Daily Archives: July 23, 2017

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Blessings of Wisdom

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Proverbs 3:1-4

The world claims there are many paths to a successful, rewarding life: education, wealth, public recognition, or even service. But in the end, true fulfillment comes from the Lord and following His wisdom.

Proverbs says that when we choose to align our heart with God’s truth, we will “find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man” (3:4). Not only will we have protection, clear guidance, and intimacy with the Father, but we’ll also receive divine power to walk circumspectly before Him.

Wisdom—understanding God’s perspective on situations and responding accordingly—brings us the strength to stand firm in our faith and choose His way. It also helps us to calmly accept the hardships in our life. Our sovereign God knows the extent of our difficulties. Out of His love for us, He never gives us more than we can handle and uses even our darkest hours for His good purposes. Wise people are convinced this is true; they enjoy supernatural peace and will live in the Lord’s favor (Prov. 8:34-35; Phil. 4:7).

God wants to prosper His people in spiritual as well as material ways. For that reason, His first priority is to increase our understanding of Him. Then as we align our heart with His wisdom and will, we can apply His principles not just to our finances but to every facet of life.

The Lord stands ready to pour out His choicest blessings—power, divine favor, spiritual prosperity, and supernatural peace—on those who draw near to Him and submit to His plan.

Bible in One Year: Isaiah 4-7

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Didn’t Get Credit?

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Read: Colossians 4:7–18

Bible in a Year: Psalms 33–34; Acts 24

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.— Matthew 5:16

Hollywood musicals were wildly popular during the 1950s and 1960s, and three actresses in particular—Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, and Deborah Kerr—thrilled viewers with their compelling performances. But a huge part of the appeal of these actresses was the breathtaking singing that enhanced their acting. In fact, the classic films’ successes were actually due in large part to Marni Nixon, who dubbed the voices for each of those leading ladies and who for a long time went completely uncredited for her vital contribution.

In the body of Christ there are often people that faithfully support others who take a more public role. The apostle Paul depended on exactly that kind of person in his ministry. Tertius’s work as a scribe gave Paul his powerful written voice (Rom. 16:22). Epaphras’s consistent behind-the-scene prayers were an essential foundation for Paul and the early church (Col. 4:12-13). Lydia generously opened her home when the weary apostle needed restoration (Acts 16:15). Paul’s work could not have been possible without the support he received from these fellow servants in Christ (vv. 7-18).

We may not always have highly visible roles, yet we know that God is pleased when we obediently play our essential part in His plan. When we “give [ourselves] fully to the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58), we will find value and meaning in our service as it brings glory to God and draws others to Him (Matt. 5:16). —Cindy Hess Kasper

Lord, help me to obediently do my part in the role You have chosen for me.

The secret of true service is absolute faithfulness wherever God places you.

INSIGHT: What role has God given you in your service for Christ? Whether it is a visible one or you work behind-the-scenes, ask God for His help to do your best with a humble heart.

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Fear Represses Faith 

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Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.  John 12:42-43

Fear represses faith and restrains its recognition. It holds back the boldness to believe; fear is no friend of faith. Fear mistakenly believes it can coddle cunning men while at the same time claim Christ. This is a contradiction that does not stand up under the scrutiny of your Savior. Jesus requires unconditional commitment and unwavering loyalty. It is not all Jesus on Sunday, and Jesus only when it’s convenient the other six days of the week. Covert confession is not an option for a follower of Jesus Christ. Yes, in some parts of the world you have to remain under the rule of atheistic authorities. Discretion is both wise and responsible, but there is no doubt where bold believers stand. Faith is not motivated by fear of man, but by love of God. Faith does not seek to integrate other belief systems into Christianity. It embraces Jesus, and Jesus alone.

Believers who confess their faith in Christ are set free from fear. Confession is freeing, while repression is constraining. You may currently be flailing away on the battlefield of fear. You fear how others may perceive you if they know you fear God. They may label you as weird, narrow-minded, or judgmental. Confession in Christ risks being misunderstood for the sake of the Lord. It values praise from God over praise from man. Yes, public confession of your faith may cost you. Leaders especially have a lot to lose by laying their beliefs on the line.

“Saul replied, ‘I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God’” (1 Samuel 15:30).

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Fear Represses Faith  →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Need Some Help?

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Behold, God is my helper and ally; the Lord is my upholder and is with them who uphold my life.—Psalm 54:4

There are many people who have received Jesus as their Savior and Lord who will live their Christian lives and go to heaven without ever drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit available to them, never experiencing the true success God intends for them. People can be on their way to heaven, yet not enjoying the trip.

We often look at people who have wealth, position, power, fame, and consider them to be totally successful. But many people who are viewed as successful still lack good relationships, peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings that are available only in the context of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Self-sufficient people often think it is a sign of weakness to depend on God. But by drawing on the ability of the Holy Spirit, they could accomplish more in their lives than they could by working in their own strength.

There are countless things we struggle with when we could be receiving help from the Holy Spirit. Many people never find the right answers to their problems because they seek out the wrong sources for advice and counsel instead of asking the Divine Counselor who lives within them for guidance.

I encourage you to lean on God for everything, and that means little things as well as big things.

Love God Today: The only way to experience the success God intends for you is to become totally dependent on the Holy Spirit.

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We are His Friends

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“And since, when we were his enemies, we were brought back to God by the death of His Son, what a blessing He must have for us now that we are His friends, and He is living within us!” (Romans 5:10).

Marilyn had a very poor self-image. She hated the way she looked and felt that her personality was so bad that she could never expect to have true friends. She was concerned especially about marriage. How could she ever find a man to love her since she was so unattractive (in her thinking).

I was able to help her see how much God loved her, and how great was His blessing for her as a child of God. The supernatural life-style was available to her, and she was the one to determine whether or not she would measure up, as an act of the will by faith, to what God had called and enabled her to be. Her part was simply to trust and obey Him.

With God’s help, she determined to be that kind of person, the kind of person God created her to be.

We who are Christians can see ourselves as God sees us and through the enabling of the Holy Spirit become what we are in His sight. With the eyes of love, He sees us covered with the blood of Christ, which was shed on the cross for our sins, and, as expressed in Hebrews 10, He sees us as holy, righteous and totally forgiven. He holds nothing against us. The penalty for our sins has been paid – once and for all. There is nothing which we can add.

Now we have the privilege of becoming in our experience what we are already in God’s sight.

Bible Reading: Romans 5:11-15

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will begin to see myself as God sees me: loved, forgiven, holy, righteous, spiritually mature, aggressive and fruitful for the glory of God. Today I will live by faith the supernatural life which is my heritage in Christ.

 

http://www.cru.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Satisfies People

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“As the hart [deer] panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1, 2)

When you’ve been playing outside on a hot day, what’s the first thing you want when you come in the house? You want a glass of ice water! You grab the biggest glass you can find and fill it with ice cubes. Then you turn on the faucet, let the water fill your glass to the brim, and drink. You drink until you feel satisfied. You drink until your thirst has been quenched.

Did you know that you have a greater thirst than the thirst you feel on a hot day? You have a thirst only God can satisfy. David talked about that kind of thirst. He wrote in Psalm 42 that his heart thirsted for God the way that a deer thirsts for a drink from a water brook. It was not David’s body that was thirsty; it was his soul. And God tells us that the only One Who could really satisfy that kind of thirst is Himself. God “satisfieth the longing soul,” Psalm 107 says. He “filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

God created us to be satisfied by God. But when Adam and the rest of our ancestors sinned against God, they started trying to be satisfied with things other than God. We see so many things that we think will make us feel satisfied. We think that toys or video games or vacations or cool friends will satisfy us. But when we get what we want, we just want more – or we decide we want something else. Our hearts are never truly satisfied by the earthly things we have.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Satisfies People →

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION

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Read 1 CHRONICLES 21

Many banks and investment companies have a feature on their websites that provide a 360-degree snapshot of all your assets and liabilities. Subtract your liabilities from your assets and the resulting figure is your net worth.

David’s census of Israel seems to have had a similar intent. This was probably David’s attempt to calculate all the military resources at his disposal (v. 3). A census was not absolutely forbidden in Scripture. The Law of Moses prescribed that a ransom be paid to the Lord for each person counted (Ex. 30:12). The nature of David’s sin in this instance is not entirely clear. Did he count the people without collecting the required ransom? Or was it something else?

Certainly spiritual forces were in play as well. According to verse 1, Satan was the one who incited David to take this action. Interestingly, the account of this incident in 2 Samuel 24:1 says that the Lord was angry with Israel and “incited David against them.” God and Satan had different agendas. Satan’s intent was destruction. God’s aim was divine discipline.

As a result of his rash action, David was asked to make a terrible choice, and his decision led to a plague in which seventy thousand men died (vv. 12–14). If it had not been for God’s own merciful intervention, the plague would have destroyed Jerusalem.

The sight of the angel of the Lord positioned between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword extended over Jerusalem, prompted David to intercede for Israel and the plague was halted (v. 16). In a mysterious conjunction of judgment and mercy, the spot where the destroying angel ceased his terrible work also became the location of the temple David’s son Solomon would build.

APPLY THE WORD

Having been forgiven through Christ we are “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). You may be living with the consequences of your own sinful choices or those of someone else. Consecrate those circumstances to God. He will build upon the ruins.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org