Daily Archives: July 12, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Something Has to Change

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Charles Stanley

Ephesians 4:22-32

Why is it challenging for us to follow a godly path? As we mentioned last weekend, two conflicting tendencies exist within every believer: the patterns of the corrupted old self—or “the flesh”—and the righteousness of a new nature in Christ. The characteristics of these opposing inclinations are vividly portrayed in today’s verses. The quality of forgiveness, or the lack of it, will largely determine which tendency prevails in our lives.

The inevitable result of unforgiveness is anger, bitterness, and malice. By refusing to forgive, we allow the old flesh nature to dominate and produce its poisonous fruit. Every area of our life is affected when we refuse to extend to others the pardon Christ so generously extended to us—in essence, we are treating those around us as we would never want the Lord to treat us. Thankfully, His mercy toward us has no limit.

Although the pain and injustice of an offense can break our heart or damage our sense of self-worth, a refusal to forgive denies God the opportunity to redeem the hurt. We want Him to change the offender and make him sorry for what he has done, but the Lord wants to transform us. Forgiveness frees us to live in our new Christlike nature and enables us to see others through eyes of grace and mercy.

Look again at verses 31 and 32. Which one describes you? As believers, we all long to exhibit the qualities of our new nature, but the Lord can produce them only if we are willing to exchange offenses and grudges for tender hearts that forgive. Something has to change—let it be you.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Power of A Name

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Our Daily Bread

Proverbs 18:1-10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower. —Proverbs 18:10

Nicknames are often descriptive of some noticeable aspect of a person’s character or physical attributes. Growing up, my elementary school friends brutally called me “liver lips” since at that stage of development my lips seemed disproportionately large. Needless to say, I have always been glad that the name didn’t stick.

Unlike my nickname, I love the names of God that describe His magnificent characteristics. God is so wonderfully multifaceted that He has many names that communicate His capabilities and character. To name just a few, He is:

Elohim, the God above all gods

Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides

El-Shaddai, the almighty God

Jehovah Rapha, our healer God

Jehovah Shalom, our God of peace

Jehovah Shamma, our God who is present

Jehovah Yahweh, our loving, covenant-keeping God

It’s no wonder the writer of Proverbs encourages us to remember that “the name of the LORD is a strong tower,” that in times of need God-fearing people run to it and “are safe” (Prov. 18:10). When unwelcome circumstances threaten you and you feel vulnerable, reflect on one of God’s names. Be assured—He will be faithful to His name. —Joe Stowell

Lord, remind us that Your names reveal Your

character. Help us to remember them in our times of

need and distress. Thank You for the assurance

that You are faithful to Your name.

God’s names, which describe His character, can bring comfort when we need it most.

Bible in a year: Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34

Insight

The book of Proverbs provides us with insight on everything from words to work to relationships. Interestingly, sprinkled throughout the book are sayings that don’t tell us something about life but rather about God. Yet those theological truths should not be separated from the idea of practical day-to-day living. It is as important to know that the name of the Lord is strong and provides safety (18:10) as it is to know that a fool’s mouth leads to his destruction (v.7).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – His Kingdom

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Alistair Begg

His heavenly kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:18

The city of the great King is a place of active service. Ransomed spirits serve Him day and night in His temple. They never cease to fulfill the good pleasure of their King. They always rest, so far as ease and freedom from care is concerned, and never rest, in the sense of indolence or inactivity. Jerusalem the golden is the place of communion with all the people of God. We shall sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in eternal fellowship. We shall hold high converse with the noble host of the elect, all reigning with Him who by His love and His powerful arm has brought them safely home. We shall not sing solos, but in chorus shall we praise our King. Heaven is a place of victory realized.

Whenever, Christian, you have achieved a victory over your lusts—whenever after hard struggling, you have laid a temptation dead at your feet—you have in that hour a foretaste of the joy that awaits you when the Lord shall soon tread Satan under your feet, and you shall find yourself more than a conqueror through Him who has loved you.

Paradise is a place of security. When you enjoy the full assurance of faith, you have the pledge of that glorious security that shall be yours when you are a perfect citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem. O my sweet home, Jerusalem, happy harbor of my soul! Thanks, even now, to Him whose love has taught me to long for you; but louder thanks in eternity, when I shall possess you.

My soul has tasted of the grapes,

And now it longs to go

Where my dear Lord His vineyard keeps

And all the clusters grow.

Upon the true and living vine,

My famish’d soul would feast,

And banquet on the fruit divine,

An everlasting guest.

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The family reading plan for July 12, 2014 * Jeremiah 8 * Matthew 22

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – A simple sermon for seeking souls

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CharlesSpurgeon

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

Suggested Further Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

“I thought,” said somebody addressing me one day, “I thought when I was in the garden, surely Christ could take my sins away, just as easily as he could move the clouds. Do you know, sir, in a moment or two the cloud was all gone, and the sun was shining. Thought I to myself, the Lord is blotting out my sin.” Such a ridiculous thought as that, you say, cannot occur often. I tell you, it does, very frequently indeed. People suppose that the greatest nonsense in all the earth is a manifestation of divine grace in their hearts. Now, the only feeling I ever want to have is just this,—I want to feel that I am a sinner and that Christ is my Saviour. You may keep your visions, and ecstasies, and raptures, and dances to yourselves; the only feeling that I desire to have is deep repentance and humble faith; and if, poor sinner, you have got that, you are saved. Why, some of you believe that before you can be saved there must be a kind of electric shock, some very wonderful thing that is to go all through you from head to foot. Now hear this, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: …That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart…. Thou shalt be saved.” What do you want with all this nonsense of dreams and supernatural thoughts? All that is wanted is, that as a guilty sinner, I should come and cast myself on Christ. That done, the soul is safe, and all the visions in the universe could not make it safer.

For meditation: “God be merciful to me a sinner” was Christ’s description of a man calling upon God and being justified (Luke 18:13,14). Any insistence on special experiences and strange happenings is an evidence of having departed from Christ, the head of the church (Colossians 2:18,19).

Sermon no. 140

12 July (1857)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Loving Christ

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John MacArthur

“This precious value, then, is for you who believe” (1 Pet. 2:7).

First Peter 2:7 speaks of the believer’s affection for Christ as contrasted to an unbeliever’s rejection of Him. The first part of that verse could be translated, “To you who believe, He is precious.” “Precious” means “valuable,” “costly,” “without equal,” or “irreplaceable.” Christ is all that, but only believers recognize His supreme value and regard Him with affection.

Affection for Christ is the bottom-line characteristic of true believers. Believing in Him and loving Him are inseparable. In John 16:27 Jesus says, “The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed.” In Matthew 10:37 He says, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Believers have a compelling and surpassing love for Christ.

To His antagonists Jesus declared, “If God were your Father, you would love Me” (John 8:42). Anyone who truly loves God will love Christ. Those antagonists claimed to be children of God, but their deception was revealed when they tried to kill Jesus for preaching God’s truth. They were in fact children of the devil (v. 44).

In John 14 Jesus adds, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. . . . He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him. . . . If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words” (vv. 15, 21, 23- 24).

Many people are confused about what it means to be a Christian. But you have the privilege of clarifying the issue as you esteem Christ highly, love Him deeply, and demonstrate your love by obeying His Word. May God bless you richly as you pursue that goal today.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Ask God to give you opportunities to demonstrate Christ’s love in specific ways to those around you.

For Further Study: Read 1 John 4:7-5:3.

•             How did John characterize God?

•             What affect should your love for God have on your relationships with others?

•             How did John define love?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Practice the Presence of God

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Joyce meyer

And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. —Exodus 33:14

This was God’s reply to Moses when he asked about the particulars of the mission he had been given and how he could get to know God better. God simply assured Moses that His presence would be with him and give him rest. This was considered by God to be a great privilege. To Him, it was all that Moses needed.

What was true for Moses is true for you. As much as you would like to know God’s plans and ways for you, all you really need to know is that His presence will be with you wherever He sends you and in whatever He gives you to do.

So when you get concerned that things aren’t going the way you think they should, just remember that God’s presence is with you and enjoy the rest He promised to give you.

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Gives Good Gifts

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dr_bright

“And you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask Him for them?” (Matthew 7:11).

“Daddy, we love you and want to do only that which pleases you.” Do you know what I would do if my sons expressed their love for me and their trust in me in this way?

“I love you, too,” I would tell them, as I put my arms around them and gave them a big hug. “I appreciate your offer to do anything I want. Your expression of love and faith is the greatest gift you can give me.”

As a result, I am all the more sensitive and diligent to demonstrate my love and concern for them.

Is God any less loving and concerned for His children? Of course not. He has proven over and over again that He is a loving God. He is worthy of our trust. Further, He has the wisdom and power to do for us far more than we ever are able to do for our children.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those that ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11 NAS).

By our attitudes and actions, most of us say to God, “I don’t love You. I don’t trust You.”

Can you think of anything that would hurt you more deeply, coming from your children? The average Christian is a practical atheist living as though God does not exist. Even though we give lip service to Him, we often refuse to trust and obey His promises as recorded in His Word.

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:7-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Knowing that God wants to give me a supernatural, abundant life, I will trust and obey Him today in all that I do.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Don’t Worry, Be Inspiring

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ppt_seal01

Over four million people will receive treatment for anxiety this year. Statistics also show that 43 percent of all North Americans take mood-altering drugs. Anxiety, by definition, is fear or nervousness about what might happen. Turn on the news and you’ll hear about the energy crisis, unrest in the Middle East, and how many people were robbed in your neck of the woods. No wonder so many people suffer from worry and apprehension.

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Proverbs 12:25

While medicine may be required in many cases, how else can you battle unwarranted concern? Today’s passage offers a suggestion – a good word. Sometimes a word of encouragement can lift even the darkest of moods. The Apostle Paul wrote inspirational letters to the churches he helped launch. Many of those uplifting letters became part of the New Testament. Never underestimate the power of a good word.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11) Take the time to write a note of encouragement today to one of your political leaders. Then pray for God to use those words to bring His inspiration to those who receive it.

Recommended Reading: II Corinthians 4:7-18

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Didn’t Miss a Thing         

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greglaurie

Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. —Proverbs 15:16

A little with God is better than much without Him. As believers, we will make sacrifices in our lives. There are times, if we were honest, that we will see some people doing certain things, and we think, That looks like fun. You might even be a little tempted. You look at people who live for selfishness, partying, or multiple sexual encounters. But then let the years pass. Look at the course their lives have taken and the course your life has taken.

I had friends from high school who didn’t accept Christ when I did. They went their way, and I went mine. I run into them every now and then, and I think, Thank God that I went the way that I went! Did I miss a few parties? Yes — a lot of them. Did I miss some good times? I missed a few. But I also missed a lot of hangovers and other problems that are associated with that kind of lifestyle. Did I miss out on a few things? Sure I did. But what God gave me in the place of those things has been infinitely better.

It has been said one must wait until sunset to see how splendid the day has been. I know that when you are young, many things look so tempting: Go out and party, or go to church? Go out and have fun, or go sing songs about God?

The point is that you will make some sacrifices. You will deny yourself at times. But then, when you look back on your life someday, you will come to realize that you didn’t really miss anything.

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