Monthly Archives: March 2016

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Enemies of Humility: Selfish Ambition

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“But Jesus answered and said, ‘You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to Him, ‘We are able’” (Matthew 20:22).

Selfish ambition in spiritual things shows that we are ignorant of the real path to God’s glory.

Yesterday we saw that James and John, with their mother, posed a bold power-play question to the Lord Jesus. Now, as He answers them, they display another attitude at odds with the humble spirit: selfish ambition.

If the brothers’ power-play request was brazen, it was also very foolish. They did not have a clue about what was involved if Jesus granted their request. “The cup that I am about to drink” was His way of referring to His suffering and death. When He asked James and John if they were prepared to drink that cup, Christ was saying that if you are His disciple, you must be prepared for suffering and hardship.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Alive and Well 

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Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Mark 16:14

Jesus Christ is alive and well. His earlier followers, taken aback by His death, initially denied His resurrection. They rejected reliable testimonies and refused to receive the truth of Christ rising from the dead. However, when they encountered the risen Lord, He rebuked them and then loved them. Unbelievers can loathe the Lord. Deists can deny Christ’s deity. Agnostics can be apathetic over His resurrection, but He is alive and well.

Contemporary Christ-less cultures could care less about Christ’s resurrection, but it does not lessen His lordship over them. Everyone will one day confront Christ. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10–11). Easter is the grandest stage for Jesus followers to celebrate His resurrection and His relevance.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Journey Toward Unselfishness

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. . . I die daily [I face death every day and die to self]. —1 Corinthians 15:31

Selfishness is not learned behavior; we are born with it. The Bible refers to it as “sin nature.” Adam and Eve sinned against God by doing what He told them not to do, and the sin principle they established was forever passed to every person who would ever be born. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, and to deliver us from them. He came to undo what Adam did.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live in our spirit, and if we allow that renewed part of us to rule our decisions, we can overcome the sin nature in our flesh. It doesn’t go away, but the greater One Who lives in us helps us overcome it daily (see Galatians 5:16). That does not mean that we never sin, but we can improve and make progress throughout our lives.

I certainly cannot say I have overcome selfishness entirely—none of us can on this side of eternity. But that doesn’t mean we don’t do everything we can to grow closer to God and die to our selfishness. We can have hope of improving daily. I am on a journey and, although I may not arrive, I have determined that when Jesus comes to take me home He will find me pressing toward this goal (see Philippians 3:12-13).

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We Are Each a Part

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“Each of us is a part of the one body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves and some are free. But the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one body. We have been baptized into Christ’s body by the one Spirit, and have all been given that same Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

I find that most Christians agree that the Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ, as this verse affirms. But the unity of the body is divided here on earth by many differences of interpretation concerning a “second baptism,” speaking in tongues and “Spirit-filling.”

Most believers agree, however, that we are commanded to live holy lives and the Holy Spirit supernaturally makes this human impossibility a reality. He does this when we totally submit ourselves to His indwelling love and power. Or, to use a metaphor of the apostle Paul, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Christ” (Galatians 3:27, NAS).

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Cure to Worry

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Read: Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

There is nothing more prevalent in the age in which we live than the increasing problem of worry. Worry is a powerful force to disintegrate the human personality, leaving us frustrated, puzzled, baffled and bewildered by life. Sometimes you hear the expression: sick with worry, and anyone who has experienced it knows it is no empty expression. You can be literally sick with worry. Paul’s answer to this is a blunt, Do not be anxious about anything. The entire Word of God is a constant exhortation to believers to stop worrying. It is everywhere forbidden to those who believe in Jesus Christ, and I think one of the most serious areas of unbelief is our failure as Christians to face the problem of worry as sin. Because that is what it is. Worry is not just something everyone does and therefore it must be all right. It is definitely labeled a sin in the scriptures, and the exhortation is everywhere: stop it!

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Yours Is the Kingdom, the Power, the Glory

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Read: Luke 24:1-9

They were perplexed about this. (v. 4)

I’m not the Easter Grinch but I do, sometimes, grouse about chicks and bunnies and Easter eggs. Pastels and fake grass and a mythical Easter bunny seem out of place alongside the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. But maybe I’m wrong. As New Testament scholar Tom Wright notes about Luke’s account of the first Easter, “The opening mood of Easter morning, then, is one of surprise, astonishment, fear and confusion” (Luke for Everyone, p. 291).

Maybe there is something in the surprising nature of discovering an empty tomb that deserves to be mirrored in the delighted shouts over unexpectedly colored eggs in the grass or chocolates hidden inside them. Maybe there is something in the never-before-seen thing that God has done that deserves to be mirrored in crisp new dresses and hats.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R.- Prolific and Plentiful

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“Within your lifetime,” noted a Reader’s Digest article a few years back, “American agriculture has advanced more than in all the preceding millenniums of man’s labor on the land.” The proof of this is in these remarkable numbers: an American farmer around the time of the Civil War had the capability of producing enough food and fiber to feed and clothe a total of four people. By the time of World War II, that number had risen to 11. Today, a single farmer provides sustenance for 155 people.

The Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land.

Psalm 41:2

Many of those 155 people do not live here. The United States is far and away the most generous provider of humanitarian aid to other countries. Who is it that “the Lord protects” and “keeps alive?” In the preceding verse, Psalm 41:1, the answer is found: “the one who considers the poor.”

Today, thank God you live in a bountiful land of generous people who have the resources to help others. Then, as you pray for the country and its leaders, ask what you should do, personally and locally, to prolifically and plentifully mirror the generosity of your nation to your neighbors who are in need.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 41:4-13

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Comforts

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“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Life is full of all sorts of tests. Maybe the word “test” makes you think of that piece of paper your teacher is going to give you sometime this week!

But not all of the tests you take this week are the kind you will be taking in school. Sometimes a test can be simply going through hard times or enduring “tribulation” or “affliction.” Perhaps a best friend moves away and you feel all alone. Or maybe you get really sick. Or maybe other people make fun of you because you are a Christian. Maybe you did not make the sports team you really wanted to be a part of. Maybe your dog ran away from home and you cannot find him anywhere.

Situations like these can make you sad, and you might even wonder why God could let them happen.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Sin and Self-Esteem

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5

“Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue.”

We should not seek holiness in order to feel good about ourselves, to blend in with our Christian peer group, or to avoid the sense of shame and guilt that follows the committing of persistent sin. Far too often our concern with sin arises from how it makes us feel. Sinful habits, sometimes called “besetting sins,” cause us to feel defeated, and we don’t like to be defeated in anything, whether it’s a game of Ping-Pong or our struggle with sin.

I once spoke at a retreat on the importance of putting on Christ-like character while at the same time seeking to put off sinful habits. After my message, four or five people came to me asking for personal help in dealing with some particular sin in their lives, but no one came asking for help in putting on any Christ-like virtues. As I pondered the possible reason for this, I realized that sinful habits make us feel guilty and defeated. The absence of Christ-like character usually doesn’t have a similar effect, so there’s less motivation to seek change in our lives.

Continue reading The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Sin and Self-Esteem →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Lingering Sin

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Today’s Scripture: Numbers 31-33

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! – -Hosea 14:1-2

Years ago, I memorized Numbers 33:55 as a warning to my own soul: “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass that those whom ye let remain of them shall be as pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell” (KJV).

I memorized that verse because I was working with a group of guys and was trying to get across to them the importance of confessing sin to God–of keeping short accounts with the Lord and living a clean life before Him.

If you and I harbor sin in our lives, this verse says our vision for the work of God will be clouded, our forward progress will be hindered, and the sin that remains in our lives will be a constant vexation to us, both in our fellowship with God and in our service to Him.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Lingering Sin →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS, THE SON OF MAN

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Read Luke 21

Warehouses and restaurants require workers to wear closed-toe shoes. Some human resources policies prohibit coworkers from dating one another. Other businesses restrict employee access to websites like Facebook or Twitter during the work day. Few would argue that dating or open-toe shoes or social media sites are always to be avoided. These rules are intended to guide behavior and promote wellbeing in a specific context for a specific time.

In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees had issued their own standards for behavior, which were supplemental rules to the Mosaic Law. They wanted to use this strict code of conduct for everyone as the standard of morality that pleased God. As Jesus often pointed out, they did more harm than good. For example, in Matthew 15 Jesus criticized the Pharisees’ teaching about temple offerings. They had persuaded people that money otherwise meant for helping one’s parents could instead be dedicated to God. They enriched the temple coffers but were in flagrant violation of the commandment to honor one’s parents.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Living Expectantly

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Mark 14:42-46

After the crucifixion, a wealthy Jewish leader named Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could have Jesus’ body to bury it. Surely Joseph grasped the huge risk in requesting Rome’s permission to provide proper burial for a criminal convicted of treason. Undoubtedly he realized that his reputation and status in the religious community would be endangered.

What gave Joseph, a secret follower of Jesus, the courage to come forward while the Lord’s closest friends stepped back in fear? Was it because Joseph had been living expectantly, on the lookout for God? (See Mark 15:43 MSG.)

Christ’s sacrifice changes everything—both our forever destiny and our daily life—allowing us to live with a sense of boundless hope and resolute anticipation. Yet sometimes I wonder, How often do I ignore, overlook, fail or refuse to recognize God’s presence? Am I truly on the lookout for Him? How expectantly am I living, between “the already but not yet”?

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Never Forsaken

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Read: Psalm 22:1-10

Bible in a Year: Joshua 22-24; Luke 3

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, . . . “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” —Matthew 27:46

Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” With that in mind, I read an online article describing “The Top 8 Deadliest Prisons in the World.” In one of these prisons every prisoner is held in solitary confinement.

We are intended to live and relate in relationships and community, not in isolation. This is what makes solitary confinement such a harsh punishment.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Enemies of Humility: The Power Play

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“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down, and making a request of Him. And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She said to Him, ‘Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left’” (Matthew 20:2-21).

Use of the power play in our personal dealings is incompatible with scriptural humility.

One of the most common tactics people use to get ahead is to draw upon the influence of family and friends. Even professing believers have not hesitated to “play politics” to get what they want. I know of a pastor some years ago who said that for his denomination’s annual meeting he always booked a hotel room near the top leaders’ rooms. He wanted to cultivate their friendships in hopes of receiving consideration for pastorates in larger churches.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Suffering Savior 

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I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Isaiah 50:6

The sufferings of Jesus cannot be totally comprehended. One thing is clear: Jesus experienced voluntary suffering. He offered himself as a sacrifice on behalf of the human race, and it was a volitional act on His part. He willfully submitted to the will of His heavenly Father, which meant suffering. His heartache and mistreatment were the will of His heavenly Father (Mark 8:31-33).

This principle is hard to process for those who want to enjoy problem-free living. The way of the cross is not always a smooth road, for it is marked with its own bumps along the way.

Jesus suffered for the sake of others, and He calls His followers to be willing to do the same. The Bible says, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him…”(Philippians 1:29). Suffering leads you to your Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Important Church Celebrations: Promotion to Glory

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Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

Recommended Reading

Philippians 1:21-23

After devotional writer Frances Ridley Havergal passed away at the age of 42, her sister recalled her last days. “Almost the last time we walked to church together, she turned round to me and said, ‘Marie, I’ve come to the conclusion it will be very nice to go to heaven!’”

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Read and Reap

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[Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known. —Mark 4:22

The Word has tremendous treasures, powerful life-giving secrets that God wants to reveal to us. They are manifested to those who ponder, study, think about, practice mentally, and meditate on the Word of God.

There is no end to what God can show you out of one verse of Scripture. You can study a scripture one time and get one thing, and another time you’ll see something else you did not even notice before.

The Lord keeps revealing His secrets to those who are diligent about studying the Word. Don’t be the kind of person who always wants to live off of someone else’s revelation. Study the Word yourself, and allow the Holy Spirit to bless your life with truth.

Power Thought: Revelation is available to me when I study God’s Word.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Cheer Up; He Has Overcome

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“I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many sorrows and trials; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

I know of few promises in all the Word of God that offer more assurance and encouragement than this one.

The apostle Paul was an aggressive soldier of God who carried the gospel far and wide throughout the known world. He was greatly used of God to expand the territorial borders of Christendom. All that Paul did, he did in the name of Christ and through the power and control of the Holy Spirit.

But there was great opposition to Paul’s ministry. Consequently, he always seemed to be in the center of spiritual warfare. He knew his enemies, Satan and the world system, and their subtle, deceiving devices.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Cure to Conflict

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Read: Philippians 4:2-5

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Phil 4:2

In these few verses he turns the spotlight on the problem that has been dimly discernible all along in this letter. There were in the church at Philippi two lovely ladies who were quarreling with one another. They were in some kind of disagreement and the quarrel had spread to others in church. Some were taking sides, and it was beginning to threaten the unity of the church. They hadn’t divided yet, it wasn’t a church split, but they were on the verge of it.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Deliver Us

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Read: Luke 23:32-33, 39-46

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. (v. 32)

The first asks, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” The first man wants a Savior on his own terms. A Savior who lets sin go without consequence, making life easier and happier.

But the second criminal sees the truth: “We are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” The second criminal leaves the result up to Jesus with these words, “Remember me.” How you will, what you will, when you will, Jesus. Just please remember me.

The first man wants god as much of the world wants god. A god who is grandfatherly and kindly. A god who looks the other way with a wink.

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