Daily Archives: February 19, 2018

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Gospel of Freedom

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Galatians 2:20

Each Monday morning I begin the day excited about the next Sunday’s sermon because I get to share what God is going to teach me that week. Now, you may not be a pastor, but you have the same privilege of sharing with someone else what the Lord has been teaching you.

The passion to proclaim Jesus Christ is born from the Christian’s conversion experience, but enthusiasm can fizzle unless we continue learning and growing in faith. If we barely know God, why would we want to talk about Him? But if, on the other hand, we are continually growing in our knowledge of His character, works, and ways, we’ll want to share with others what we’ve learned. In the midst of the world’s ills, Christians have the most precious treasure—Jesus Christ! What good can we do for the kingdom of God or for our unbelieving friends if we stay quiet about Him?

The message we proclaim not only offers freedom from sin’s penalty but also provides the power to live righteously. When Christ died on the cross, each believer was crucified with Him, and sin’s allure and power were broken. This means Christ’s followers can say no to sins that enslave others and live victoriously in obedience to God.

Most people in the world are searching for a better, happier, more purposeful life. But Christians have the secret of life in Christ, who offers us rest for our souls (Matt. 11:29). This is a message we can’t keep to ourselves. As you open your Bible and pray today, ask God to reveal a truth you can share—and the person He wants you to tell.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 31-32

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Not Enough?

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Read: 2 Corinthians 9:10–15

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 25; Mark 1:23–45

Do not forget to do good and to share with others.—Hebrews 13:16

On the way home from church, my daughter sat in the backseat enjoying Goldfish crackers as my other children implored her to share. Trying to redirect the conversation, I asked the hoarder of snacks, “What did you do in class today?” She said they made a basket of bread and fish because a child gave Jesus five loaves and two fish that Jesus used to feed more than 5,000 people (John 6:1-13).

“That was very kind of the little boy to share. Do you think maybe God is asking you to share your fish?” I asked. “No, Momma,” she replied.

I tried to encourage her not to keep all the crackers to herself. She was unconvinced. “There is not enough for everyone!”

Sharing is hard. It is easier to hold onto what we see in front of us. Perhaps we do the calculation and reason there is simply not enough for everyone. And the assumption is that if I give, I will be left wanting.

Paul reminds us that all we have comes from God, who wants to enrich us “in every way so that [we] can be generous” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11). The math of heaven isn’t a calculation of scarcity but of abundance. We can share joyfully because God promises to care for us even as we are generous to others. —Lisa Samra

Father, You take good care of me. Help me to think of others today and to share Your goodness with them.

When we believe that God is good, we can learn to open our hands to others.

INSIGHT: A careful reading of 2 Corinthians 9 is quite eye-opening. One of the things we see is a cycle of giving that includes the gracious giving of God, the generous giving of those who have received from God, and the giving of thanks from those who have received from God through others. The abundant giving of God is prominent (v. 8). His giving is evident in nature and other areas (v. 10). He enriches us so we can be generous (v. 11), and His gifts include grace that cannot be measured (v. 14). His ultimate gift (the gift of His Son) is “indescribable”—words are inadequate to communicate its worth (v. 15). Generous givers are next in the cycle. Having been enriched by God, the riches received are to be shared with others, especially with those in the family of God (vv. 1-5; see also Galatians 6:10). Lastly, the giving cycle continues with the giving of thanks—thanksgiving to God, the giver of every good and perfect gift. People are recipients of and conduits for God’s bounty, and God—the ultimate Giver—gets the thanks and the glory!

What are some ways you can participate in the cycle of giving? Arthur Jackson

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Flattered Selfies of MeWorld

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There is something about a smart phone that subtly (and not so subtly) conveys the notion that we are important. With three missed calls, 18 unread e-mails, and 32 notifications between twitter, facebook, instagram, we are pelted with the enticing idea: “Someone needs my attention!” The immediate ring, buzz, or pop-up note proclaiming the arrival of these new messages is somehow complimentary, even as it demands our attention—”Check now! Something somewhere is happening!”

The language of technology seems to further our sense of importance by bidding us to claim and personalize these worlds. I am only one click away from “my documents,” “my calendar,” “my favorites,” “my music,” “my pictures,” and “my shopping cart.” Anthropologist Thomas de Zengotita calls it “MeWorld.” In a book that examines the ways in which the world of media shapes our lives, de Zengotita portrays the technologically advanced, media-saturated West as a world filled with millions of individual “flattered selves,” each living in its own insulated, personalized world.(1) He believes the narcissism that comes from living in MeWorld has been fashioned and is constantly being fed by media representations in all areas of our lives, from those private self-representations that purport us the star to public advertisements, television, and magazines that ever address us personally.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Why Does a Good God Let Bad Things Happen?

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Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].— James 1:17

When we experience terrible tragedy, being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, “If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love for us, why didn’t He stop the thing that caused the pain?”

This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, “God isn’t good, and He can’t be trusted.” However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satan—he is a liar and the father of lies.

Read James 1:17. Everything good comes from God. God is good, and He cannot be anything else. Furthermore, He doesn’t change. He’s perfectly stable, faithful and consistent. He is good—all the time.

It’s obvious that God doesn’t always stop tragedy, and we honestly don’t always know why bad things happen. First Corinthians 13:12 says …Now I know in part (imperfectly)… . We have to remember that faith will always require us to accept unanswered questions, and we must come to the place where we’re satisfied to know the One who knows all, and place our trust in Him.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Security for the Children

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“Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security” (Proverbs 14:26).

Mary, the daughter of African missionaries, recalled how her father – the leader of a large missionary thrust – would on occasion call the family together and share something in his life that he felt was not pleasing to God, which he would confess both to the Lord and to his family whenever they happened to be involved.

This he did for at least two reasons: (1) he had a reverential fear of God, a fear that he might grieve or quench the Spirit by acts of disobedience, and (2) he wanted to be an example to his wife and children, not parading as one who was perfect. Like them, he needed to breathe spiritually, exhaling and confessing his sins whenever he became aware of them and inhaling and appropriating the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit by faith so that he could keep walking in the light as God is in the light.

He would then ask other members of the family if they wanted to share anything in their lives that was grieving or quenching the Spirit, so that together they might pray for each other. This, Mary said, was such an encouragement to her and to other members of the family, helping her to have a greater sense of security and feeling of refuge, knowing that her father was a man of God who was honest with the Lord and with his family.

The example of her father and mother had played an important role in inspiring her to become a missionary as well, and now God is using her in a marvelous way for His glory.

In a day when children and young people lack a feeling of security, perhaps more than at any other time in history, it behooves Christian parents to cooperate with God in helping to provide for their families such a sense of security and refuge.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 14:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will begin to pray regularly that God will grant to me an understanding of His attributes as I study His Word so that I will learn to reverence God and thereby provide refuge and security to those who look to me for leadership.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Chat with God in the Closet

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Religious leaders loved to make theater out of their prayers. The show nauseated Jesus. In Matthew 6:6 He said, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and He will reward you.”

The words surely stunned Jesus’ audience. The people were simple farmers and stonemasons. They couldn’t enter the temple, but they could enter their closets. What was the point?  Jesus is low on fancy but high on accessibility. You need not woo him with location or wow him with eloquence! It’s the power of a simple prayer.

Join me every day for four weeks to pray four minutes…a simple prayer. Then, get ready to connect with God like never before!

Read more Before Amen

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why “Black Panther” is such a popular and profound film

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I saw Black Panther yesterday, which makes me anything but unusual. The movie took in an estimated $192 million over the weekend domestically, making it the highest February film debut in history. It has already grossed $169 million overseas as well.

It is the highest rated superhero movie of all time. After viewing the film, I can see why.

Ryan Coogler, already famous for Creed, directed an astounding cast in one of the most gripping films I’ve seen in years. Part of the movie’s appeal is clearly its amazing action sequences and outstanding performances. But its deeper message is one I believe to be especially significant for Christians in America.

Why superhero movies are so popular

Black Panther is the eighteenth movie connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Iron Man in 2008. DC Comics has made dozens of movies over the years as well.

Superhero movies are extremely popular these days, in part because the news reminds us daily how much we need protection.

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