Monthly Archives: January 2016

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Before the Phone

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Read: Psalm 18:1-6

Bible in a Year: Exodus 19-20; Matthew 18:21-35

In my distress I called to the Lord. —Psalm 18:6

As a mom of young children I’m sometimes susceptible to panic. My first reaction is to call my mom on the phone and ask her what to do with my son’s allergy or my daughter’s sudden cough.

Mom is a great resource, but when I read the Psalms, I’m reminded of how often we need the kind of help that no mortal can give. In Psalm 18 David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord.

David could say, “I love you, Lord” because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a deliverer (vv. 1-2). God was his shield, his salvation, and his stronghold. Maybe we cannot understand David’s praise because we have not experienced God’s help. It may be that we reach for the phone before going to God for advice and help.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Of Isms and Rabbit Trails

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Among my toughest audiences in apologetics are undoubtedly my two little boys. From the time words started forming on their lips, questions of various kinds have been a staple around our home—the most formidable one being, “Why, daddy?” More than any other of our appetites, I strongly suspect that thirst for knowledge and the occasional thrill of discovery have played the greatest role in shaping history. From the vast machinery of the news media to the intricate systems of the educational enterprise, from specialized research institutions to the multifaceted world of religious devotion, human hunger for knowledge is the oil that greases the mill of civilization.

So pervasive is this drive for knowledge that it can become an end in itself, opening up a rudderless detour along even the journey to God. This is true in religious systems that claim knowledge for a select few, with secretly guarded rituals forever hidden from the uninitiated. Gnosticism, from the Greek word gnosis, which means knowledge, was built upon the premise that there exists a category of knowledge privileged to a select few. Most Eastern religions insist that the problem with humanity is not sin but ignorance; hence, their solution to the human predicament is enlightenment, not forgiveness. Similarly, scientific naturalism stakes its fortunes on the bare, cold facts of particles and quarks; to know them is to know ultimate reality—never mind the minor detail that, logically, there is a gaping missing link between knowing how something works and the conclusion that it was not made.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Our Unity in the Spirit

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“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

All Christians are part of the same Body, with the same Spirit, who is our pledge of eternal life.

Everything God ever designed for the church is based on the unity of believers. Paul emphasizes that by listing seven “ones” in these verses. One is the key; it is the cause of the worthy walk.

How many bodies of Christ are there? There isn’t a Presbyterian body, a Baptist body, and a Methodist body; nor is there a California body, a Utah body, and a Kansas body. There is just one Body, the church. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Whatever your race, creed, nationality, or language, when you become a Christian, you become one with every other believer.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Spiritual Health 

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For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

Though it often feels like a losing battle, most weeks I do my best to spend a few hours at the gym. Whenever I’m there, I am always reminded of the value our culture places on health and beauty, and the time and effort we are willing to give to this pursuit. From exercise and diet to fitness trackers and health supplements, it can at times be all encompassing!

On one hand, this desire for bodily health is good and right. I’ve found the discipline needed to keep the body healthy actually aids and supports my spiritual health and growth. However, we can be so focused on our physical health that we neglect the care of our souls and growth in godliness. As St. Paul reminds us, physical health and beauty are fleeting, but godliness is an eternal investment! How then are we to grow in our spiritual health?

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Constant Communication

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Then the king said to [Nehemiah], “What do you request?” So [Nehemiah] prayed to the God of heaven. And [he] said to the king, “If it pleases the king . . . .”

Nehemiah 2:4-5

Recommended Reading

Philippians 4:6-7

Stewards are in constant touch with their masters regarding the master’s plans. When it comes to Christian leadership, the same stewardship principle applies—constant communication. Therefore, prayer is the foundational principle for Christian leaders. Prayer is how Christian stewards stay in touch with the Master about His plans.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Keep Pressing On

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I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. —Philippians 3:13-14

Our relationships with God are progressive and we all move from one level to another. No one ever “masters” communication with God because there is no limit to the depth of relationship we can have with Him; it just keeps growing, keeps going deeper, keeps getting stronger. Our ability to hear His voice develops and improves over time. Over time and with practice, we get better at sharing our hearts with God and we become more skilled and experienced at hearing His voice and understanding what He is saying to us. We never become certified experts in prayer and we never stop learning to communicate with God; our experiences just keep getting richer and better.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – You Can Be Sure This Is God’s Will

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“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV).

“Always give thanks for everything?” my friend Jim remarked with impatience bordering on anger. “How can I give thanks to God when my wife is dying of cancer? I would be a fool, and besides I don’t feel thankful. My heart is breaking. I can’t stand to see her suffer any more.”

Jim was a Christian, but he had not yet learned how to appropriate the supernatural resources of God by faith. He had not heard that the Holy Spirit produces the supernatural, spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He did not know that the Holy Spirit was ready and eager to lift his load, fill his heart with peace and enable him to demonstrate a thankful attitude, even in times of heartache, sorrow and disappointment.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The God of the Here and Now

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Read: John 11:1-54

Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:21-26)

Martha greets Jesus with a phrase that must have been frequently on all of their lips when Lazarus was sick: Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. I do not believe this is a word of reproach. Martha is not saying, Lord, why didn’t you come sooner? We sent for you. If you had responded we wouldn’t be in this pickle. It is clear that she realizes the message did not reach him until Lazarus was dead. There was no way he could have responded and gotten there before Lazarus died. Martha’s word is not one of reproach, but rather one of regret: Lord, I wish you could have been here, because if you had, my brother would not have died.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The God of the Here and Now →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Way Back

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Read: Matthew 7:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate. (v. 13 NIV)

We can know that we know Christ by the fruit of obedience. But what if there is little fruit? I can hear someone say, “I felt like a failure before; now I feel afraid. What do I do with Jesus’ challenging words?” Listen to the good news before and after the frightening words of Matthew 7:23—there is a way back and a way forward.

If you are unsure that you know Christ and that he knows you, you can go back. Here’s how: “Enter through the narrow gate.” There’s a wide gate that anyone can go through. It is the way of the world, the way of the immoral majority. It’s easy and smooth, and it leads to destruction. But there is one narrow gate that leads to life. What is that gate? Listen to Jesus in John 10: “I am the gate for the sheep . . . . Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture . . . . I lay down my life for the sheep” (vv. 7, 9, 15 NIV).

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – The Father’s Voice

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Christian comedian Michael Jr. is used to commanding an audience’s attention. Yet he didn’t expect the reception he got from his newborn daughter. Shortly after her birth, the baby was wailing loudly. Suddenly, she stopped crying when she heard Michael’s voice. Then when she became upset later, he told her, “I love you.” In response, she not only stopped crying, but opened her beautiful eyes. “We’ll always have times when we’re not as comfortable…where life is just heavy,” Michael said. “The key thing to do in those moments is to be still and listen for the Father’s voice. Because He is trying to talk to you. And I can tell you what He wants you to know is that He loves you. All you got to do is open your eyes.”

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always.

Proverbs 28:14

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Great Ending

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Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. —Ecclesiastes 7:8

The Bible is filled with stories of people who started well but finished horribly, like King Saul and Samson. Then there are those who started poorly but finished well.

Think of Nicodemus, whom we read about in John 3. He was just a guy coming to Jesus at night with some questions. There is no indication that he was a believer at that point. But at the end of the Gospel narrative, after Christ had been crucified, who stepped forward publicly, along with Joseph of Arimathea, and asked for Jesus’ body to give Him a proper burial? It was Nicodemus the Pharisee. Maybe he didn’t start all that well, but he ended very well.

The same could be said of Esther. We can argue as to whether Esther should have been upfront from the beginning about being a Jew when she was chosen by King Xerxes to be the new queen. But if the king knew she was a Jew, maybe he never would have married her. And if he hadn’t married her, maybe she wouldn’t have been in a position to save a nation. But even if Esther made a mistake initially, even if she compromised, even if she may not have started all that well, she finished very well.

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God “Picks” Workers According to His Own Wisdom and Power

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“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

If you were picking players for a basketball team, you would probably not pick Evan. Evan is short, slow, and not very smart. He misses most of the shots he takes, and he sometimes actually just drops the basketball. Evan is usually the last person to be picked for any kinds of sports team – if he even gets picked at all.

The Bible tells us that God has chosen “foolish things” and “weak things” to accomplish His work. Evan is not very smart, and he is not very strong, but God has chosen Evan to be His child. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, God has chosen you to shame those who are smart and strong in ways the world values.

God does great things through people who love Him. When He does those great things, He doesn’t want His people to say, “Look what I did because I am smart!” He wants them to say, “Look what God did.” God chooses people who are not necessarily smart or strong so that they will know that God is great, and they are not.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Justice Honored

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

All of us will eventually face judgment before a holy and just God. As we think of that inevitable day, do we want to see justice done, or mercy? Except for the most arrogantly self-righteous among us, we would all hope for mercy. Here, however, is our dilemma: God’s justice is certain, and it is inflexible.

Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8, “God is just: he will pay back. he will punish those who do not know God” (NIV). And in Romans 12:19: “?t is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (NIV). Though often delayed, God’s justice is nonetheless certain. Justice may be defined as rendering to everyone according to one’s due.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Damage Control

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Today’s Scripture: Numbers 5-8

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:31-32

In Numbers 5-8 the Lord establishes certain laws for the removal of anything that is unclean from the place where the people are camped. This has a powerful application for you and me in our daily walk of discipleship. One of the most urgent matters we face every day is the removal of anything in our lives that might hinder our fellowship with Christ and ruin our testimony before others.

Some years ago, a violent windstorm caused great damage to the city of Colorado Springs. It broke windows, loosened shingles, and tore down electrical lines. A friend of mine and his wife were driving home from church the next morning when they saw a tree that everyone in the city had admired for its greatness and beauty. It had stood in splendor for years. Now it was flat on the ground. Then my friends noticed that the trunk was hollow.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Damage Control →

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  The Indictment of David Daleiden: The Culture of Death Shoots the Messenger

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As you’ve probably heard, a grand jury in Houston Texas, originally tasked with investigating Planned Parenthood’s possible involvement in the sale of fetal tissue and body parts, has decided to instead to shoot the messenger.

Well, not exactly “shoot,” but something almost as inappropriate. The Harris County grand jury indicted both David R. Daleiden, the founder of the Center for Medical Progress, and his colleague Sandra Merritt, for “tampering with a government record.” Daleiden has also been charged with a misdemeanor related to the attempt to purchase human organs.

The first indictment is in connection with Daleiden’s and Merritt’s alleged use of fake California driver’s licenses to gain access to the various Planned Parenthood facilities. The second indictment is based on an email that Daleiden allegedly sent, offering to buy fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood.

To put it very mildly, what happened in Houston was ironic. While Daleiden’s actions amount to a prima facie – the legal phrase meaning “at first glance” – violation of Texas law, no one believes he intended to buy fetal tissue. His and Merritt’s goal was to expose those who profit from this gruesome practice.

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – SHUNNING SHAME

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Read Hebrews 11:39-12:6

Superheroes have never been more popular. Comic book sales are the highest they’ve been in decades; superhero movies make millions of dollars, and superhero television shows have millions of viewers. People love to imagine a character with extraordinary abilities who is not constrained by gravity or fire or limited strength like the rest of us mortals.

We might be tempted to think of the people listed in Hebrews 11 as superheroes of faith. But a closer look at their stories in other parts of Scripture reveals that they struggled with fear, doubt, and susceptibility to shame just as we do. They were human beings just like us, and they looked ahead to a reward so valuable that they persevered in focusing on and trusting God.

These individuals are included in this passage as examples of faith not because of their personal accomplishments but due to their belief in what God would accomplish for them. They fixed their eyes on that prize and ran for it, even as the world unleashed its abuse, degradation, mockery, and rejection. Their very refusal to succumb to shame put their enemies to shame. In God’s opinion, the world wasn’t worthy of them.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – PRINCIPAL DIES SAVING THE CHILDREN SHE SERVED

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Susan Jordan was principal of an elementary school in Indianapolis for twenty-two years. Tuesday she was standing outside with her students when a stationary school bus inexplicably accelerated and jumped a curb. She pushed several students out of the way before the vehicle struck and killed her. A fire department spokeswoman said, “Up to the minute she was alive, she was helping the kids.”

Her superintendent said of her, “Quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about a legend.” He described Jordan as “a phenomenal individual that truly cared about children.” Last May, dozens of students, faculty, and staff made a video about her. The students called her “friendly, focused, smart, organized, inspirational, dependable, determined, positive, and awesome.” The district closed all schools yesterday in her memory.

When the bus careened toward her students, Susan Jordan didn’t have time to decide whether she would risk her life for them. In that moment, her reaction revealed the sacrificial commitment she had already made.

Like her, the time for us to decide our life priorities is before they are tested. Only then can we be ready for challenges when they come.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Overcoming Insecurity

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Romans 8:33-39

No quick solution exists for overcoming insecurity. First, we have to acknowledge we feel insecure. Then, we should try to identify what generates those feelings. Finally, we must decide to overcome that state of mind. Drifting into security is impossible; we must work toward it.

Having a sense of security involves more than just building self-esteem. Jesus Christ is our genuine source of strength and confidence. If we attempt to overcome our insecurity without Him, we’ll simply be masking it with our own efforts.

The way we see ourselves isn’t necessarily the way we truly are. Instead, we have to ask how the Lord sees us. To shift our focus from ourselves and our mistakes, we must get into God’s Word. Therefore, to overcome insecurity, we must first deal with any doubts we may have about the Bible. Scripture is so powerful that when we read what God says about us, our thinking starts to change, and we can step out of insecurity’s destructive mindset.

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — What Is It?

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Read: Exodus 16:11-31

Bible in a Year: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 18:1-20

When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” —Exodus 16:15

My mother taught Sunday school for decades. One week she wanted to explain how God supplied food for the Israelites in the wilderness. To make the story come alive, she created something to represent “manna” for the kids in her class. She cut bread into small pieces and topped them with honey. Her recipe was inspired by the Bible’s description of manna that says it “tasted like wafers made with honey” (Ex. 16:31).

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Trusting in God’s Power

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“I pray that … you may know … the surpassing greatness of [God’s] power toward us who believe” (Eph. 1:18-19).

The same divine power that created, sustains, and controls the universe secures your salvation.

God’s power is awesome! David wrote, “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name” (1 Chron.29:11-13).

In Ephesians 1:19 Paul focuses on one key feature of God’s power: His ability to secure the salvation of His people. And he prays for you to understand the surpassing greatness of that truth.

The Greek word translated “power” is dunamis, from which we get dynamite and dynamo. This power is active, dynamic, and compelling—and it is mightily at work on your behalf. You might not always sense it, but it’s there nonetheless.

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