Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – To Bless or Curse?

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But [Job] said to [his wife], “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 2:10

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:28-29

In the midst of his suffering, Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) Job had a choice: curse God or bless God.

Job had accepted great good from God up to this point. He had ten children and owned herds of thousands of sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys. He was the greatest man of his day (Job 1:1-5). Job showed his gratitude to God by living a righteous life in every regard. But when God allowed Satan to remove all of Job’s many blessings, he was faced with a choice: bless God in spite of his difficulties or curse God because of them. To his credit, Job refused to curse God—though it took time for him to understand why he should continue to bless God (Job 42:1-6).

If you are looking for a reason to bless God in the midst of your difficulties, meditate on Romans 8:28-29.

It is when God appears to have abandoned us that we must abandon ourselves most wholly to God. 
François Fenelon

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God at Work

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Gideon replied, . . . “Give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Judges 6:17

Today’s Scripture

Judges 6:36-40

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Today’s Devotion

Jay owned a Gideon Bible, yet his analytical mind didn’t permit him to accept its miracles. One thing haunted him, though: the genuine faith of his friend. So Jay offered a strange prayer. He told God, “If you want me to believe in You, then do something I can’t explain.”

One day, something drew Jay to look for his Bible. It was gone. How could that be? He never lost track of things.

He drove in the rain to his teaching job at the University of Zurich. Stepping out of his car, he spotted a Gideon Bible on the wet pavement. That’s strange, he thought. Picking it up, he noticed the Bible was totally dry despite the rain. Something he couldn’t explain!

Gideon Bibles are named for an Old Testament hero of Israel. When God chose Gideon to lead Israel into battle against a vast army, Gideon had huge doubts. He told God, “I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece . . . , then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand” (Judges 6:37). God answered Gideon’s challenge not once but twice (vv. 39-40).

Doubt-filled prayers aren’t a pattern for us to follow. They can, however, reveal God’s character. Gideon led a tiny army to a smashing victory (ch. 7). Jay put his faith in Jesus, recognizing that his prayer had been answered by a loving God who does things we can’t explain.

Reflect & Pray

What experiences have you had that seem beyond explanation? How do they help you see God at work?

Thank You, dear Father, that You hear my honest prayers and meet me where I am.

 

God is closer than you think. Read more.

Today’s Insights

God’s power at work amid human frailty is showcased in Gideon’s life. Though he doubted that God could use him (Judges 6:11-18), He had assignments for Gideon as well as the divine and human resources needed to fulfill them. When Gideon highlighted the frailty of his family (v. 15), God answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive” (v. 16). He also made sure He Himself would get the credit for victory by reducing an army of more than thirty thousand to just three hundred. When Gideon took the men “down to the water” to drink, He instructed him to “separate those who lap . . . with their tongues . . . from those who kneel down to drink” (7:5). He defeated the Midianites “with the three hundred men that lapped” (v. 7). Today, God still watches over us and is at work in our lives in ways we often can’t explain.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – President Trump responds to Iranian death threats

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On July 13, 2024, Donald Trump nearly died. You remember well that day in Butler, Pennsylvania, when he was speaking at a campaign rally and turned his head just as a sniper shot at him. His bloodied ear and “Fight, fight, fight!” response are now part of American history.

In recent days, Israel has shared new intelligence with the US indicating that Iran has a fresh plan to do what that sniper failed to do. On July 11, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, promised to avenge the death of his father, writing: “These criminals—whose names are known from top to bottom—will take to their graves the unfulfilled wish of dying peacefully in their beds.”

In response to the new threats, President Trump said, “They want to take out the US leader—me. I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – President Trump responds to Iranian death threats →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Like It or Not

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 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 

—Luke 6:27–28

Scripture:

One of the most difficult things about revival is that it requires us to reach out to people we would prefer to ignore. My mother was married and divorced seven times. After I became a Christian and a pastor, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to go back to my mother’s husbands and share the gospel with them. It didn’t always go well.

One of the men—Eddie, who lived in Hawaii—had been especially cruel to my mom. He once knocked my mother unconscious with a statue. When I saw her lying on the floor, bleeding profusely, I thought she was dead. Needless to say, I had a very hard heart toward this man even after I was an adult.

But when I was in Hawaii preaching, I felt directed by the Lord to go meet with him. It was obvious that he wasn’t doing well. He lived in a tiny apartment, and he was in great pain. I told him what Christ had done for me, how He had changed me, and I invited him to come and hear me speak. He said no. He wanted nothing to do with the gospel message.

On the other hand, I also had an opportunity to talk to a man I loved. His name was Oscar Laurie. He had adopted me and treated me as a father should treat a son. But my mom left him. Years later, I sought him out too. I visited him and his wife, Barbara, in New Jersey. Over a delicious Italian dinner in their home, Barbara said, “Greg, tell me how you became a Christian and then a minister.”

As I shared my story, Oscar just stared at me. He was a retired attorney, and I felt as though I was standing before a judge giving my testimony. When I finished, he simply said, “Greg, let’s walk in the morning.”

During that walk, he said, “Greg, I was listening very carefully to what you said last night. And I would like to give my life to Jesus Christ.” He dropped to his knees in the middle of a park and prayed.

I can’t tell you for sure what happened in the lives of all the men I shared the gospel. That’s God’s department. My job was to plant the seeds. God is the One who nurtures them and causes them to grow. But to plant those seeds, I had to reach out to people who caused pain and chaos in my life.

Jesus knew how difficult it would be for His followers to obey His instructions in Luke 6:27–28: “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (NLT).

But He also knew that extraordinary things happen when we do.

Revival happens.

 

Reflection question: How can you share the gospel with someone you would rather avoid? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – His Kingdom Is Forever

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2)

The final verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” describes our tools and comportment while in the battle and the final victory.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Thro’ Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

As the King’s soldiers, we have God-given abilities and possessions, most notably the indwelling of God’s Spirit and empowering gifts. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). We should “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28) and focus on Him, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” (even goods and kindred [Luke 9:60–62] if need be). “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12–13).

As of yet the battle continues. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Joy Makes You Strong

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As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried. He is a Shield to all those who trust and take refuge in Him.

2 Samuel 22:31 (AMPC)

Nehemiah 8:10 (AMPC) says, Be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Being happy and joyful makes you strong, and being mad or sad makes you weak. But the Lord is a Shield, and the Lifter of your head (Psalm 3:3).

Satan isn’t after your joy; he is after your strength. The devil wants you too weak to pray. He wants you worn out and burned out. But the Lord will lift your head and shield you from the devil’s plot against you, if you put your trust in Him.

Prayer of the Day: God, fill my heart with Your joy and peace. Help me trust You in every situation and strengthen me when I feel weak or discouraged.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Grace Restores Your Soul 

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Guilt sucks the life out of our souls. Grace restores it.

No one had more reason to feel the burden of guilt than did the apostle Paul. He had orchestrated the deaths of Christians, an ancient version of a terrorist. Yet, Paul gave his guilt to Jesus. Period. He surrendered it to Jesus. As a result he could write, “I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us” (Philippians 3:13-14 TLB).

What would the apostle say to the guilt-ridden? Simply this: Rejoice in the Lord’s mercy. Trust in his ability to forgive. Cast yourself upon the grace of Christ and Christ alone!

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Giving to the Poor

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Read Matthew 6:1–4

One day, Jesus taught His disciples a lesson about giving (Mark 12:41–44). They were watching people put donations into the temple treasury box. Rich people were making sure people saw them putting in large amounts of money. Then a poor widow put in two small coins. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

This widow gave generously from what she had, trusting the Lord to take care of her needs. That’s the principle behind Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, although He comes at the issue from another direction.

Jesus teaches that those who give large amounts of money in a showy manner for human admiration will receive no reward from the Lord (vv. 1–2). When such people toot their own horn, so to speak, honor from other people is the only reward they’ll ever receive. They’re hypocrites, not giving for the sake of obedience or righteousness but merely to look good in front of others. The term “hypocrite” refers to actors with masks, pretending to be what they’re not. Similarly, these givers are exhibiting only false devotion, not genuine godliness.

Instead, we should give “in secret,” the exact opposite (vv. 3–4). “Give” in these verses is literally “give alms,” which is why the NIV translates verse 2 as “give to the needy.” This kind of giving leads to a reward from God, which is more valuable than any human reward could ever be. It shows that the giving, which is clearly expected as routine from all citizens of the kingdom, is being done with right motives, namely, to obey and please the Lord.

Go Deeper

What is your own motivation to give? Do you find yourself looking for some sort of reward or notice? How can we avoid this?

Pray with Us

We see your generosity from the beginning to the end of the Bible, Lord. You give to us freely, willingly, and joyfully. Help us imitate Your Spirit of giving as we give to others.

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.Matthew 6:1

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Active Waiting

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Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.
Psalm 37:7-8

Recommended Reading: Psalm 37:9; Psalm 37:34

Television news often features segments at the nation’s largest airports—usually based around flight delays or cancellations. When the reporters interview travelers, they are often impatient or disgruntled. No one likes their plans to be delayed, much less canceled.

Delays happen all the time in our lives. We do our best to manage them with a measure of grace. What is harder is when we find ourselves in situations where we feel we have been wronged in some way and we ask God to intervene on our behalf. That was the motivation behind David writing Psalm 37—the contrast between the righteous who suffer at the hands of the wicked and the wicked themselves. David’s counsel to the righteous is not just to wait for the Lord to act but to wait “patiently.” If we are waiting patiently, we will not be angry or anxious. Instead, we will wait actively in prayer and in pursuit of acts of righteousness.

If your plans have been delayed or changed for whatever reason, do not fret. Instead, let your waiting be a time of seeking God’s will and finding joy in it.

Faith is not idle; it works while it waits.
Ronald Dunn

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Drastic Love

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God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. John 3:16

Today’s Scripture

John 3:16-21

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Daniel was born into a Romanian orphanage. For seven years, he only left his crib to go to the bathroom. When he turned eight, a family from another country adopted him. They knew about attachment disorders—that Daniel could have difficulty attaching to them as his parents. Slowly, Daniel started to trust them. Over time, though, he began to rage to the point his parents hired a bodyguard to protect them from Daniel’s outbursts. They decided on a controversial therapy: For the next five years they were never away from Daniel even if he had a meltdown. On his thirteenth birthday Daniel broke down and, for the first time, told his parents he loved them very much. His mother summarized the experience: “Creating love is not for the soft and sentimental. Love is a battlefield.”

We’re all born knowing that something or someone is missing. Like Daniel, we have an attachment disorder. But God “so loved the world” so much that he took drastic action—“he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16), meeting us on earth’s battlefield in what we call the Incarnation. “Light has come into the world” (v. 19).

God took drastic measures to demonstrate His great love for the world. For you. His strong, determined Father-heart beats to hear from us the words Daniel’s parents finally heard: “I love you very much.”

Reflect & Pray

How have you felt that something or someone is missing? How can you respond to God’s drastic love for you?

Dear heavenly Father, I love You very much. Thank You for loving me first.

Today’s Insights

Many people are familiar with John 3:16, which describes the scope of God’s love for the world: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Many, however, misinterpret this verse. They think that if God’s love is so great, no one will “perish.” The critical phrase is “whoever believes in [Jesus].” John also writes, “Whoever does not believe [in Jesus] stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (v. 18). John’s gospel begins with John introducing Christ as the light of the world (1:4-9). Jesus says of Himself, “Light has come into the world,” but people avoid the light “because their deeds [are] evil” (3:19). God is indeed love. But we must respond to His love by believing in His Son, Jesus—the light of the world.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – The sudden deaths of Sen. Lindsey Graham and actor Sam Neill

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A reflection on hope and the transforming presence of God

Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, has died, his office said early Sunday morning. He was seventy-one.

Sen. Graham was a former presidential candidate and a strong advocate for the war with Iran. He had been in Ukraine on Friday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He died after a tear in his aorta, according to a preliminary medical examiner’s finding.

Mr. Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002. He was a strong supporter of Israel; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country had no better friend than the senator. He chaired the Senate Budget Committee and was a regular presence in the media. In fact, he had been scheduled to appear Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.

Continue reading Denison Forum – The sudden deaths of Sen. Lindsey Graham and actor Sam Neill →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Rediscovering the Passion

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 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 

—2 Timothy 1:8–9

Scripture:

Spiritual revival can be compared to a romance between a man and a woman. Guys know that when you first take a girl out, you want to make a good impression on her. So, you shower, make sure your shirt is clean, and show her great respect. Maybe you open the car door for her. You pull out her chair at a restaurant—a nice French restaurant.

But when you get married, things change. You still open the car door for her, but you close it before she’s all the way in. And the closest thing to a French restaurant that you take her to now is Jacque in the Box or Le Golden Arches. Something has happened. The passion has slipped away. You’re no longer making the effort.

That reminds me of a story I heard about a woman who wanted to divorce her husband. She told her attorney, “I want this divorce to hurt him badly. I want him to feel as much pain as possible.”

The attorney said, “Here’s how to do it. For the next three months, smother your husband with affection. Compliment him constantly. Tell him what a great guy he is and how much you care for him. Then, when he’s feeling on top of the world, drop the divorce papers on him. He won’t know what hit him. He’ll be devastated when you walk out.”

The woman agreed to the plan. For the next three months she complimented her husband, affirmed him, and told him how much she loved and appreciated him. When the three months ended, her attorney called her and said, “All right, let’s get this divorce started.”

The woman said, “Divorce? We’re going on our second honeymoon.” By committing to the relationship as God intends, the woman unwittingly ignited the flames of passion again.

Similarly, when believers commit to the Christian life as God intends—by studying Scripture, immersing ourselves in prayer, getting involved in a church, and sharing our faith—we fuel the fire of revival in ourselves and others.

That’s why Paul wrote, “So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:8–9 NLT).

One person’s spiritual boldness paves the way for others to follow, just as John Hancock’s bold signature on the Declaration of Independence gave others courage to follow.

Passion and boldness are key ingredients of revival.

 

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

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – His Doom Is Sure

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

The third verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” focuses on Satan’s end. God has willed triumph through His truth.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear; for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim—We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

When Satan was cast from heaven, fully a third of the angels fell with him (Revelation 12:4), such that a “legion” of them could inhabit one individual (Mark 5:9). But God has other plans for His children. He desires “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18). He desires us to “resist the devil” (James 4:7) and not “give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27).

He also has plans for Satan, including “everlasting chains under darkness” (Jude 1:6), and “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Just one word and Satan will be “cast into the lake of fire and . . . tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Jesus, anticipating His execution, spoke of it triumphantly. This had been His Father’s will all along. “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:31–32), and now the battle is His. JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

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Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God…

Isaiah 41:10 (AMPC)

God’s Word is clear on this point: We are not to fear. Notice that He doesn’t say that we are never to feel fear, but He does say we shouldn’t allow fear to control us and steal our destiny.

It’s important to remember that what we hide in the darkness has to be brought into the light if we’re going to get rid of it. Go into a completely dark room and switch on the light. What happens? The darkness is swallowed up. That is the way God and His Word work in our lives. When we do what God’s Word tells us to do, those fears that try to torment us are swallowed up. They’re gone, and they have no power over you.

How I wish I had a magic wand I could wave or a prayer I could say that would end fear in your life once and for all. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. Prayer does give us the strength to stand against fear, but for us to overcome and be conquerors as God intends us to be, we must realize that we can “feel the fear and do it anyway,” and then we’ll be free.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, may the power of Your Word be effective in dealing with the fears I bring to You now. Show me the truths that set my soul free, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – What Sustains Your Belief 

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Play

Many years ago I spent a week visiting the interior of Brazil with a longtime missionary pilot. Wilbur and Orville had a sturdier aircraft! I could not get comfortable. I kept thinking the plane was going to crash in the jungle, and I’d be gobbled up by piranhas. I kept shifting around, looking down, and gripping my seat—as if that would help. Finally, the pilot had enough of my squirming. He looked over at me and shouted over the airplane noise, “We won’t face anything that I can’t handle. You might as well trust me to fly the plane.”

Is God saying the same to you? Examine the truths which sustain your belief in God. Make sure one of them is etched with the words, “My God is sovereign!” Then, be anxious for nothing.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Be Perfect

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Read Matthew 5:48

My students often ask me if I’m going to “grade on a curve,” that is, if I plan to make the top student grade equal to 100 percent and “curve” them from there. This type of grading allows more students to “earn” higher grades.

Sometimes we act as if God is going to “grade on a curve,” giving us extra points for effort or participation. Today’s verse teaches otherwise. God’s standard is perfection. Matthew chapter 5 and its Jesus-raises-the-bar commands reach a climax in His humbling and impossible command, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Virtually every English translation says “perfect,” though a few commentators recommend “mature” instead. One wisely suggests “perfectly mature.”

One source notes that the word “perfect” used of God echoes the word “holy” as in Leviticus 11:44: “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” Both “holy” and “perfect” are used so as to indicate not a specific attribute but God’s overall perfection.

What are we to do with this command? First, we admit that we have no chance of obeying it in our own strength. Second, we should recognize the connection to our salvation, which we receive by being credited with Jesus’ perfection. Third, we might understand from the alternate translation “mature” or “perfectly mature” that obedience is a process of growth. Fourth and finally, it might be better to see this verse as a promise as well as a command. Some translators render the opening phrase “You shall be perfect” or “You are going to be perfect.”

God will keep this promise of perfection as He sanctifies us! One day all the redeemed, all citizens of the kingdom of heaven, will live as the Sermon on the Mount describes.

Go Deeper

Would you use the word “perfect” to describe yourself? How are you doing in growing toward perfect maturity (James 1:4)?

Pray with Us

Perfect Lord, thank You for the truths You are teaching us this month. As we seek to serve and follow You, please bring us into perfect maturity through Your Word and Your Spirit.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.Matthew 5:48

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Loving Our Enemies

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Read Matthew 5:43–47

I was once studying the Gospel of Matthew with a Chinese student. When we came to Jesus’ command on how Christians are to love, he told me he didn’t understand it. I checked his vocabulary and reading comprehension, which seemed fine. I asked him to summarize the passage, which he did accurately. “What’s the problem?” I asked.

“It’s impossible!” he exclaimed. “No one can love their enemies!”

Exactly. Jesus’ command should shock us all. The normal human reaction might be to love our own people but hate our enemies. The greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbor. But Jesus said to love our enemies as well—even to pray for those who persecute us (vv. 43–44). This did not fit the expectations of those looking for a Messiah to liberate them from the Romans—nor does it fit the way we typically live today.

The reason for Jesus’ command is “that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (v. 45). In other words, this is what it means to be a citizen of the kingdom of God. If we love those who love us, there’s nothing special about that. We are no better than a tax collector or a pagan (vv. 46–47). Jesus deepens the command, saying: “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35–36; Matt. 5:7).

Jesus, of course, modeled His own teaching. While dying on the cross, betrayed and forsaken, He prayed for His enemies and forgave them (Luke 23:34). The first martyr, Stephen, imitated Christ’s example and did the same (Acts 7:60).

Go Deeper

How would following Jesus’ teaching about love change the way we live? Who are your “enemies,” and how can you love them?

Pray with Us

Father, the shocking command to love our enemies is impossible without Your Spirit. Please fill us with this impossible love for the difficult people in our lives.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?Matthew 5:46

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Acting on God’s Promises

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Joseph . . . said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” Genesis 50:25

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 50:22-26

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Today’s Devotion

Pieter kisses a framed picture of his elderly parents every night. It’s been many years since he was last with them. As a young adult, when he became a follower of Jesus, his family and community pressured him to give up his newfound belief. When he didn’t, his parents disowned him. “In the Bible, God promised He’d help His children in difficult times, and I believed Him,” Pieter said. “Choosing to follow Him brought suffering, but He has helped me endure.”

Pieter has the assurance from God that He keeps His word, so Pieter is able to trustingly act on God’s promises. We read in Genesis that Joseph, at the end of his life, was also confident in the promises of God. He told his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Genesis 50:24). Joseph was sure that God would keep His promise to take His people to Canaan. So he instructed the Israelites, “You must carry my bones up from [Egypt]” (v. 25).

Four hundred years later, during the exodus from Egypt, “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” (Exodus 13:19). Eventually, “Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem [in Canaan]” (Joshua 24:32).

Let’s follow Joseph’s example of faith (Hebrews 11:22), showing our faith in God’s promises by acting on them.

Reflect & Pray

What promises of God can you act on? What practical steps can you take?

Faithful God, thank You for Your promises.

Today’s Insights

The writer of Hebrews commended Joseph for believing God’s promise that He’d bring his family out of Egypt into the promised land: “By faith Joseph . . . spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones” (Hebrews 11:22; see Genesis 50:24-25). In reconciling with his brothers who grievously harmed him, Joseph points us to God’s sovereignty in directing human affairs. His statement that “you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) is echoed in Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Just as “the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2, 23), we can trust in His promise that He’ll be with us and never forsake us: “We say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6; see Psalm 118:6-7).

 

Discover more by listening to Promise Keeper.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Should I open a Trump Account for my kids?

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Stewarding our children and generational investment

Thinking about retirement…for your infant? Trump Accounts officially launched on July 4th as an investment option that will help you start that journey. All U.S. citizens under 18 are eligible to participate, but children born between 2025 and 2028 can receive an initial $1,000 deposit from the Treasury upon opening an account.

The tax-advantaged Trump Accounts are designed for long-term investing. Once your child turns 18, the account transfers to their control and operates like a Traditional IRA, with penalty-free withdrawals for approved uses like education and first-time homebuying.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Should I open a Trump Account for my kids? →

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Right Man on Our Side

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” (Luke 22:31–32)

Satan wanted Peter to fall, and fall he would (v. 34). But Christ had prayed for him that victory would come. The second verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” reflects our vulnerability on our own and our invincibility on His side.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right man on our side,
The man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He,
Lord Sabaoth, His name, From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

After revealing many thrilling blessings, Paul asks, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Furthermore, neither “principalities, nor powers” nor anything else in all creation is “able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). With Him, Satan cannot win the battle for our minds or destinies. But on our own, we cannot win.

The term sabaoth is the Hebrew word for “hosts,” in particular the “host of heaven.” The term Yahweh Sabaoth or “LORD Sabaoth” occurs some 300 times in the Old Testament and constitutes a most majestic name for God. “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isaiah 54:5). This is none other than “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). Creator (Colossians 1:16), Sustainer (v. 17), Redeemer (v. 20)—He must win the battle. JDM

 

 

 

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

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