Daily Archives: May 20, 2017

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Building a Firm Foundation

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Lamentations 3:21-23

We have been examining the nature of faith. But on what must we build a strong faith in the Lord? Let’s look at seven aspects of the foundation:

  1. God is. Faith must be built around the simple confession that the Lord is—that He is real and that He exists and is indeed God.
  2. God is love. Not only is God real, but He’s also intimately concerned with your life and wants to engage in a relationship with you.
  3. God is just. You never have to wonder whether or not the Lord will treat you fairly. His justice is absolutely perfect—even when He hands out His loving discipline.
  4. God is all-knowing. He knows your heart, your pain, and your questions. You cannot shock or surprise Him.
  5. God is everywhere. You never have to wonder where He is; in truth, you cannot escape Him. Wherever you are, He is right by your side.
  6. God is all-powerful. There is nothing greater than God. No matter how enormous the challenges and heartaches in your life seem to be, you can overcome them in His power.
  7. God is faithful. That is, He is utterly and completely dependable. Because of this truth, God’s children know that they can always count on Him for the others. No matter how far you stray, He remains at your side. Regardless of what you have done, He will always welcome you home.

Use the above list as a prayer guide, recognizing each one of these characteristics of God and offering your faith as a sacrifice today.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 29-31

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Finding the Way Out

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Read: 1 Corinthians 10:1–13

Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 10–12; John 6:45–71

God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

There’s a street with an intriguing name in the city of Santa Barbara, California. It’s called “Salsipuedes,” which means “leave if you can.” When the street was first named, the area bordered on a marsh that sometimes flooded, and the Spanish-speaking city planners dubbed the location with a not-so-subtle warning to stay away.

God’s Word cautions us to stay away from the “wrong road” of sin and temptation: “Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way” (Prov. 4:15). But Scripture doesn’t just say “leave if you can.” It offers assurance and tells us where to turn: “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

The promise that God will not allow us to be tempted above our ability to withstand is an encouraging reminder. When we turn to God in the moments when temptation comes, we know He is more than willing to help us stay away.

The Bible affirms that Jesus is able “to empathize with our weaknesses.” But He was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Heb. 4:15). Jesus knows the way out of every temptation. He will show us as we run to Him! —James Banks

Thank You, Lord, for Your promise to be faithful to me and provide a way out whenever I face temptation. I praise You that You are willing to give me all the strength I need!

God promises to help us when we are tempted.

INSIGHT: Paul tells us that some of the children of Israel gave in to idolatry, sexual immorality, and grumbling. In each case they were disciplined for their sin (Ex. 32:1-35; Num. 21:4-8). Yet the hope given us is that God has provided a way out of temptation for all who choose to take it (see Gen. 39:7-12).

Are you facing temptations today? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you resist temptation and to take the way out.   Dennis Fisher

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Speak Excellent Things

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Hear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things. —Proverbs 8:6

In this Scripture, Solomon made a decision about how he would talk, and we should do the same thing. Just as we can direct our thoughts, we can also direct our words with God’s help. We should choose to speak excellent things.

Our words affect us and the people around us. They also affect what God is able to do for us. You cannot have a negative mouth and a positive life. In 1 Peter 3:10, the apostle Peter teaches us that if we want to enjoy life and see good days—even in the midst of trials—we must keep our tongues free from evil. What kind of life do you want? Do you want an excellent life? If so, then you must be excellent in your choice of words. Change your words, and you will change your life!

Power Thought: I choose to speak of worthy, important, noble, and excellent 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 – Preserved From the Enemy

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“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me” (Psalm 138:7, KJV).

Robert Bruce, the famous emancipator of Scotland, was fleeing from his enemies. He sought refuge in a cave.

Hot on his trail, his enemies reached his hideout where they saw that a spider had built a web over the mouth of the cave. His pursuers, concluding that he could not have entered without first destroying the web, turned around and went on their way.

“Oh God,” Bruce prayed, “I thank Thee that in the tiny bowels of a spider you can place for me a shelter, and then send the spider in time to place it for my protection.”

“God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform,” and whatever is necessary to protect His children from their enemies will be done.

All of life’s journey is summed up in that one work “walk.” Constant action, movement onward, never stationary, always on the move. Life is not simply a walk; often it is a walk “in the midst of trouble.” Since sin came into the world, pleasure is mixed with pain. Trials and conflict often seem to mar the pathway.

To the trusting, confident believer in Christ, however, there is certain renewal and deliverance. Christ’s indwelling Holy Spirit, given full control, guarantees victory and joy and abundant life – supernatural life.

Bible Reading: Psalm 138:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will see God’s protecting hand in my walk with Him today and proclaim His faithfulness to others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – A-Mazed

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Ecclesiastes 7:13

Have you ever been in a maze—the real kind that’s made out of hedges and paths? There’s one at a palace in England called Chatsworth House. It is a very complicated maze. Every hedge is the same height so there are no identifying features to help you even go back the way you went in.

It could be frightening to get into a maze and not be able to find your way out. Life is like that sometimes. We find ourselves in situations where we don’t know where to turn, and when we do make a choice of which way to go, it ends up being the wrong way. It’s scary when our situation gets worse and worse. But there is someone who knows every turn, every path of our life. Jesus is that someone, and he came to guide us through life. When you are confused and don’t know which way to turn or which decision is best, you can rely on Jesus to lead you. Isn’t a relief to know you don’t have to make decisions on your own? Ask for his guidance and wait patiently for him to show you the way out of your problems.

Dear Lord, Sometimes I really get mixed up when I’m trying to make decisions about my life. Please guide me and help me to listen for your voice telling me the right way to go. Amen.

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Awake

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“Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (1 Kings 18:38)

Elijah asked, and God responded immediately. The prophets of Baal spent all day trying to call down fire from heaven, and nothing happened, because Baal was a false god. But as soon as Elijah prayed, God sent fire from heaven that burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench around the altar. God was not asleep or on vacation; He was not surprised or startled. He heard Elijah’s prayer and answered him.

Sometimes when you pray, you might think that God does not hear, or that He is too busy to listen, or that you are not important enough to Him. All of these are lies of the Devil. The Bible says God hears the prayers of His children and always gives them what is best. God always knows and does what is best, even though sometimes you might think He does not know what He is doing. Just as He did for Elijah, He will always prove Himself mighty and worthy of your worship.

Even though God is always awake and never sleeps, sometimes Christians sleep spiritually. How do they do that? They choose not to go to church, or fail to read God’s Word and talk to Him in prayer. They forget God and live as though He cannot see them. But God never rests, He wants you to come to Him and spent time with Him. He wants you to talk to Him – to tell Him the good and bad things that have happened today. He wants you to tell Him your needs, so He can show you His mighty hand. He is always there and always hears you when you pray.

God never sleeps and always watches over His children.

My Response:

» Do you live as if God is sleeping and cannot see you?

» Do you believe that God knows everything about you and never sleeps?

» What would you do differently if you could see God standing right beside you?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Thoroughly Prepared 

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So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters.  The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. Nehemiah 2:9

It is very hard to over-prepare, as most people do not struggle with over-preparation. One’s temptation is to neglect the real need of being thoroughly prepared. When you rush ahead of God, you expose yourself to the nagging details you could have intentionally prayed about and thought through. Pride tends to shun preparation, as it assumes too much and prays too little. When you take the time to prod those areas you are unsure of, you discover insights that are invaluable to success. If, on the other hand, you go off half-cocked with a Pollyannaish naïveté, you are an excellent candidate for disappointment, or even worse, failure. Irresponsible assumptions are foreign to faith because faith thoroughly prepares on one hand and humbly prays on the other.

Preparation also includes the involvement of others because you will not accomplish big things for God by yourself. Jesus didn’t. He called the Twelve to join Him. He has also placed people in your life whose hearts have been inexplicably moved to join you in this God-created opportunity. Let them in and do not be intimidated because they possess skills and experiences you don’t. Instead of lamenting the different backgrounds, personalities, and skills that surround you, celebrate them. A well-rounded variety of relationships and resources bring strength to the whole. A true team is diverse, and a secure leader accepts diversity as a key ingredient in the recipe of success.

“Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people” (Isaiah 57:14).

So unfetter your team from the fear of failure by giving them the freedom to try new things and to test long-held assumptions and methods. Help others prepare by removing obstacles. A team—thoroughly prepared—produces. Prayer is the most potent part of your preparation. You cannot pray too much about your methods and motives. Pray for God to be glorified and for His will to be done. Pray for His provision and resources. Pray for relationships you have yet to enter into that will become critical alliances in your God-sized project. It is through prayer that you persevere in preparation.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Thoroughly Prepared  →