Daily Archives: October 3, 2013

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Handling Our Anxieties

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 11:25-30

Gideon was a man who experienced great anxiety. Convinced God had abandoned the Israelites, He had to thresh grain in a winepress to keep it hidden from his enemies, the Midianites. He believed that his family was one of the weakest and that he himself was one of the least of men.

God then called Gideon—who in no way regarded himself as a man of strong capability—to lead the fight against the Midianites. Imagine his stress! But he obeyed and gathered his men, only to have the Lord send most of them home before the battle. Though this turn of events would give anyone anxiety, Israel was victorious because it was the Lord who won the battle. In the process, Gideon learned just how powerful and personal his God was (Judg. 6-7).

As Gideon discovered, knowing God intimately is one of the keys to dealing with worry. Those who handle anxiety well—inwardly and outwardly—know the Lord in a deeply personal way. They are the ones who calmly proceed while others are drowning in stress. When asked how they do it, they usually will respond, “Read the Word. Pray. Trust God.” These simple statements point to a way of life rather than a method. That way of life is centered on Jesus Christ and is spent learning to know Him in His fullness.

Man’s methods for handling anxiety serve only to distract or numb us from stress. God’s way is to reveal who He is through the Holy Spirit’s teaching and, in the process, replace our fretfulness with His peace.

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Gift Of Presence

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Our Daily Bread

John 11:14-27

Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. —John 11:19

A number of years ago, when I was a new human resource manager for a company, I attended the visitation and funeral of a long-time employee I had never met. The worker, a bricklayer, was loved by his co-workers, yet very few came to see his widow. I listened to someone trying to console her by saying that many people stay away because they are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing and making the family more miserable.

In times of distress, however, people rarely remember what we say. What they most remember is that we were there. Familiar faces offer strength beyond description; they provide comfort for the deep feelings of loneliness setting in from the loss. This “gift of presence” is one we’re all capable of offering, even if we’re tongue-tied or uncomfortable.

Martha and Mary were surrounded by friends and mourners who comforted them when their brother Lazarus died (John 11:19). Then the One they most longed to see—Jesus—came and wept with them (vv.33-35). The people responded, “See how He loved him!” (v.36).

In loss of any kind, Jesus always gives His comforting presence, and we have the ability to give deeply of His compassion simply by the gift of our presence. —Randy Kilgore

O may I never fail to see

The comfort you may need from me;

And may you know that I am there

To bind our souls as grief we share. —Kilgore

Often the best comfort is just being there.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 17-19; Ephesians 5:17-33

 

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Living Toward Christ

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Ravi Z

“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world,” reads 1 John 2:15. These are strong words, and when I first heard them as a young Christian they were given more weight than they might be in certain quarters today. As a new believer, I sought guidance on how I should live, and was duly rewarded with an appropriate set of prohibitions. The instruction was largely of the “don’t do this” or “avoid that” variety. I quickly grasped that the main agenda was to avoid contamination. This is what Dallas Willard describes as “the gospel of sin management.”

Armed with my first burst of enthusiasm and zeal for my newly born faith, I took to the “not-doing” and “avoidance” with a missionary zeal that would have put William Booth to shame. I read books on the exchanged life. I was sure that the sloppy, half-hearted, and mediocre life I was living was a denial of true Christianity and a mockery of the real thing. Yet my focus on withdrawal, personal holiness, and my purity became, however subtly, a distraction. I was more occupied with me and less with Christ. My internal state, feelings, and spiritual condition (as I saw it), totally filled my horizons.

The great reformer Martin Luther suffered similar preoccupations in his time. He obsessed about sins, he feared God’s wrath, he longed for a divine welcome. His awakening to what he called an “alien righteousness” (something provided by another for him) shattered his self indulgent illusions and opened up a world rooted in God’s amazing grace and mercy. Luther learned what so many have had to learn since; namely, that salvation is the gift of God’s grace. We can’t earn it, work for it, wrestle it to the ground, or fight for it. It is God’s gracious, merciful gift (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9).

Now, the yearning for righteousness, Christlikeness, and a devout life is an admirable longing; indeed, it is an essential longing of discipleship. But the great mistake is to somehow embrace this as a call to individualism and self-obsession. It is not. As the French theologian Jacques Ellul said, “The yearning for holiness is not at odds with the desire for relevance. For while holiness sets us apart unto God, it is God who calls us into the world.”(1) Christians are called to God and sent by God into the world.

Os Guinness captures the necessary tension between our need to pursue holy lives as individuals and the desire to connect meaningfully with our culture and those around us.  He speaks of “prophetic untimeliness” and the sense that the man or woman of God lives by the eternal in time. Likewise, Richard John Neuhaus, former editor of First Things magazine, suggested we are to be “in the world, not of the world, but for the world.” The danger for many of us is to live the extremes in either direction. I so love the world that I embrace its ways, values, attitudes, and delights uncritically—thus, losing any sense of distinction and prophetic edge for the gospel. Or I so withdraw from the world that my life may seem pure (to the audience of oneself), but exists in splendid self-obsession; thus I may end up (perhaps) morally distinct, but socially irrelevant.

Must we embrace such a dichotomy? Surely the example of Jesus in his incarnational ministry is far superior? Or the model of the apostles and the early church who took to the streets, the forums, and the places of civic discourse? They lived, loved, and preached in all of these diverse places and were themselves the better for it. They lived, loved, and preached in all of these places not because they were consumed with themselves but because they were filled with the love of Christ and hence a love for the world around them.

Stuart McAllister is vice president of training and special projects at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Charles Ringma, Resist the Powers (with Jacques Ellul) (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Pinon Press, 2000), 171.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Angels – The Unseen Attendants

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Alistair Begg

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

Angels are the unseen attendants of the children of God; they carry us in their hands and keep us from calamity. Loyalty to their Lord leads them to take a deep interest in the children of His love; they rejoice over the return of the prodigal to his father’s house below, and they welcome the arrival of the believer to the King’s palace above.

In ancient times the children of God were able to actually see the angels. Today, although we do not see them, heaven is still open, and the angels of God ascend and descend upon the Son of man, so that they may visit the heirs of salvation. Seraphim still fly with live coals from the altar to touch the lips of men greatly loved.

If our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire surrounding the servants of the Lord; for we have come to an innumerable company of angels, who are all watchers and protectors of the King’s family. Spenser’s line is not poetic fiction, where he sings–

How oft do they with golden pinions cleave

The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant

Against foul fiends to aid us militant!

To what dignity are the chosen elevated when the brilliant courtiers of heaven become their willing servants! Into what communion are we raised since we have communion with spotless celestials! How well are we defended since all the twenty thousand chariots of God are armed for our deliverance!

To whom do we owe all this? The Lord Jesus Christ who must be forever dear to us, for through Him we are made to sit in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. It is He whose camp is around those that fear Him; He is the true Michael whose foot is upon the dragon. All hail, Jesus! Angel of Jehovah’s presence, to You this family offers its morning vows.

 

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Confession and absolution

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“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:13

Suggested Further Reading: 1 John 1:5-2:2

The Greek explains more to us than the English does; and the original word here might be translated—“God be propitiated to me a sinner.” There is in the Greek word a distinct reference to the doctrine of atonement. It is not the Unitarian’s prayer—“God be merciful to me;” it is more than that—it is the Christian’s prayer, “God be propitiated towards me, a sinner.” There is, I repeat it, a distinct appeal to the atonement and the mercy-seat in this short prayer. Friends, if we would come before God with our confessions we must take care that we plead the blood of Christ. There is no hope for a poor sinner apart from the cross of Jesus. We may cry, “God be merciful to me,” but the prayer can never be answered apart from the victim offered, the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. When thou hast thine eye upon the mercy-seat, take care to have thine eye upon the cross too. Remember that the cross is, after all, the mercy-seat; that mercy never was enthroned, until she hung upon the cross crowned with thorns. If thou wouldst find pardon, go to dark Gethsemane, and see thy Redeemer sweating blood in deep anguish. If thou wouldst have peace of conscience, go to Gabbatha, the pavement, and see thy Saviour’s back flooded with a stream of blood. If thou wouldst have the last best rest to thy conscience, go to Golgotha; see the murdered victim as he hangs upon the cross, with hands and feet and side all pierced, as every wound is gaping wide with misery extreme. There can be no hope for mercy apart from the victim offered—even Jesus Christ the Son of God. Oh, come; let us one and all approach the mercy-seat, and plead the blood.

For meditation: Confession of sins is a totally useless practice unless we go straight to God, the only one who can forgive us, pleading Christ crucified, the only valid reason for us to be forgiven. But when we come in God’s way, we can come to him confidently (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Sermon no. 216

3 October (1858)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – The Ministry of the Word

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John MacArthur

“My Word … shall not return to Me … without accomplishing what I desire” (Isa. 55:11)

“Man does not live by bread alone, but … by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3).

The Bible contains many precious promises, two of which relate specifically to itself. First, the prophet Isaiah said that the Word is productive: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I send it” (Isa. 55:10-11).

As you administer the Word, it may encourage a fellow Christian, bring a sinner to repentance, or even confirm an unbeliever in his sin. Whatever the response, be assured that the Word always accomplishes its intended purpose.

The Word is like a messenger that runs to do God’s work: “He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. He casts forth His ice as fragments; who can stand before His cold? He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel” (Ps. 147:15-19). Just as God sends the natural elements to accomplish His purposes, He also sends His Word.

The Word is also nourishing. Moses wrote, “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). God’s Word feeds believers, causing spiritual growth.

How should you respond to such a powerful and productive Word? Trust it, so you can live each day in confidence. Proclaim it, so others will come to know its author. Obey it, so it can continue its transforming work in you, making you more like Christ each day.

Suggestions for Prayer:

God’s promises are intended to bring you great joy and encouragement. List seven promises that are especially meaningful to you. Use one each day for one week as a focal point for prayer and praise.

For Further Study:

What promises does Jesus make in John 14:1-14?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Truth in the Inner Being

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Joyce meyer

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin! For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful]. Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart. —Psalm 51:1–6

The heading under this psalm reads: “A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.” David cried out for mercy because he had sinned with Bathsheba, and when he learned she was pregnant, he had had her husband murdered in battle.

After David confessed his sin, Nathan said to him, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord and given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born to you shall surely die” (2 Samuel 12:13–14).

That’s the first lesson I want you to grasp from this incident. When you fail God, you harm yourself, but you also bring dishonor to His name. Whenever you take a false step, there are those who watch and gleefully point their fingers. The two always go together. Not only do you bring disgrace on the name of the Lord, but you fail yourself. You knew the right but chose the wrong.

As if that were not enough, the evil one also whispers, “See how bad you are. God won’t forgive you. It’s too awful.” Of course, he’s lying, because that’s what he does best. Don’t listen to those words, because there is no sin you’ve committed that God won’t forgive. You may have to carry scars or pay the penalty, but God wipes away the sin.

There’s something else to learn from this: You need to face reality. You sinned. You disobeyed God. What will you do about your sin? You can plead excuses (and most of us are good at that), or you can follow David’s example. When the prophet said, “You are the man…” (2 Samuel 12:7), the king did not deny his wrongdoing or try to justify his actions. David admitted he had sinned and confessed.

He wrote in the psalm quoted earlier: “For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment” (vs. 3–4).

If you follow Jesus Christ, not only are you declaring to yourself, to your family, and to the world your trust in the Savior, but you are also declaring your stand for truth. It’s easy for us to deceive ourselves, but God has called us to be totally, completely, and scrupulously honest in our inner being. Don’t look at what others may get away with or how they justify their behavior. We can’t blame others, the devil, or circumstances.

When you fail, remind yourself that the greatest king of ¬Israel cried out to God and said, “My sin is ever before me” (v. 3). Those sins, failures, or shortcomings (or whatever you may choose to call them) will always be there until you admit them and confess them to the Lord; only then can you know the joy of living with integrity and in truth.

This is the message for you from this final meditation; this is the message of the entire book: Strive to live with truth in your inner being. You—you and God—are the only ones who know what’s in your heart. Live in honesty and truth.

“Holy God, “ David prayed, “You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.” Through Jesus Christ, I plead with You to help me desire truth in my inner being, to live in such a way that I’m as honest and as open with You as I can become. I know that the life You honor is the life You bless. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Key to Blessing

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dr_bright

“He replied, ‘Yes, but even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice'” (Luke 11:28).

If you and I could know only one rule that would guarantee us real happiness, no doubt this should be it. Because the meaning of this promise is the same in or out of context, we shall share briefly the out-of-context guarantee contained therein.

Man’s chief happiness – his, or her, highest honor – is to obey the Word of God. No earthly honor or achievement can compare with the blessing, meaning in and fulfillment that come from obeying the Word and Will of God.

Implicit in putting into practice – or obeying – the Word of God is the matter of knowing the Word of God. This, of course, implies reading, studying, meditating upon and even memorizing the Scriptures. If we are neglecting this phase of the Christian life, we are omitting a vitally important part of spiritual nurture, without which it is impossible to live a supernatural life.

Something about the Word refreshes, cleanses, uplifts the heart and soul of each one of us when we spend time in its pages. God made it – and us – that way. No matter how many times we may have read the Word of God, even the entire Bible, there is something remarkably fresh and new about it every time we read it.

If somehow we lack the discipline to do what we should about the Word, we may pray ceaselessly for the Holy Spirit to illumine its truths to our minds and apply them to our lives.

Bible Reading: James 1:22-25

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will not neglect God’s Word but will consider it a necessary ingredient to the life of the Spirit -supernatural living.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K – Confident Dependence

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ppt_seal01

He came believing that Jesus could heal his daughter. Then he was put off, having to wait while Jesus healed another. When friends arrived telling him of his daughter’s death, Jesus’ words were just what he needed to hear…and they should be for you, too.

Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Mark 5:36

“Cease fearing, continue to believe.” Present tense imperatives – the language indicates the action should be ongoing. The ruler, Jairus, could have given up when his friends told him not to bother the Master. But Jesus wanted him to know being afraid wasn’t necessary, and keeping confidence in Christ, always depending on Him to do what was best, was the antidote.

Do you need a remedy for anxiety? Are there health issues, relationship problems or financial difficulties causing you concern? Maybe the lack of leadership in government has you shaking your head. Talk of debt ceilings, health care or immigration can drive you to despair, especially when you think there is nothing you can do.

Remember, Jesus’ words apply to you. Continue to believe. Know that God is in control. Never fear the things of this world. Intercede for those who govern. Then let His Word strengthen your faith and give you hope.

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:31-39

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – In Due Time

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greglaurie

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. —Galatians 6:7–8

When we hear the statement “You will reap what you sow,” that typically brings something frightening to mind. It is usually quoted in an aggressive fashion as if to say, “You’d better stop doing that because the Bible says you will reap what you sow.” And that is true.

But let’s understand it in context: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7–8). Yes, if you sow to the flesh, if you disobey God, then you will reap the consequences. But if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap everlasting life.

The decisions we make on earth are binding in eternity. It is here we decide where we will spend all eternity.

Revelation 22:11 tells us, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Obviously God is not encouraging wicked people to do wicked things. This is more of a warning.

I like the way Charles Swindoll paraphrased it in his commentary entitled Insights on Revelation: “You wrongdoers, go ahead and keep doing wrong. Just see what happens. . . . As for you righteous and holy saints, keep practicing righteousness, keep being holy—and you’ll get your reward in due time.”

What you are today will determine what you will be tomorrow and for eternity. So, if you are a godly person, then keep doing what you are doing. It’s going to turn out beautifully for you in the end.

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God is Good

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Max Lucado

When the cancer is in remission, we say, God is good. When the pay raise comes, we announce, God is good. But is God only good when the outcome is?

Most, if not all of us, have a contractual agreement with God. I pledge to be a good, decent person and God, in return, will do what I expect.  Save my child.  Heal my wife.  Protect my job. Yet when God fails to meet our expectations we’re left spinning in a tornado of questions.

In such times, remember that God is sovereign.  James 1:17 tells us He does not change like shifting shadows. God does permit evil.  But He doesn’t allow Satan, the father of evil, to triumph. Isn’t this the promise of Romans 8:28?  “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” The ultimate culmination of God’s purpose is good even when the specific details are difficult.

From  You’ll Get Through This