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

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – No Mask, Simply Jesus

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Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:10

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 4:20-24

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Today’s Devotion

In ancient Greece, actors on stage would portray the emotions of their characters by wearing masks that either expressed tragedy or comedy. Masks also allowed the same actor to play multiple roles in the same production. They weren’t permanent, nor were they representative of the real person. Put on for the performance, the facial disguises were taken off when the production was over.

In Colossians 3:10, Paul writes to believers in Jesus to encourage them to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Rather than a temporary mask worn to entertain people, it should be displayed as a permanent part of life that will be seen each day. The apostle says to “put off your old self” (Ephesians 4:22)—the sinful life we lived before receiving salvation in Christ.

Taking off our old habits and putting on a new self doesn’t just happen naturally. Paul says we need “to be made new in the attitude of [our] minds” (v. 23). This starts with how we think—recognizing that as believers we’re “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (v. 24).

The actors in Greece were paid to put on fake faces. Today, by God’s grace, let’s put on the true image of Jesus so the world knows that He’s living within us.

Reflect & Pray

What are some ways you wear a mask that reflects your old life? How can you “put on” Jesus each day?

I pray, dear Jesus, that my life may be a true representation of who You are. Please help me be real each and every day for You.

Today’s Insights

In view of what God did through Jesus in choosing, redeeming, and predestining believers in Him to be His children (Ephesians 1:3-14), Paul instructs believers to “to live a life worthy of [His] calling” (4:1). We’re to “no longer live” the ungodly lives of our past (v. 17), for we’ve been given a new life (vv. 22-24). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our new person is “created to be like God”—truly righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:24). We’re to “put to death . . . whatever belongs to [our] earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed” (Colossians 3:5) and to rid ourselves of “anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language” (v. 8). As we “clothe [ourselves] with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (v. 12), God will help us live an authentic, Christlike life before others.

For further study, read: Don’t Run from Your Failures

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – An ancient remedy for “election anxiety”

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If you don’t have “election anxiety,” you’re in the decided minority. With all the political messages inundating social media, television, and mailers, we’re inundated daily with the subject. Conversations about politics can strain friendships; heated debates can increase tension and negatively impact relationships.

Some avoid social gatherings altogether to avoid conflict. And many are worried about what comes after the elections.

Reading through Daniel 6 today, I found an ancient remedy for the anxiety of our times. It is relevant regardless of our circumstances and fears. I am committing myself to it anew today and invite you to join me.

“Going up to the temple at the hour of prayer”

Many people know of the Muslim custom of praying five times a day (known as Salah), but fewer know that the Jews have historically prayed three times each day. (Some historians think Muhammad was aware of this and patterned the Muslim custom on it.)

Continue reading Denison Forum – An ancient remedy for “election anxiety” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Judging Ourselves

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 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 

—1 Corinthians 11:31

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 11:31 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of self-image.

Our culture today places tremendous importance on loving oneself and celebrating one’s accomplishments. There’s certainly nothing wrong with positivity. But as believers, there’s a fine line we must walk.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us” (Romans 12:3 NLT).

The apostle Peter wrote, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT). Humility is essential in our relationship with God. It’s also essential to our spiritual growth.

It’s been said that self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Any Christian who knows what it means to follow Jesus understands that there’s always a long way to go. But that reality should not discourage us. Instead, it should motivate us to keep moving forward spiritually. We must keep growing and learning.

To widen our perspective a bit, we should consider that humility is also key to spiritual revival. If we want to see a revival—the kind that transforms entire regions—then we need to humble ourselves. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (NLT).

Of the twelve Hebrew words used in Scripture to express the verb pray, the one used here in 2 Chronicles 7:14 means “to judge self habitually.” For many of us, that requires a 180-degree change of direction. We have no problem judging and criticizing others habitually. But turning the focus on ourselves doesn’t come quite as naturally.

To judge ourselves means to recognize that we have a long way to go, spiritually speaking. Are you satisfied with where you are spiritually? After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said this: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:12–14 NLT).

Paul wasn’t regretful or ashamed or disgusted with himself for not having already reached spiritual perfection. Instead, he was laser-focused on growing in spiritual maturity. He wanted only to press on, day after day, moving ever closer to God’s ideal and becoming more like Christ.

That’s the essence of a healthy spiritual self-image.

Reflection question: How can you develop a healthier spiritual self-image? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Children of the Day

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

It is interesting that most of the days during the year that have been considered to have some special meaning are observed as “Days”—for example, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, etc. Those observed mainly at night, such as Halloween and New Year’s Eve, tend to emphasize frivolity or even sinfulness. Christmas Eve may be an exception, but this celebration (December 25) rarely notes the real reason for Christ’s incarnation.

It is for good reason that darkness has become a term referring not only to absence of daylight but also to absence of moral light. Many biblical references make this connection. Note just a sampling.

  • “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12).
  • “For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thessalonians 5:7–8).
  • “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. . . . But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light” (Ephesians 5:11, 13).

All who have trusted in Christ have been “delivered” by our heavenly Father “from the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). It would be utterly irresponsible, therefore, for us ever to shame our Father by behaving like the children of darkness. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Turn Away from Evil

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Turn not to those [mediums] who have familiar spirits or to wizards; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:31 (AMPC)

This is a serious command! Spiritualism, divination, and witchcraft are all forbidden in the Word of God. Many people, including some who consider themselves to be Christians, participate in practices that God considers vile and evil. God says He will set His face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them (Leviticus 20:6). Yet Christians still read horoscopes and consult psychics and wonder why they don’t have peace.

God wants you to seek Him, and it offends Him if you seek these other sources. No one who does so will ever have a peaceful, joy-filled, and prosperous life. If you have been involved in any activity of this sort, I strongly encourage you to thoroughly repent, ask God to forgive you, and turn away completely from such practices.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, forgive me any time I seek answers from anywhere but You. Help me turn away from anything false, trust You alone, and find true peace in seeking only You, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – God the Victorious Farmer

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Read Isaiah 61:8–11

I have often been encouraged to think of biblical prophecy in terms of seeing mountain ranges from a distance. There are one or more mountains in the foreground, and others in the background. They may have similar features. We can’t really see how far apart they are or what lies between them. At our location in history, we look back and see prophecies fulfilled. We also look forward and see prophecies yet to be fulfilled. How long until we reach the next “mountain”? Only God knows!

Isaiah 61 begins with God telling us who He is (vv. 8–9). He loves justice and hates evil. He’s faithful, makes and keeps covenants, and gives blessings. The people He has chosen will be known among the nations, to His glory. Our fitting response is to delight and rejoice in the Lord (v. 10). Our wedding day is coming (see Rev. 19:9)! God is the groom, we His people are the bride. Our groom is also our high priest (see Heb. 2:17). He’s dressing us for the big day with “garments of salvation” and “a robe of his righteousness.” As Paul wrote: “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Rom. 13:14).

Verse 11 reimagines all this in agricultural terms: Just as seeds grow and plants sprout, God will “make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations” (cf. Isa. 45:8). God will bring His kingdom plans to fruition, as surely as in the growing seed parable and as perfectly as in Isaiah’s threshing parable. It’s inevitable. Sovereignty is the divine attribute stressed here. In the short “mountain view,” the prophet had in view Israel’s return from exile. In the long “mountain view,” he also saw the eschatological implication of the Millennial Kingdom.

Dear Reader

As you reflect on the key lessons you’ve learned from this month’s study, will you consider a gift to Today in the Word? The seeds you sow will produce eternal reward!  Give Today!

Pray with Us

Father, thank You for all we’ve learned about You through our study of seeds and farming. We eagerly await the day when we will see Your face and spend eternity with You. Come, Lord Jesus!

The Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.Isaiah 61:11

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Think on These Things

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Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.
Joshua 1:8, NIV

Recommended Reading: Joshua 23:6-8

When we think of stirring speeches, we remember Churchill’s words before the Battle of Britain: “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’”

The Bible has an even greater address preparing people for battle—the Warrior’s Passage of Joshua 1. God challenged Joshua to be unafraid. He gave Joshua His Word, telling him to meditate on it continually, read it obediently, follow it exclusively, and accept it totally. He wanted Joshua to be committed to following His Word.

When we meditate on Scripture, we increasingly begin thinking God’s thoughts. We look at things as He does. Our minds are transformed, and our thoughts reflect those of Jesus.

Are you committed to following His Word? To meditating on it daily? Find a passage such as Joshua 1. Read it over and over until it sinks into your heart. Learn it, and put it into practice.

You will grow by meditating upon the Word of God—that is, by going over it again and again in your thinking until it becomes part of your life.
J. Vernon McGee

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Get Going with God

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The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 12:1-8

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Today’s Devotion

It was raining, bringing the temperature down even more. We were on a multiday hike in Nepal, and leaving the warm mountain lodge to venture into the freezing weather was getting harder each morning. “Let’s go,” insisted our guide. “We can’t wait for the weather to get better. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you.”

Setting off in the rain and fog, I felt utterly miserable. It seemed pointless to keep going—what could we see? Many hours later, however, the skies cleared up, revealing breathtaking vistas of towering peaks in the distance—views that we would have missed had we stayed back.

In Genesis 12:1, God told Abram to head into Canaan: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” At that moment, there seemed little to look forward to; all Abram could see was a long, arduous journey through a foreign and inhospitable land where hardship and enemies awaited. The only assurance he had was God’s presence and promise of becoming “a great nation” (v. 2). Yet “Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (v. 4). Only many years later would he see the promises fulfilled.

Sometimes God may call us to a challenging job, ministry, or task that seems unrewarding. But, as He helps us to trust Him and step out in faith, He’ll always be there. As we get going, He goes with us.

Reflect & Pray

What is God calling you to do? What’s holding you back, and how will you get going?

Loving Father, please give me the faith to trust You to take a step into the unknown, knowing You’re always with me.

Today’s Insights

Abraham is held up as a model of faith for good reason (see Hebrews 11:8-10). When he received his calling from God (Genesis 12:1), the Scriptures hadn’t begun to be written. God told him to leave his “country . . . people and . . . father’s household” (v. 1). As a nomadic herdsman living thousands of years ago, he had no way to research where he was going, and opportunities to communicate with those he left behind would’ve been extremely limited. Yet his commitment and his faith were resolute. Three times the New Testament tells us that Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23; see Genesis 15:6). Today, as we step into the unknown, we can remember that God is faithful and He’ll be with us.

For further study, listen to the following podcast: Your Everyday Purpose

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – How God can use the dead to redeem Halloween

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Discussing death can be uncomfortable. Most of us would rather avoid the subject unless circumstances force us into it, and even then, we’ve largely rebranded funerals as a celebration of life rather than a memorial for the departed. To be clear, I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with that.

Still, the end result is that most people in our culture tend to be pretty bad at wrestling with the fact that we’re mortal. But if there’s one time of the year when we’re willing to drop our defenses and open ourselves up to a conversation about death, it tends to be Halloween.

As Hannah Miller King describes, Halloween is “that stretch of weeks every fall when our death-avoidant culture reveals its underlying fascination with mortality and the afterlife. Already the houses on my street are transforming into macabre scenes full of skeletons and plastic tombstones.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – How God can use the dead to redeem Halloween →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Meeting Your Deepest Need

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 So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

—Matthew 6:31–33

Scripture:

Matthew 6:31-33 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of materialism.

One of the noteworthy—or alarming, depending on your perspective—trends of social media in the twenty-first century is the proliferation of influencers. Influencers are people whose stated purpose is to influence or impact the way you think and act. Not surprisingly, the goal of many of these influencers is to get you to buy something, often clothes or food.

As Scripture would have it, Jesus addressed both topics in His Sermon on the Mount. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31–33 NLT).

Notice that His emphasis is on the word worry. He didn’t say, “Don’t think about what you will eat, drink, and wear.” Nor did He imply that we were not to work or plan for our needs.

In fact, the Bible criticizes the lazy person who refuses to work for a living. The Bible says that if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). People are expected to work and provide for themselves.

The Bible also encourages us to plan for the future and points to the example of ants, which are always planning ahead (see Proverbs 6:6–8). So, to be clear, the Bible does not advocate laziness or being irresponsible. Jesus simply makes it clear that we are not to worry.

To put it another way, Jesus is saying, “Don’t be obsessed with these things. That’s how unbelievers are.”

You don’t have to look hard on social media to find people whose entire lives seem to revolve around materialistic goals. Jesus was pointing out that those goals are empty. Chasing them won’t satisfy the deepest need of your life.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT). He also wrote, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NLT).

So, let’s not make possessions or material things our primary purpose in life. Rather, let’s seek God first and foremost in our lives. That way, everything that we need will be provided for us.

God will take care of you. He cares about you. He will supply all your needs.

Reflection question: How can you focus on God first and foremost in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Joyful Sound

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.” (Psalm 89:15)

Many have been the Christians who have joined in singing “We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves; Jesus saves!” Not all have known, however, that this beautiful phrase comes from a great psalm extolling God’s marvelous works of creation and then His promises of redemption.

“The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them” (Psalm 89:11–12). Earlier verses note that “the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD” (v. 5), speaking of the angels, “the sons of the mighty” (v. 6), literally, “the sons of God.” It is exciting to realize that the very first “joyful sound” was heard when God “laid the foundations of the earth.” Then it was that “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:4, 7).

There was also a joyful sound when Christ was born, and the angel came bringing “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. . . . And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God” (Luke 2:10–11, 13).

Whenever a soul is saved, there is another joyful sound: “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,” said Jesus (Luke 15:7). Finally, there will be a most wonderful sound of joy on Earth when the Lord comes again. “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10). Therefore, even now, “my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation” (Psalm 35:9). HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Word Changes Things

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Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak.

2 Corinthians 4:13 (AMPC)

God created with words everything that we see. God said, Let there be light, and there was light (Genesis 1:3 NIV). Hebrews 11:3 says that everything that is visible was made from the invisible. God has blessings stored up for you in the spiritual realm that you may not be experiencing, but they do exist.

Speak positive words today and call those things that are not (that are invisible) into your life (Romans 4:17). If you face a problem today, say, “My problem is temporary. God’s Word says that I am an overcomer because of Christ’s love for me. Even though I don’t see the answers now, God will provide for all of my needs.”

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me speak words of faith today, not doubt. Let my words agree with Your Word, so I can see Your promises come alive in my life.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – In Hot Pursuit 

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Play

Jesus still finds blind people and restores their sight. Did you know he promised that through his ministry the blind shall see? Christ came to give light and sight.

Consider what he is doing in the Muslim world. According to Tom Doyle, more Muslims have become Christians in the last couple of decades than in the previous 1400 years since Muhammad and about one out of every three Muslim background believers has had a dream or vision prior to their salvation experience.

Jesus is in hot pursuit of the spiritually blind and he finds them, he touches them. He may use a vision or he may use the kindness of a friend or the message of a sermon or the splendor of creation. But believe this, he came to bring sight to the blind.

Remember friend, you are never alone.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Judgment Harvest

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Read Revelation 14:14–20

In cartoons and even serious paintings and movies, death is often personified as a tall brooding figure in a dark robe. This deathly figure carries a scythe, which is a staff with a curved blade used for harvesting wheat and other crops. Thus, the term “grim reaper” refers to this foreboding figure who threatens to steal away life by sheer force.

In Revelation 14, though, it is Christ Himself who holds the power of life and death and is pictured with a sickle for harvesting (vv. 14–16). “One like a son of man” is a messianic reference (Dan. 7:13). He wears a crown of gold, showing His kingship. His sharp sickle indicates His power and authority to judge. A sickle is similar to a scythe but generally shorter in the staff and blade. It can be used more precisely. An angel announces God’s decree, and Christ harvests the earth of His followers. A second judgment follows, this time of the wicked (vv. 17–20). For this one, an angel holds the sickle. Another angel announces a decree of judgment. Grapes are harvested and thrown into the “great winepress of God’s wrath” (cf. Rev. 19:15). Their trampling yields not wine but blood.

The first harvest pictures Christ gathering His believers. There are no negative images. The second harvest is the judgment of the wicked. This imagery is only negative. This is the two-part harvest described in the parable of the wheat and the weeds yesterday. John the Baptist had similarly prophesied that the Messiah would gather His wheat into the barn and burn up the chaff with “unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12).

This vision is not time-specific, so we don’t know when these “harvests” will take place. What we do know is that they will perfectly carry out God’s love and justice.

Go Deeper

What images come to your mind when you think of death and dying? Why does it matter that now Christ is the Conqueror of death?

Pray with Us

Jesus, thank You for conquering death. When we are tempted to be afraid of it, give us courage. We praise You that “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

The time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.Revelation 14:15

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Strength and Courage

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NEW!Listen Now

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
Joshua 1:7

Recommended Reading: Psalm 1:1-3

Joshua became a strong and fearless leader as he led Israel into the Promised Land. At first he might have been timid, given the enormity of the task ahead of him. Six times when Joshua was being prepared to lead Israel, he was exhorted to be strong and courageous (Deuteronomy 31:7, 23; Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18, NIV). And it seems Joshua got the message as we find him telling the people to be “strong and courageous” (Joshua 10:25, NIV).

But Joshua’s strength and courage were to be tied to his observance of the laws of God. In other words, his courage and strength were not to be found in himself but in trusting in the promises of God to make him prosperous as he walked in God’s ways. It was the same principle later repeated by the psalmist who said that the man who meditates on God’s Word will be prosperous in whatever he does (Psalm 1:2-3).

Strength and courage come from trusting in promises that will never fail.

Let God’s promises shine on your problems.
Corrie ten Boom

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Hope in a Hero

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Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 1 Chronicles 16:10

Today’s Scripture

1 Chronicles 16:12-27

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Today’s Devotion

In a film about a vigilante crime-fighting hero, the protagonist seems to be waging an impossible war. Not only is his city overrun with violence and theft, but he also discovers that the police force, court system, and public officials are corrupt. He’s repeatedly tempted to give up on the city and leave. But our hero realizes that what people need is hope. He chooses to stay.

That fictional world isn’t too different from our world. Evil is present. Those in power will disappoint us. But thankfully God never abandons His people, no matter how dark things appear. We see evidence of this in King David’s song of praise after the ark of the covenant was moved to Jerusalem. David exhorted his people to praise God, who “remembers His covenant forever” (1 Chronicles 16:15) and faithfully led them to the promised land (v. 18).

Despite threats from powerful enemy nations around Israel and grumbling and idolatry among its people, God “allowed no one to oppress them” (v. 21). He guided the Israelites through the desert, displaying strength (v. 11), wonders and miracles (v. 12), and righteous judgments (v. 14). Because of God’s great love (v. 34), His people had hope for the future. The same is true today. We can trust that God won’t abandon us; He’s stronger than any evil we face.

Reflect & Pray

What situation in our world seems hopeless? How do you see that God is still working?

Heavenly Father, I’ve heard of Your great faithfulness to keep Your promises through many generations. I trust You to do it again.

Today’s Insights

The song in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 celebrates the faithfulness of God. David said, “He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations” (v. 15). Remembering God’s faithfulness prompts him to respond in praise and prayer: “Sing to the Lord, all the earth . . . . For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise” (vv. 23, 25). “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations’ ” (vv. 34-35). God’s faithfulness in the past inspires hope, trust, and rejoicing in the present and the future. No matter what we face today, we can trust that God is faithful.

For further study, feel free to browse through our resources at the store:  Reclaim Today Guide – Ecclesiastes

 

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What “the collapse of Cuba” says about the future of America

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My first visit to Cuba was as though I had traveled through a time tunnel. The cars were all 1950s American or 1980s Russian. The buildings in Havana, most of which were built prior to Castro’s revolution in 1959, were crumbling. A store I went into had almost nothing on its shelves. The people were incredibly industrious and gracious, but their government was failing them.

It’s far worse today, as Robert Worth’s new Atlantic article shows. Titled “The Collapse of Cuba,” its subtitle reports, “The withering of the state is shocking to behold.” While Cuba’s Communist government has always blamed America for its problems, the Cubans Mr. Worth interviewed disagreed, each without exception blaming their leaders for their suffering.

Fidel Castro tried to build a state on atheistic socialism with himself at its center. Cuba is a tragic study in the fallacy of such idolatry and illustrates the fact that “those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast hope” (Jonah 2:8).

This is a principle worth contemplating today, for the sake of our nation and our souls.

“Solomon built a high place for Chemosh”

I was reading 1 Kings 11 recently and came upon a surprising passage. The text tells us that “King Solomon loved many foreign women,” and “his wives turned away his heart” (vv. 1, 3). Consequently,

Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods (vv. 6–8).

In response, God told Solomon he would “surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant” (v. 11), a division that occurred when Solomon’s son Rehoboam took the throne and Jeroboam led the ten northern tribes to rebel against his rule.

Here’s the part that struck me: If you and I were alive at this time and aware of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder he arranged to conceal it, we might consider his sin to be more horrific than his son’s idolatry. But God disagrees. In his view, worshiping any God but the one true God is a sin worthy of the most severe judgment.

Is this because he is a divine egotist? His Word states, “You shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). Concerning idols, the Lord warns us, “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5).

What does this say about God and about us?

The foundational sin of fallen humanity

I believe we can make sense of God’s “jealousy,” not by attributing it to weakness in his character, but by connecting it with the consequences of serving any God but the one true God. Consider:

  1. Creation requires a Creator, what Aristotle called the “unmoved Mover.” Our God must be the Supreme Being in such a universe, or there is another deity more supreme than he. St. Anselm called God “that than which nothing greater can be conceived.” The psalmist testified, “I have seen a limit to all perfection” (Psalm 119:96), but our God cannot be so limited and still be God.
  1. Because God is the Supreme Being, worshiping any other deity is choosing to serve something less than the best. In fact, since no other gods exist in reality, idolatry serves a myth and a mirage rather than the highest reality there is.
  1. Worshiping and serving the one true God as our only Lord and king positions us to experience his best for our lives as his Spirit moves in and through us (Ephesians 5:18). A loving father cannot bless that which harms his children. Conversely, when we worship God, his Spirit is able to mold us into the character of Christ (cf. Romans 8:29).
  1. Such worship is the foundation of all biblical morality. The “fruit of the Spirit” is manifested in lives fully yielded to the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). The capacity to obey God’s will is given to us as the Lord empowers those who walk intimately with him.
  1. Consequently, idolatry is the foundational sin of fallen humanity, while worshiping the one true God is the foundational commitment of a flourishing Christian life.

“The line dividing good and evil”

Idolatry is the service of anything or anyone but God. For example, “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” are “idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). Rebelling against God “is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23; cf. 1 Peter 4:3).

The problem comes when I want such idols in my life as a means to becoming my own god (Genesis 3:5). The changes required to repent of my will to power and live with holistic holiness come at a cost that sometimes seems greater than their gain.

In The Gulag Archipelago, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously wrote, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

The good news is that the Holy Spirit will empower us to surrender our hearts to our Lord. God honors the free will with which he created us, but if we ask him to mold our will to his own, he answers our prayer and enables our obedience. Holiness is his work in our lives, not ours. The love for God that empowers us to seek such holiness is the “fruit” of his Spirit in our yielded hearts (Galatians 5:22).

St. Augustine warned,

“Idolatry is worshipping anything that ought to be used, or using anything that ought to be worshipped.”

How will you respond to his warning today?

NOTE: I encourage you to join me in praying daily for our Cuban sisters and brothers in this time of extreme difficulty. Let’s ask God to help and protect them and for his Spirit to use their incredible courage and faithfulness to lead many to Christ. I also encourage you to consider our longtime ministry partner, Proclaim Cuba. I have been with them many times in Cuba, pray for their leaders daily, and love and trust them completely. I hope you’ll join me in praying for them and supporting their vital work.

Quote for the day:

“Idolatry is not just a failure to obey God; it is a setting of the whole heart on something besides God.” —Timothy Keller

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Denison Forum

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Only One Way

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 Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’ 

—John 14:6

Scripture:

John 14:6 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of inclusivity, one of the most difficult spiritual challenges facing believers today.

During World War II, an American pilot was shot down over the jungles of Burma. He was able to bail out safely from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense brush, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. The American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no obvious path. All the pilot could see ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn’t seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic and yelled out to the man, “Where is the way?”

In broken English, the man replied, “I am the way. Follow me.”

This is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: “I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you’re supposed to go.” The actual quote is “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into four words: “I am the way.”

That’s a controversial concept in our inclusive culture, where people are encouraged to affirm that all spiritual paths eventually lead to God. But that kind of inclusivity isn’t an option for Christians. The cost was too high.

Jesus is the only way to God because He was the only One who could satisfy God’s demand for a perfect sacrifice. He lived a sinless life. He bore the entirety of God’s wrath that was intended for us. He rose from the grave to conquer death once and for all. Thus, He alone is the way to God.

You might be wondering, “How do I find my way to God?” First, you need to understand that the path to Heaven is a toll road. It will cost, but you can’t pay the toll. Jesus paid it for you. You must realize that you can’t make it to Heaven on your own. You must admit that you’re a sinner. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). You must ask God to forgive your sins. You must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There’s only one way to find a life that’s full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain that you’ll spend eternity in God’s presence. It’s the highway to Heaven. And you can pull onto the on-ramp today.

Reflection question: How can you share the truth of Jesus’ being the only way to the Father with someone who objects to the idea of one spiritual faith being better than another? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Compound Names of Jehovah

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:6)

There are seven compound names of Jehovah in Scripture that together provide profound insight into the person and work of our Lord. The first of these identifies Jehovah, the God of the covenant, with the Creator “the LORD God [Jehovahelohim] [who] made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4).

On finding a ram to sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac, “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh [the Lord will provide]” (Genesis 22:14).

Contingent upon their keeping the law, God promised the people of Israel that “I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee [literally, ‘Jehovah-rapha’]” (Exodus 15:26).

Fresh from a miraculous victory in the first battle of the people of Israel, “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [Jehovah the Victor]” (Exodus 17:15).

Once the Lord had commissioned Gideon to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, “Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom [Jehovah sends peace]” (Judges 6:24).

In a passage concerning the future regathering and conversion of Israel quoted in our text, we see that Israel refers to the “LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS [Jehovah-tsidkenu].”

Finally, in the last verse of his book, Ezekiel describes the absorbing charm of the heavenly city and the One who will preside over it, claiming, “The name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there [Jehovah-shama, Jehovah the indweller]” (Ezekiel 48:35).

And best of all, He is all seven to us. JDM

 

 

 

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

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