Daily Archives: May 24, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Why Does God Allow Evil?

2 Comments

Charles Stanley

Genesis 2:15-17

When Christians discuss how and when evil entered the world, they most often point to the serpent’s temptation of Eve. But in fact, we must go back a bit further to the moment when God planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. By offering Adam and Eve a choice between obedience and rebellion, the Lord allowed for evil to enter His perfect creation.

Now, you are probably asking the very question that plagues many believers as well as unbelievers: Why does a loving God allow evil? Some unsatisfactory answers have been given over the years—for example, that the Lord doesn’t care or that He’s helpless to prevent evil. Such responses contradict what God says about Himself in Scripture (Rom. 5:8; Ps. 47:8). The truth is, our loving Father wields absolute authority over this world.

God had a reason for letting evil enter the world. The Tree of Knowledge was a testing ground. Adam and Eve had to choose between rebellion and love, evil and righteousness, disobedience and obedience. Because the Lord desired love from the human beings He created, He had to offer a choice. Genuine love is given freely. The alternatives were either to skip the whole creation process or to program mankind like robots to give Him glory and praise.

The Lord gives two assurances regarding evil. First, His purpose is not for us to sin (James 1:13). He desires that we live with righteous intent so that evil finds no room in our hearts. Second, when we are touched by evil, He will make the situation work for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Theirs Is the Kingdom

The Dominican Republic, like many Caribbean island nations, is known for resorts that cater to tourists. But outside the town of Puerto Plata’s manicured beaches and villas is another world—one you wouldn’t see from the highway.

Behind the sugar cane fields are the trash heaps of the local landfill, and behind that are shantytowns filled with families—mostly refugees from Haiti—who methodically sort through the garbage, looking for anything recyclable or salvageable. And just past the dump, hidden away at the top of a small hill, is an old concrete compound where drug addicts are in rehab.

It’s right here, in the midst of poverty and struggle, that the light of God’s kingdom is growing stronger each day. Pain and darkness abound in the dump, but love and dignity also flourish in this impoverished community. Many have become believers, and pastors have risen up from their midst, sharing the gospel and discipling younger Christians.

And from the rehab center on the hill, a steady stream of fervent prayer flows—not just for these warriors’ own freedom, but also for their nation and the rest of the world. Led by an ex-addict turned pastor and other men he’s mentored, these brothers are inviting God’s kingdom to come on earth, “as it is in heaven.”

When an intern from In Touch Ministries visited this community on a mission trip, he took Spanish-language Messengers with him. And in giving away these precious discipleship tools to believers with few earthly possessions, he gained a new understanding of true wealth.

To read about his life-changing experience, visit intouch.org/Messenger.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — An Appropriate Name

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Matthew 1:18-25

You shall call His name JESUS. —Matthew 1:21

The name of the southeastern Asian nation of Indonesia is formed by combining two Greek words which together mean “island.” That name is appropriate because Indonesia is made up of more than 17,500 islands spanning nearly 750,000 square miles. Indonesia—an appropriate name for a nation of islands.

In the Bible, we find that people were often given names—sometimes at birth, sometimes later—that made a statement about them or their character. Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” continually encouraged those he encountered. Jacob, whose name means “schemer,” repeatedly manipulated people and situations for his own selfish ends.

And no one has ever been more appropriately named than Jesus. When the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph about Mary’s soon-to-be-born Son, he told Joseph, “You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Jesus means “the Lord saves” and defines both who Jesus is and why He came. He was also called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (1:23). His name reveals our eternal hope! —Bill Crowder

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear. —Newton

The name of Jesus is at the heart of our faith and our hope.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59

Insight

In his book Miracles, C. S. Lewis answers the argument against the virgin birth that suggests first-century people did not understand natural law. To this, Lewis responds that the whole motive for Joseph considering breaking the engagement was that he understood where babies come from (v.19). It took an angel in a dream to point to the supernatural source of Mary’s conception. First-century people, like believers today, understood that for a virgin to give birth would require a miracle.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Be Worthy

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27

The apostle’s concern is not simply with our talk and conversation with one another, but with the whole course of our life and behavior in the world. The Greek word translated “manner of life” signifies the actions and the privileges of citizenship: And in this way we are commanded to let our actions, as citizens of the New Jerusalem, be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. What “manner of life” is this?

•             In the first place, the Gospel is very simple. So Christians should be simple and plain in their habits. There should be about our manner, our speech, our dress, our whole behavior that simplicity that is the very soul of beauty.

•             The Gospel is preeminently true. It is gold without dross; and the Christian’s life will be lusterless and valueless without the jewel of truth.

•             The Gospel is a very fearless Gospel; it boldly proclaims the truth, whether men like it or not. We must be equally faithful and unflinching.

•             But the Gospel is also very gentle. We see this in Jesus: “a bruised reed he will not break.”1 Some professing Christians are sharper than a thorn-hedge; such men are not like Jesus. Let us seek to win others by the gentleness of our words and deeds.

•             The Gospel is very loving. It is the message of the God of love to a lost and fallen race. Christ’s command to His disciples was, “Love one another.” We need more real, hearty union with and love for all the saints, more tender compassion toward the souls of the worst and vilest of men!

•             We must not forget that the Gospel of Christ is holy. It never excuses sin: It pardons it, but only through an atonement. If our life is to resemble the Gospel, we must shun not merely the grosser vices, but everything that would hinder our perfect conformity to Christ.

For His sake, for our own sakes, and for the sake of others, we must strive day by day to let our manner of life be more in accordance with His Gospel.

1 Matthew 12:20

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

________________________________________

The family reading plan for May 24, 2014

* Isaiah 25

* 1 John 3

________________________________________

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Heavenly rest

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9

Suggested Further Reading: Revelation 14:12-16

From Monday morning till Saturday night, many of you will not be able to lay aside your needle and your thread, except when, tired and weary, you fall back on your chair, and are lulled to sleep by your thoughts of labour! Oh! how seasonable will heaven’s rest be to you! Oh! how glad will you be, when you get there, to find that there are no Monday mornings, no more toil for you, but rest, eternal rest! Others of you have had manual labour to perform; you have reason to thank God that you are strong enough to do it, and you are not ashamed of your work; for labour is an honour to a man. But still there are times when you say, “I wish I were not so dragged to death by the business of London life.” We have but little rest in this huge city; our day is longer, and our work is harder than our friends in the country. You have sometimes sighed to go into the green fields for a breath of fresh air; you have longed to hear the song of the sweet birds that used to wake you when you were young; you have regretted the bright blue sky, the beauteous flowers, and the thousand charms of a country life. And, perhaps, you will never get beyond this smoky city; but remember, when you get up there, “sweet fields arrayed in living green,” and “rivers of delight” shall be the place where you shall rest, you shall have all the joys you can conceive of in that home of happiness.

For meditation: The Christian’s rest in heaven will be enriched by the worth of his work for Christ on earth (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Spurgeon says:- “There, up in heaven, Luther has no more to face a thundering Vatican; Paul has no more to run from city to city, and continent to continent; there Baxter has no more to toil in his pulpit, to preach with a broken heart to hard hearted sinners; there no longer has Knox to “cry aloud and spare not” against the immoralities of the false church.” What will you be missing?

Sermon no. 133

24 May (1857)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Saluting an Unknown Soldier

1 Comment

John MacArthur

The twelve apostles included “James the son of Alphaeus” (Matt. 10:3).

Like most Christians, James the son of Alphaeus is an unknown and unsung soldier of the cross. His distinguishing characteristic is obscurity. Nothing he did or said is recorded in Scripture–only his name.

In Mark 15:40 he is called “James the Less,” which literally means “Little James.” That could refer to his stature (he might have been short), his age (he might have been younger than James the son of Zebedee), or his influence (he might have had relatively little influence among the disciples).

In Mark 2:14 Matthew (Levi) is called the son of Alphaeus. Alphaeus was a common name, but it’s possible that James and Matthew were brothers, since their fathers had the same first name. Also, James’s mother is mentioned in Mark 15:40 as being present at Christ’s crucifixion, along with other women. She is referred to as the wife of Clopas in John 19:25. Since Clopas was a form of Alphaeus, that further supports the possibility that James and Matthew were related.

From those references we might conclude that James was a small young man whose personality was not particularly powerful. If he was Matthew’s brother, perhaps he was as humble as Matthew, willing to serve the Lord without any applause or notice. Whichever the case, be encouraged that God uses obscure people like James, and rewards them accordingly. Someday James will sit on a throne in Christ’s millennial kingdom, judging the twelve tribes of Israel– just like the other more prominent disciples (Luke 22:30).

No matter how obscure or prominent you are from a human perspective, God can use you and will reward you with a glorious eternal inheritance.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•             Thank the Lord for all those people unknown to you whom He has used to shape your life for His glory.

•             Seek to be more like James, serving Christ faithfully without applause or glory.

For Further Study:

•             Read Luke 9:23-25. What did Jesus say is necessary to be His disciple?

•             Read Luke 9:57-62. What were those men unwilling to give up to follow Christ?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Time Will Come

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

And the Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. —Deuteronomy 34:8

When Moses died, the Israelites mourned deeply over the loss of this significant leader and important person in their lives. Notice in today’s scripture that they wept for him for thirty days; then the days of mourning were ended.

By mentioning this passage, I am not suggesting that the grieving process should only last thirty days., because all people are different. But I believe the principle behind this verse is important. I think it is letting us know that eventually we have to move on. Sometimes the best thing you can do when you are hurting is to do something. Find a place of new beginnings. Get up, get dressed and keep moving. Go take a walk and talk to God. Do something for somebody else. Often, the best way to cooperate with God’s healing work in your soul is to go find other people who are hurting and be a blessing to them. As you work through your grief, you may have times when you simply need to get your mind off of what you’re going through because you have done everything you can do about it; there is nothing else you can do except wait for the full healing to come.

It is proper to grieve, but don’t let a spirit of grief control your life. If you have been through a recent tragic loss, you may not be ready to go on yet. You may still be in that phase of grief where you need cry and be comforted as you work through your situation. Know, though, that the time will come when you do need to get busy again. It may not be easy, but it will be important to your healing. So, don’t rush it, but when it comes, embrace it and trust the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort you as you move forward.

Love Yourself Today: Always remember that no matter what you have lost, you still have a lot left and God has a purpose yet to be fulfilled in your life.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Long, Satisfying Life

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“If you want a long and satisfying life, closely follow my instructions” (Proverbs 3:2).

A famous children’s specialist declared, “When it comes to a serious illness, the child who has been taught to obey has four times the chance of recovery that the spoiled and undisciplined child has.”

Every parent should consider well the implications of that statement. We have all been taught that one of the Ten Commandments was for children to obey their parents.

But it is doubtful that many of us have ever considered that obedience might mean the difference between the saving or losing of a child’s life.

The hymnwriter who said that we should “trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus” well knew what he was saying. A “long and satisfying life” certainly would be synonymous with a “happy life.”

Many Christians have every intention of following God’s instructions – without ever really knowing what those instructions are. That is why it is supremely important for every believer to spend time in God’s Word, the book of instructions for Christians.

Are you one of those who truly want a long satisfying life? Then, are you willing to follow God’s instructions for your life? Are you willing to familiarize yourself thoroughly with His instructions so that you will have no difficulty knowing and following them?

Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:1-8

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will follow closely God’s instructions in order that I may live a long and satisfying life.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Defenses of Head and Heart

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

What a joyous time for the believer! When Jesus comes a second time, the dead in Christ will rise and the living will join them to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-17). In the meantime, there is a vicious battle you must fight daily because your spiritual enemies are many, and mighty and malicious.

Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

I Thessalonians 5:8

Put on your spiritual breastplate and stay watchful and sober. Faith in the God who is always with you will guard your heart against the temptations of pride, passion and self-conceit. Fervent love for Him will thwart temptations that might turn you away from Him and to another. Remember your helmet – the lively hope of salvation – your defense of the head. Don’t let the pleasures of sin intoxicate you. Understand the great gift God’s mercy and grace bestow upon you. As one who puts your trust in Christ, be encouraged to live on the path of obedience to Him. Let nothing shake the hope of salvation from you.

He is Lord. Be grounded in His Word. Pray for this nation and its leaders…that none would miss out on the blessings of Jesus’ second coming.

Recommended Reading: I Thessalonians 5:1-11

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Get Rooted  

Leave a comment

greglaurie

You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. —James 5:8

A number of years ago, we held a Harvest Crusade in Colorado. When we arrived, it was around seventy degrees, and the sun was shining. Our crusade was to begin the next evening. But as we watched the news that night, we learned that a cold front was moving in. The next morning there was snow on the ground. That is how quickly the weather can change in a place like Colorado. The sun is shining, and the next thing you know, there’s a blizzard.

That is how life can be as well. Everything is looking great when, all of a sudden, a storm cloud appears. Something horrible happens. That is why the Bible tells us, “Establish your hearts” (James 5:8). Another way to translate this verse is, “Strengthen and make firm your inner life.” The same word is used to describe Jesus’ attitudes and actions when He headed for Jerusalem, knowing what awaited Him there: “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). Jesus, being God, had full knowledge of all that was about to unfold, yet He resolutely set out for Jerusalem. That is the same meaning behind the word establish in James 5:8.

God wants us to be rooted and grounded, yet many Christians aren’t. They have not taken the time to develop the habit of personal Bible study or the discipline of prayer or even regular church attendance. But God is saying we need to get rooted because our faith will be challenged. We will face hardship. And a storm can come, just when we’re least expecting it.

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