Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Our Defender

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For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:31-34

One of the great themes of the book of Job is Job’s longing for someone to defend him before God. Outwardly Job was a righteous man, and he couldn’t understand why God had visited suffering on him (Job 1:1-7). He found no one on earth who would defend him and thought he would find an advocate only in heaven (Job 16:19-21). He lamented, “If only there were someone to arbitrate between [God and me], to lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33, NIV1984).

Job wasn’t wishing prophetically about the Christ who was to come because he didn’t think he needed forgiveness. He only thought he needed an advocate, a mediator, an intercessor—someone to plead his case for him. But as it turned out, Christ became all that Job, and every sinner since, needed. First, by His death and resurrection, Christ paid for sins. Then, He ascended back to the Father where He occupies the role of Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), Advocate (1 John 2:1), and Intercessor (Romans 8:34).

Give God thanks today that Christ defends you against any condemnation—based on His righteousness, not yours.

The saved are singled out, not by their own merits, but by the grace of the Mediator.
Martin Luther

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Caring and Communion

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This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:25

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

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Today’s Devotion

When I broke my upper arm, my friend Rex surprised me by shipping a care box of frozen soups with a beautiful, silver ladle. I was deeply touched and kept the ladle long after consuming the soup. My arm has healed and dear Rex has since passed away, but his gesture of love continues to express God’s love for me. Every time I lift the ladle, I thank God for His love to me through my friend.

Jesus gave us a tangible gift in the celebration of Communion to help us remember His incomparable love for us (Luke 22:19). The apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians how Jesus broke bread, saying, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Then Christ “took the cup, saying, ‘The cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’ ” (v. 25). God’s lavish love is remembered again and again as we take the bread and lift the cup as believers in Christ.

Rex showed his love through the tangible gift of a care box, leaving a ladle to remind me month after month. Jesus loved us in the life-altering gift of His body sacrificed on the cross for our sins. He left us the practice of Communion to remind us of His unchanging love.

Reflect & Pray

When do you celebrate Communion (the Lord’s Supper)? How might your celebration of it become more meaningful as you remember God’s love for you through this practice?

Dear God, thank You for loving me so sacrificially and for leaving the tangible practice of Communion to remind me again and again of Your love.

Today’s Insights

Paul was “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (1 Corinthians 1:1). As an apostle, he was an eyewitness of the resurrected Jesus (see Acts 1:21-22). But for him, this happened on the road to Damascus (see 9:1-6). He wasn’t present at the Last Supper with the other disciples (see Matthew 26:20-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20), but Christ may have instructed Paul through the disciples who were present on that occasion. On that Passover night, Jesus “took bread” and said, “This is my body given for you.” Then He instructed them, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), thus instituting the first Lord’s Supper. Christ demonstrated His love by dying on a cross. Paul reminds us, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread” (1 Corinthians 11:23). As we remember Christ’s supreme act of love by partaking of Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, we’re inspired to love Him and to love each other.

Join Discover the Word as they discuss Jesus’ final conversation with His disciples at The Last Supper.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why young adults believe revival is coming to America

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A Maundy Thursday reflection

Yesterday was filled with headline news, including:

  • Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court as the justices considered the question of birthright citizenship.
  • NASA’s Artemis II mission to circle the moon launched last night at 6:35 p.m. ET. Watching the rocket lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida was awe-inspiring.
  • President Trump addressed the nation last night, stating that the United States’ “core strategic objectives” in Iran are “nearing completion” a month after Operation Epic Fury began.

However, I want to focus on this Maundy Thursday on news that isn’t making headlines in our culture but is being celebrated in heaven.

Recent studies show that eighty million Americans believe a spiritual revival is coming to our nation. Of those participating in the survey, young adults (statistically the most unchurched generation in history) are surprisingly the most likely to agree.

A story I read this week shows why.

 “I never knew God loved me”

Jennie Allen is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of IF:Gathering and Gather25, part of what Christian Post describes as a “vision to mobilize the global Church.” According to the article, she has been visiting college campuses with the Unite ministry and was invited to speak at Southeastern University in Florida last month.

The Dallas-based Bible teacher said, “We have been blessed to be on the road on about twenty campuses. And we have seen over and over again a huge response to repentance, to the gospel, to baptism, and it’s just been beautiful and amazing.”

This was especially true at Southeastern. After her message, she said, “The room did confession, which I’ve done in many rooms before. But a girl yelled out ‘abortion’ as loud as she could.” The student then collapsed to the floor. “I think after that, it got real,” Allen said. “Everyone began saying things that were harder to say.”

The gathering continued for hours and eventually days, with students staying for worship and prayer late into the night.

Allen, a mother of four, said she’s personally baptized hundreds of students over the past two and a half years. According to her, the desperation many young people feel is fueling their spiritual openness. She recalled, “A seven-foot athlete stood in front of me with tears falling down his face and said, ‘I never knew God loved me.’”

Gen Z’s faith gives her hope for the future of the church. “They’re so compelled by the love of God that they want to make a difference,” she said. “Jesus changed their life, and they want other people to experience that too.”

“As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride”

Maundy Thursday was one of the most pivotal days in history. On this night, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, surrendered to the soldiers, and was illegally tried and condemned by the Sanhedrin. The next day, he would be crucified.

But one part of what transpired then has riveted my attention today. As you know, Jesus shared what we call the “Last Supper” with his disciples on this day (Matthew 26:26–29). This is the phrase that caught my eye: “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant . . .” (vv. 27–28, my emphasis).

Remember who was at the table with Jesus that night: Judas, who would betray him, Peter, who would deny him, and nine other “disciples” who would abandon him. Only John would be present with him at the cross. The rest would fail him in his hour of greatest need.

Yet, astonishingly, he included them all in the Supper that symbolized his body and blood given for them. And, just as astonishingly, he includes us as well. All of us. Any of us who know him as Lord will be with him at his table in paradise.

Isaiah saw a day when “the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food,” a day when “he will swallow up death forever” and “wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:6, 8). On that day, Jesus said, “many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). He compared this event to “a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2; cf. Luke 14:16).

Now comes the most amazing part: at “the marriage supper of the Lamb,” the bride is us (Revelation 19:7, 9).

Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Now, as “a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2), we are “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (v. 9; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2). And “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).

“The core truth of our existence”

Here’s my point: Your Savior loves you as passionately and unconditionally as a perfect husband would love his wife.

When you said “I do” to him as your Savior and Lord, you became his “bride.” Nothing can change your status as his beloved. Nothing can make him love you any more or any less than he did when he died for you. You are loved as you are, no matter what you do or do not do today.

Unfortunately, everything in our culture conditions us to believe the opposite about ourselves. If you are a student, your progress depends on your grades. If you have a job, your income depends on how well you do it. If you’re an athlete, a musician, a painter, an actor, or a writer (in my case), your success depends on your performance. Even your family is not exempt from transactionalism: your spouse can divorce you, your children can disown you, and your parents can disinherit you.

By contrast, as Henri Nouwen wrote in his marvelous book Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World:

The world tells you many lies about who you are, and you simply have to be realistic enough to remind yourself of this. Every time you feel hurt, offended, or rejected, you have to dare to say to yourself: “These feelings, strong as they may be, are not telling me the truth about myself. The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity.”

Nouwen assured us that “being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.” And he added:

“That is the spiritual life: the chance to say ‘Yes’ to our inner truth. The spiritual life, thus understood, radically changes everything.”

Will you say yes to your “inner truth” today?

Quote for the day:

“When we keep claiming the light, we will find ourselves becoming more and more radiant.” —Henri Nouwen

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Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Your Will Be Done

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 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ 

—Matthew 26:39

Scripture:

Matthew 26:39 

Just before He was arrested, put on trial, and crucified, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He chose to spend the time He had left in conversation with His Father. That conversation, as recorded in the Gospels, is unlike any other in Scripture.

First, there’s the matter of what Jesus asked God to do. “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Matthew 26:39 NLT). In essence, He was asking His heavenly Father if there was any other way for the work of salvation to be accomplished. His request points to the enormous suffering involved in Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus knew what was coming: physical, emotional, and spiritual agony beyond measure. And He wanted to make sure that it was absolutely necessary.

With that in mind, however, we must understand that the first part of Jesus’ prayer cannot be separated from the second part. The reality is that God said no to His Son’s request because there was no other way for the work of salvation to be accomplished. A perfect sacrifice was required.

If Jesus’ prayer had been only that God remove the cup of suffering from Him, the events that followed would have been cast in a different light. Jesus would have been a reluctant participant in the crucifixion, trapped by God’s refusal to excuse Him from becoming a sacrifice.

But that’s not what happened because Jesus’ request was followed by these words: “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39 NLT). And those same ten words (or some variation of them) must accompany every sincere prayer that believers offer.

It isn’t just a matter of saying, “If You want to do it Your way, go ahead.” It’s a heartfelt acknowledgment that nothing else is more perfect than God’s will. Nothing else can surpass its wisdom. Nothing else can bring ultimate fulfillment and good. Praying these words is a way of embracing the truth that God’s will is more important than our preferences, our comfort, or even our well-being.

The Bible’s promises regarding prayer are exciting. But we should never mistake them for a wish list or an opportunity to get our way. When we embrace and actively seek God’s will, we get a front-row seat to His work in the world.

Maybe you’re at a crisis point in your life right now—a personal Gethsemane, if you will. You have your will; you know what you want. Yet you can sense that God’s will is different. Would you let the Lord choose for you? Would you be willing to say, “Lord, I am submitting my will to Yours. Not my will, but Yours be done”? You will never, never regret making that decision.

Reflection Question: How might praying for God’s will change your perspective on a situation in your life right now? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Father of Spirits

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” (Hebrews 12:9)

Human parents transmit physical characteristics to their offspring, but our spiritual attributes come from God, for He is “the Father of spirits.” Paul recognized that all men are “the offspring of God” (Acts 17:29) and that each man is still “the image and glory of God” (1 Corinthians 11:7).
Thus, our spirit/soul nature, as distinct from our body of physical/mental flesh, has come from God, who created it and united it with our body, evidently at the moment of physical conception in the womb. It is obvious that the image of God could not be transmitted genetically via the genetic code and DNA molecules, for these are simply complex chemicals programmed to transmit only the physical and mental attributes of ancestors to their children. Nevertheless, the spirit/soul attributes of each person also seem to be associated inseparably with the body from conception onward, continuing so until separated again at death, when the spirit goes “to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8), leaving the body behind.

 

In the meantime, however, by the union of flesh and spirit, man inherits Adam’s fallen nature as well as his mortal body, for “the body is dead because of sin” (Romans 8:10). Both are in need of salvation. Christ “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14). Therefore, we, like Paul, can pray that our “whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Give Up on Doing Good

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Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)

When we do what is right and good for a long time, and believe we are sowing good seed but not reaping a good harvest, we can become frustrated. But Paul urges us to not grow weary of doing good. We should not do good simply to receive a reward but because it is right. This may mean treating someone well for a long time before they begin to treat us well in return. They may never treat us well, but our reward comes from God, not from other human beings. When we look to people for appreciation or affirmation, we may be disappointed, but God never forgets what we have done, and He knows exactly how to bless us.

Part of verse 10 of today’s scripture in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, offers an instruction that has changed my life. It reads, Be mindful to be a blessing. To be mindful means to have your mind full of something or to purposefully think about it.

Developing the habit of thinking intentionally about ways to bless other people has greatly added to my joy. I encourage you to ask God to show you how you can bless specific people in your life. I believe He will. Learn to listen to people, because they often mention in conversation what they need, like, or want. If you are able, then try to do it for them.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me not grow weary in doing good. Fill my mind with ways to bless others, trust You for my reward, and give with joy, patience, and love, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Has an Answer for Life 

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Play

You stare into the darkness. The ceiling fan whirls above you. Your husband slumbers next to you. In minutes the alarm will sound, and the demands of the day will shoot you like a clown out of a cannon into the three-ring circus of meetings, bosses, and baseball practices. For the millionth time you’ll make breakfast, schedules, and payroll…but for the life of you, you can’t make sense of this thing called life. It’s beginnings and endings. Cradles and cancers and cemeteries and questions. The meaning of life, the poor choices of life.

Did you know God answers the mess of life with one word? Grace. Do we really understand it? God in the Bible says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV). That’s grace! Grace calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Divine Order

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Numbers 2

Read Numbers 2

Marching bands at half-time shows are a wonderful spectacle to behold. Hundreds of musicians move in perfect synchronization, each person knowing exactly where to go. What appears chaotic up close becomes a beautiful, coordinated display when viewed from above. The secret is in everyone following the same conductor, knowing their precise position in the larger formation.

Numbers chapter 2 presents us with God’s magnificent blueprint for organizing His people in the wilderness. After counting the tribes in chapter 1, God now assigns each group their specific position around the tabernacle. This wasn’t arbitrary—it was divine orchestration on a massive scale.

The chapter begins with God’s instruction to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family” (v. 2). Picture this: 603,550 men, plus women and children, arranged in perfect order around God’s dwelling place. At the center of this vast human formation stood the tabernacle, with the Levites camping immediately around it as guardians of God’s presence. God dwelt at the center of His people’s lives.

The chapter’s conclusion captures the heart of the passage: “The Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards” (v. 34). We see perfect obedience to God’s detailed instructions.

Just as each tribe had its designated place, God has specific roles for us in His kingdom. Embrace your unique calling, rather than coveting someone else’s assignment.

Go Deeper

The arrangement of the tabernacle wasn’t random. God was to be the focal point around which everything else was organized. Look at your daily priorities and decisions. Do they truly revolve around God’s presence and purposes?

Pray with Us

God, how often we look at others with envy and miss our own purpose and calling. Keep our focus always on You. Help us to listen for Your direction in our life.

The Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses.Numbers 2:34

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Many Infallible Proofs

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He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.
Acts 1:3

Recommended Reading: Acts 1:1-3

What do all these people have in common—Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker, history professor at Australian Catholic University in Australia; British journalist Frank Morison; homicide detective J. Warner Wallace; and Sir Lionel Luckhoo, the Guinness-recognized “world’s most successful attorney with 245 consecutive murder acquittals”? They all became followers of Christ after studying the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Since Jesus Christ returned to life in the darkened tomb and appeared to us with “many infallible proofs,” our faith isn’t a blind leap. It’s a sensible step, one that brings life change and gladness to our hearts and minds.

Many people believe they may go to heaven because they have tried to live an upright life. But only faith in the death and resurrection of Christ can save us. Ephesians 2:8 says we are saved by grace through faith. Have you definitively and consciously received Christ’s forgiveness and eternal life by trusting His grace? It’s not too late for you to do that now!

I’m a Christian because it is true. I’m a Christian because I want to live in a way that reflects the truth. I’m a Christian because my high regard for the truth leaves me no alternative.
J. Warner Wallace

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – True Integrity

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Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12

Today’s Scripture

1 Peter 2:11-21

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Today’s Devotion

At a job interview, Carol was asked repeatedly, “Why did you leave your previous job?” The interviewer had an inkling of the conflict she’d had with her former employer and wanted to know what had happened.

While acknowledging “differences in working style,” Carol refused to divulge her opinion of her former boss, believing that it would be wrong to speak ill of him. Later, after she was hired, her new boss revealed that the hiring personnel liked her response: “We were impressed by your integrity. We wouldn’t want you to bad-mouth your boss—or us next time—either.”

As a new believer in Jesus, Carol had always wondered how to live in a “godly” and “right” way, practically. She realized the answer could be simple: Show integrity and be honorable, honest, and ethical.

First Peter 2:12 points to the importance of integrity in everything: “Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” This includes practical things like submitting to lawful authorities (vv. 13-14); doing good (v. 15); showing an attitude of humility and service (v. 16); and respecting and loving others (v. 17). As God helps us, let’s serve Him in a way that brings honor to His name.

Reflect & Pray

In what simple and practical ways can you live out your faith? What words and actions would you use or avoid?

Dear Father, please give me the wisdom to show integrity, love, and respect for others each day so Your name will be glorified in all I say and do.

Living Right Among Pagans.

Today’s Insights

Peter encourages God’s “chosen people” (1 Peter 2:9) to live honorable and blameless lives, doing good works and living as Jesus lived in an unbelieving, hostile world so as to bring glory to God (vv. 9-21). Paul similarly urges believers in Christ to “live a life worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10)—a faithful and fruitful life that honors and pleases Him (see Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Believers are to live with integrity as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8)—letting their “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise [our] heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 nlt).

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Supreme Court rules against ban on “conversion therapy”

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A Holy Wednesday reflection

The US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Colorado’s ban on LGBTQ “conversion therapy” for young people infringes on the free speech rights of a Christian counselor. Their ruling reversed a lower court’s decision that had upheld the law.

According to Associated Press, “The justices agreed that the law raises free speech concerns and sent it back to a lower court to decide if it meets a legal standard that few laws pass.” Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the court, said the law “censors speech based on viewpoint” and added that the First Amendment “stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country.”

Notably, the Court ruled eight-to-one, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson the lone dissenter.

However, the news is not all positive on the religious liberty front. The Family Research Council has documented 1,384 “acts of hostility toward US churches” occurring between January 2018 and December 2024. Catholic churches have especially come under attack in this country.

In the Middle East, the Hoover Institution reports that Christianity is declining rapidly due to the persecution of believers. In Finland, a member of the Parliament and a Lutheran Church bishop were convicted for writing and publishing a pamphlet twenty years ago defending biblical sexual morality. In India, Christian groups are speaking out against legislation they say could enable the government to seize their properties.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Supreme Court rules against ban on “conversion therapy” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Stay Awake

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 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ 

—Matthew 26:37–38

Scripture:

Matthew 26:37-38 

Jesus was fully God and fully human. Because He was fully human, He had the same needs that other people have. He enjoyed the same things that other people enjoy, including companionship. He surrounded Himself with disciples not just so that He could teach and prepare them for ministry, but also because He enjoyed their companionship. He found comfort and pleasure in interacting with them.

When Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, He brought along His closest friends. And He made a simple request of them. “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38 NLT). Actually, it was more of an opportunity than a request. Jesus was giving them a chance to play a role in God’s plan.

Maybe if His companions had recognized the opportunity embedded in the request, they would have been more diligent in carrying out Jesus’ instructions. Instead, they gave in to their physical desire and fell asleep. It wasn’t the first time.

Matthew 17:1–13 records the story of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus led Peter, James, and John up a mountain so that they could see Him in His glory. On the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to them.

“As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, ‘Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’” (Luke 9:33 NLT).

The previous verse explains why he suddenly spouted such nonsense. “Peter and the others had fallen asleep” (Luke 9:32 NLT). Imagine what else Peter might have witnessed had he been fully awake and watchful at the Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.

It makes me wonder how much we miss out on because of our spiritual slumber. How often are we spiritually slumbering when God wants to speak to us through His Word? How often are we spiritually slumbering instead of opening our hearts to a message at church? How often are we spiritually slumbering when the Lord would want us to speak up for Him?

Staying awake, spiritually speaking, means directing our gaze toward the things of God—the things that matter. Look at the words of the psalmist in Psalm 119:37: “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word” (NLT).

Like the disciples, we, too, can miss out on what God wants to do in and through us. So, we need to be awake, alert, and paying attention. Good things happen to those who keep their spiritual eyes open.

Reflection Question: What would spiritual slumber look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Signs Divide, Signs Reveal

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by Michael J. Stamp

“Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” (John 11:53)

The Jewish leaders sought to kill Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead. Why? They knew Lazarus’ resurrection was a well-established fact. And the profound miracle took place in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, with crowds watching.

Rather than recognizing this sign that Jesus was the Messiah and inspiring belief in Him, these leaders viewed the miracle as a threat to their authority. They feared Jesus’ popularity could lead to the loss of their positions and social standing. But more than that, their hearts were not open to the Word of God standing right in front of them in human flesh (John 1:14). Their hearts were hard and remained so. This made them blind to the very Messiah they were awaiting!

We also see this in the Old Testament. When Moses demanded that Pharaoh free the Israelites, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart. Even after he saw miracle after miracle, and even as the 10 plagues directly challenged the Egyptian gods, Pharaoh refused to concede (Exodus 9:12, 10:27).

Rather than forcing their hearts to believe, God allowed the Jewish leaders and Pharaoh to willfully harden their own hearts against the great miracles they witnessed.

But to the softened heart, Jesus’ identity was undeniable, being clearly revealed by the seven signs described in the gospel of John. The seventh sign was the raising of Lazarus. It foreshadowed the greatest miracle of all: Jesus’ defeat of death and sin on the cross and His resurrection Easter morning! “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25).

Jesus performed these signs to reveal to the Israelites the power of Yahweh, the great I Am. And the signs revealed who Jesus was—the Son of God in their midst! May our hearts be ready to recognize and praise Him for what He has done. MJS

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Spirit, Soul, Body

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Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (AMP)

God loves you, and He is interested in every single part of your life—not just the spiritual part. Just look at what 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says about this: Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (ESV).

This verse clearly says that we can be sanctified completely, “wholly consecrated to God.” God created us as tri-part beings: We are spirits, we have souls, and we live in bodies. Your spirit is the part of you that receives revelation from God, and your con- science functions through it. Your soul is made up of your mind, will, and emotions, and your body is the house you live in.

God wants every part of our lives to be healthy and whole. This is important, because if even one of those areas is unhealthy, we won’t be able to fully enjoy the life Jesus came to give us. Not only does God want you to be spiritually sound—born again through a personal relationship with Jesus—but He also wants a life for you that’s free from depression, anger, unforgiveness, and so on. He wants you to have peace and joy in your soul!

Prayer of the Day: God, thank You for caring about every part of my life. I commit to You my soul, my spirit, and my body. Thank You for working in me to make me whole, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Grace Seeps In 

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God’s grace. It has a wildness about it. A white-water, rip-tide, turn-you-upside-downess about it. Grace comes after you.

Some years ago I underwent a heart procedure. I asked the surgeon, “You’re burning the interior of my heart, right?” “Correct.” “You intend to kill the misbehaving cells, yes?” “That’s my plan.” “Could you take your little blowtorch to some of my greed, selfishness, superiority, and guilt?” He smiled, “Sorry, that’s out of my pay grade.” But it’s not out of God’s, my friend.

We’d be wrong to think this change happens overnight. But we’d be equally wrong to assume change never happens at all. It may come in fits and spurts—but it comes! Titus 2:11 (NKJV) says, “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared.” The floodgates are opened, the water is out. You just never know when grace will seep in.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – A Time of Trouble

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Read Ruth 1:1–2

The Old Testament book of Ruth reads almost like a play. It has well-crafted dramatic dialogue, compelling characters, and rich imagery. While the story may be familiar to you, during this study we will move slowly through the text, taking time to notice every detail and savor each splendid truth.

As the curtain rises, the unknown author of the book gives some background: “In the days when the judges ruled” (v. 1). His original audience lived during the time of the kings—a more stable and prosperous age. But for them, this opening sentence would have brought to mind the moral and spiritual depravity, which had prevailed in that previous age. The love story of Ruth and Boaz will stand in dramatic relief against the chaotic backdrop.

Next, the author sets the stage by giving us the inciting incident—“there was a famine in the land.” This famine was possibly a punishment for Israel’s disobedience and idolatry. Deuteronomy 28, verse 48 lists “hunger” as one curse God may bring if His people worship other gods.

Then, we are introduced to key characters, including “a man from Bethlehem in Judah,…his wife and two sons” (v. 1). Ironically, the name Bethlehem means “house of bread,” but when there was no longer any bread available, the family had to act. They traveled to Moab to “live for a while” (v. 1). The journey was 50 miles, which would have taken them 7–10 days, a relatively short, but nonetheless dangerous, trip. More concerning was the fact that Moab was an enemy of Israel. Moving to Moab was an unusual, even dangerous decision, no doubt influenced by a desperate situation. In verse 2, the family members are named. It’s important to note that Elimelek means “my god is king,” and Naomi means “beautiful, pleasant, and good.” They were Ephrathites, which will later become deeply significant. No detail is wasted.

Go Deeper

What difficulties in your own life have forced you to take unexpected action? What was the result?

Pray with Us

Dear Lord, as we begin our study in Ruth, open our eyes to see the truths You have given us in Your Word. Use this story to shape how we view the difficulties we face.

Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.Psalm 6:4

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Koinonia

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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42, NIV

Recommended Reading: Acts 2:42-47

The Chicago Tribune recently reported, “Despite being more digitally connected than ever, many people are struggling to forge the kind of deep, meaningful relationships that give life purpose. We have thousands of online ‘friends’ but fewer real confidants. We work longer hours, move more frequently, and engage in fewer communal activities…. A 2015 meta-analysis … found that prolonged social isolation carries the same health risks as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”1

Does any of that relate to you? God made us with a need for fellowship with Himself and others. Our word fellowship is a translation of the New Testament Greek word koinonia, which meant “something held in common, a shared state, being partners in a relationship.” This word occurs twenty times in the New Testament, beginning with Acts 2:42 and the Church created by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

Do you have a church to attend? Ask God to guide you to a circle of fellowship in a church or Bible study. Make the effort, and you will be blessed.

When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles.
Corrie Ten Boom

  1. John Hewko, “Chicago Tribune: Curing the Loneliness Epidemic, Rotary-Style,” Rotary International, February 2025.

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s View

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Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring. Exodus 14:13

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 14:1-4, 8, 10-14

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

Hudson Taylor was troubled. He’d left England to share the gospel about Christ in China, and ministry—though challenging—had gone well. But in 1865, as he considered sending more people to minister to a more dangerous part of the country, without protection, he felt “intense conflict.” After wrestling with God in prayer, he wrote, “The Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself to God . . . [recognizing] that all responsibility . . . and consequences must rest with him.”

Moses received a call from God that likely left him troubled. As he was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea” (Exodus 14:2). This meant they were trapped between Pharaoh and a vast body of water! The Israelites trembled as “Pharaoh approached” (v. 10). Panic-stricken, they told Moses, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (v. 12). But Moses replied, “Do not be afraid” (v. 13). And he was right. God provided rescue and victory for His people as they rested in Him (vv. 15-31).

At times, we won’t understand what God’s doing in our lives because we don’t have His view. It was during such a moment that Hudson Taylor wrote, “As his servant it was [my responsibility] to obey and to follow him.” We too can rest in God’s view and plans.

Reflect & Pray

Why is it vital for you to surrender to God’s plans for you? How can you rest in Him?

 

Loving God, please help me rest in Your perfect plans for my life.

 

Today’s Insights

Exodus 14:1-14 shows the tension between how things can appear to us and what God’s really doing. When the Israelites were fleeing from Pharaoh, God told them to turn back, placing them in what looked like a military trap—boxed in between Pharaoh’s army and the sea (v. 2). But this was God’s plan to lure and defeat Pharaoh once and for all (v. 4). When Israel panicked (vv. 10–12), Moses reminded them that their rescue wasn’t dependent on their strength but on God’s (vv. 13-14). Even when we don’t understand His plans, this passage invites us to trust that His purposes are always good.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – “Morons Are Governing America” vs. “Trump Was Right About Everything”

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A Holy Tuesday reflection

My wife and I drove past a “No Kings” rally in our city last Saturday, where we saw a sign that said, “Be kind!” Another announced in rainbow colors, “Love wins!” Next to them, paradoxically, a man was waving his hand-lettered whiteboard, “[expletive deleted] Trump!”

Not to be partisan, but signs using a euphemism for the same expletive abounded when Joe Biden was president.

This bipolarity is reflected and empowered by the media daily. If a new article in the Atlantic is to be believed, America under Donald Trump is now a “rogue superpower.” However, if a recent editorial in Fox News is correct, “Trump is breaking Middle East’s old power structure” in ways that will produce more positive geopolitical alignments in the future.

You can buy a yard sign displaying a MAGA acrostic, “Morons Are Governing America.” Or you can purchase one proclaiming, “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING.”

If you’re somewhere in the middle, you’re out of yard sign luck.

Continue reading Denison Forum – “Morons Are Governing America” vs. “Trump Was Right About Everything” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Power of Prayer

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 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 

—James 5:13–15

Scripture:

James 5:13–15 

Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane for one reason. It wasn’t to hide from His enemies. It wasn’t to spend quality time with His disciples. Jesus went there to pray. Knowing that, in a matter of hours, He would submit to unimaginable physical, emotional, and spiritual agony, Jesus wanted to spend His remaining hours of freedom in the presence of His Father.

The circumstances were unique, but the discipline wasn’t. The Gospels record several instances in which Jesus set aside time for prayer. Mark 1:35 says, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (NLT).

Luke 5:15–16 says, “But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (NLT).

Jesus understood the power of prayer, and He wants us to understand it as well. When we find ourselves in trying circumstances, often the temptation is to strike out at those we hold responsible. Or to get mad at God for allowing those circumstances to disrupt our lives. Or to wallow in self-pity.

But those are things the devil wants us to do because he knows how counterproductive they are. When we’re afflicted, when we’re suffering, or when we’re in trouble, prayer should be our first response, just as it was for Jesus. Why? Well, for one thing, God may answer our prayer and remove the problem from our life. He may directly intervene in our circumstances. The Bible is filled with stories in which He did just that.

Even if He doesn’t intervene immediately, He still works in and through us when we take our needs to Him. Prayer affirms our dependence on Him. It puts us in a right relationship with Him. It also allows us to place our burdens in His hands. When we turn our requests over to God, we can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that He will be doing the heavy lifting. Through prayer we also receive the grace we need to endure trouble and grow closer to God.

James 5:13–15 says, “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven” (NLT). The word suffering could be translated “in trouble” or “in distress.” Is anyone among you in trouble? Are you distressed? Then you should pray.

When the bottom drops out, when you feel as though you’re hanging by a thread, when circumstances seem to grow worse by the minute, pray. Pray when you’re afflicted. Pray when you’re sick. Pray when you need forgiveness. Pray when specific needs occur. Pray for God’s will to be done.

Just like Jesus did in Gethsemane.

Reflection Question: How can you make prayer a more integral part of your daily life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

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