Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Naomi’s Blessing

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Read Ruth 1:7–9

As an author crafts a story, deliberate choices are made. It’s almost like standing behind a video camera—deciding exactly what the audience will see in each frame. When needed, the camera pulls back for a wide, “establishing shot” to provide setting and context and summarized background. That is what we found in the opening verses of the book of Ruth.

But to help readers experience the characters and feel their emotions, the author “zooms in” for a close-up. Characters are described in more detail. We see their actions and body language and idiosyncrasies. We listen to dialogue that moves the action and exposes motivation.

Today’s passage is the first of many “close-up scenes” in the book of Ruth. Naomi and her two daughters- in-law had left Moab and began the journey back to Bethlehem. The author doesn’t reveal whether the women had discussed this arrangement prior to their departure. Suddenly Naomi stopped them in their tracks and expressed second thoughts. Perhaps the journey had given her time to see the situation from Ruth and Orpah’s perspective. The two young widows were leaving their home just as Naomi had done during the famine. She knew what struggles and loneliness they would face, and she intended to spare them additional pain. She told them to return to their “mother’s home” (v. 8). It is interesting that she used “mother’s” rather than “father’s”—since their fathers would have been their primary source of provision and protection.

Then, Naomi pronounced a blessing on the young widows (v. 9). She asked Yahweh to shower hesed on the women, just as they had already shown hesed to her and their husbands. It couldn’t have been easy for Naomi to send them home. Their departure would seal her lonesome fate. But releasing them was Naomi’s own act of hesed—even in her grief.

Go Deeper

What does this passage reveal about Naomi’s character? Have you ever had to make a similar decision?

Pray with Us

O Lord, when we face difficult circumstances, help us to extend love to others like Naomi did. We desire to put others first and trust You no matter our circumstances.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.Numbers 6:24–25

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Resurrection Power

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You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. Mark 16:6

Today’s Scripture

Mark 16:1-8

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Today’s Devotion

At one hundred dollars, Loretta’s utility bill was much higher than usual. “But the Lord will provide,” she told her son. That same day she received a text from her youngest brother: “Loretta, you’re always encouraging me, and I want to thank you. Look in your mail for something from me.” That afternoon in her mail, she found a gift card from her brother for one hundred dollars. A miracle? Not to some, perhaps. To Loretta, however, the “coincidence” felt miraculous. She always expects the living God to provide for her.

Her outlook highlights a lesson in the resurrection story of Jesus. After the Sabbath, three women bought spices to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb. But walking there after sunrise, the women expected not a miracle but a problem: “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:1-3).

Embedded in their question was a curious doubt, especially from these women—including Mary Magdalene—who had traveled with Jesus and witnessed His power. All of them, however, were looking that morning for a dead Jesus.

Instead, “He has risen! He is not here,” they were told (v. 6). That declaration explains what we can expect from the living Jesus: His miraculous resurrection power. He is alive. When we face “heavy stones” that need moving, He will be with us and help us. He’s not in a tomb. He is risen, indeed!

Reflect & Pray

How have you witnessed God working in an amazing way? What does it mean to you to live out Jesus’ resurrection power?

You’re alive, Jesus, and You possess the resurrection power I need!

Today’s Insights

Three key women are named in Mark’s account of the discovery of Jesus’ resurrection: “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome” (Mark 16:1). The women enter the scene on the road to the tomb carrying spices for Christ’s body and asking a legitimate question: “Who will roll the stone away?” (v. 3). Yet their question was needless. The stone had already been rolled away. Mark concludes this vignette with the women even more bewildered than before. And now they’re frightened (v. 8). Luke adds, “Then they remembered his words” (Luke 24:8). Matthew provides more information: “The women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (Matthew 28:8). These three accounts have the ring of authenticity for they reveal the reactions of humans as they discover the remarkable truth that Jesus is risen. Today, the same power that rolled the stone away is available to us when we face stones that need moving.

Visit go.odb.org/040526 to learn more about Resurrection Power.

 

http://www.odb.org

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Risen with Christ

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)

The wise believer revels in the fact of Christ’s resurrection. Some things in Scripture may be easier to identify with and apply, including Christ’s substitutionary death, but it is the resurrection that gives us power to live victoriously. “Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

We have been “crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed” (Romans 6:6). Nevertheless, we are risen with Him, as our text and elsewhere clearly teaches (Romans 6; Ephesians 2:1–10; etc.). This resurrection is an inward one, of course, but our bodily resurrection is also guaranteed by Christ’s bodily resurrection, should we physically die. “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14).

Power to serve Him effectively comes through His resurrection, for we have access to the “exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19–20). We have authority over all human and demonic institutions through Him who even now operates as head of the living church of His followers.

Perhaps the most precious of all benefits of the resurrection is that “we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens” who is sympathetic to “the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14–16). JDM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Do Unto Others

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So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them….

Matthew 7:12 (AMPC)

I was awake for a couple of hours last night, and as I lay in the darkness, the words of Jesus—“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—came to mind. I thought about them until I fell asleep, and this morning I continued to ponder them. When I opened my Bible and studied this passage along with the surrounding Scriptures, I received new insight—one that connects this teaching to answered prayer.

Prior to the statement about how we treat others, we find an invitation from our Lord Jesus to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking. He also promises that we will receive favorable answers to each request. We will receive, we will find, and doors will be opened (Matthew 7:7–8). He assures us of His goodness and willingness to help us and then makes this statement: So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them (Matthew 7:12 AMPC). The phrase “so then” means there is a connection between answered prayer and how we treat other people.

I think we would be astonished at the difference in our lives in every respect if we truly did treat others the way we want to be treated. It certainly would change many things in how we respond to people and how we live our lives. Actually, it would change the world! I have decided to purposely be more focused every day on doing so, and I pray you will join me. That scripture is often called the Golden Rule, but I prefer to call it the “Golden Key” that will unlock and release God’s best in our lives.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me treat others as I want to be treated. Fill my heart with kindness, compassion, and love, and let my actions reflect Your goodness each day, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – April Showers of Blessings: Raindrops

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I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessings.
Ezekiel 34:26

Recommended Reading: Ezekiel 34:25-31

Ezekiel’s “showers of blessings” concern the coming thousand-year reign of Christ, but the imagery is appropriate for those of us who have the reign of Christ established now in our hearts. Let’s start with rain itself. If water fell from the sky in sheets or one-gallon units, life would be impossible. In the clouds above us are tiny cloud droplets. It takes millions of these tiny particles to collide and form a single raindrop. As the drops fall to earth, they cleanse the air by capturing dust, pollen, and pollutants.

Almighty God sends our blessings one drop at a time—literally in the form of rain and metaphorically in the form of other blessings. Each is timed perfectly, shaped appropriately, and results in the blessings of a refreshed and cleansed life.

One of the greatest ways of adjusting our attitudes is to try counting our blessings. We can’t really do that any more than we can count the drops of rain outside our windows. But for each one we identify and turn into praise, our hearts are encouraged. Thank God for some drops today!

Mercy drops round us are falling!
Daniel Whittle

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Serving God Out of Love

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Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 6:1-4, 19-21

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Today’s Devotion

My dad was a hard worker on our farm and in the factory, but he wasn’t a handyman. Sometimes when our tractor or furnace or plumbing failed, a neighbor or friend would fix it. Dad offered to pay even though he knew he couldn’t afford as much as they deserved. But they wouldn’t accept anything; they just loved to help. “Thanks,” he’d say, “until you’re better paid.” I’m still not sure what he meant. Maybe he or someone else did something for them later.

Believers in Jesus who serve others because of their love for Him will one day be rewarded. Perhaps that’s a form of “until you’re better paid.” Jesus told His followers to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). Doing good to others may be one way to store up some of those “treasures.” He said we shouldn’t announce it “with trumpets”; if we do, that’s all the reward we’ll get (v. 2). We can be confident He sees us. The book of Hebrews reinforces this idea: “God . . . will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (6:10).

We don’t serve for rewards but rather because Jesus loves us, and in response we express our love and praise for Him. What a blessing it will be to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Reflect & Pray

What treasures have you stored up? What gifts has God given you to share with others?

Dear Jesus, I long to help others the way You want me to. Please help me point them to You, and lead me to live for Your pleasure.

Today’s Insights

Helping those in need is one of the ways that we “store up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). We take what God has given us and share with those in need. The concepts of loving God and helping the needy come together in 1 John 3:14-18: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. . . . This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Today, as God helps us, we can look for ways to serve others because of our love for Christ.

Learn more about heavenly treasures by reading The Fool’s Greed and God’s Generosity.

 

http://www.odb.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Making Something Out of Nothing

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 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! 

—Isaiah 64:4

Scripture:

Isaiah 64:4 

Jesus’ retreat to the Garden of Gethsemane began a bad stretch of time for the apostle Peter. First, he fell asleep on his watch after Jesus asked him to stay alert. Second, according to John 18:10, when Jesus’ enemies came to arrest Him, “Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave” (NLT). And then, later that same night, when he was recognized as one of Jesus’ followers, Peter denied even knowing Jesus—not once, not twice, but three times.

Can you identify with a guy like that? I know that it’s sometimes hard to imagine what God is up to in your life. You see a blank canvas, but God sees a finished painting. You see a piece of coal, but God sees a refined diamond. You see an untalented person, but God sees a mighty man or woman of God.

This is also true of those we see in Scripture. We see an impetuous, impulsive Simon, but God sees a strong, decisive apostle named Peter. We see a conniving, manipulative Jacob, but God sees a godly, trusting man named Israel. We see a young, naïve Joseph, but the Lord sees a brilliant, wise world leader. And when it was all said and done, Joseph was able to look back and say to his brothers, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20 NKJV). He recognized that God used what happened to him to mold him into a compassionate, forgiving leader of many. He was clay in the Potter’s hands. He trusted in the Lord.

God specializes in making something out of nothing. I wonder what He’s doing with you right now. You’re a work in progress, and He isn’t finished yet. If you’re still alive and reading this, God has more work to do in your life! Most artists don’t like someone looking over their shoulders, trying to second-guess what they’re about to do. “Wait until I’m done,” they’ll say, “and then you’ll see.”

So, trust in the Lord during those times when it’s hard to see what He’s doing. Don’t allow the hardships you face to make you a bitter person. It’s time to let go of that. Rather, allow them to make you a better person.

Isaiah 64:4 says, “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (NLT).

That night in Gethsemane was hardly the end of Peter’s story. After Jesus rose from the grave and ascended back to Heaven, Peter became one of the key leaders of the early Christian church, boldly proclaiming the gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

No matter what your past is like, and no matter where you are in your Christian journey, God has something important planned for you.

Reflection Question: What evidence do you see in your life of God’s ability to make you a better person? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Pleasant Perplexities

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Philippians 1:23–24)

As we mature in the Lord, our fear of death recedes into the background and ultimately, as this verse demonstrates, becomes a desire to leave this sin-cursed world behind and pass into the presence of the Creator.

The word choices in this passage are unusual. The verse could be translated: “I am held together out of two pressures, a passion to be loosed to be with Christ; which is very much more serviceable for me: but remaining here in the flesh is, out of necessity, more critical for you.”

Thus, the tension of the true saint of God. The more that is known about the joy awaiting us in the presence of our Lord, the less we see earthly values and goals as things to work toward. Yet, the needs of churches, new Christians, troubled souls, and challenges surrounding our lives require a commitment to complete the “course” that God has given us to finish (2 Timothy 4:7).

The Lord Jesus insisted that we not worry about tomorrow because the evil of each day was “sufficient” (Matthew 6:34), since there is trouble enough in the world among those who reject God’s authority (2 Timothy 3:1–7). The evil that surrounds us should motivate us to long for the eternal rest promised to the people of God (Hebrews 4:9).

But to struggle with conflict resolution among the churches adds to the burden. Many in the ministry know this tension, as do most who serve regularly in their own churches. Perhaps our own peace comes when we finally determine that it is “far better” to serve. HMM III

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Are Complete in Christ

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Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.”

John 8:14 (AMPC)

Many people struggle emotionally because they simply do not know who they really are. They are not grounded in their true identity, and they feel lacking in certain ways.

Our identity is established as a result of who and what we choose to identify with. If we identify with people and what they say about us, we will end up in trouble, but if we identify with Jesus and His opinion of us, we will not have an identity crisis.

Today’s scripture indicates that Jesus knew who He was because He knew where He came from and where He was going. Many of the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, were angry at Jesus’ confidence in who He was. But no matter what people said about Jesus, He did not identify with it. He identified with what His heavenly Father said about Him. He identified with God.

Identification with Christ is a doctrinal foundation of the Christian faith. As a believer, you belong to God. Your identity is in Him, and you are complete in Him. This truth will give you confidence to walk through this world, dealing with all kinds of people, with your head held high. It will enable you to follow your heart and do what God leads you to do without becoming emotionally upset when people do not agree with you or your choices. The more firmly you are rooted in your identity in Christ, the more you will realize that you are not lacking in any way. You have—and are—everything in Him.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, God, that my identity is in You. Help me grow deeper in the identity You give me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – A Hint of Hesed

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Read Ruth 1:6

Hesed is a beautiful and complex Hebrew concept that no single English word can fully convey. It is a multi-faceted relational term, encompassing the ideas of loyalty, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, and love. While hesed presumes emotion, it is primarily an action. Hesed acts to address an urgent need for the recipient. A more powerful person will often act on behalf of a situationally helpless beneficiary.

Of course, God is the source and primary demonstrator of hesed, but the word is also used in Scripture to describe uncommon human love. We pause here because hesed will become a major theme throughout the narrative. Verses 1–5 have already established the setting of the book of Ruth. We have met the initial cast of characters and learned the central dramatic question: Will Naomi be redeemed? These verses left Naomi in the most desperate state—alone and destitute in an alien land.

Then, verse 6 brings a hint of hope. A hint of hesed. Today we are focusing on this key verse—the first place in the book where we see God’s care and lovingkindness at work. It is precisely in Naomi’s moment of deepest despair that important news reached her. The Lord had provided for His people back in Bethlehem. This is the first time Yahweh is mentioned in the story, and His hesed character is on full display. He had not forgotten His people. Since no repentance on the part of Israel is mentioned, this act of covenantal love is best understood as a gracious gift.

Naomi’s response to this good news was decisive. She immediately prepared to return to her home. The Hebrew word for “return” can carry the connotation of restoration and recovery, hinting at the further blessing that God had in store. Naomi’s daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, joined her travel preparation without any documented discussion.

Go Deeper

When did you first hear the news of God’s hesed love? How did you respond?

Pray with Us

God, we thank You for Your provision in our lives. You give us blessings because of Your love, not because of anything we have done to earn them.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.Lamentations 3:22

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Seek Life From the Living

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Then, as [the women] were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, [the angels] said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”
Luke 24:5-6

Recommended Reading: Philippians 3:20-21

When we seek wisdom about some area of life, we go to a person who is an expert in that field. Likewise, we ought not to expect guidance about the Kingdom of God from someone who is not a Kingdom citizen.

The angels who spoke to the women who discovered Jesus’ empty tomb expressed a similar perspective: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” The angels were referring to Jesus, who was alive, as they stood among the tombs. Their words to the women expressed a general truth: Spiritual life is not to be found among the spiritually dead. Applying their words to our life means that we, as citizens of heaven, should not see the world as a source of inspiration for our lives.

If Jesus was still entombed among the dead, we would have nowhere to turn except to the world. But since He was resurrected and is alive, let us turn to Him for wisdom and guidance—not to the world.

While all men seek after happiness, scarcely one in a hundred looks for it from God.
John Calvin

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Why Good Friday

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This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Today’s Scripture

1 John 4:7-12

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Today’s Devotion

What’s so good about Good Friday? Why isn’t the day called Bad or Sad Friday? After all, it’s meant to be a day of sorrowful reflection, not a day of celebration. Sometimes, this day takes other names, such as Holy Friday. In Germany, it’s called Karfreitag, or Sorrowful Friday. So where did we get the tradition of calling it “Good”? Some believe it may have originated from the older tradition of calling it “God’s Friday.”

No matter the origin of the name, it’s still appropriate to call the Friday on which Jesus died “good.” Out of Christ’s sacrificial love, He died for our sins. That’s why Good Friday is good. And the great news is that three days later He rose from the grave in victory.

New Testament scholar D.A. Carson wrote, “It was not nails that held Jesus to that wretched cross; it was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his Father, to do his Father’s will—and it was his love for sinners like me.” We read in 1 John 4: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (v. 10).

The good news of Good Friday is that God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us! Because of that love, we’re called to love others (vv. 7, 11). When we do, we show our love for Him.

Reflect & Pray

What does Good Friday mean to you? How can you honor Jesus on this day?

 

Dear God, thank You for loving me! Please help me to tell others about You.

 

Today’s Insights

John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), wrote much about how God loves us. In his gospel, he says that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” to save us from our sins (3:16). In one of John’s letters, he uses similar language: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. . . . He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). Similarly, Paul accentuated that God demonstrated His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sins, which we remember on Good Friday, “we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (v. 11 nlt). K.T. Sim

Visit go.odb.org/040326 to learn about Jesus and His atoning sacrifice.

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – How pilots responded when their jet engine erupted in fire

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A Good Friday reflection

Delta Flight 104, with 272 passengers and 14 crew, had just departed São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport on Sunday when flames shot out from its left engine. Passengers screamed for the pilots to “turn around” the jet. They immediately declared an emergency, shut down the affected engine, and circled back to the airport, landing safely shortly after departure.

Video from inside the cabin shows passengers erupting into applause and cheers when the aircraft came to a stop. No injuries were reported.

Imagine yourself inside that airplane. If you could speak to the pilots, what would you say to them today? A year from today?

Let’s come back to that thought and its Good Friday relevance in a moment.

I was once given a ticket for what the officer claimed was an illegal left turn. I disagreed, but an attorney convinced me that the chances of winning my argument in court were nil. So I paid a fine and received deferred adjudication. By avoiding another ticket for six months, I also avoided what is known as a “final conviction.”

This was by the grace of my attorney friend. He advised me prior to my hearing, drove me to the courthouse, pled my case before the judge, and negotiated the mercy I received. He would not let me pay him for his time.

What he did not do was die for me.

Imagine that I had committed a capital offense and had been sentenced to death, and that the court somehow allowed my friend to die in my place. In that case, his sacrifice would make logical sense. My penalty was death, so he died to pay it.

However, I was accused of committing an illegal left turn. For my friend to die to pay for my crime would make no logical sense at all.

This episode constitutes the entirety of my experience with our court system. I have never committed murder or otherwise done anything for which the sentence is death.

Why, then, in atoning for my sins, did Jesus have to die for them?

Why do we call this day “Good” Friday?

We call this day of Holy Week “Good Friday,” though I can assure you no one present on that day called it that. The earliest use of the title is in a text from around AD 1290. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that “good” in this context refers to “a day or season observed as holy by the church.” Others think the title is a version of “God’s Friday.”

Etymology aside, humanity has an excellent reason to call this day “good.”

On this day, Jesus “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). But why did he have to die to do so?

Sin cuts us off from the holy God who “gives to all mankind life and breath” (Acts 17:25; cf. Psalm 36:9; John 1:4) and leads eventually and ultimately to death (Romans 6:23). If you cut a flower from its roots, the flower will die.

The “debt” incurred by sin, therefore, must be paid by death—either ours or someone else’s on our behalf. But since every other human (except Jesus) has sinned as we have, they have their own debt to pay and cannot also pay ours (cf. Romans 3:23). If I have $100 and owe $100, I cannot use my money to pay your debt as well.

This is one reason the Gospels so adamantly demonstrate Jesus’ innocence with regard to his trials and conviction (cf. Luke 23:14–15; John 18:38). If he had committed sin, his death could not pay for our sins. But because he was “tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), he had no debt of his own to pay and thus could pay ours.

“God’s love and justice came together”

However, there was another option: Why could God not simply forgive our debt?

If you run into my car on the street, I can forgive you without requiring your death or even that you pay for the damages. Similarly, the judge in my case had the power to dismiss all charges. If he wished, he could simply have forgiven me for my alleged misdeeds.

But he could not do so and do his job. The policeman who issued my ticket was as convinced of my guilt as I was of my innocence. The judge had no way to satisfy the demands of justice while ignoring or forgiving my legal debt.

The Bible says that God is both love (1 John 4:8) and holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). With regard to our sins, how is he to be both? Billy Graham expressed God’s quandary this way:

If God were simply to forgive our sins without judging them, then there would be no justice, no accountability for wrongdoing. God would not be truly holy and just.

But if God were simply to judge us for our sins as we deserve, there would be no hope of salvation for any of us. His love would have failed to provide what we need.

Dr. Graham explained the answer: “The cross is the only way to resolve the problem of sin. At the cross, God’s love and justice came together.”

If the judge in my case had pronounced me guilty and then paid the fine himself, he would have been loving and just. There was no other logical way for him to be both.

“Unless there is a Good Friday in your life”

Imagine that someone died physically in your place. Perhaps a soldier shielded you from a grenade that would have killed you, or a police officer stepped in front of a bullet meant for you. Would you go a day of your life without remembering their sacrifice? If they somehow came back to life, what would you do to express your gratitude to them?

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen noted,

“Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.”

You and I will have all of eternity to thank Jesus for this day.

But remember, eternity starts today.

Quote for the day:

“If we want to know what God is like, let us look at Calvary.” —Robert E. Coleman

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Denison Forum

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Serving God’s Purpose

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 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns. 

—Luke 22:53

Scripture:

Luke 22:53 

One of the most maddening moments in the Garden of Gethsemane came when Jesus’ enemies finally arrived to arrest Him. Leading the way was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed the Lord. According to Luke 22:47, “Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss” (NLT).

The obvious question is “Why?” Judas Iscariot had followed Jesus for three years. He had listened to the Lord’s teachings. He had witnessed miracle after miracle. He had watched Jesus expose the hypocrisy of the very people he conspired with to betray Him.

So, why did Judas do it? The closest we get to an answer in Scripture is Luke 22:3, which says, “Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot” (NLT).

But that only leads to another obvious question. Why does God allow Satan to exist? In Job 1:7, Satan says, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on” (NLT). But he’s not a passive observer. He’s looking for trouble. He’s looking for lives to ruin. He’s looking for saints to stumble.

So, why does God allow him to carry on? Why doesn’t the Lord just take him out, as He could in a nanosecond? You might be surprised to learn that Satan, in his own twisted way, serves the purposes of God.

Consider how he unwittingly played a major role in the cross of Christ. In his enduring hatred for God’s Son, Satan thought it would be a great idea to have Jesus betrayed, arrested, beaten within an inch of His life, and then crucified and put to death on a Roman cross.

Everything went according to Satan’s plan. As Jesus told the mob who came to apprehend Him, “But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53 NLT).

The power of darkness did indeed reign that day, and Satan’s plan succeeded. But so did the plan of God. What the evil one didn’t realize was that it was God’s plan all along that the Messiah would die for the sins of the world. In the prophecy of Isaiah, we’re told, “It was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10 NIV).

Unaware that he was making the biggest blunder since his rebellion against God, Satan played into the plan and purpose of God when, in his rage and hatred, he prompted Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12–13).

Satan’s “best shot” against God and the people of God was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And in that act, he not only unwittingly sealed his own doom, but he also opened the door for Jesus to offer redemption and salvation to the whole world.

Remember, then, if you hold on to God and trust Him through the dark times, Satan’s best shots against you also will end up working for your good—and God’s glory.

Reflection Question: What is an example from your life when God used Satan’s attacks against you for your good and His glory? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – When Messiah Came

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” (Daniel 9:25)

This remarkable prophecy, given through the angel Gabriel to Daniel the prophet, actually predicted the date of the coming of Christ nearly 500 years in advance. From the announcement to the coming of the “Messiah the Prince,” there would be 69 “weeks” (literally “sevens,” meaning in this context “seven-year periods”). That is, the Messiah would come as the Prince 483 years after the commandment was given to rebuild Jerusalem. There is some uncertainty about the exact date of the decree as well as the exact length of these prophetic years, but in each calculation the termination date is at least near or, in some cases, exactly the time when Christ entered Jerusalem to be acknowledged as its promised King.

However, Gabriel’s prophecy went on to say, “And after [the] threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off” (Daniel 9:26). That is, although He would come as promised, instead of being gladly crowned as king, He would be slain. Since the 483-year period terminated long ago, it is clear that the Messiah must already have come and then been put to death at that time.

The terms of this remarkable prophecy have been precisely fulfilled in Jesus Christ alone, and no one coming later could have done so. It is no wonder that He wept over Jerusalem, pronouncing her coming judgment, “because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Luke 19:44).

We, like He, should weep and pray for Israel. Yet, in God’s omniscient planning, “through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles” (Romans 11:11), and in this we can rejoice. HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Can’t Drive a Parked Car

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Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word.

Psalm 119:133 (AMPC)

People often ask, “How do I know what God wants me to do with my life?” Some spend many years being totally immobile because they are waiting to hear a voice from heaven telling them what to do. My best advice to anyone in this position is to simply do something. Do what you think God might be calling you to do and if you make a mistake, He will help you correct it. Don’t spend your life so afraid of making a mistake that you never try to obey what you believe God has spoken to you. I like to say, you can’t drive a parked car. You need to be moving if you want God to show you which way to go. He has no need to say to you. “Turn left” if you are not going anywhere. But if you are moving, He can give you directions.

Let me insert a word of wisdom here. There are certainly times when we need to be still, wait on God, pray, and not take immediate action. But that does not apply to every situation. There are times when the only way we can discover God’s will is to get moving in a certain direction and let Him speak to us and lead us as we go. If you are going in the wrong direction, He ill close that door and open another one.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, give me courage to move forward in faith. Guide my steps, correct my mistakes, and help me trust that You will lead me as I obey and follow You, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Grace Rewires Your Heart 

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Play

Grace. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings and pre-meal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.

You turn the page of your Bible and look at the words. You might as well be gazing at a cemetery. Lifeless, stony, nothing moves you. But you don’t dare close the book, no sirree. You dare not miss a deed for fear that God will erase your name.

If that’s your feeling, grace can speak to you. God’s grace has a drenching about it. It comes after you. It re-wires you. From insecure to God-secure. From regret riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid to die to ready to fly. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20 (NKJV), “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  You might call it a heart transplant.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Grief Upon Grief

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Read Ruth 1:3–5

Many of us have experienced a season of “cumulative grief.” When one loss—of a loved one, a job, our health, our security—follows closely on the heels of another loss, the emotional burden is compounded, making it harder to heal.

In Ruth 1:3–5, we read about Naomi’s painful season of loss upon loss. Some commentators have called her the “female Job.” She lost the security of basic provisions and then her home in Bethlehem. She was living in a foreign, unfriendly land. Then she lost her husband—her partner and provider (v. 3).

This tragedy was only eased by the care of her two sons (v. 3) who married Moabite women, providing hope for a new generation (v. 4). Sadly, however, Mahlon and Kilion’s ten-year marriages to Orpah and Ruth were both marked by infertility before both sons also died (v. 5).

At the end of verse 5, the author returns to Naomi who “was left without her two sons and her husband.” We feel her isolation and loneliness. While the author delivers these details in a direct, staccato fashion, the original audience would have understood the devastating implications of Naomi’s situation.

She faced the harsh reality of living her aged years alone. She had lost the provision and protection of her husband and then her sons— perhaps the worst fate for an Israelite woman. There were not even any grandchildren to bring her joy. On top of that, the family of Elimelech faced annihilation. Ancient Israelite culture placed a high value on family lineage, so the loss of a family from existence was a great tragedy. Every good story hinges on a central dramatic question. So, we ask ourselves: Will Naomi be redeemed?

Go Deeper

Have you ever experienced a period of compounded loss? Or perhaps you’ve walked that road with someone else. How did you process that pain? Pray that our time in Ruth will encourage you for such a time.

Pray with Us

Lord, the story of Ruth gives us an example of what it means to suffer loss. As we face grief in our own lives, help us to lean on You, the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.Lamentations 3:18

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Our Defender

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

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:31-34

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

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

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

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

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Caring and Communion

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

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

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

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

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

Reflect & Pray

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

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

Today’s Insights

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

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

 

http://www.odb.org

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