Monthly Archives: March 2018

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Cross

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Engraved on a ring or suspended on a chain? The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don’t you think?

It’s strange that a tool of torture embodies a movement of hope. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal, the other vertical. One reaches out like God’s love. The other reaches up as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. Jesus receives the blow. And since Christ is between you and God, you don’t. The sin is punished, but you are safe—safe in the shadow of the cross!

Read more On Calvary’s Hill

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – March for Our Lives rallies draw more than two million people

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The largest student protest in American history took place on Saturday. More than two million students and their supporters packed the streets in Washington, DC, and more than eight hundred other events in the US and around the world.

The DC rally was funded by Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, and other celebrities. It was led by students from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, who vowed to make reducing gun violence the central issue of their generation. The White House issued a statement Saturday: “We applaud the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today.”

Meanwhile, other groups gathered at the nationwide marches in support of the Second Amendment. “I came to open dialogue,” one participant explained.

The first recorded use of a firearm was in 1364. While guns were obviously not available in the biblical era, Scripture does encourage self-defense (Exodus 22:2–3; Luke 22:36) while forbidding murder (Exodus 20:13) and mandating protection of the innocent (Genesis 9:6). We are to uphold the law (1 Peter 2:13–14), but we are also to change the law when necessary (cf. Acts 15:1–31).

Our society will continue debating the best ways to reduce gun violence. Meanwhile, my attention this morning is focused on the young people around our country who marched last Saturday.

Consider what they did—whether you agree or disagree with why they did it.

“Let no one despise you for your youth” Continue reading Denison Forum – March for Our Lives rallies draw more than two million people →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Loving God by the Book

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Psalm 119:105-112

“I just don’t have enough time.” That’s the primary reason people give me for not meditating upon Scripture. But in reality, we all make time for what’s important to us. A few years back, I photocopied the book of Philippians, cut it into sections, and taped it over my local newspaper. It only took up three columns of the front page. This proves that reading the book of Philippians takes about as long as reading our favorite parts of the newspaper or scanning articles on the internet.

In truth, we could probably all find space in our schedules for God’s Word. You could begin by opening to an epistle and asking the Lord to speak to you. As you read, pray over the words the Holy Spirit draws to your attention. As He lifts truths off the page and into your heart, ask Him for deeper understanding and application to your life.

Praying through a book of the Bible will elevate your spiritual life to a new level. You’ll find yourself wanting to progress past an elementary understanding of the faith as you learn to pray the Scriptures like David and Daniel. Moreover, you’ll desire to be obedient to what you’re reading, because you are falling deeper in love with the book’s Author.

As believers, we have been greatly favored by the heavenly Father. He has made us His sons and daughters, given of His divine Word, and promised to bless those who keep His commands. (See John 14:21.) If we’ll draw near to Him through meditation upon His Word, He will become our greatest joy and delight.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 7-9

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Who Is This?

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Read: Luke 19:28–40 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 19–21; Luke 2:25–52

Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Luke 19:38

Imagine standing shoulder to shoulder with onlookers by a dirt road. The woman behind you is on her tiptoes, trying to see who is coming. In the distance, you glimpse a man riding a donkey. As He approaches, people toss their coats onto the road. Suddenly, you hear a tree crack behind you. A man is cutting down palm branches, and people are spreading them out ahead of the donkey.

Jesus’s followers zealously honored Him as He entered Jerusalem a few days before His crucifixion. The multitude rejoiced and praised God for “all the miracles they had seen” (Luke 19:37). Jesus’s devotees surrounded Him, calling out, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v. 38). Their enthusiastic honor affected the people of Jerusalem. When Jesus finally arrived, “the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ ” (Matthew 21:10).

Lord, I want others to see You in me and to know You too.

Today, people are still curious about Jesus. Although we can’t pave His way with palm branches or shout praises to Him in person, we can still honor Him. We can discuss His remarkable works, assist people in need, patiently bear insults, and love each other deeply. Then we must be ready to answer the onlookers who ask, “Who is Jesus?”

Lord, may my life and my words express what I know about who You are. I want others to see You in me and to know You too.

We honor God’s name when we live like His children.

By Jennifer Benson Schuldt

INSIGHT

Do you sometimes struggle with finding the right words and right time to speak about Jesus? Your concern and hesitancy may be from God. There is a time to speak and a time to be quiet (Ecclesiastes 3:7). The Spirit knows the difference. Sometimes He is in the quiet moments and thoughtful actions that prepare the way for words later. Sometimes He enables us to fill a silence so ripe for words that if we don’t gently express our confidence in Jesus, it might feel as if even “the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40).

 

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – What Makes a Strong Man Weep

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Read: Luke 19:33-46

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (vv. 41-42)

The night of Jesus’ birth, angels announce “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14 KJV). Now, years later, Jesus faces death. He is less than five miles from the place the angels sang when he begins to weep. His tears are for a city—a people of God—who don’t understand that peace.

Jerusalem, literally interpreted, means “city of peace.” Jesus, more than any other man or woman in history, can see the chasm between what God dreamed, and what sin wrought. It’s not hard to imagine that God weeps at the tragedy, too. Tantamount to a soldier sacrificing so deeply on the battlefield, only to come home and find he is neither valued nor celebrated, Jesus feels the overwhelming betrayal that his peace, God’s peace, has been rejected. The people he loves favor cheap substitutes—lies, pride, idols, addictions—whatever can be bought and sold in the temple by the moneychangers, who can turn any sanctuary into a marketplace.

Jesus dies that week to usher in fully the promise of peace between God and humans (Rom. 5:1). The veil is torn from the top, signaling invitation and welcome. The things that make for peace are finished. —Amy Clemens

Prayer: God, help me lay down my incompetent warring and move through the curtain. There is peace between me and the King! Color every corner of life with this good news.

 

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Get Up and Go Forward with God!

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Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.” — John 5:8

In John 5, there’s a story about a man who I believe represents a lot of people who refuse to change.

During a Jewish feast in Jerusalem, Jesus visited the Bethesda pool where sick people gathered, hoping to get healed. One of the people waiting to get healed was a man who had been crippled for 38 years. When Jesus saw him, He asked if he wanted to be healed.

To me, the man’s answer tells us why he hadn’t been healed in 38 years. He said, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” Bottom line, the man was avoiding responsibility.

His second problem was that he blamed others. The man said, “While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

How did Jesus respond? He didn’t feel sorry for him. Instead, Jesus said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

For change to happen in your life, you can’t be a prisoner of your circumstances. Know that God is willing to help you today. You just have to decide to trust Him, get up, and actively pursue the freedom He’s giving you.

Prayer Starter: God, I don’t want to be a victim of my circumstances. I want to change. I receive Your strength and Your freedom today. I believe real change will happen in my life as I walk with You.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – According to Your Faith

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“Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29, KJV).

A poor heathen woman, after receiving Christ as her Savior, was remarkable for her simple faith. She decided to take Him literally at His word.

A few months after her conversion her little child became ill, and recovery was doubtful. Ice was needed for the little one, but in that tropical country, away from the world’s large cities, such a thing was not to be had.

“I’m going to ask God to send ice,” the mother said to a missionary.

“Oh,” came the quick reply, “but you can’t expect that He will do that.”

“Why not?” asked the simple-hearted believer. “He has all the power, and He loves us. You told us so. I’ll ask Him, and I believe He’ll send it.”

She did ask Him, and strange things began to happen. Soon there came up a heavy thunderstorm, accompanied by hail. The woman was able to gather a large quantity of hailstones. The cold application was just what the child needed. Recovery of the sick child soon followed. In our sophistication and intellectualism we, like the missionary and most other Christians, would tend to question the audacity of such a prayer.

Faith as a little child always brings the desired answer. “According to your faith be it unto you.” And where does such faith originate? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Bible Reading:Matthew 9:27-31

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  If my storehouse of faith proves insufficient to enable me to live supernaturally or to believe God for a specific need, I will spend time in His Word to build up that storehouse of faith.

 

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Kind To The Needy 

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He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21

The needy have unmet needs that cripple their ability to live life to its fullest. It may be the need for food, clothing, or a place to live. They may need a job, a car, or an opportunity to get ahead. The needy may be lost in their sins without Christ, which is the greatest of needs. Wherever their point of need lies is our obligation to kindly care for them. “Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21).

Evidence of our following Jesus is shown by our caring concern for the poor. Our kindness may require us to give up something so that another can gain something. Perhaps there is a fun trip you give up so a poor person can enjoy food for a month. What financial expenditure can you put on pause? Do you know someone who could benefit from a car repair or a mortgage payment? Sacrifice solicits most when the need of others is highest.

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14:31).

Furthermore, the best motivation for reaching out is kindness of heart, not guilt of mind. It is a kind word that lifts another person’s spirit. It is a generous gratuity to a diligent server. It is a gentle response to a demanding spirit. The needy are all around us, especially during economic downturns. Maybe there is a neighbor who is out of work whom you can invite into your home for dinner and  encouragement. Kindness is a culprit of compassion and care.

Lastly, look out for the needy because of the Lord’s great love toward you. Kindness asks, “Where would I be without God’s grace? Where in my life can I extend His grace, love, and mercy?” Blessings await those who give and receive kindness. We are all needy, some more than others, but our provider is the same—Jesus Christ.

“Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:22).

Prayer: Who in my life is in need that I can show kindness to in Jesus’ name?

Related Readings: Deuteronomy 15:4; Isaiah 58:7–12; Luke 6:30–36; 1 John 3:17–22

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – A CURSE (AND BLESSING)

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Zechariah 5:1–11

In The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer explored the distinction between “cheap” and “costly” grace. Cheap grace requires no real contrition or repentance. It says that people will be forgiven regardless of their desire to be delivered from sin. Costly grace, on the other hand, “is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.” Such grace cost God the life of His own Son.

Bonhoeffer didn’t want people to simply believe in Christ; he wanted them to follow Him. And this is always what God has intended for His people—not just mental assent to the right doctrines but rather faith expressed as obedient love. As a primary Old Testament example, in Deuteronomy 28 and 29, God’s people are poised to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wilderness wandering. God tells them to follow Him. He would bless their obedience and curse their sin.

In the first part of today’s reading, we see two specific sins that God will judge and even curse: stealing and swearing falsely (vv. 3–4). Stealing is condemned by the eighth of the Ten Commandments (You shall not steal), and swearing falsely is prohibited by the third of the Ten Commandments (You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God). Each of these commandments reveals the two vital aspects of God’s Law: maintaining a right relationship with God and maintaining a right relationship with our neighbor (see Exodus 20).

Now that Israel had returned home, they were to renew their pledge of obedience to God’s Law. God’s grace is free, but it must not be taken for granted. As a sign of God’s blessing, wickedness, as represented by the woman in the basket, will be removed to the land of Shinar, which is Babylon (vv. 5–11).

APPLY THE WORD

We cheapen grace when we do not take seriously God’s commands to obey Him. We cheapen grace when we persist in sin and think that God’s love excuses our rebellion. If you have been guilty of this, repent. Thank God for His costly grace, which accepts our repentance and offers us forgiveness through the death and resurrection of His Son.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Practice Self-Control

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2 Peter 1:1-11

When I was a boy, my mother bought me a box of chocolate-covered cherries because she knew I loved them. The first one tasted so good that I soon wanted another. I just kept eating them until I felt sick. There was nothing wrong with the chocolates; the problem was my lack of self-control.

Peter lists self-control as one of the virtues we should diligently supply in our life, which means we must commit ourselves to certain behaviors and say no to others. Every situation that tempts us to cross boundaries is an opportunity to practice restraint.

Anything sinful is obviously off-limits, but many beneficial things also need restraint. For instance, food is good and necessary for life, but overeating leads to all sorts of problems. Other areas that require discipline involve the use of money, time, words, and anger.

What keeps us from diligently pursuing this goal is the low priority we place on it. If we don’t see the value of controlling our speech, we’ll say whatever we want at the moment. The same is true of a diet. It’s hard to stick with it if our desire for food is greater than our longing to lose weight. Self-control means we follow through whether we feel like it or not.

If we understand that God has given us all we need for life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3), we’ll recognize self-control is within our grasp. Ultimately it’s produced by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). However, we have the responsibility of relying on His power and diligently practicing self-discipline whenever we’re tempted to do otherwise.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 4-6

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Power of Demonstration

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Read: 2 Timothy 3:10–17 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 16–18; Luke 2:1–24

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

My attempts at fixing things around the house usually lead to paying someone else to undo the damage I caused while trying to fix the original problem. But recently I successfully repaired a home appliance by watching a YouTube video where a person demonstrated step by step how to do it.

Paul was a powerful example to his young protégé Timothy who traveled with him and watched him in action. From prison in Rome, Paul wrote, “You . . . know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings” (2 Timothy 3:10–11). In addition, he urged Timothy to “continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures” (vv. 14–15).

We are called to live out God’s Word as we teach and encourage others.

Paul’s life demonstrated the necessity of building our lives on the bedrock of God’s Word. He reminded Timothy that the Bible is the powerful, God-given source that we need to teach and to demonstrate to others who want to be Christ-followers.

As we thank the Lord for the people who helped us grow in faith, we are challenged to follow their example of living out the truth as we teach and encourage others.

That’s the power of demonstration.

Lord, as others have demonstrated Your truth to us, may we in turn show it to others.

We are called to live out God’s Word as we teach and encourage others.

By David C. McCasland

INSIGHT

Through the life-giving Word of God people learn of the saving work of Christ and His ability to transform our sinful heart into a righteous one (2 Timothy 3:14–17). The Bible is “God-breathed” and the fountainhead of spiritual healing. Its life-giving properties make it “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (v. 16). The purpose of this divine revelation is to make us complete, equipping us to live godly and productive lives.

How can you teach and encourage others to build their lives on God’s Word?

For further study on 2 Timothy, see christianuniversity.org/courses/the-pastoral-epistles.

Dennis Fisher

 

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Streams in the Desert

They Streams in the Desert for Kids – Didn’t Even Get Their Feet Wet!

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Psalm 66:1-2, 6

The Bible is full of stories about how God helped his people when they faced impossible obstacles. When God parted both the Jordan River and the Red Sea so his people could cross over, the pathway through was completely dry. They didn’t even get their sandals wet. When Jonah was thrown overboard, God sent the big fish to save him from drowning and get him to dry land. When Naaman faced a debilitating disease, God told his prophet Elisha how Naaman could be miraculously healed in the Jordan River.

Our God is one of miracles and grand gestures of love. Because he loved us first, we are privileged to love him back, even when facing big problems—especially when facing big problems. In the Bible, Job faced exceptional pain and tragedy when he lost his home, his possessions, his health, and, worst of all, his family. And yet in his grief, he demonstrated love for the Lord who loved him first. “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said … ‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised’” (Job 1:20–21). The same God who chose to save his people with miracles didn’t spare Job from his pain. But God still delighted in Job. And Job still rejoiced in God. Their relationship was deep and it helped Job face his tragedy.

Dear Lord, I don’t know when I’ll have to face something really hard. What I do know is that you go ahead of me and make it possible for me to pass through hardship. Thank you for loving me that much, Father. Amen.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Get Up and Go Forward with God!

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He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness]. — 2 Corinthians 5:21

Daily Devo In John 5, there’s a story about a man who I believe represents a lot of people who refuse to change.

During a Jewish feast in Jerusalem, Jesus visited the Bethesda pool where sick people gathered, hoping to get healed. One of the people waiting to get healed was a man who had been crippled for 38 years. When Jesus saw him, He asked if he wanted to be healed.

To me, the man’s answer tells us why he hadn’t been healed in 38 years. He said, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” Bottom line, the man was avoiding responsibility.

His second problem was that he blamed others. The man said, “While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

How did Jesus respond? He didn’t feel sorry for him. Instead, Jesus said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

For change to happen in your life, you can’t be a prisoner of your circumstances. Know that God is willing to help you today. You just have to decide to trust Him, get up, and actively pursue the freedom He’s giving you.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Today’s Promise

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Dr. Bill Bright 4 Minute Read

Our Hearts’ Desires

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24, KJV).

Jesus, assuming that our lives are pure and we are Spirit-filled, declares that our heartfelt desires will be God-given. When God gives us those desires, He then gives us the power to fulfill them (Philippians 2:13). Sometimes when God gives you a desire that is based upon Scripture, one that springs from pure motives and a desire to glorify Him, that desire may continue over a period of time as you continue in the spirit of prayer and seek counsel of other godly people who also walk in the Spirit, but you can be assured that whatever God has placed in your heart, He will do.

For example, one of the great desires of my heart as a new Christian was to produce a film on the life of Jesus. I contacted and sought the counsel of the late Cecil B. De Mille who produced the magnificent “King of Kings,” which, after more than fifty years is still being viewed by millions of people each year throughout the world. I continued to pray and many years later discussed with members of our Board of Directors whether or not we should produce such a film. They encouraged me to do whatever God led me to do, but made it clear that funds would have to be available before we could produce the film. The years passed – more than thirty years, in fact. Then miracle of miracles, in a marvelous way at Arrowhead Springs God brought together John Hyeman, a well-known film producer and director, and Bunker and Caroline Hunt to provide the finances, and the film, Jesus, became a dramatic reality.

Already, this film has been translated into more languages than any film in history and it is our goal to complete the translation into at least 271 languages which will represent every group in the world with a million or more population. We expect to have at least 2,000 teams showing the film each night to as many as four million people or even more when this massive project is in full swing. It is our prayerful objective that at least one billion people will be introduced to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the ministry of this film.

My point is, the desire was placed in my heart and, though that desire did not continue on a daily basis, from time to time God would remind me and I would pray for and claim again by faith the fulfillment of that dream. And now, years later, this desire is becoming a joyful reality.

Bible Reading:Psalm 21:1-7

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Whenever a desire to do something special for God is impressed upon my mind and heart, I will check to see if it is scriptural, and if it will bring glory to God. When it meets all biblical standards and the counsel of godly people, I will believe God for its supernatural fulfillment.

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – A PROPHET’S VISIONS

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Zechariah 3:1–4:14

Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he was standing in grove of trees in western New York State when God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. From this vision, Smith taught that God the Father had a physical body and that the Mormon religion was the only path to salvation.

What are we to make of someone’s claim to have received a vision from God? One important test is if such a vision is consistent with the divinely revealed truth of the Bible. Joseph Smith’s vision was not, but the prophet Zechariah’s visions are consistent with the revelation given by God. In the Minor Prophets, sometimes these visions foretold catastrophic judgment; at other times (as in Zechariah), these visions illustrated a future redemption.

The first of Zechariah’s visions is a man among myrtle trees: God will return to Jerusalem and dwell with His people (1:8–17). The second describes four horns and four craftsmen: God will punish those responsible for Israel’s exile (1:18–21). The third depicts a man with a measuring line: Jerusalem will be restored (2:1–13). The fourth describes the new priestly vestments given to Joshua, the high priest: God will forgive sin (3:1–10). The fifth envisions a golden lampstand and two olive trees: God will restore Joshua and Zerubbabel to their respective positions, and temple construction will be completed (4:1–14).

One of the symbols from Zechariah’s vision—the clean garments offered to Joshua as proof of his spiritual redemption—has a long history throughout Scripture, including in the story of Joseph (Genesis 37:3, 23); in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:22), and in the story of Jesus Christ (John 13:4).

APPLY THE WORD

All our righteous acts, done apart from God, are like filthy rags (see Isa. 64:6). But when we trust in Jesus, we are given His robe of righteousness. Let this be your prayer of praise today: “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness” (Isa. 61:10).

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Leadership in Adversity 

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After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:5

Adversity invites leaders to lead. It is your time to trust the Lord and lead by faith, not fear. In hard times a leader asks, “Will I panic or pray?” “Will I stay calm or be sucked into the chaos?” “Will I serve the team or stay secluded in silence?” Jesus faced death, but He was determined to stay focused on His heavenly Father and the mission at hand. Adversity is an opportunity to prove the point of Providence. Christ is in control.

How can you use adversity to your advantage as a leader? One way is to unify the team around common objectives and goals. There is no better way to bring people together than in the fires of hardship and difficulty. In fact, you probably will not succeed without the team rising to its next level of leadership and team support. So reward creativity, because limitations lead to innovation. Lead the team to accomplish more with less.

Paul said, “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses” (2 Corinthians 6:3–4).

Moreover, use hard times to create a culture of hard work and honesty. It may mean longer hours and less pay, but sacrifice is the price to be paid for productivity. Invite honest feedback so you accurately and effectively improve process and products. Raise team expectations beyond just surviving to thriving. They look to you for leadership; so lead.

Lastly, serve at home and work with appreciation. It is easy to demand more and more while under pressure and forget to say “Thank you.” Perhaps you give the team a day off, leave a grateful voicemail, buy everyone lunch, or send flowers. Wise leaders honestly inquire, “How can I out serve others, especially in the face of misfortune?” “Where do I need to take responsibility, not blaming outside forces?” Leaders model the way.

Jesus said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).

Related Readings: Exodus 4:28–30; 1 Samuel 17:22–24; Acts 10:4–8

 

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Is God Still Talking?

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Psalm 81:8-16

Have you ever noticed that children have selective hearing—the convenient ability to tune out an adult’s voice? Sometimes, if they don’t like what’s said, they ignore it. On other occasions, they may be so absorbed in their own activities that their minds don’t register the words. An adult is speaking, but you would never know it by the child’s response.

At times we behave the same way toward our heavenly Father, don’t we? Today the Lord speaks to us through His Word, just as He always has. The Bible contains the complete revelation of God; it was written by men who were under the control of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). If we are inattentive to the Scriptures, then we have turned away from God’s voice.

But if we open His Word, we will hear what He wants to say to us. Sometimes He speaks words of admonishment and correction, but He’ll also assure us of His love. When we spend time fellowshipping with God in His Word, our relationship with Him deepens. And as He expresses His love to us, we love Him in return.

From Scripture, we also receive direction for our life (Jer. 29:11). Although the world, our own selfish nature, and Satan clamor for us to choose their ways, God provides us with His wisdom to make right decisions.

The Bible offers God’s comfort and hope, which we desperately need in our trials, failures, humiliations, and sorrows. And His Holy Spirit helps us understand and obey whatever He says. God is still speaking, but in order to benefit, we must listen.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 1-3

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Double Promise

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Read: Isaiah 25:1–9 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 13–15; Luke 1:57–80In perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

Since she suffered with cancer several years ago, Ruth has been unable to eat, drink, or even swallow properly. She has also lost a lot of her physical strength, and numerous operations and treatments have left her a shadow of what she used to be.

Yet Ruth is still able to praise God; her faith remains strong, and her joy is infectious. She relies on God daily, and holds on to the hope that she will recover fully one day. She prays for healing and is confident that God will answer—sooner or later. What an awesome faith!

In perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

Ruth explained that what keeps her faith strong is the secure knowledge that God will not only fulfill His promises in His time, but will also sustain her until that happens. This was the same hope that God’s people had as they waited for Him to complete His plans (Isaiah 25:1), deliver them from their enemies (v. 2), wipe away their tears, remove their disgrace, and “swallow up death forever” (v. 8).

In the meantime, God gave His people refuge and shelter (v. 4) as they waited. He comforted them in their ordeals, gave them strength to endure, and gave them assurance that He was there with them.

This is the double promise we have—the hope of deliverance one day, plus the provision of His comfort, strength, and shelter throughout our lives.

Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful gift of hope. You have promised to save me and to walk with me every day of my life.

Trusting God’s faithfulness can dispel our fearfulness.

By Leslie Koh

INSIGHT

Are the hopes we have for ourselves and others realistic? Isaiah and the people he loved were living under conditions of social violence, economic injustices, and a looming Assyrian invasion. Yet God gave him a confidence that enabled him to look beyond conditions of inequality, insecurity, and disgrace. For the weak, the troubled, and the dying, he wrote as if the plans and promises of God are something worth living, waiting, and even dying for (Isaiah 2:1–5; 66:20).

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Lament No More

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A sales receipt long tucked between the pages of a book can tell a story of its own. I am known for using the receipt handed to me at checkout as a bookmark for the purchase I don’t wait long to read. Discovered years later, it often seems like a clue, giving away a snapshot of a former day and a former self—the date of the transaction, the location of the store, the other books I bought along with the one I chose to read first. Something more seems to be said about the book itself and the thoughts going through my head at the time—a memoir chosen on a road-trip far from home, a classic wandering story acquired during an uncertain time of transition in college. Moby Dick was purchased alongside Till We Have Faces, a novel I picked up simply because the title caught my attention and a book I would later describe as changing my life. It is a glimpse at myself often forgotten, a specific day in the past speaking to the present one: I was here. I was searching. And in hindsight, the present often seems to answer: And perhaps I was not alone.

A receipt fell out of a book I was rereading not too long ago. It was tucked in the pages of a small book depicting the fragmented thoughts of a grieving father. Written by a professor of philosophical theology, Lament for a Son relays the beating heart and exasperated soul of a man forced by a tragic accident to bury his son at the age of twenty-five. But the sales receipt that marked its pages furthered the illustration of grief therein: the book was purchased on the year anniversary of a lament that rattled me to my core.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Causes Things to Happen at the Right Time

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For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay. — Habakkuk 2:3

Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest? Are you praying for freedom from fear or other things that are holding you back so you can see your dreams come to pass? Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for provision, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?

Are you tired of waiting for answers to your prayers? If you’re frustrated, wondering, “When, God, when?” then it’s important for you to know that God’s timing is often a mystery. He doesn’t do things on our timetable. Yet His Word promises that He will not be late, not one single day.

God causes things to happen at exactly the right time! Your job is not to figure out when, but to make up your mind that you won’t give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous blessings of God! The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you’ll have. Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.

Prayer Starter: God, I know Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting. Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org