Daily Archives: March 22, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Resting in God’s Faithfulness

1 Comment

Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

When plans are frustrated or life just seems to fall apart in some way, it’s not uncommon for people to wonder, Has God deserted me? Why hasn’t He answered my prayers? Deuteronomy 7:9 offers encouragement with assurance of the Father’s faithfulness: “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

Five attributes of God make this possible. First, He knows everything, including our needs, thoughts, frailties, and desires—past, present, and future. Next, the Lord is all-powerful, so nothing is too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17). Then, He exists everywhere at once and is never beyond reach.

In addition, our heavenly Father cannot lie. Everything that He says is true and 100 percent reliable.

Lastly, God is unchanging. The world around us and our circumstances seem to be in a constant state of flux. And the Lord may even modify the way He chooses to interact with mankind in different generations. But His character is always the same. So when Scripture tells us that God is faithful, we can rest confidently upon that promise.

Circumstances often prove painful. But even when situations seem overwhelming, believers can trust that our sovereign Lord knows all, is in control, and lovingly works everything for His children’s good. We can rest confidently, knowing that the unchanging God of all creation is taking care of us.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Coming Soon!

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Revelation 22:7-21

“Surely I am coming quickly.” —Revelation 22:20

A “COMING SOON!” announcement often precedes future events in entertainment and sports, or the launch of the latest technology. The goal is to create anticipation and excitement for what is going to happen, even though it may be months away.

While reading the book of Revelation, I was impressed with the “coming soon” sense of immediacy permeating the entire book. Rather than saying, “Someday, in the far distant future, Jesus Christ is going to return to earth,” the text is filled with phrases like “things which must shortly take place” (1:1) and “the time is near” (v.3). Three times in the final chapter, the Lord says, “I am coming quickly” (Rev. 22:7,12,20). Other versions translate this phrase as, “I’m coming soon,” “I’m coming speedily,” and “I’m on My way!”

How can this be—since 2,000 years have elapsed since these words were written? “Quickly” doesn’t seem appropriate for our experience of time.

Rather than focusing on a date for His return, the Lord is urging us to set our hearts on His promise that will be fulfilled. We are called to live for Him in this present age “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). —David McCasland

Live as if Christ is coming back today.

Bible in a year: Joshua 10-12; Luke 1:39-56

Insight

As with today’s text, 2 Peter 3:1-10 deals with Jesus’ imminent return. Peter explains that “the Lord is not slack concerning His promise . . . but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (v.9).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Competing Prayers

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.

John 17:24

O death! Why do you touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness finds rest? Why do you snatch away the excellent of the earth, in whom is all our delight? If you must use your axe, use it upon the trees that yield no fruit; then you may be thanked. But why will you chop down the best trees? Hold your axe, and spare the righteous.

But no, it must not be; death strikes the best of our friends: the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus’ prevailing prayer–“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.”

It is that which bears them on eagle’s wings to heaven. Every time a believer moves from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ’s prayer. A good old divine remarks, “Many times Jesus and His people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say ‘Father, I desire that Your saints be with me where I am’; Christ says, ‘Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.'”

In this way the disciple is at cross-purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places: The beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too. Now, which of the two who plead shall win the day? If you had your choice, if the King should step from His throne and say, “Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another,” which shall be answered? Oh, I am sure, though it were agony, you would jump to your feet and say, “Jesus, not my will, but Yours be done.” You would give up your prayer for your loved one’s life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction–“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.”

Lord, You shall have them. By faith we let them go.

The family reading plan for March 22, 2014 Proverbs 9 | Ephesians 2

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Particular election

2 Comments

CharlesSpurgeon

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10,11

Suggested Further Reading: Revelation 6:12-7: 12

There are the two things which you and I are to prove to be sure for ourselves—whether we are called and whether we are elected. And oh, dear friends, this is a matter about which you and I should be very anxious. For consider what an honourable thing it is to be elected. In this world it is thought a mighty thing to be elected to the House of Parliament; but how much more honourable to be elected to eternal life; to be elected to “the Church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven;” to be elected to be an equal with angels, to be a favourite of the living God, to dwell with the Most High, amongst the fairest of the sons of light, nearest the eternal throne! Election in this world is but a short-lived thing, but God’s election is eternal. Let a man be elected to a seat in the House; five years must be the longest period that he can hold his election; but if you and I are elected according to the Divine purpose, we shall hold our seats when the day-star shall have ceased to burn, when the sun shall have grown dim with age, and when the eternal hills shall have bowed themselves with weakness. If we are chosen of God and precious, then are we chosen for ever; for God changeth not in the objects of his election. Those whom he hath ordained he hath ordained to eternal life, “and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand.” It is worth while to know ourselves elect, for nothing in this world can make a man more happy or more valiant than the knowledge of his election. “Nevertheless,” said Christ to his apostles, “rejoice not in this, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

For meditation: It is far more important to make sure of our standing in God’s sight than to obtain high office in man’s sight (Acts 26:27-29).

Note: Spurgeon preached this sermon during the run-up to an election.

Sermon no. 123

22 March (1857)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Praying with Commitment

1 Comment

John MacArthur

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

Matthew 6:10 literally says, “Whatever you wish to have happen, let it happen immediately. As your will is done in heaven, so let it be done on earth.” That’s a prayer of active commitment to God’s will.

Many people don’t pray like that because they don’t understand God’s character. They think their prayers don’t matter and that God will impose His will on them no matter what they do. They tend to pray with passive resignation, indifference, or resentment.

I remember praying such a prayer. After my freshman year in college, I was in a serious auto accident. The driver lost control of the car at about seventy-five miles per hour and it rolled several times before coming to a stop. I was thrown clear of the vehicle and ended up sliding down the highway on my backside for about 100 yards. I lost a lot of skin and had some third-degree burns and other injuries, but fortunately I didn’t break any bones.

I was conscious during the entire ordeal and vividly remember thinking, All right God. If you’re going to fight this way, I give up! I can’t handle this! I knew God was calling me into the ministry, but I was focusing my life in another direction.

I think God used that experience to get my attention, and my prayer of passive resignation soon turned to active commitment as He refined my heart and drew me to Himself.

Perhaps God has dealt severely with you, too. If so, it’s only because He loves you and wants to produce the fruit of righteousness in you (Heb. 12:11). Don’t despise His chastening, and don’t be fatalistic or resentful in your prayers. Godly prayers make a difference (James 5:16), so commit yourself to praying expectantly, knowing that God is gracious and wise and always responds for His glory and your highest good (Rom. 8:28).

Suggestions for Prayer:

If you tend to pray with indifference, passive resignation, or resentment, ask God’s forgiveness. Study His character and cultivate deep communion with Him through disciplined, trusting prayer.

For Further Study:

Read Luke 18:1-8.

Why did Jesus tell this parable?

What principles do you see that apply to your life?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Gives Second Chances

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

So I will restore or replace for you the years the locust has eaten . . . —Joel 2:25

The way to overcome the results of a series of bad choices is through a series of right choices. The only way to walk out of trouble is to do the opposite of whatever you did to get into trouble—one choice at a time. Maybe the current circumstances of your life are direct results of a series of bad choices you have made. Maybe you have lots of regrets. You may be in debt because of a series of bad choices with money. You may be lonely because of a series of bad choices in relationships or in the way you treat people. You may be physically sick because of a series of unhealthy choices.

You cannot make a series of bad choices that result in significant problems and then make one good choice and expect the results of all those bad choices to go away. You did not get into deep trouble through one bad choice; you got into trouble through a series of bad choices. If you really want your life to change for the better, you will need to make one good choice after another, over a period of time, just as consistently as you made the negative choices that produced negative results.

No matter what kind of difficulty you find yourself in, you can still have a blessed life. You may have suffered some losses; perhaps you lost some things you will never get back. You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal what about lies ahead of you. I believe if you are really faithful to God, He will even give you better things that you would have had previously. You are never hopeless with God! With God, “plan B” can be even better than “plan A” would have been, had you not made bad choices and messed up plan A. God is a redeemer; He causes bad things to work for your good; and He will always give you another chance.

Love Yourself Today: Thank You, Lord, for giving me second chances again and again!

 

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – How to Gain Understanding

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“For ever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations” (Psalm 119:89,90, KJV).

A story is told of a young woman who had been informed about a famous novel. She was interested in reading it, but as she began to read the novel, she found it dry and uninteresting. She would put it down to read something else, and then she would come back and try to read it again because her friends said it was an excellent book.

Even with the high recommendations of her friends, the book just did not captivate her. Then one day she met the author. He was very handsome and personable. They became interested in each other, and she fell in love with him.

Now she could hardly wait to read the novel. It was the most exciting book she had ever read, for she had fallen in love with the author.

This is what happens with the Scriptures when we love the Author, the Lord Jesus Christ.

During my years of skepticism and agnosticism, I found the Bible very dry and difficult to read and I believed it was filled with “all kinds of errors and inconsistencies.” Then after becoming a Christian I began to read the Bible again. It was a completely different book, filled with exciting, life-changing truth. All the “errors and contradictions” were gone.

Why the difference? The non-believer or disobedient Christian does not understand spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Spirit-filled believer is taught by the Holy Spirit, who illumines the truth which He revealed to the original authors as recorded in the Bible.

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:129-136

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  I will ask God to give me a love for His holy, inspired Word. Then things that happen in my life which I do not understand will be made clear as I go to the source of all true understanding, the Word of God.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Priority Transformation

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

President Ronald Reagan’s diary entries during the week of March 23, 1981 contain some rather pedestrian entries recording typical duties of a Chief Executive. Reagan held meetings to discuss a grain embargo, the political situation in Namibia, the possible resignation of a key aide, and he hosted representatives of the March of Dimes. But on the following Monday, March 30, the President was on the receiving end of an assassin’s bullet. In his diary entry for that day – presumably penned a few days later – Reagan writes about how fortunate he was to be alive, closing with this: “Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve Him in every way I can.”

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3

In your life as a follower of Christ, there must be a moment when you realize that your purpose on Earth is not to be self-serving. Perhaps it came in one shattering moment, as it did with Reagan. Maybe it came with the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit. Or perhaps it will be today that you begin living with the knowledge that you owe your life to God.

As you intercede for America’s leaders, pray that serving the Lord will be their highest priority.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 3:1-8

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Is There a Catfish in Your Tank?

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. —1 John 3:13

I heard a story about some fish suppliers who were having problems shipping cod from the East Coast. By the time it reached the West, it was spoiled. They froze it, but by the time it arrived, it was mushy. So they decided to send it alive, but it arrived dead. They tried sending it alive again, but with one difference: they included a catfish in each tank. You see, catfish are the natural enemies of cod. By the time the cod arrived, they were alive and well because they had spent their trip fleeing the catfish.

Maybe God has put a catfish in your tank to keep you alive and well spiritually. It’s called persecution. Maybe there’s a person at work who always has eight hard questions for you every morning regarding spiritual things. Maybe it’s that neighbor who is giving you a hard time for your faith in Jesus. Maybe it’s a spouse or a family member who doesn’t believe. You are wondering why this is happening. It is like that catfish. That person is keeping you on your toes.

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus told the disciples, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you aren’t of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 16:19).

God will allow persecution in the life of the believer. If you’re experiencing persecution, here are two things to remember: First, persecution confirms that you are a child of God. Second, persecution causes you to cling more tightly to Jesus.

When you are suffering persecution for your faith, remember, this world isn’t your real home anyway. If you persevere with a steady, peaceful spirit, trusting in Jesus to help you, your welcome into heaven will be more glorious than you can imagine.