Monthly Archives: September 2016

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Bird of Paradise

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Read: Psalm 27:1-6

To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. (v. 4)

The bird of paradise would have been a relative newcomer in Herbert’s England, brought to Europe by some intrepid traveller returning from what were then called the East Indies. Few in his time and place would ever have seen such an exotic creature, more spectacularly beautiful than any of his own country’s native birds.

In the words of Psalm 27, it’s “the beauty of the Lord” that Herbert is likening to that of this fabulous fowl. It may cross your mind to ask how the writer of the psalm could describe as “beautiful” someone that nobody had ever seen, namely, the invisible God of Israel! But there is such a thing as beauty of character, of course, and we may well know of blind people who will readily bear witness to this kind of beauty in some of those who care for them, a quality they are well aware of though they don’t have the eyes to see it with. So in respect of God, it was not what he might look like, but the kind of person he was, that Bible people described as beautiful.

And it is in prayer that we come (as it were) “face to face” with this beautiful God. We shall be bringing to him prayers of appreciation, admiration, adoration, arising from our experience of such a person; and prayers for those around us, that his beauty may become equally real to them.

Here is the poem in its entirety:

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Bird of Paradise →

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Our Ever-Present Shepherd

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The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. —Psalm 23:1

A favorite Scripture passage for many of us is Psalm 23, which begins: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul” (verses 1–3). We love that. It’s such a beautiful picture of us as sheep being led by our Shepherd.

But it isn’t a compliment when God compares us to sheep. Sheep are some of the dumbest animals on the face of the earth. If God had compared us to dolphins, that would have been great. Dolphins are super smart. If God had compared us to dogs, even that would have been a compliment. But God compared us to sheep.

Sheep are stupid. Sheep tend to run with the pack. Sheep have no defense mechanisms. Sheep can’t even escape from a predator. Sheep are basically leg of lamb in waiting—all that is needed is the mint jelly. It’s a done deal. Sheep need their shepherd. If the shepherd doesn’t come through for them, they are dead. We are like that too.

We love to read that the Lord is our Shepherd and that He makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us beside the still waters. But Psalm 23 goes on to say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (verse 4).

We love the green pastures and the still waters, but we don’t like valleys—especially if they have the word death attached to them. Yet as David pointed out, the Lord is the Shepherd who was with him. And He is the Shepherd who is with us too.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD Helps Those Who Trust in Him

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“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:7)

“You lost Mom’s what?!” Ray could not believe his ears. Was his little sister just playing some kind of trick on him?

Susie’s face did not seem like she was joking. She was crying. “I lost Mom’s rings!” she cried out. “After she washed the dishes this afternoon, I saw them where she had put them on the windowsill. When she went to the grocery store, I just got this silly idea. I decided I wanted to try them on my finger, you know, just to try them on. But my finger was too small, and they slipped right off and –!” Susie covered her mouth as though she could not say what horrible things must have happened next.

Ray shook his head as he looked down into the drain. These rings mean a lot to Mom, he thought. There was only one thing to do: Call Mr. Silsbee. Mr. Silsbee was the church janitor, and he was a plumber. He had a funny, scruffy beard, and he always wore the same faded blue denim ball cap. Everyone knew that he was the best plumber in town. If anyone could get Mom’s rings out of that sink safely, it would be Mr. Silsbee. And the way Ray figured it, if Mr. Silsbee could not get the rings out – nobody could!

Mom was still out at the grocery store, so Ray called Dad to explain and to ask permission to call Mr. Silsbee. Dad seemed pretty concerned. “Yes – we need to get him to take a look right away. In fact, I’ll call Mr. Silsbee. You just stay there nearby and make sure no one uses the sink.”

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – The Spirit’s Sword

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Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 6:17

“Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

If you desire to appropriate God’s grace, you must have the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—available in your mind for the Spirit to use. In fact the structure of Ephesians 6:17 provides a very instructive insight into the interaction between the Holy Spirit and the believer. Paul said we’re to take the sword of the Spirit. That’s something we must do. And yet it is the Spirit’s sword, not ours. He must make it effective. The bare quoting of Scripture does not make it effective in our hearts; only the Spirit can do that. But he will not make his sword effective unless we take it up.

Often God’s Word is not made effective immediately. In fact, there are many times when I struggle over an issue for a period of days, mulling over several pertinent passages of Scripture and crying out for grace, before the Holy Spirit finally makes them effective and gives his grace, helping in time of need. The Spirit of God is sovereign in his working, and we cannot squeeze him into the mold of our spiritual formulas: “Pray for grace, quote some verses, and receive a guaranteed answer.”

God also has his own timetable. Sometimes he grants grace to help almost immediately. At other times, he allows us to struggle for days, perhaps even weeks or months, before we receive the grace to help. Regardless of the delays he may impose, we must continue to come to the throne of grace believing his promise to grant grace to help, and we must continue to resort to appropriate Scripture until he makes it effective in our hearts. Our responsibility is to take up the sword of the Spirit; his prerogative is to make it effective. (Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Reproducing Yourself

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Timothy 2

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law. – Proverbs 29:18

There are many meanings of the word vision. For instance, vision can mean the object of imagination. But vision also can mean unusual discernment or foresight. Based on that, a visionary is a person who has a picture of what can happen in the future and is working hard to bring it about.

Dawson Trotman’s vision was to see God use the ordinary child of God to make an impact in the lives of others. What made his vision powerful was that he was living proof it could be done. He wasn’t a theologian or a scholar; he was a truck driver. And yet he was instrumental in bringing literally thousands of people to Christ and seeing them grow as disciples.

The heart of Daws’ vision came from a man who lived twenty centuries before him–the apostle Paul–and is stated in 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Paul’s vision was that every person who knew Christ would tell others how to come to Christ. And then they would stick with their new converts to teach them the basics of living the Christian life. The result was a plan to multiply generations of Christians who would keep sharing the faith with others.

The Great Commission of Christ is a vision that continues to capture the hearts and lives of men and women around the world. Do you have the vision? God wants to open your eyes to see the people around you as they are, and as they can be in Him.

Prayer

Lord, let me see the world through Your eyes. Amen.

To Ponder

The Great Commission is a purpose big enough to capture your entire life.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  The Late, Great Stem Cell Debate: Why Pro-Lifers Were Right

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Some issues in presidential politics have staying power. Twelve years ago, everyone was talking about immigration, abortion, and terrorism. Today, everyone is still talking about immigration, abortion, and terrorism.

But another issue that gripped the public and had candidates shouting from the debate stages then has been all but forgotten today: embryonic stem cell research.

Here’s a quick refresher: Stem cells exist in every multicellular organism and have the ability to differentiate into different types of tissue, whether it be heart, brain, lung, liver or other kinds of human tissue. The stem cells everyone is interested in—called “pluripotent” stem cells—have the ability to become any type of tissue, anywhere in the body.

Scientists have long seen these cells as a potential cure or therapy for degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as paralysis, heart disease, and a host of others. A decade ago, the only way to derive “pluripotent” stem cells was to conceive a human embryo in a test tube, and then kill it.

Then-president George W. Bush issued a moratorium on new federal funding for this type of stem cell, sparking outrage from across the aisle. The move was roundly condemned as “anti-scientific,” and Bush was lampooned by the media, liberal politicians, and cartoonists as a peddler of dark-age superstitions.

In 2009, a newly-elected President Obama immediately lifted the moratorium and poured new funding into embryonic stem cell research. Since then, countless embryos have been destroyed with taxpayer dollars, but to this day, the technology has failed to yield the miracle cures Americans were promised.

And that’s only one reason the debate has gotten so quiet. During the years since the moratorium, a different kind of stem cell—tissue-specific “somatic” or adult stem cells—have been used to successfully treat over a million-and-a-half people with conditions ranging from blindness and cancer, to juvenile diabetes and arthritis. Without killing human embryos.

And in 2006, a technique pioneered by Nobel Prize-winning Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka all but rendered embryonic stem cells obsolete. He discovered a way to induce pluripotency, causing adult cells to mimic embryonic stem cells. His method has since been developed to the point where researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital used it to grow a genetically-compatible, beating human heart from a patient’s skin cells!

This method is actually superior to the embryonic method, because it eliminates the risk of rejection. The freshly-grown tissue from adult stem cells is, quite literally, the patient’s own. All of this led Christopher White at Crux to declare the stem cell controversy effectively over. President Bush was right, White argues, and so were the legions of pro-life activists who supported alternatives to embryo-destructive research. The stem cell debate didn’t just fizzle out. On an important level, it was soundly won by those who insisted that medical science could advance without turning human life at its earliest stages into a disposable commodity.

Continue reading BreakPoint –  The Late, Great Stem Cell Debate: Why Pro-Lifers Were Right →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – EVIL IS THWARTED

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Read ESTHER 9:5–15

War inevitably results in casualties. The American Revolutionary War left an estimated 25,000 Americans dead and another 25,000 wounded. World War II claimed 405,000 U.S. lives, with an additional 670,000 wounded. Whether winners or losers, war can be costly.

In today’s passage, the Jews dispatched their enemies who had threatened them. In the city of Susa alone, 500 men were killed (vv. 6, 12). With the sanction of Xerxes, the Jews were permitted to eliminate the people who had plotted against them and to ensure their long- term safety. God had ordained and directed the vindication of His people.

Notice a miraculous element in this passage that points to the hand of God. Whereas the Jewish people once feared for their lives, now they were enabled by God to kill their enemies quickly and ferociously. After the battle, they meted out judgment against the

ten sons of Haman, described here as “an enemy of the Jews” (v. 10). During the festival of Purim today, celebrants often read through the book of Esther aloud. Tradition calls for the names of Haman’s sons to be read together, in one breath, without pause. This reflects the way in which they were killed, quickly and together.

What was not done during battle is also notable. The Jews chose not to “lay their hands on the plunder” (v. 10). In contrast to the evil plans of Haman, they did not wish to gain material goods, only to defend themselves and ensure the safety of God’s people. They did not use the battle as an excuse to enrich their own coffers; rather, they focused on what was more important: bringing justice to the enemies of God. The king continued to honor Esther’s request. He extended his permission to Esther, Mordecai, and God’s people, to right what had been wronged.

APPLY THE WORD

Like the psalmist, we may cry out for God to act and punish those who do wrong. This passage reminds us that God is faithful, even when we don’t know His timetable. He is all-powerful and all-knowing God, and He has the final victory. Praise Him that when all is said and done, our God will triumph over evil.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT TONIGHT’S DEBATE

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Tonight’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is expected to be the most-watched political broadcast in American history. One reason is that the race is so close: a new poll puts Clinton ahead of Trump by two points, 46 percent to 44 percent. This is well within the margin of error. Among registered voters, each candidate has 41 percent support.

But another factor is the huge number of “undecideds” at this late stage of the campaign. Nearly 20 percent of voters say they are undecided or plan not to vote for the Democrat or the Republican. What they do on November 8 will likely determine the election.

Pollster Frank Luntz explains that these voters are undecided because they know a lot about both candidates but don’t like either one. As a result, the surprising truth is that the Americans whose impressions of tonight’s debate matters most are those who are least impressed by their options. Luntz likens them to children living through a bitter divorce: they are “watching with a mixture of fear and disdain as their parents argue, knowing they will soon be forced to choose with whom to live—a decision with no good outcome.”

I think such a view of the election mirrors a larger anxiety in our culture today.

We’re worried about the rising drug epidemic after seven people died from drug overdoses in Cleveland last Saturday. We’re worried that attacks such as Friday night’s mall shooting could happen where we live. We’re worried about Zika and superbugs and the global economy.

And beneath our circumstantial fears, there’s something even more visceral. Thomas Kelly: “Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by. Strained by the very mad pace of our daily outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness, because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – A SURPRISING FACT ABOUT TONIGHT’S DEBATE →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – What Is the Christian Life?

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Titus 3:4-7

The Christian Life is just that—a life, not simply a set of rules. Sadly, a lot of churches preach Christianity as a list of dos and don’ts. Then faith looks like a formula: Jesus’ saving grace plus doing good things minus doing bad things equals righteousness. Most of us have enough problems without worrying about whether we’re following the extra-biblical rules of a church.

A man-made formula for righteousness runs counter to scriptural teaching. Not only did Jesus condemn the Pharisees’ heavy-handed religion, but He Himself offered liberty through grace (Matt. 23:1-4; John 8:36). Neither keeping God’s law by self-effort nor adhering to extra rules makes a person free. Legalistic believers are in bondage and growing ever weaker.

When a person accepts the saving grace of Jesus Christ, he or she receives a new life. (See Rom. 6:4.) This is not an uptight lifestyle of doing good works. A believer is a changed person—the same body but a transformed mind and heart. Christ lives through you. His Holy Spirit flows into your spirit just as sap runs in a grapevine. It’s like getting a spiritual blood transfusion! Strength pumps into places where weakness once prevailed. Why rely upon your frail self when the courage and power to follow God’s will are available through Christ?

I know what it feels like to burn out from trying to do good in my own strength. My desire for you is that you’ll surrender to the Lord. Depend upon Him to change you from the inside out, and trust that He will. Jesus is your life. He will never get tired of transforming you.

Bible in One Year: Micah 5-7

 

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Words That Matter

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Read: 1 John 1:1-4

Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 6-8; Galatians 4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes . . . this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.—1 John 1:1

Early in my days of working as an editor for Our Daily Bread, I selected the cover verse for each month’s devotional. After a while, I began to wonder if it made a difference.

Not long after that, a reader wrote and described how she had prayed for her son for more than twenty years, yet he wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Then one day he stopped by to visit her, and he read the verse on the cover of the booklet that sat on her table. The Spirit used those words to convict him, and he gave his life to Jesus at that very moment.

I don’t recall the verse or the woman’s name. But I’ll never forget the clarity of God’s message to me that day. He had chosen to answer a woman’s prayers through a verse selected nearly a year earlier. From a place beyond time, He brought the wonder of His presence to my work and His words.

John the disciple called Jesus “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He wanted everyone to know what that meant. “We proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us,” he wrote of Jesus (v. 2). “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us” (v. 3).

There is nothing magical in putting words on a page. But there is life-changing power in the words of Scripture because they point us to the Word of life—Jesus. —Tim Gustafson

Thank You, Father, that Your Word is living and powerful!

Words that point us to Christ are always words that matter.

INSIGHT: In the Greek language in which it was originally penned, the verbs in 1 John 1:1-2 are in the perfect tense. They describe something completed in the past with abiding results into the present: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. . . . The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it.” These verses connect remarkably with John’s gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . Through him all things were made.”

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Need for Understanding

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“‘These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will speak no more to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father’” (John 16:25).

Jesus’ teaching in figurative language revealed the need for further enlightenment by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus left His disciples a storehouse of valuable information that would require additional teaching from the Holy Spirit to make it understandable. The “figurative language” our Lord sovereignly used was made up of many veiled but pointed statements, filled with rich meaning. Even Christ’s closest followers, when they first heard Him, often understood only the basics of His teachings.

Jesus used various veiled statements whose deeper meanings were not revealed until the Holy Spirit gave believers special insight. One such statement is John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The truth that Jesus was teaching—His death and resurrection—became clearer later on. John 6:53-58 speaks of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood. Many of the Jews took this teaching literally and did not understand that Jesus was referring to believers’ intimate, spiritual communion with Himself.

In addition to those and other figurative expressions (see John 6:35; 8:12), the Lord knew His disciples would not understand certain truths right away (John 16:12). They were spiritually ignorant and unable to grasp every teaching prior to Christ’s death. But once He died and rose again and the Holy Spirit came, they would understand Jesus’ teaching about His relationship to the Father, as the end of today’s verse indicates.

Whenever Christ used figurative language, it was clear enough to make it meaningful, but veiled just enough so the Spirit could reveal more profound truth later on. Having access to that unveiled truth is the blessed privilege we have today, thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit who has come as our teacher, just as Jesus promised in John 14:26 and 16:13. We need to take full advantage of the Spirit’s teaching ministry every time we hear the Word expounded or read or study it for ourselves.

Suggestions for Prayer

When you study the Word, ask the Lord and His Spirit to help you see beneath the surface and understand as much biblical truth as possible.

For Further Study

Read John 6:32-58.

  • What does the Bread of Life provide?
  • How is it better than manna?
  • What made some of the Jews stumble at Jesus’ words?

 

 

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Human Beings 

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Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.   Psalm 46:10

God created us as human beings, not human doers. Yet everything—from our culture to our career—defaults to doing. We are taught by western society that if we are not busy, we must be lazy. There is a contemporary guilt that keeps us on the go. We are driven to do by some unseen capitalistic force. We are so intent on getting things done that we forget why we engaged in the process to begin with. It’s all about progress and seeing it through to the end. It’s all about the results, making the grade, and exceeding the earnings estimates. After all, if you are really important, your cell phone will constantly vibrate and your e-mail will seduce you 24/7. This is the sad state of those of us who are trapped by doing. Like an alcoholic in denial, we are intoxicated by activity.

Our ego glosses over the need for God, as we justify driven behavior with bad theology. We act like the Almighty’s hands are tied and it is up to us to make things happen. But God is not limited by our lowly view of Him. He still governs the universe and our lives. Kings, presidents, and dictators are still accountable to the Almighty and His agenda. CEOs, entertainers, and athletes still have a higher power in Jesus Christ to whom they must answer. It is wise to get off our high horse of self-importance and be still before God. If we continue to race through life at a breakneck pace, we will break. Our health, finances, and relationships are fragile, and eventually they will fracture under the pressure of habitual doing.

We are humans in need—in need of being who God created us to be. Our God-given roles in life are a great place to cultivate our human being-ness. For example, when we take the time to be a respectful child who honors his parents, we are being. Visit, call, or write regularly and you will be the child your parents need. You honor God when you honor them. Above all else, be with God. There is a knowing and understanding of God that comes only from spending time with Him. In-depth knowledge of God is not derived from service only, but in sitting and reflecting on the Holy One being served. It is in your doing that you validate your being, and it is in your being that you purify your reasons for doing.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Human Beings  →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Cooperate with God’s Plan

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For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. – Jeremiah 29:11

God has a plan for every person and His Word clearly says it is a good plan. But Satan starts his dirty work early in your life, attempting to pervert and destroy God’s good plan. He arranges for all kinds of disappointing, discouraging, hurtful, and frightening events to take place. And often he does a lot of damage.

But no matter how much you have been hurt, God can restore you. If you experienced a bad beginning, do not despair. God is in the business of repair, and His repairs are better than new. However, this restoration will not happen automatically. You must believe the Word of God and fully cooperate with Him during the restoration process. Look to Jesus, the One who loves you unconditionally. He is the Author and Finisher of everything in you and your life.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We Can Obey All

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” ‘Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: “Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.” All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if your obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying the others'” (Matthew 22:36-40).

Steve came for counsel. “I want with all my heart to be a man of God,” he said. “Can you tell me how I can please the Lord and be everything He wants me to be? You have walked with the Lord for many years. Surely you have learned some lessons that would help me.” I turned to this passage, and we read it and discussed it together.

“Jesus has answered your question, Steve,” I said to him. “If you keep these two commandments, all the others and all the demands of the prophets will be fulfilled.” We turned to Exodus 20:1-17 and reviewed the Ten Commandments.

“You see, Steve, if your love God with all your heart, you will have no other god before Him. You will not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. You will remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will honor your father and mother. You will not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet that which belongs to your neighbor.”

Think what would happen if every person who professed to be a follower of Jesus Christ would truly obey the two greatest commandments. Not only would the Ten Commandments be fulfilled, but so would the Golden Rule and every other command of God. The great miracle would result. The moral, spiritual and even the economical problems that plague the nations of the world would be resolved almost overnight.

This kind of love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. For the supernatural love of God (agape) is spread abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. It is only as we walk in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit, fully surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ, that we can fulfill these commandments.

Bible Reading: Mark 12:28-34

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Through the supernatural enabling power of the Holy Spirit, I will love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and my neighbors as myself, knowing that as I do so, I will be fulfilling and obeying all the other laws.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Assurance

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Read: Romans 8:15b-17

And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:15b-16

What Paul describes here is our deepest level of assurance. Beyond the emotions, beyond the feelings, is a deep conviction that is born of the Spirit of God himself, an underlying awareness that we cannot deny that we are part of God’s family. We are the children of God. I think this is the basic revelation to which our emotions respond with the cry, Abba, Father. That is our love to him, but even more this is his love to us. It is what Paul refers to in Romans 5 when he speaks of the love of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit which is given unto us, (Romans 5:5 KJV).

As I look back on my own life, I can understand how this is true. I became a Christian when I was about eleven years old, in a Methodist brush arbor meeting. I responded to the invitation, and, with others, came and knelt down in front and received the Lord. I had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Lord that summer and the next winter, and there were occasions when I just would be overwhelmed with the sense of the nearness and dearness of God. I used to sing hymns until tears would come to my eyes as the meaning of those old words reflected on the relationship that I had with God. Then I used to preach to the cows when I would bring them home. Those cows were a very good audience too, by the way — they never went to sleep on me. But that fall we moved from this town where I had Christian fellowship to a town in Montana that didn’t even have a church. Gradually, because of that lack of fellowship, I drifted away from that relationship with God, drifted into all kinds of ugly and shameful things — habits of thought and activity that I am ashamed of. I even developed some liberal attitudes toward the Scriptures. I didn’t believe in the inspiration of the Bible. I argued against it, and during high school and college I was known as a skeptic. But all through those seven years there was a relationship with God I could not deny. Somehow I knew, deep down inside, that I still belonged to him; and there were things I could not do, even though I was tempted. I could not do them because I felt that I had a tie with God. This is that witness of the Spirit. Calvin called it the testimonial of the Spirit, which we cannot deny and which is especially discernible in times of gross sin and despair. First John 3:20 says, If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, (1 John 3:20a KJV). He knows all things. There is a witness born of the Spirit which you can’t shake, which is there along with the ultimate testimony that we belong with the children of God.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Assurance →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Milky Way

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Read: Genesis 15:1-6

Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able . . . So shall your offspring be. (v. 5)

The Milky Way, as such, doesn’t figure anywhere in the Bible. But perhaps it was that band of brightness across the night sky, where the stars seem most densely packed, that illustrated the mind-blowing fact that God brought home to Abraham in Genesis 15—innumerable descendants promised to a childless man. Why does Herbert link it with prayer, though?

There is a clue in another of his poems, “The Holy Scriptures (II),” not itself about prayer but about Bible reading. Here too he has a starry sky in mind: “Oh that I knew how all thy lights combine, / And the configurations of their glory! / Seeing not only how each verse doth shine, / But all the constellations of the story.” The apparent patterns the stars make should remind God’s people of the actual patterns he intends their lives to follow.

Concerning the night sky as a whole, not just the Milky Way, it is these constellations, as well as the immense number of the stars, that stargazers have always noted. In a similar way, to Abraham they represented a multitude of people who were not just numberless but also all related.

Consider this truth when you pray. All the people, all the things, that we talk to God about, and all the connections between them, are mapped out in his mind. He knows what he’s doing.

Here is the poem in its entirety:

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Milky Way →

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Loves Unconditionally

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“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

“Mom, Nate doesn’t love me! What am I gonna do?” Davey was fighting to keep back his tears. His little brother had been in such a good mood yesterday, but today little Nate did not seem to want to have anything to do with Davey.

“Oh, honey. Little Nate is teething. His gums hurt, and he gets really grouchy – really quickly.”

“But yesterday, he acted like I was his best friend!” wailed Davey. “He let me hold him, and he made all those vroom-vroom sounds he likes to make with my cars. Yesterday, we played all day together, and all I had to do to make him smile was just look at him! But today, he won’t even let me get near him! What’d I do wrong?”

“Davey, it wasn’t something you did wrong. Nate’s just a baby, and he has mood swings. But he doesn’t feel good. He loves you, and he’ll learn to love you even more. He just doesn’t like anyone right now.”

That is one hard thing about baby brothers and sisters. You never know from one day to the next whether or not they will treat you nicely. They are usually thinking about themselves, so their love for you is dependent upon how they feel that day. One day you might be on their “good side,” but the next day, you might be in big trouble with them.

Here’s some good news: God does not put conditions (rules) on His love. He does not stop loving His people for no good reason. In fact, even if we were to give God good reasons to change His mind, He would not. If you are God’s child, you can count on Him to keep loving you, no matter what.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Loves Unconditionally →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Submission to Our Father’s Discipline

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Today’s Scripture: James 4:7

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.”

To gain the most profit from the discipline of hardship, we need to submit to it. The author of Hebrews said that if we respected our fathers’ discipline, how much more should we submit to God’s discipline: “We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (12:9). Our fathers’ discipline was at best imperfect, both in motive and in application. But God’s discipline is perfect, exactly suited to our needs.

How do we submit to God’s discipline? Negatively, it means that we don’t become angry at God, or charge him with injustice, when difficult circumstances come into our lives. I believe even short-term anger toward God is sin, for which we need to repent. Though the anger may be an emotional response, it’s still a charge of injustice against God. Surely that is sin. It’s even more serious when someone allows anger toward God to continue over months or even years. Such an attitude amounts to a grudge against God and is actually rebellion. It is certainly not submitting to our heavenly Father.

Positively, we submit to God’s discipline when we accept all hardship as coming from his loving hand for our good. This means that our primary response would be one of humble submission and trust. As Peter wrote, “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). We should submit to God’s providential dealings with us, knowing there’s still much in our characters that needs improving. We should trust him, believing that he’s infinite in his wisdom and knows exactly the kind and extent of adversity we need to accomplish his purpose.

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – A Bold Witness

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. – Romans 1:16

There is no evidence of timidity on the part of the Christians from Thessalonica. The gospel message did not tiptoe from their lips, nor was it whispered in the hope no one would hear. Having received the gospel, these people entertained no thought of keeping it to themselves. By word and deed they made it known to others. They followed the example of Paul, with a burning zeal that prompted them to proclaim what God had done for them. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5-9, Paul describes his ministry in that city. “Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia…your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it.”

Paul was speaking of the gospel that came to them, and ultimately sounded out from them to all of Greece. The words sounded out are best described as the rumble of a tremendous thunderclap that reverberates long after its initial burst of sound. It pictures a bold, straightforward, continuing witness.

Friend, the message of the gospel of Christ, boldly proclaimed, can burst like thunder from your life today. And by the power of God, it will keep on rolling.

Prayer

Lord, give me a fresh vision of who I am, and gift me to tell others that You have called me out of darkness into Your marvelous light. Amen.

To Ponder

If God has shed His love abroad in your heart, you will want to proclaim Him to everyone.

 

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – MORDECAI INCREASES IN POWER

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Read ESTHER 9:1–4

In one miracle to bring His people into the Promised Land, God dried up the Jordan River, allowing the Israelites to cross safely to the opposite side. The Lord instructed the people to erect a memorial of twelve stones that would serve as a continual reminder to them of His mighty salvation. “All the peoples of the earth” would bear witness to His power (Josh. 4:24).

In today’s passage, we also see God’s power on display, bearing witness to people from every nation. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month had finally arrived. Originally, Haman had declared that the Jewish people would be killed on this date. Now, “the tables were turned” (v. 1). With the new edict, the Jews had the power to overtake their enemies and destroy them. So great was their force that Scripture tells us that “no one could stand against them” (v. 2). The people had organized and gathered not only to defend themselves and their possessions but also to go on the attack.

Word spread about the new edict and the newfound power of the Jewish people. So great was their influence that “the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them” (v.2). God had not only rescued them but also strengthened them. Mordecai, who once sat outside the gate in sackcloth and ashes, now had a prominent role in the government. “His reputation spread throughout the province, and he became more and more powerful” (v. 4). By increasing Mordecai’s power, God brought glory to Himself.

God’s hand had moved decisively throughout the kingdom. Haman was destroyed. The Jewish people were redeemed. Esther was saved. Mordecai was honored. God had not only delivered His people, He had gone beyond all expectations.

APPLY THE WORD

God can go beyond your expectations, too. Sometimes we go to God and ask hesitantly for small things. But we serve an all-powerful God. He can do far more than we would ever dream. Do not hesitate to bring big requests to God. Just as He redeemed the Jewish people in extraordinary ways, He can provide for you today.

 

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