Daily Archives: December 29, 2017

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Putting Off Procrastination

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Acts 24:24-27

Some people like to say they are “born procrastinators.” But according to Scripture, that is not acceptable for believers. Procrastination is a form of bondage in a person’s life, and God, who desires the best for us, didn’t design us to be enslaved.

Procrastination has two genuine causes. The first is “discomfort dodging.” Many people put off taking action because of the related anxious or uncomfortable feelings, as in today’s passage—fearing Paul’s talk about righteousness, self-control, and judgment, Felix sent the apostle away. The second cause for putting things off is self-doubt. If we consider ourselves inadequate to complete a task, we may well choose not to begin it.

In our spiritual life, we sometimes postpone Bible reading and meditating before God because He brings to the surface matters that we need to confront. When those subjects come up, we at times choose to put off dealing with them. Issues like pride, guilt, or self-control may not be comfortable to face, but dodging them obstructs God’s purpose in our life.

If we delay action, we can become preoccupied with the possibility of failure or fear of making a mistake. Then we tend to feel drained of the creativity and energy needed to tackle chores we should be doing. But putting God’s assignments on hold is the same as disobeying Him.

Procrastination is no laughing matter. Are you given to delay? Identify any problem areas in your life—as well as the feelings that accompany them. Then confess your procrastination to the heavenly Father, and rely on His strength to face what needs to be done.

Bible in One Year: Revelation 9-12

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — What Remains in the Eye

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Read: Psalm 104:24–35

Bible in a Year: Zechariah 9–12; Revelation 20

How many are your works, LORD!—Psalm 104:24

The hummingbird gets its English name from the hum made by its rapidly beating wings. In other languages, it is known as the “flower-kisser” (Portuguese) or “flying jewels” (Spanish). One of my favorite names for this bird is biulu, “what remains in the eye” (Mexican Zapotec). In other words, once you see a hummingbird, you’ll never forget it.

  1. K. Chesterton wrote, “The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder.” The hummingbird is one of those wonders. What is so fascinating about these tiny creatures? Maybe it is their small size (averaging two to three inches) or the speed of their wings that can flap from 50 to 200 times per second.

We aren’t sure who wrote Psalm 104, but the psalmist was certainly captivated by nature’s beauty. After describing many of creation’s wonders, like the cedars of Lebanon and the wild donkeys, he sings, “May the LORD rejoice in his works” (v. 31). Then he prays, “May my meditation be pleasing to him” (v. 34).

Nature has plenty of things that can remain in the eye because of their beauty and perfection. How can we meditate on them and please God? We can observe, rejoice, and thank God as we contemplate His works and recapture the wonder. —Keila Ochoa

Father, help me to reflect on the wonders of nature and meditate on them with thankfulness for all You have done!

Wonder leads to gratitude.

INSIGHT: Many of the psalms overflow with awe at the magnificence of our God and the world He created. Psalms 8 and 104 are two examples. To realize that we are loved by our Creator God who “wraps himself in light as with a garment” (104:2) and who “set [his] glory in the heavens” (8:1) can cause us, like the psalmist David, to wonder, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (v. 4). Yet Scripture repeatedly assures us that God does indeed love us!

In what ways—large or small—have you felt God’s love for you today? Alyson Kieda

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Life After Christmas

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In the days following of Christmas, for many the mood is something like the brilliant lights we have just unplugged. Guests go home. Decorations come down. Celebrations cease. Life resumes with a little less fanfare perhaps. Poet W.H. Auden describes the letdown of Christmas almost too well—reminding me even of things I hadn’t considered until my five year old son collapsed into a pool of tears beside our Christmas tree, horizontally resting on the curb beside the trash bins. For my son as much as the poet, the dismantling of Christmas is a lamentable affair:

Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,

Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes…

There are enough left-overs to do, warmed-up, for the rest of the week—

Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot,

Stayed up so late, attempted—quite unsuccessfully—

To love all of our relatives, and in general

Grossly overestimated our powers. Once again

As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed

To do more than entertain it as an agreeable

Possibility, once again we have sent Him away…

The Christmas Feast is already a fading memory,

And already the mind begins to be vaguely aware

Of an unpleasant whiff of apprehension…(1)

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Life After Christmas →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Growing in Discernment

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And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him–the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord– Isaiah 11:2

Jesus lived His life by discernment. His discernment was not based on the superficial senses of His flesh—it was the result of His intimate communion and relationship with His Father God.

This same gift of discernment is available to you and me through our relationship with God.

So how does it work? Before you do anything, you must quickly check with your spirit to see if the thing you are about to do is okay. If you have peace, then proceed. But if you are uncomfortable, confused or frustrated, remain still.

For instance, at times I’ve been at the mall getting ready to purchase something, but before I reached the checkout counter, I sensed a frustration in my spirit, which was like a nudge from the Holy Spirit not to make the purchase.

The exciting thing about moments like these is every time you and I choose to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings, our spirits grow stronger in God, and more and more of God’s power is released in our lives to operate in the fruit of the Spirit.

Yield to the Holy Spirit and follow His promptings and you will grow in the same discernment that Jesus walked in.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Tempted Like We Are

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“For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, KJV).

“In your opinion, who is the greatest person who ever lived, and who has done more good for mankind than anyone else who ever lived?” I asked a student who was both an atheist and a card-carrying Communist.

There was an awkward silence. Then finally came this reluctant reply, “I guess I would have to say Jesus of Nazareth.”

How could an atheist and a Communist, who had been reared in another religion, give such an answer?

Jesus has done more good for mankind than anyone else who has ever lived. He is the greatest person of the centuries, because it is a fact. Compare Jesus, even as a man, with any other person – Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, anyone else in any country at any time in history – and it would be like comparing a giant with a midget.

Though he lived 2,000 years ago and changed the course of history, though He was the greatest leader, the greatest teacher, the greatest example the world has ever known, He is infinitely more than these. He is God.

The omnipotent Creator God visited this little planet earth and became a man, the God-man, Jesus of Nazareth. He was perfect God and perfect man, and as perfect man He understands our weaknesses, since He had the same temptations we do – though He never once gave way to them and sinned.

Do you believe that Jesus ever had the temptation to lie, to lust, to steal or to be immoral? Make a list of your temptations, all your weaknesses, all your failures, and then, as suggested in the verse following our reference, “Let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Bible Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Since Jesus is my high priest and knows everything about me, having been tempted as I am and yet without sin, I will come boldly into His presence today and every day. I will come to receive His mercy and grace to live a supernatural life, which will enable me to live victoriously and to be fruitful for the glory and praise of His matchless name.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Heaven, A Perfect World

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Try this. Imagine a perfect world. Whatever that means to you. Imagine it. Does that mean peace? Then envision absolute tranquility. Does a perfect world imply joy? Then create your highest happiness. Will a perfect world have love? Ponder a place where love has no bounds. Whatever heaven means to you, imagine it. Get it firmly fixed in your mind. Delight in it. Dream about it. Long for it.

And then smile as the Father reminds you from the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” No one has come close. No one. Think of all the songs about heaven. All the artists’ portrayals. All the lessons preached, poems written and chapters drafted. When it comes to describing heaven, we are all happy failures!

Read more Lucado Inspirational Reader

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – “Everything that can be invented, has been invented”

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“X-rays will prove to be a hoax,” predicted Lord Kelvin, president of the Royal Society, in 1883. “Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction,” stated Pierre Pachet, professor of physiology at Toulouse, in 1872. “Everything that can be invented, has been invented,” proclaimed Charles H. Duell, commissioner of the US Office of Patents, in 1899.

Even Albert Einstein got the future wrong. In 1932 he stated, “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.”

Now we’re on the brink of a new year and a new spate of predictions. Forbes thinks that Democrats will fail to win the House or the Senate this year, but the Republican Party will continue to splinter. The markets will continue to do well, but a 10 percent correction will come at some point during the year. Clemson will defeat Oklahoma for the NCAA football title, the Patriots will defeat the Vikings in the Super Bowl, and the Yankees will win the World Series.

I have no idea if anything I just typed will come to pass. But I do know this about the future: it comes one day at a time. And the safest way to prepare for tomorrow is to be right with God today.

A surprising way to win a war

In 1 Chronicles 14 we find the newly crowned King David facing his nation’s arch-enemies, the Philistines. Their troops staged a raid on Israel in the “Valley of Rephaim,” just west of Jerusalem (v. 9). In a day when kings were supported so long as they could protect their people, a loss to the Philistines could turn David’s people against their new monarch.

Continue reading Denison Forum – “Everything that can be invented, has been invented” →