Daily Archives: March 31, 2018

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Living Sacrifice

Leave a comment

 

Romans 11:33-34, Romans 12:1-2

In the book of Romans, Paul works through a progression of truths—from our sinful condition, which deserves God’s wrath, to the display of His mercy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Chapter 11 ends in a crescendo of praise that should cause us to respond in worship by offering ourselves to God as living sacrifices.

But practically speaking, how are we to do this? In Romans 12:2, the apostle spells out a mindset to avoid and a goal to pursue.

Do not be conformed to this world. This is not a command to withdraw to the hills and live off the grid. Rather, we’re to lay aside our former manner of life because it is corrupted by our sinful desires (Eph. 4:22). Paul calls this “the old self,” and it’s what John referred to as “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Until we deal with these things, we’ll find ourselves continually crawling off the altar to follow our own desires.

Be transformed by the renewing our minds. Lasting change isn’t brought about by willpower or emotional mountaintop experiences. For change that endures, we must renew our mind with God’s truths as revealed in His Word. Paul describes this renewal as “put[ting] on the new self,” which is created by God in righteousness, holiness, and truth (Eph. 4:23-24).

To be a living sacrifice requires submission in obedience to God’s will. As long as we’re in our earthly body, there will always be a battle with sin and self. But by letting God’s Word renew our mind, we’ll find ourselves praising Him as we use our life in accordance with His will.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 22-24

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The King’s Crown

Leave a comment

Read: Matthew 27:27–31 | Bible in a Year: Judges 11–12; Luke 6:1–26They . . . twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. Matthew 27:28–29

We sat around the table, each person adding a toothpick to the foam disc before us. At our evening meal in the weeks leading up to Easter, we created a crown of thorns—with each toothpick signifying something we had done that day for which we were sorry and for which Christ had paid the penalty. The exercise brought home to us, night after night, how through our wrongdoing we were guilty and how we needed a Savior. And how Jesus freed us through His death on the cross.

The crown of thorns that Jesus was made to wear was part of a cruel game the Roman soldiers played before He was crucified. They also dressed Him in a royal robe and gave Him a staff as a king’s scepter, which they then used to beat Him. They mocked Him, calling Him “king of the Jews” (Matthew 27:29), not realizing that their actions would be remembered thousands of years later. This was no ordinary king. He was the King of Kings whose death, followed by His resurrection, gives us eternal life.

Jesus, thank You for Your gift of love that sets me free!

On Easter morning, we celebrated the gift of forgiveness and new life by replacing the toothpicks with flowers. What joy we felt, knowing that God had erased our sins and given us freedom and life forever in Him!

Lord Jesus Christ, my heart hurts to think of all of the pain and suffering You endured for me. Thank You for Your gift of love that sets me free.

The crown of thorns has become a crown of life.

By Amy Boucher Pye

INSIGHT

The horrific scene described in today’s reading serves to underscore how this fallen world and the powers of darkness held nothing but contempt for Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Yet Christ chose to suffer to redeem us: “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

How might we praise our Lord for enduring the cross in order to erase our sins and give us freedom and life forever with Him?

For further study, see The Mockery and Majesty of the Cross at discoveryseries.org/hp081.

Dennis Fisher

 

http://www.odb.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – Help Me!

Leave a comment

 

Matthew 15:22–23

A man once had a dream about Jesus who came upon three young men. As he came to the first of the three, he bent down to talk with him and smiled. He even gave a quick hug. Then he came to the second. He only put his hand on the young man’s head and gave him a quick look. Then he came to the third young man. This time he just walked right past and didn’t do or say anything.

Those who were watching wondered what that third young man had done to cause Jesus to ignore him. So they asked Jesus why he treated each young man so differently. Jesus said, “The first young man is a new Christian and he needs all the help I can give him. I wanted to encourage him, so I spent time with him. The second young man is a little stronger and loves me a little more. I can trust him and so I didn’t spend as much time with him. I was not ignoring the third young man. I love him very much and I’m training him for a very important role in life. I want him to be able to trust me even when it seems I’m not paying attention. It’s important for what I want him to do.”

When you pray and it seems like your prayers are being ignored, know that God hears you. God’s silence isn’t anger or disapproval. In fact, he loves you very much and it could be that he is training you to trust him even when it feels like he’s not paying attention. Perhaps he is preparing you for a greater role than you ever imagined.

Dear Lord, I still have a lot to learn about trusting you. Help me to believe you are at work no matter what I see. Amen.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Practicing Thankfulness

Leave a comment

 

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. — Psalm 34:1

We all know that we should be grateful for our many blessings. God tells us in His Word to be thankful, and we know from our own experience that once we seriously start praising God, our burdens and troubles seem to weigh less heavily on our shoulders.

David said, I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:1,19 AMPC).

That’s the power of thankfulness. Not only does it help set us free, but as we pause to give thanks to God for the blessings we enjoy in our lives, we actually begin to find more blessings—even more to be thankful for!

I encourage you to take time to practice being thankful. There is so much for us to be grateful for, and we need to focus on it—every single day. Keep in mind the admonition of the psalmist, Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! (Psalm 100:4 AMPC).

Prayer Starter: Dear God, the power of thankfulness is truly incredible. Thank You for blessing me daily and working in my life. I know that without You, I have nothing, so I thank You for the goodness that You have shown me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – To Encourage Us

Leave a comment

 

“These things that were written in the Scriptures so long ago are to teach us patience and to encourage us, so that we will look forward expectantly to the time when God will conquer sin and death” (Romans 15:4).

Tom had a “short fuse” and frequently exploded in anger when he was disappointed with himself or others. Then he received Christ and began to study the Word of God, obey its commands and walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

His life began to change, gradually at first, until, as he told me recently, it has now been a long time since he has allowed his old nature to express his impatience.

The story is told of an impatient man who prayed and kept praying for God to grant him the virtue he so desperately needed.

“Lord,” he prayed, “give me patience, and give it to me now!”

Patience, however, is a virtue that is developmental in nature, to a large degree. It is the result of walking in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). It develops out of a good heart and a godly attitude (Luke 8:15). It is spawned sometimes during times of tribulation. Remember, it is a fruit of the Spirit.

Paul writes, “If we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently” (Romans 8:25).

So patience comes from hope and trust in God. And finally, we learn patience through the study and personal application of God’s Word in our lives, as suggested in Romans 15:4, “These things that were written in the Scriptures so long ago are to teach us patience and to encourage us.”

Bible Reading:Romans 15:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  When delays and seeming denials occur, I will exercise patience, with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Vestiges of Pre-resurrection Life

Leave a comment


Read: John 20:1-10

And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there (vv. 5-6).

Pause a moment to consider the symbolism of not just an empty tomb, but empty grave clothes, set aside like a worn-out tent, vestiges of pre-resurrection life. The only thing missing is Jesus.

What dignity for us that he keeps the fragile flesh of incarnation and crucifixion, nail prints and all, even in his glorified, resurrected body. He could have arisen in spirit and left flesh lying there, but he didn’t. As C. S. Lewis so poignantly puts it in Mere Christianity, the world finally saw what true life looks like: the human and divine so intertwined that when one is killed, the other brings life back. “For the first time we saw a real man,” says Lewis, “. . . fully and splendidly alive.”

As Christ-followers walking this Lenten journey, what remnants of pre-resurrection life might we leave behind? What habits, fears, and attitudes remind us of what one translator calls “grave-tending”? “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’” (Rom. 8:15 Message). —Amy Clemens

Prayer: I was once only flesh, Creator God, but in Christ you showed me what it means to be fully alive, not disdaining my flesh, but allowing it to be intertwined by the life of your Spirit. I praise you for you have dignified your creation again in birth, death, and resurrection.

 

https://woh.org/

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – GOD: JUDGE, REFINER, REMEMBER-ER

Leave a comment

Malachi 2:10–16; 3:16–4:6

One prolific writer has said that books are built on good beginnings and endings. The collection of books that comprise the Minor Prophets more than exceed this criteria for good endings!

The twelve prophets—some of priestly or royal lineage, some of common vocation, some with little biographical information available to us now—wrote over the course of centuries. Some predicted the judgment of God’s people during times of prosperity; others declared the devastation of exile; still others (like Malachi) ministered during the time of rebuilding. But despite their differences, the twelve prophets—minor only in length, not importance—have followed a common thread: sinners in the hands of a merciful God find His astonishing, relenting love.

At the beginning of the month, we began in Hosea with the picture of Israel as God’s unfaithful wife. At the end of our study, we’re left with the foreboding sense that not much has changed. The people still struggle to obey God fully. They’ve intermarried with the pagan nations surrounding them, some divorcing their own wives to do so. They’ve neglected proper observance of the sacrificial rites in the temple (2:11–12). They’ve robbed God by refusing to bring the appropriate tithes and contributions to the temple. Can Israel really turn over a new leaf of righteousness?

She can’t—which is what makes the prophecy regarding the coming of Elijah so critical. God must send a final prophet, a prophecy fulfilled in John the Baptist (see Matt. 3:1–12; 11:13–15). His mission was to point toward a final, faithful prophet, priest, and King—Jesus Christ. He alone can heal our incurable hearts of rebellion. He alone can—and will—save us.

APPLY THE WORD

The prophets longed to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, which they understood only dimly (see 1 Peter 1:10–12). The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made it possible for God to relent from judgment and show mercy, and His Spirit within us cures our rebellion, pride, and idolatry. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

 

http://www.todayintheword.org