Daily Archives: March 26, 2017

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Becoming Whole

Leave a comment

 

Romans 8:33-39

Modern society has many “solutions” for unhappiness. For example, a lot of people turn to prestige, love, or various substances to counteract emotional emptiness, but the happiness these things offer soon drains out again. Only God’s transforming power can change someone with a broken spirit into a content Christ follower who understands his or her value.

To find wholeness, a person must start by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior—the sin that stands between him and God has to be removed. Then, with the Holy Spirit’s strength, he will be able to find the courage to confront past disappointments, hurts, and sins that may have contributed to his feeling unworthy of the Lord’s love.

Someone with a sense of wholeness feels satisfied with life. He knows he is loved, which leads to a good self-image and the ability to love others. Hardship is inevitable in this world, but it doesn’t devastate him or cause him to grumble or cast blame. Why? Because the born-again believer knows that God has promised to work everything out for his good (Rom. 8:28).

In contrast, someone who feels fragmented or empty often has the opposite experience. He may look okay on the outside while struggling within. This can even be the case with Christians who haven’t learned to experience God’s love. In fact, I was a pastor for several decades before I really felt the Father’s love for me; only then did I become truly complete.

The Lord can and will make His love known to believers who ask. And through it comes the wholeness they have been seeking.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 10-11

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — East Meets West

Leave a comment

Read: Romans 14:1–12

Bible in a Year: Joshua 22–24; Luke 3

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? —Romans 14:4

When students from Southeast Asia met a teacher from North America, the visiting instructor learned a lesson. After giving his class their first multiple-choice test, he was surprised to find many questions left unanswered. While handing back the corrected papers, he suggested that, next time, instead of leaving answers blank they should take a guess. Surprised, one of the students raised their hand and asked, “What if I accidentally get the answer right? I would be implying that I knew the answer when I didn’t.” The student and teacher had a different perspective and practice.

In the days of the New Testament, Jewish and Gentile converts were coming to Christ with perspectives as different as East and West. Before long they were disagreeing over matters as diverse as worship days and what a Christ-follower is free to eat or drink. The apostle Paul urged them to remember an important fact: None of us is in a position to know or judge the heart of another.

For the sake of harmony with fellow believers, God urges us to realize that we are all accountable to our Lord, to act according to His Word and our conscience. However, He alone is in a position to judge the attitudes of our heart (Rom. 14:4-7). —Mart DeHaan

Father in heaven, please have mercy on us for presuming to judge the heart of those who see so many things differently than we do.

Be slow to judge others but quick to judge yourself.

INSIGHT: When we find ourselves in a position where we disagree with other Christians, it’s good to remember that God has given us room to disagree and help for how to handle our differing opinions. We can find such help in today’s text. How has knowing Scripture helped you to deal with conflicts? J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Read and Reap

Leave a comment

 

[Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known. —Mark 4:22

The Word has tremendous treasures, powerful life-giving secrets that God wants to reveal to us. They are manifested to those who ponder, study, think about, practice mentally, and meditate on the Word of God.

There is no end to what God can show you out of one verse of Scripture. You can study a scripture one time and get one thing, and another time you’ll see something else you did not even notice before.

The Lord keeps revealing His secrets to those who are diligent about studying the Word. Don’t be the kind of person who always wants to live off of someone else’s revelation. Study the Word yourself, and allow the Holy Spirit to bless your life with truth.

Power Thought: Revelation is available to me when I study God’s Word.

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 – Cheer Up; He Has Overcome

Leave a comment

“I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many sorrows and trials; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

I know of few promises in all the Word of God that offer more assurance and encouragement than this one.

The apostle Paul was an aggressive soldier of God who carried the gospel far and wide throughout the known world. He was greatly used of God to expand the territorial borders of Christendom. All that Paul did, he did in the name of Christ and through the power and control of the Holy Spirit.

But there was great opposition to Paul’s ministry. Consequently, he always seemed to be in the center of spiritual warfare. He knew his enemies, Satan and the world system, and their subtle, deceiving devices.

Throughout his Christian life, he suffered various kinds of persecutions, including stonings, beatings and imprisonment. In spite of such harsh persecution, Paul could write, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice” (Philipians 4:4, NAS).

It was during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, about 61 or 62 A.D., that he wrote to the church at Ephesus. The theme of his letter is supernatural living, and he talks about the Christian’s spiritual warfare. He tells us that the battle we fight is against Satan and the spiritual forces of wickedness, not against other people.

The apostle Paul experienced the supernatural peace of heart and mind which Jesus promised, a promise which we too can claim, in times of difficulty, testing and even persecution.

Bible Reading: John 16:25-32

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Today I will claim the peace of heart and mind which Jesus promised to all who trust and obey Him. Deliberately and faithfully I will seek to put on the whole armor of God so that I will be fully prepared to withstand the wiles of the enemy and thus live a supernatural life for the glory of God.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Gentle Goodness

Leave a comment

 

Read: Galatians 5:22-24

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness . . . gentleness . . . (vv. 22-23)

These days people seem angry. They feel cut off from the prosperity enjoyed by only the few. They see other groups of people doing better, and they come to despise those groups. Even Christians seem angry, protesting loudly and carrying hate-filled picket signs decrying this or that issue. When Christians debate each other on split-screen TV news shows, they spew invectives, shout each other down.

In and through this, the fruit of the Spirit shrivels like an apple left sitting on the counter too long. It is striking that half of the nine fruit listed by Paul have something to do with being gentle, kind, quiet, and in control. We are supposed to be patient, not snappish and ill-tempered. We are supposed to exude a gentle kindness that gives others a wide berth and a warm embrace, not a hostility that wags fingers or screams purple-faced at others.

Most of these fruit are the opposite of what many in our world regard as strength. These fruit seem weak, wimpy. Of course, Jesus struck many people the same way. He was easy to gang up on, arrest, and kill. But Jesus endured it all in patience, gentleness, kindness, and goodness because he knew the world would be saved not by power but by humility and sacrifice. And that is the path down which his Spirit still leads us. —Scott Hoezee

Prayer: Make us a kind people, dear God, that we may show your face to all.

 

https://woh.org/

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – PROTECTED BY GOD

Leave a comment

Read Matthew 10:16-31

Wolves are often depicted as the bad guy in stories such as “The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” They are sneaky and deceptive, threatening innocent creatures. Some scholars have argued that these stories were used to warn children about both these dangerous animals and people who exhibited these qualities.

Today’s passage contains a warning and a commissioning by Jesus to His followers. He tells them that they will face trouble, comparing their predators to wolves: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves” (v. 16). Jesus had given them authority over demons and sickness (10:1), but He also warns them to be on guard for danger.

He describes in alarming detail the trouble they will face. They will endure opposition and public punishment. They will be arrested and even suffer death for what they say, but they must not back down. God desires to speak through them (vv. 17–20).

Those who follow Christ will face betrayal, even by people who they trust. Persecution should be expected and not come as a surprise. We will be hated and despised on His behalf. While the disciples were to be on guard for this, Jesus also said they should not have a spirit of fear.

Why should we, as Christ’s followers, not fear these wolves? Jesus gave two reasons. First, our opponents can destroy our bodies, but not our souls. And, second, each of us is precious to God. He compares us to a small sparrow. If God is aware of sparrows that sell two for one penny, would He not be aware of each of His children? Yes, we will face opponents as fierce as wolves, but each of us are under the Father’s care. Because we are highly valued by God, we should not be afraid (v. 31).

APPLY THE WORD

Jesus’ words to His disciples apply to us as His followers as well. We should not be surprised when we face persecution for His sake or speak truth on His behalf. Like the disciples, we can take comfort in knowing that we are valued by God. Because He cares for us and knows us, we do not need to be afraid.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Overcome by Fear 

Leave a comment

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So He got into the boat and left.” Luke 8:37

Fear drives out faith, and overwhelming fear withdraws faith’s invitation to Jesus. Indeed, Jesus is a gentleman, so He does not tarry where He is not trusted. He will not remain where He is not wanted and He does not negotiate to be needed. Faith is exhausted in the face of overwhelming fear. This is especially true when your chronic fear relates to money. Money, more than anything, can make you myopic to faith in God. You get so consumed by the crises of current affairs that you forget your anchor in Almighty God. Money, or the lack of it, may be what’s killing you.

However, money is a symptom of something else beneath the surface of your fear. Money is not the answer; Jesus is the dependable security you desire.

Do not dismiss prayer and patience just because you feel out of control. This is when you are tempted to behave like an atheist. You say you believe in God, He is in control and you trust Him, but your behavior betrays your beliefs. You act like an unbeliever when your actions marginalize your Master. Indeed, it is when the bottom falls out that faith in the Lord needs to be your mainstay. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). This is when you need Him the most, so be wise and ask Jesus, the gentleman, to remain with you when all hell breaks loose.

Satan loves to see you alone. He wants you to battle Him in your own strength. He wins when Jesus is run off and fear drives you into irrational action. Fear keeps you looking over your shoulder in doubt. And all the while, your Savior is right beside you, waiting to be your calming force. Take the time to tarry in trust with the One who is totally trustworthy. Do not drive Him away in denial. Rise up from under the load of your languishing condition and come to Christ. Look to Christ for perspective and patience. Don’t panic. Exercise your overwhelming fear by faith. Place it on the shelf of self-denial, and surrender to your Savior.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Overcome by Fear  →