Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Another Place

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[Peter] said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
Acts 12:17

Recommended Reading: Acts 12:5-17

The first twelve chapters of Acts concern Peter. In Acts 12, an angel freed him from prison, and he went to the home of John Mark and spoke to the disciples. Then he left for “another place.” Starting with chapter 13, the remainder of the book of Acts concerns the apostle Paul.

Where did Peter go? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but ancient traditions say John Mark led him from Jerusalem to a section of Egypt known as “Babylon” or “Old Cairo.” It was possibly the same place Joseph and Mary fled with the baby Jesus, beyond the reach of Herod. It was a place of refuge.1

We all need a place of refuge. Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” When we face trouble, we can retreat to our Refuge. He is always there, easily accessible. We have only to turn to Him. When everything else fails, there is still another place—His everlasting arms.

God will our strength and refuge prove, in all distress a present aid, and though the trembling earth remove, we will not fear or be dismayed.
The Presbyterian Psalter

  1. Thomas C. Oden, The African Memory of Mark (Downers Grove: IVP, 2011), 118-122.

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Joy from Jesus

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I will continue to rejoice. Philippians 1:18

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 1:18-21

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Today’s Devotion

Nancy’s cancer treatment caused so many ulcers in her mouth and throat that she couldn’t even swallow a piece of bread. She had to rely on milk to fill her stomach for many painful days. The only thing that brought a smile to the sixty-year-old’s face was the joy of knowing Jesus—and her grandsons. Being with them each week helped her to not dwell on her situation. “If not for the boys, I would have given up,” she said.

The apostle Paul also found joy in Jesus and others despite his difficulties. His joy came from Jesus and living for Him. Despite being imprisoned (Philippians 1:13), he found strength to encourage others. He spoke of the joy that came from partnering in sharing the good news about Jesus, and from knowing what awaited him upon death (vv. 3-5, 18, 20). That confidence enabled him to say, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (v. 21).

Paul could rejoice because Jesus was his life. His sense of contentment and security didn’t come from any possession or situation but from knowing he belonged to Christ. Thus, in a letter written in the worst of circumstances, he could say in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

May we find joy in Jesus, who loves us, cares for us, and gives us strength to rejoice in any circumstance.

Reflect & Pray

What challenging situation are you facing now? What difference does it make to know Jesus is always with you?

 

Please grant me the strength to press on and keep my eyes on You, dear Jesus, for Your presence brings me joy.

 

Today’s Insights

As Paul endured imprisonment, he knew that not all who taught the good news of Jesus did so with good motives. He noted how some “preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains” (Philippians 1:17). Yet he found joy even amid these personal offenses by never losing sight of his mission—preaching the good news of Jesus. By doing so, he exemplified the spirit of Christ, who embraced suffering in order to glorify His Father in heaven. Later in this letter, the apostle writes, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (3:10). In this life, we’ll face attacks that will offend us personally. Like Paul, we can find joy in our trials. They make us more like Christ.

For further study, read In His Presence.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Democratic National Committee deletes Memorial Day post

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One of the founding distinctives of Denison Ministries is that we are stridently nonpartisan. However, there are days when my Daily Article is criticized by those who thought I was too supportive of a particular politician or party and by those who thought I was too negative toward them—and both were responding to the same article.

Today may be one of those days.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth has condemned a Memorial Day social media post by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that featured the images and names of thirteen soldiers killed during the military conflict with Iran. The reason: the images were displayed under the words, “Remembering the Americans who have died in Trump’s war with Iran.”

Sen. Duckworth is a Purple Heart recipient who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm when the helicopter she was piloting was hit by an RPG in Iraq. She said of the post, “It is incredibly distasteful to use our heroic dead for a political attack on Memorial Day. I’m a Democrat and I condemn this post by the DNC.”

After similar criticism on both sides of the aisle, the DNC deleted the post.

A “reign of terror created by false alarms”

If you’re a Democrat, right now you want me to cite examples of Republicans committing similar acts of partisan politicization. If you’re a Republican, you want me to offer more examples of Democrats doing the same. If you’re neither, you’re shrugging your shoulders, condemning both sides, and hoping I’ll move on.

If only I could.

It would be one thing if the bitter partisanship of our day were limited to contemporary politicians and political parties, but such rancor is as old as contested elections in American history.

In 1796, supporters of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson lambasted the other side in editorials and other campaign tactics. In 1800, the rhetoric got even worse. One of Jefferson’s supporters warned that if Adams were reelected, the nation would be “divided without a cause” under a “reign of terror created by false alarms to promote domestic feud and foreign war.” Ministers supporting Adams, in turn, accused Jefferson of being an atheist and warned that his views would lead to unchecked vice in the infant nation and the judgment of God.

From then until now, politics in America have often been practiced on a level approaching religious fervor. Our next election season begins as soon as the last election is over. Our era of 24/7 news coverage, social media, and narrated algorithms turns up the heat even further.

But there’s another factor at work, one that transcends politics and is vital to us all.

“Compromise begins to resemble betrayal”

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal is titled “The Gospel According to Karl Marx.” Author and filmmaker Robert Orlando writes: “Marx argued that modern economic life had produced alienation—workers estranged from the products of their labor, from one another, and ultimately from themselves,” creating what The Communist Manifesto calls “the history of class struggles.”

Orlando, therefore, notes:

When politics adopts the structure of salvation history, it inherits the moral intensity of religion while losing its restraints. Opponents are no longer merely mistaken but obstacles to history’s inevitable future. Compromise begins to resemble betrayal.

This mindset explains why Marxist critical theory has so inflamed its adherents against Israel, evangelicals, and anyone perceived to be “oppressing” the “oppressed.” Politics becomes the means of secular “salvation” and a zero-sum game in which any means are justified by the ends.

However, such secularization of salvation predates Marx in America by generations.

“He it is that bears much fruit”

Our founding declaration famously claimed that all people are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Note the next sentence: “To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The Founders believed that the government they were creating could “secure” rights endowed by our Lord.

Can any secular system fulfill this promise?

The Founders knew their secular government could flourish only if its practitioners possessed character that their system could not produce. John Adams spoke for many with his observation, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Absent godly character, our politics have been and will always be ungodly. The same is true of business, law, and any other relational vocation. What Robert Orlando observed regarding Karl Marx’s worldview is true of all secularism: its concepts “can’t produce justice on their own, because justice depends on the moral character of the persons who act within those systems.”

Here we find yet another reason we need the intimate, transformational relationship with the living Christ we’ve been discussing this week. Our Lord was clear: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, my italics).

Which outcome do you choose for yourself today?

Quote for the day:

“Holiness, as taught in the Scriptures, is not based upon knowledge on our part. Rather, it is based upon the resurrected Christ indwelling us and changing us into his likeness.” —A. W. Tozer

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Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Our Heavenly Father

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 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 

—2 Corinthians 1:3–5

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 

In Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who is called away to a distant empire. Before he leaves on his extended journey, he entrusts several of his servants with an amount of silver to invest while he’s gone. When he returns from his journey, the nobleman asks each servant to give an account of his investment and profit.

The first servant reports a profit of ten times the initial investment. The second servant reports a profit of five times the initial investment. “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant’” (verses 20–21 NLT).

The third servant showed no sense of regret and no sorrow over his lack of productivity. More tellingly, he blamed his boss for his shortcomings.

Many people today take the same approach to life. They look for scapegoats for their own shortcomings. They make excuses for their failure by saying, “I had bad teachers” or “I had bad bosses” or “I had bad parents.” And in many cases, they lay the blame at the feet of God Himself. They claim that He’s too harsh, too distant, too demanding, too mysterious, or too something else.

  1. W. Tozer once said, “Nothing twists and deforms a soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God.” Our view of God affects everything we do in life. If we have a warped view of Him, it will alter the way we perceive the world and poison the way we respond to the events in our life.

I never had a dad growing up, but I have known my heavenly Father for quite a while now. And I can tell you this: He has always dealt with me in love and has never been inconsistent. I don’t always understand or agree with what my Father in Heaven does. But I submit to Him because I know that He’s looking out for my best interests.

How do I know? His Word leaves little room for doubt. The apostle Paul wrote, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:3–5 NLT).

Our heavenly Father knows what’s ultimately best for us. We can and should trust Him with our lives.

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

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Never Too Late

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42–43)

One of the two thieves on the cross continued in unbelief right up until the time he died (Luke 23:39), but the second repented and believed unto salvation. The one assures us that no one need despair, since it is always possible to accept Christ at any time before death. The other warns us, on the other hand, that no one should presume. Long-continued rebellion against God is likely to become so fixed in one’s character that sincere repentance may become impossible.

The repentant thief, beholding Christ and hearing the first of the seven so-called “words from the cross” (Luke 23:34), came to believe that Jesus truly was Lord and that He could, indeed, grant forgiveness and salvation.

The penitent thief had no opportunity to be baptized, to change his lifestyle, or to do anything whatever except repent, believe on Christ, and confess his faith (Romans 10:9–10). And that was sufficient!

Both thieves would die that day, and the soul of the unrepentant thief would soon descend into Hades, there to await condemnation at the future judgment day. The other, because of his trust in Christ, would go with Him to paradise.

The tragedy is that far too many people, assuring themselves that it is never too late, keep waiting until it becomes forever too late! “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). The overwhelming majority of people who come to trust in Christ for salvation do so when they are young. Very few come to the Lord when they are old or about to die. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Access God’s Presence Through Jesus

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And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed out His life. And the curtain [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Mark 15:37-38 (AMPC)

When Jesus died, the temple veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn from the top to the bottom (Mark 15:37-38).

That opened a way for anyone to go into God’s presence. Prior to Jesus’ death, only the high priest could go into God’s presence and then only once a year with the blood of slain animals, to cover and atone for his sins and the sins of the people.

It is significant that the tear in the veil of the temple was from top to bottom. The veil, or curtain, was so high and so thick that no human could have torn it—it was torn supernaturally by the power of God showing that He was opening a new and living way for His people to approach Him, as we read in today’s verse.

From the beginning, God has desired fellowship with man; that was His purpose in creating us. He never wanted to close people off from His presence, but He knew that His holiness was so powerful that it would destroy anything unholy that came near it. Therefore, the way for sinners to be completely cleansed had to be provided prior to man’s having access to God’s presence.

We are in the world, but we are not to be of the world (John 17:14–6). Our worldliness and earthly ways separate us from God’s presence and can keep us from hearing His voice. Unless we are constantly receiving by faith the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood to keep us clean, we cannot enjoy intimacy and come into proper fellowship with God.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for making a way for me to come into Your presence. Help me walk in purity, receive Your grace, and grow closer to You each day, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – What Jesus Celebrates 

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In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories of something lost and something found. A lost sheep. A lost coin. And a lost son.  At the end of each story, Jesus describes a celebration. The point is clear. Jesus is happiest when the lost are found.

Jesus rejoices because he knows what awaits the saved. In Heaven, you will at long last, have a heart just like his. Guiltless. Fearless. Tirelessly worshiping. Flawlessly discerning. Jesus also rejoices that we are saved from hell.  He says there’s only one sound there, and that is the “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Every person you meet has been given an invitation to dinner.  When one says yes, celebrate!  When one hesitates, urge him to get ready. You don’t want anyone to miss the party.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – God Commands Justice

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Read Numbers 31

Most of the decisions we make each day have consequences. In the military, those stakes are high. A key part of a commander’s job is to make decisive action after evaluating all the costs. A heavy weight of righteous judgment often falls on those called to lead.

This sobering reality emerges in Numbers 31, one of Scripture’s most challenging passages, where God commands Israel to execute divine judgment against the Midianites who had led them into devastating sin at Peor. The chapter opens with God’s direct command to Moses: “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people” (v. 1). This was divine justice executed through Israel. Moses responds by commissioning the army: “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the LORD’s vengeance on them” (v. 3).

The Midianites had orchestrated Israel’s fall into sexual immorality and idolatry at Baal Peor (Num. 25), causing a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. Their actions were deliberate attempts to destroy God’s covenant people through spiritual corruption. The military campaign succeeded completely, but Moses became angry when the army spared the women who had seduced Israel into sin (vv. 15–16). The passage reveals uncomfortable truths about God’s justice—sometimes it requires total elimination of corrupting influences to protect the innocent.

The detailed instructions for purification afterward (vv. 19–24) show this wasn’t casual violence but sacred duty requiring careful cleansing. The distribution of plunder according to precise guidelines (vv. 25–47) demonstrates God’s concern for justice even in judgment.

Go Deeper

As New Testament believers, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. God calls us to stand firm in His strength, and He never sends us into battle alone. What battle are you fighting today?

Pray with Us

King Jesus, there is so much injustice in our world, so much that causes us to worry. It makes us long for Your return. Remind us that You see all, know all, and rule over all. We can trust in You!

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.Psalm 89:14

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Praise the Lord!

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Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6

Recommended Reading: Psalm 150

  1. Sidlow Baxter wrote, “Our Lord is not a fair-weather companion only. When the dark hour comes, when the storm beats about us, when the grievous blow falls, He is the Friend that sticks closer than a brother…. Our Lord is not merely a distant spectator of our concerns, far removed from us in a far-off sky. He is a present help.”

When we truly grasp the nearness of God and His involvement in even the smallest concerns in life, we’re empowered to lift up our hearts and lungs in praise. We often rely on God during difficult times, but do we also remember that He’s there during the good times as well? He’s with us in the ups and downs, and we should take time during both to praise Him for that. Are things going well for you? Praise the Lord; He is a God who sends our blessings! Are things difficult right now? Praise the Lord; He is a God who bears our burdens.

Let everything on earth praise the Lord!

Most certainly is He the helper of His people and their cause considered collectively: but He is more than the God of the multitude. Each of His people may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper.”
J. Sidlow Baxter

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Acting with Integrity

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The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy. Proverbs 12:22

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 12:13-23

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Today’s Devotion

In a moment of distraction, Sarah unknowingly dropped her diamond engagement ring into a homeless man’s cup. Billy Ray, the panhandler who was given the ring, had it appraised and considered selling it. But he chose honesty and returned it to Sarah when she came back a few days later. Sarah and her husband set up a fund so donations could be made to help Billy Ray, which led to an outpouring of generosity from others. Billy Ray received financial and legal counsel and was eventually able to buy a home. He was also reunited with his long-lost family.

When we practice integrity, we please God and inspire others. Solomon says God delighted in his integrity: “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22). He uses strong language to describe God’s view of dishonesty—He detests it. When God’s people lie or “deceit is in [their] hearts” (v. 20), it defies Him and goes against His character. In contrast, when His people have “truthful lips” (v. 19) and deal faithfully, it brings Him joy. So treating others well is more than just telling the truth—it reflects God’s own character. And in a world where deception can seem profitable, our integrity is something He “delights in” (v. 22).

Let’s commit to act with integrity as God helps us. Even if the world doesn’t notice, He’s delighted when we walk in His ways.

Reflect & Pray

How does being trustworthy reflect God’s character? How will you live out integrity today?

Dear God, please teach me to live out integrity before You and others.

Today’s Insights

In Proverbs 12, Solomon says that our words and actions demonstrate what’s in our heart. He gives a severe warning that God “detests lying lips” but “delights in people who are trustworthy” (v. 22). He “detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him” (11:1). He “hates” pride, falsehood, and duplicity (6:16-19).

Likewise, Jesus said that a person’s speech will show what’s in one’s heart (Luke 6:45). God desires for us to honor Him with our lives. Believers in Christ want to be able to say, “We have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with [fellow believers], with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace” (2 Corinthians 1:12). The Spirit can help us live with integrity. Even if the world doesn’t notice, God will.

Discover more about managing God’s trust.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Paraglider gets clipped by plane and her video goes viral

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When I read this story this morning, I knew I needed to write on it, but not for the reasons you might think.

Last Saturday, a paraglider in Austria was floating along when a Cessna 172 flew overhead and shredded her sail to pieces. The woman, identified on social media only as Sabrina, began spinning and plummeted to the earth. Somehow, she was able to pull her emergency chute and landed relatively unharmed.

In the caption of her now-viral selfie video, Sabrina writes that May 23 will always be like a second birthday to her, since she knows how lucky she is to be alive.

I have no way to connect personally with her experience, since heights and I are not friends. (When I fly, I read the entire time and pretend we’re on the ground.) Nor have I had the privilege of visiting Austria. And the next selfie video I record that goes viral will be my first.

But like Sabrina, I have had a second birthday. If you are a born-again believer, the same is true for you.

The key to the Christian life is to experience every day what we experienced on that day.

Why I won’t celebrate Rosh Hashanah

My editor makes the Daily Article possible, not only with her excellent editorial work each morning but also by handling the technology that posts the article to the website and distributes it via email. Yesterday, she and I were discussing my Memorial Day article and the fact that so many Americans seem to have lost the purpose of the day.

She and her husband have a theory: Much less of the population today knows someone who died for our country. Between World War II and Vietnam, there was a day when nearly everyone knew someone who had served, and many knew someone who had died in the service. Today, both are much less common experiences, and it’s harder to commemorate something with which we don’t have a personal relationship.

I think she’s right, and not just with regard to Memorial Day.

  • Eid al-Adha is a major Islamic holiday, honoring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. However, I will not take part when it begins tomorrow, because I am not a Muslim.
  • Saga Dawa Düchen is the holiest day of the year for Tibetan Buddhists. However, I will not take part when it is observed this Friday, because I am not a Buddhist.
  • Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. However, I will not take part when it is observed this September, because I am not Jewish.

If I lived in a nation that celebrated these holidays, I would want to find ways to participate that align with my Christian worldview. It is therefore unsurprising that secular Americans would find secular ways to celebrate Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. And it is unsurprising that Americans with no personal connection to those who died in military service to our nation would be less motivated to honor their memory in personal ways.

This principle is highly relevant not just to our culture but to our souls.

“Remember what you are saved for”

The purpose of Christianity is nothing less than reversing the Fall and restoring us to the image of God in Christ. Oswald Chambers noted, “Remember what you are saved for—that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh.” C. S. Lewis likewise noted in Mere Christianity:

The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons… are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.

Being “born again” is therefore only the beginning of the Christian life (John 3:7). Like a spiritual baby, we are intended to grow in Christ (2 Peter 3:18) until we become like Christ (Romans 8:29). And we become like Christ by walking with Christ, living in intimate fellowship with our Savior every day, abiding in him as branches abide in the vine (John 15:5).

Being religious is not enough. Paul warned Timothy about “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). The “appearance of godliness” changes nothing; the power of God changes everything (cf. Zechariah 4:6).

We can expect secular Americans to reject Christianity unless they see Christ in us (Colossians 1:27). If we offer only one more religion among many, why would irreligious people be interested? If our faith does not change our lives, why would they expect it to change theirs?

But if we walk in intimate fellowship with the living Lord Jesus every day, others will see Christ in us. We will demonstrate his character and compassion, speaking his truth and manifesting his love, and they cannot be the same. Some will reject us as they rejected him, but multitudes will be drawn to our Lord (cf. Matthew 8:1; 15:30).

And our lives will be restored to the purpose for which they are intended, with the abundant joy known only to those who are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

“There is only one relationship that matters”

I’ll close with my favorite paragraph from My Utmost for His Highest, where Oswald Chambers noted:

There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill his purpose through your life.

Then he added, “One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life.” While I appreciate his wisdom, I would change “may be” to “is.”

Do you agree?

Quote for the day:

“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.” —Elisabeth Elliot

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Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Importance of Hardship

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 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

—2 Corinthians 12:8–10

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 12:8–10 

Very few people have ever been given a vision of Heaven. Imagine the impact such a vision would have on someone. It isn’t hard to envision a scenario in which such a privilege caused someone to become a little arrogant.

Imagine sitting around with a group of people who were talking about where they went for vacation. “We went to Hawaii.” “We went to Tahiti.” “We went to Italy.”

Can you picture the apostle Paul, sitting back, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to trump them all? “I went to Heaven.”

“Heaven? Are you talking about Heavenly Valley, that ski resort near Tahoe?”

“No, I’m talking about Heaven—the place of eternal reward.”

“Uh huh. And what was it like?”

“I can’t really explain it. But it was better than where you went.”

But Paul didn’t get arrogant about his experience because God initiated a plan to keep him from being filled with pride. Paul described it this way: “So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud” (2 Corinthians 12:7 NLT). He doesn’t say what the thorn in his flesh was. All we know is that it was troublesome enough for Paul to pray to be rid of it.

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8–10 NLT).

Often, we imagine that we’re at our best when we operate from a position of strength—bold, confident, unshakable, and impervious to trials and tribulations. We convince ourselves that we’re most effective after we’ve cleared the obstacles from our path and overcome our infirmities.

God sees it a different way. He prefers that we operate from a position of weakness so that His strength is unmistakable. He wants us to rely on Him so that others can see us rely on Him so that they will rely on Him, too.

That’s why He allowed hardship in Paul’s life. And that’s why He allows hardship in our lives. Hardship makes people usable in God’s kingdom, if we recognize that hardship for what it is.

Reflection question: How can you respond to a current hardship in your life in a way that makes you usable in God’s kingdom? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Jesus Is the Savior

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10)

For centuries, the message of the gospel was presented in drama through the sacrificial system instituted through Moses. Obviously, Moses did not invent the concept of an innocent blood sacrifice. God Himself performed the initial atonement when He made coverings for Adam and Eve with the skins of animals that the Creator Himself killed and prepared for them (Genesis 3:21).

Abel brought the “more excellent sacrifice,” but Cain tried “another gospel” and was rejected (Genesis 4:3–5). After the Flood, “Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20). Abraham and Jacob offered animal sacrifices to the Lord in recognition of their subservience to Him and in obedience to the instructions they were given (Genesis 12:7; 46:1).

When Moses received the law from the hand of God on Mount Sinai, the entire system of sacrifices was centered around a male “lamb without blemish” (Leviticus 1:10; 23:12). This was the Passover lamb that became the symbol of God’s deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:21) and was directly applied to the Lord Jesus as “our passover” who was “sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Of all the names given to the Lord Jesus, it is the Lamb title that stands out so strongly when referencing the sacrifice He made. John the Baptist called out, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and it is the “Lamb that was slain” who is worthy to “receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:12). HMM III

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Keep Yourself Calm

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Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked.

Psalm 94:12-13 (AMPC)

God disciplines those He loves (Proverbs 3:12 NIV), and we should appreciate and submit to His discipline. Discipline is not a bad thing; it is our friend because it teaches us the right way to live so we can enjoy the blessings Jesus died to give us.

Our scripture for today says that God will keep working with us through discipline and instruction until we learn to stay calm in adversity, while we wait for God to deal with our enemies.

For years I was up and down emotionally. If my circumstances were good, I was up, and if they were bad, I was down. This was very tiring, and it was not a good example to anyone around me.

I finally learned that being discouraged or depressed when facing trouble and difficulty doesn’t do any good. It never solves the problem. But if we put our trust in God and continue enjoying life in the midst of our problems, we defeat the devil and our breakthrough comes. Instead of feeling guilty or angry when God disciplines and instructs you, be thankful that He loves you enough to take the time to do it.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me welcome Your discipline and trust Your correction. Teach me to stay steady in every circumstance and grow stronger as You guide me in truth, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Outlook of Christ 

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Jesus said, “Your eyes are windows into your body.  If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light.  If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar.”

In Gethsemane, Jesus faced betrayal on all levels.  The disciples ran away.  The people rejected him.  And God didn’t answer his anguished appeal to avoid “the cup of suffering.” So, what did Christ do? He found enough good in the face of Judas to call him friend, and he can help us do the same with those who hurt us.  He found purpose in the pain, seeing it as a necessary part of God’s greater plan.

Wouldn’t you love to have a hope-filled heart?  God never promises to remove us from our struggles.  He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Keeping Our Word

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Read Numbers 29:12–30:16

In 2019, entrepreneur Sara Blakely made headlines when she pledged half her fortune to charity through the Giving Pledge. What struck many wasn’t just her generous impulse, but her follow-through. Blakely understood that a public commitment carries weight and creates accountability. Acting with integrity means we do what we say.

In Numbers 29:12–30:16, God transitions from detailing festival offerings to establishing laws about vows and commitments. The passage reveals how seriously God takes our promises and the binding nature of our words. The section begins with the Feast of Tabernacles, requiring elaborate sacrifices over seven days. This festival celebrated God’s provision during Israel’s wilderness journey and required their most generous offering of the year—a total of 70 bulls over the week. But immediately following these corporate celebrations, God addresses individual commitments through Moses: “When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said” (30:2). The transition isn’t accidental—both community worship and personal integrity matter to God.

Here God establishes several important principles. A man’s word was considered absolutely binding—no exceptions, no escape clauses. For women, the passage acknowledges the social structures of ancient Israel while still holding vows sacred, with provisions for fathers or husbands to nullify unrealistic commitments made in haste (30:3–15). The underlying principle transcends cultural context: Our words matter to God. God expects us to honor what we say. Jesus affirms this in the New Testament: “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’” (Matt. 5:37).

Go Deeper

Are you a person of your word? Do you remember a time when you failed to keep a promise? What happened as a result?

Pray with Us

Dear God, Guard our words. Help us speak only what is pleasing to You. And, as we are reminded in today’s reading, let us be people who keep our promises. You are the perfect example, our Promise Keeper!

When a man makes a vow to the LORD…he must not break his word.Numbers 30:2

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Grace for a Lifetime

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Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:4-5

Recommended Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23

In the New Testament era, the most prominent theme is the grace of God—encompassing love, mercy, and forgiveness. But it is important to remember that God is our Father who is willing to discipline His children when the need arises (Hebrews 12:5-13).

There are two aspects of discipline which need to be viewed differently. One is in the form of correction for sin as seen in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32—discipline in the form of punishment. The other is discipline for the purpose of training during times of hardship: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children” (Hebrews 12:7, NIV). For His children, God’s discipline—regardless of the reason—is temporary. But His grace is never-ending: “His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life.” As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, God’s compassions never fail—“they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

If God has you in training, remember: It is only temporary. His grace and compassions fail not.

Discipline is a proof of sonship.
John Blanchard

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Finding Rest

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I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:5

Today’s Scripture

2 Samuel 15:23-27, 29-31

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

“Tactical napping” is a series of guidelines for soldiers for effective, ten to thirty minutes of sleep. While experiencing a rush of adrenaline, loneliness, or anxiety, sleep-deprived soldiers may not be able to relax. Tips include using earplugs and reading before bed. They’re even offered military-grade, caffeinated chewing gum to reduce grogginess after a nap.

It’s when we most need rest that it’s often difficult to find. King David experienced this after fleeing into the wilderness to escape his son Absalom’s treason. David and his followers wept aloud at his betrayal with their heads covered in mourning (2 Samuel 15:30-31). In fact, “the whole countryside wept aloud” (v. 23). It was around this time that David cried out, “Lord, how many are my foes!” (Psalm 3:1). Perhaps thinking about past troubled nights, however, David continued, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear” (vv. 5-6). David realized that God, not Absalom, was in charge of his situation. David even sent the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem, acknowledging that the future was fully in God’s hands (2 Samuel 15:25-26).

Sleep feels especially fleeting when we’re facing adversity in our waking hours, but it’s a good reminder of how many things are outside our control. Yet God sustains us and, as we trust Him, He can help us lie down in peace.

Reflect & Pray

What keeps you from true rest? How can your surrender to God produce peace?

Dear God, thank You for keeping watch while I sleep and when I wake.

Today’s Insights

As David fled Jerusalem, his enemy Shimei hurled stones and cursed at him (2 Samuel 16:5-8). David’s warrior Abishai wanted to kill Shimei, but the king wouldn’t permit it (vv. 9-11). Instead, he trusted God to “restore to [him] his covenant blessing” (v. 12). Despite Shimei’s abuse, “The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself” (v. 14). This is the setting for David’s psalm: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me” (Psalm 3:5). No matter our circumstances, we can find rest in God.

When God created mankind, He designed us with the necessity to rest.

 

http://www.odb.org

Uncategorized

Denison Forum – “The last full measure of devotion”

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A Memorial Day reflection on our nation and our souls

Christians are used to our religious holidays being preempted for secular purposes. In American culture, Easter is more about colored eggs and bunnies than the empty tomb and risen Lord. Thanksgiving is more about food and football than faith and gratitude. Christmas is more about the coming of Santa Claus than the coming of Jesus Christ.

Other religions have not suffered such a fate in our society. Many Muslims begin their Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca today, but no revision of this “pillar” of Islam has emerged in secular society. Observant Jews completed Shavuot last Saturday, commemorating the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai, but there is no secular version.

Nonetheless, it is unsurprising that Christian holy days would become secular holidays in a post-Christian and even anti-Christian culture. But we should be surprised that even a secular holiday has been secularized as well.

Continue reading Denison Forum – “The last full measure of devotion” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Heaven Is Real

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 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. 

—2 Corinthians 12:2–4

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 

In this week’s devotions, we’re going to focus on passages from the apostle Paul’s second letter to the believers in Corinth. And we’re going to start with a familiar passage, one we looked at briefly in last week’s devotions. We’re going to focus on Paul’s account of his vision of Heaven in 2 Corinthians 12.

Countless books and passages have been written about Heaven, many from people who claim to have experienced the afterlife and then returned to tell the tale. Obviously, most of these accounts must be taken with a grain of salt. There are a few, however, that deserve our attention because they’re found in God’s Word, the ultimate source of truth.

One thing these passages have in common is the difficulty their authors have in describing what they see.

Here’s just one of the things the apostle John wrote about his experience: “Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.’ And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow” (Revelation 4:1–3 NLT).

It appears human words are insufficient to fully capture the heavenly reality. And make no mistake, Heaven is a reality. It’s not a metaphor. It’s not a symbolic place. It’s not a state of mind. Heaven is real.

Like John, Paul was given a glimpse of Heaven and lived to write about it. “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NLT).

The word paradise he uses to describe Heaven occurs in two other places in the New Testament. One is found in Jesus’ words to the criminal on the cross next to Him: “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NLT). The other is found in Revelation 2:7 to describe the future dwelling place of believers.

Both passages refer to an actual place. Heaven is real.

Reflection question: What are your takeaways from the biblical descriptions of Heaven? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

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