Daily Archives: May 18, 2013

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Charles Stanley – Benefits of Having the Holy Spirit

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John 16:5-22

The disciples were blessed to be in Jesus’ inner circle—can you imagine the countless benefits they enjoyed from listening to His teaching and watching Him do supernatural wonders? Perhaps you’ve wished you, too, could have lived in those days and walked the dusty roads with Him. From our present perspective, we can’t conceive of anything greater than seeing Jesus in person.

Since that’s exactly how the disciples felt, we can understand why they were saddened when He announced that He was returning to His Father in heaven. But He promised to send them a Helper—and even said that it was to their advantage that He was leaving so the Spirit could come. Today, we live in the era of the indwelling Holy Spirit, but do we really understand the advantages we have because of His presence in our lives?

Although we can’t see Jesus face to face, we can have an even more intimate relationship with Him because we carry His Holy Spirit within our bodies. One of the Spirit’s tasks is to disclose the things of Jesus. If we need wisdom and insight, He’s ready to provide it whenever we read God’s Word. He’s also the one who unleashes power in our lives—the same divine power Christ used to accomplish His Father’s will.

Despite such wonderful advantages, many believers never sense the Spirit’s presence or access the insight and power available to them. Is God’s Holy Spirit your intimate companion, guide, and helper, or is He merely some vague Christian concept? Don’t neglect this treasure—understand that almighty God lives within you!

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Our Daily Bread — True Hospitality

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Revelation 22:16-21

Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. —Revelation 22:17

In 1987, our family moved to California to take up the pastorate of a church in the Long Beach area. The day we flew into town, my secretary picked us up at the airport to take us to our house. As we pulled into traffic, the very first thing I saw was a bumper sticker that read: “Welcome To California . . . Now Go Home!” It was not exactly a warm and cheery welcome to sunny southern California!

I wonder if there might be occasions in our lives when we send similar signals to people around us. Whether we are at church, in the neighborhood, or at social gatherings, are there times when we fail to make others feel welcome in our world?

In Romans 12:13, Paul instructed his readers to be “given to hospitality.” The book of Hebrews goes even further, saying, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels” (13:2). By showing gracious kindness to those who come our way, we echo the Savior’s invitation for salvation, which declares, “Let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

To show someone loving hospitality just might be the first step in showing that person the way to heaven. —Bill Crowder

Give as ’twas given to you in your need;

Love as the Master loved you;

Be to the helpless a helper indeed;

Unto your mission be true. —Wilson

Live so that when people get to know you, they will want to get to know Christ.

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Charles Spurgeon – God alone the salvation of His people

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“He only is my rock and my salvation.” Psalm 62:2

Suggested Further Reading: Mark 9:1-8

If God alone is our rock, and we know it, are we not bound to put all our trust in God, to give all our love to God, to set all our hope upon God, to spend all our life for God, and to devote our whole being to God? If God be all I have, sure, all I have shall be God’s. If God alone is my hope, sure, I will put all my hope upon God; if the love of God is alone that which saves, sure, he shall have my love alone. Come, let me talk to thee, Christian, for a little while, I want to warn thee not to have two Gods, two Christs, two friends, two husbands, two great Fathers; not to have two fountains, two rivers, two suns, or two heavens, but to have only one. I want to bid thee now, as God hath put all salvation in himself, to bring all thyself unto God. Come, let me talk to thee! In the first place, Christian, never join anything with Christ. Wouldest thou stitch thy old rags into the new garment he giveth? Wouldest thou put new wine into old bottles? Wouldst thou put Christ and self together? Thou mightest as well yoke an elephant and an ant; they could never plough together. What! Wouldest thou put an archangel in the same harness with a worm, and hope that they would drag thee through the sky! How inconsistent! How foolish! What! Thyself and Christ? Sure, Christ would smile; nay, Christ would weep, to think of such a thing! Christ and man together? Christ and Co? No, it never shall be; he will have nothing of the sort; he must be all. Note how inconsistent it would be to put anything else with him.

For meditation: What candidates for an equal share of the devotion due only to the Triune God do you face? Give them the same answer as Jesus gave Satan (Matthew 4:10).

Sermon no. 80

18 May (1856)

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John MacArthur – Avoiding Prejudice

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The twelve apostles included “Bartholomew [Nathanael]” (Matt. 10:3).

Prejudice is an uncalled-for generalization based on feelings of superiority. It is an ugly sin that has fueled hatred and conflicts for centuries, dividing entire nations and bringing untold misery. But prejudice is most damning when it blinds people to God’s Word. The prophet Jonah was so prejudiced against the Assyrians, he refused to go to Nineveh to preach to them. Even after God convinced him to obey, he wanted to die because the people of Nineveh had repented and God had spared them.

Prejudice also reared its ugly head in Nathanael, whose last name was Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai”). John 1:45-46 says, “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?'” Nathanael was a student of the Word and was looking for the Messiah, but he couldn’t understand how Messiah could come from Nazareth.

Nazareth lay on the fringes of the Jewish world–the last stop before Gentile territory. Perhaps the people of Cana, Nathanael’s hometown, were more refined and educated than the people of Nazareth. Whatever the cause, Nathanael’s perspective seemed to be that nothing but trouble could come out of Nazareth.

Prejudice has blinded many people to the gospel. The Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus because He didn’t fit their idea of a Messiah, wasn’t from Jerusalem, and wasn’t trained in their synagogues. Fortunately Nathanael’s desire for truth overpowered his prejudice and he came to Jesus.

Perhaps you have family or friends who are resisting the gospel because of prejudice. If so, don’t be discouraged and don’t give up! Jesus broke through Nathanael’s prejudice and redeemed him, and He has done the same for millions of others.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Pray for those you know who are blinded by prejudice, asking God to open their spiritual eyes to His truth.

Confess any prejudice you might have in your own heart.

For Further Study:

Practicing unity and humility is the best way to overcome prejudice within the Body of Christ. Read Ephesians 4:1-6 and Philippians 2:1-8.

What attitudes did Paul encourage? Discourage?

Who is the example we’re to follow of humble service on behalf of others?

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Joyce Meyer – Our Confidence Is in Jesus

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I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. —Philippians 4:13

Satan does not want you to fulfill God’s plan for your life because he knows that you are part of his ultimate defeat. If he can make you think and believe that you are incapable, then you will not even try to accomplish anything worthwhile.

Even if you do make an effort, your fear of failure will seal your defeat, which, because of your lack of confidence, you probably expected from the beginning. This is what is often referred to as the “failure syndrome.” The devil wants you and me to feel so bad about ourselves that we have no confidence in ourselves.

But here is the good news: We do not need confidence in ourselves—we need confidence In Jesus! I have confidence in myself only because I know that Christ is in me, ever present and ready to help me with everything that I attempt to do for Him.

A believer without confidence is like a jumbo jet parked on the runway with no fuel; it looks good on the outside but has no power on the inside. With Jesus inside us, we have the power to do what we could never do on our own.

Once you learn this truth, when the devil lies and says, “You can’t do anything right,” your response to him can be, “Perhaps not, but Jesus in me can; and He will, because I am relying on Him and not on myself. He will cause me to succeed in everything that I put my hand to” (See Joshua 1:7).

Or should the enemy say to you, “You’re not able to do this, so don’t even try, because you will only fail again, just as you have in the past,” your response can be, “It is true that without Jesus I am not able to do one single thing, but with Him and in Him I can do all that I need to do” (see Philippians 4:13).

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Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Best Counsel

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“The godly man is a good counselor because he is just and fair and knows right from wrong” (Psalm 37:30,31).

Mary had gone to several psychologists and psychiatrists, and even religious leaders, seeking help, but no one had been able to help her. Consequently, she had been committed to a mental institution. Now, in desperation her family had come to seek help.

It did not take long to discover the root of her problem – she was plagued with a deep sense of guilt. Mary had been sexually promiscuous as a teenager, and prior to that she had been violated by her step-father who had taken advantage of her when she was a very young girl.

All of this tormented her greatly, but no one had taken her to the Word of God to help her understand that she did not have to carry the burden of her own sin. There is forgiveness. Scripture teaches that if we confess our sins, God is waiting to forgive and cleanse us.

There are three things we need to know about confession. First, the word “confess” means, in the original Greek language, “to agree with.” If I agree with God concerning my immorality, stealing, dishonesty, whatever it may be, I am saying, “Lord, I know it is sin.” Second, we know from Scripture that Christ has paid the penalty for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross. And third, we must repent, which means we change our attitude toward that sin. This results in a change of action. When we do this, we have the promise that what we confess, God forgives, and He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

When Mary understood the truth of God’s promise, she and I knelt together and by faith she surrendered all of her guilt and frustration to Christ, who died for her, and she claimed God’s forgiveness.

Only God could liberate her from the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and bring her into kingdom of light – the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mary sensed God’s immediate liberation and began to rejoice in the assurance of forgiveness and eternal life with Christ. She became a radiant, joyful and victorious witness for our Savior.

Bible Reading: Psalm 37:22-40

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Not only will I seek the counsel of godly men and women, but I will, with God’s help, become a godly person myself. I will saturate my mind with the truth of His holy Scripture, so that I will know what is right and wrong according to the Word of God, and I will then be able to give wise counsel to others.

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Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Uniquely Equipped

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Every lighthouse is unique, but do you know why? Sail along any seaboard, and you’ll find lighthouses of every size and shape – with each of them painted in a different configuration. More importantly, in darkness an experienced mariner can identify a lighthouse by its light pattern. The invention of the Fresnel lens in 1822 allowed keepers to display an unlimited number of flashing combinations and colors. This is critical because a sailor doesn’t just need to avoid the rocks, but also needs to know where he is – and that’s only possible because each lighthouse is different.

I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Acts 13:47

How do you reach others with the Good News of hope in Christ? Your light may shine differently than another’s…and it should. God has especially equipped each individual with the gifts needed. From the fiery evangelist to the homebound prayer warrior, each has an indispensable role in saving the world.

Do you know what your gifts are? Today, ask God to show you how you may most effectively punch holes in the spiritual darkness that envelops America and many of its leaders. He has uniquely positioned and designed you for the job!

Recommended Reading: Romans 12:1-13