Monthly Archives: October 2016

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Suspicious of Suspicion

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Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious…it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it…does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything…. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. —1 Corinthians 13:4-8A

These words about love are familiar to most of us, but I can honestly say that living them has not always been easy for me. As a child, I was not exposed to this kind of love—in fact, I was taught to be suspicious of everyone. I was told that the motives of other people were not to be trusted.

As I got older, I encountered people whose actions confirmed in my mind that my suspicions were justified. Even as a young Christian, I experienced disappointment because of the obvious motives of some people in the church. While it is wise to be aware of people’s motives, we must be careful that we don’t allow our suspicious nature to negatively affect our feelings about everyone.

An overly suspicious nature can poison your mind and affect your ability to love and accept other people. Consider this example.

Suppose a friend approaches you after a church service, and says, “Do you know what Doris thinks about you?” Then this friend tells you every detail of the things Doris said. The first problem is that a true friend wouldn’t share such information. And the second problem is that with an already ¬suspicious mind, you now believe secondhand information.

Once your mind has been poisoned against someone, suspicion grows. That’s when Satan gains a stronghold in your mind. Every time Doris says something to you, you are automatically suspicious, thinking, What does she really mean? Or if she’s nice to you, you think, I wonder what she wants from me.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – Suspicious of Suspicion →

Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Finding Awe

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Today’s Truth

While He was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!’

Matthew 17:5

Friend to Friend

Often I feel like I am living ground hog day all over again. I go through the motions. Wake up. Coffee. Bible. Work. Kids. Husband. Dinner. TV. Sleep. Repeat.

Days just are what they are sometimes. We have tasks we have to do, roles we have to play and agendas that simply need to be followed.

Some days, half of me wants to run away from it all, saying, “Come back again tomorrow: I am on a long term retreat with God that lasts forever.” I just want to give up and give in because I feel that all my doing is making me miss the greatest being ever – Jesus.

Do you ever feel like your busy is stealing the pleasure of knowing and being with God?

Connecting and seeing God when you’re struggling with daily living can be a thing that eludes us. We can feel that life is passing away and so is our once-on-fire heart that pulsed so strong for God.

Yet, there is always an invitation waiting. The real question is – do we see it? Will we, like the disciples, who saw Jesus transfigured before their very eyes, allow ourselves to be drawn in to the wonder God has prepared for us?

Continue reading Girlfriends in God – Finding Awe →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Never Alone

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“No I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm, I will come to you” (John 14:18).

“I feel so alone,” Bev said,” with my husband gone and all my children married. Sometimes I can hardly bear the pain, the anguish. At times its as though I am about to suffocate – I am so lonely!”

Bev was in her late 70’s. Her husband was dead, and the other members of her family had become involved in their own careers and activities. Though they loved her, they were so busy they seldom saw her to express that love.

I shared with her the good news of the one who loved her so much that He died on the cross for her and paid the penalty for her sins, the one who promised to come to her and, once He came, never to leave her.

There in the loneliness of her living room, she bowed with me in prayer and invited the risen living Christ to take up residence in her life, to forgive her, to cleanse her, to make her whole, to make her a child of God. When she lifted her face, her cheeks were moist with tears of repentance and her heart was made new with joy.

“I feel so different,” she said. “Already I feel enveloped with the sense of God’s presence, His love and His peace.”

As the months passed, it became increasingly evident that she was not alone. He who was with her had been faithful to His promise never to leave her.

Do you feel deserted, alone, rejected? Do you have problems with your family, work, school, or health? Whatever may be your need, Jesus is waiting to make His presence as real to you as if He were with you in His physical body.

There are five things that I would encourage you to do to enhance the realization of His presence. (1) Meditate upon His Word day and night. (2) Confess all known sins. (3) Aggressively obey His commandments. (4) Talk to Him about everything as you would your dearest friend. (5) Tell everyone who will listen about Him so that they too can experience with you the supernatural life which comes only from allowing the supernatural power of the indwelling Christ to be reflected in and through you.

Bible Reading: Psalm 68:3-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: In order to enhance the Lord’s presence in my life, I will practice the five recommendations knowing that as I walk in this vital personal relationship with the risen Christ, the supernatural qualities that characterize His life will become more and more apparent in time.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – What are Bodies For?

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Read: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This passage tells why sexual immorality is different from other sins. Here again Paul is reflecting on how human nature is different than animal nature. It has a unique capacity: it is this marvelous capacity to hold God, to be intimately related to the greatness and the majesty and the glory of God, to have God in you. That is the temple — God dwelling in something transforms it into a temple. But sexual immorality defiles that temple. It offers the temple to another. It brings the body of that person who is the temple into a wrong union and therefore, it is basically the sin of idolatry. That is why in Colossians and other places the apostle links together covetousness, which is idolatry. He means sexual covetousness, the desire for another person’s body, is a form of idolatry.

Now only idolatry, the worship of another god, the substitution of a rival god, defiles the temple. That is why sexual immorality has an immediate and profound but subtle effect upon the human psyche. It dehumanizes us. It animalizes us. It brutalizes us. Those who indulge in it grow continually more coarse, less sensitive, have less regard for the welfare of another, more self-centered, more desirous of having only their own needs met — I couldn’t care less about the rest of you. That is what fornication does.

I have seen it destroy young people’s relationships. A beautiful young couple came to me. Both of them were Christians, and had formed a close friendship. They were growing in the Lord and heading for marriage and then something happened. They began to fight. Finally, they brought one of their quarrels to me and in the process of working it out I said to them, Are you having sex together? and they admitted they were. I said, Well, this is the result of it. It is destroying your relationship. But they did not believe me and they went on. Sure enough, soon they ended it with great brokenness and hurt on both sides — a painful episode remaining in each one of their lives. This is what sexual immorality does.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – What are Bodies For? →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Seek Him Where He Is

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Read: Matthew 25:31-46

Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? (vv. 37-39)

I used to find Matthew 25 terrifying because I focused on the “eternal fire” with which Jesus threatens those who don’t do the required works of charity (vv. 41-43). I worried all the usual childish worries—that there was a quota of good deeds that had to be reached to avoid damnation, and that I wouldn’t meet it.

I now find Matthew 25 comforting because Jesus’ teaching makes the spiritual life, which can seem so complicated, starkly simple. I worry about how to find Jesus all the time—how to pray, how to meditate, what sort of inner promptings I should be listening for—but this passage tells me exactly where he is. Simply go to the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned. I may not know whether I’m praying “right” or how to “hear” God, but these words have proved reliable. Every time I’ve sought out prisoners—not to evangelize or “improve” them, but simply to be kindly present with as open a heart as I can manage—he’s been there. In their goodness, their intelligence, their lack of pretension, even in their obstreperousness that forces me to find deeper reserves of love to handle their response, prisoners have shown me Jesus. He said that’s where he’d be. And he is.

Prayer:

Lord, give us courage to go where you are.

Author: Phil Christman

 

https://woh.org/

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – What God Has Joined

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And he said, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. —Matthew 19:5–6

We live in a culture that not only gives allowances for adultery, but in many ways encourages it. There are even websites to help people get away with being unfaithful to their spouse. But sexual immorality is a big deal to God.

When the Pharisees tried to test Jesus on the subject of divorce, one question they asked was, “Why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” (Matthew 19:7).

Jesus told them, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful (verses 8–9).

An allowance is given for divorce, and it is sexual immorality. It violates the oneness between a husband and a wife. The apostle Paul said, “And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, ‘The two are united into one'” (1 Corinthians 6:16).

Having said that, adultery is not only grounds for divorce, but it is also grounds for forgiveness. I have seen marriages survive it. I have seen marriages flourish in its aftermath. However, I am in no way rationalizing it. Adultery is never a good thing. Trust is broken, and it will take years to get it back. Adultery is very damaging, but a marriage can survive it.

If you are married, you may be tempted to violate your vows. But don’t entertain those thoughts. Instead, with the power of God working in your life, make an effort to keep your marriage strong and to make your spouse your best friend.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – Making Room for God

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“The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2)

Allie was exhausted! She had spent all morning scrubbing the moldy walls and pipes in a smelly bathroom. She had spent all afternoon scraping paint off some door frames. And she had spent all evening washing paintbrushes and running errands for the adults who were putting up wallpaper on the walls.

Allie’s family was on a work trip to help some people in Mississippi whose house had been damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Her dad had a painting business, and her mom was a counselor, so Allie got to go down to Mississippi and be a part of the work crew, too. They were working on the house of an older lady named Miss Ruby. Miss Ruby was probably ready to retire, but she still worked a full-time job at a store in town so that she could pay the bills.

As she cleaned up the tools and threw away scraps of wallpaper, Allie was humming some of her favorite songs about the Lord. She wondered to herself if Miss Ruby knew about God, or – if so – what Miss Ruby thought about Him. She also couldn’t help but wonder what Miss Ruby would think when she walked through that door after her work tonight and saw all the progress the crew had made on her home! It looked brand new to Allie. Everything was white and neat and nothing like the moldy mess it had been when they first came. It made Allie happy to think of doing something that would make Miss Ruby so happy. She couldn’t wait for her to come home!

Have you ever helped to get somebody’s bedroom ready? Maybe you have even helped to fix up someone’s whole house, like Allie and her family did. That is the kind of idea in Exodus 15:2, that we prepare a habitation (a home, dwelling place) for God. The LORD is the Giver of salvation. He is strength for His people. He is what His people want to sing about. And He is the One we should exalt.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – Making Room for God →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Holiness and Grace

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 12:14

“Strive for . . . the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

The Holy Spirit’s work in transforming us more and more into the likeness of Christ is called sanctification. Our involvement and cooperation with him in his work is what I call the pursuit of holiness. That expression is taken from Hebrews 12:14: “strive for [literally: pursue] . . . the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” .

This pursuit requires sustained, vigorous effort. It allows for no indolence, no lethargy, no halfhearted commitment, and no laissez-faire attitude toward even the smallest sins. In short, it demands the highest priority in a Christian’s life because to be holy is to be like Christ—God’s goal for every Christian.

The word “pursue” in this context means to strive to gain or accomplish. In Philippians 3:12-14, this word is translated “press on.” In the New Testament it is most commonly translated “persecute,” carrying the word’s common meaning—to track down in order to harm or destroy.

At the same time, however, the pursuit of holiness must be anchored in the grace of God; otherwise it is doomed to failure. That statement probably strikes many people as strange. A lot of Christians seem to think the grace of God and the vigorous pursuit of holiness are antithetical—in direct and unequivocal opposition.

To some, the pursuit of holiness sounds like legalism and man-made rules. To others, an emphasis on grace seems to open the door to irresponsible behavior based on the notion that God’s unconditional love means we’re free to sin as we please.

Grace and the personal discipline required to pursue holiness, however, go hand in hand. An understanding of how grace and personal, vigorous effort work together is essential for a lifelong pursuit of holiness. (Excerpt taken from The Discipline of Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Full of Compassion

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Today’s Scripture: Exodus 21-24

We love because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19

Has anyone ever told you there are two Gods in the Bible–a cruel God of the Old Testament and a loving God of the New Testament? Nothing could be further from the truth! Scripture portrays God’s compassion for His creation, and especially for those who might be taken advantage of because of their weakness or position in society.

For instance, He gave protective laws concerning servants who had suffered abuse under the heavy hand of taskmasters. Look at God’s concern toward the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless. He says, “Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry” (Exodus 22:21-24).

Not only were the destitute, the timid, and the helpless not to be abused, but God’s people were to be ready to lend them a hand–to comfort and assist them, and to show them kindness.

God’s great compassionate heart is toward all His creation. For instance, the land was not to be abused or overworked. Every seventh year the land was to be given rest. So also the vineyard and the olive grove.

Scripture sets forth the God of the Old Testament as filled with compassion, care, and creative ways to watch out for those who might not be able to watch out for themselves, and puts to rest the accusations of those who portray Him otherwise.

Prayer

Lord, Your love, mercy, and fairness are the same throughout the Bible. Great is your faithfulness to me!

To Ponder

God is love!

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  ‘Locker Room Talk’ is No Excuse: Christians, Trump, and the Election

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After talking this week on BreakPoint about the awful doctor-assisted suicide bill in Colorado, we’d planned to cover the complete misrepresentation of Intervarsity by both Time magazine and progressive post-evangelicals. But that will have to wait.

The headlines were stolen this week by a video of terrible comments made by Donald Trump in 2005. It has further divided the American people, and it has further divided Christians. In just the last week I’ve been accused of being both pro-Trump and “a tool of the progressive agenda.” Even so, I’m going to wade into these contentious waters today.

It should go without saying that the media are not unbiased. They’ve been looking for a silver bullet to end Mr. Trump’s campaign, and they think they’ve found it. So they’ve swarmed. But that’s no excuse. Mr. Trump handed them the ammunition.

His comments from 2005 are indefensible and disgusting. That’s why it’s so disheartening to hear Christians, including some Christian leaders, dismiss them. “His words were from eleven years ago,” some say. That might have mattered if he were, at the time, a teenager addicted to today’s hip hop music. But he wasn’t. He was 60.

“Others have done worse,” others say. But that’s not a moral argument, and it doesn’t make Trump’s words any less repugnant.

Trump himself, after an initial apology, has repeatedly dismissed his own comments as “locker room talk.” In doing so, he’s only dismissed his own apology.

Continue reading BreakPoint –  ‘Locker Room Talk’ is No Excuse: Christians, Trump, and the Election →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – SALVATION LIVING: JESUS IS LORD

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Read 1 PETER 3:13–22

King Pyrrhus of Epirus defeated the Roman army at Heraclea in 280 B.C., but sustained heavy casualties among his own troops. After a second victory over Rome a year later, Pyrrhus reportedly said, “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.” The term Pyrrhic victory means a win so costly that it actually leads to demise.

Throughout this letter Peter has reminded his readers that Jesus is our example. He was chosen before the creation of the world to make it possible for us to be chosen by God (1:2, 20).

He is the cornerstone, and we are the living stones in God’s spiritual house (2:4–6). He suffered injustice without retaliation, and we can also respond with gentleness and humility (2:21–23). Now Peter encourages his readers with the example of Jesus’ ultimate victory (v. 22).

Jesus’ victory is the opposite of Pyrrhus. Jesus appeared to suffer the worst kind of defeat—a humiliating death while being taunted by His enemies (v. 18). But this defeat in fact led to His glorious victory, because He was obedient to the will of the Father who resurrected Him and vanquished the power of death

and sin (vv. 17, 21). Now Jesus reigns in heaven “with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him” (v. 22).

This is more than a nice theological statement—it should affect how we live. We can endure suffering and even what looks like defeat because we know Jesus has been victorious. We can be free from fear of attacks from the world because we know that Jesus is our Savior. We can respond to others with “gentleness and respect” because we know that we, and all of creation, are ultimately subject to Jesus our Lord (v. 15).

APPLY THE WORD

Do the people around you see the hope that you have in Christ? Do your gentle responses to criticism surprise them? When our lives follow the example of Jesus, we then might have an opening to share with others the wonderful truth of the gospel. Sometimes our most profound witnessing opportunities happen as a result of our response to difficulties.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – WHY BOB DYLAN IS A NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING PROPHET

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Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize in Literature yesterday. One of his most famous songs was recorded in 1964. It ends: “The line it is drawn the curse it is cast / The slow one now will later be fast / As the present now will later be past / The order is rapidly fadin’ / And the first one now will later be last / For the times they are a-changin’!”

Dylan is more right today than ever.

The Wall Street Journal reports that just one in five millennials has ever tried a Big Mac. To win them back, McDonald’s has created digital media hubs in Singapore, London, and Illinois.

According to The Washington Post, TV ratings for NFL games are down 11 percent from last season. One significant factor is the number of people watching games on digital platforms that do not contribute to television ratings. For more, see Ryan Denison’s Why the NFL is losing viewers.

A robot was unveiled yesterday that will cut your grass, collect leaves, and shovel snow—all autonomously. It costs a mere $3,999. According to CNN, Facebook and Google are teaming up to build a gigantic Internet cable under the Pacific Ocean to China. And Marie Osmond turned fifty-seven yesterday. If you don’t know who she is, that’s my point.

Cultural transformation leaves casualties in its wake. Note this Wall Street Journal headline: “Students Flood College Mental-Health Centers.” The number of college students diagnosed with or treated for anxiety problems has risen 50 percent in the last five years. The Journal also reports that America’s technology boom has not produced enough jobs—employment at computer and electronic firms has fallen by more than 40 percent since 1990.

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHY BOB DYLAN IS A NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING PROPHET →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Faith Barriers

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Exodus 3:10-22, Exodus 4:1-17

God enables us to carry out His plan for our life. When we fall short of accomplishing the goals He has set for us, it is not because He in some way failed to provide the necessary equipping. Instead, failure is usually the result of an obstacle within our heart—an attitude that short-circuits our faith. As a result, the flow of God’s power is hindered, and we cannot become the person He desires us to be.

Moses is a dramatic illustration of the disruptive potential of faith barriers. Called to one of the greatest missions in all of Scripture, the future leader responded with excuses for why he should not obey.

Excuses for disobedience haven’t changed much since Moses’ encounter with the burning bush. He tried to hide behind the same faith barriers that believers cite today: poor self-image (Ex. 3:11-12), ignorance about God (Ex. 3:13-21), self-doubt (Ex. 4:1-9), feelings of inadequacy (Ex 4:10-11), and fear of failure (Ex. 4:12-13). Each time he protested that the Lord had asked the wrong person—a slow-tongued shepherd of slavery lineage, who murdered a man and became a fugitive—God responded with a firm, persuasive rebuttal.

The theme of God’s answers is something all believers need to understand, just as Moses finally did—namely, that when we are called to serve, our strength, skill, and wisdom do not matter. Rather, it is the Lord who does the work through us. He doesn’t seek out the most qualified person for a particular job but instead calls men and women who are willing to surrender themselves to Him. When His strength works through their weakness, it is obvious that only God could have achieved the result.

Bible in One Year: Mark 1-2

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — All Welcome!

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Read: Luke 5:27-32

Bible in a Year: Isaiah 41-42; 1 Thessalonians 1

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. —Luke 5:32

The much-prayed-for film night at the church youth club had finally arrived. Posters had been displayed all around the village and pizzas were warming in the oven. Steve, the youth pastor, hoped that the film—about gang members in New York who were brought face-to-face with the claims of Jesus by a young pastor—would bring new recruits to the club.

But he hadn’t realized that a key football match was being shown on television that evening, so attendance was much smaller than he had hoped for. Sighing inwardly, he was about to dim the lights and begin the film when five leather-clad members of the local motorbike club came in. Steve went pale.

The leader of the group, who was known as TDog, nodded in Steve’s direction. “It’s free and for everyone, right?” he said. Steve opened his mouth to say, “Youth club members only” when TDog bent down and picked up a bracelet with the letters WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) stamped on it. “This yours, mate?” he asked. Steve nodded, hot with embarrassment, and waited while the new guests found a seat.

Have you ever been in Steve’s situation? You long to share the good news about Jesus, but you have a mental list of the “right” people who would be acceptable? Jesus was often criticized by the religious authorities for the company He kept. But He welcomed those everyone else avoided, because He knew they needed Him most (Luke 5:31-32). —Marion Stroud

Lord, please help me to see people through Your eyes of love and to welcome all those You bring into my life.

A heart that is open to Christ will be open to those He loves.

INSIGHT: In ancient Israel, tax collectors were considered traitors to their country because they were employees of the occupying Roman force. To make matters worse, some tax collectors demanded more tax than required from their fellow citizens. Thus Jesus’s choice of a “traitor” as one of His closest followers would have seemed strange, to put it mildly. Yet when the religious leaders confronted Jesus, His defense was not only logical but revealed the depth of His love and mission. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Luke 5:31). Jesus wasn’t applauding the religious leaders while condemning the depravity of Levi. Instead He was placing everyone on the same level. All need the love and healing He offers. J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – I Fled Him

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I believe one of the most profound poems ever written was penned by an Englishman named Frances Thompson. Thompson was a genius, but he became a drug addict and was on the run for many years. Towards the later part of his life he wrote the magnificent masterpiece he called “The Hound of Heaven.” The poem describes God as the persistent hound who, with loving feet, follows and follows until he catches up with this person who is trying to run and flee from him. Writes Thompson:

“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled him down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;

And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears,

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.”

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – I Fled Him →

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Alive in Christ

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“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Union with Christ means participation in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Believers are united with Christ not only in His life, but also in His death. When believers come to faith in Christ, they symbolically share in His death, dying to sin in order to live to God (Rom. 6:10-11).

That reality has profound implications. Having died to the old life of sin and been raised to share new life in Christ, believers cannot continue in the same old patterns of sin. They now live in an entirely different realm. Those who die in Christ live in Christ. In the words of the great nineteenth-century theologian Charles Hodge, “There can be no participation in Christ’s life without a participation in his death, and we cannot enjoy the benefits of his death unless we are partakers of the power of his life. We must be reconciled to God in order to be holy, and we cannot be reconciled without thereby becoming holy.”

As a result, believers cannot help but “walk in newness of life.” Walk describes daily spiritual conduct. Believers have a new direction in life; they no longer live like they did before they were saved (1 Peter 4:3-4).

Continue reading John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Alive in Christ →

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Increase Our Faith! 

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The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Luke 17:5-6

Have you ever found the journey of discipleship to be a great challenge? If so, take heart, you’re on the right path! When Jesus’ apostles asked him to increase their faith, it wasn’t because they were unfaithful or turning away from the way of Jesus. No, their prayer for increased faith is precisely a sign that they were beginning to understand the true nature of what Jesus was asking of them.

This prayer from the apostles comes immediately after Jesus asks them to do a hard thing: forgive those who have hurt you. I believe these early disciples fully understood that Jesus was asking them to do hard things and as a result realized that in and of themselves they were hopelessly inadequate for the task. This was true in their day, and it is equally true in ours.

There are times in your life when Jesus will ask you to do very hard things. You may have to endure an uninvited physical ailment. You may have to sacrifice comfort and personal fulfillment in the service of God’s Kingdom. You may be asked to live in close, meaningful relationships with people who are a source of consistent conflict and interpersonal challenge. The list could go on and on. Jesus knows these are challenging situations. He isn’t surprised by them or trying to sugar coat it. Yet, his response in Luke’s gospel is profound. Jesus fully acknowledges the difficulty and yet says faith makes the impossible possible.

As seemingly impossible as it is to uproot a mulberry tree simply with your words, so too will the presence of faith give you the strength and ability to encounter God’s grace and love in any and every situation. As we seek God’s wisdom for our lives, we must be willing to see the countless ways that Jesus is inviting us into a deeper walk with him, even though this depth may be challenging and uncomfortable. As such, we must join our hearts with the apostles and boldly pray, “Lord, increase our faith!”

Prayer: Father, increase our faith that we may faithfully follow you wherever you may lead us, always trusting in your good and faithful care. Amen.

Application: What hard thing is Jesus asking you to do today?

Related Readings: Psalm 23; Matthew 7:13-14; Galatians 5:25, 6:14; Hebrews 11

By Tripp Prince

 

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Revive Us Again

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Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?

Psalm 85:6

Recommended Reading

Psalm 85 and 86

When reports of the 1857 American revival reached overseas, the Presbyterian Synod of Ireland sent two men to investigate. They returned with stories that created great hunger for revival among the Irish. In answer to that hunger, a revival broke out and 1859 became known as “God’s Year of Grace” across the Irish nation.

“One after another were gloriously saved in homes and in schoolhouses. People opened the windows so that those outside and around the buildings could hear the prayer and praise inside. Careless sinners broke down and wept like children. Drunkards were awed into solemn silence. Often people did not go to bed for two or three nights. Passersby heard people crying aloud for mercy inside their houses, calling out to God in prayer, or singing hymns and songs. Business almost came to a standstill… Prayer meetings in private homes were held at all hours of the day and night… The faces of the new converts beamed with such joy that the newly saved were easily identified.”1

Oh, that God would send such a revival to our lands today! Let’s make this our daily prayer: “Lord, revive us again!”

Revival starts with a handful of praying people who develop an insatiable burden to plead with heaven for revival, as in Psalm 85:6: “Will You not revive us again…?”

David Jeremiah

1Wesley Duewel, Revival Fire (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995), 139-140.

Read-Thru-the-Bible

Mark 1 – 3

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Live Victoriously through Moderation

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Let your moderation be known unto all men. —Philippians 4:5 KJV

God demonstrates our need for balance through the great varieties of foods He made available to us. We need some of all of it, but not all of any of it. If we overdo anything, it is just as bad as underdoing it.

Some people think, If it is a good thing, then more of a good thing ought to be better. But that is not necessarily true. Too much or too little can both be big problems. Balance is the key to powerful, victorious living. Ask God to show you how to stay in balance today.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – What Happens When Love Leads

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Today’s Truth

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James 1:19-20

Friend To Friend

“I’m a terrible mom!” Do you ever say these words?

I do.

And I did that day… the day several years ago when I was working in my office, minding my own business, when out of now where my son threw a paper airplane at the back of my head… on purpose.

Not one to normally welcome an air attack, I gritted my teeth, gave him the stern “mom voice,” and asked him to stop messing around. I told him I needed some private time so I could get some work done.

He agreed, and turned to leave.

Then he jumped around and threw it at me again!

Let me tell you, my grace-o-meter was reading pretty low at this point. I barked like an angry dog. “What in the world do you think you are doing? I just told you that I needed to be left alone so I can get some work done! Stop it, Preston!”

“But mom, there’s a message on the plane,” he tenderly replied. “Read it.”

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