Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Narrow Gate

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Read Matthew 7:13–14

The narrow gate and the narrow way are vividly visualized in John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. The main character, Christian, meets others who climb over the fence instead of passing through the narrow gate, and some who choose an easier path. At times he’s tempted off the right path himself but nothing good ever happens in these cases. Christian learns his lesson, but other would-be pilgrims fail spectacularly.

The Sermon on the Mount some-what resembles wisdom literature, in that topics can change quickly. There’s not always a direct connection from one topic to the next. That’s the case throughout much of Matthew 7.

The idea of two spiritual paths is a common metaphor in Scripture, often seen, for example, in Psalms and Proverbs. The wrong path is wide and broad, which leads to destruction, that is, hell (v. 13). The right path is the small gate and narrow road. These lead to life, that is, heaven (v. 14). This is not the same as seeing the world in black-and-white. Wisdom, after all, is contextual. Rather, the metaphor of two paths contrasts two ways of life or two trajectories of choices over time. Most translations also contain the idea that the broad road is easy, and the narrow one is difficult. Our tendency is to choose the easier way, but God’s intention is in the other direction.

Jesus’ teaching is simple: Take one way and not the other. It will be simple to tell the difference. One will be easy and the other hard. One will be taken by many, the other by few. The New English Translation even makes verse 14 an exclamation: “How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it!”

Go Deeper

How can we effectively and winsomely share the gospel with someone this week? And if you aren’t on the narrow path, we invite you to follow Jesus today! Go to moodybible.org/knowing-christ.

Pray with Us

Walking the narrow path on this earth is not always easy, God. Thank You for being with us as we seek to follow You. Give us the strength to choose the hard way.

Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.Matthew 7:14

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Living Water of Christ

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Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. John 4:14

Today’s Scripture

John 4:7-8, 13-18, 21, 23-26

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Today’s Devotion

As I gazed at the intricate etching Christ and the Woman of Samaria by Dutch artist Rembrandt, two interesting details caught my eye. The first was Jesus’ humble pose—leaning over, with His hand over His heart—as he addressed the Samaritan woman. Due to centuries of hostilities between the two groups, Jews typically didn’t “associate with Samaritans” (John 4:9). Yet Jesus reached out with respect and dignity to a woman considered an outcast (vv. 17-18).

Jesus knew the woman’s struggles and offered “living water” (v. 10) to satisfy her deepest need—the gift of cleansing and life-giving grace available through a restored relationship with God.

The second detail that caught my eye was the dark shadow covering the woman’s face, symbolizing her initial struggle to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, or Israel’s promised rescuer. When the woman told Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming” (v. 25) and He responded, “I am he” (v. 26), her eyes and heart were opened (v. 29).

As we encounter people who are spiritually thirsty, Jesus’ example reminds me to speak with humility and kindness, praying for God to remove the shadow that “has blinded the minds of unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4) so they can fully understand Christ’s life-changing offer of living water.

Reflect & Pray

How did you first experience Christ’s “living water”? Who can you pray for that needs Jesus’ gift of living water?

Heavenly Father, with Your kindness and humility, please help me share with the hurting Your offer of living, life-transforming water.

Today’s Insights

Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman is remarkable on two counts. When He asked her for water, she responded, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9). Jews had no dealings with Samaritans because they were a people of mixed-race (see 2 Kings 17:24-41). The woman was also likely surprised that Christ, a man, would speak to her as a woman, for that rarely happened in a public setting. In both cases, Jesus displayed kindness that overruled man-made boundaries. As we encounter people today, God can help us share His love with humility and kindness.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – BURNOUT: Reorienting our disorientation

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“Burnout” is a term common to Western Civilization’s vernacular. An AI Overview indicates that Google Search displays 150-200 million general web results (News, blogs, and resources) for “burnout”. Google Scholar indexes over 1.9 million academic studies and scholarly publications on the subject, and Google News offers hundreds of continuously updated articles on burnout across a variety of workplaces and lifestyles.

Often associated with endeavors requiring daily discipline, diligence, redundancy, long hours, and measurable production, this pervasive buzzword and endemic condition seemingly expresses itself in every facet of society and has become the catalyst for all of life’s stress, exhaustion, and dissatisfaction. It has become so prevalent that even the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) has seen the need to classify the term not as a medical condition but as an occupational phenomenon.

Not even the faith community is exempt. With the tendency of the Western church to “baptize” as her own the popular trends and maladies of the day, even clergy now utilize the term with great frequency.

Continue reading Denison Forum – BURNOUT: Reorienting our disorientation →

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – His Precious Blood

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them . . . . Then Samuel took a stone . . . and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:10–12)

The Philistines had stolen the Ark of the Covenant, given to Israel by God. In a battle to take it back, the Lord miraculously intervened, routed the Philistines, and retrieved the Ark. Samuel, the spiritual leader of Israel, ordered the people to erect a lasting “stone of remembrance,” an ebenezer, to commemorate God’s deliverance of them from their enemies. This scene is reflected in the hymn “Come Thou Fount.”

Here I raise my Ebenezer,
hither by thy help I come;
And I hope by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood.

The great “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 extols many Bible heroes for their great works of faith and mentions those who would overcome deadly trials after Bible times. Some survived, some were killed, some wandered to find their dwelling place, but all needed rescue through the shed blood of Jesus. For you “know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19), “which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6). Come quickly, Thou Fount. JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Christ Is Your Strength

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..How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 12:34 (AMPC)

The Bible says that out of the heart the mouth speaks. We can learn a lot about ourselves by listening to ourselves. Do your thoughts and words reflect your complete dependence on God, realizing that His abilities (not your own) empower you to do anything you need to do in life?

I had to examine my own thoughts and words and ask myself if I portrayed a person who had faith in God, and I encourage you to do the same. I didn’t like all of my answers, but the exercise in self-examination did open my eyes to understanding that I needed to make some changes. Realizing we are wrong in an area is never a problem. The problem comes when we refuse to face truth and continue making excuses.

Be willing to face anything God wants to show you and ask Him to change you. If you are trusting in your own strength, begin to trust God instead. If you are trying to do things out of your own human abilities and growing frustrated, tell God you want Him to work through you and let His sufficiency be your sufficiency (Phil. 4:13).

When challenges arise, I encourage you to develop a habit of immediately saying, “I can do whatever I need to do through Christ Who is my strength.” Remember that words are containers for power, and when you say the right thing, it will help you do the right thing. Don’t fill your containers, (words) with things that disable you, for truly you are able to do all things through Christ. God will ask you to do things you’d never be able to do in your own strength, but He will give you His strength to do them.

As you meditate over and over on the thought, I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ, you will find that you are not as easily overwhelmed by situations that arise. Each time you roll that thought over in your mind or speak it, you are developing a healthy mindset that enables you to be victorious.

Prayer of the Day: God, help me trust Your strength instead of my own. Show me areas where I need to grow and teach me to depend fully on You.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – The Solid Rock: A House on the Rock

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NEW!Listen Now

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matthew 7:24

Recommended Reading: Luke 6:46-49

“The wise man built his house upon the rock…. And the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down, and the floods came up…. And the house on the rock stood firm.”1

Many Christians have fond memories of singing in their childhood Sunday school classes. One of the most memorable songs they probably sang was about a wise man who built his house on the rock and a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Complete with hand motions, the song taught the lesson found in Jesus’ parable in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus likened the rock to His teachings—building a house (life) on His words would be a strong defense against life’s winds, rains, and floods. Ignoring His teachings would be the equivalent of building a house on the sand. In the Middle East there is no shortage of rocks and sand—the lesson would have been obvious to Jesus’ listeners.

Take Jesus’ words to heart—build your life on the sure foundation of His Word.

My conscience is captive to the Word of God.
Martin Luther

  1. Ann Omley, “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man,” 1948, public domain.

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Serving God, Not Self

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During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it . . . as a monument to himself. 2 Samuel 18:18

Today’s Scripture

2 Samuel 18:12-18

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Today’s Devotion

The ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II thought so much of himself that he had numerous structures built in his honor, including many monuments that captured his physical features. One, the colossal statue of Ramesses II, stands thirty-six feet tall and weighs eighty-three tons in all its red-granite glory. Age wasn’t kind to the proud ruler, however. In fact, when he died, he was suffering from bad teeth, arthritis, and chronic heart problems. Some of his monuments might last for a while, but—like all mortals—he himself passed.

Absalom, one of King David’s sons, also built “a monument to himself” (2 Samuel 18:18). Fueled by rage from past tragedy (see ch. 13) and selfish ambition, this younger man worked to steal “the hearts of the people of Israel” from his father (15:6). When Absalom attempted to pilfer the throne, however, God didn’t allow him to overpower David, His anointed king (1 Samuel 16:12-13), and David’s fighting men (2 Samuel 18:6). In the end, Absalom was killed for his treachery. Although his monument still stood (v. 18), he died humbled and defeated.

Building monuments to ourselves and serving our own pride and desires won’t end well. But as we humbly serve God and love Him well (Philippians 2:3-8), we’ll find true meaning and fulfillment in His presence.

Reflect & Pray

Why is living for and serving yourself an empty pursuit? What does it look like for you to humbly serve God?

All-powerful God, please help me to serve You in love and humility. You’re the only one who’s worthy of my worship.

Today’s Insights

In 2 Samuel 13, we learn that Absalom’s sister Tamar is assaulted by their half-brother Amnon. Their father, King David, is furious about the news but does nothing (v. 21). Two years later, Absalom takes matters into his own hands and has Amnon killed (vv. 23, 28-29). Again, David does nothing—for years (see ch. 14). So Absalom’s anger and insurrection against his father was largely due to David’s inaction, poor choices, and lack of guidance. Absalom’s “monument to himself” (18:18) is just one sign of his alienation from David and from God. Today, as believers in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit inside us to guide us. Empowered by Him, we’re called to trust in God’s sense of justice. He helps us to humbly serve Him and to value others above ourselves.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What many people don’t know about “The Odyssey”

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I saw The Odyssey this week. I’m a bit late to the party: The film has made over $322 million as of today. When BBC Culture asked writers around the globe to pick stories that have endured across generations and changed society, Homer’s poem topped the list. The book has been translated into English at least sixty times and rendered in movies more than three dozen times.

Christopher Nolan’s version is truly spectacular. His film required 5,300 costumes and spanned 91 days of filming in six countries. Moving the Trojan horse alone required 250 actors and stunt performers. The movie amazes audiences with its mythical creatures brought to life largely without CGI.

But there’s more to the story behind the movie than many people know.

Giving the audience “reasons to believe”

The Odyssey is a poem comprising 12,109 lines that is thought to have been composed by the Greek poet Homer around three thousand years ago. The poem circulated orally for centuries before it was written down in the mid-sixth century BC for the Panathenaia Festival, likely on rolls of papyrus. More than a thousand ancient copies of The Odyssey and The Iliad have been found, substantiating the accuracy of the manuscripts we possess.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What many people don’t know about “The Odyssey” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Secret of Success

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 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 

—Ecclesiastes 12:13

Scripture:

It is my belief that one of the reasons for the great success of the United States of America over our 250-year history can be found in our origins, the fact that our nation’s founding was deeply shaped by a belief that liberty depends on moral virtue, and many of the founders saw biblical faith as essential to that virtue.

Now that certainly is a far cry from where we are today. But we desperately need a biblical worldview today, and we desperately need to follow God’s commandments.

We can either accept the truths of Scripture or fight against them as a nation and as individuals. And, I might add, we will reap the inevitable results.

As Vance Havner, a preacher and revivalist, once said, “We speak of ‘breaking the laws of God’ but actually we cannot break them. If you jump from the Empire State Building you don’t break the law of gravitation—you just break your neck! The Ten Commandments stand today, unchanged and unchangeable. When we violate them, we suffer. What we sow, we reap. God is not mocked. When we crash into the pillars of God’s eternal principles, we are smashed but the pillars remain standing.”

He’s right. You can’t break the laws of God, but you will break yourself against them. You can buck against these truths and say, “These don’t apply to me, and I will live the way I want to live.” Or you can see the wisdom God has in giving these commandments to us.

The author of Ecclesiastes could not be any clearer on the matter. “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).

But obeying God’s commands is more than a duty; it’s also an opportunity. Remember, God created us. He knows exactly how we’re wired and what’s best for us. His commands are one of the means He uses to help us discover what’s best for us.

His commands are intended not to restrict us but rather to allow us to enjoy life to the fullest, as He intends. They show us the way to experience soul-deep joy—the kind of joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances or moods. His commands also point the way toward genuine fulfillment and the peace that comes from knowing that we’re doing what we were created to do.

God’s commands keep us in spiritual balance. Obedience is essential to our relationship with our heavenly Father. When we prioritize His instructions and live according to His principles, we enjoy His blessings.

Likewise, our country was created to honor God’s commandments. Until we begin to prioritize them again, we will not fulfill the destiny He has for us.

It’s our choice. We can do it the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.

 

Reflection question: What helped you recognize the wisdom in obeying God’s commands? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Come Thou Fount

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6)

Promises of God’s fountain of blessings fill Scripture. They beckon our prayers for fulfillment, not only in heaven but even now. Christ assured us that “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The precious hymn “Come Thou Fount” reminds us of our position of blessing in Christ. The first verse says:

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

God acts toward believers in grace and mercy, not deserved justice, eliciting praise from the recipients. His “fount” assures us that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

We look forward to singing and praising our Lord with the angelic “flaming tongues” above for all eternity. “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever . . . saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10–11). “I heard the voice of many angels . . . saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (5:11–12).

Even so, come Thou Fount. JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Wants You to Enjoy Life

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He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

Romans 8:32 (AMPC)

Some people seem to have the idea that to be a Christian they have to give up everything they enjoy, but that is not true. God is love, He is good, and He wants us to enjoy good things. The Bible says God gives us all things ceaselessly to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). God loves us so much, He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to take our sins and give us life, and life more abundantly (John 3:16; 10:10). That’s something to be forever grateful for! Anything God teaches us not to do is only for our benefit. We obey His commands for our own good according to the Word of God.

When we receive Jesus, we receive the kingdom of God within us, and that kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). We can choose to continue living with misery, depression, discouragement, fear, worry, anxiety, guilt, and condemnation, but Jesus wants us to receive freedom from those things. God doesn’t want us carrying them around any longer. Through Jesus, we can live the joyful, overcoming, abundant life we were meant to live.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to realize that You have nothing but good things in store for my life. Thank You that even when You correct and instruct me, You are showing me a better way to live. I am grateful for Your goodness and the joyful life I can experience in You.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Golden Rule

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Read Matthew 7:9–12

As I was writing this devotional, my daughter celebrated a birthday. I selected the perfect gift and wrapped it—a rock from our backyard. No. Of course not. What kind of father would do that? Instead, I gave her something called a Squishmallow, a gift I knew she would love.

As Jesus pointed out, if human fathers know how to love their children, how much more does our heavenly Father love us! Our confidence to ask, seek, and knock (as we learned yesterday) is ultimately rooted in the goodness and love of our Father God (vv. 9–11). If our child asked us for bread, we would not give them a stone. Why not? Because we love them and want the best for them. Once again, Jesus was arguing from the smaller to the greater: If we, sinners though we are, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will God do the same! So why are we afraid to trust Him?

This is a humbling analogy for us. We know how to give good gifts to our children even though we’re evil (v. 11). Ouch. And that’s a best-case scenario. We all know that some parents do treat their children in truly evil ways. God never does so.

Jesus concluded: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (v. 12). This is sometimes called the Golden Rule. If applied, it would definitely slow down our tendency to judge (v. 1)! It’s not just an ethical idea that sounds fair. As we see here, in context, it’s based on the goodness of God: Since God does good things for us, we should do good things for others.

Go Deeper

Why does Jesus tell us that we can fully depend on God? In what ways can we better trust the Lord to be the good and loving Father He is?

Pray with Us

Righteous Father, we look to You in humble gratitude for all that You have given us. Lead us to love others as You love us.

Do to others what you would have them do to you.Matthew 7:12

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – The Spirit Chapter

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NEW!Listen Now

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6, NIV

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:1-9

Some chapters of the Bible are special enough to have nicknames. We call Hebrews 11 the Faith Chapter of the Bible. We think of 1 Corinthians 13 as the Love Chapter. Psalm 23 is the Shepherd’s Psalm. We consider Romans 8 the Holy Spirit Chapter of the Bible. The Spirit is mentioned twice in the first seven chapters of Romans. In Romans 8, the Holy Spirit is mentioned about twenty times.

When our mind is governed by the Spirit, a peace floods our hearts. The Spirit takes the verses of the Bible which we have been studying, and He makes them real to us. We learn to set our minds on Christ and turn our thoughts to things above.

When we have fears and doubts, we can experience the peace of God as the Holy Spirit manifests the life of Christ in and through us. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to come alongside us to comfort and encourage us. Take steps to make sure your mind is governed by the Spirit. Focus on Scripture. Let the truth of God establish your steps.

The Holy Spirit hath given us relief…by supplying us with a rule of the interpretation of Scripture.
John Owen

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Anchored in God

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We have this hope as an anchor for the soul. Hebrews 6:19

Today’s Scripture

Hebrews 6:17-20

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Today’s Devotion

It’s morning, so my husband opens his phone to select his favorite gospel song, “My Soul Is Anchored.” The lyrics express hope in God in turbulent times. Dan sings along, the words warning of billows rolling and breakers dashing. But we don’t sway, the song says, because God holds us fast.

The words perfectly describe the work of a ship’s anchor. An anchor steadies a vessel by sinking its “arms” into the seabed, keeping the ship from drifting or getting tossed about during a violent squall.

The anchor has become a classic symbol of the Christian faith—reflecting our hope in Christ, to whom we hold tightly, even in life’s chaos. As the writer of Hebrews said, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). This hope is Jesus, whose “unchanging nature” (v. 17) is a trusted holding ground for those who believe in Him. Moreover, what God promised He confirmed with an oath, and in these “two unchangeable things . . . it’s impossible for God to lie” (vv. 17-18). That’s why we who hold on to His promises “may be greatly encouraged” (v. 18).

Some may anchor in unreliable things—their own ambition, unhealthy friends, or negative habits. How much better to anchor in the one whom we know we can trust and depend on. When the waves crash around us, we’ll be held fast. Our soul is anchored in God.

Reflect & Pray

In what stormy sea of life have you held tightly to God? Why is He a trustworthy holding ground?

I’m holding tight to You, dear God. Thank you for anchoring my soul amid all of life’s currents.

Today’s Insights

The word translated “anchor” (ankyra) in Hebrews 6:19 is used four times in the New Testament. Three times the reference is to a ship’s anchor (Acts 27:29, 30, 40), a weighted iron connected to a rope or cable used to keep a ship in place. The figurative usage in Hebrews 6:19 speaks of the reliability and trustworthiness of God’s promises and their impact on our soul. Other word pictures are used throughout Scripture to depict the dependability of God, who cannot lie (v. 18). In Psalm 18:1-2, David leads with the word rock and then uses metaphors to celebrate God as his strength: “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Today, God is still the anchor for our soul, and we can trust Him.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why are these the “dog days of summer”?

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Where I live, Wednesday afternoon felt like 117 degrees outside. Today will be much better: the afternoon high will only feel like 106 degrees. We’re not alone: parts of Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri are as hot as we are in Texas.

Welcome to the “dog days of summer,” when it’s so hot outside that dogs hide in the shade. At least that’s what I assumed the phrase meant. It turns out, it refers to Sirius (the Dog Star), which is part of the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog).

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and literally means “scorching.” When people in ancient Greece and Rome watched it rise with the sun after the summer solstice, they thought the sweltering days were caused by our planet’s proximity to the star. They therefore referred to the period of July 3 to August 11 as dies caniculares, or “dog star days.”

Whatever the origin of the phrase, it seems as though the days it describes are interminable this year. We’re right: if Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer and Labor Day is the unofficial end, we are now in the longest possible unofficial summer. May 25 was the earliest possible Memorial Day, while September 7 is the latest possible Labor Day.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why are these the “dog days of summer”? →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Bringing Good from Bad

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 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 

—2 Corinthians 4:17

Scripture:

When adversity rears its head, the first reaction of many believers is to pray it away—to ask God to spare us from it or, barring that, to help us get through it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. The ideal for many people is a life free from adversity.

But that misses the point entirely. Adversity is, in fact, one of God’s greatest teaching tools. Adversity prepares us for what God has ahead. God’s people will be better off eternally because they suffered temporarily. The trade-off in eternity will bear this out.

Our troubles won’t last forever. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (NLT).

This argument for the greater good may be the strongest biblical case for the whys of human suffering. But it requires great trust on our part. This means we need to look at our suffering and say, “It will all make sense in eternity, and it will produce something that would not have been there otherwise. So, in faith I am going to accept this truth and wait to see the outcome.”

We also need to keep in mind that even in the worst tragedy, God can bring good out of bad. That doesn’t mean He makes bad things good. But it does mean that despite bad things, He can bring good. This is an important distinction because often people are looking for cause and effect. They try to connect the dots: “This bad thing happened so this good thing would happen. And this even better thing happened. Now I get it.”

Sometimes life works that way. It did for Joseph. After being betrayed by his brothers, he was able to tell them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

Of course, sometimes we can’t see the outcome. Even so, as Paul wrote, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT). Ultimately, all things work together for good.

In the case of our country, the adversity we’re facing now may be a forerunner of revival. That may be God’s plan for bringing good from bad. It’s happened before. In fact, our country was founded in the wake of a great revival.

In the meantime, believers must continue to pray, continue to immerse themselves in God’s Word, and continue to share their faith with others so they can see the hand of God at work in our nation, bringing good from bad.

 

Reflection question: When have you seen God bring good from bad? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The God of My Salvation

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by Michael Hansen

“Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:3–5)

Have you encountered persecution in your neighborhood, workplace, or even within your own family? How can you find comfort and relief?

In today’s text, David was discouraged by nameless enemies. Yet his discouragement was met by confident trust and consistent theology. The Lord is completely trustworthy. He cares for His people, and this fact is confirmed throughout the Psalms.

Waiting on the Lord is not a passive afterthought (Psalm 27:14; 37:7; Luke 12:35–40). No, this is an active pursuit. Biblical hope is more like a tense expectation. David knew the Lord would deliver him—if not on Earth, then certainly unto his heavenly future (2 Timothy 4:18). Consider implementing David’s pattern in your own life.

  • Adoration: Praise the Lord for His sovereignty, holiness, and omnipotence.
  • Humility: Daily seek God’s Word with faithfulness, humility, and the desire to obey.
  • Worship: Honor and thank the Lord for His gift of salvation from temporary trials and for all eternity.
  • Patience: Wait on the Lord to deliver and provide. He alone is worthy of our trust and hope.

Will you choose to adore, humbly pursue, worship, and patiently trust the God of your salvation? MH

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Slow Down and Feed Your Spirit

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Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah

Psalm 87:3 (NKJV)

Throughout Psalms (and in Habakkuk), in some Bible translations, we see after certain verses the word selah, which means “pause, and calmly think of that.” We see it in today’s scripture and also in Psalm 87:6. This phrase lets us, as readers, know that we have reached a good place to stop, consider, and slowly digest the meaning of what we have just read. We may take time to pray or meditate on the verse or passage we have read, or we may think about how it applies to our lives or a certain situation.

Jeremiah writes about stopping to feed on and digest the words of God. He says, Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16 AMP). To use a figure of speech, we need to “chew” on the scriptures, rehearsing specific words or phrases in our minds and taking time to think about and process them.

Sometimes, we read the Bible for quantity, hoping to get through a certain number of chapters or pages, when we should read for quality. Whatever passage you are reading, let me encourage you to read in a manner that allows the Word to go down into your innermost being and feed your spirit.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I honor Your Word, and I ask You to help me take my time as I read it, so it will affect the deepest parts of me.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Isn’t Finished 

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In the famous lace shops of Brussels, Belgium, certain rooms are dedicated to the spinning of the finest lace, with the most delicate of patterns. These rooms are completely dark, except for a shaft of natural light from a solitary window. Only one spinner sits in the room. The light falls on the pattern while the worker remains in the dark.

Has God permitted a time of darkness in your world? You look, but you cannot see him. You see only the fabric of circumstances woven and interlaced. You might question the purpose behind this thread or that. But be assured, God has a pattern. He has a plan. The Bible says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). He is not finished. But when he is, the lace will be beautiful.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Ask, Seek, Knock

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Read Matthew 7:7–8

In the sitcom The King of Queens, Carrie gets a raise at work after praying about it in church. She starts to pray regularly, asking God for all sorts of material things. This irritates her husband, Doug, who accuses her of using God as her personal genie. “You obviously have no idea what you’re doing,” Doug says.

So what did it mean when Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you” (v. 7)? Taken in context, Jesus is giving us a principle and a promise. The context is the kingdom of heaven. All our asking and receiving are done within and in obedience to God’s will. When we ask something of God there can be no hint of evil or selfishness. Within this context, the principle and the promise is that God answers our prayers. He wants us to come to Him and ask!

Jesus structured His teaching here as two beautiful sets of parallelisms. The first set is the imperative verbs “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” followed by the matching positive results of “given,” “find,” and “opened” (v. 7). The second set gives the reasons (v. 8). The verbs used—“asks,” “seeks,” and “knocks”—are followed by the same matching positive results—“receives,” “finds,” and “opened.”

The verbs in verse 7 indicate repeated action, that is, persistence or perseverance in prayer, with an underlying faith in the Father’s wisdom and love. Repetition does not imply babbling (Matt. 6:7) but persistence. This is the way it works in God’s kingdom. We can pray for anything, resting trustfully in the fact that He knows what is best for us and will do what is best for us. The right attitude is always “Your will be done” (Matt. 6:10).

Go Deeper

What is on your prayer list right now? Do these items reflect the heart of God or merely a personal wish list? Are you asking according to God’s will?

Pray with Us

You are above all, Lord, and yet You hear us. Align our hearts with Your will, so our prayers are in obedience to You. We trust You to do what is best, even when we don’t understand.

Knock and the door will be opened to you.Matthew 7:7

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

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