Joyce Meyer – God Will Fight for You

August 12, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Then I said to you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your God Who goes before you, He will fight for you just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God bore you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place. —Deuteronomy 1:29–31

Dread is expecting something unpleasant to happen, and it has nothing to do with faith. Faith looks forward to something good. I believe dread is very deceptive.

Because sometimes it is so subtle that it is imperceptible, it becomes a significant problem that people really need to consider in their lives and see just how it afflicts them. The instant you begin to dread something, your joy starts to go and a “down feeling” sets in. Everything about the devil is down. It is all doom and gloom, depressing and discouraging, negative and yucky. Don’t dread anything, but instead face everything with courage and believe you can do anything you need to do and do it with a good attitude.

We know that lack of confidence, worry, dread, and other tormenting emotions are rooted in fear. Fear is the source of these problems, but you can stop fear. Listen and obey the word of the Lord, and He will fight for you.

Lord, all the dreads that come my way today are no match for You. I thank You that I can face them with boldness and overcome them with joy. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A Blameless Watchman

August 12, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“If you refuse to warn the wicked when I want you to tell them, You are under the penalty of death, therefore repent and save your life – they will die in their sins, but I will punish you. I will demand your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they keep on sinning, and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins, but you are blameless – you have done all you could” (Ezekiel 3:18-19).

One of the most sobering messages I find in all the words of God is this terrible warning found in the book of Ezekiel. God commanded Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel to turn from their sins. Some would argue that this has no application for the Christian. I would disagree. In principle this is exactly what our Lord commands us to do – to go and make disciples of all nations, to preach the gospel to all men, to follow Jesus and He will make us to become fishers of men.

It is a sobering thing to realize that all around us there are multitudes of men and women, even loved ones, who do not know the Savior. Many of them have never received an intelligent, Spirit-filled, loving witness concerning our Savior. Who will tell them? There are some people whom you and I can reach whom nobody else can influence.

I am writing this day’s devotion while in Amsterdam where I am speaking at an international gathering of Christian evangelists. During the course of my days here I have talked with many taxi drivers, maids, waiters and other employees of the hotel. Only one professed to be a believer and we had good fellowship together. Some were openly defiant, even angry at the name of Jesus. But in each case I have shared the gospel, constrained by the love of Christ out of a deep sense of gratitude for all that He has done for me, and as an act of obedience to His command to be His witness.

I pray that God will give me a greater sense of urgency to warn men that unless they turn to Christ they will die in their sins. I do not want to be responsible because I failed to warn them. They must know that there is a heaven and a hell and that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved but the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 3:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will ask the Holy Spirit to quicken within my heart, out of a deep sense of gratitude for all He has done for me and from a desire to obey our Lord’s commands, a greater sense of urgency to be His witness and to warn men to turn from their wicked ways and receive Christ, the gift of God’s love.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Death Is Not the End!

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Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” —John 11:25–26

Jesus was saying to His grieving friend, “Martha, listen to Me. Death is not the end! You’re acting as though it is over with. It is not over with.” And at this point, I think He was speaking of something greater and more profound than the resurrection of Lazarus, which He would accomplish within that very hour. After all, raising Lazarus from the dead — exciting and joyful as that may have been—was only a temporary proposition. Lazarus would just have to die again in a few years.

I think the bigger message was this: “Death is not the end. This is temporary. One day I will get rid of death altogether, and whoever believes in Me will live forever.”

Jesus wept at the death of His friend and at the sorrow of Lazarus’s two grieving sisters. But the death of His friend also brought Him anger.

John 11:33 tells us, “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.”

The Greek word used for troubled here could be translated “angry.” Why was Jesus angry? Was He angry with Mary and Martha for not believing? I don’t think so. I think Jesus was angry at death itself because this was never God’s plan. God’s plan was to have us live forever. God’s plan was that these bodies would never age or wear out or experience sickness or limitations.

So He was angry over that, and He wept. But these weren’t tears of frustration. God is never frustrated. Jesus was angry and then did something about it that had been planned from eternity past. He gave up His life on a Roman cross, dying for the sins of the world, and then He rose again from the dead. The Bible says He has become the “firstfruits” of those who sleep, which means that He went before us.

And because He went before us into death and came out victorious on the other side, those of us who now live and will face death someday can be confident and unafraid.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – What’s More Important?

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I remember receiving an invitation to speak at a church in the Midwest. I turned it down. If I had gone, I would have had the attention of a great number of people for an hour. The opportunity to speak about Jesus to some people who didn’t know Him.

Is a Tuesday evening at home with three children and a spouse more important than preaching to an audience? I decided to make a list of what I had to lose by saying no to my family one night. I would not have been there to hold Andrea when her finger got slammed in the door. I wouldn’t have been there to answer Jenna’s question, “Daddy what’s a handicapped person?” I would have missed Jenna telling the story of Jesus on the cross during our family devotional.

There are a hundred speakers who could have addressed that crowd, but my girls just have one dad! I made the right choice.

From In the Eye of the Storm

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Servant Joseph

August 11, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Genesis 37:1-17

The story of Joseph is one of my favorites in the Bible. I mention him frequently because there’s so much to learn from this successful young man. As a matter of fact, his youth is an important lesson in and of itself, and today’s passage reveals two of his character traits that we should try to emulate.

First, he demonstrated a servant spirit early in life. In every exchange between Joseph and his father or his masters, he embodied the very picture of respect and discipline. The young man never acted out against those in authority over him; on the contrary, he continually went out of his way to serve others.

Second, Joseph realized at a young age that God was controlling his life. How else can you explain his relentless pursuit of excellence throughout his various trials? Despite all that happened to him, Joseph remembered the divine visions the Father had laid on his heart in his teen years (Gen. 37:5-9). He was convinced that there was a plan for his life and that somehow, sometime, God would reveal what it was.

Whether you are 17 or 77, the lessons of Joseph’s life are valuable. It is never too late to learn the art of service or to recognize God’s perfect plan. Even better, it’s never too late to help someone else discover these things.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Power Of Simplicity

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Mark 12:28-34

Then one of the scribes came, and . . . asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” —Mark 12:28

Few people take time to study the US Internal Revenue Service income tax regulations—and for good reason. According to Forbes magazine, in 2013 tax codes surpassed the four million-word mark. In fact, the tax laws have become so complex that even the experts have a hard time processing all the regulations. It’s burdensome in its complexity.

The religious leaders in ancient Israel did the same thing in their relationship with God. They made it too complex with laws. The growing burden of religious regulations had increased to the point where even an expert in Moses’ law struggled to understand its core. When one such leader asked Jesus what mattered most in the Commandments, Jesus responded, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

The law of Moses was burdensome, but faith in Christ is simple and His “burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). It’s light because God was willing to forgive us and love us. Now He enables us to love Him and our neighbor. —Bill Crowder

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. —Featherstone

God’s love in our heart gives us a heart for Him and others.

Bible in a year: Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36

Insight

In Christ’s answer to the scribe in Mark 12:29, He quotes the “Shema” from Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.” The title “shema” is from the Hebrew word for hear. One source says this statement of the oneness of God is recited twice each day by observant Jews and is the most important part of Judaism’s prayer services.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Second Greatest

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Sam Harris is one of the well-known band of atheists whose vitriolic rantings and button-pushing avowals seem to draw audiences like reality television. His observations are shouted angrily; his ideas are often inflammatory. His frustration with Christians is spouted with sarcasm, antagonism, and resentment. And something in one of his recent works made me wonder how I might have contributed to it. In an open letter to American Christians, Harris begins, “Thousands of people have written to me to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians believe that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own.”(1)

When one understands apologetics as a defense of the Christian faith, voices like Harris, who attack Christianity and its morality with fluent hostility, seem to justify a defensive stance. How can one respond to those who readily earn and live up to titles like “Darwin’s Rottweiler” without barking a few hostile lines of their own? Is it ever Christ-like to respond to Harris in the manner that Harris responds to Christ?

There is no doubt that Jesus frustrated more than a view scribes; he was fairly harsh on the rich, and he responded angrily to the commercialization of the temple. Yet while these are the scenes we might summon to substantiate hostile words when the God we love is debased with insult, Harris is right. Jesus told anyone who would listen that the greatest commandment is to love God with everything that is in us, and the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as we would ourselves.

In fact, in this scene it is interesting that Jesus noted the second greatest commandment at all. No one had asked this question (we generally are not interested in runner ups), and yet he willingly offered the information. He made note of the second commandment as if it was so near to the greatest commandment to warrant formal connection. Elsewhere, Jesus furthered these instructions so that we would be sure that “neighbor” was not a word with which we could take creative license. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).

As in many of Jesus’s instructions for being a disciple, his approach hardly seems reasonable. Here he seems to ask that the Harris’s and Dawkins’ of the world be given a respect which they deny others. In fact, we are told that their disrespect is not something that should bring defensiveness but rather enigmatically blessing. Love and pray for those who persecute you. And, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

Of course, this is not to say that Jesus did not gently point out the poverty of certain arguments and bias of their sources, blatant double standards, and willful inconsistencies. And in the case of the new atheists, this might include the altogether unwarranted optimism for a world rid of faith. But Christians would do well to remember that Jesus’s harshest words were never reserved for those of other faiths or belief systems, but those from within his own faith. And regardless of the belief system in front of you, Jesus commands respect, humility, and some real degree of the love you claim to know. “Since God so loved us,” writes John “we ought also to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:11-12).

Obeying the greatest commandment must never be the motivation for disobeying the second greatest. If the bombastic detractors of the Christian faith refuse to see its God, might they at the very least encounter the reality of God’s command to love them in spite of it.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation: A Challenge to the Faith of America (New York: Bantam Books, 2007), vii.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Eternal Comfort

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Eternal comfort. 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Comfort. There is music in the word: Like David’s harp, it charms away the evil spirit of melancholy. It was a distinguished honor to Barnabas to be called “the son of encouragement”;1 it is one of the illustrious names of one greater than Barnabas, for the Lord Jesus is the comfort of Israel. “Eternal comfort”! This is the best of all, for the everlasting nature of comfort is its crown and glory.

What is this “eternal comfort”? It includes a sense of pardoned sin. A Christian man has received in his heart the witness of the Spirit that his iniquities are put away like a cloud, and his transgressions like a thick cloud. If sin is pardoned, is that not an eternal comfort? Next, the Lord gives His people an abiding sense of being accepted in Christ. The Christian knows that God looks upon him as standing in union with Jesus. Union with the risen Lord is a comfort of the most abiding order; it is, in fact, everlasting. Let sickness prostrate us—haven’t we seen hundreds of believers as happy in the weakness of disease as they would have been in the enjoyment of blooming health?

If death’s arrows pierce us to the heart, our comfort does not die, for we have often heard the songs of saints as they rejoiced because the living love of God was shed abroad in their hearts in dying moments. Yes, a sense of acceptance in the Beloved is an eternal comfort. Moreover, the Christian is convinced of his security. God has promised to save those who trust in Christ: The Christian does trust in Christ, and he believes that God will be as good as His word and will save him. He feels that he is safe by virtue of his being bound up with the person and work of Jesus. Herein is comfort such as can be found nowhere else and in no one else!

1) Acts 4:36

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The family reading plan for August 11, 2014 * Jeremiah 39 * Psalm 13, 14

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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 – The Christian—a debtor

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“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.” Romans 8:12

John MacArthur – Martyrdom Without Love

August 11, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“If I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).

Wrong motives rob even the greatest sacrifice of its spiritual benefit.

So far in his denunciation of loveless ministries, Paul has addressed what we say, what we know, what we believe, and how we give. Now he comes to the apex of his argument: how we die. Many Christians have made the ultimate sacrifice of martyrdom, but even that is useless without love.

In Paul’s time, many slaves were branded with a hot iron to identify them as belonging to their master. For that reason, some interpreters believe Paul was referring to becoming a slave when he spoke of delivering his body to be burned (1 Cor. 13:3). Others think he was speaking of burning at the stake—a death that many Christians suffered at the hands of their persecutors.

Although death by burning wasn’t a common form of persecution until after Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I believe that’s what he had in mind in this passage. In verses 1-2 he used extremes to make his point: speaking with the tongues of angels; knowing all mysteries and knowledge; having all faith, and giving all one’s possessions to feed the poor. The horrible, agonizing pain associated with death by fire is consistent with those extremes.

Jesus called martyrdom the highest expression of love (John 15:13). But it isn’t always a godly or loving thing to do. Many people have died for lesser reasons. You may recall stories of the Japanese kamikaze pilots of World War II, or more recently of monks or students who burned themselves in protest of some political or social injustice.

Even Christians aren’t exempt from wrong motives. It is reported that many Christians in the early church developed a martyr complex, wanting to die for the faith so they could become famous like the martyrs before them. Many deeds that look sacrificial on the surface are really the products of pride.

If the ultimate sacrifice is useless without love, so is every lesser sacrifice. But love sanctifies them all. So let God’s love govern everything you do!

Suggestions for Prayer: Memorize Romans 5:8 as a reminder to praise God for the many sacrifices He has made for you.

For Further Study: Read Revelation 2:1-7.

What strengths did the church in Ephesus have?
What did the Lord say about its one glaring weakness?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Listen More Than You Talk

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He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit.—Proverbs 17:27

We have said in this devotional that in our quest to hear from God we must train ourselves to listen. Sometimes we are talking so much that we simply cannot hear what God wants to say. We can also miss the important things people say to us because we are not listening.

If we learn the discipline of keeping ourselves calm and quiet, we will hear the things that God wants to say to us. My daughter, Sandra, said that recently, after she prayed, she just sat for a minute and asked God if He had anything He wanted to say to her before she began her day. She felt in her heart that He simply said, “Go; I am with you!” She was comforted by that thought, but it especially comforted her over the next few days when she found herself needing to deal with some unexpected bad news. The word God had given her increased her faith and kept her stable and calm as she faced her trials.

If we don’t listen, we won’t hear. Give God an opportunity on a regular basis to speak to you. When you pray, you don’t have to do all the talking. You can spare your words and be considered a wise man or woman of God.

God’s word for you today: You have one mouth and two ears, so that means God wants you to listen twice as much as you talk.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Will Uphold Us

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“Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

An obsolete Army transport plane was filled with people from various parts of the world. We flew, at the invitation of the president of a third world country, for a dedication ceremony of a historic sight. But it was not until we were crowded into the plane and ready to take off that we observed that there were no seatbelts. In fact there were not even enough seats for all of the guests. It was quite an unusual experience at best. Yet, I was able to claim this assuring promise that God gave to Isaiah and gives to all of his children who trust and obey Him.

Many times in my trips to various parts of the world, I have encountered difficulties, opposition, problems and challenges. In such times as these, I have needed and claimed the promises of God.

God’s banquet table is full to overflowing. Not only can we be free from fear, but we can also be encouraged knowing that He is our God and thus He will strengthen and help and uphold us with His victorious right hand. If you and I come to such a banquet table and come away with only crumbs, we should not blame the one who has prepared the table. He has made all things possible for us and given us all things in Him. Even if your task today is simply to perform routine duties, you may approach them without fear, even of boredom, knowing that God is with you.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:1-9

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Claiming this marvelous promise from God’s word, I will not fear, but will claim with joyful confidence His faithful promise to meet my every need, knowing that I am complete in Him who will enable me to live the supernatural life.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Old Camel Knees

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James, the brother of Jesus, wrote an epistle. In five chapters, he catalogues the weaknesses afflicting the human condition. These flaws will be familiar to you—some, perhaps, a little too familiar. Among them: a lack of faith, succumbing to temptation, discriminating against others, talking a good game without backing your words up with action, losing your temper, saying things you wish you could take back, impatience, pride, and loving money more than you should.

Who is wise and understanding among you?

James 3:13

After you slog through this list, you might be discouraged about ever living a godly life. But consider this: When James asks, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” he is pointedly highlighting the reality that you can’t attain God’s standards in your own power. The key, James writes, is to seek wisdom from the Lord. And how do you find that? The answer is revealed in James’ nickname—not found in Scripture, but well known among believers in his day. They called him “the man with camel knees.” James, you see, spent so much time in prayer his knees became rough and calloused like a camel’s.

Today, be resolved that whatever may happen in your life and in America today, it won’t be because you didn’t pray.

Greg Laurie – Tear Bottle

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He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. —Revelation 21:4

Jesus is God, with all the attributes of Deity. But He is also the Son of Man, who feels our pains and our sorrows. Isaiah 53 reminds us, “He was despised and rejected . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (verse 3). The passage goes on to say, “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down” (verse 4, NLT).

He not only carried your sin, He carried your sorrow. We’re told in Psalm 56:8, “You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded every one in your book” (TLB).

On a tour of Israel a number of years ago, I was exploring the old city of Jerusalem with my sons, Christopher and Jonathan. At one point in our ramblings, we stopped at an antiquities store, and I noticed a number of little bottles in various sizes and shapes. I asked the shopkeeper, “Sir, what are these bottles for?”

“Oh,” he said, “those are Roman tear bottles.”

“What were they used for?” I asked.

“Well, the Romans believed that when a loved one dies, you need to keep your tears in a bottle. So they would store the tears in these little containers.”

I have a tear bottle now. But it isn’t on earth; it’s in heaven. And I’m not the one who has to collect my own tears because God has already said He would do that.

So why does God keep our tears in a bottle? Because He sees and cares about every one of them. He takes note of our every tear. He hears our every sigh. And the Bible says that a day is coming when God will wipe away all of the tears from all of our years.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Great Opportunities

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There’s only so much sand in the hourglass. Who gets it? You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Each June I put my calendar together for the coming year. Decisions to be made. You may not stockpile your requests until June, but your situation is every bit as real. It’s tug-of-war, and you’re the rope. On one side are the requests for your time and energy. They call. They compliment. They’re valid and good. Great opportunities to do good things. If they were evil, it’d be easy to say no. But they aren’t, so it’s easy to rationalize.

On the other side are the loved ones in your world. They don’t ask you to consult your calendar. They don’t use terms like “appointment” and “engagement” or “do lunch.”They don’t want you for what you can do for them; they want you for who you are. Are you making time for them?

From In the Eye of the Storm

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Do I have a role to play in communicating God’s truth to others?

August 10, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Matthew 28:19-20

God never wants us to keep what He teaches us to ourselves. Whether it is money, insight, or truth, He wants us to share it with others. There is a tremendous blessing to be gained by opening our hearts and lives to those who need to know about the unconditional love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

The truth is Jesus commands us to “make disciples of all the nations . . . teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Just before He ascended to heaven, He told His disciples, “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He never intended for the disciples to keep the truth of His Word stored away in personal reservoirs of knowledge. Instead, He instructed them to give away all they received from Him. He commands us to do the same.

Paul also admonished Timothy, his young protégé, to communicate the truth he had learned to others who would, in turn, pass it along (2 Tim. 2:2). Elsewhere he noted, “We are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20). The sole purpose of an ambassador is to relay the policies and decisions of their superiors to the people of the countries where they serve. Likewise, we have an obligation to declare the divine plan and scriptural policies of our Master.

Each one of us communicates something by what we say and don’t say, by what we do and fail to do. A father who never reads the Bible is essentially telling his family that he does not care enough about the Lord to study His Word. His lack of desire in this area sends the message that he believes he is smart enough to make his own decisions apart from God’s input. The child who never sees her parents praying mistakenly learns that trials and tribulations can be handled without any direction from the Lord. This assumption is totally wrong.

On the other hand, a father who tells his family, “We are going to trust the Lord to provide us with what we need,” declares that God can be trusted in every facet of life. When children hear their parents praying, they quickly learn to trust God for every detail. They grow up viewing Him as very loving—the God who has the very best in mind for their lives.

Even when we remain silent, we subtly state something. Although the apostle Peter recognized the Gentiles as rightful recipients of God’s grace, he developed the bad habit of withdrawing from them during meals. His fellow Jews soon picked up on his prideful practice, with the result “that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (Gal. 2:13). Without a word, Peter had effectively sent a message that the Gentiles were inferior.

We must honestly evaluate our responses to the Lord’s commands. Are we deliberately and daily applying what He has taught us over the years? When we comprehend the truth, are we conforming ourselves to the image of Christ? Are we then communicating this truth to others?

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

Resources About Opportunities

Our Daily Bread — Holy, Holy, Holy

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Revelation 4

They do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” —Revelation 4:8

“Time flies when you’re having fun.” This cliché has no basis in fact, but experience makes it seem true.

When life is pleasant, time passes all too quickly. Give me a task that I enjoy, or a person whose company I love, and time seems irrelevant.

My experience of this “reality” has given me a new understanding of the scene described in Revelation 4. In the past, when I considered the four living creatures seated around God’s throne who keep repeating the same few words, I thought, What a boring existence!

I don’t think that anymore. I think about the scenes they have witnessed with their many eyes (v.8). I consider the view they have from their position around God’s throne (v.6). I think of how amazed they are at God’s wise and loving involvement with wayward earthlings. Then I think, What better response could there be? What else is there to say but, “Holy, holy, holy”?

Is it boring to say the same words over and over? Not when you’re in the presence of the one you love. Not when you’re doing exactly what you were designed to do.

Like the four creatures, we were designed to glorify God. Our lives will never be boring if we’re focusing our attention on Him and fulfilling that purpose. —Julie Ackerman Link

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! —Heber

A heart in tune with God can’t help but sing His praise.

Bible in a year: Psalms 79-80; Romans 11:1-18

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The Authority of Christ

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The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. Matthew 9:6

Consider here the Great Physician’s mighty power: the power to forgive sin! While He lived here below, before the ransom had been paid, before the blood had been literally sprinkled on the mercy-seat, He had power to forgive sin. Has He no power to do it now that He has died? What power must dwell in Him who to the utmost penny has faithfully discharged the debts of His people! He has unlimited power now that He has finished transgression and made an end of sin. If you doubt it, see Him rising from the dead! Behold Him in ascending splendor, raised to the right hand of God! Hear Him pleading before the eternal Father, pointing to His wounds, declaring the merit of His sacred passion!

What power to forgive is here! He ascended on high, and He gave gifts to men. He is exalted on high to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. The most crimson sins are removed by the crimson of His blood. At this moment, dear reader, whatever your sinfulness, Christ has power to pardon, power to pardon you, and millions just like you. A word will speak it. He has nothing more to do to win your pardon; all the atoning work is done.

He can, in answer to your tears, forgive your sins today and make you know it. He can breathe into your soul at this very moment a peace with God that passes all understanding, which shall spring from perfect remission of your many iniquities. Do you believe that? I trust you believe it. May you even now experience the power of Jesus to forgive sin! Waste no time in applying to the Physician of souls; hasten to Him with words like these:

Jesus! Master! hear my cry;

Save me, heal me with a word

Fainting at Thy feet I lie,

Thou my whisper’d plea has heard.

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The family reading plan for August 10, 2014 * Jeremiah 38 * Psalm 11, 12

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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 – The day of atonement

August 10, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“This shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.” Leviticus 16:34

Suggested Further Reading: Hebrews 9:6-14

Jesus Christ “died, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.” That day of atonement happened only once a year, to teach us that only once should Jesus Christ die; and that though he would come a second time, yet it would be without a sin offering unto salvation. The lambs were perpetually slaughtered; morning and evening they offered sacrifice to God, to remind the people that they always needed a sacrifice; but the day of atonement being the type of the one great propitiation, it was but once a year that the high priest entered within the veil with blood as the atonement for the sins of the people. And this was at a certain set and appointed time; it was not left to the choice of Moses, or to the convenience of Aaron, or to any other circumstance which might affect the date; it was appointed to be on a peculiar set day, as you find at the 29th verse: “In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month;” and at no other time was the day of atonement to be, to show us that God’s great day of atonement was appointed and predestined by himself. Christ’s expiation occurred but once, and then not by any chance; God had settled it from before the foundation of the world; and at that hour when God had predestined, on that very day that God had decreed that Christ should die, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers, he was dumb. It was but once a year, because the sacrifice should be once; it was at an appointed time in the year, because in the fulness of time Jesus Christ should come into the world to die for us.

For meditation: Daily and annual sacrifices of animals could never bring salvation from sin—that required only the single sacrifice of Christ on a single day (Zechariah 3:9; 12:10; 13:1; Hebrews 9:25,26; 10:11,12).

Sermon no. 95

10 August (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Benevolence Without Love

August 10, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“If I give all my possessions to feed the poor . . . but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).

Love is characterized by self-sacrifice, but not all self-sacrifice is an act of love.

If you’ve ever donated to your church or another charitable organization out of obligation, peer pressure, legalism, guilt, a desire for recognition, or simply a tax deduction, you know what it means to give without love. In our society it’s easy to fall prey to that kind of giving because the needs are so great and fund raisers appeal to every conceivable motive. In addition, many cults and false religions encourage the giving up of possessions and other sacrificial gestures as a supposed means of earning God’s favor. But God is more interested in why you give than what you give.

Paul’s hypothetical illustration in 1 Corinthians 13:3 is of someone who sacrificed everything he had to feed the poor. The Greek word translated “to feed” means “to dole out in small quantities.” Apparently this guy didn’t simply write out a check for a food distribution program; he was personally involved in a long-term, systematic program that would eventually consume every resource he had.

Paul doesn’t mention motives—only that this person lacked love. Consequently, the benefits of his benevolence were limited to the physical realm. Any spiritual benefits were forfeited.

Jesus, making a similar point, said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). If your motive for giving is to gain the approval of men, their accolades will be your only reward. If you’re motivated by love for God, He will reward you abundantly (vv. 2-4).

When you give to the Lord, what is your motive? Do you want others to think more highly of you? Do you feel obligated? Those are subtle influences, so be sure to guard your motives carefully. Remember, the only acceptable motive is love.

Suggestions for Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you sensitive to the needs of others, enabling you always to give out of genuine love.

For Further Study: Read Luke 18:9-14.

How did the Pharisee’s prayer differ from the tax-gatherer’s?
How did God respond to each prayer?

DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION

Monthly Archives: August 2014

Joyce Meyer – God Will Fight for You

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A Blameless Watchman

Greg Laurie – Death Is Not the End!

Max Lucado – What’s More Important?

Charles Stanley – Servant Joseph

Our Daily Bread — Power Of Simplicity

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Second Greatest

Alistair Begg – Eternal Comfort

Charles Spurgeon – The Christian—a debtor

John MacArthur – Martyrdom Without Love

Joyce Meyer – Listen More Than You Talk

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Will Uphold Us

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Old Camel Knees

Greg Laurie – Tear Bottle

Max Lucado – Great Opportunities

Charles Stanley – Do I have a role to play in communicating God’s truth to others?

Our Daily Bread — Holy, Holy, Holy

Alistair Begg – The Authority of Christ

Charles Spurgeon – The day of atonement

John MacArthur – Benevolence Without Love

Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.