are there any roosters here? Because I’m leaving if there are. The Lord mentioned a rooster.”

Peter was hardly alone in his failure. Countless great men and women of God have been compromised by lowering their standards and allowing themselves to be drawn into sin. People like Solomon, Samson, and David all found out the hard way. Are we better than they were? Are we more spiritual than they were? I don’t think so.

So, if someone like Peter could fall, then surely we can. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Bad company corrupts good character” (NLT). Peter was around people who were dragging him down spiritually. Are you in a similar situation today? Have you entered into relationships in which people are dragging you down? Maybe it’s a romance. Maybe it’s a close friendship. Are you finding yourself compromising your principles to fit in and not offend anyone? Perhaps you need to reconsider who your friends are. Perhaps you need to make some immediate changes.

Is bad company corrupting you?

Reflection question: What changes do you need to make in your life to keep from being corrupted by bad company? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Creation and the Finger of God

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” (Exodus 31:17–18)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16), but this portion of Scripture was given by direct inscription of God! Moses testified, “The LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly” (Deuteronomy 9:10). “He wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments” (Exodus 34:28). Thus, out of all the Holy Scriptures, God chose to write this section, not through one of His prophets, but with His own finger! It should, therefore, be taken literally and most seriously.

It is also significant that these commandments were structured around a weekly day of rest, remembering God’s creation week—six days of creating and making everything in heaven and Earth, followed by a sanctified day of rest and refreshment (note also Exodus 20:8–11 and Genesis 1:31–2:3). Ever since the creation, people have observed a weekly calendar. The seven-day week (unlike the day, month, and year) has no astronomical basis. People keep time in weeks simply because God did! Even those who deny the six-day week of creation must observe it, for their biological rhythms are constructed that way by God. “The sabbath was made for man,” said Jesus (Mark 2:27). Since God considered the truth of the literal creation week so important that He inscribed it Himself, we should believe this portion of His Word first of all. HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – What Attitude Will You Take?

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Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Matthew 28:20 (AMPC)

When good things happen to us, praise comes naturally. It’s easy to lift our hands and our voices when God answers our prayers and delivers us from problems. But what about when things go wrong? What do we do when we’re sick, lose a job, or face criticism from others?

The negative response is to take the attitude of Job’s wife, who was so overwhelmed by the loss of their children and possessions that she told her husband: Renounce God and die! (Job 2:9 AMP). But Job answered with great wisdom: You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept [only] good at the hand of God and shall we not accept [also] misfortune and what is of a bad nature? (Job 2:10 AMP). Job understood that living righteously doesn’t guarantee a life free from challenges.

The positive response is to praise God despite what’s going on in our lives. It may take effort, but if we can turn our eyes away from our immediate problems, we can find something that is good. We also can rejoice because God has faithfully taken us through the turmoil of the past, and we can trust that He’ll do the same again.

Prayer of the Day: God, thank You for Your Word, which promises that You are with me always and on every occasion. Help me praise You in both good and challenging times. May my attitude reflect trust in You, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Life of Victory 

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Think about the Christian you want to be. What qualities do you want to have? More compassion? More conviction? More courage? What attitudes do you want to discontinue? Greed? Guilt? Endless negativity?

With God’s help you can close the gap between the person you are and the person you want to be. Indeed, the person God made you to be. You can live “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). To inherit your inheritance is God’s vision for your life. Imagine the thought! You as you were intended. It’s a life that is yours for the taking.

Expect to be challenged. The enemy will not go down without a fight. But God’s promises outweigh personal problems. Victory becomes, dare we imagine, a way of life. Isn’t it time for you to change your mailing address from the wilderness to the Promised Land? Are you ready to march?

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Birth of the Church

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Read Acts 2:14–47

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared in a spectacular way. As a result, the disciples were able to speak in the different languages of the God-fearing Jews who had come to visit Jerusalem. The disciples were not only speaking in the language, but they were “declaring the wonders of God” (2:11). This intrigued the Jews who inquired, “What does this mean?”

“Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine’” (2:13). How could any of the onlookers conclude that the disciples’ ability to speak in foreign languages was because they were drunk? The very thought is baffling. They literally attributed the power of the Holy Spirit to alcoholic spirits. But it shows how an unregenerate mind rationalizes a supernatural event.

Peter demonstrated how the ability to speak in different languages was a fulfillment of prophecy. He quotes the prophet Joel. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy” (vv. 17–18).

Peter used this opportunity to proclaim the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ. “For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (vv. 34–36). Peter begged his hearers to repent: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (v. 40).

How to Know Christ

Go Deeper

Why did onlookers misinterpret what was happening at Pentecost? How did Peter respond to their accusations? What key arguments did he use?

Pray with Us

Precious Jesus, we know the gift of Your salvation is for “whoever believes” (John 3:16). Help us, like Peter, proclaim the gospel with boldness to those You bring into our lives.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.Acts 2:21

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Messengers

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God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.
Hebrews 1:1-2

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 1:1-9

The Old Testament, written primarily in Hebrew, uses the word mal’ak (pronounced mal-AHK) for angel. Its basic meaning is “messenger, one who is sent.” This word occurs more than two hundred times in the Old Testament, and it can refer to either human or heavenly messengers. The New Testament uses the Greek word angelos (pronounced AN-gel-os), and it also occurs nearly two hundred times. It, too, can refer to either a human or a supernatural messenger.

We commonly use the word angel to describe any kind of heavenly supernatural being apart from God Himself. The reality is a bit more complex since the Bible gives us glimpses of various spiritual beings, including cherubim, seraphim, archangels, principalities, and powers.

Nevertheless, the word angel reassures us that God wants to communicate with us, and He has many ways of sending us messages and messengers. His greatest communication is in His written Word, the Bible, and His Incarnate Word, the Son. Praise God today that He exists and He is not silent.

[Angels] come to attend the redeemed; they wait on their steps; they sustain them in trial; they accompany them when departing to heaven. 
Albert Barnes

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Radiating God’s Goodness

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As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Today’s Scripture

Romans 12:16-21

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Today’s Devotion

Where were the packages? An inner-city church was having problems receiving deliveries. Although its office staff requested that online orders be dropped off inside the building, the goods were regularly left outside on the street, and some items were never received.

Church workers were understandably vexed, but instead of griping on the company’s customer service hotline, the church’s employees created a snack station inside the building and invited the delivery people to stop in for food and water. Before long, packages began to show up at the right place at the right time, and the church was able to “deliver” a message to the couriers: We care about you as people, not just service providers.

Often, we can change distressing situations through kindness. Although our natural response might be to find fault and hold on to anger, the apostle Paul challenges us to let God’s goodness radiate through us, even when we feel it’s undeserved. Through the Holy Spirit’s power and with His wisdom, we can show kindness by being hospitable, thoughtful, and helpful (Romans 12:13-14). Even if this seems ineffective, we know it pleases God because the Bible encourages us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (v. 18).

Reflect & Pray

When was the last time you traded anger for love? How might caring for others show the world God’s true nature?

Dear God, You’ve been so kind to me. Please show me how to change my corner of the world by passing Your love on to others.

Today’s Insights

After explaining what the gospel is—the good news that God loved the world and gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins (Romans 1-11)—Paul applies it to everyday living, instructing believers in Christ how to live a holy life that pleases God (chs. 12-16). The clearest indication of a renewed mind and transformed life (12:1-2) is having “sincere” love for others (v. 9), demonstrated when we “love [our] neighbor as [ourselves]” (Mark 12:31; see Romans 13:8-10; 14:15). It’s easy to love those who love us. But to “bless those who persecute [us]” (12:14) is the litmus test of such a Christlike love (vv. 14-21). Rather than responding in anger or retaliation when we’re wronged, we can commit the situation to God. He’ll help us replace our anger with kindness and goodness (v. 20). In this way, we “don’t let evil conquer [us], but conquer evil by doing good” (v. 21 nlt).

For further study, read: Should We Be the Acts 2 Church?

 

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Pentagon prepares bases to operate autonomously for 90 days

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In light of tomorrow’s midterm elections, many are wondering what comes next. The Wall Street Journal reports that the US has told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the elections. Stocks were down significantly last Friday but could rally after the elections, while the election results will definitely affect the last two years of the Trump Administration and the next congressional session.

Some are worried that dire threats could be on the horizon, fears fueled by news that the UK launched its “Be Ready” campaign on October 22, encouraging households to stockpile three days of drinking water, nonperishable food, cash, and other emergency essentials. Closer to home, the Pentagon is preparing US bases to keep operating for at least ninety days without outside support.

The British effort is the first stage of a three-year campaign to help households be prepared “if everyday services are temporarily disrupted” through “events such as severe weather.” The Pentagon, by contrast, is preparing for the possibility of a major war that could cripple power grids, disrupt supply chains, and threaten critical infrastructure.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Pentagon prepares bases to operate autonomously for 90 days →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Be Known for Your Faith

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 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 

—Romans 1:8

Scripture:

Romans 1:8 

In this week’s devotions, we’re going to talk about more hot-button issues. Today, we’re going to focus on the responsibility believers have to be known for their faith. It’s a hot-button issue today due in large part to social media. Online opponents of the Christian faith have become especially vocal and confrontational in their opposition.

Of course, opposition is nothing new for followers of Christ. Contending for the Christian faith has been a hot-button issue for more than two thousand years.

It was certainly an issue for the earliest followers of Christ. After all, it wasn’t easy being a Christian in Rome. As the capital of the Roman Empire, the city had a population of around one million.

Yet the church in Rome was already becoming known for its faith. The apostle Paul told the believers in Rome, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world” (Romans 1:8 NLT).

Years later, during the reign of Caesar, Christians in Rome faced historic persecution. Nero sent Christians covered in animal skins into the arena to be torn apart by dogs. He had other Christians covered with pitch and lit them on fire, using them to light his garden as he rode around in his chariot.

Despite such horrific opposition and oppression, the church in Rome not only survived but flourished. And not only did it flourish, but it also impacted the Roman Empire. In fact, it impacted the entire world. It did so because it pushed back. It didn’t yield to critics, haters, or even persecutors. The gospel message was too powerful to be restrained. Christ’s followers endured whatever was necessary to spread the Good News.

Do people know you for your faith? If someone polled your coworkers and neighbors, the people who know you only as an acquaintance, and asked them if you were a Christian, would they say yes? Would there be no question about it?

It’s a good reputation to have. If someone arrested you for being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to convict you? If you want to be a believer like those of the first century, then others should know you for your faith.

Jesus did not say, “Go into all the world and be a good example.” Rather, He said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15 NLT). Walking with Christ isn’t always a passive, personal experience.

Being a good example alone will not bring people to Christ. But it can open the door for you to share your faith and share the gospel with others.

Reflection question: Where in your life can you be a good example to others by sharing your faith? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Counting God

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 31:4)

God is surely the Great Mathematician. All the intricacies of structure and process of His mighty cosmos are, at least in principle, capable of being described mathematically, and the goal of science is to do just that. This precise intelligibility of the universe clearly points to a marvelous intelligence as its Creator.

God even “telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4). Astronomers estimate that at least 10 trillion trillion stars exist in the heavens, and God has counted and identified each one! And that is not all: “The very hairs of your head are all numbered,” Jesus said (Matthew 10:30). From the most massive star to the tiniest hair, God has counted each component of His creation.

Such countings are far beyond human capabilities, for “the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured” (Jeremiah 33:22). But God has also created “an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22) and has promised that the redeemed will include “a great multitude, which no man could number” (Revelation 7:9).

No wonder David exclaimed, “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40:5).

Perhaps the most wonderful of all God’s counting activities is that implied in Job’s rhetorical question: “Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?” If He has numbered the hairs on our heads, we can be certain He numbers our steps along the way and guides them all. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalm 37:23). HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Healthy Self-Image

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The LORD turned to him [Gideon] and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

Judges 6:14-15 (ESV)

People who have been hurt or abused in some way often have very low self-esteem. Other people have not treated them as though they are valuable or special, so they do not have a strong sense of self-worth. An important part of the healing of the soul is developing a healthy self-image and coming to understand that God loves us, so we should love ourselves. We were worth His sending His Son to die for us, so we have worth far beyond what we realize.

In the Bible, Gideon did not have a good self-image. When God called him to save the Israelites and even asked, “Do not I send you?” (which was God’s way of letting Gideon know that yes, He was definitely sending him), Gideon tried to get out of it. He basically told God that he did not come from a strong family and that he was the weakest one of them all!

God had chosen Gideon for a special purpose, but Gideon did not have enough confidence in God or in himself to embrace the assignment. He had several problems. The first was that he thought negatively about himself. The second was that he spoke negatively about himself. The third was that his faith in God did not outweigh his own thoughts and words. Even when we think or speak negatively about ourselves, when we have an encounter with God, it gives us a chance to change our minds, change our words, and come into agreement with Him. Gideon didn’t do that.

As God heals your soul, your self-esteem will improve. You will begin to feel stronger, more confident, and better about who you are. This is a good sign, and it means that God is working in your life! When God calls you to do something or gives you an opportunity and your first thought is, Oh, I couldn’t do that. I am not smart enough or strong enough, or whatever you think you are not enough of, stop yourself. Interrupt that thought and think, God created me, and He loves me unconditionally. He is healing my soul and making me stronger. I belong to Him, so I can do anything He asks me to do!

This kind of confidence and positive self-image is not arrogant, because it is based on your relationship with God, not on your human abilities. To be confident in God and to feel good about how He has created you is a healthy expression of your faith in Him. Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength. To believe that is to agree with God’s Word and doing that will help you improve your self-image.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for loving me and giving Your Son for me. Heal my self-image, silence my negative thoughts, and help me believe I am valuable in You, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God’s Hold Is Sure 

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Play

Many Christians think they’re saved, hope they’re saved, but still they doubt, wondering, “Am I really saved?” Our behavior gives us reason to wonder. We’re strong one day, weak the next. Devoted one hour, flagging the next. Believing, then unbelieving.

Conventional wisdom draws a line through the middle of these fluctuations. Perform above this line, and enjoy God’s acceptance. But dip below it, and expect a pink slip from heaven. Salvation, then, becomes a matter of timing. You just hope you’ll die on an upswing.

Jesus’ language couldn’t be stronger: “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages…and no one is able to snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28 AMPC). God doesn’t let go, and he won’t let go of you.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Day of Pentecost

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Read Acts 2:1–13

When Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles were left behind. They obeyed Jesus’ instruction to remain in Jerusalem until He sent to them what His Father had promised (Luke 24:49). In fact, Jesus had also promised to send the Advocate, or Counselor, to them in John 16:7. In addition to the apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus, other women, and Jesus’ brothers, approximately 120 disciples of Jesus regularly met for prayer. They were waiting for the promise to be fulfilled, and it was, on the Day of Pentecost.

When that Day of Pentecost came, “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (vv. 2–4).

Although the disciples of Jesus believed Him for the promise of the Holy Spirit, I dare to suggest that what occurred was not what they expected. “Suddenly” (v. 2) suggests it was startling. “A sound like the blowing of a violent wind” (v. 2) indicates it was loud and frightening. “Saw what seemed to be tongues of fire” (v. 3) implies it was mesmerizing. The entire experience captivated them.

There was also an individualized aspect of the miracle. The tongues of fire came to “rest on each of them” (v. 3). They were each “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 4). They each spoke in different languages that they previously had not known. The Holy Spirit did not just come into the world in a general sense. He also came into the world to fill and empower each believer.

Go Deeper

As a believer in Jesus Christ, do you believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in you? In what ways does the Spirit empower you? Watch this interview as our author Dr. Eric Moore talks about the day of Pentecost.

Pray with Us

Lord, thank You for sending Your Spirit to dwell within us. Please make us sensitive to listen when He is prompting us, and give us courage to obey even when it seems hard.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.Acts 2:1

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Ascension

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Read Acts 1:1–11

One of the television programs my wife and I enjoy is Finding Your Roots. During the show Henry Louis Gates Jr. unfolds each guest’s family tree and tells them something of interest regarding their ancestors’ lives. Some guests have said, “I feel so much more connected to my roots” or “Now I know how I got here.”

In a sense, this is the purpose of the book of Acts. We learn how our family (the church of Jesus Christ) got started. The church began with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Luke, Paul’s companion, is writing to a man named Theophilus. The book of Acts can be viewed as volume two of Luke’s historical record, beginning where his gospel left off, with the ascension of Jesus.

The book of Acts follows a simple outline found in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and disciples, and the gospel spread locally, regionally, and worldwide.

This is important to the proper understanding of the book of Acts. Some view the book as “prescriptive.” By that I mean we should be doing exactly what is recorded in this book. If by that they mean that we should be reaching the world with the gospel, then I agree. However, I believe the proper way to view this book is “descriptive.” Luke is describing how the church of Jesus Christ began. We are to learn from all of it, but not necessarily try to duplicate all of it. Some events were unique to the founding era of the church.

Go Deeper

What role does the Holy Spirit play in the opening of the book of Acts? How is the Spirit at work in this present day?

Pray with Us

Dear Father, please meet us in our study of Acts. As we look back at the beginning of the church, give us wisdom to use what we learn in our own settings. Your way is the best way.

He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.Acts 1:9

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God Our King

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It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 1 Samuel 8:7

Today’s Scripture

1 Samuel 8:4-9

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Today’s Devotion

After being jobless for a year, Ethan finally got a good offer—but his wife stopped him from accepting it. “Is this good for you?” she asked. “It’s a night shift, so you’ll struggle to attend church on Sunday mornings, like with your previous job.” After praying and mulling over it, Ethan decided to turn down the offer. While there was nothing wrong with it, he knew it wouldn’t be good for him. Months later, he got another job—a day shift—that allowed him to attend church regularly.

Not all decisions that seem logical are God-honoring or wise. For example, it seemed natural for the Israelites to ask for a king. The prophet Samuel’s sons weren’t fit to lead (1 Samuel 8:3), and other nations seemed to be doing well with a king (vv. 5, 20). But God warned them about trusting solely in people; only He was their true king who could protect and provide for them perfectly (vv. 7, 11-18). Still, the Israelites insisted (v. 19), leading God to tell Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (v. 7). Later, the Israelites would suffer under the rule of a string of evil kings.

Human wisdom can lead us to rely on ourselves rather than God. His ways may be counterintuitive, but they’re truly wise and lead to good. May we learn to trust Him and accept His rule in our lives, for He alone is our loving King.

Reflect & Pray

What decisions are you facing now? How can you seek God’s guidance and wisdom in making them?

Dear God, please teach me to trust in Your ways and follow them so I can obey and please You in all I do.

Today’s Insights

Key to understanding today’s Scripture (1 Samuel 8:4-9) is another passage that contains God’s instructions to Israel during their flight from Egypt. He told them, “The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6). He also said, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you . . . and you say, ‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,’ be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses” (17:14-15). Despite their privileged status as His chosen people, He knew His people would yearn to be like the nations surrounding them. When Samuel prayed, God told him, “They have rejected me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7). Yet they remained His people, and God did indeed choose their human king (9:16). We can remember today that God’s wisdom is available in every decision we make.

For further study, read: Making Decisions God’s Way

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Tempting Offer

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Adapted from Battlefield of the Mind

Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil. And He went without food for forty days and forty nights, and later He was hungry.

Matthew 4:1–2 (AMPC)

After Jesus had gone through a 40-day fast, Satan approached Him with three tempting offers. The devil came to Jesus when he was weak and hungry. It’s natural to assume that the Lord was physically weakened after being without nourishment for such an extended period of time, so, of course, the devil’s first offer involved food. If You are God’s Son, command these stones to be made [loaves of] bread (Matthew 4:3 AMPC).

Later Jesus performed several miracles that included food, such as changing a boy’s lunch into enough fish and bread to feed five thousand people and, at another time, to feed four thousand. All of Jesus’ miracles were for the good of others. He never performed miracles for Himself or to satisfy any need of His own. That’s one major lesson we learn from His temptation.

The devil then took Jesus to a mountaintop and showed Him the nations of the earth. He said, in effect, “You can have it all in exchange for one slight, easily excusable act. Worship me—just once—and You can have it all.” I can even imagine the devil saying, “It’s all right; God will understand. You’re so weak right now.”

It was as if Satan said, “You’re going to rule it all anyway. This is just a shortcut.” He implied that through one simple act of worship, Jesus could avoid the rejection, the suffering, and even the horrifying death on the cross. And either way, He would achieve the same goal.

As attractive as the offer may have sounded, Jesus turned it down. He recognized the deliberately crafted lie, and Jesus never hesitated. The world would be won for God, but it would be won by the way of sacrifice and obedience. The way of the cross would be Jesus’ pathway to victory.

Again, Jesus teaches us that His is not the easy way. Instead, we must take the right way. Whenever the devil tries to convince us there is an easier way—one that will make life better for us—we know we don’t want to listen.

As we read the story, the choice seems obvious. But suppose you had been in that wilderness for 40 days and nights without food and water. Suppose you had faced such great temptations. Suppose the devil had whispered in your ear, “Just this one time and no one will know.”

This is one of the enemy’s most subtle lies. Not only does he tempt you to give in and to receive the things you’d like to have, but he also makes it sound simple and easy: “Just do this one thing, and it’s all yours.”

God never works that way. He wants you to have the best and only the best, but it has to come in the right way.

At the end of the temptation accounts, Matthew inserts a powerful statement. With each temptation, Jesus won because he relied on the Word of God for His strength. And the devil couldn’t fight the Word. Finally, Matthew records, Then the devil departed from Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him (Matthew 4:11 AMPC).

The wisdom to be gleaned from this experience is powerful. Even after you’ve been battered and tempted, God doesn’t leave you. He remains with you to comfort you, to minister to your needs, and to encourage you. Never forget that He is as close to you as the mention of His name. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Prayer of the Day: Blessed Lord Jesus, thank You for winning the victory over the devil. Thank You for not listening to Satan and for standing on the Word of God in the midst of every temptation. Lord, in Your name, I pray for the wisdom and the strength to defeat the same enemy when he tempts me, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Seasons: Preach the Word

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Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
2 Timothy 4:2, NIV

Recommended Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Thomas Heelis, an English sailor, did missionary work to India from 1855 to 1910. Once he shipwrecked and the crew was washed up in a small fishing village. Thomas, not one to miss an opportunity, began preaching the Gospel to those villagers.1

Our lives go through various seasons, but we are to be about our Master’s business. When we labor for Christ, we will find some seasons productive and fruitful. We will see a harvest. At other times the work will appear unrewarded and in vain. But remember what Paul said: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Let’s labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun. Let’s preach the Word, in season and out of season. Even misfortune such as shipwrecks can be God’s way of guiding us to someone needing the Gospel.

I thank God that the gospel is to be preached to every creature. There is no man so far gone, but the grace of God can reach him.
D. L. Moody

  1. Footsteps Worth Following (Echoes International, 2021), 120.

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

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