Daily Archives: September 27, 2014

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Unconditional Surrender

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Charles Stanley

1 Kings 20:1-4

Giving absolute power over our life to another human being would be a scary proposition. But to accept and acknowledge the Lord’s authority over us is fitting and right.

Unconditional surrender means:

  • Yielding ourselves—including all we have and all we are—to the lordship of Christ. It is an identification with Him in which we decrease and He increases. We first experience surrender in our attitude and then live it out in obedient action.
  • Placing no limit on what we are willing to do or become. This means we have no restricted areas in our life where Jesus is not invited, nothing set aside for our own exclusive use, and no place where we tell Him, “Hands off.” We make ourselves totally available to His will—whenever, wherever, and however He chooses.
  • Transferring ownership of our body, soul, and spirit to Christ. By doing so, we embrace as our own values the principles of the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), the hierarchy of the kingdom (Mark 9:35), suffering for Christ’s sake (1 Peter 4:13), and dying to self (Gal. 2:20).

One reason we tend to hold back is fear: What will the Lord require of me? Another stumbling block is selfishness: I like having control over my own schedule and long-range plans. A third obstacle is pride: I know what God wants me to do, but can’t He see how that could hurt my reputation?

What keeps you from abandoning yourself to the Lord Jesus and crying, “Please take total control over my life”?

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Ultimate Reunion

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Our Daily Bread

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. —1 Thessalonians 4:17

I’ll never forget the vigil of sitting by my dad’s bed as he spent his last few days with us before slipping into eternity. To this day the moment of his passing continues to have a profound effect on me. My dad was always there for me. I could call him whenever I needed counsel. I have great memories of our days fishing together; we would talk about God and the Bible, and I would prompt him to tell those fun stories from his youth on the farm.

But when Dad took his last breath, I became aware of the irreversible finality of death. He was gone from this world. And my heart had a vacancy sign hung on its door.

Yet, even in the midst of such loss and grief, God’s Word speaks encouragingly into the emptiness. The apostle Paul teaches us that at the coming of the Lord Jesus, those who have gone on before will rise first and we “shall be caught up together with them . . . . And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Now that’s a reunion I’m really looking forward to! Not only to be reunited with my dad, but to be with Jesus forever.

  1. S. Lewis said, “Christians never say goodbye.” I’m eagerly awaiting that ultimate reunion! —Joe Stowell

Lord, in the midst of our sorrow and loss, remind

us of the glorious eternal reunion that is waiting

for us. Comfort us in our grief and fill our hearts

with joyful anticipation of the day You will return!

O Death, where is your sting? —1 Corinthians 15:55

Bible in a year: Isaiah 3-4; Galatians 6

Insight

In the Bible, sleep is a euphemism for physical death (Ps. 13:3; Matt. 9:24; 27:52; John 11:11-13; Acts 7:60). Daniel 12:2 says, “Those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus affirmed that “the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). On that day when Jesus returns, believers, “those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14), will be resurrected first (v.16). Then the believers who are still alive will be “caught up” or “raptured” to meet Christ in the air (v.17).

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry –   Q&A   DOES RZIM HAVE A VIEW ON THE AGE OF THE EARTH?

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Ravi Z

RZIM does not have an official ministry position on the age of the earth.  The focus of RZIM is apologetics and evangelism, and thus we do not address particular questions about creation, though we are committed to defending theism against naturalism.  Primarily, we seek to address the philosophical assumptions underlying the atheistic scientific theory to reveal their incoherence, and to demonstrate that a world such as ours requires an active and sovereign Creator.

Though there is some diversity of views within RZIM, we are all firmly committed to the integrity of the Bible as God’s infallible Word and believe our world has been intelligently designed and created by God, who made humanity in His own image.

Here are some resources which offer varying perspectives for your own study:

In the Beginning, Henri Blocher (InterVarsity Press)

Knowing the Truth about Creation or Decide for Yourself, Norman Geisler (available at http://www.normgeisler.com)

God, Are You There? William Lane Craig (Craig’s website, http://www.reasonablefaith.org, also has excellent articles on science/arguments for God’s existence.

God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? Dr. John Lennox

 

Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science Dr. John Lennox

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Persistent Knocking

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Alistair Begg

Song of Songs 5:4

Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and ungrateful to rise and open the door; but the touch of His effectual grace has caused my soul to stir. How patient of my Beloved to wait when He found Himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of indolence! How great His patience to knock and knock again, and to add His voice to His knockings, beseeching me to open to Him! How could I have refused Him! My heart is base; I blush and without excuse!

But the greatest kindness of all is this, that He becomes His own porter and unlocks the door Himself. Blessed is the hand that condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now I see that nothing but my Lord’s own power can save such a naughty mass of wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, and even the Gospel has no effect upon me, until His hand is stretched out. I also see that His hand is good where everything else is unsuccessful; He can open when nothing else will. Blessed be His name, I feel His gracious presence even now. Well may my heart be thrilled within me when I think of all that He has suffered for me and of my ungenerous response.

I have allowed my affections to wander. I have tolerated rivals. I have grieved Him. Sweetest and dearest of all lovers, I have treated You as an unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can I do? Tears are a poor evidence of my repentance; my whole heart palpitates with indignation at myself. I am wretched to treat my Lord, my All in All, my exceeding great joy, as though He were a stranger. Jesus, You freely forgive, but this is not enough; prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to Yourself, so that I may never wander from You again.

Family Bible reading plan Ezekiel 30 Psalms 78:38-72

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Thanksgiving and prayer

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CharlesSpurgeon

‘Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.’ Psalm 65:11

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 147:7–15

We have here crowning mercies, suggesting special and crowning thanksgiving. All the year round, every hour of every day, God is richly blessing us; both when we sleep and when we wake, his mercy waits upon us. The sun may leave off shining, but our God will never cease to cheer his children with his love. Like a river his lovingkindness is always flowing, with a fulness inexhaustible as his own nature, which is its source. Like the atmosphere which always surrounds the earth, and is always ready to support the life of man, the benevolence of God surrounds all his creatures; in it, as in their element they live, and move, and have their being. Yet as the sun on summer days appears to gladden us with beams more warm and bright than at other times, and as rivers are at certain seasons swollen with the rain, and as the atmosphere itself on occasions is fraught with more fresh, more bracing, or more balmy influences than heretofore, so is it with the mercy of God: it has its golden hours, its days of overflow, when the Lord magnifies his grace and lifts high his love before the sons of men. If we begin with the blessings of the nether springs, we must not forget that for the race of man the joyous days of harvest are a special season of excessive favour. It is the glory of autumn that the ripe gifts of providence are then abundantly bestowed; it is the mellow season of realisation, whereas all before was but hope and expectation. Great is the joy of harvest. Happy are the reapers who fill their arms with the liberality of heaven. The psalmist tells us that the harvest is the crowning of the year.

For meditation: Consider the common grace of God to all people (Psalm 145:9,15–16; Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17). Do you take the gifts and ignore the Giver? Or do you receive his gifts with thanksgiving as one who believes and knows the truth (1 Timothy 4:3)?

Sermon no. 532

27 September (Harvest Thanksgiving 1863)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Always Praying

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John MacArthur

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times” (Eph. 6:18).

Make prayer an ongoing part of your day.

As important as prayer is to your Christian life, you might expect Paul to list it as another piece of spiritual armor, but he doesn’t. Instead, he makes it all-pervasive by instructing us to pray at all times. That’s our spiritual lifeline—the air our spirits breathe. The effectiveness of each piece of armor is directly related to the quality of our prayers.

We see the importance of prayer throughout the New Testament. Jesus instructed His disciples to be on the alert at all times, praying so that they would have strength to face the trials and temptations that lie ahead (Luke 21:36). The apostles devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 6:4), as did godly people like Cornelius (Acts 10:2). Every Christian is to be continually devoted to prayer (Rom. 12:12).

In Philippians 4:6 Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” He told the Thessalonians to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) and instructed men everywhere to “pray, lifting up holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8).

Jesus and Paul not only exhorted believers to pray, but also modeled diligent prayer in their own lives. Jesus often went for extended periods of time alone to pray. Paul wrote often of his own fervent prayers on behalf of others (cf. Col. 1:9; Philem. 4).

As a child, you may have been taught that prayer is reserved for mealtimes, bedtime, or church services. That’s a common misconception many children carry into their adult years. But believers are to be in constant communication with God, which is simply the overflow of seeing all of life from His perspective. Just as you would discuss your everyday experiences and feelings with a close friend, so you’re to discuss them with God.

God loves you and wants to share your every joy, sorrow, victory, and defeat. Be conscious of His presence today and take advantage of the sweet communion He offers.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God that He’s always available to hear your prayers.
  • Ask Him to give you a desire to commune with Him more faithfully.

For Further Study; What do these verses say about the most appropriate times for prayer: Psalm 55:16-17, Daniel 6:10, Luke 6:12, and 1 Timothy 5:5?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Try Some Shrug Therapy

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Joyce meyer

Do not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools. —Numbers 21:8

There are some things you can control in life—who your friends are, what you eat, and when you go to bed, for example. There are other things you can’t control, such as what other people say or the flat tire you got last night. The way you respond to things you can’t control helps determine your stress level and your quality of life and health. I have two suggestions about dealing with things you can’t control. First, if you can’t control them, don’t take responsibility for them. And sec¬ond, I like to say, “Do your best, pray, and let God do the rest!”

People who regularly get upset over small things suffer in many ways. People who shrug them off do much better. Shrugging off certain things doesn’t mean you are indifferent; it simply means you’ve accepted the fact that you can’t do anything to change them at that time. The flat tire has already happened. Calling someone to come fix it makes sense; throwing a tantrum and kicking the tire does not. We need to deal appropriately with each stressor as it arises so that we don’t end up exploding in frustration over the unavoidable bumps on the road of life.

God works in mysterious ways. You never know when He may use some inconvenience or frustration for your good. He is in control, and if you trust Him to work things out, you’ll be able to ride the ups and downs of life with peace, joy, and strength.

Love Yourself Today: Refuse to live in frustration. Take life one day at a time, and when things happen that you don’t like, say, “It is what it is and God is still in control.”

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Ask What You Will

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dr_bright

“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7, KJV).

When Campus Crusade for Christ began at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1951, our first act was to organize a 24-hour prayer chain. Around the clock, scores of men and women interceded for UCLA students and faculty. God answered prayer in a remarkable way, as His Spirit touched the entire campus.

Thirty-one years later, more than 16,000 full-time and associate staff members of Campus Crusade for Christ in more than 150 countries and protectorates are teaching millions of others the importance of prayer, with revolutionary spiritual results and many millions receiving Christ.

Prayer has always been the breathe, life, vitality, strength and power of the Christian. Beginning with our Lord, who spent much time in prayer, and continuing with the disciples and fruitful, Spirit-filled Christians through the centuries, prayer remains a major emphasis in the life of every believer.

History records no mighty men or women of God whose lives were not characterized by prayer, nor any great spiritual movements, awakenings or revivals that were not preceded by prayer. James 4:2 reminds us, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.”

It is not enough to pray, we must pray according to the Word and will of God. For that reason, understanding and obeying our Scripture assignment for today is crucial. We must abide in Christ and allow His Word to abide in us before we are qualified to pray. God’s Word reminds us, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5:14,15, KJV).

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:7-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: From this day forth I will seek, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, to abide in Christ and have His Word abide in me. As I discover God’s Will through the diligent study of His Word and the leading of His Holy Spirit, I will pray more intelligently and thus can expect answers to my prayers.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Fervent and Persistent

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ppt_seal01

James, the brother of Jesus, must have had an unusual relationship with his sibling. He only came to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah after Christ’s resurrection; familial ties changed to something much more. It is James who led the church in Jerusalem. It is James who tells you how great is the power of prayer.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

James 5:16

His example is Elijah. Because Israel’s sin of idolatry was so great, Elijah had prayed to God to hold the rain. For three-and-a-half years there was a drought. When Elijah believed there had been repentance in the land, he prayed fervently and persistently for God to send the rain. Elijah called upon Him to fulfill His promise. And He did.

How’s your prayer life? As a believer, prayer is your privilege. Know the Lord and His promises so you can have an intimate relationship with Him and can understand how to pray within His will. Give power to your prayers with sincere confession, unselfishness and dependence on His Word. Then intercede for the leaders of this nation that they would turn their hearts to God to know and to do what He wills.

Recommended Reading: I Kings 17:1-5; 18:1-2, 41-46

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Fourth Man in the Flames  

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greglaurie

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” —Daniel 3:24–25

Not many of us, perhaps, will face tests as great as Shadrach, Meshach, or Abed-Nego faced on the day when the king threw them into a fiery furnace. Even so, tests will come. Temptations will come. And many of those moments of great testing will come when you are alone, with no one looking.

We’re foolish if we think we can stand up to temptation—the lure of the world, our own flesh, and the Devil—in our own strength and wisdom. We need help from on high.

The key to the courage and serenity of these three teenagers in the midst of those flames was their Companion! Nebuchadnezzar said it best: “The form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

I don’t know that Nebuchadnezzar necessarily realized that this fourth person in the flames was Jesus Christ. I don’t know what he thought. All he knew was that he tossed three men in a blazing furnace, and they were walking around in the fire like it was a Sunday stroll in the park. And Someone else was walking with them.

Just that quickly, the king didn’t want to mess with these guys anymore. He had great respect (not necessarily belief at that point, yet respect) for the God they represented.

Are you in a fiery trial right now? Are you in the hot waters of temptation? Know this: You aren’t alone in life. Jesus is there with you each step of the way. Jesus said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, NIV). And again, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Take your stand for the Lord in things great and small, and even though you may feel the heat, your Companion will never leave your side.

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