Daily Archives: June 26, 2016

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Blessing of Loving Others

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1 Peter 1:22

If we responded simply out of natural impulses, we would probably be nice when people were kind to us. At other times, though, we’d likely be vengeful, angry, or hurtful.

Yet Jesus clearly teaches us to love even when those around us seem unlovable. And He lived out what He taught: Jesus Christ loved us enough to die on the cross for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8). Surely, out of gratitude for what He did and in reliance on the Lord’s strength, we—His followers—can love others (1 John 3:14).

While it’s hard to respond to unkindness with love, such godly behavior can lead to great blessing. First, God is pleased with us; this realization should bring His children joy, peace, and a sense of accomplishment. Next, believers ought to feel anticipation to see how the Lord will move in the relationship. Finally, there will be an awareness that the Holy Spirit is working from within, enabling divine love to flow through human lives yielded to Him.

John 13:35 tells of another important benefit: Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Since unconditional godly love is not the norm in our world, people will take notice when they see it demonstrated.

Treating others as we want to be treated is what builds the deep, satisfying connections all people desire. Without significant relationships, life lacks purpose and meaning no matter how many possessions or acquaintances we have. So think about the people you come in contact with throughout the week. Are you treating them the way Jesus modeled—with love?

Bible in a Year: Psalms 79-84

 

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Shocking Honesty

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Read: 1 Peter 3:7–12 | Bible in a Year: Job 5–7; Acts 8:1–25

Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 nlt

When the minister asked one of his elders to lead the congregation in prayer, the man shocked everyone. “I’m sorry, Pastor,” he said, “but I’ve been arguing with my wife all the way to church, and I’m in no condition to pray.” The next moment was awkward. The minister prayed. The service moved on. Later, the pastor vowed never to ask anyone to pray publicly without first asking privately.

That man demonstrated astonishing honesty in a place where hypocrisy would have been easier. But there is a larger lesson about prayer here. God is a loving Father. If I as a husband do not respect and honor my wife—a cherished daughter of God—why would her heavenly Father hear my prayers?

Our relationships affect our prayer life.

The apostle Peter made an interesting observation about this. He instructed husbands to treat their wives with respect and as equal heirs in Christ “so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7). The underlying principle is that our relationships affect our prayer life.

What would happen if we exchanged the Sunday smiles and the façade of religiosity for refreshing honesty with our brothers and sisters? What might God do through us when we pray and learn to love each other as we love ourselves?

Father, You love all of Your children, but so often we fight and disagree. Help us learn to interact with love and respect in all our relationships so the world will see the difference You make. Teach us to pray.

Prayer is simply an honest conversation with God.

INSIGHT:

Husbands are instructed to “be considerate . . . and treat [their wives] with respect” (1 Peter 3:7). Fellowship with God is hindered if a man does not give honor to his wife (v. 7). The apostle Paul instructed husbands not to be harsh with their wives (Col. 3:19), but to love them “just as Christ loved the church,” sacrificing their own interests for their wife’s growth, maturity, and holiness (Eph. 5:25–27). The husband is to “love his wife as he loves himself” (v. 33).

 

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Integrity Enjoys Divine Resources

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“Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, ‘Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?’ The king answered and said, ‘The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.’ Then they answered and spoke before the king, ‘Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.’ Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, ‘Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.’ Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ‘Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.’ And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed in regard to Daniel” (Daniel 6:12-17).

When human resources have been exhausted, God has only begun to work.

The ink had barely dried on Darius’ decree when Daniel’s enemies reappeared to accuse him of disregarding the order. Only then did Darius realize the grave consequences of his actions.

In his deep distress the king exhausted every legal effort to save Daniel, but to no avail. Even he could not revoke the death sentence he had unwittingly placed on his loyal and trusted servant. In his grief and humility he confessed that God Himself would deliver Daniel. He was right!

Suggestions for Prayer

What are you praying for that only God can do, so that when He does it, He alone will get the glory?

For Further Study

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. What was the apostle Paul’s attitude toward his own weaknesses?

 

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Responsible Grace 

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What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Romans 6:1-2

Grace is a gift from God, one that requires responsible and wise stewardship. Grace is not a license to sin but permission to live. Grace is all about living for God and walking with Him. It engages with eternity by approaching God’s throne of grace with gratitude, awe, and boldness. God’s grace is a guarantee of eternal life. It is absolutely amazing because Christ collateralizes it. There has never been a shortage of your Savior’s grace.No group or individual has ever made a run on heaven’s grace account. You can go to the bank with God’s grace. It is as everlasting as the Lord.

However, though unlimited in supply, it may be the most underused resource available. People miss grace when they thrash and stumble about in their own strength. They apply bad theology. They believe in salvation by grace through faith, but drift into living on their own strength. Demons must chuckle when they observe Christians applying dead works.Working to earn God’s favor after receiving salvation is as futile as it was before salvation. Do not fall into the trap of graceless living for grace is God’s remedy for the self-indulgent. Grace values community with people and communicating with Christ. There is a spirit of acceptance and peace with those who receive and apply God’s grace often.

Learn to use grace responsibly. Grace is not a safety net for your fall into sin, for sin still has its consequences. Grace is not an excuse to sin and is not your pass for disobedience. Judgment, both harsh and extreme, is the natural outcome for graceless Christians. Grace is, more than anything, an honorable motivation for your attitude and actions. Without grace, you gravitate toward pride for not sinning. Yes, grace is a governor on your behavior, while never promoting pride.

Grace means you have a stewardship of wise choices to manage for the Lord. It gives you permission to be free in Christ, but your freedom is for Him. His kingdom agenda is what drives grace. Grace integrates all of life around faith. Christ does not compartmentalize the sacred from the secular. Grace includes, it doesn’t exclude. It discloses rather than hides. Sin is subservient to your Savior’s grace.

Grace gives you the perspective and power for forgiveness and honesty. It is the delivery channel of truth. Grace is your excuse for extending forgiveness and second and third chances—and more—to culprits. Use grace to remove sin’s stain from the fiber of your faith. Indeed, as you extend grace, you are more likely to receive grace. Be responsible with grace and you will be trusted with more. Grace saved you from sin; so don’t go back to your pre-grace condition. Because of grace, you are free from sin, not free to sin. Therefore, be a responsible and gracious follower of Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing grace, I pray I apply it responsibility.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Nothing But Christ

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For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power. —1 Corinthians 2:2-4

I’ve tried to imagine what it would have been like to go to Corinth or other Greek cities at the time of Paul and try to speak to those wise, brilliant thinkers. After studying every parchment given to me, and gaining knowledge of all their arguments, I would have prayed for God to help me overcome their objections.

We don’t know what Paul did, but his answer is astounding. Instead of going after them with great reasoning and sharp logic, he went in exactly the opposite direction. He stayed in Corinth a year and a half, and many came to Christ because of him. Later, when he wrote 1 Corinthians, he said, “For I resolved to know nothing . . . among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified” (2:2). That’s amazing. If any man had the ability to reason with those Greeks and could show them the fallacies of their logic, surely that man was Paul. But, being led by the Holy Spirit, he chose a defenseless presentation—to let God speak through him and touch the hearts of the people.

Now, centuries later, I appreciate his approach—although I didn’t always feel this way. For a long time I wanted to explain and reason out everything, but when that didn’t work, I ended up feeling miserable.

I’ve always been curious, always wanted to know, and always wanted to figure out the answer. Then God began to work in my life. He showed me that my constant drive to figure it out caused me confusion and prevented me from receiving many of the things He wanted me to have. He said, You must lay aside carnal reasoning if you expect to have discernment.

I didn’t like loose ends, so I felt more secure when I figured things out. I wanted to be in control of every detail of every situation. When I didn’t understand or was unable to figure things out, I felt out of control. And that was frightening to me. Something was wrong—I was troubled and had no peace of mind. Sometimes, frustrated and exhausted, I would just give up.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – Nothing But Christ →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Knowledge and Wisdom

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“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere” (James 3:17).

“Donkeys laden with books,” a phrase in rabbinical literature, is descriptive of those who know much but still remain fools.

Another expression says that “knowledge is power.” True, but how is the knowledge used – beneficially or malevolently? That is a vitally important question. We have more knowledge than ever before, but a few would claim that we have more wisdom.

Going faster and faster, we may be still going astray. Just as grapes are not picked from a bramble bush, neither can the good life be harvested from sowing wild oats.

For a nation of people, many of whom are “educated beyond their intelligence,” as an anonymous wit once observed, America sorely lacks a sufficiency of men with real wisdom – that which is given by the Lord Himself.

In our modern education, we seem to be preoccupied with the accumulation of knowledge, to the neglect of that wisdom which alone can save us from the misuse of knowledge.

William Lyon Phelps, famous English professor at Yale University and a godly statesman, once said, “If I could choose between a knowledge of the Bible and a college education, I would readily choose the knowledge of the Bible.”

If we lack wisdom, God’s wisdom, we need only ask of Him and He will grant it when we ask in faith, according to His promise in James 1:5.

Bible Reading: James 3:13-18

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: In order to live a supernatural life I’ll look for divine wisdom from the proper source – God, His Word, and His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Prayer’s Resources

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Read: 2 Chronicles 14:2-16:12

Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you. 2 Chron 14:11

Have you ever felt like King Asa felt? Have you ever thought you were secure, with plenty of money in the bank, with good health and a future that looked bright and rosy, and then suddenly, Wham! Bam! — disaster looms? You realize you are outnumbered, outgunned and outclassed, up against a circumstance too big for you to handle. I’m sure there are some facing that very kind of thing.

Notice that the very first thing Asa does is to recognize the unique ability of God to give help — unique ability — because nobody helps like God does. The reason there is none like God to help, of course, is that God knows so much more about us than anyone else and there are a thousand and one things God can do to set us free. King Asa recognizes also that part of the uniqueness of God is that it does not make any difference whether you are mighty or weak. This phrase, to help the powerless against the mighty, reveals that human contribution to the victory is insignificant in God’s eyes. He can use armies if he wants to, or he can use a single individual.

The second thing King Asa did was to request specific aid for the present emergency. He prayed, Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. When you are confronted with a situation like that, you do not have time to pray around the world. I once heard of a man who was invited to pray for someone who was dying in a hospital. As he stood beside the bed, this man began his prayer, Bless the missionaries in China and India and Africa, etc. He continued in that vein until someone stopped him and said, I’m sorry. While you were in India the patient died. It is important to come to the point in our prayers, to deal with the specific situation, as King Asa did here. Do not tell God what to do. That is the mistake so many of us make. We have our prayer all outlined, written down even. We say, Lord, first do this. Then when that happens, do this. God’s best and most frequent answer to such a prayer is to check the square that says, None of the above. He has his own way of working. He will not give way to us. That is what makes us get so angry at God.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Prayer’s Resources →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Journey into Old Age

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Read: Psalm 71:1-9

Upon you I have leaned from before my birth. (v. 6)

Evelyn tells how at a health exposition she noticed a young woman standing to one side, a stack of papers in hand. She made no effort to give them out. Instead, her eyes searched the faces of the passersby. As Evelyn approached, she smiled and handed her a brochure. Evelyn was flattered at being singled out. Her smugness disappeared when she saw the literature: it advertised the services of a plastic surgeon!

You know you’re getting older when you thrill at watching a competition skater on TV do a triple axle, and then you head for the kitchen trip over a throw rug. Should I reconsider the TV ad promoting another deal? I can order exercise videos to tone up my sagging muscles. For only $19.95.

What’s going on? Commercial interests find it profitable to appeal to our desire to not get old. Yet it’s as inevitable as graying hair. At birth we begin to age.

Rather than another sales pitch this psalm shows us a better way. Knowing the Lord by faith gives us confidence, for the struggles and challenges of the middle years; and gives hope and courage for dealing with the final years. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3).

Prayer:

Lord, from birth I have relied on you. You have been my confidence since my youth. I place my hope in you for my remaining years. Amen.

Author: Chic Broersma

 

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Cares for Me

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“For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14)

God cares about me even though I am nothing but dust.

Dust. It’s the stuff that accumulates under your bed or on your dresser. It’s on top of the refrigerator or other places that never seem to get cleaned. It’s the stuff your mom asks you to wipe off of the furniture around the house. Most people don’t like dust. It’s just annoying. Dust is certainly something you wouldn’t try to collect and take care of. You would not love or protect or even talk to dust. Most people would think you were strange if you did any of those things. After all, it’s just dust, it’s not important; it’s not worth anything.

But do you know that God describes human beings as dust? Psalms 103:14 says, “For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” The phrase “He knoweth our frame,” means that God knows what we are made of. And He should know what we are made of because He created us. Genesis 2:7 says God created man from “the dust of the ground.” You are nothing more important or significant than dust.

But even though you are dust and seemingly unimportant, God does love you, and care for you, and protect you. He does want to talk to you through His Word, and He also wants you to talk to Him through prayer. We should thank God that He cares so much about us. The whole point of Psalm 103 is that we should bless God for everything He has done for us such as forgiving and forgetting our sins, showing us mercy, healing us from sickness, and giving us strength. It’s great that we have a God that cares about us even though we are dust and don’t deserve it!

My Response:

» Do I thank God for caring about me?

» Do I remember that I’m nothing but dust and don’t deserve God’s love, or do I get proud and think more of myself more than I should?

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Old Way, New Way

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 7:6

“We serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”

Far too many Christians still serve in the old way of the law instead of in the new way of the Spirit:

  1. Old Way: External Code —God’s moral precepts are only an external code of conduct. New Way: Internal Desire —God’s moral precepts are written on our hearts. The Spirit inclines our hearts and gives us a desire to obey.
  2. Old Way: Commanding—The law commands but gives no enabling power for obedience. New Way: Enabling—The Spirit enables us to obey the law’s commands.
  3. Old Way: Hostility—Before our conversion, the commands of the law actually provoked and incited us to sin. New Way: Delight—By removing our hostility and writing the law on our hearts, the Spirit causes us to delight in God’s law.
  4. Old Way: Fear—The law produces a legalistic response to God. We try to obey because of fear of punishment for disobedience or to win favor with God. New Way: Gratitude—The Spirit, by showing us God’s grace, produces a response of love and gratitude. We obey out of gratitude for favor already given.
  5. Old Way: Working—We perform in order to be accepted by God. Since our performance is always imperfect, we never feel completely accepted by him. We’re always working from a position of weakness, feeling we never quite make it. New Way: Relying—The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we’re accepted by God through the merit of Christ. By relying solely on his perfect righteousness, we feel accepted by him. We work from a position of strength because we’ve been accepted through Jesus, and through him, we’ve “made it.” (Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Christ in Us

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Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 4:21-24

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word… I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:9,11

The people who were instrumental in my coming to Christ didn’t find their pleasure in the usual places or the usual ways. For instance, I was a gambler, and every Sunday afternoon a few of us would gather to play poker. They didn’t gamble. When something upset me, my usual response was a string of swear words that would peel the hide off a donkey. They would pray and commit the matter to the Lord. I enjoyed hanging out in bars. They enjoyed going to church. And frankly, I was intrigued.

It was through the lives of these people that God put it in my heart to buy a Bible and investigate the person of Jesus Christ for myself. After I turned to Christ in repentance and faith, I wanted my life to reflect the life of Christ as theirs did. Fellowship with God on a daily basis was foundational, and I learned that morning prayer and Bible reading were a solid way to start the day. My wife and I began attending church services and participating in a young couples’ Sunday school class.

After a year or so, the Lord called us to serve Him on a full-time basis. We moved to Minneapolis and attended Northwestern College, where we met up with The Navigators. They reinforced my Bible reading and church attendance with practical instruction in Scripture memory, personal Bible study, and the consistent practice of meditation on the Word of God.

This combination had a profound effect on my life. Old habits began to melt away under the spotlight of God’s Word as I learned to apply the Word to my life. Sin was replaced with a desire for a holy life.

Prayer

Lord, I rejoice that the old me is gone and that You have made me a new creation, empowered to follow Your will as a true disciple. Amen.

To Ponder

The Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in all His truth and beauty through yielded and caring disciples.

 

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – OUR TRUE FATHER

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Read 1 John 3:1–10

Singer Bing Crosby had the public image of a family man, but after his death Crosby’s son Gary published Going My Own Way, which painted his father in a very different light. According to Gary Crosby, his father verbally abused his children and whipped them until he drew blood. He characterized the Crosby home as “a house of terror all the time.”

Not everyone has a good example of parenting. Even the best families are flawed. If we cannot look to our own family for a healthy role model for parenting, where can we turn? We can look to the Lord.

It is no accident that the Bible refers to God as our Father. This intentional language uses our common experience to enable us to understand what God is like. For instance, Jesus described God as Father to illustrate His willingness to give “good gifts” to His children (Matt. 7:11). Not every parent is naturally inclined to show compassion, but most consider it their obligation to meet the most basic needs of their children. If this is true of sinful parents, how much more must it be true of our Heavenly Father?

In today’s passage John tells us that God has shown us His love by making us His children. This status is a gift that has come to us through Jesus Christ. It brings with it the promise of transformation. Now that we are part of His family, God is reshaping us into the image of His Son (v. 2). This promise also places an obligation upon us. Since we are being changed in this way, it is reasonable to expect a family resemblance. As John puts it: “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (v. 3).

APPLY THE WORD

The call to purify ourselves implies that we are continuing to grow more like Christ. We should be characterized by truth and holy living. If you are frustrated with your current progress, take heart! You are still a child of God, beloved by your Father, and He will not give up on you until the work is complete (see Phil. 1:6).

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