Daily Archives: May 4, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Teaching Children to Serve the Lord

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Charles Stanley

God wants us to live strong lives of serving others for Him while we live on this earth. How can your family show love to people in your neighborhood? Children enjoy sharing happiness with others and including them in your plans for ministry is a sure way to ramp up their excitement about serving God.

Here are a few simple ideas to get you started:

  • Bake and take cookies to new neighbors you notice have recently moved in nearby.
  • Share a pot full of warm soup (and all the fixings) with an elderly neighbor who has a difficult time getting out of her home.
  • Offer to pick up pinecones or leaves from the yard of a single mother who lives near you.
  • Babysit free of charge for a young couple this week who may not have the financial ability to go out very often. If your children are close in age, this could naturally become a play date for the kids.

Psalm 100:2 reminds us to, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” That’s a Bible verse that your children can easily remember as you guide them in serving God in fun ways this week.

 

Related Resources

What are the top four things Dr. Stanley’s son Andy learned from him?

How can I pass on my faith?

What is the best way to train my children?

How can I leave a godly legacy?

How do I influence my children in a way that honors God?

More Resources About Servanthood

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Tears Of Gratitude

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Our Daily Bread

1 Corinthians 11:23-32

You proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. —1 Corinthians 11:26

At a communion service my wife and I attended, the congregation was invited to come forward to receive the bread and cup from one of the pastors or elders. They told each one personally of Jesus’ sacrifice for him or her. It was an especially moving experience during what can often become just routine. After we returned to our seats, I watched as others slowly and quietly filed past. It was striking to see how many had tears in their eyes. For me, and for others I talked with later, they were tears of gratitude.

The reason for tears of gratitude is seen in the reason for the communion table itself. Paul, after instructing the church at Corinth about the meaning of the memorial supper, punctuated his comments with these powerful words: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). With the elements of communion pointing directly to the cross and the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, that service was about so much more than ritual—it was about Christ. His love. His sacrifice. His cross. For us.

How inadequate words are to convey the extraordinary worth of Christ! Sometimes tears of gratitude speak what words can’t fully express. —Bill Crowder

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all. —Watts

The love Christ showed for us on the cross is greater than words could ever express.

Bible in a year: 1 Kings 16-18; Luke 22:47-71

Insight

For centuries, the Jewish community of faith had called to memory God’s provision of their deliverance out of bondage in Egypt. This memorial was celebrated through the Passover meal (Ex. 12:1-28). A roasted lamb, unleavened bread, wine, bitter herbs, and other items helped them remember their salvation from slavery. In our reading today, we see how our Lord took that sacred feast and transformed it into a memorial of His own sacrificial death (see Luke 22:19).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg  – Our Royal Nature

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Alistair Begg

You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable. 1 Peter 1:23

Peter earnestly exhorted the scattered saints to love each other “earnestly from a pure heart” (verse 22), and he did so not on the basis of the law or human nature or philosophy, but from that high and divine nature that God has implanted in His people. In the same way that a sensible tutor of princes might seek to foster in them a kingly spirit and dignified behavior, finding arguments in their position and pedigree, so, looking upon God’s people as heirs of glory, princes of royal blood, descendants of the King of kings, earth’s truest and oldest aristocracy, Peter said to them in essence, “See that you love one another because of your noble birth, being born of imperishable seed, because of your pedigree, being descended from God, the Creator of all things, and because of your immortal destiny, for you shall never pass away, though the glory of the flesh shall fade and even its existence shall cease.”

We would do well if, in the spirit of humility, we recognized the true dignity of our regenerated nature and lived up to it. What is a Christian? If you compare him with a king, he adds priestly sanctity to royal dignity. The king’s royalty often lies only in his crown, but with a Christian it is infused into his inmost nature. He is as much above his fellows through his new birth as a man is above the beast that perishes. Surely he shall conduct himself in all his dealings as one who is different from the crowd, chosen out of the world, distinguished by sovereign grace, part of God’s “peculiar people.”1

Such trophies of God’s grace cannot grovel in the dust like some, nor live in the fashion of the world’s citizens. Let the dignity of your nature and the brightness of your prospects, O believers in Christ, constrain you to hold fast to holiness and to avoid the very appearance of evil.

1Titus 2:14, KJV

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

Today’s Bible Reading The family reading plan for May 4, 2014 * Isaiah 1 * Hebrews 9

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Divine sovereignty

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“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” Matthew 20:15

Suggested Further Reading: Luke 19:11-27

There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God should more earnestly contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation—the Kingship of God over all the works of his own hands—the throne of God, and his right to sit upon that throne. On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by unbelievers, no truth which they have kicked about so much, as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on his throne. They will allow him to be in his workshop to fashion worlds and to make stars. They will allow him to be in his treasury to dispense his alms and bestow his bounties. They will allow him to sustain the earth and bear up its pillars, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends his throne, his creatures then gnash their teeth; and when we proclaim an enthroned God, and his right to do as he wills with his own, to dispose of his creatures as he thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is that we are ridiculed, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on his throne is not the God they love. They love him anywhere better than they do when he sits with his sceptre in his hand and his crown upon his head.

For meditation: Do you have to think twice before addressing Jesus as Lord? Judas Iscariot could never bring himself to do it—the other disciples could say “Lord” (Matthew 26:22); Judas could only say “Rabbi/Master/Teacher” (Matthew 26:25,49).

Sermon no. 77

4 May (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Chosen to be Sent

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John MacArthur

“Having summoned His twelve disciples, [Jesus] gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Now the names of the twelve apostles were these” (Matt. 10:1-2).

Have you ever met someone who constantly absorbs what the church has to offer, yet never seems to plug into a ministry where he can give to others? I’ve met many people like that. Some have attended church for many years, and have even taken evangelism and other special training classes. But they never quite feel qualified to minister to others or even to share their testimony. Eventually that has a crippling effect on their spiritual lives and on the life of the church in general.

When Jesus called the disciples to Himself, He did so to train them for ministry. We see that in Matthew 10:1-2. The Greek word translated “disciples” means “learners.” “Apostles” translates a Greek word meaning “to dispatch away from” or “send.” In classical Greek it refers to a naval expedition dispatched to serve a foreign city or country. Disciples are learners; apostles are emissaries. Jesus called untrained disciples, but dispatched trained apostles. That’s the normal training process.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says, “Go . . . and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” Paul said to Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

As wonderful and important as it is to learn of Christ, you must never be content to be a disciple only. You must also be a discipler!

Suggestions for Prayer: Memorize Matthew 28:18-20. If you aren’t currently discipling someone, ask the Lord for an opportunity to do so.

For Further Study: An important part of discipleship is spending time with Christ. One way to do that is to read through the gospels on a regular basis. You might want to obtain a harmony of the gospels to help in your study. Tell a friend of your plan so he or she can encourage you and hold you accountable.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Crisis Management

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Joyce meyer

Surely I know that it will be well with those who [reverently] fear God, who revere and worship Him, realizing His continual presence. —Ecclesiastes 8:12

God has taught me some valuable lessons about crisis management. Jesus said, “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28); He didn’t say run to the phone and call three friends when we face an emergency. I am not against asking people to pray for us, but if we run to people, we won’t find a cure; we will find only a bandage.

We face many challenges and crises in life. Sometimes the crises are major; sometimes they are minor. To avoid living in a constant state of emergency, the Lord impressed on me to seek Him continuously, or diligently. I used to seek time with God once in a while or when my life was in big trouble. Eventually, I learned that if I ever wanted to get out of crisis mode, I needed to seek God as if I were in desperate need of Him all the time—during hard times and during seasons of great blessing.

We often give God low priority when things are going well for us. But I have observed that if the only time we seek God is when we are desperate, He often keeps us in desperate circumstances in order to keep us in fellowship with Him.

God will always rescue and help us when we come to Him. But if we want to stay in a place of constant peace and victory, we must diligently seek Him at all times, as the verse for today urges us to do.

ou today: Practice good crisis management by staying in fellowship with God at all times.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Ways That Are Right and Best

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dr_bright

“He will teach the ways that are right and best to those who humbly turn to Him” (Psalm 25:9).

A guide, taking some tourists through Mammoth Cave, reached a place called “The Cathedral.”

Mounting a rock called “The Pulpit,” he said he wanted to preach a sermon, and it would be short.

“Keep close to your guide,” he said.

The tourists soon found it was a good sermon. If they did not keep close to the guide, they would be lost in the midst of pits, precipices and caverns.

It is hard to find one’s way through Mammoth Cave without a guide. It is harder to find one’s way through the world without the lamp of God’s Word.

“Keep your eye on the Light of the World (Jesus) and use the Lamp of God’s Word” is a good motto for the Christian to follow.

Humbly turning to God is one of the most meaningful exercises a person can take. We come in touch with divine sovereignty, and we become instant candidates to discern God’s will for our lives.

Humbling ourselves is clearly in line with God’s formula for revival:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV).

Bible Reading: Psalm 25:1-8

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: With the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will fix my heart and mind on Jesus first and others second, which is true humility.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Look Up

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It’s easy to get down in the dumps these days. Experts estimate that depression effects one out of 10 Americans, and the number grows by 20 percent each year. There are about 40,000 suicides committed annually in the United States. How can you protect yourself from the despair?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 43:5

It helps, as David did, to focus on the Lord. It changes your perspective as you begin to think hopeful thoughts like, “God is real. He loves me. He takes care of me. He uses the bad things in my life for the good.” Plus, God really does intervene. He does help. He does make things better. It may take longer than you would like, but you can count on the Lord.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) In these troubled times, remind yourself to put your trust in Jesus. Regardless of how you feel, spend time praising your Heavenly Father for answered prayer and showing Himself strong in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to use this country’s problems to turn hearts heavenward.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 34:1-14