Daily Archives: February 18, 2018

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Passion to Proclaim Him

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Colossians 1:28-29

What activities embarrass you? Maybe you feel uncomfortable singing in public, or your face turns red when you’re caught mumbling to yourself. Do you ever feel ashamed to talk about Jesus because you don’t want to risk ridicule or be seen as a fanatic?

Staying quiet may seem safe, but it results in wasted God-given opportunities to share the only news that can transform both life and everlasting destiny. Considering all the good things God has given us—forgiveness, eternal security, and the Holy Spirit—we should be eager to discuss Jesus Christ and His remarkable salvation.

Before Paul’s redemption, he committed great sin (Acts 26:12-18). He was a church persecutor who was transformed into a missionary by God’s grace. Nothing within Paul was worth saving, and he knew it. Consequently, the apostle never stopped praising and proclaiming the Lord’s love and salvation.

Despite the magnitude of Paul’s sin, he received no greater measure of grace than any of us. Had we lived a moral life by human standards before salvation, our sin would still have separated us from God. If we neglect this truth and forget Jesus’ transformative power, we may have no motivation to tell others what He’s done for us.

Instead of thinking we’re better than the unmarried couple living next door or an atheistic professor at the university, we must see them as Christ saw us—as sinners in need of salvation. It is essential for them to hear the gospel, and we’re the ones God can use to share it with them.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 28-30

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Courage to Be Faithful

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Read: 1 Peter 3:13–18

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 23–24; Mark 1:1–22

Do not be frightened.—1 Peter 3:14

Fear is Hadassah’s constant companion. Hadassah, a young Jewish girl living in the first century, is a fictional character in Francine Rivers’ book A Voice in the Wind. After Hadassah becomes a slave in a Roman household, she fears persecution for her faith in Christ. She knows that Christians are despised, and many are sent to their execution or thrown to the lions in the arena. Will she have the courage to stand for the truth when she is tested?

When her worst fear becomes reality, her mistress and other Roman officials who hate Christianity confront her. She has two choices: recant her faith in Christ or be taken to the arena. Then, as she proclaims Jesus as the Christ, her fear falls away and she becomes bold even in the face of death.

The Bible reminds us that sometimes we will suffer for doing what is right—whether for sharing the gospel or for living godly lives that are against today’s values. We are told not to be frightened (1 Peter 3:14), but to “revere Christ as Lord” in our hearts (v. 15). Hadassah’s main battle took place in her heart. When she finally made up her mind to choose Jesus, she found the courage to be faithful.

When we make the decision to honor Christ, He will help us to be bold and to overcome our fears in the midst of opposition. —Keila Ochoa

Father, give me boldness to stand firm in difficult times.

Let us be bold as we witness for God.

INSIGHT: Writing to believers who were being persecuted because of their faith, Peter encouraged them not to be afraid but to remain faithful and to “revere Christ as Lord” (1 Peter 3:14-15). Peter was speaking from his own painful experiences. After Jesus was arrested, onlookers accused Peter of being Christ’s disciple, but out of fear he denied knowing Christ (Luke 22:54-62).

The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, however, changed and empowered Peter to be a fearless witness (Acts 2:14). When Peter was imprisoned for preaching in the temple courts (4:3), he was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and boldly preached Christ to them (vv. 8-12). Seeing the courage of Peter, his persecutors concluded he “had been with Jesus” (v. 13). Refusing to be intimidated by threats of punishment (v. 18), the believers resolved to honor Christ and were empowered to speak the Word boldly (v. 31).

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would empower us to be His witnesses (1:8) and help us to speak for Him.

How has the Holy Spirit emboldened and empowered you to witness for Jesus? K. T. Sim

Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

 

http://www.odb.org

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – PRAYER AND EVANGELISM

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2 Thessalonians 2:13–3:5

In a business-school paper, researchers demonstrated that people value products more when they participate in their construction. Titled “The ‘IKEA Effect’: When Labor Leads to Love,” the paper studied the satisfaction reported by people who purchased from the Swedish retailer IKEA, which sells inexpensive furniture and household items that buyers must assemble.

Over the next few days, we will look at ways that we actively participate in evangelism. And, like the proud owners of a new waxed-wood coffee table, we will hopefully value evangelism more because of our labor.

In today’s passage, Paul first reminds the Thessalonian believers of their own salvation so that they will be encouraged to pray for the salvation of others (vv. 13–14). We know from personal experience the power of God at work for our salvation. We know that apart from His Spirit and the truth of the gospel, we would still be lost (v. 13). And this moves us to pray.

Our prayers are weapons in a spiritual war, which God uses to accomplish both judgment and salvation (see Eph. 6:10–20; Rev. 8:3–5; 2 Cor. 1:11). In response to the prayers of His people, God sends out gospel laborers into His abundant harvest field (Matt. 9:37–38). We pray, then, for our own evangelistic efforts, asking God to work in the hearts of our unbelieving friends and neighbors. And we pray for the evangelistic efforts of the whole church. We participate in the proclamation of the gospel throughout the whole world when we pray.

The prayer of every evangelist is an act of dependence on God. We know that one person may plant the seed and another may faithfully sprinkle the water, but God is the one who makes the tree of faith grow (see 1 Cor. 3:6–7).

APPLY THE WORD

Set aside time to pray for boldness as you speak to friends and neighbors, and also for the work of pastors and missionaries as they proclaim the gospel throughout the world. Thank the Lord that He allows us to participate in evangelism through our prayers, and praise Him for His faithfulness to hear our prayers and to call people to eternal life.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Sacrifice in Marriage

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If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. — 1 Corinthians 13:1

Early in our marriage, God had to teach me that truly loving Dave meant that sometimes I would have to make sacrifices. Up until that point, I only wanted my way and was very much like the noisy gong mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1.

Love is the highest form of maturity. It often requires a sacrificial gift. If love doesn’t require some sort of sacrifice on our part, we probably don’t really love the other person at all. If there is no sacrifice in our actions, we are most likely reacting to something nice they did for us, or simply pretending to be kind to gain some control over them.

It is important to understand that true love gives of itself. So your decisions should always have your spouse’s interests at heart. When you do, you’re giving of yourself.

God’s desire is for husbands and wives to love each other sacrificially and unconditionally. This means you don’t get your way all of the time. But the good news is, when a husband and wife sacrifice their selfish desires, they will have a triumphant marriage!

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Is Your Faith Worth Sharing?

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“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18, KJV).

I had just finished giving a message, challenging students and young executives to commit their lives to helping to fulfill the Great Commission when Steve approached me with words that shocked me. I had known him for a long time and believed his life to be totally committed to Christ.

“If I were to respond to your challenge to take what I have to the rest of the world,” he said, “I’m afraid not much would be accomplished, because my brand of Christianity -quite frankly – is not that attractive, exciting or fruitful.”

He went on to share how he was not experiencing the joy of the resurrection in his life. The study of the Word of God had no appeal, his prayer life was nil and it had been a long time since he had introduced anyone to Christ. His outward evidence of being a man of God was just a facade, by his own admission.

What about you? Is your brand of Christianity truly the revolutionary, first-century kind that helped turn the world upside down and that changed the course of history? If not, it can be – and that is what this daily devotional guide is all about.

Every Christian needs to echo daily the sentiments of an unknown poet:

My life shall touch a dozen lives
Before this day is done,
Leave countless marks of good or ill,
Ere sets the evening sun.
This, the wish I always wish,
The prayer I always pray;
Lord, may my life help other lives
It touches by the way.

That goal should reign supreme during my waking hours – to touch lives for eternity. For if the all-powerful God, in the Person of His Holy Spirit, truly lives and reigns and triumphs, surely I can tap into that supernatural power and give evidence of it in my life.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:14-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Knowing that this dark world desperately needs light, I will trust God to let His light shine through me today. I pray that my life will be so radiant, joyful, attractive and fruitful for Christ that it will demonstrate the kind of Christianity that can be exported to others, to members of my family, neighbors and friends, as well as to people in other countries.

 

http://www.cru.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Forgiveness Heals 

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But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.  Genesis 33:4

Just like the prodigal son (Jesus describes in Luke 15) became broken and repentant, so Jacob does. As the loving father forgives, embraces, and weeps with the son, so Esau does with Jacob. It is a beautiful, beautiful picture of forgiveness. Deception was overcome by forgiveness. Stealing was overcome by forgiveness. Hurt was overcome by forgiveness. Anger was overcome by forgiveness. Pride was overcome by forgiveness.

Running away was overcome by forgiveness. Coming back together was facilitated by forgiveness. Forgiveness through Christ and toward each other is the great reconciler. Otherwise, we live life like most miserable men and women, still blaming others and lamenting over injustice inflicted on us and those we love. It is not fair because life hurts our idealism and optimism; however, to be healed is to forgive. So how do we forgive?

Forgiveness begins with an encounter with God, as the originator of forgiveness embraces us. He is the one with the limitless capacity to forgive. His forgiveness engulfs us with ability, a mandate, and a reservoir of forgiveness. Because He has thoroughly forgiven us through Christ, we can and will forgive others for Christ’s sake. It is the essence of being a Christian. If you are a Christian, you forgive.

Why is forgiveness hard? One reason is our immature faith lacks a cure. Our focus is still on our needs and hurts, but God is calling us to forgive. It is from a faithful stance of loving Him and loving people. When you choose to live by faith, you forgive. When you forgive, you trust that God is working to make you and others more like Jesus. Begin today; let God embrace you, you embrace another, and then watch forgiveness do its work.

The Bible says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for healing my broken heart with Your amazing grace and love, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application: Whom can I forgive today and begin the process of healing?

Related Readings: Psalm 30:2; Isaiah 53:5; Mark 5:34; 1 Peter 2:24

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Garbage Collector

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Read: Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:8

All are from the dust, and to dust all return. (3:20)

Christianity has been perverted by something called “the prosperity gospel.” The perversion comes from mistaking the God who provides for all for our needs with a God who will give us whatever we want. Prosperity preachers are popular—who doesn’t like hearing that God wants to make you rich and give you blessing after blessing? The Jewish people steer clear of this heresy by reading Ecclesiastes at the Feast of Tabernacles, when they are celebrating God’s abundant provision. Qoheleth’s words keep everyone’s feet on the ground, particularly here when reminding us that we are all heading towards dust. The life of faith isn’t some sort of rah-rah, get-rich-now scheme. The prosperity gospel is vanity.

In an article in the June 2017 issue of Christianity Today, Eugene Peterson calls Qoheleth “the garbage collector in the kingdom of God. He goes up and down our alleys and backyards, empties out our wastebaskets and attics, and hauls off everything that has accumulated.”

What idols and false gods have you been chasing? We all do it—wealth (and not even extravagant wealth, just enough so we never have to worry), success, respect, peace of mind, happiness—the list goes on and on. None of these things are bad in and of themselves. But over and over, as Peterson reminds us, Qoheleth is telling us that these are “gifts to be enjoyed, not goals to be pursued.” —Jeff Munroe

Prayer: Thanks, Lord, for this call to deeper faith.

 

https://woh.org/