Monthly Archives: February 2016

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – A Place of Cleansing

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Read: Isaiah 7:1-14

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him, Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. (Isaiah 7:3-4)

We are told the precise spot on which God directed the prophet to stand when he made this announcement to the king. You probably read this thinking that it was nothing more than a casual direction God gave to him. But it is very significant. Isaiah was told to go to the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the Launderer’s Field; to stand at that very spot and give this announcement to King Ahaz. What is the meaning of that? There at that spot, and only there, the prophet was to inform King Ahaz that he had nothing to fear from these two armies that were threatening the city of Jerusalem. They were only smoldering stubs and were no real threat at all. The account declares that within sixty-five years this deliverance would happen. All this came true, as predicted.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – A Place of Cleansing →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Intimacy with God

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Read: Genesis 3:1-12

But the Lord God called to the man . . . “Where are you?” (v. 9)

Many years ago, I was a fan of Guideposts, a magazine full of heartwarming, personal stories of relationships with God. One day I decided to try to write for this magazine, so I read back issues and the editor’s guidelines for stories. Finally, I had to face the truth. I didn’t have the personal connection with God that these stories described. My connection with God was purely intellectual.

I was not bothered by that truth until I understood the meaning of collaborating with the Spirit in the process of spiritual transformation—“being conformed into the image of Christ through a relationship of intimacy with God” (emphasis added). After decades of being a Christian, I learned that God is eager to journey through life with me. I understood that because I am created to have intimacy with God, I am also able to have feelings of rapport, affection, trust, and love with others.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C.- Set Free

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What’s the scariest movie you’ve ever seen? Many Boomers will say The Exorcist, a despicable tale of a young girl possessed by a demon and the ensuing battle between the evil spirit and a priest. While the story is fiction, in reality there are dark forces active on Earth, and though a demon cannot possess a child of God, Satan’s minions delight in wreaking havoc through circumstances.

In you our father’s trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

Psalm 22:4

In the Bible, Jesus encounters a man under demonic control. People described him as running wild in the hills, screaming madly, cutting himself, and breaking any chain they used to bind him. Jesus commanded the evil spirit to leave the man – and soon he was seen clothed and in his right mind. Jesus told the man to go and tell everyone what God had done for him.

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – “Your Will Be Done”

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“In this manner, therefore, pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ “—Matthew 6:9–10

If you want God to say yes to your prayers, then you must pray according to the will of God. Jesus modeled this for us when He taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10).

Yet some people teach the opposite. They say that when you pray, you are to tell God what you want and ask for it by faith. You are to speak it into existence and not doubt. I’ve heard one teacher say, “Don’t ever pray, ‘Not my will, but Yours be done.” But those who hold that view are mistaken.

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is All-Wise

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“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)

Do you know someone you consider to be very wise? Wise people always seem to give good advice about a problem, and they always seem to make good choices. When you take questions to a wise person for advice, you are confident that the person will give you a very good answer.

But no matter how wise a person may be, God is far wiser. The apostle Paul tells us that God’s wisdom and knowledge are so deep, no man could ever even begin to understand them. Sometimes we show that we cannot understand God’s wisdom because we question why He made us a certain way or why He allows certain things to happen in our lives.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – The Cup Jesus Emptied

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Today’s Scripture: Matthew 26:42

“My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” A little later, at his arrest, he said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (Matthew 26:39, NIV; John 18:11, NIV). The cup was very much on Jesus’ mind that night.

What was in the cup? We generally associate it with his crucifixion. We assume that when he prayed that the cup might be taken away, he was asking to be spared from that horrible and demeaning death on the cross. There’s truth in that assumption, and certainly the cup was connected with the crucifixion. But still—what was in it?

Continue reading The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – The Cup Jesus Emptied →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Life Investment

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 1-3

I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things,things from of old–what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. – Psalm 78:2-4

What do you want to leave behind when your life on earth is over? Let’s look at what Elijah the prophet left behind. In today’s passage, we find him on his last day on earth, visiting the schools of the prophets where young men trained. We see Elijah’s final investment in the life of Elisha. Never underestimate the power of one life invested in another. When I was a twenty-four-year-old student at Northwestern College in Minneapolis, one man taught me most of what I know about the Christian life.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Life Investment →

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Can New Advances in Medicine Help Schizophrenics?

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A recent headline in the Washington Post proclaimed “Scientists open the ‘black box’ of schizophrenia with dramatic genetic discovery.”

While the headline may be a little hyped, what actually happened has the potential to be, as the saying goes, a “game changer”—only not in the way the article would have us believe.

As the Post reports, “scientists have pinned down a molecular process in the brain that helps to trigger schizophrenia.” An article published in the prestigious journal Nature describes the discovery of a “genetic pathway [that] probably reveals what goes wrong neurologically in a young person diagnosed with the devastating disorder.”

Now, it’s important to be clear on what schizophrenia is, especially since we use “schizophrenic” to mean being of two minds on a subject. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, “Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality.”

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS, THE KING OF REST

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Read Luke 6:1-11

“The Sabbath comes like a caress,” Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “wiping away fear, sorrow, and somber memories.” But for many in Jesus’ day, the required observance of the seventh day was a burden, not a blessing. In their attempt to preserve the sacred nature of the day, the religious leaders had encumbered worshipers with a load of restrictions.

As Jesus’ disciples walked through grain fields, they began to pick the grain and eat it. This was permissible according to Mosaic Law (see Deut. 23:25). The Pharisees were offended, however, that this happened on the Sabbath. They considered the disciples’ behavior to be a form of work.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum -‘THE BLIND SIDE’ PLAYER’S SURPRISING ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL

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Most of us remember Michael Oher as the subject of The Blind Side. The inspirational movie told the story of his childhood poverty, adoption by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, and eventual career as an offensive tackle in the NFL. Now Michael Oher is playing in the Super Bowl for the Carolina Panthers, protecting quarterback Cam Newton from Denver’s defense, the best in the NFL.

But only because Newton asked him to. Here’s their remarkable story.

Oher played several years for the Baltimore Ravens, then was signed by his home state Tennessee Titans. His season there was disastrous—he allowed six sacks and twenty-six quarterback hurries in eleven games during a 2–14 season. The Titans later cut him. What he didn’t tell anyone was that he was playing with a torn bicep and an injured toe.

Cam Newton’s brother had played with Oher in Baltimore and thought Michael could help protect the Carolina quarterback. So he notified Newton, who texted Oher to say he needed his help. The Panthers then signed Oher to a two-year contract that was widely criticized. But Oher had an outstanding season for the team that is widely favored to win the NFL championship.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Effectiveness of God’s Way

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Exodus 3:1-22

Yesterday we observed how ineffective Moses’ self-reliant actions were. Today we will see what God can do in the life of someone who is fully submitted to Him. If we let Moses’ example teach us about the dangers of self-sufficiency and the advantages of depending on the Lord, we’ll save ourselves a lot of hardship.

When we submit to God’s way, He’ll do amazing things in and through our life. Despite past failures, Moses was still used in accomplishing the divine plan, but only after he became usable—that is, humbled and broken of his self-will. Just consider what God achieved when Moses relinquished control.

  • He showed He could do great things through a yielded person.
    • He got more done in less time and with fewer resources. There was no insurrection or lengthy war—just a dramatic display of His power.
    • He proved the superiority of His way by freeing over two million people without the loss of a single Hebrew life.
    • He sent slaves out of bondage with their captors’ riches (Ex. 3:21-22).
    • He proved to both the Israelites and the Egyptians that He alone is the God of heaven and earth.
    • He received all the glory.

Our past failures never prevent God’s willingness or ability to use us. In fact, our weakness is a great opportunity for the display of His power. In our own strength, we are totally ineffective. But when we submit to the Lord’s authority in our life, we can experience His victory in whatever He calls us to do.

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 18-20

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Hidden Treasure

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Read: Proverbs 2:1-5

Bible in a Year: Exodus 34-35; Matthew 22:23-46

Search for [insight and understanding] as for hidden treasure. —Proverbs 2:4

My husband and I read in different ways. Since English is a second language for Tom, he has a tendency to read slowly, word-for-word. I often speed-read by skimming. But Tom retains more than I do. He can easily quote something he read a week ago, while my retention can evaporate seconds after I turn away from the screen or book.

Skimming is also a problem when I’m reading the Bible—and not just the genealogies. I’m tempted to skim familiar passages, stories I’ve heard since I was a child, or a psalm that is part of a familiar chorus.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Different Side of Good News

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“For a difficult journey, minimal benefits, bitter cold, long months of darkness, constant fatigue and hardship. Most will quit. Honor and recognition in case of success.”

These were the words inscribed on a University of Washington men’s rowing crew advertisement I spotted recently while walking on the university campus. For those who know the history of the men’s crew at U of W, this advertisement will not come as a surprise. The team’s history is replete with times of dramatic struggle and monumental triumph. Perhaps most notable is the story of their quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics: an eight oar crew who were not expected to compete against even the East Coast American teams at the time showed astonishing strength to provide a winning story that would not be forgotten.

When I first came across the full-page advert for the men’s crew, I read it at least ten times over. It struck me that of all the ways in which the rowing department would choose to draw first year students to their sport, this was the way they chose to do it: not by enticing students with reward, but with the cost. Yes, there might be glory, the advert hinted, but that was not the compelling point. There would be no guarantee of glory to woo potential recruits. What was promised was pain and sacrifice; this was the U of W crew’s appeal.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – God Is One

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“‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!’” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

There is only one true God.

When God freed Israel to take her to the promised land, He said: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). Later Moses told the Israelites, “The Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him” (Deut. 4:35) and “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” (6:4). Israel was to believe in the one and only God.

But Jesus claimed to be God. Is He God number two? Not at all. In Mark 12:29-30, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” If Jesus were another God He might have said, “Split your allegiance between the two of us.” But Jesus says we are to love God with undivided commitment. Therefore He agrees with Moses that there is only one God. However, He also says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – The Gift of Work 

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The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

Recently, the United States saw one of the largest jackpots in lottery history. A married couple from a small town in Tennessee found themselves the overnight winners of more than half a billion dollars. As you can imagine, reporters flocked to this couple’s doorstep to hear the countless ways the family would spend the money and indulge. Would they see the world? Move into a mansion? Buy a fleet of luxury cars? No, no, and no. Their plan was to simply return to work on Monday morning!

This story surprises us, because by and large, our culture views work as a necessary evil, something to be avoided if at all possible.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – One Light at a Time

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For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Ephesians 5:8

Recommended Reading

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Imagine walking into a pitch-dark room—no windows, no lamps, no shadows, no light of any kind. You light a single candle and hold it over your head. When your eyes adjust, you can see a bit of what’s in the room. Now imagine that same room with five people with candles—the overall light is brighter. Then imagine ten people with candles, then twenty-five, then fifty. At some point the darkness is overcome by the light.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Known by Our Fruit

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[Jesus said] Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.—Matthew 12:33-34

A woman I’ll call Dorothy knew more about the church and every member and visitor than anyone else did. She was fairly well-known as the church gossip. “One thing about her,” a friend said, “she’s not prejudiced; she talks about everyone,” and he laughed. He also added, “She’ll probably get into heaven, but God may have to cut off her tongue first.”

One day as I stood near the front door, I heard Dorothy telling several people about one of the deacons, “But it isn’t up to me to judge him,” she said. The venom poured from her mouth, and she went on to mention several others. Of course, she was critical of each one.

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Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Man’s Best Friend

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The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’

Genesis 2:18

Friend to Friend

For thirteen years, our family was blessed with a golden retriever named Ginger. We gave her to our son, Steven, for Christmas when he was five-years-old and she still holds the blue ribbon as the best present ever. I can still remember the look of surprise on Steven’s cherub face when the “stuffed” animal began to move. “It’s a puppy!” he exclaimed. “It’s not a toy!”

And while Ginger was officially Steven’s dog, and I was unofficially her primary caretaker, it was my husband who held a special place in her heart. From the very beginning, Ginger loved my husband the best.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Underneath: Everlasting Arms

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“The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out your enemies before you…” (Deuteronomy 33-27, LB).”…with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8, KJV).

Susan was broken-hearted. She had just lost her first child at birth. The trauma of that experience had affected her relationship with her husband and with everyone else around her. She had become cynical and moody. She blamed God for what had happened and said, “I hate Him. Why would this happen to me? Where was God when I was going through the birth pangs, the excruciating pain of giving birth to a stillborn child? Why didn’t He give me a healthy baby?”

I was reminded of a statement that I had heard in response to a similar anguished plea: “Where was God when I lost my son?”

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Go!

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Read: Isaiah 6:8-13

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me! He said, Go and tell this people: Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. (Isaiah 6:8-9)

When Isaiah hears the call of God his heart is instantly responsive. By now he has believed what God said. He no longer feels undone and defiled. He believed that when God said he was forgiven he really was forgiven. No longer does he feel unworthy or unable to serve. He is eager to go, Here am I, send me.

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