Daily Archives: June 16, 2016

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Saving Faith

1 Comment

John 1:12-13

Yesterday we saw that belief in Jesus is the core of Christianity. Now let’s look at some implications of that saving faith.

Knowledge of who Jesus is and what He did must be accompanied by confidence that the facts are true and apply to us. First, it’s important to realize, I have broken God’s law—that makes me a sinner. All of us are born with a nature that rebels against the Lord. Second, we acknowledge that none of our efforts can earn His favor. Third, we agree that Jesus died for each of us. He paid for all our sins, no matter how terrible they are in the world’s eyes.

Next, we believe that Jesus’ death is sufficient payment for our wrongdoing; nothing else is needed. We must accept that He paid our penalty and endured the Father’s wrath in our place. Finally, we accept by faith that we’ve been adopted into God’s family on the basis of Christ’s atoning death. The invitation is for all humanity, but not everyone has true conviction. Too many people see these facts as “information” rather than life-altering truths.

Once we are convinced that Jesus is our Savior, trust is demonstrated through action. As a “new creature” (2 Cor. 5:17), we each are no longer who we once were, and there are different values and priorities for us to embrace. Jesus, our Lord, has authority over our life, and He alone deserves to be our top priority. He knows what pleases the Father and has sent His Spirit to live in us and teach us.

Take time to examine yourself for evidence of knowledge, conviction, and trust. If one area is lacking, ask God to help you come to true saving faith.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 29-34

 

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Some Assembly Required

Leave a comment

Read: Judges 2:7–19 | Bible in a Year: Nehemiah 4–6; Acts 2:22–47

Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies. Judges 2:18

Around our home, the words “some assembly required” have been the cause of great frustration (mine) and great humor (my family). When my wife and I first married, I attempted to make simple home repairs—with disastrous results. A repaired shower handle worked perfectly—if the plan was for the water to run between the walls. My fiascoes continued after we had children, when I assured my wife, Cheryl, I “don’t need instructions” to put these “simple” toys together. Wrong!

Gradually, I learned my lesson and began to pay strict attention to the instructions and things went together as they should. Unfortunately, the longer things went well, the more confident I became, and soon I was again ignoring instructions with predictably disastrous results.

God has reasons for all of the instructions He’s given us.

The ancient Israelites struggled with a similar tendency: they would forget God, ignoring His instructions to avoid following after Baal and the other gods of the region (Judg. 2:12). This produced disastrous results, until God, in His mercy, raised up judges to rescue them and bring them back to Himself (v. 18).

God has reasons for all of the instructions He’s given us to keep our affections on Him. Only by a daily awareness of His loving presence can we resist the temptation to “construct” our lives our own way. What great gifts He has given us in His Word and His presence!

Lord, keep me close to You this day. Remind me of Your presence through Your Word and prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Our greatest privilege is to enjoy God’s presence.

INSIGHT:

After Joshua died, Israel began worshiping the Canaanite fertility deities Baal and Ashtoreth. In Judges 2 this sin of idolatry is likely presented in terms of harlotry or prostitution (v. 17) to reinforce the unfaithfulness of idolatry and the sexual nature of Baal and Ashtoreth worship.

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Repressive or Revelatory

Leave a comment

Novelist and philosopher, C. S. Lewis, once said something quite fascinating. He said that most people, if they have learnt to really look deep into their own hearts, realise that they want, they desire, they long for something that cannot be had in this world. Faced with the fact that the world can’t provide it—no matter how much freedom, how many possessions, how much sex—you’re faced with disappointment. And when life disappoints, you an do one of four things: you can blame the things that disappoint and try to find better ones; you can blame yourself and beat yourself up; you can blame the world and become cynical; or, says Lewis, you can realise that only if your orientate the focus and energy of your life toward hope and toward God, will you ever be truly satisfied. He wrote: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”(1)

What we need, I would suggest, is something that can speak to all of this—somehow. To help us navigate what it means to be human; what it means to truly want or desire love or justice, or meaning, or purpose. Something that could address these themes now, something that would be relevant, helpful, and revelatory.

It’s fascinating that these are all issues that the Bible addresses. Indeed, the Bible addresses them more deeply, more profoundly, I would argue, than anything else that I know. Isn’t that an astonishing claim for something as old as the Bible? Well, maybe. But maybe it’s also the case that human beings haven’t fundamentally changed all that much in several thousand years. Culture may change; we may be better at distracting ourselves in new and clever ways, but the fundamental questions remain the same, through time and across culture. What does it mean to be human? Who am I?

So what does the Bible have to tell us? Five things. First, the Bible tells us that human beings were designed primarily for relationships. Yes, sex is good. But relationships are primary. We’re built, says the Bible, for a relationship with God and a relationship with one another. That’s what life is primarily about.

Second, the Bible tells us that human beings have incredible value and dignity. The Bible puts it this way:

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Repressive or Revelatory →

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Integrity Trusts God Unconditionally

Leave a comment

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up’” (Daniel 3:16-18).

Unconditional obedience is the trademark of mature faith.

In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks of people who hear the gospel and initially respond with joy, only to turn away when persecution arises. Tragically, that’s a common occurrence today that is caused by preachers who promise health, wealth, prosperity, and special miracles to all who believe. People who embrace such error are not prepared for the cost of discipleship (cf. Matt. 16:24; John 15:20).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego understood what it meant to serve God unconditionally. They knew He could move in their defense if it pleased Him to do so, but their faith was not dependent on miracles or any other special benefits they might receive from Him. They stood on convictions and deferred to His will even when doing so brought the threat of a fiery death. Their attitude was that of Christ Himself as He faced the agony of the cross and prayed, “Father . . . not as I will, but as Thou wilt’” (Matt. 26:39).

Their response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s ultimatum may sound arrogant or disrespectful, but they were simply acknowledging that they had nothing to say in their own defense. They had served him faithfully as far as they could, but serving his gods and bowing down to his image was out of the question. God forbids any form of idolatry, and they would not be coerced or intimidated into disobeying Him.

Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, your faith in God isn’t measured by whether or not He rescues you from a difficult situation, but by your willingness to trust and obey Him unconditionally.

Suggestions for Prayer

Express your love to the Lord and your desire to serve Him faithfully despite the circumstances.

For Further Study

Read Matthew 13:1-23. What response does each soil represent?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Do Not Weep 

Leave a comment

As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Luke 7:12-13

Can you feel the heartbreak in this story? Can you for a moment imagine the overwhelming, debilitating grief that must have seized this poor woman? As a widow, she was already living with the painful loss of her husband, the one with whom she had shared her dreams, hopes, and future. When all of that was lost, surely she clung to her only son, the living connection with her spouse and the joy of her life. Yet the pain she lived with was soon to be deepened and new wounds opened in a heartbreaking way.

Jesus arrived in town on the darkest day in this woman’s life. As he approached the city gate, this scene of anguish unfolded before him. This widow who has suffered so much was grieving yet again. As the young man who died was carried out, Jesus saw the source of their grief, and joined in their sorrow. Yet in the midst of his deep compassion and love for this widow, he said something unexpected: “Do not weep.”

How can Jesus possibly expect this woman to not weep in a moment like this? Wouldn’t you expect him to say anything but this? “I’m so terribly sorry,” perhaps. “It gets easier with time,” also more likely. But “do not weep,” really?

The only way Jesus could tell the woman to not weep and still have genuine compassion for her, was if he also planned on healing her pain and restoring that which was broken. The beauty and power of the gospel is that is exactly what Jesus did and what he continues to do today.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Do Not Weep  →

Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – All Ears

Leave a comment

…looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.

Hebrews 12:15

Recommended Reading

Matthew 5:44-48

Motivational speaker Paul Meyer cannot remember a single time when his father forgave anyone—not even his own sister. She had immigrated to America and lived just forty miles away, but one day she made a comment about Paul’s ears being large. From that moment, Paul recalls, his dad refused to talk to her. “For 35 years, despite the fact that she lived close by and that she was my father’s only relative in this country, he never spoke to her again.”

If that story shocks you, remember the grudge you currently have against someone. Perhaps the offense is greater than a comment about someone’s ears. Perhaps the duration of the grudge hasn’t gone on 35 years. But whenever we harbor resentment in our hearts, a root of bitterness springs up to trouble many.

Offended pride has destroyed many friendships. If someone has offended you, tell the Lord about it, pray for the other person, ask God for the grace to forgive, and turn the anger over to the Lord. If you are angry with someone today, slay that giant with forgiveness.

Forgiveness has an uncanny way of bringing incredible good out of incredibly bad situations. It’s amazing—nothing less than a miracle.

Paul J. Meyer

Read-Thru-the-Bible

Psalms 62 – 68

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Mercy Is New Every Day

Leave a comment

It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.—Lamentations 3:22-23 AMPC

One of the things we can praise God for daily with a heart full of gratitude is that He is determined to have an intimate relationship with each of us. The only way He can do that is if He extends grace, mercy, and forgiveness to us continually. And the only way we can have that relationship with Him is if we learn to continually receive His grace, forgiveness, and mercy.

In case you are wondering, you have not used up all of God’s mercy for you. There is still an abundant amount available to you, and there will be as long as you live. God’s mercy is new every day! And it is a gift that can only be enjoyed if it is received freely. So thank God for His mercy today, live boldly by His grace, and be all He created you to be.

Prayer of Thanks: Father, thank You for Your mercy, Your compassion, and Your loving-kindness that never fails. I celebrate Your goodness today, and I am so grateful that I can have a personal, intimate relationship with You.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Celebrate Good Times, Come on!

Leave a comment

There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:10

Friend to Friend

You would think she had just won the lottery the way she was screaming and jumping up in down. In fact, to her she practically had! She’d found her lovey and wanted everyone within hearing distance to celebrate with her.

Gabriella had lost her lovey a few weeks prior. This was a very big deal to a four-and-a-half-year old, especially since she’d had the little white and tan bear blanket from the time she was four months old. Lovey comforted her when she was sad or hurting, rode with her in car trips, slept with her during nap and nighttime, and was her most treasured possession.

When her comfy blanket friend went missing, Gabriella was understandably upset. She mentioned it to her mama, Brooke, occasionally and shed a few tears, but overall she held it together and tried hard to be a big girl about it.

So when she came across lovey in her sister’s dollhouse that day, the response was nothing short of effervescent elation.

Her mom had been visiting with a friend when Gabriella went rushing out to the living room, jumping, shouting and happy-dancing that she had found her lovey. Her face was radiant with joy that shown from her smiling eyes to her broad smile. It was a beautiful display of rejoicing over the lost being found.

In Luke 15 we read of a time when large crowds of people surrounded Jesus. Many of the people that came to hear him were lost: non-churched, rough-around-the-edges, curious outcasts. They seemed intrigued by this man who saw them for who they were and took a sincere interest in their lives. He taught, touched, healed and hung out with them. He didn’t wait until they had cleaned up and learned their good-boy Jewish manners. He welcomed them as they were.

Continue reading Girlfriends in God – Celebrate Good Times, Come on! →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Forgets Our Sins

Leave a comment

“And then he adds, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds'” (Hebrews 10:17).

We were seated at the breakfast table, talking about the exciting adventure of the Christian life. Chuck and Mary were just discovering new facets and understanding of the life in Christ.

“Can you tell us in a few words what should be our objective as Christians?” they asked me.

In very brief summary, I replied, “The Christian life is the process of becoming in our experience through the enabling of the Holy Spirit what we already are in God’s sight, in order to bring maximum glory, honor and praise to His name.”

Christ gave Himself to God for our sins – as one sacrifice for one time. Then He sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. For by that one offering He made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom He is making holy.

I am perfect in God’s sight, because in His sight there is no such thing as time and space. Let me hasten to all: I know that I am not perfect in my experience. That is a process which takes time, knowledge of God and His Word, and growth in faith in order to claim these truths as reality in our lives.

Continue reading Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Forgets Our Sins →

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Prayer for Unity

Leave a comment

Read: John 17:20-26

I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:23

Note the strategy by which God intends to accomplish his objective of reaching the world: that they may be brought to complete unity. There are those who tell us that this prayer of Jesus concerning the church must now begin to be answered, that it is now time to answer this prayer after twenty-one centuries of it remaining unfulfilled, that we must now forget all the differences and distinctions that have separated us into various denominations and sectarian groups through the centuries and join in one great organization or union. But let us first raise the question, Is this prayer really unanswered today? Can it be possible for twenty-one centuries to roll by before God the Father begins to fulfill this last request of Jesus?

No, this prayer has been answered ever since the Day of Pentecost. This strategy is not of human making. This business of making all Christians one does not depend upon us, it depends upon the Spirit of God. Paul’s great chapter on the Holy Spirit in First Corinthians clearly establishes the fact that in the Spirit’s coming he accomplished what Jesus prayed for. This is the divine strategy by which the world may be led to believe in him. All Christians are one, not in union, but in unity. Union is an outward agreement, an alliance, formed by the submerging of differences for sake of merging. But this artificial union, this joining together in an organization, is this the answer to Jesus’ prayer here? The test, of course, is, Does it accomplish what Jesus says will be accomplished when the church is one? Does it cause unbelievers to believe that Jesus is the authentic voice of God? There is little evidence that this is the case. My observation is that when churches or denominations join together (though there may be good in much of this), it creates a vast, monolithic power structure which causes men and women of the world to fear the church as a threat to their own power structures, as a rival force in world politics and world affairs.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The Prayer for Unity →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – God Cares

Leave a comment

Read: Psalm 23

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (v. 6)

Our journey together begins with the Twenty-third Psalm. It has sung its way into more hearts than perhaps any other Scripture. A child memorizes it. Grandpa dies with its words upon his lips.

The Twenty-third Psalm is a personal confession of faith in a caring God. “My” is not even a whole word in Hebrew—but what a prefix! “The LORD is my shepherd.” The Christian faith has revolutionized the world of morals, education, science, medicine, the arts. Yet it begins for you only when it becomes personal. Only when you can say “my shepherd” can you also say, “I have everything I need.” In our wired, gadget-addicted age we stress out, adding anxiety to our lives with our ceaseless wants and desires. Yet when it comes to what we need, the Lord is able to supply us totally. He promises each of us, “as your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25). The Scripture declares, “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing” (Ps. 34:10).

What a beautiful picture of the bond between God and his people—a shepherd and his sheep. Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd. All the kings of Israel were intended by God to be shepherds of the people. Are you one of the Lord’s sheep? According to Jesus we may consider ourselves his sheep when we’ve been given a new nature “from above” (John 3:3 NRSV). Can you say, “Jesus, my shepherd”?

Prayer:

Lord, lead me.

Author: Chic Broersma

 

https://woh.org/

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – How God Can Use Suffering

2 Comments

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.—2 Corinthians 1:4

My friend Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell was working at the Pentagon on 9/11 when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. He was severely burned and underwent numerous surgeries and painful skin grafts. Awhile back when he was a guest of our church, I invited him to have lunch with me.

“I can’t,” he said. “I’m going to a burn ward.” He had arranged to visit patients at a local burn ward so he could encourage them and tell them they could get through it. I thought about how Brian Birdwell could do that like no one else could.

Or take Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. When he speaks of the comfort that Christ has given him, it resonates.

When a person has just found out he or she has cancer, a cancer survivor can bring a measure of comfort that I could never bring.

When we are suffering, we can bring a special measure of comfort to someone else who is suffering. Paul said that God “comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Everything in life is preparation for something else. That certainly was the case with Joseph and all the calamities he endured after his brothers sold him into slavery. Years later when his brothers begged for forgiveness, he told them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

God can use suffering in our lives to prepare us for a special task. Perhaps the hardships of today are preparing you for great opportunities tomorrow.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Cares for You

Leave a comment

As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me….Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:16, 22)

Most likely, you already know that God commanded you to honor your parents. You know that He commanded you to be kind. But did you know that Jesus commanded you to think about flowers? He did!

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow,” Jesus said. “They toil not, neither do they spin.” In other words, they don’t worry about a thing! “And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Jesus continues, “Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”

If God cares enough to take care of the flowers and the birds, how much more does He care about you, the child He created in His very own image! It doesn’t matter how small your problem is. Flowers and birds aren’t very big, either, but God cares about them. He is concerned about everything that you’re concerned about.

Since God cares so much about your problems, how should you respond? Should you wring your hands and try to fix your problems all by yourself? Should you go running to a friend or to your parents, expecting them to make everything right? No; your Lord Jesus doesn’t want you to be worried. He told His disciples the same thing: “Therefore take no thought saying, What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

Isn’t it wonderful to know that God hears you? He is more concerned about your burdens than you are, and if you call upon Him, He will help you. He will hold you up. He will give you the strength you need to face your problems – He really will! He cares more about your problems than you do. He created you.

Cast your burden upon Him today, and then do what you know is right. Just obey Him, trusting Him to take care of the rest.

God takes care of birds and flowers, so He will surely take care of me!

My Response:

» Am I trusting my Heavenly Father to take care of my needs?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – How Do We Get Faith?

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: Acts 13:48

“And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”

If there’s any one truth Paul seems to feel strongly about, it’s the absolute antithesis between justification by faith and justification by keeping the law. This is why faith must involve a complete renunciation of trust in one’s own goodness (keeping the law), as well as a total reliance on Jesus Christ and his righteousness.

The question then arises: how do we get faith? Does it come simply as an intellectual response to the Gospel message? Or do those of us who share the Gospel with others need to master the art of persuasion or learn the technique of “closing the sale”? How does one get faith?

The short answer is that faith is the gift of God. It has to be. There’s an old adage that “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” Have you ever tried to convince someone to change his mind when that person didn’t want to change? You may marshal well-documented reasons and unassailable facts, but unless that person is receptive to you, he will not change. He just mentally “digs in his heels.” Now if this is true in the ordinary affairs of life, how much more is it true in the spiritual realm?

God does not believe for us, but through his Spirit he creates spiritual life in us so that we can believe. Faith is a gift of God. It’s part of the whole salvation package that God gives to us through the work of Christ for us and the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It’s not our contribution, so to speak, to God’s great plan of salvation. God does it all. Faith is part of the unsearchable riches of Christ. (Excerpt taken from The Gospel for Real Life)

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Beyond the Beachhead

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: Judges 1-5

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. – 1 John 5:21

When the children of Israel took possession of their respective areas in the Promised Land, it was a lot like establishing a beachhead. This was not the end but the beginning. They were to move on from there and rid the land of idolatry, blasphemy, occult practices, and sin of every kind. But they didn’t. We are told Judah didn’t drive them out; neither did Manassah, Zebulun, Asher, and so on. Why? Basically, they failed to move out from their beachhead.

I recall the day our Marine outfit invaded an enemy-held island during World War II. We weren’t ten feet out of the water when a Marine right next to me had his left arm blown off, and another man had his upper lip shot off. It took a lot of work to establish that beachhead, but that was only the beginning. From there we had to move inland and capture the airfield, one of our major objectives.

The people of God had done a lot of work to possess the Promised Land, yet they failed to follow through and finish the job. Why? It seems to me there were three reasons: fear, slothfulness, and tolerance for idolatry.

These same traits–fear, sloth, idolatry–can defeat us as well. In our saner moments, we know we’re not to be controlled by fear but by the Holy Spirit of God. If we’re not careful, our sloth can keep us from our morning prayers and Bible reading. And if we don’t have a deep and abiding hatred of idolatry, we can soon find ourselves becoming idolators.

Prayer

Lord, protect me from idolizing the things I love. Amen.

To Ponder

Are you growing in the Lord, or have you been content merely to establish a spiritual beachhead?

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Mr. Moore Goes to Chicago: Why Christians Should be a Voice for the Oppressed

Leave a comment

There’s a stereotype out there that evangelicals only care about abortion and “morality” issues like homosexuality and marriage. Lots of pundits describe us as monolithic in our approach to these issues.

That may have been true in the past, but no longer. To cite just one example, Daniel Burke of CNN has identified seven types of evangelicals in politics. They run the gamut from extremely conservative to extremely liberal. And these groups are often so focused on their pet agendas they rarely talk to each other, much less work together.

Russell Moore wants to change all that. Moore, who is president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, is staunchly pro-life, pro-adoption, and pro-marriage—a member of what CNN calls “institutional evangelicals.”

So why did Moore travel to Chicago to address young, progressive evangelicals at this year’s Justice Conference? Well, like Mr. Smith in Washington, Dr. Moore went to stir things up.

And he succeeded. Chelsen Vicari of the Juicy Ecumenism website reports that Moore began by chiding his own allies in the culture wars while applauding the young people who care deeply about the so-called “justice issues” like immigration and sex trafficking.

Moore said, “When I’m speaking to people in my tribe of conservative confessional evangelicalism I often have to say you are pro-life, and rightly so, but because you recognize the image of God and the humanity of God in the unborn child . . . you must also recognize the humanity and dignity of God in people who might not be politically popular with you right now: with prisoners, with refugees, with immigrants.”

Then, like a prophet of old, Moore turned the moral spotlight on his young audience. Moore said that abortion, too, is a justice issue. “We must … stand up and say No to racial injustice, No to refugee-bashing, No to immigrant-demonizing, No to predation on the poor, and No to the violence and injustice of abortion.”

Continue reading BreakPoint –  Mr. Moore Goes to Chicago: Why Christians Should be a Voice for the Oppressed →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – GOING HOME

Leave a comment

Read Genesis 31:1–21

In his essay “The Work of Local Culture” Wendell Berry says, “Throughout most of our literature, the normal thing was for the generations to succeed one another in place. The memorable stories occurred when this succession failed or became difficult or was somehow threatened.”

Jacob’s tale is a memorable story. He left his own family and set out for Paddan Aram to escape the wrath of his brother, Esau. But in today’s episode he went home, prompted to return by frustration with his father-in-law, Laban, and encouraged by the command of God.

God gave the command and the provision, but Jacob and his family were unable to make a clean break with Laban. Their departure was tainted by theft and deceit. Rachel stole her father’s household gods, probably for economic rather than religious reasons. These small family idols represented the prosperity of the household, and possession of them gave Rachel the right to claim the family inheritance. Rachel felt justified in taking them because she believed she had been cheated by her father (vv. 14–16). Jacob feared Laban’s response if he told him their plan, so he chose to disappear without a word.

At this point, Jacob’s position was extremely vulnerable. God commanded him to return home—which meant he was in flight away from his father-in-law and toward his alienated brother. Both family members wanted to harm him. Jacob’s dilemma is partly one of his own making. His life of deceit had damaged relationships and set the tone for the rest of his family. A life of lies was catching up with him. But God is also at work here, patiently wearing Jacob down. Soon he would meet with God face to face and be forever changed as a result.

APPLY THE WORD

Does obeying the Lord’s command in your life seem to position you between a rock and a hard place—between a Laban and an Esau? Ask God to reveal whether you have relationships that need restoration or sin that needs to be confessed. Obedience might have difficult moments, but it will lead to greater blessing and fellowship with Him.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – DISNEY TRAGEDY: BLAME AND REDEMPTION

Leave a comment

We woke up yesterday to the horrific news that an alligator dragged a two-year-old boy into a lake at Walt Disney World Tuesday evening. Disney closed all the beaches at its resorts. More than fifty law-enforcement personnel searched the lake. They eventually found the boy’s body and presume that he drowned.

Some blamed Disney for not posting signs warning about alligators in the water. Others were quick to blame the parents. As with the boy who fell into a gorilla pit in Cincinnati, people on social media lambasted the mother and father who allowed their son to play in the water.

Why do we feel such a need to assign blame when tragedy strikes?

Moments after the Orlando shooting, the media began looking for motives. The investigation has continued all week—was Omar Mateen conflicted about his sexuality? Was he truly inspired by ISIS? Meanwhile, authorities are still seeking a motive for the killing of singer Christina Grimmie. Since the murderer killed himself, we may never know his reasons.

We want to know why tragedy strikes so we can prevent future tragedies. If Disney or the parents could have done something to prevent the alligator attack, people could be saved in the future. If we can understand why murderers kill, we could prevent homicides in the future.

But there’s more to the story.

According to the United Nations, 437,000 people around the world were murdered in 2012 (their most recent report). However, National Geographic reports that 725,000 people die every year from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Freshwater snails transmit schistosomiasis, which kills between 20,000 and 200,000 a year. Annually, snakes kill 94,000 to 125,000; scorpions kill 3,250; sharks kill six people. And there’s no one to accuse for any of these tragedies.

Continue reading Denison Forum – DISNEY TRAGEDY: BLAME AND REDEMPTION →