Daily Archives: June 23, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Learning to Obey Him

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Charles Stanley

Romans 8:2-4

When did you last hear a sermon on obedience? The topic doesn’t typically draw large crowds, as it sounds too much like following orders or submitting to laws and commandments. After all, didn’t Jesus come to set us free from all that? No, not really. As today’s passage tells us, He came to set us free from the law of sin and death “so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us.” In other words, He set us free from disobedience. Christian liberty frees us to obey our Father’s commandments.

In Still Higher for His Highest, Oswald Chambers expresses it this way: “True liberty is the ability earned by practice to do the right thing.” Doing the right thing is obedience. Hebrews 5:8 says that “although [Jesus] was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” We have to enroll in the same school of thought and practice.

At first the lessons seem simple; we just do what our teachers tell us. But then we learn to discern the Shepherd’s voice for ourselves. He tells us that we must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). Under His guidance, we study the Bible and find to our amazement that some passages we had swept under a doctrinal rug are being applied to us by the Holy Spirit. We are often confused, thinking certain passages applied only to Israel, the church, or the end times. We squirm and wiggle, but with patient persistence, the good Spirit bears down until we finally obey God’s voice. The Lord is patient—slowly but surely teaching us how to be obedient to His voice.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Restored By The Master

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Our Daily Bread

Colossians 3:8-17

[You] have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. —Colossians 3:10

Over the centuries, many attempts have been made to restore damaged and time-worn masterpieces of art. While some of these efforts have skillfully preserved the original work of artists, others have actually damaged many works of genius, including ancient Greek statues and at least two paintings by da Vinci.

In Paul’s letter to the Christians at Colosse, he described a restoration process that is impossible in the world of art. It’s a restoration of God’s people. Paul wrote, “You have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:9-10). This is no attempt at renovating the work of a deceased artist. It is a spiritual renewal from the living God who created us and gave us new life in His Son, Jesus Christ. His forgiveness brightens the colors of our lives while His grace sharpens the lines of His purpose for us.

The canvas of our lives is in the skilled hands of our Lord who knows who and what He designed us to be. No matter how sin-damaged and dirty we may be, there is hope for renewal and restoration. The Master Artist is alive and at work within us. —David McCasland

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,

To His feet thy tribute bring;

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,

Evermore His praises sing. —Lyte

Jesus specializes in restoration.

Bible in a year: Esther 9-10; Acts 7:1-21

Insight

Today’s reading reminds us of two influences in our lives (vv.9-10). One is “the old man,” that is, the person we were before trusting Christ. The other is “the new man” who is becoming more like Christ. We are to “put off” the behavior patterns of our old ways and “put on” the new character qualities of Christ.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Open Adoption

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Alistair Begg

We wait eagerly for adoption as sons. Romans 8:23

Even in this world saints are God’s children, but the only way that people will discover this is by certain moral characteristics. The adoption is not displayed; the children are not yet openly declared. Among the Romans a man might adopt a child and keep it private for a long time; but there was a second adoption in public; when the child was brought before the constituted authorities, its old clothes were removed, and the father who took it to be his child gave it clothing suitable to its new status in life. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.”1 We are not yet clothed in the apparel of heaven’s royal family; we are wearing in this flesh and blood just what we wore as the children of Adam. But we know that “when he appears” who is “the firstborn among many brothers,”2 we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Can’t you imagine that a child taken from the lowest ranks of society and adopted by a Roman senator would say to himself, “I long for the day when I shall be publicly adopted. Then I shall discard these poor clothes and be dressed in clothes that depict my senatorial rank”? Glad for what he has already received, he still groans until he gets the fullness of what has been promised to him. So it is with us today. We are waiting until we put on our proper clothes and are declared as the children of God for all to see. We are young nobles and have not yet worn our crowns. We are young brides, and the marriage day has not arrived, but our fiancée’s love for us leads us to long and sigh for the bridal morning. Our very happiness makes us long for more; our joy, like a swollen stream, longs to spring up like a fountain, leaping to the skies, heaving and groaning within our spirit for lack of space and room by which to reveal itself to men.

11 John 3:2 2Romans 8:29

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

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The family reading plan for June 20, 2014 * Isaiah 55 * Matthew 3

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Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The plea of faith

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CharlesSpurgeon

“Do as thou hast said.” 2 Samuel 7:25

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 19:7-11

Unless we know what God has said, it will be folly to say, “do as thou hast said.” Perhaps there is no book more neglected in these days than the Bible. I do truly believe there are more mouldy Bibles in this world than there are of any sort of neglected books. We have stillborn books in abundance; we have innumerable books which never see any circulation, but we have no book that is so much bought, and then so speedily laid aside, and so little used, as the Bible. If we buy a newspaper, it is generally handed from one person to another, or we take care to peruse it pretty well; indeed some go so far as to read advertisements and all. If a person purchases a novel, it is well known how he will sit and read it all the way through, till the midnight candle is burnt out; the book must be finished in one day, because it is so admirable and interesting; but the Bible, of course, in the estimation of many, is not an interesting book; and the subjects it treats of are not of any very great importance. So most men think; they think it is a very good book to carry out on a Sunday, but never meant to be used as a book of pleasure, or a book to which one could turn with delight. Such is the opinion of many; but no opinion can be more apart from the truth; for what other book deals with truths half so important as those that concern the soul? What book can so well deserve my attention as that which is written by the greatest of all authors, God himself?

For meditation: This book will become a hindrance to your soul if you allow it to become a substitute for your daily Bible reading. The correct use of these daily readings is found in Acts 17:11.

Sermon no. 88

23 June (Preached 22 June 1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Fulfilling the Royal Law

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John MacArthur

“If . . . you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well” (James 2:8).

In Matthew 22:36 a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest. Jesus answered, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (vv. 37-40). Love for God and one’s fellow man summarizes the intent of God’s law, and is the measure of true faith.

Jesus wasn’t calling for the shallow, emotional, self-oriented love that is so prevalent in our society, but for a sacrificial quality of love that places the needs of others on par with your own. That kind of love is utterly incompatible with partiality, which seeks only to further its own selfish goals.

Showing partiality breaks God’s law because it violates God’s attributes, misrepresents the Christian faith, ignores God’s choice of the poor, and condones the blasphemous behavior of the rich (James 2:1-7). But when you treat others impartially, you fulfill the royal law. “Royal” in James 2:8 translates a Greek word that speaks of sovereignty. The law was given by God, who is the supreme authority in the universe, so it is authoritative and binding. Love fulfills God’s law because if you love someone, you won’t sin against him.

Apparently not all of James’s readers were showing partiality, so he commended them, saying they were “doing well.” The Greek word translated “well” speaks of that which is excellent. They were doing an excellent thing because they were acting in a manner consistent with God’s impartial, loving nature. That’s God’s call to every believer: for “the one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6). As you do, you fulfill God’s law and thereby prove that your faith and love are genuine.

Suggestions for Prayer:  God’s love is the only antidote for partiality, so pray each day that He will teach you how better to express His love to those around you.

For Further Study: Read the following verses, noting the characteristics of godly love: John 3:16, Ephesians 5:25-29, Philippians 1:9- 11, and 1 John 5:1-3.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Be Afraid to Stop

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Joyce meyer

The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are honest and reliable, but the counsels and designs of the wicked are treacherous. —Proverbs 12:5

Don’t be ashamed to back off if you get out in the middle of something and find that God is not in it. Just be secure enough to simply say, “I thought this was God, but it’s not, so I am not going to do it anymore.”

You can apologize to others if you caused them any trouble or confusion. But there is no shame in quickly admitting that you were wrong. It is more important not to perpetuate a mistake than it is to keep people from thinking you were wrong. Don’t be afraid to say, “I didn’t hear from God.” Honesty will keep your day going right, all day long.

 

 

 

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Protected From Satan

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dr_bright

“But the Lord is faithful: He will make you strong and guard you from satanic attacks of every kind” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

As a lad I grew up in a rural community on a ranch five miles from the nearest town. I received the first seven years of my formal education in a one-room, country school. I was often the only student in my class and there were never more than three of us. It was not unusual for some big bully to pick on a student smaller than himself and fights would ensue.

I had been taught never to run from a fight because that was not the manly thing to do and so I sometimes found myself in such a situation. I was encouraged by a brother, several years older, who would stand by to insure that the fighting was fair and that I would not be taken advantage of. The Lord Jesus Christ is our elder brother. He stands by to help us, to make us strong and guard us from the attacks of Satan who is like the big bully.

Two thousand years ago Satan was defeated at the cross. He has no control over us except that which God allows and which we by our disobedience and unbelief enable Him to have. Why then, you ask, does the average Christian have such a tough time living the Christian life? It is because he does not understand that the battle has already been won! Victory is ours and nothing can touch us or harm us whether we are criticized, persecuted or even martyred for the sake of the kingdom, for we are not of this world. We are citizens of the heavenly kingdom. While here on this earth, Christ will envelop us and surround us with His supernatural peace and power, turning tragedy to triumph, heartache and sorrow to joy. This is our heritage if only we keep on trusting and obeying Him.

Bible Reading: II Thessalonians 3:1-5

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will remember that Jesus Christ is not only my Savior and Lord, but my older brother and that He will protect me against satanic attacks of every kind. The battle has already been won! Through His enabling supernatural resources, I will live a supernatural life for His glory today.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Consider the Ocotillo

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ppt_seal01

The Great Sonoran Desert of the Southwest has cacti and succulents seen nowhere else on Earth. Among them are ocotillo – tall, spiny bunches of sticks bearing sharp thorns. Most of the time, ocotillo look more dead than alive. But the slightest rainfall brings out tiny oval leaves which can remain for weeks. Bright crimson clusters of flowers appear at the tips of the stems after rainfall in the spring, adding brilliance and beauty to the deserts.

To give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.

Isaiah 61:3

Do you sometimes feel spiritually dry and brittle…possibly more dead than alive to the things of God? Are you, like Job, sitting in grief upon the proverbial pile of ashes? Don’t you know that the Lord doesn’t want you there? His desire is to replace dryness with the fruits of His spirit, and place a beautiful coronet of His grace and joy upon your head.

As you prayerfully seek your own spiritual renewal, call upon the Lord to also rain down His Holy Spirit on members of Congress, the Supreme Court Justices, and President Obama and his administration – that the whole desert of government might blossom with a renewed presence of God!

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 61:1-11

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – God’s Safety Net  

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greglaurie

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.—Romans 3:23

Visitors to San Francisco can’t help but be amazed at that architectural wonder called the Golden Gate Bridge. During its initial phases of construction, a number of workers lost their grip and fell to their deaths in the San Francisco Bay. Needless to say, this slowed down the construction process quite dramatically. The builders were trying to think of a way to remedy this, so they did something that had never been done before. A giant net was installed under the construction area. The workers knew that if they did fall, the net would catch them. It wouldn’t be a pleasant experience, but they would live to tell about it. The result was they could work without the fear of dying. They were able to move quickly and finish the project.

Did you know that God has put a safety net under you? By that I mean, when you slip, when you fall, when you make a mistake, it doesn’t mean that your name has been blotted out of the Book of Life and that you are now persona non grata with God. Because He came into your heart, forgave you, and committed Himself to you, He now protects you, sealed you, and justified you as a result of that commitment.

The fact is that we as Christians will sin and fall short. The Scriptures, as well as our own experiences in life, tell us this is true. According to 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” This is not an excuse for ungodly living. Nor is it a license for sin. It is a simple acknowledgement of reality.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – What Pleases a Father

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Max Lucado

When our daughters were young, Denalyn went away for a couple of days and left me alone with the girls. Though the time was not without the typical children’s quarrels and occasional misbehavior, it went fine.

“How were the girls?” Denalyn asked when she got home. “Good. No problem at all.” Jenna overheard me. “We weren’t good, Daddy,” she objected. “We fought once; we didn’t do what you said once. We weren’t good.”

Jenna and I had different perceptions of what pleases a father. She thought it depended on what she did. It didn’t. We think the same about God. We think His love rises and falls with our performance. It doesn’t. I didn’t love Jenna for what she did. I loved her—and love her still—for whose she is. She’s mine. God loves you for the same reason. He loves you for whose you are; and you are His child!

From Dad Time