Monthly Archives: May 2018

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Explaining the conflict in Gaza as death toll rises to 61

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History was made yesterday when Israel observed its seventieth anniversary as a nation and the United States officially moved its embassy to Jerusalem. However, the day was historic from a very different perspective as well.

Palestinians mark May 15 each year as “Nakba Day” (“Nakba” means “catastrophe”). This designation refers to the fact that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes or were displaced in the 1948 War of Independence.

In the weeks leading to yesterday’s anniversary, Hamas called for massive demonstrations against Israel and the US. According to Israeli officials, some forty thousand Palestinians took part in “violent riots” yesterday at thirteen locations along the Gaza Strip security fence.

As protesters approached the border fence hurling stones and incendiary devices, Israeli soldiers responded with live ammunition and tear gas dispersed from drones.

The resulting death toll has risen this morning to sixty-one. More than 2,700 were injured in the deadliest violence since the 2014 Gaza war. A senior Hamas official said last night that protests would continue: “This blood will keep boiling until the occupation leaves forever.”

What my Palestinian tour guide experienced

Since I wrote yesterday from Israel’s point of view, today I will overview the conflict from a Palestinian perspective. (For a larger introduction to the region, its history, and its significance, I invite you to read my Israel and the Two-State Solution on our website.)

Continue reading Denison Forum – Explaining the conflict in Gaza as death toll rises to 61 →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Passing Down a Legacy of Faith

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2 Timothy 1:1-9

What do you want to pass down to your children? We’d probably all like to provide a large inheritance, but there’s something even more valuable—a spiritual legacy.

Paul admired the faith heritage that was passed down to Timothy by his mother and grandmother. Although Eunice and Lois could not bestow salvation on Timothy, they modeled their faith in God and His Word. Timothy’s greatest inheritance was spiritual instruction and godly examples from these influential women. Mothers and fathers who desire to pass along a faith legacy will make the following values part of their life:

Principles. Know and practice biblical principles. Parents can’t pass down what they don’t possess, but those who love and obey God’s Word will eagerly share what they’ve learned.

Pattern. Apply scriptural principles to your life and live them out in front of your children. A consistent pattern of obedience to God inspires children to seek Him, whereas saying one thing but doing another sets a poor example.

Persistence. Never give up in your attempts to impart spiritual knowledge. I learned this wise habit from my mother, who set out to instill in me the values needed to become a godly adult. To teach a particular lesson, she’d keep telling and showing me until she was satisfied I’d gotten the message.

It’s never too late to begin crafting a faith heritage. Like Timothy’s mother and grandmother, let’s not settle for merely raising our children to adulthood. Instead, our goal should be to become godly examples who inspire and teach them to love and follow Jesus.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 11-14

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Not What It Seems

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Read: 2 Kings 19:29–37 | Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 19–21; John 4:1–30

Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 1 John 4:1

“Listen!” my wife said to me over the phone. “There’s a monkey in our yard!” She held up the phone so I could hear. And yes, it sounded just like a monkey. Which is weird, because the nearest wild monkey was 2,000 miles away.

Later, my father-in-law burst our bubble. “That’s a barred owl,” he explained. Reality was not what it had seemed.

His hand is on those who follow Him, and He will never abandon us.

When King Sennacherib’s armies had Judah’s King Hezekiah trapped inside Jerusalem’s walls, the Assyrians thought victory was theirs. Reality proved different. Although the Assyrian field commander used smooth words and pretended to speak for God, the Lord had His hand on His people.

“Have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord?” the commander asked (2 Kings 18:25). As he tried to entice Jerusalem to surrender, he even said, “Choose life and not death!” (v. 32).

That sounds like something God would say. But the prophet Isaiah told the Israelites the true words of the Lord. “[Sennacherib] will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here,” God said. “I will defend this city and save it” (19:32–34; Isaiah 37:35). That very night “the angel of the Lord” destroyed the Assyrians (v. 35).

From time to time, we’ll encounter smooth-talking people who “advise” us while denying God’s power. That isn’t God’s voice. He speaks to us through His Word. He guides us with His Spirit. His hand is on those who follow Him, and He will never abandon us.

Teach us to discern Your voice, Lord.

God is always trustworthy.

By Tim Gustafson |

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Apologist’s First Question

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I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact of the Gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure on the part of Christians to live it out. I remember well in the early days of my Christian faith talking to a close Hindu friend. He was questioning the experience of conversion as being supernatural. He absolutely insisted that conversion was nothing more than a decision to lead a more ethical life and that, in most cases, it was not any different from other ethical religions. I had heard his argument before.

But then he said something I have never forgotten: “If this conversion is truly supernatural, why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians I know?” His question is a troublesome one. In fact, it is so deeply disturbing a question that I think of all the challenges to belief, this is the most difficult question of all. I have never struggled with my own personal faith as far as intellectual challenges to the Gospel are concerned. But I have often had struggles of the soul in trying to figure out why the Christian faith is not more visible.

After lecturing at a major American university, I was driven to the airport by the organizer of the event. I was quite jolted by what he told me. He said, “My wife brought our neighbor last night. She is a medical doctor and had not been to anything like this before. On their way home, my wife asked her what she thought of it all.” He paused and then continued, “Do you know what she said?” Rather reluctantly, I shook my head. “She said, ‘That was a very powerful evening. The arguments were very persuasive. I wonder what he is like in his private life.’”

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Apologist’s First Question →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Passing the Test

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Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. — 1 Peter 4:12

God sometimes allows us to be in less than desirable situations to test our “quality.” Quite often, He is planning a promotion for us in life if we pass the test in front of us. We are like children in school who must pass tests in order to be promoted to the next grade. Are you passing the test—refusing to murmur, complain, or blame when things don’t go your way?

You should praise and bless God while you are in the low valleys of life as well as when you are on the mountaintops. If you are in a difficult or trying situation right now, discipline yourself not to complain, but instead give praise and glory to God.

Prayer Starter: Father, You see my current circumstances, and Your Word says that You’ll never allow more to come on me than I can handle (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). Please help me to glorify You today…to press forward and do everything I need to do with a good attitude. Help me to press past my difficulties and never give up. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Will Take Care of Us

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“He will take care of the helpless and poor when they cry to Him; for they have no one else to defend them” (Psalm 72:12). 

Some time ago, a French tourist set out to cross St. Bernard’s Pass by himself. When he got caught in the fog near the top, he sat on a rock and waited for one of the famous St. Bernard dogs, which have rescued thousands of lost travelers, to come and attend to him. But none came.

When the fog cleared away, he managed to reach the hospice. There he let it be known that he thought the dog a rather overrated animal.

“There I was,” he said, “for at least six hours, and not one came near me.” “But why,” exclaimed one of the monks, “did you not ring us up on the telephone?”

Then he explained to the astonished tourist that the whole of the pass is provided with shelters at short distances from each other – all in direct phone communication with the hospice. When the bell rings, the monks send off a dog loaded with bread, wine and other comforts.

The dog goes straight to the proper shelter. The system saves the hounds their former duty of patrolling the pass on the chance of a stray traveler being found, and as the pass is under deep snow for about eight months of the year, this entailed hard and often fruitless labor.

Many people in need of spiritual help have not yet realized there is One who will hear and answer directly the troubled cries for help.

Bible Reading:Psalm 72:13-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Remembering that we “have not because we ask not,” I’ll remember to call on a kind heavenly Father today and whenever I have a need.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – No Pecking Orders with Jesus

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Love does not boast, it is not proud (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV). Jesus has no room for pecking orders. His solution to man-made caste systems? A change of direction. In a world of upward mobility, choose downward servility. “Regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3 NASB). Jesus flip-flopped the pecking order.

Would you do what Jesus did? He swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable. He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. If you knew that only a few could care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that’s what love does! He loves you that much! Drink deeply of God’s love for you—and ask him to fill your heart with a love worth giving!

Read more A Love Worth Giving

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – The 70th anniversary of Israel: “If you will it, it is no dream”

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On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion gathered with 250 guests in the Tel Aviv Museum (known today as Independence Hall). Ben-Gurion was head of the World Zionist Organization, a movement dedicated to creating a homeland for the Jewish people in their historic Promised Land.

Behind him hung a portrait of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism. At 4:00 p.m., Ben-Gurion banged his gavel. He then read a proclamation declaring the existence of the modern State of Israel.

I have stood several times in Independence Hall. Each time, I am moved again by the courage of the men and women who risked their lives and families to birth their nation.

In a move timed to coincide with this dramatic anniversary, the United States is relocating its embassy to Jerusalem at 4:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. in Dallas) today. Palestinian marches against the move have already begun.

Four biblical themes that explain modern-day Israel

In Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn, historian Daniel Gordis describes Israel as “a story of a homeless people that kept a dream alive for millennia, of a people’s redemption from the edge of the abyss, of a nation forging a future where none seemed possible.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – The 70th anniversary of Israel: “If you will it, it is no dream” →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Mother’s Greatest Gift

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Deuteronomy 6:1-9

The greatest gift a mother can give her children is her example of love and obedience to God. Our sons and daughters need to see godly precepts lived out each day in our words and choices, since we are their first spiritual teachers and advisors.

Each child comes into the world with a moldable mind. As we teach and model godly conduct, attitudes, and words, a belief system bent toward God can develop within them. It’s like a sieve that filters everything coming into the mind. A child who has been prayed over and taught God’s ways is more likely to see the world from a biblical perspective. But one who’s been programmed by secular culture or another religion will view life through a distorted lens.

Pastors and Sunday school teachers can help in this process of training a child to know and love the Lord. However, it is primarily the responsibility of parents to invest whatever time, patience, instruction, and love are necessary to grow boys and girls into godly men and women.

Sending a child into the world without a biblical foundation is like throwing him into a lion’s den without weapons or armor. Since children cannot discern truth from error, parents must guard young minds against the world’s onslaught until they are ready to take over the challenge themselves.

The training of children is carried out through the daily activities of life. Use every opportunity to teach them about the Lord and His Word and show them what a righteous life looks like by living one. In other words, be the kind of believer that you hope your child will become.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 8-10

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Treasure in Heaven

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Read: Matthew 6:19–21 | Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 17–18; John 3:19–36

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

When I was growing up, my two sisters and I liked to sit side-by-side on top of my mother’s large cedar-lined chest. My mom kept our wool sweaters in it and handiwork that was embroidered or crocheted by my grandmother. She valued the contents of the chest and relied on the pungent odor of the cedar wood to discourage moths from destroying what was inside.

Most earthly possessions can easily be destroyed by insects or rust, or can even be stolen. Matthew 6 encourages us to place a special focus—not on things that have a limited lifespan but on those that have eternal value. When my mom died at fifty-seven, she had not accumulated a lot of earthly possessions, but I like to think about the treasure she stored up in heaven (vv. 19–20).

Dear Father, help me to choose to invest my life in things that are eternal.

I recall how much she loved God and served Him in quiet ways: caring faithfully for her family, teaching children in Sunday school, befriending a woman abandoned by her husband, comforting a young mother who had lost her baby. And she prayed. . . . Even after she lost her sight and became confined to a wheelchair, she continued to love and pray for others.

Our real treasure isn’t measured in what we accumulate—but in what or whom we invest our time and our passions. What “treasures” are we storing up in heaven by serving and following Jesus?

Dear Father, help me to choose to invest my life in things that are eternal.

Our real wealth is what we invest for eternity.

By Cindy Hess Kasper

INSIGHT

According to Jesus in today’s passage, we are to “store up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). What are these treasures? They’re the blessings that will be ours in heaven (1 Peter 1:4) but that we get a preview of in this life when we follow Christ. William Hendriksen, in his commentary on Matthew, lists many of those Jesus Himself described: “Our standing with God as being fully pardoned (Matt. 6:14), answered prayer (7:7), the enrolment of our names in heaven (Luke 10:20), the Father’s love (John 16:27), a welcome not only to the ‘mansions’ of heaven but to the Savior’s own heart (14:2, 3). [We also have a] life that will never end (John 3:16) . . . a hand out of which the Good Shepherd’s sheep will never be snatched (John 10:28) . . . [and] a love from which we shall never be separated (Rom. 8:39).”

Alyson Kieda

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – A Mother’s Work 

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She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.  Proverbs 31:27–28

A mother’s work is never done. There is always another meal to prepare, a face to wipe, clothes to wash, an errand to run, a room to clean, and a dollar to manage. She serves unselfishly like Jesus. “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). A mother’s work makes those around her look good. She is God’s chosen one in the home.

The law of love and kindness is written on her heart, but some days it is hard to have the right attitude. The work can become laborious, monotonous, and taken for granted. It is at this point of feeling unappreciated that a wise mom reminds herself of heaven’s applause. She is really serving for an audience of one, her loving Lord. Her Savior Jesus smiles at her service, and that is enough. The reward of doing right encourages her heart to do right.

“Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God” (Titus 2:4–5).

In addition, there are the rewards of a child’s smile and warm embrace and of hearing, “Thank you, mommy, for being my mommy.” Or there are the rewards of a loving husband who genuinely thanks his wife and serves her by listening, serving, and giving praise. She takes pride in her work because she recognizes everything she has is a gift from God. Her home and family are a reflection of her and her heavenly Father. She manages the home for her Master’s glory.

Lastly, your work is a model for your children to follow. Your actions become a teacher that prepares them for adulthood. Chores done well create children who work well. Assign them responsibilities so they learn thoroughness, cleanliness, and organization. Allow your domestic duties to bring calm into your home in the same manner the Lord quiets your soul.

“But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:2).

Prayer: Lord, lead me to be content serving my family for Christ’s sake.

Application: What are some ways for me to rest in the Lord and not worry over matters out of my control?

Related Readings: Proverbs 4:3; Proverbs 31:10–31; 1Timothy 5:14

Worship Resource: 3-minute music video- Cynthia Clawson: My Mother’s Faith

Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Confusion Is Not from God

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For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace… — 1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV

Years ago, I was teaching at a conference, and it came to my heart to ask the audience how many of them were confused. All but two of them raised their hands! And my husband was one of the two who didn’t raise a hand.

I can tell you that my husband, Dave, has never been confused in his life because he doesn’t worry. He doesn’t try to figure out anything. He is not interested in having all the answers to everything because he trusts God. When you trust God, you can relax and enjoy life. You don’t have to go through life worrying and trying to figure out how to solve all your problems.

Think about all the things you have worried about in your life and how they have all worked out. That ought to help you realize that worry and reasoning are a waste of time and energy.

Stop worrying. Stop complicating your life by trying to figure out everything. Just admit that you don’t know, that you are not able, and that you need God. Then go on living, and enjoy life while God is giving you the answers.

Prayer Starter: Father, You know every situation I’m dealing with, and I ask for Your supernatural peace right now—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Please help me to give You all of my cares, questions, and concerns and trust You more than ever before. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Will Take Care of Us

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“He will take care of the helpless and poor when they cry to Him; for they have no one else to defend them” (Psalm 72:12). 

Some time ago, a French tourist set out to cross St. Bernard’s Pass by himself. When he got caught in the fog near the top, he sat on a rock and waited for one of the famous St. Bernard dogs, which have rescued thousands of lost travelers, to come and attend to him. But none came.

When the fog cleared away, he managed to reach the hospice. There he let it be known that he thought the dog a rather overrated animal.

“There I was,” he said, “for at least six hours, and not one came near me.” “But why,” exclaimed one of the monks, “did you not ring us up on the telephone?”

Then he explained to the astonished tourist that the whole of the pass is provided with shelters at short distances from each other – all in direct phone communication with the hospice. When the bell rings, the monks send off a dog loaded with bread, wine and other comforts.

The dog goes straight to the proper shelter. The system saves the hounds their former duty of patrolling the pass on the chance of a stray traveler being found, and as the pass is under deep snow for about eight months of the year, this entailed hard and often fruitless labor.

Many people in need of spiritual help have not yet realized there is One who will hear and answer directly the troubled cries for help.

Bible Reading:Psalm 72:13-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Remembering that we “have not because we ask not,” I’ll remember to call on a kind heavenly Father today and whenever I have a need.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Free to Be Truthful

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Read: Exodus 23:1-9

Do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. (v. 2 NIV)

In the movie Twelve Angry Men, a jury stands ready to condemn a boy to death. He has been accused of killing his father. Of the twelve men on the jury, eleven are convinced he is guilty, and only one man stands in their way. This twelfth man isn’t convinced that the boy is blameless; he just isn’t sure he’s guilty, and he doesn’t want to put an innocent boy to death by their negligence.

In the face of eleven other people, it would be easy to cave in to the will of the crowd. But this man is guided by a dogged quest for the truth. By submitting himself to this quest, he actually possesses a radical freedom that none of the other men have. Instead of settling for an easy false testimony, he is willing to wait patiently for the truth.

The ninth commandment is against bearing false witness, but it is about more than just refraining from lying. It also carries a positive implied imperative to stand for the truth. It is so easy to fall into groupthink, to follow the crowd rather than committing oneself to the truth. But paradoxically, binding ourselves to the truth actually frees us to stand for the truth, even in the face of massive outside pressure. What are some ways that you are tempted to side with the crowd, rather than waiting on God’s truth? —Steven Rodriguez

Prayer: Lord, please set me free to stand for the truth

 

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Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – All Alone

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Genesis 32:24

Some kids love to be alone. They like to go into their rooms and read or think or play music. Other kids can’t stand to be alone. The more company they have the better.

Being one way or another is not better or worse. We all have preferences. It is interesting, however, to think about some of the great characters of the Bible and their miracles. Many of their great miracles happened when they were alone. Jacob in the Scripture above was alone when he met an angel who wrestled with him. Moses was by himself when he saw the burning bush. Peter was alone on a housetop when he had a vision giving him instruction about what he was to do next. Jesus often went off alone by himself to pray and think.

Maybe these people knew something we need to know, especially if you are one of those who likes lots of activity and company all the time. There is so much noise in our world coming into us that it can be very hard to hear God’s voice telling us what to do. Once in a while we need to shut off the iPod, close down the computer, turn off the TV and the cell phone, and just listen to see if God might want to say something to us. You might be surprised at what he says to you.

Dear Lord, Sometimes I use all the noise in my life to keep me from talking to you and listening to see if you have something to say to me. Help me to listen for your voice. Amen.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Advancing Through Adversity

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Isaiah 63:9

At medical checkups, children periodically need immunizations. Boys and girls may not understand that inoculations protect them; from their point of view, they are experiencing pain—while someone who loves them is allowing it! Such an experience affords a little insight into God’s dealings with His children. It answers one of the questions we often ask when painful things happen to us: Where is God?

The Bible tells us that “in all their affliction He was afflicted” (Isa. 63:9). You may remember your earthly father restraining you so that the doctor could administer the injection. Perhaps you recall him commenting that the experience hurt him more than it did you. That is exactly what our heavenly Father is describing in this Bible passage. To a childish mind, it is an utterly incomprehensible concept, but when we have children of our own, we grasp it clearly. We then begin to understand what kind of a God we have. He Himself entered into all our agony, and He has tasted the last drop in our own cup of suffering.

Where is God? He is where the pain is. The book of Isaiah says, “He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him” (Isa. 53:5).

As you face hard times, look into the Savior’s tear-stained face—you won’t see anything but love. If we would follow Jesus, we must bear the fellowship of His suffering. We must go where He is, and the cross is one of the sweetest places to find Him.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 4-7

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Take the Time

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Read: Luke 19:1–10 | Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 15–16; John 3:1–18

Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Luke 19:5

Rima, a Syrian woman who had recently moved to the United States, tried to explain to her tutor with hand motions and limited English why she was upset. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she held up a beautifully arranged platter of fatayer (meat, cheese, and spinach pies) that she had made. Then she said, “One man,” and made a swishing sound as she pointed from the door to the living room and then back to the door. The tutor pieced together that several people from a nearby church were supposed to visit Rima and her family and bring some gifts. But only one man had shown up. He had hurried in, dropped off a box of items, and rushed out. He was busy taking care of a responsibility, while she and her family were lonely and longed for community and to share their fatayer with new friends.

Taking time for people is what Jesus was all about. He attended dinner parties, taught crowds, and took time for interaction with individuals. He even invited Himself to one man’s house. Zacchaeus, a tax collector, climbed a tree to see Him, and when Jesus looked up, He said, “Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:1–9). And Zacchaeus’s life was changed forever.

The best gift you can give to others may be your time.

Because of other responsibilities, we won’t always be able to take the time. But when we do, we have a wonderful privilege of being with others and watching the Lord work through us.

How have others taken time for you? How might you show Jesus’s love to someone this week?

The best gift you can give to others may be your time.

By Anne Cetas

INSIGHT

Jesus’s ministry is a remarkable contrast to our tendency to live a fast-paced life pulled in countless directions. Even though everyone needed Him, Jesus never seemed to rush. In Luke 8, while on the way to a dying child, Jesus lingers to heal a woman in the crowd (vv. 43–48), even though the child dies in the meantime (v. 49). Similarly, in John 11, after hearing His beloved friend was sick (v. 3), Jesus lingers (vv. 5–6). And in Luke 19, Jesus notices and takes the time to reach out to a man who had climbed a tree just to see Him (v. 4).

Jesus’s example reminds us that we don’t love others best through harried attempts to meet everyone’s needs, but rather when we’re fully present to those around us.

Monica Brands

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Compassion for Mothers-in-Law 

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When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.  Matthew 8:14-15

Do you see your mother-in-law with compassion, or do you see her as competition? Your mother-in-law is meant to compliment your marriage, not compete with it. Peter did a smart thing as a son-in-law: he invited Jesus into his home and into their relationship. As a result, Jesus healed his mother-in-law so she was free to serve Him and others.

It is out of an attitude of compassion that you are able to illustrate to your mother-in-law the love of Jesus. If you resist her interest in your family, reject her suggestions, or deny her access to your home, you dishonor her in the process. We all have our quirks, but the Lord works these out with levity, love, and long-suffering. Compassion compensates.

As the leader of your home, make sure you are reaching out to your mother-in-law on a regular basis. Perhaps you invite her over for her grandchildren’s birthdays, school events, or sporting activities. How are you intentionally engaging your in-laws so they are able to do life with your little ones? It is out of a multi-generational community that your offspring gain perspective from their grandparents. Honor them as models for your children, who one day will honor their own in-laws. Ruth lived this out in uncomfortable circumstances.

“Boaz replied, ‘I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before’” (Ruth 2:11).

You may be concerned that your mother-in-law does not know the Lord. This is a reasonable fear. But it’s also an opportunity for you to be a righteous representative of your Savior. When she sees Jesus in your attitude and actions, she will be drawn by the Holy Spirit to know Him as you know Him. A fractured family is an opportunity for faith to flourish.

Help facilitate faith and healing in your family dynamic by keeping Christ at the center. Ask how you can serve your mother-in-law in ways she wants to be served. Do you invite her on family outings, extended trips, or over the weekend to stay with your children? Pray your mother-in-law becomes like your mother, and you like her child.

“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too” (Romans 16:13).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, grow my heart of love to love insecure and hurting family members, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application: How can I best show compassion to my mother-in-law with my attitude and actions?

Related Readings: Ruth 3:16; Micah 7:6; Luke 12:53; Ephesians 5:31

Worship Resource: 6-minute music video- Gaither’s: Go Rest High On That Mountain

Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – I Am Protected

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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]. — Psalm 91:1

Spending time with God protects us from the attacks of our enemies. When I remember this, it helps me feel safe, and that is something we all desire.

Take a moment several times a day to simply turn your attention toward the Lord and say, “I know You are with me and that You are my Protector.” Then, take a few moments to dwell in that thought and let it comfort you. There is never a moment in your life when God is not with you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for being with me at all times. Your Word says You will never forsake me, and You will protect me from those would harm me (see Hebrews 13:5). Help me to regularly spend time with You and daily focus on Your love and protection. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God Meets Our Needs

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“I have been young and now I am old. And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves Him; nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry” (Psalm 37:25). 

Tom had been a humble follower and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ from his youth. He had learned of our Lord at the family altar in his modest home. Through the urging of his father and mother, he mastered and memorized large portions of Scripture. By his teenage years he was preaching, and after a brief time of study in a Bible institute he became an evangelist. His work was largely in the smaller rural churches. His speech was never eloquent nor was he distinguished and cultured in his appearance and demeanor, but he was a man of God. wherever he went, hearts were strangely warmed as he spoke the truths concerning our wonderful Savior.

Now he had reached the ripe age of ninety. His hair was snow white and a bit long, but always neat. His ministry had covered over seventy years, and in that period he had come to know heartache, sorrow, adversity and poverty (especially during the depression years). He had performed many wedding ceremonies, had spent long nights at the bedside of the sick and had preached many funeral sermons. In obedience to his Lord, he had ministered to the widows and orphans, the poor and imprisoned. On this occasion, as he was coming to the climax of a rich and overflowing life, a radiant adventure with God – yes, the supernatural life – he reminisced. As he recalled some of the heartaches and tragedies, he said, “You know, not one single time in all my years have I seen the Lord forsake a man who loved Him, nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry. Of course, I have seen Christians suffer, and I’ve been with them in their sorrow. But there’s something different about the life of the one who walks with God. There’s serenity, a peace. And then almost miraculously, while the ungodly go hungry, God meets the needs of His children as He promised.

“Yes,” he said in conclusion, “you can trust God and His Word. He never fails to keep His promise.”

Bible Reading:Psalm 37:26-34

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Knowing that I can trust God to meet my every need no matter what happens, I shall seek first the kingdom of God. Through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will live a godly life, a supernatural life for the glory of my Savior, and I will tell others how faithful and trustworthy He is.

 

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