Monthly Archives: May 2017

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Practicing the Presence of God

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“How precious it is, Lord, to realize that You are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day Your thoughts turn towards me. And when I waken in the morning, You are still thinking of me!” (Psalm 139:17,18).

Our sons, Zac and Brad, have helped me to understand, in some small measure, the truth of this promise, for in the course of a single day, I will lift them up in prayer many times. I am finite, but God is infinite. My love for our sons is limited, but his love is inexhaustible and unconditional. It is because of God’s love in my heart that I am able to love my sons unconditionally, even as He loves me.

What a comforting, encouraging thought, that the omnipotent Creator, God, who possesses all power and control of creation, loves me enough that He is constantly thinking about me. When I allow Him to do so, He talks to me, expressing His love, wisdom and grace from His Word, through divine impressions and the counsel of wise and godly friends. His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to make Himself strong and mighty in my behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Just as He is constantly thinking about me, I have been admonished to pray without ceasing. To talk to Him, to think about Him all the time – as difficult as it may sound – is a joyful reality to those who practice the presence of God, is that the kind of relationship you are experiencing day by day? If not, it can be.

Bible Reading: Psalm 139:1-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Mindful that God loves, cares and thinks about me constantly, I shall seek to live the supernatural life by practicing His presence, by praying without ceasing and by claiming His supernatural power by faith.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Be Grateful

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“How’s life?” someone asks. And we who have been resurrected from the dead say, Well, things could be better. Or… I couldn’t get a parking place. Or…My parents won’t let me move to Hawaii. Or… People won’t leave me alone so I can finish my sermon on selfishness.

Really? Are you so focused on what you don’t have that you are blind to what you do? If so, then come. Come thirsty. Come and drink deeply from God’s goodness.

You have a ticket to heaven no thief can take,

an eternal home no divorce can break.

Every sin of your life has been cast into the sea.

Every mistake you’ve made is nailed to the tree.

You are blood-bought and heaven-made.

A child of God—forever saved.

So be grateful, joyful—for isn’t it true?

What you don’t have is much less than what you do!

From A Love Worth Giving

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Terrorist attack in England: 3 facts

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Last night, pop singer Ariana Grande finished a concert in Manchester, England, some 200 miles northwest of London. As the audience filled with teenagers began leaving the show, an explosion ripped into the crowd. At least twenty-two people were killed, and nearly sixty people were injured.

The blast went off around 10:35 PM in the foyer outside the main hall of the Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe. Witnesses said the bomb appeared to have used nails; such shrapnel increases a bomb’s ability to wound its victims.

Police believe a man carrying explosives acted as a lone attacker and died in the blast. British Prime Minister Theresa May chaired an emergency Cabinet meeting this morning and called the episode an “appalling terrorist attack.” She just announced that police and security staff believe they know the identity of the apparent suicide bomber but are not revealing the name for the time being. Police just arrested a twenty-three-year-old man in connection with the attack.

As of this moment, we do not yet know who is responsible for this atrocity. Here’s what we do know.

One: We can expect such attacks to continue. As I am writing this morning, police have just evacuated a shopping center in Manchester, where witnesses heard a “big bang.” British police have said they are making an arrest every day on average in connected with suspected terrorism.

Radicalized Muslims believe that the West has been attacking Islam for centuries. Since Britain and other Western countries are democracies where we elect our leaders and support our military, they consider us complicit in this perceived attack on their religion.
Continue reading Denison Forum – Terrorist attack in England: 3 facts →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –In the Fullness of Time

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Galatians 4:4-5

In eternity past, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit planned and created heaven and earth. Yet even before Adam breathed his first breath, the Lord knew sin would enter the world, causing mankind to be separated from Him. However, a plan for our redemption was already in place, and in the fullness of time, the Son of God came as a baby and lived on the earth.

The Lord doesn’t do anything haphazardly. Every plan of His is predetermined and meticulously carried out at just the right time. And this truth doesn’t apply to just the big events in human history. Since He has a specific plan for every believer, He works to accomplish His goals in each Christian’s life. He ordained the day of our birth, has complete knowledge of what each day will hold, and knows how long we’ll live on this earth. And just as He did when Christ was born, God will, in the fullness of time, execute each part of His will for your life and mine.

However, although His plans for us are good, the only way we’ll see His purposes fulfilled in our life is by submitting to Him. He’s promised to work all things for our good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).

Are you letting the Lord have His way in your life? Even when the need seems urgent, a person with a spirit yielded to God waits patiently for the heavenly Father’s plans to unfold at just the right time. The One with complete knowledge and wisdom knows what He’s doing. Wait for the fullness of His time.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 35-36

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Blink and Think of God

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Read: Deuteronomy 32:1–12

Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 16–18; John 7:28–53

He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.—Deuteronomy 32:10

“God is like an eyelid,” my friend Ryley said, and I blinked in surprise. What could she mean by that?

“Tell me more,” I replied. Together, we had been studying surprising pictures of God in the Bible, things like God as a laboring mother (Isa. 42:14) or as a beekeeper (7:18), but this one was new to me. Ryley pointed me to Deuteronomy 32, where Moses praises the way God takes care of His people. Verse 10 says that God shields and protects His people, guarding them “as the apple of his eye.”

But the word we translate apple, Ryley told me, literally means pupil. And what encircles and guards the pupil? The eyelid, of course! God is like the eyelid, which instinctively protects the tender eye. The eyelid guards the eye from danger, and by blinking helps remove dirt or dust. It keeps sweat out of the eye. It lubricates the eyeball, keeping it healthy. It closes, allowing rest.

As I considered the picture of God as an eyelid, I couldn’t help but thank God for the many metaphors He’s given us to help us understand His love for us. When we close our eyes at night and open them in the morning, we can think of God, and praise Him for His tender protection and care for us. —Amy Peterson

Thank You, God, for using surprising metaphors to help us understand You better. Thanks for guarding us just as the eyelid guards the eye.

When you blink, remember to thank God for His protection.

INSIGHT: Jesus Himself verifies the truth of God’s protection when He tells us not to worry about our lives: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. . . . You are worth more than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 12:1-6).

In what situation do you need to remember that God protects and provides? How can you remind yourself and others of our worth in God’s eyes?   J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Wakeful Inquiry

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There is a line in the story of the prodigal son that is easy to miss. It comes as the transition in the story, but it also seems to mark the transition in the son. The story itself, also known as the Two Brothers, Lost Son, Loving Father, or Lovesick Father, is among the most familiar stories of Jesus. Not long after the younger son demands the right to live as he pleases, after he leaves with his father’s money and gets as far away as possible, and after he loses everything and is forced to hire himself out in the fields, the story reads that the prodigal “came to himself” and, at this, he decides to turn back to the father.

Today it is often translated that the son “came to his senses,” as we might describe a man or woman who, on the precipice of a bad decision or impulsive act, decides to turn around. But the phrase in the Greek literally describes the prodigal as coming to himself, and points at something far more than good decision-making. In a sermon titled “Bread Enough and to Spare,” popular English preacher Charles Spurgeon notes that this Greek expression can be applied to one who comes out of a deep swoon, someone who has lost consciousness and comes back to himself again. The expression can also be applied to one who is recovering from insanity, someone who has been lost somewhere within her own mind and body, only to come back to herself once again.

With both of these metaphors, the son is one who wakes to health and life again, having been unconscious of his true condition. Standing in a foreign field hungry and alone, the son comes to something more than a good decision. He is waking to an identity he knew in part but never fully realized. He is remembering life in his father’s house again, though for the first time.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Wakeful Inquiry →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Faith & Grace: Working Together

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For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.—Ephesians 2:8

Let me give you an illustration of the way that faith and grace work together to bring us the blessings of God. In my meetings I often take along a large electric fan that I set up on the speaker’s platform. I call up a member of the audience and have her stand in front of the fan, telling her that I am going to cool her off. When the fan doesn’t run even though I turn it on, I ask the audience, “What’s wrong? Why is this fan not running?”

Of course, the audience sees right away what’s wrong: “It’s not plugged in!” they yell. “That’s right,” I say, “and that’s exactly what’s wrong many times when our prayers are not answered.” I explain that we get our eyes on faith (the fan), expecting it to do the work, but we fail to look beyond the fan to its source of power, which is the Lord.

Jesus had faith all the time He was suffering. He had faith while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had faith before the high priest and Pilate. He had faith when He was being ridiculed, abused, and mistreated. He had faith on the way to Golgotha. He had faith while hanging on the cross. He even had faith while His body lay in the tomb; He had absolute faith that God would not leave Him there but would raise Him up, as He had promised. But do you realize that for all His faith, nothing happened until the power of God came forth to bring about the Resurrection?

His faith kept Him stable until the Father’s appointed time for His deliverance. We can have all the faith in the world; but it will avail us nothing until it is “plugged in” to the source of power, which is the grace of God. Keep your eyes on God to deliver you—not your faith.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – First Step to Wisdom

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“How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord! Only fools refuse to be taught” (Proverbs 1:7).

In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was on the verge of total failure. The issue: whether small states should have the same representation as large states.

From the wisdom of his 81 years, Benjamin Franklin recalled the Scriptures which says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1), and in this hopeless situation, he offered a suggestion.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “I have lived a long time and am convinced that God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

“I move that prayer imploring the assistance of heaven be held every morning before we proceed to business.” God heard their prayers and the conflict was soon resolved. To this day, all legislative sessions continue to be opened with prayer, with God’s blessing.

“Reverence of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” reads the Modern Language translation of this verse – a preamble to wise living a good motto for life.

Someone has said, “The eternal task of religion is the conquest of fear.” Men fear many things – bacteria, losing their jobs, being dependent in old age, giving offense to their neighbors, war, failure, death.

Fear (worshipful reverence) of God represents a different kind of fear – the kind a child shows toward wise and loving parents when he shuns acts of disobedience to avoid both grieving those parents whom he loved and suffering the inevitable discipline which follows disobedience. Perhaps if we feared God more, we would fear everything else less.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:8-16

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My fear and reverence of God is the beginning of supernatural living and will result in worship of Him – by walk as well as by talk.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Cure for Selfishness

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Love builds up relationships; selfishness erodes relationships! The apostle Paul is urgent in is appeal. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit” (Philippians 2:3 NASB).

But aren’t we born selfish? And if so, can we do anything about it? Or better asked, can we get the little self out of our eyes? According to Scripture we can.  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind” (Philippians 2:1-2 NASB).

What’s the cure for selfishness? Get your self out of your eye by getting your eye off your self. Quit staring at that little self! Focus on your great Savior!

From A Love Worth Giving

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Notre Dame students walk out on VP Pence

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The Greatest Show on Earth is over. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus gave its final performance last night. The circus’s owner says his production could no longer compete with iPhones, the Internet, and video games.

Does it seem that the world is changing faster than ever?

The Roman Catholic Church remains committed to conservative moral values, but students at Notre Dame, its most prominent university, walked out of their own graduation yesterday to protest Vice President Mike Pence.

Texting while driving has become such an epidemic that police officers near Atlanta are dressing as construction workers to spy on passing cars. Authorities in Albany, Georgia have posed as panhandlers at street corners to find violators. Police in Michigan use unmarked vehicles to catch texters.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus was right: we cannot step into the same river twice. Much of the change that dominates our lives is a two-edged sword. The Internet has enriched our lives enormously, but it also spawned our pornography epidemic. Air travel has made the world more accessible than ever, but it also speeds the spread of infectious diseases. Nuclear technology can fuel cities or destroy them.

St. Augustine called evil the “shadow side of good.” Wherever we find God at work, we find Satan at work as well. But it will not always be so: “The world is passing away along with its desires,” but “whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

Think about all that changes when we step from earth into heaven. No more cell phones. No more email or Internet or technology. What will remain?

Continue reading Denison Forum – Notre Dame students walk out on VP Pence →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Importance of Prayer Partners

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Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Keeping your arms raised for a period of time might not seem like a difficult task—until you try it. No matter how strong you are, you’ll eventually find it impossible to hold them up, as if a 20-pound weight were strapped to each one.

In Exodus 17:8-16, Moses was faithfully praying on a hill while his soldiers were below, fighting the Amalekites. As long as his arms were raised, the Israelites prevailed. But he couldn’t maintain this posture on his own for very long. He needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his hands.

The Lord never expected Moses to do the job by himself. Nor is He going to let any one of us be absolutely independent—that isn’t how He operates. God has built His church in such a way that the world will recognize Christians by their love toward one another (John 13:35). As we ultimately depend on God, we likewise interdepend upon each other.

Everybody needs an Aaron and a Hur—people who can hold up our drooping arms and help us in our intercessions before the Lord. We don’t need helpers who react with judgmental comments or platitudes. Rather, our prayer partners should simply come alongside and intercede with and for us.

Ask God to bring people into your life who can faithfully and lovingly lift you up in prayer without judging you or expecting anything in return. And if you’re not in Moses’ situation right now, perhaps you can be someone else’s Aaron or Hur. Why not ask God to lead you to a person who would appreciate intercession?

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 32-34

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Seeing God

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Read: Exodus 34:1–9

Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 13–15; John 7:1–27

The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.—Numbers 14:18

Caricature artists set up their easels in public places and draw pictures of people who are willing to pay a modest price for a humorous image of themselves. Their drawings amuse us because they exaggerate one or more of our physical features in a way that is recognizable but funny.

Caricatures of God, on the other hand, are not funny. Exaggerating one of His attributes presents a distorted view that people easily dismiss. Like a caricature, a distorted view of God is not taken seriously. Those who see God portrayed only as an angry and demanding judge are easily lured away by someone who emphasizes mercy. Those who see God as a kindhearted grandfather will reject that image when they need justice. Those who see God as an intellectual idea rather than a living, loving being eventually find other ideas more appealing. Those who see God as a best friend often leave Him behind when they find human friends who are more to their liking.

God declares Himself to be merciful and gracious, but also just in punishing the guilty (Ex. 34:6-7).

As we put our faith into action, we need to avoid portraying God as having only our favorite attributes. We must worship all of God, not just what we like. —Julie Ackerman Link

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You. You are holy, just, kind, and loving. You are God alone.

God is God alone.

INSIGHT: Have you been trying to see the form of God through the fog of your life? If so, you’re in good company. According to the apostle Paul, all of our present knowledge is seen “through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12 kjv). But since Jesus came, we don’t have to strain so much to believe in the goodness, justice, and compassion of the God Moses described. Now, in Jesus’s suffering and death, we can see far more clearly how God patiently loves us, allowing us to experience the consequences of sin while He Himself bears in our place the ultimate judgment that all sin deserves.  Mart DeHaan

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Disappointed? Get Reappointed

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Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?—Proverbs 20:24

This Scripture has stabilized my emotions many times when I was in a hurry to get somewhere and found myself at a standstill in traffic on the highway. Initially, I get a sinking feeling, then I get aggravated, and then I say, “Well, since my steps are ordered by the Lord, I will calm down and thank God that I am right where He wants me.” I also remind myself that God may be saving me from an accident farther down the road by keeping me where I am. Trusting God is absolutely wonderful because it soothes our wild thoughts and emotions when things don’t go the way we had planned.

I learned long ago that with God on our side, even though we will experience disappointments in life, we can always get “reappointed.” If you or I have a doctor’s appointment and he has an emergency and has to cancel, we simply make another appointment. Life can be that way, too. Trusting that God has a good plan for us, and that our steps are ordered by Him, is the key to preventing disappointment from turning into despair. How do you react when you get disappointed? How long does it take for you to make a transition and get reappointed? Are you acting on the Word of God or merely reacting emotionally to the circumstance? Are you controlled by what is around you, or by Jesus, Who lives inside you?

Trusting God completely and believing that His plan for you is right is infinitely better than trusting your own plan. It is impossible to be mad at someone you really believe has your best interest in mind. And God is always for us, never against us. He is the only One Who can help you and truly comfort you; therefore, it is much better to run to Him in your disappointment than away from Him.

Trust in Him: Trust God to reappoint you—when you do, it will calm your thoughts and emotions.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We can Have Real Peace

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“So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord had done for us” (Romans 5:1).

When Arthur DeMoss, one of my very best friends and one of our Lord’s choicest servants, went to be with the Lord, as the result of an unexpected heart attack, all of us were shocked. The word reached me in Austria, where I was meeting with our European staff. Immediately, I flew back to the United States for the memorial service.

As I participated in that service, I looked over the large audience, about half of whom had been introduced to Christ through the ministry of this man whom we had all come to honor.

In the crowd, I saw one face that stood out – a face that was most radiant of all. It was Art’s widow, Nancy. She was sitting in the front row with their seven children. Her radiant countenance was a demonstration to me of the supernatural joy and peace which God gives in such times of extreme grief.

Nancy and Art were the greatest of lovers and friends. They had been deeply in love since their courtship and were almost inseparable whether in the building of the business, in the rearing of their family or in their burden for evangelism and the souls of men.

Yet, in this time of Nancy’s greatest sorrow, the evidence that she was filled with the Spirit radiated from her countenance. She was experiencing the supernatural peace of God – love’s security, which is available to all of God’s children.

Bible Reading: Romans 5:2-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will claim by faith God’s peace – not only for me but also for family and friends in need of such peace – and seek to introduce others to the One who is the Prince of Peace.

 

http://www.cru.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Rich in Grace

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“That in the ages to come he [God] might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

Not very long ago, a six-year-old boy named Andrew was saving money for a trip to Mexico with his family. His grandmother paid him a few dollars for doing some chores for her, and then right before he left on the trip, she decided to give him some extra spending money. When he saw how much it was, he couldn’t believe it. “Wow, twenty dollars!” he hollered, dancing around in a circle. He ran home to show his mom the $20 bill. “Look, Mom! Now I know what it feels like to be rich!”

Maybe getting a crisp $20 bill when it was not even your birthday would make you feel rich, too. Or maybe it would take a $100 bill. Maybe it might take a million before you would feel “rich.” No matter how much money you got, though, your riches could never compare to God’s. Not only does God own everything in the world, He has another kind of riches: riches of grace.

Grace is giving something good to someone who does not deserve it. Every person who is now saved once lived in total disobedience to God. Their lives were all about pleasing themselves and ignoring God. It does not seem fair that those people would get any special attention from Him, much less the chance to be in heaven with Him.

If God were fair, He would not give those people anything good. They do not deserve anything except to be punished! But God is not fair; He does not give people what they deserve. Instead, He is gracious. He does not give up on people who couldn’t care less about Him. Because He loves them – even though they are “dead in sins” – He gives them life.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Rich in Grace →

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Show Up 

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When he [the king] saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.     Esther 5:2

Successful living is about showing up, which means you arrive at the appointed time, ideally a little early. Your mode of operation is to say less and do more, as your actions speak for themselves. You show up for work as a diligent employee even when you don’t feel like it. You show up for a first date in spite of all the unknowns. You show up on behalf of another even though they may not expect your sincere concern. You show up to exercise when your body begs you to stay in bed. You show up for a funeral when you don’t know what to say. You show up for church even when you feel guilty and insecure.

Make it a priority to show up, and you may be surprised at the result. Eager athletes show up on the bench next to the coach. Those who show up at the right place, at the right time, are the ones who experience God’s best. You may meet a new friend or become reacquainted with an old one, which may lead to an unexpected opportunity. So show up, shut up, and listen up.

You especially need to show up for God. Be relentless about not missing your God time. Show up for God when you are sleepy, lazy, or lonely. Your desire may be waning, but after you show up, your “want to” will grow. Show up for God, and watch Him show up. It takes time to show up for God, but it is time well worth the effort and expense. You can’t afford to not show up for your Savior. Perish the thought that anyone would stand up Jesus. Our Lord is not one to be left waiting. How unwise to rush right past God on the way to orchestrate oblivion or rearrange obstacles. He is waiting patiently for you to show up and be loved by Him. Slow down and show up. Then pour out your heart to Jesus.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Show Up  →

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – BALAAM AND HIS DONKEY

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Read Numbers 22:1-23:26

You might remember Francis the Talking Mule, star of seven popular movies during the 1950s. Francis was a U.S. Army mule who befriended a young soldier named Peter. Francis would talk to Peter—but only to Peter, which of course led to many humorous and difficult situations.

The only donkey that has actually talked in real life belonged to Balaam. Balaam was a pagan diviner or soothsayer, a person who claimed to be able to foretell the future and to have some influence with the gods and divinities.

The Moabites and Midianites were petrified. They had heard of Israel’s recent victories and feared they would be next to be overrun by the “horde” (22:4). They felt they needed supernatural help, and they decided to pay for Balaam to use his skill to pronounce a curse on their enemies. Though Balaam was not a follower of God, apparently he knew His voice when he heard it. The Lord told him not to dare to curse people whom He had blessed (22:9–12). Despite his greed (see 2 Peter 2:15–16), Balaam at first obeyed, perhaps out of fear or concern for his reputation—a curse that didn’t work would be bad for business. But when offered a higher price, he couldn’t resist moving in the desired direction.

The famous episode with his talking donkey took place on the way to deliver his curses (22:21–35). God mercifully sent this miraculous warning to impress upon Balaam the seriousness of His previous command not to curse Israel (23:19). His “path [was] a reckless one” (22:32), flirting with disobedience. In a bit of divine comedy, Balaam ended up not cursing but blessing the Israelites multiple times!

APPLY THE WORD

As Balak and Balaam discovered, God is the King of kings, whether or not people or nations acknowledge His rule or even believe in His existence. Praise the Lord today for His sovereignty. Rejoice that you can have a personal relationship with God. And thank Him for His guidance and protection in your life.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

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

 

http://www.intouch.org/

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

 

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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.

 

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