Daily Archives: August 3, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How Can I Become a More Obedient Child of God?

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Charles Stanley

Genesis 12:1-4

Obedience is a major characteristic of a person who is mighty in spirit and honors the Lord. Generally speaking, obedience characterized the faith of Abraham from his first encounter with God until his death.

We grow in obedience by having faith in the sovereignty of God. If we fail to believe in the Father’s sovereignty, we will find it difficult to obey Him. Abraham based his relationship with God on his confidence that the Lord would always do as He had promised (Rom. 4:20, 21). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and responding in confident trust (Rom. 10:17). We will learn to trust Him as we study and meditate on His Word.

We grow in obedience by waiting for God’s timing. The Father is very time conscious—not in terms of minutes and seconds, but in regard to our acting in obedience according to His schedule. Throughout Scripture we find Him moving in “the fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4). He is neither early nor late. He is always right on time.

We continue to grow in obedience by refusing to subject God’s plan to “common sense” or the reasoning of the world. Some things the Lord requires may look ridiculous from a human perspective. He told Abraham that he would have a son through whom He would bless the entire world. Yet the Lord allowed Abraham’s obedience to be severely tested—first by requiring him to wait nearly a quarter of a century before providing the promised provision, and later by requiring him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. God knew the motive of Abraham’s heart. It was one of obedience. When it came time to complete the sacrifice, the Lord was the one who provided a ram to be used in Isaac’s place.

We grow in obedience by promptly responding in obedience. If you long to obey God, you will not hesitate when He tells you to do something. Many times we fail to obey the Father because we fear the consequences. Yet He never requires us to do anything outside His will for our lives. Our only responsibility is to obey; His responsibility is to take care of the consequences of our obedience.

Our sensitivity to God’s will increases as we obey Him. Along the way, He provides glimpses of the blessings waiting for us. God always blesses obedience. You can trust Him, obey Him, and be blessed. Or you can disobey Him and spend the rest of your life wondering what He would have done had you obeyed Him. Once you glimpse the blessings of obedience, however, the consequences no longer matter.

Adapted from “The Charles F. Stanley’s Life Principles Bible,” 2008.

 

Resources About Opportunity and Obedience

Related Video

A Passing Opportunity

Too often, we let opportunities pass us by because we don’t realize they’ve been sent from our heavenly Father. In this sermon, Dr. Stanley teaches us how to be sensitive to the opportunities God puts before us. (Watch A Passing Opportunity.)

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Shared Bond

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Our Daily Bread

Ephesians 2:11-18

You are all one in Christ Jesus. —Galatians 3:28

When I needed a locksmith to get into my car, I had a pleasant surprise. After he arrived and began opening my little Ford’s door, we began chatting and I recognized his warm, familiar accent.

It turned out that my rescuer was originally from Jamaica—a land I’ve visited often and have grown to love. This changed a negative event into a positive one. We were in a small way kindred spirits because of our shared love for that beautiful island nation.

This struck me as a reminder of an even greater camaraderie—the joy of meeting someone new and discovering that he or she is also a believer in Christ.

In some places, this is not unusual because there are many believers. But in those lands where there are few believers, the joy of meeting someone else who loves Jesus must be even greater. It’s thrilling to share together the amazing reality of the freedom from sin we have through Christ!

For all who know Jesus, there is a shared bond, a oneness in Christ (Gal. 3:28), a joy of fellowship that can brighten even the darkest day. Praise God that He brings a bond of unity to all who know Him as Savior. —Dave Branon

What a miracle it is, dear Lord, that You can

bring together people of all tribes, tongues, and

nations to be like-minded in Christ—to share

a bond of love and affection for Jesus.

Christian fellowship builds us up and binds us together.

Bible in a year: Psalms 63-65; Romans 6

Insight

In the days of Jesus and Paul, there was a religious and social divide between Jews and Gentiles. So great was this divide that Jews avoided contact with Gentiles as much as possible, even erecting walls in the temple courtyard to keep themselves separated. However, both Jesus and Paul spoke of the gospel as crossing all social and national boundaries. Jesus sent the apostles to “all the nations” (Matt. 28:19) and “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8), and He broke down the “wall of separation” (Eph. 2:14).

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Extravagant Goodness

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Alistair Begg

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. Luke 8:42

Jesus is passing through the crowd heading for the house of Jairus, so that he might raise the ruler’s dead daughter. He is so extravagant in His goodness that He works another miracle on His way there. It is enough for most of us, if we have one purpose, to go immediately and accomplish it, without impulsively expending our energies on the way. Rushing to the rescue of a drowning friend, we cannot afford to use up our strength upon someone else in similar danger. It is enough for a tree to yield one sort of fruit and for a man to fulfill his own peculiar calling.

But the Lord Jesus is not limited in His power or restricted in His mission. He is so prolific in grace that, like the sun that shines as it rolls onward in its orbit, His path is radiant with loving-kindness. He is a swift arrow of love that not only reaches its ordained target but perfumes the air through which it flies. Virtue is always going out of Jesus, just as sweet fragrance exudes from flowers; and it will always be emanating from Him, like water from a sparkling fountain.

What delightful encouragement this truth affords us! If our Lord is so ready to heal the sick and bless the needy, then, my soul, do not be slow to put yourself in His path so that He may smile on you. Do not be lazy in asking, since He is so generous in giving. Pay careful attention to His Word now and at all times, so that Jesus may speak through it to your heart. Pitch your tent wherever He is so that you can obtain His blessing. When He is present to heal, may He not heal you? Be certain that He is present even now, for He always comes to hearts that need Him. And do you not need Him? He knows the extent of your need; so turn your gaze, look upon your distress, and call upon Him while He is near.

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The family reading plan for August 3, 2014 * Jeremiah 30, 31 * Mark 16

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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 – God in the covenant

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CharlesSpurgeon

“I will be their God.” Jeremiah 31:33

Suggested Further Reading: 2 Samuel 22:1-7

Child of God, let me urge thee to make use of thy God. Make use of him in prayer; I beseech thee, go to him often, because he is thy God. If he were another man’s God, thou mightest weary him; but he is thy God. If he were my God and not thine, thou wouldst have no right to approach him; but he is thy God; he has made himself over to thee, if we may use such an expression, (and I think we may) he has become the positive property of all his children, so that all he has, and all he is, is theirs. O child, wilt thou let thy treasury lie idle, when thou wantest it? No; go and draw from it by prayer.

“To him in every trouble flee,

Thy best, thy only friend.”

Fly to him, tell him all thy wants. Use him constantly by faith, at all times. Oh! I beseech thee, if some dark providence has come over thee, use thy God as a sun, for he is a sun. If some strong enemy has come out against thee, use thy God for a shield, for he is a shield to protect thee. If thou hast lost thy way in the mazes of life, use him for a guide, for the great Jehovah will direct thee. If thou art in storms, use him, for he is the God who stilleth the raging of the sea, and saith unto the waves, “Be still.” If thou art a poor thing, knowing not which way to turn, use him for a shepherd, for the Lord is thy Shepherd, and thou shalt not want. Whate’er thou art, where’er thou art, remember God is just what thou wantest, and he is just where thou wantest . I beseech thee, then, make use of thy God.

For meditation: The false gods of the Greeks and Romans were given specific individual roles; the one true God is a glorious all-rounder—omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent—the complete opposite of the false god (1 Kings 18:27,37).

Sermon no. 93

3 August (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Filling up an Empty Word

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John MacArthur

“I show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31).

In our society, love is a common word but an uncommon experience. Often those who use the word most understand it least. Many who think they’ve found love have really settled for something far less than God intended for them.

For many, love means a romantic or sexual relationship. While Scripture has much to say about intimacy within marriage, the word love takes on a different meaning in the New Testament. Even Ephesians 5:25 (“Husbands, love your wives”) doesn’t refer to romantic love.

Other common errors include equating love with emotionalism or sentimentality, or confusing it with a friendly spirit of tolerance and brotherhood toward others—often apart from any consideration for doctrinal purity or biblical convictions. But biblical love is none of those.

The “more excellent way” Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 12:31 is love that comes from God Himself and conforms to His holy attributes. We have no capacity to generate it on our own. The Greek word for that kind of love is agap[ma]e and it is characterized by humility, obedience to God, and self-sacrifice. John 13:1 says of Christ’s love for His disciples, “He loved them to the end.” That literally means He loved them to perfection—to the limits of love. In verses 4-5 He demonstrates His love by washing their feet. Love is humble. It focuses on meeting needs.

In addition, love is obedient and willing to make sacrifices for others. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). God made the supreme sacrifice for us in that He “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).

First Corinthians 13 applies to Christians of every generation because we all face the danger of misusing our spiritual gifts. As we study it and other passages about love, ask yourself if your love is all that God wants it to be. If not, take note of what changes you need to make in light of what you’re learning.

Suggestions for Prayer:

  • Thank God for loving you.
  • Ask Him for wisdom and grace to understand and walk in love.

For Further Study:

Read John 14:23-24, noting how Jesus described those who love Him.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Healing in His Wings

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Joyce meyer

But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy. —Malachi 4:2

Around our world, horrible crimes and unspeakable acts happen every day to women and children who are powerless to stop them. Every act affects the life of a precious person, created in God’s image. Many women are hurt, wounded little girls trapped inside adult bodies, afraid to come out for fear of being hurt more.

I understand the feelings of these women. I was sexually abused by my father for many years. I also suffered abuse at the hands of other men throughout the first twenty-five years of my life. I developed a hardened attitude toward all men and adopted a harsh, hard manner.

But I want everyone to know that, through God’s Word and the help of the Holy Spirit, I was healed in my spirit, emotions, mind, will, and personality. It was a process that unfolded over several years, and I have enough firsthand experience to highly recommend God’s ways of restoration and healing rather than the world’s ways. It is much better to let God heal you than to spend your life being bitter about the past.

Lord, I rejoice today that You did not leave me to heal myself. I worship You alone, and I receive from You all the healing and grace that I need for this day. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Authority Over the Enemy

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dr_bright

“And I have given you authority over all the power of the Enemy” (Luke 10:19).

By nature I am a very shy, reserved person. But I can look the world in the face and say, “I’m a child of the King. There is royal blood in my veins.”

Because of our identification with Christ, we are no longer ordinary people. The authority of God is available to those who believe in Christ. What a promise!

“Authority over all the power of the Enemy!” That is His promise, but it is something you and I must claim each time we face the enemy. We are to believe this; it is an intellectually valid fact. It is not exercising positive thinking and blindly hoping for the best; rather, it is claiming and leaning on the promises of God by faith.

Supernatural authority belongs to the believer, and there is a difference between authority and power. A policeman standing at a busy intersection has no physical power that would enable him to stop cars coming from all directions. But that little whistle he blows and the uniform he wears represent authority, and because of that authority the drivers know that they had better stop.

You and I have authority – given to us by the Lord Himself – over all the power of the enemy. He may tempt us; he may attack us; he may sorely try us. But victory is assured us as we continue to trust and obey our Lord and claim by faith His supernatural resources for our strength.

Bible Reading: Luke 10:20-24

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Because I have been given authority over the enemy, by faith I will exercise that authority on behalf of others as well as myself, believing God for ultimate victory in each situation.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – The Divine Romance

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ppt_seal01

Among the greatest tales of love, it’s difficult to find one as romantic as the true story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible.

And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

Ruth 3:9

Beautiful in form and character, Ruth was a person whose concern was for her mother-in-law and who spent all day picking the leftovers from Boaz’s field so they could survive. Enter the dashing hero, whose heart is drawn to this young woman. Boaz asks about her and in his kindness makes sure she has more than enough for the harvest. Later, he’s surprised to wake up and find Ruth lying at his feet. As a “redeemer” he can take her into his household, but there is someone else with more rights. Boaz not only redeems Ruth – he marries her.

Does this sound familiar? Christ, by dying on the cross with outstretched arms, spreads His wings over the ones who are at His feet. By Jesus’ sacrifice, redemption was sealed, and believers now are a part of the bride of Christ. Today, be thankful and rejoice in your heroic redeemer…then pray for leaders and citizens of this nation to yield to the Divine Romance.

Recommended Reading: Galatians 3:10-14; 23-26