Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Going to the Dogs

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Yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Jonah 3:8

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 12:10-16

Early Methodist preachers noticed something unexpected when revival swept through parts of England. Men who had once cursed their horses, beaten their dogs, and treated animals harshly began showing gentleness even toward creatures under their care. John Wesley taught that the grace of Christ softens the entire heart. Conversion changed not only how people worshiped God and treated neighbors—it even changed how they treated animals.

When God changes our heart, it affects every relationship we have. When revival came to the city of Nineveh under the preaching of Jonah, people turned away from their evil ways and from feelings of violence. The streets became safer, and the homes became sweeter.

Have you experienced the Lord’s work in your life? Has it affected your interactions with others? It should, and as you walk with Christ, your love, joy, peace, and patience will grow.

True love is an act of the will—a conscious decision to do what is best for the other person instead of ourselves.
Billy Graham

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – The Heart of the Matter

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People look at the outward appearance, 
but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Today’s Scripture

1 Samuel 16:6-12

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Today’s Devotion

On a teaching trip to Moscow, I decided to take the subway to get lunch. Standing in the subway car, I started whistling simply because I felt good after an enjoyable morning teaching and the day was pleasant. The passengers stared at me like I was insane. When I got back to the school, I told one of the office workers that the people were so discouraged and downhearted they stared when I whistled. She politely informed me, “Yes, their lives are very hard, but that isn’t why they stared. They stared because it’s rude to whistle in public here.”

When we make assumptions, we base them on external factors that may not have any bearing on the moment. It’s helpful to recall the story of David’s selection as future king of Israel. As the prophet Samuel considered Jesse’s eldest son, he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord” (1 Samuel 16:6). But God told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (v. 7).

Basing judgments on appearances will lead to wrong conclusions. We do well to let God do the judging. He sees the heart of the matter.

Reflect & Pray

How do you feel when someone makes wrong assumptions 
about you? Why is it so easy to make assumptions about others?

Wise Father, please forgive me for judging people’s motives when I don’t know the truth about their hearts. Help me to entrust such judgments to You.

Today’s Insights

When Samuel saw Jesse’s son Eliab, he assumed that “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 16:6) stood before him, for he was strong, impressive, and outwardly fit for kingship. Yet God interrupted Samuel’s confident judgment with a sobering truth: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at” (v. 7). We can sometimes be quick to measure others based on outward appearance, to mistake confidence for calling and stature for faithfulness. But God searches deeper: “[He] looks at the heart” (v. 7). He alone understands the full story within each person, and He’s the only righteous judge. The apostle Paul says that “when the Lord comes,” He’ll “bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5). Today, when we’re tempted to judge others, God can help us entrust judgment to Him, who sees the heart.

For further study, watch the daily video devotional: It’s Easy to Judge

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – “They preached God to us”

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How the West became the world’s newest mission field

For most of Christian history, missionaries have gone from the West to share the gospel with other parts of the world. But what happens when the West begins to turn its back on that same faith? As I discussed in the “God is good” section of this week’s Focus, the thousands of missionaries being sent from Africa, Asia, and other parts of the developing world to Europe, Canada, and the United States are providing the answer.

In 1900, over 80 percent of the world’s Christians lived in Europe and North America. That number is now down to 25 percent. The rest reside in the Global South, namely, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania.

Interestingly, though, the percentage of the world’s population who are Christians hasn’t really changed, falling roughly 2 percent from 34.5 percent in 1900 to 32.3 percent today. So, while Christianity has increasingly left the West, it hasn’t diminished. God has simply gone where he’s wanted.

Continue reading Denison Forum – “They preached God to us” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Plans for Good

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 ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ 

—Jeremiah 29:11

Scripture:

Jeremiah 29:11 

In this week’s devotions, we’re going to be talking about the future. We’re not necessarily going to focus on specific events in the future, but rather on how Christians should approach and prepare for the future. Whether you’re hopeful or pessimistic about what lies ahead, you need to be aware that the Bible contains a wealth of wisdom on how to face the future as God intends.

Proverbs 27:1 sets the tone: “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring” (NLT). Using analytics and artificial intelligence, many experts believe that they can predict future trends, opportunities, and crises. God’s Word, on the other hand, makes it clear that the future is unpredictable. Putting our ultimate faith in human intuition or AI models is foolish.

The truth is that no one knows what tomorrow will bring, let alone next week, next month, or next year. We don’t know what problems we’ll encounter or what changes will come our way. Think of the things that have happened in your life and in the world around you in just the past year. How many of them could you have anticipated a year ago? And how many of them just came out of the blue, with no warning whatsoever?

When it comes to facing the future, only one strategy makes sense. And that’s to leave it in the hands of the only One who knows what the future holds. The only One who isn’t limited by time and space, who can see eternity past and eternity future as clearly as He sees this present moment. The One who created every fiber of your being. The One who laid out a path for you that will lead to your ultimate fulfillment, joy, and satisfaction. The One who knows every step of the way on that path.

The One who said, “For I know the plans I have for you . . . They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 nlt). You’ll notice that God paints in broad strokes. He doesn’t go into detail about His plans, even though we might wish He did. Many of us would prefer to have the complete map and timeline of our life so that we can set out on our own.

But that’s not how God works. He wants us to depend on Him every step of the way. He assures us that His plans are good and that they give us hope for the future. But what shape those plans will take remains a glorious mystery. We may not know what blessings the Lord has in store for us, but if we trust in Him, we know that His grace will be sufficient. We have no reason to be anxious about what lies ahead.

I like the words of that wonderful woman of God, Corrie ten Boom, who said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” God is in control of our future. He is able to sustain us today, tomorrow, and every day we draw breath in this world.

Because God holds the future, we can face it with hope.

Reflection question: What would trusting God with your future look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – But God

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4–5)

God makes all the difference! There was a time when the whole world was in bondage to sin and death. But God!

“But . . . God sent forth his Son . . . to redeem them that were under the law” (our text). Because He did, “the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). But there was a problem, for every man was still a lost sinner, deserving to die under the righteous, well-deserved wrath of a holy God. But God!

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He died for us, suffering in our place, because He loved us. The issue is not yet settled, however, for how could a dead redeemer complete the work He was sent to do? But God!

“But God raised him from the dead” (Acts 13:30). The price for sin was forever settled, so that God, in full righteousness and in mighty power, could raise His beloved Son, alive forevermore. Yes, but we ourselves are still sinful—still dying. Our very nature keeps us in bondage to sin, even though the price for our deliverance has been fully paid. But God!

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ . . . . For by grace are ye saved through faith; . . . it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:4–5, 8). We cannot fully understand. But God does not require us to understand—only to believe and receive. HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Free to Fly

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The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound.

Isaiah 61:1 (AMPC)

Love offers people both roots and wings. It provides a sense of belonging (roots) and a sense of freedom (wings). Love does not try to control or manipulate others.

Jesus said that He was sent by God to proclaim liberty. As believers, that is what we are meant to do also—to free people to fulfill God’s will for their lives, not to bring them under our control.

Have you ever seen parents push their children to do things they do not even want to do just to meet the frustrated desires of their parents? Have you ever seen a person who is clingy and emotionally smothering to a new friend, because he is afraid to lose that person? Both of these examples bind rather than set free.

That is not the way true love works. Love does not try to gain personal satisfaction at the expense of others. Love will always proclaim liberty. When we love God, and when we love others, we will excitedly allow the people in our lives to follow God’s plan—not our plan—and see who they can be and what they can accomplish in Christ Jesus.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me love others the way You do—giving others roots and wings instead of trying to control them. I love You, Father, and I need Your help if I’m going to help people discover the freedom to follow You and become who You created them to be, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God’s Soothing Touch 

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Play

When darkness descends, flee solitude. 1 Kings 19:11 (NIV): “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’”

God wanted Elijah’s attention. Elijah obeyed and beheld a display of power. The roar of tempests bounced off the canyon walls. “But the Lord was not in the wind” (1 Kings 19:11). An earthquake sent tremors through the desert floor. “But the Lord was not in the earthquake” (1 Kings 19:11). Next came fire that leapt to the height of the trees. “But the Lord was not in the fire” (1 Kings 19:12). Then… “the sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).

The soothing touch of God was needed for  Elijah’s season of sadness. Listen for it…listen for Him.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Ezra the Scribe

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Read Ezra 7:1–10

When movies switch back and forth in time, a caption on the screen will typically appear: “twenty years later” or “1957.” The book of Ezra doesn’t quite do that, but it does use the reigns of kings to signal transitions in time. Chapter 6 ends in 515 BC, with the completion of the temple. Chapter 7 opens nearly 60 years later, “during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia.” The author introduces us to Ezra, the godly scribe who returns to Jerusalem to teach God’s people.

The chapter then transitions to another long list of names (remember chapter 2?). This time it’s the genealogy of Ezra, recorded in order to prove his qualifications. Ezra’s lineage traces back to the first high priest, Aaron (Exod. 28–29). We also see a few familiar names. Hilkiah was the priest who ministered during Josiah’s reign, when the Book of the Law was rediscovered and revival broke out in Judah (2 Kings 22). Phinehas was the famous Levite who defended God’s name in the wilderness (Num. 25). Ezra had a heritage to be proud of!

We read that “priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants” came to Jerusalem with Ezra (Ezra 7:7). Verse 6 says “the hand of the LORD his God was on” Ezra, and the same message is repeated in verse 9: “the gracious hand of his God was on him.” What is significant about Ezra is that he was “well versed in the Law of Moses” (v. 6). He “had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (v. 10). Ezra was just what the people needed. He was a faithful priest who was devoted to learning God’s Word. This appointed man of God could teach them to follow God with their whole hearts.

Go Deeper

How is a faithful teacher a gift from God for His people? Do you have an Ezra in your life?

Pray with Us

Like Ezra, we want to study and know Your Word, God! Let us be able to say, like the psalmist, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11).

The gracious hand of his God was on him.Ezra 7:9

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Passover Observed

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Read Ezra 6:19–22

Many churches observe Communion weekly; you may call it the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. Others observe it monthly or quarterly. Jesus commanded that His followers do this regularly in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19). The wine (or grape juice) represents the blood of the new covenant, and the bread represents His body, broken for us. The Lord’s Supper was patterned after the Passover meal, which Jesus shared with His disciples on the night Judas betrayed Him (Luke 22:14–23).

In Ezra 6, the returnees were celebrating Passover and the ensuing seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival commemorated that harrowing night when “the destroyer” (Exod. 12:23) went through Egypt killing the firstborn of all families who did not have the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. The meal celebrated God’s incredible rescue of His people from slavery, His great kindness in passing over them, and His utter faithfulness to Abraham’s children.

The priest and Levites took care to be “ceremonially clean” (Ezra 6:20), just as the Lord commanded. “The Israelites who had returned from exile” ate the meal. Joining them were “all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord, the God of Israel” (v. 21). Note the emphasis on following God completely. Both religious leaders and the everyday people were seeking the Lord with obedience.

The people “celebrated with joy” because “the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria” (v. 22). In contrast to Pharaoh, who stubbornly refused to let God’s people go and whose heart God hardened, God softened the heart of the foreign ruler. Either way, the Lord receives the glory for His faithful care.

Go Deeper

How does your church observe the Lord’s Supper? As we remember the sacrifice of Jesus, why is it also a time to celebrate with joy?

Pray with Us

God, may we never take Communion lightly. May it remind us of Your sacrifice and love for us. Help us each day to be mindful and grateful of this life-changing gift: that Jesus bore our punishment for sin!

The LORD had filled them with joy.Ezra 6:22

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Children of God

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If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20

Today’s Scripture

1 John 3:18-24

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Today’s Devotion

One of my favorite books of optical illusions always astounds me as the pictures deceive my eyes—like one with two lines of the same length appearing to be different sizes, or the famous “impossible staircase” in which four flights of stairs seem to link in a continuous loop. It can also be a little disconcerting to realize we don’t always see things as they truly are.

But it’s not only our eyes that deceive us. We can sometimes believe illusions about our identity as God’s children when we’re bombarded daily with the world’s deceptive claims. Author Henri Nouwen wrote, “Jesus came to announce to us that an identity based on success, popularity and power is a false identity—an illusion!”

Our true identity, possible because of God’s lavish love, is that when we receive Jesus as our Savior we become “children of God” (1 John 3:1). As the apostle John recognized, sometimes “our hearts condemn us” (v. 20), and we begin to doubt God’s love or even question if we truly belong to Him. However, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (v. 20). Instead of being deceived by damaging illusions, we can believe the truth that we are God’s beloved children.

Whatever illusions you may encounter about your identity today, hold fast to the truth that you’re God’s beloved child.

Reflect & Pray

What illusions about your identity have you encountered? How does the truth that you are God’s child encourage you?

Heavenly Father, even when I can’t see or feel it, please help me remember the truth of Your love for me.

Today’s Insights

When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we become “children of God” (John 1:12). The Holy Spirit “testifies [confirms] with our spirit” that this is true (Romans 8:16; see 1 John 3:24). Our sonship is a gift of God “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). We can’t earn it. As God’s beloved children, He “has lavished” love on us (1 John 3:1), which includes a personal relationship with Him, eternal life, and guidance by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14)—and we’re considered “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (v. 17). He provides all we need in this life—comfort, hope, joy, strength—to live for and serve Him. As God’s children, nothing—“neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future” (v. 38)—can separate us from His great love (v. 39).

For further study, listen to the Discover the Word Podcast : Who Am I?

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Is Warren Buffett your God?

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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that “Warren Buffett is stepping down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the $1 trillion conglomerate that he led for more than six decades.” He announced the news to investors on Friday, stating that he will remain on the board and become chairman emeritus. His son Howard will succeed him as chairman per a previous arrangement.

Buffett stepped down as CEO at the end of last year. He explained his latest move to shareholders:

Serving as your Chairman has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I have never taken your trust for granted. Father Time always wins. He has, however, been generous with me. The company is in excellent hands, and I look forward to remaining a shareholder alongside you.

It’s easy to understand the esteem in which many hold him: his company’s shares have appreciated by 3,999,494 percent since he took over the company. If you had invested $1,000 with him in 1970, it would be worth roughly $19.6 million today.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Is Warren Buffett your God? →

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Confidence in Christ Alone

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:7–8)

During the three verses prior to the text for today, Paul listed some of the rather spectacular credits he had obtained “in the flesh” (v. 4). His family lineage and achievements were both professionally stellar and legally blameless. He had every right to be proud of himself.

Yet, in strong language, Paul values these personal achievements as the excrement of animals when he compares them to the gain of being given “the righteousness which is of God by faith” (v. 9). A vivid contrast indeed!

Jesus taught that if anyone would become His disciple, then he must “deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Further, such a disciple must “lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s” (v. 35). Owning the whole world was worthless if it meant that the price would cause one to “lose his own soul” (v. 36). Hard bargains indeed!

Paul sought, as each of us should also, “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” (out text). Invoking all of the triune Godhead, Paul begged for comprehension of the “love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,” so that he could be “filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:18–19). Such knowledge brings “full assurance of understanding” (Colossians 2:2). That is a good return indeed!

“Wherefore beloved,” Peter said, “be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (2 Peter 3:14). HMM III

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Love People in Your Thoughts

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By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

John 13:35 (AMPC)

One of the most valuable and beautiful things you can do is love others. We can purpose to think about the good things we find in all the people we know, and as we do, our attitudes toward them will improve.

Often we think about what is wrong with people and what we don’t like about them. Focusing on people’s faults is not showing love to them. We can choose to pray for them concerning any weaknesses they may have, and at the same time pray for ourselves that God will help us in our weaknesses also.

Focus on positive, loving thoughts about people. Then when they do something you don’t like, you are already so full of good thoughts about them, it is easy to just let it go.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me focus on the good in others instead of their faults. Fill my thoughts with love and help me pray for others’ weaknesses and my own, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Great Reunions: The Prodigal Son

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And [the prodigal son] arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Luke 15:20

Recommended Reading: Luke 15:3-7

John Newton’s hymn “Amazing Grace” contains these familiar words: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” The reference to seeing is taken from the story of the blind man Jesus healed (John 9:25), whereas the reference to being found is taken from the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son is one of the most poignant in the four Gospels. It is a story of mercy, a story of an undeserving son who received the compassion of his father after abusing his privileges as a son. Though the son deserved the father’s judgment, he received the opposite: love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and reunion. Whenever judgment is replaced by mercy, there is a price to be paid if reunion is to be realized.

If there has been a break in one of your relationships with a friend or family member, consider paying the price of extending mercy. Such a reunion demonstrates what God has done for us.

Peace of conscience is nothing but the echo of pardoning mercy. 
William Gurnall

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Rescue Plan

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He will crush your head and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 3:8-15

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Today’s Devotion

When a father learned his five-year-old daughter had fallen overboard from the fourth deck of the cruise ship they were on, he plunged into the ocean forty feet below to rescue her. He held on to his daughter while treading water for more than ten minutes before the ship’s rescue team brought them safely back on board. As soon as the father heard his daughter was in trouble, he risked everything to save her.

All throughout the Bible, we read how our heavenly Father’s love compelled Him to give His all to rescue us from drowning in our sin. God first declared His divine rescue plan in the garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent and sinned, God cursed the serpent and said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This verse refers to the spiritual battle between Satan and God’s children and how at His appointed time God would send His Son, Jesus, to redeem the world through His Son’s sacrificial death and resurrection.

God has been ready to save us long before we realized we needed His help. Whenever we feel like we’re sinking in an ocean of sin, we can be encouraged that Jesus is our divine lifeline. We can cry out to Him. He will rescue and restore us.

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced God’s forgiveness? How does it feel knowing He loves you?

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and rescuing me.

Today’s Insights

When Adam and Eve sinned, the consequences were both immediate and future. Immediately, they lost access to the garden and the presence of the Creator (Genesis 3:23-24), and eventually, they’d physically die. In between, the life that they’d enjoyed in a paradise created specifically for them would now be tainted with pain, loss, frustration, and failure (vv. 16-19). This is what makes Jesus’ death and resurrection so vital. Only by what Christ did on our behalf can we be rescued and restored to the heavenly Father and have a hope of life after death (Romans 8:1-4). Life continues to be difficult in this world that’s been broken by sin. But when we cry out to Jesus, He’ll rescue us. And one day, God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4).

For further study, read: The Forgiveness of God

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – “They preached God to us”

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How the West became the world’s newest mission field

For most of Christian history, missionaries have gone from the West to share the gospel with other parts of the world. But what happens when the West begins to turn its back on that same faith? As I discussed in the “God is good” section of this week’s Focus, the thousands of missionaries being sent from Africa, Asia, and other parts of the developing world to Europe, Canada, and the United States are providing the answer.

In 1900, over 80 percent of the world’s Christians lived in Europe and North America. That number is now down to 25 percent. The rest reside in the Global South, namely, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania.

Continue reading Denison Forum – “They preached God to us” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Faithful to the End

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 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 

—Hebrews 3:12–14

Scripture:

Hebrews 3:12–14 

The apostle Paul wrote, “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 NLT). As believers, we must take his warning to heart. The reality is that we don’t always stand firm against the devil’s strategies. In fact, there are times when we play into them. We put ourselves in vulnerable positions. We make it easy for the devil to tempt us.

Paul’s warning resonates especially powerfully today because we’re living in what I believe to be the last days. And one of the prophetic signs we sometimes forget about is that in the last days, there will be a great apostasy, meaning that people will fall away from the Lord. According to 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons” (NLT).

This means that in these critical days in which we’re living, the devil is walking around like a roaring lion, looking for people that he can drag down (see 1 Peter 5:8). He’s looking for people who are content to run only half the race that’s been set before them. He’s looking for people who have taken their eyes off Christ and become distracted by the things of this world. He’s looking for people who are tired, frustrated, and struggling with doubts. He’s looking for people who are trying to “go it alone” instead of relying on the fellowship and accountability of other believers.

The book of Hebrews warns about the perils of spiritually turning away. Hebrews 3:12 tells us, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God” (NLT). Notice this verse doesn’t address unbelievers. Rather, it’s a warning specifically for Christians. The passage continues, “You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ” (verses 13–14 NLT).

Did you catch that? You will “share in all that belongs to Christ”—if you are faithful to the end. In other words, you need to cross the finish line.

 

Reflection question: How can you be faithful to the end in your walk with Christ? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Save Who?

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by Brian Thomas, Ph.D.

“I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.” (Ezekiel 36:29)

Who is “you?” We know from verse 22 that the Lord is promising deliverance to the nation of Israel. But deliverance from what? What made Israel unclean? God promised to transform opinions of His “great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them” (v. 23). Apparently, Israel had dragged God’s name through moral mud, likely in both behavior and word, breaking the third commandment: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

What’s the big deal about God’s “great name?” It represents who He is! Lips reveal the uncleanness of the heart when they misuse the Lord’s name and treat it and Him without reverence. “And though they say, The LORD liveth, surely they swear falsely” when they behave as though the Lord is dead (Jeremiah 5:2).

However, His great name “was profaned among the heathen” as well (Ezekiel 36:23). So, not just Israel disdained their Maker’s name. All nations needed and still need to be saved, or they will be judged. How will the Lord keep His promise of salvation given in today’s verse?

Jesus is “the way” (John 14:6). Only His blood can cover “all your uncleannesses.” “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). When will Israel be sanctified? Only the Lord knows. But we do know that “it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel . . . shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth” (Isaiah 10:20). What about the salvation of other nations? Whoever will “believe on him” (John 6:29) who “rose from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:12) will be saved. BDT

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Freedom

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In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].

Galatians 5:1 (AMPC)

Jesus died so we could be free from the slavery of sin and overcome the attacks of the enemy, who “comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The devil will often try to steal or destroy our faith in God through fear.

It is important to realize that our fears not only affect us, but they can also affect the people around us. Nothing is more uncomfortable to me than having to tiptoe around a person because they have fears that make them touchy, nervous, and uptight. I feel sorry for them, and I pray for them, but ultimately, fear cannot be conquered unless we recognize it and confront it.

You may be the way I was—afraid other people will not approve of you or afraid of an authority figure in your life. Whether you struggle with this fear or other fears, the path to freedom is the same: Study God’s Word and apply it to your life; pray and ask God to help you face the fear and conquer it.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for the freedom Jesus died to give me. Help me face my fears honestly and help me stand fast in the freedom You have for me, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Temple Dedicated

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Read Ezra 6:13–18

Have you ever been part of a church moving into a new building? If so, you understand the significance of the celebration described in Ezra 6: God’s people were rejoicing at the completion of the temple!

Verse 13 reports that Tattenai, the governor of Trans-Euphrates, and his associates received Darius’s letter to support the completion of the temple. They “carried it out with diligence.” Because of this, “the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah” (v. 14). Finally, two decades after their return from exile, God’s people “finished building the temple” (approx. 515 BC).

An enormous celebration ensued! A rough, low-end estimate of the value of the animals they sacrificed in today’s market? A quarter of a million dollars! Significantly, the people offered “a sin offering for all Israel” that included “twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel” (v. 17). The northern kingdom of Israel had all but ceased to exist when the Assyrian forces overran the nation in 722 BC and scattered its people. This return from exile symbolically encompassed all of Israel’s tribes, not just the southern kingdom of Judah that had been exiled to Babylon and was now returning to the promised land. These returnees were a remnant, a small portion who represented all of Israel’s tribes, not just the southern kingdom of Judah, which comprised two tribes, Benjamin and Judah.

Today, we ourselves are God’s temple, with His Spirit living within us. But in the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelled specially in the temple, where His people worshiped Him and offered sacrifices. All that to say, these few verses depict a significant moment for God’s people.

Go Deeper

What does the extravagance of the sacrifices offered tell us about God and our relationship with Him? What are a few ways you can worship God with the same joyful, over-the-top sacrifice?

Pray with Us

As we celebrate the good moments and accomplishments in our lives, help us remember to thank You, Father. Every good thing in our life comes from You.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.Psalm 84:10

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

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