Monthly Archives: February 2017

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — I Know Everything

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Read: Psalm 139:1–18

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 11–12; Matthew 26:1–25

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.—Psalm 139:3

Our son and daughter-in-law had an emergency. Our grandson Cameron was suffering from pneumonia and bronchitis and needed to go to the hospital. They asked if we could pick up their five-year-old son, Nathan, from school and take him home. Marlene and I were glad to do so.

When Nathan got in the car, Marlene asked, “Are you surprised that we came to get you today?” He responded, “No!” When we asked why not, he replied, “Because I know everything!”

A five-year-old can claim to know everything, but those of us who are a bit older know better. We often have more questions than answers. We wonder about the whys, whens, and hows of life—often forgetting that though we do not know everything, we know the God who does.

Psalm 139:1 and 3 speak of our all-knowing God’s all-encompassing, intimate understanding of us. David says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. . . . You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” How comforting to know God loves us perfectly, is fully aware of what we will face today, and He knows how best to help us in every circumstance of life.

Our knowledge will always be limited, but knowing God is what matters most. We can trust Him. —Bill Crowder

Thank You, Lord, that You know everything about me and what I need.

Knowing God is what matters most.

INSIGHT: God knows who we are (Ps. 139:1-6), who we are becoming (vv. 7-12), and how we got where we are (vv. 13-18). Consider praying Psalm 139:1 as both a confession and an invitation. Take comfort in the fact that God knows and loves you, and invite Him to take you to places of greater intimacy with Him. Dennis Moles

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Miss the Miracle

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And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. —Luke 10:39

You will not enjoy the present moment and the gifts it contains if you don’t have a balanced attitude toward work. Luke 10:38-42 tells the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha was overly occupied and too busy (see Luke 10:40). But Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet and listened to what He had to say.

Jesus said Mary made the better choice. Jesus did not tell Martha not to work, but He did tell her not to be frustrated or have a bad attitude while she worked. Jesus wants you to work hard, but He also wants you to be wise enough to realize when you should stop all activity and not miss the miracle of the moment.

Power Thought: I have balance in my life. I enjoy my work, and I know when to stop and enjoy other things.

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Wait and He Will Help

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“Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and He will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted and courageous. Yes, wait and He will help you” (Psalm 27:14).

Our surveys of hundreds of thousands of Christians throughout the world indicate that most Christians do not witness because of their fear. Even Timothy seems to have had the same problem.

His father in the faith, the apostle Paul, reminded him, as recorded in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (KJV). That is the reason our Lord promised, in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses” (KJV).

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can enable us to overcome fear. So, as we claim the promises of God and appropriate the fullness and power of His Holy Spirit, we can know that courage.

A Japanese schoolboy once showed his courage in a way that puts many of us to shame.

“He belonged to a school in Nagasaki containing 150 boys, and he was the only Christian among them all. He brought his lunch to school, as he lived at a distance, and he dared to fold his hands and ask a blessing every day before he ate.

He had some enemies among the boys who went to the master of the school and accused him of ‘doing something in the way of magic’ The master thereupon called the lad before the school and asked him what he had been doing.

“The little fellow spoke up bravely, explaining that he was a Christian, and that he had been thanking God and asking Him to bless the food. At once the master burst into tears, putting his head down on the desk.

“‘My boy,’ he said, ‘I too am a Christian; but I was afraid to tell anyone. Now, with God’s help I will try to live as a Christian ought to live.’ ”

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:27-31

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I shall, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, be brave, stouthearted and courageous as I go forth to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

http://www.cru.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Love is not envious 

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It does not envy    1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is not envious. It celebrates the good fortune of others and smiles when someone succeeds because love is an envy eraser. It can’t wait for someone else to reach their goals and get the attention and accolades, for it is emotionally secure and mature. Love does not depend on the “desire to get” for contentment, because its contentment rests with Christ. It is content knowing that God “rains on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). God’s grace and blessing cannot be figured out or bottled in a formula, for He withholds or gives His blessing at His discretion. Love understands this and is not envious of those who are lavishly blessed by the Lord.

Christ, of course, has established principles that, if obeyed, lead to blessing (Psalm 119:1-2). If you obey your parents, you will be blessed by their wisdom, experience, and love. If you follow the laws of the land, you will be free from serving a prison term or paying fines. God’s truth can be applied and benefited from by both believers and unbelievers. His ways work; so don’t get worked up when the wicked succeed. Success in life is an option for anyone who implements the principles embedded in God’s Word.

Therefore, choose to ignore envy and its dead-end road that results in comparison and disappointment. Envy attracts the immature, the insecure, the greedy, and the faithless. Comparison with people is an incubator for envy. Instead, reserve your comparisons for the character of Christ and be comfortable with yourself. Your personality, your looks and your gifts are from God, so be who God created. Love is content to be God’s unique creation. Envy looks at the stuff of others and salivates for the same. Envy wants to get, while love wants to give. It wants a woman’s smooth skin, a man’s car, or wealth’s options. Love overcomes these sometimes surreal and selfish desires by finding contentment in Christ. Therefore, go to Jesus, your Savior, for security, love, and affection. Seek the affirmation of Almighty God in place of the acquisition of stuff.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Love is not envious  →

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Hates Sin

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“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

What are some things that you hate? Brussels sprouts? Folding laundry? Cleaning your bedroom? We all have things we don’t like to see or do, but did you know that the Bible says that there are certain things God hates?

God hates sin. Proverbs 6 says that God hates a proud look. Whenever you look at someone in a way that shows you think you are better than he is, you are giving a proud look. God also hates a lying tongue. Have you ever told a lie or misled someone? God hates that type of sin. God despises it when we plan wicked things in our minds. Have you ever done that? God hates it when His children are quick to run to mischief. God also hates it when we say or do things that cause our friends to fight. Have you ever started an argument between friends? God hates that.

God doesn’t hate people, but He hates the sins they commit. Unfortunately, sometimes we think the sins we commit “aren’t that bad.” You might think, “I’m not so bad. It’s not like I murdered anyone!” But did you notice that Proverbs 6:16-9 puts the sins of a lying tongue and a proud look in the same list with the sin of murder? In God’s eyes, all sin is serious.

Are you committing sins that God hates? Have you been thinking that it’s “no big deal?” Now that you understand how God thinks about those sins, confess them to the Lord and ask Him to keep you from committing sin.

All sin is a big deal to God.

My Response:

» Are there sins that I need to confess to the Lord and take more seriously in the future?

 

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Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – Determined

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Luke 18:1

David Livingstone was one of the greatest missionary doctors who ever lived. But when he was struggling on his expeditions, he didn’t look so great. His exploration of the River Zambezi was a failure—the river could not be navigated. He kept trying to find a way until the British government ordered him home. After that, no one wanted to give him more money to return for more explorations.

After a while, he somehow found the money to return to Africa. Once he got there, no one heard from him for six years. Many thought he was dead, but he was not. Although he was seriously ill, he was determined to stay in Africa until his mission was complete. He stubbornly continued to explore. Finally, he died and his friends carried his body a thousand miles to the coast so that he could be returned to England and honored with a proper burial.

At the time he died, many people thought Livingstone’s whole life was a failure. But now, many years later, we know he traveled 29,000 miles in Africa, and that he made important geographical discoveries for Great Britain, such as Victoria Falls and four important lakes. He explored Central Africa so missionaries could go there. He was honored by African chiefs. He spoke out against slavery. And others who knew him were inspired to build schools to educate African children. Much good has come of his life.

One of the things Livingstone said was, “I determined never to stop until I had come to the end and achieved my purpose.” That means he decided he would never give up, and it explains a lot about who he was. It also helps us understand that we must not give up praying for whatever it is we want and need from God.

Dear Lord, First help me know what I should pray for, and then make me determined never to stop praying and talking with you. Amen.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –No Excuses

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Jonah 1:1-17

Jonah fled toward Tarshish to escape God’s plan. The prophet mistakenly thought that ignoring a divine command would cause the Lord to withdraw or change it. Instead, God repeatedly and dramatically intervened in Jonah’s life until the man submitted.

Jonah believed he had good reason to be reluctant. The Ninevites were a bloodthirsty people determined to conquer Israel. So walking across the city while crying, “Nineveh will be overthrown” was a frightening prospect. And, as the prophet later revealed, he worried that God would spare the city if the people repented (Jonah 4:2). Jonah wanted them destroyed! Therefore, his reasons for fleeing seemed right in his own eyes. But God was not deterred.

There’s simply no adequate justification for rebellion. It’s not uncommon for people running from God’s will to use this six-word phrase: “I know what God says, but …” I can tell you with absolute certainty that everything on the other side of “but” is a waste of time. The Lord isn’t interested in excuses or selfish ambitions. He desires only obedience. He has reasons for asking a believer to take a specific action, and His purposes are always good. Consider the amazing benefit to Jonah and his countrymen if their enemy Nineveh became an ally that worshipped the same God.

The Lord doesn’t change His plan to suit our purpose. Rather, He’ll use events, people, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit to move us into the center of His will. For your own benefit, go willingly. You may not like the task God assigns, but if He wants it done, then it must be worthwhile.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 6-7

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Leaning on Jesus

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Read: John 13:12–26

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 8–10; Matthew 25:31–46

One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.—John 13:23

Sometimes when I put my head on my pillow at night and pray, I imagine I’m leaning on Jesus. Whenever I do this, I remember something the Word of God tells us about the apostle John. John himself writes about how he was sitting beside Jesus at the Last Supper: “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him” (John 13:23).

John used the term “the disciple whom Jesus loved” as a way of referring to himself without mentioning his own name. He is also depicting a typical banquet setting in first-century Israel, where the table was much lower than those we use today, about knee height. Reclining without chairs on a mat or cushions was the natural position for those around the table. John was sitting so close to the Lord that when he turned to ask him a question, he was “leaning back against Jesus” (John 13:25), with his head on his chest.

John’s closeness to Jesus in that moment provides a helpful illustration for our lives with Him today. We may not be able to touch Jesus physically, but we can entrust the weightiest circumstances of our lives to Him. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). How blessed we are to have a Savior whom we can trust to be faithful through every circumstance of our lives! Are you “leaning” on Him today? —James Banks

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to lean on You today and to trust You as my source of strength and hope. I cast all my cares on You and praise You because You are faithful.

Jesus alone gives the rest we need.

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Thrown Off Balance

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The earliest creeds of the Christian church confess that Jesus “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.” It is then confessed, “On the third day, he rose again.”(1) While modern presuppositions may tempt us to interpret the death and resurrection of Jesus as symbolic or spiritual in nature, there was nothing abstract about the events and details confessed by those who first beheld them. Jesus’s suffering was an actual, datable event in history, his crucifixion a sentence inflicted on an actual body; the proclamation of both was the remembrance of a cold reality, something akin to remembering the Holocaust or the Trail of Tears. Likewise, “the third day” was a tangible, historical occasion—albeit an occasion of unfathomable proportions.

Yet the resurrection of Jesus was not viewed as merely a static fact on this particular third day, a fixed event to remain in this history alone. “We believe that Jesus died and rose again” wrote the apostle Paul, “and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”(2) For those who first beheld it, the resurrection was an event with inherent consequences for everything—for order and purpose, for what it means to be human itself. The earliest confessions of Christ’s death, burial, and third day rising from the dead are immediately followed by certain understood implications. As the Misfit in Flannery O’Connor’s short story observes of this resurrected one, Jesus went and “thrown everything off balance.” The unlikely prophet reasons, “If He did what He said, then it’s nothing for you to do but throw away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can.”

In the eyes of Jesus’s contemporaries, the Misfit is exactly right. This rabbi who was accused of blasphemy for calling himself equal to God was immediately here shown by God to be speaking the truth. The resurrection verified Jesus’s ties with the Father and his claims to divine authority; the Sonship of Christ was visibly and unmistakably confirmed by the Father. “For God raised him from the dead” writes Paul in 1 Thessalonians 1:10. This connection was clear.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Thrown Off Balance →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Both Men and Women

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…I will pour out my Spirit upon all people…. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.—Joel 2:28-29 NLT

I believe that most women possess a sixth sense that God did not give to men. It’s often called women’s intuition, and it’s the real deal. Men are usually very logical, while women tend to be more “feeling” orientated. For example, a male manager might look at a job candidate’s résumé, job application, college GPA, and work history and be ready to hire him, based on the “facts.” However, this male manager’s female counterpart might evaluate the same candidate and intuitively pick up on personality quirks or subtle-but-destructive attitudes that don’t show up on paper.

This does not mean that women are innately better leaders than men or that their instincts are based on a special God-to-woman frequency to which men aren’t attuned. In fact, a woman’s emotions can also get her in trouble, and she frequently needs the left-brain logic of a man to help her see things clearly.

The point is that women and men need one another; they can complement one another. Neither the man nor the woman sees the whole picture clearly or completely. That’s why men and women should work together, side by side in harmony, respecting one another as equals.

Lord, I thank You for making me the way You have. Help me to use my intuition and other gifts to be a blessing, and surround me with those who will help me see clearly. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God’s Word Gives Joy and Light

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“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light” (Psalm 19:7,8).

Professor William Lyon Phelps, one of Yale University’s most famous scholars, said, “A knowledge of the Bible without a college education is more valuable than a college education without the Bible.”

Why would he say this? Our verse gives us the answer. The Word of God (1) protects us, (2) makes us wise, (3) gives us joy, and (4) gives us light.

There are many other benefits that come from reading the Word of God. With dividends like these, we are indeed robbing ourselves of untold blessings when we neglect His holy, inspired Word for any reason whatever.

It is my privilege to counsel many thousands of people with just about every kind of problem conceivable – need for salvation, poor self-image, marital problems, financial problems, health problems, loss of loved ones, insecurity, fear, and on and on. One could think of every kind of personal need and problem that man faces, and inevitably there is an answer in the Word of God.

I do not know of any individual who has ever received Christ without some understanding of the Word of God. It is for this reason that I included in The Four Spiritual Laws booklet, which I wrote in the 1950’s, the parenthetical statement on page 2: “References contained in this booklet should be read in context from the Bible wherever possible.”

By 1983, it was estimated that more than a billion copies of The Four Spiritual Laws, which contains the distilled essence of the gospel, had been printed (including translations into every major language) and distributed throughout the world, resulting in many millions of people responding to Christ. Still, it cannot compare with God’s Word, nor can any other piece of Christian or secular literature. There is something unique and powerful about holding the Bible in your hand and reading it with your own eyes, for it speaks with authority and power possessed by no other book ever written.

Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: God’s Word is the most important book ever written, and the most important book that I could possibly read. Today I will read it for at least 15 minutes with renewed devotion, dedication and sensitivity to its mighty revolutionary power to transform lives and enable children of God to live supernaturally.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Deposit of Power

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The word inheritance is to Joshua’s book what delis are to Manhattan: everywhere! The word appears nearly sixty times. The command to possess the land is seen five times. The great accomplishment of the Hebrew people came down to this– “So Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance” (Joshua 24:28).

Is it time for you to receive yours? If you have given your heart to Christ, God has “blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Note the tense– “he has blessed.” Not “he will bless, might bless, or someday could possibly bless.” You have access to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. This may well be the best-kept secret in Christendom. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

From God is With You Every Day

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is ‘reprehensible’

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It’s human nature to share good news with others. When our children started having children, I joyfully joined the ranks of obnoxious grandparents, happily forcing others to hear my stories extolling their perfection. When I see a good movie, I want others to see it. When I read a terrific book, I want others to read it.

For instance, I recently read David Orlo’s The Jerusalem Protocol, the second in his Regan Hart series. David is a longtime friend and very gifted pastor, preacher, and writer. His novel imagines a time when Jewish authorities are able to rebuild the temple alongside the Dome of the Rock. I encourage you to read this fascinating window into the geopolitics of the Middle East and the faithfulness of God to the Jewish people.

This week, Israeli and US archaeologists announced that they have found compelling evidence for a twelfth Dead Sea Scroll cave. Thieves had already stolen the scrolls housed in the cave, but the announcement shows that, as one expert noted, “finds of huge importance are still waiting to be discovered.” The story encourages me to encourage you to visit the Holy Land. There is no more transforming experience for a Christian than to walk where Jesus walked.

It’s usually a good idea to experience something before commenting on it to others. However, the rest of this Daily Article will focus on an experience I refuse to have and encourage you to refuse as well.

Fifty Shades Darker, the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey, is showing in theaters beginning tonight. One secular reviewer called the film “the year’s first true cinematic travesty,” “utterly ridiculous,” and “reprehensible.” I warned you not to see the first movie when it premiered two years ago. I’ll repeat my reasons for the sequel.

One: The movie is pornographic in the extreme. It exhibits behavior so explicit and immoral that I will not repeat even what reviewers have said about it. Jesus warned us to refuse lust in all its forms (Matthew 5:28). His Spirit will be grieved by any Christians who open their minds to such blatant immorality. Continue reading Denison Forum – ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ is ‘reprehensible’ →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Cost of Running From God

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Jonah 4:9-11

You would think a life-threatening sea storm and a few days in a fish’s belly would shake some sense into a person. Yet that wasn’t the case with Jonah. The final paragraphs of his story reveal a vengeful prophet who ostensibly obeyed the Lord but allowed his heart to remain on the run.

Jonah paid a financial price for running from God—his ticket to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). And any Sunday school student can tell you the physical consequences he endured. But when those events were long past, Jonah still grappled with the spiritual cost of his flight. His peace and joy were gone. In their place was bitterness so strong that he begged God for the relief that death would bring.

As believers, we cannot disobey the Lord without paying a price. Certainly our spiritual life weakens. The skills and abilities God has bestowed on us will atrophy from lack of use while we waste time fleeing. And our actions could also have negative consequences in other areas, such as our family, finances, and health.

Perhaps you have a habit, a plan, or a current course of action that you know defies God’s will. Have you considered the cost? Though Satan may try to convince you otherwise, there are consequences for wrongdoing. The Lord is holy and righteous, and allowing people to get away with sin is simply incompatible with those attributes. What’s more, the price for following your own will is high. Just look at how miserable Jonah was because of the choices he made. The reward for obeying God is much more pleasing.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 3-5

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Advocate

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Read: 1 John 1:8–2:2

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 6–7; Matthew 25:1–30

If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.—1 John 2:1

From a Florida prison cell in June 1962, Clarence Earl Gideon wrote a note asking the United States Supreme Court to review his conviction for a crime he said he didn’t commit. He added that he didn’t have the means to hire a lawyer.

One year later, in the historic case of Gideon v. Wainright, the Supreme Court ruled that people who cannot afford the cost of their own defense must be given a public defender—an advocate—provided by the state. With this decision, and with the help of a court-appointed lawyer, Clarence Gideon was retried and acquitted.

But what if we are not innocent? According to the apostle Paul, we are all guilty. But the court of heaven provides an Advocate who, at God’s expense, offers to defend and care for our soul (1 John 2:2). On behalf of His Father, Jesus comes to us offering a freedom that even prison inmates have described as better than anything they’ve experienced on the outside. It is a freedom of heart and mind.

Whether suffering for wrongs done by us or to us, we all can be represented by Jesus. By the highest of authority He responds to every request for mercy, forgiveness, and comfort.

Jesus, our Advocate, can turn a prison of lost hope, fear, or regret into the place of His presence. —Mart DeHaan

Father in heaven, please help us to know what it means to have the freedom of Your love and presence. May we experience this freedom even in places that we have only seen as our confinement!

The one who died as our substitute now lives as our advocate.

INSIGHT: John encourages us to be honest about ourselves. Actually, his words are more of a warning than they are encouragement. Writing to a struggling church, John reminds his readers that we all struggle with sin and the claim that we don’t struggle has several drastic consequences: We deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8), we make God out to be a liar, and His word is not in us (v. 10). But John’s point is not a downer. Those warnings surround a very familiar promise. Our sins do not keep us from God—because when we acknowledge (confess) them, we are forgiven for them (v. 9). What do you need to confess as sin and then trust that God has forgiven? J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Searching for the Hidden Wholeness

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The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus—a group in the “sacred music” category— have recently released a new album to widespread critical acclaim. Entitled Beauty Will Save the World, the album features, among other things, monastic chants, snatches of hymns, and surging choral arrangements. Most significantly, it concludes with St. Ambrose’s prayer, “Before the Ending of the Day.”

When asked about the inclusion of all these conspicuously Christian elements, the group replied, “We have always been concerned with the sacred or — perhaps more accurately — the loss of the sacred. We are searching for its echoes and traces which are scattered and hidden in surprising and forgotten places.”(1)

In many ways, this is an apt description of those canvassing the cultural landscape for signs of life. In the case of this particular track, the church is the “hidden and forgotten” place. Like many of today’s musicians, this group is drawing on sacred traditions to reach contemporary audiences. What distinguishes The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is that they are doing so by honoring the original intent of those traditions, preserving their deep spiritual roots. In their own words, “Sometimes it feels as though our work is less about creation and more about investigation and excavation. We borrow, gather and unearth material from different sources — not all of them obviously sacred or spiritual — but we are looking for the connecting thread and evidence of what Thomas Merton called ‘the hidden wholeness.’ Beauty is there. It is not created, it is discovered and restored.”

Demurring from a pervasive assumption about the arts, the philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff says, “A hymn is a good hymn if it serves its purpose effectively and then in addition proves good and satisfying to use for this purpose, that purpose being to enable a congregation to offer praise to God—not, be it noted, to give delight upon aesthetic contemplation.”(2) Wolterstorff approvingly notes the famed hymnist Isaac Watts’s scrupulous commitment “to sink every line to the level of a whole congregation and yet to keep it above contempt.”(3) In a very real sense, these sacred traditions cannot be understood apart from sincere participation. A hymn is fully realized only when you add your voice to the worshipping congregation. St. Ambrose’s prayer becomes a real prayer only when it is uttered with honest conviction. These practices are not made for patrons in a museum; they are made for pilgrims in search of paradise.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Searching for the Hidden Wholeness →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer –Defeating Discouragement

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Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God. —Psalm 42:5

In today’s verse, the psalmist is clearly discouraged. Discouragement destroys hope, so naturally the enemy tries hard to discourage us. Without hope we give up, which is exactly what the devil wants us to do.

The Bible repeatedly tells us not to be discouraged or dismayed. God knows that we will not be strong or victorious if we lose our courage, and He wants us to be encouraged, not discouraged. When discouragement tries to overtake you, the first thing to do is to examine your thought life. What kinds of thoughts have you been thinking? Have they sounded something like this? I am not going to make it; this is too hard. I always fail; I may as well give up. God probably doesn’t answer my prayers because He is so disappointed in the way I act.

If these examples represent your thoughts, no wonder you despair! You become what you think. Think discouraging thoughts, and you will get discouraged. Change your thinking and be set free!

Love Yourself Today: Instead of thinking negatively, think more like this: Well, things are going a little slowly, but, thank God, I am making some progress. I am sure glad I’m on the right path. I had a rough day yesterday. I chose wrong thinking all day long. Father, forgive me, and help me to keep on keeping on. This is a new day. You love me, Lord. Your mercy is new every morning. I refuse to be discouraged. Father, You sent Jesus to die for me. I’ll be fine—today will be a great day. I ask You to help me choose right thoughts today.

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Heavens Declare God’s Glory

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“The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of His craftmanship” (Psalm 19:1).

When King David was a small lad, his father assigned him the care of the sheep. Day after day, night after night he cared for his sheep as a loving shepherd. No doubt on numerous occasions he would lie on his back and look up at the sun and the vastness of space, during the daytime. At night, the stars and the moon would seem so close that he could almost reach them, as he would talk to the God of his fathers.

The vast expanse of creation captivated him, and instinctively he knew that God, who created it all, was his God and he could trust Him with his life, so that just before he went against the giant Goliath he could say to King Saul, “When I am taking care of my father’s sheep and a lion or a bear comes and grabs a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club…I’ve done it to this heathen Philistine too, for he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who saved me from the claws and teeth of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:34-37). When David went out against Goliath, he said to the giant, “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of the armies of heaven and of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45). Then with a sling and a stone, he killed the Philistine.

I personally believe David triumphed because his confidence in God came not only from the teachings of the holy Scriptures, but also from the experience that he had had with God, who created all the heavens and the earth.

Bible Reading: Psalm 19:2-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will make a special point to study the vastness of God’s creation through books about science and to take time – not only in Scriptures, but also in books of science — to notice the handiwork of God’s beautiful creation, conscious that it will help me to become more sensitive and alert to the needs of others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Wave the White Flag

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How do you deal with your guilt? Many voices urge you to look deep within and find an invisible strength or hidden power. This is a dangerous exercise. Self-assessment without God’s guidance leads to either denial or shame. We need neither!

We need a prayer of grace-based confession, like David’s. After a year of denial, he finally prayed, “God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because you are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs. Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again. I know about my wrongs and I can’t forget my sin…You are right when you speak and fair when you judge” (Psalm 51:1-4 NCV).

David waved the white flag. He came clean with God. And you? Are you ready to wave the white flag and admit your arguments are futile? Are you ready to come clean with God?

From God is With You Every Day

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Is a satellite watching you right now?

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There are currently 1,419 operational satellites orbiting the earth (another 2,837 are in space but no longer working). In total, more than 2,000 tons of metal is circling our planet. Add all the drones and communications surveillance being employed, and it’s easy to become paranoid.

Now the number of eyes in the sky is about to change dramatically. Next week, the startup Planet plans to launch eighty-eight tiny satellites into orbit. They will add these to their existing fleet of orbiting cameras, completing a network that will take a picture of every place on Earth, every day—including where you are at any time, day or night.

There’s a spiritual principle here worth contemplating today.

An excellent reason to do the right thing is because it’s the right thing. But another is because there are consequences if you don’t. Not only are more people watching you than ever before, but your omniscient Lord “sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24) and “searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9; cf. Acts 1:24; 1 Corinthians 2:11). The consequences of sin are death (Romans 6:23). Sin always takes us further than we wanted to go, keeps us longer than we wanted to stay, and costs us more than we wanted to pay.

It’s not surprising that 90 percent of people surveyed have a major regret about something in their lives. To let go of regret, counselors say, we should try to learn something from the mistake, look on the bright side, choose not to dwell on it, and take action to fix it. Most of all, we should act to correct what is wrong today, before it’s too late and we are left with regrets over things undone and unsaid.

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