Charles Stanley – The Truth That Sets Us Free

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

John 8:25-32

God desires the best for each of His children, but sometimes we become trapped in habits, thoughts, and negative emotions that interfere with His plans for us. However, Jesus offers us a way out. If we’ll continue in His Word, we’ll know the truth that sets us free from whatever is holding us in bondage.

To “continue” in the Word means to be consistently reading and applying it to our lives. Then we’ll know what God says and be able to recognize the traps that threaten to ensnare us. What’s more, we’ll understand the benefits accompanying our salvation that enable us to stand firm in truth without being led astray. Those benefits include . . .

• Our position: Through faith in Christ, we’ve entered into a personal relationship with God. Now, as His children, we have ready access to His throne along with the assurance that He’ll hear our prayers.

• Our provision: God gave the Bible to guide and encourage us in all situations.

• Our promises: By relying on the promises He has given us, we’ll become partakers of God’s nature and escape the world’s corrupting influence (2 Pet. 1:4).

• Our protection: As we walk obediently with Christ, He strengthens and protects us so we won’t fall into the traps of the evil One (2 Thess. 3:3).

The first step to living in freedom is to recognize any sins, attitudes, or negative emotions that are dominating your life. Then get grounded in the truth of Scripture and claim God’s promises and provisions by faith. He’s ready to deal with any type of bondage the moment you cry out to Him for help.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Down the Up Staircase

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 12:1-8

If My people . . . will humble themselves, and pray . . . and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin. —2 Chronicles 7:14

The video starts with a puppy at the top of the stairs afraid to go down. Despite much encouragement from people cheering at the bottom, Daisy can’t figure it out. She wants so badly to join them, but fear keeps her pacing the landing. Then a bigger dog comes to help. Simon runs up the steps and then back down, showing Daisy how easy it is. Daisy is not convinced. Simon tries again. This time more slowly. Then he watches Daisy try again. But Daisy still is too scared. Once again Simon goes to the top and demonstrates the technique. Finally Daisy dares to let her back legs follow the front ones. Simon stays beside her. She makes it. Everyone celebrates!

What a beautiful picture of discipleship. We spend much of our time trying to teach others to climb up, but the more important, and more difficult, thing to learn is how to “go down.” Throughout Scripture we read that God desires humility of us. Because the people of Judah humbled themselves, the Lord said, “Therefore I will not destroy them” (2 Chron. 12:7).

On numerous occasions, God demonstrated humility by coming down (Ex. 3:7-8; 19:10-12; Micah 1:3). Finally God sent Jesus, who spent His life teaching the technique we are to follow (Phil. 2:5-11). —Julie Ackerman Link

More like the Master I would ever be,

More of His meekness, more humility;

More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,

More consecration for work He bids me do. —Gabriel

No one will learn anything at all unless he first learns humility.

Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 23-24; Luke 19:1-27

Insight

The Scriptures reveal how God responds to the humble heart. When King Rehoboam humbled himself, God responded by providing deliverance (v.7). In 2 Chronicles 1, King Solomon was given an invitation to ask God for anything he desired but requested only wisdom to rule his people. Because of his humble request, God chose to give him the additional blessings of wealth and honor (vv.6-12).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Dangers of Our Day

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Blessed is the one who stays awake.

Revelation 16:15

“I die every day,”1 said the apostle. This was the life of the early Christians; they went everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not at this time being called to pass through the same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the test. But the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly not so terrible, are still more likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age.

We have to bear the sneer of the world—that is small; its flatteries, its soft words, its oily speeches, its fawning, its hypocrisy are far worse. Our danger is that we might grow rich and become proud; we might give ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world and lose our faith. Or if wealth does not test us, worldly care is quite as mischievous. If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, we may be hugged to death by the bear.

The devil cares very little which it is, as long as he destroys our love for Christ and our confidence in Him. I am afraid that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and easy days than in those rougher times. We must stay awake now, for we are crossing enchanted ground and are most likely to fall asleep to our own ruin, unless our faith in Jesus is a reality and our love for Jesus an ardent flame. Many in these days of easy-believism are likely to prove to be tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with attractive masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God.

Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardor; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display His omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things as well as in the rougher, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”2

11 Corinthians 15:31 2Romans 8:37

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

The family reading plan for April 26, 2014 Song 1 | Hebrews 1

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – David’s dying prayer

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“Let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 72:19

John MacArthur – Paying the Price of Righteousness

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness” (Matt. 5:10).

Unlike many today who try to make the gospel palatable for reluctant sinners, Jesus made it clear that following Him had its price. Rather than acceptance, fame, prestige, and prosperity, you can expect rejection and persecution. That’s not a popular approach to evangelism, but it’s honest. Also it insures that no one will try to enter the kingdom on the wrong basis.

Jesus wanted His hearers to count the cost of discipleship. He knew that many of them would be disowned by their families and excommunicated from the Jewish synagogues. Many would suffer persecution or martyrdom at the hands of the Roman government. They needed to count the cost!

Persecution did come to those early Christians. The Emperor Nero smeared many of them with pitch, crucified them, and then burned them to light his garden parties. He condemned Christians for refusing to worship him as a god, and blamed them for the burning of Rome in [sc]A.D. 64. Christians were accused of cannibalism because Jesus said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56). They were said to be revolutionaries because they believed that God would one day destroy the earth.

The world’s animosity toward Christians hasn’t changed. You might not face the severe persecutions the first-century believers faced, but you will be persecuted (Phil. 1:29). Even new Christians often face difficulties. If they refuse to join their former friends in sinful activities, they might be rejected. If they work for a dishonest boss who expects them to participate in or condone his evil practices, they might be fired or have to quit their jobs. That might bring extreme financial hardship to their families.

God won’t always shield you from persecution, but He will honor your integrity and give you strength to endure any trial that comes your way. Praise Him for His all-sufficient grace!

Suggestions for Prayer:

• Pray for those you know who are suffering hardship for Christ’s sake.

• Ask God for the wisdom and strength to face persecution with integrity and unwavering faith.

For Further Study:Read James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 5:10.

• What purpose does suffering serve?

• How should you respond to suffering?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Answer with Faith

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.—1 Samuel 17:45

I left home when I was eighteen, got a job, and started trying to take care of myself. I thought I got away from my problems at home because I physically walked away from it; but I didn’t realize I took it with me inside my soul. My mind and emotions were damaged and in need of healing. My will was rebellious and obstinate because I promised myself that nobody would ever hurt me again. My spirit was wounded. I was a broken-hearted person with a very negative attitude.

Today, by God’s grace, I am free from fear, negativity, and self-doubt. This doesn’t mean that these things never try to visit me, but I have learned that I can say “NO” to them just as easily as I can say, “YES.” When fear knocks on your door, answer with faith. When self-doubt knocks, answer with confidence! When negative thoughts or conversations come up, I am reminded by the Holy Spirit (or sometimes my husband) that being negative will not help anything or anyone, and I decide to change.

Lord, I want to have the heart of David and speak words of faith to the giants of fear and doubt in my life. Help me to remember Your name in all I do today. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No Darkness in Him

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: That God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are His friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from every sin” (1 John 1:5-7).

One of the first passages of Scripture that I memorized as a new Christian was the first chapter of 1 John. This passage has been a beacon to me through the years as a simple reminder that in God is light and the only reason that I do not live perpetually in that light is because at times I deliberately sin.

Steve had lost his joy and enthusiasm for Christ, and as a new Christian was perplexed. He could not understand what had happened to him. As we counseled together, it became apparent that he had allowed some of his old natural habit patterns to creep back into his life.

I suggested that he make a list of all the things that were wrong in his life and confess them to the Lord in accordance with 1 John 1:9. A few days later, with joyful enthusiasm he came to share with me how his heart had been kindled afresh with the love of God as he was now walking in the light as God is in the light, having wonderful fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

How does one walk in the light? Do not tolerate unconfessed sin. Meditate upon the Word of God. Spend time in prayer talking to God and letting Him talk to you. Share your faith in Christ with others. Obey the commandments of God.

Are you walking in the light as God is in the light? Are you experiencing the joy of the Lord? Are you constrained by the love of Christ to share Him with others?

Bible Reading: I John 1:6-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall always seek to walk in the light as God is in the light in order that I may experience wonderful fellowship with my Lord. When I find myself walking in darkness, I shall pause to confess my sins and by faith claim God’s forgiveness and cleansing so that I may be restored to once again walk in the light with God.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – We Are Family

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Sister Sledge song, “We are Family,” includes the line, “The people around us they say, ‘Can they be that close?’” The early church was! Very possibly people around them asked the same question, as they showed they were of one mind, one accord, one faith and one worship! Moreover, they also looked after one another materially. Their fellowship promoted spiritual growth, mutual accountability, and bearing one another’s burdens. Sharing was a way of life.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

Acts 2:44

Are you involved in a fellowship among Christians? Whether a large church or small, or a neighborhood Bible study and prayer group, what do people say about you? Do they ask, “How can you all be so close?” You probably have ways of sharing among yourselves: pot luck dinners, special programs. But how are you at sharing with others? Do you feed the hungry, hold blood bank drives, a prison ministry? The old saying of, “They won’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” is especially true for Christians.

Pray today for your participation in a sharing, caring group. Pray for churches to take on programs like My Brother’s Keeper…so the government won’t have to!

Greg Laurie – Forget the Past

April 26, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:13–14

Everyone who has run a race knows that you can break your stride by looking over your shoulder to check out how your opponents are doing. Many races have been lost when the leader looked back. When you see that finish line, that’s the time to give it everything you’ve got . . . because sometimes it’s mere inches that separate one runner from another. You must stay focused.

This is the idea behind Paul’s statement in Philippians 3:13-14. The apostle was saying, “Don’t look back. Don’t look behind you.”

When God promises, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25), He is not predicting a lapse in His memory. God is saying. “I will no longer hold your sin against you because my Son has paid for it at the cross.”

Therefore, we need to do what God does: forget our past. Yes, we certainly need to learn from our mistakes and remember some of the bitter lessons we have learned. But we no longer need to be controlled by our past.

That is what Paul meant by “forgetting what is behind.” Think about the horrible things Paul had done. He shared responsibility for the death of Stephen and had to carry that in his conscience until his final day. He knew that he was responsible for terrible deeds. But he was able to put his past in the past. And we need to do the same.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION

Daily Archives: April 26, 2014

Charles Stanley – The Truth That Sets Us Free

Our Daily Bread — Down the Up Staircase

Alistair Begg – Dangers of Our Day

Charles Spurgeon – David’s dying prayer

John MacArthur – Paying the Price of Righteousness

Joyce Meyer – Answer with Faith

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No Darkness in Him

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – We Are Family

Greg Laurie – Forget the Past

Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.