Monthly Archives: June 2018

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – When You Are Dealing with Pain

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He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness…. — Isaiah 53:3 (AMPC)

If you are in pain of any kind, Jesus knows how you feel! Always remember that all healing comes from Jesus. He is our compassionate Healer. He may work through some type of medical care, but He and He alone is the Source of healing!

Even though we seek professional help when we are sick or in pain, we should keep our eyes on Jesus to make us whole, and when we are well again, be sure to give Him the praise. Thank God in the midst of trouble, and trust and thank Him that His healing power is working in you. God’s Word says to thank Him at all times, in all things (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18). You may not be thankful for your pain and discomfort, but you can be thankful that God is with you and that He will cause all things to work together for your good as you continue loving Him and doing His will (see Romans 8:28).

When you are sick, it is an especially good time to pray for others you may know who are sick. During our own pain, we tend to have greater compassion for others who are also hurting. Prayer is sowing seed into the lives of others, and seed always produces a harvest. So, keep on trusting God and expect to get better and better every day!

Prayer Starter: Father, I ask You to heal me from all sickness, pain, and disease. I trust You to be my healer and I give You praise for my restoration. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Most Vital Food

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“Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul. They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me. How proud I am to bear Your name, O Lord” (Jeremiah 15:16).

In my earlier years – as perhaps was true of yours – one thing that seemed to sustain me more than anything else was food: three square meals a day, and sometimes something in between. Food is still vital – I would not understate its value – but I have found something far more vital to my happiness and success as a believer in Christ.

Now, I can truly say with the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, that the very words of God are what really sustain me. They are food to my hungry soul. And they accomplish immeasurable good in my life, and thus in the lives of thousands of people whom I am privileged to meet throughout the world.

God’s Word brings joy to my sorrowing heart. Why? Because it has an answer – the answer – to every need, every burden, every problem I will face this day, and in the days to come. Furthermore, it will provide the answers for others whom I contact.

God’s Word truly delights me, as it did Jeremiah. When I need encouragement, I turn to the Psalms. When I need practical wisdom for daily decisions, I turn to the Proverbs of Solomon. And so on with every kind of need I face.

All of this being true – God’s Word sustaining me, being food to my hungry soul, bringing joy to my sorrowing heart, and delighting me – “How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord!”

Bible Reading:Jeremiah 15:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My spiritual food must take priority over all other considerations in my life.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Making a Big “To Do” of God

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

God endows us with gifts so we can make him known. Period! God endues the Olympian with speed, the salesman with savvy, the surgeon with skill. Why? The big answer is to make a big to-do out of God. To brandish him…to herald him.

God has given gifts to each of us from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well, then God will be given glory. Make it your life’s encore to the end of time that “he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything! (I Peter 4:10-11). When you magnify your Maker with your strengths, your days will grow suddenly sweet. And to really sweeten your world, use your uniqueness to make a big deal about God—every day of your life!

Read more Cure for the Common Life

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Supreme Court rules for Christian baker

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“The government, consistent with the Constitution’s guarantee of free exercise, cannot impose regulations that are hostile to the religious beliefs of affected citizens and cannot act in a manner that passes judgment upon or presupposes the illegitimacy of religious beliefs and practices.”

With these words, the Supreme Court issued a major ruling yesterday regarding religious freedom. What does it mean for us as we engage a culture that is in many ways “hostile” to our “religious beliefs”?

The story in brief

In 2012, Charlie Craig and David Mullins made plans to be lawfully married in Massachusetts, then return to Colorado for a wedding reception. They visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, to order a custom cake.

Masterpiece owner Jack Phillips declined their request, explaining that his Christian beliefs kept him from using his artistic abilities to create such a cake. Over the years, he has declined to create many custom cakes that would display unbiblical messages. He wouldn’t make a cake celebrating a divorce, for instance.

He offered to sell the couple other baked goods in the store, but they declined and filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The Commission decided in their favor and ordered Masterpiece to take steps to ensure future compliance with its ruling. Phillips appealed that ruling and chose to stop making wedding cakes, costing him 40 percent of his business. He has also faced death threats.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Supreme Court rules for Christian baker →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Compass for Life’s Journey

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Proverbs 3:1-6

If you’ve ever been lost in the woods, you know the concerns, confusion, and panic such a situation causes. Now think what a difference it would have made to know that a compass was in your pocket. Spiritually speaking, we have such a compass—God’s Word. But it does no good unless we let it guide us.

At times, we may fail to follow scriptural guidance because of …

Neglect. Sometimes we are so busy walking through life that we forget to look at God’s compass to make sure we’re headed in the right direction.

Pride. We often want to determine our own destiny. Many of us prefer to plan a course of action by relying on our strength, wisdom, and abilities.

Distractions. The Lord’s path of obedience isn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes it can be extremely challenging. Satan offers other trails that promise pleasure and ease if we will just ignore the compass and follow him. Although these routes seem pleasant at first, they lead to heartbreak and discouragement.

Difficulties. Whenever obstacles appear on the trail, our natural tendency is to try and find a way around them. But by ignoring God’s compass and stepping off the path, we’ll miss the blessings He wants to give us through the rough patches—benefits such as strong faith and godly character.

Why should we wander when the Lord’s compass is available? Let Scripture be your guide on life’s journey. God promises productive days and fruitful years if you follow His path. He’ll direct each step of your way, and His peace will sustain you, even during the difficult times.

Bible in One Year: Job 13-16

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Open My Eyes

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Read: John 14:23–31 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 21–22; John 14

The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things. John 14:26

The first time I went to the gorgeous Chora Church in Istanbul, I was able to figure out some Bible stories from the Byzantine frescos and mosaics on the ceiling. But there was much I missed. The second time, however, I had a guide. He pointed to all the details I had previously missed, and suddenly everything made perfect sense! The first aisle, for instance, depicted the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Luke.

Sometimes when we read the Bible we understand the basic stories, but what about the connections—those details that weave Scripture into the one perfect story? We have Bible commentaries and study tools, yes, but we also need a guide—someone to open our eyes and help us see the wonders of God’s written revelation. Our guide is the Holy Spirit who teaches us “all things” (John 14:26). Paul wrote that He explains “spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words” (1 Corinthians 2:13).

How wonderful to have the Author of the Book to show us the wonders of it! God has not only given us His written Word and His revelation but He also helps us to understand it and learn from it. So let us pray with the psalmist, saying, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18).

Dear Lord, as I read Your Word, open my eyes that I may discover the wonders of Your revelation.

Study more at basics.christianuniversity.org/courses/SF105.

We need God in order to understand Scripture.

By Keila Ochoa

INSIGHT

Did you do connect-the-dot puzzles as a child?

When Jesus spoke in John 14:23–31 about giving His Spirit to show His disciples all they needed to know, they couldn’t yet see the picture. What He said about love, obedience, and the Spirit who would help them put it all together were still just words.

Imagine what it was like to be one of Jesus’s disciples for whom what He was saying was such a mystery and a puzzle on that Passover night. Then the Spirit came and began to reveal truth. Think about how the Spirit is now, through the Scriptures, connecting the dots for you.

Mart DeHaan

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Unsolved Mystery

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Long before Horatio Caine or Gil Grissom made crime scene investigating a primetime enterprise, the Bloodhound Gang was “there on the double” “wherever there’s trouble,” a doughty group of junior detectives who used science to solve crimes. Written by Newbery Medal-winning children’s author Sid Fleischman, the Bloodhound Gang was a beloved segment on the PBS television program 3-2-1 Contact, and my first encounter with the almost unbearable suspension, “To be continued.” Thankfully, with the help of their knowledge of science, no mystery remained unsolved for long.

What I did not realize at the time, or through years of absorbing Unsolved Mysteries, CSI, and my own scientific pursuits, was the hold that simple word “solve” would have on my understanding of mystery. For the Bloodhound Gang, as much as for the philosophers of science who have given rise to the notion, science is the invasion and defeat of mystery. That is to say, for many scientists (though certainly not for all historically), mysteries are there to be solved and put finally beyond us.

One can see how such a notion fuels the perception that science and faith are at odds with one another; science being the conquest of mystery and faith the act of making room for it. For Steven Pinker, Harvard Professor and cognitive scientist, certain aspects of religious belief can be thought of as “desperate measure[s] that people resort to when the stakes are high and they’ve exhausted the usual techniques for the causation of success.”(1) In other words, religion, like the story of the stork for parents not ready for their kids to know where babies come from, is simply a desperate attempt to explain away mystery, even if only by making space for it. And faith is thus seen as the grossly inferior CSI agent.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Unsolved Mystery →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – It Doesn’t Take Much

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…you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself…. — Leviticus 19:18

One of the many reasons I love God’s Word is that it is full of little things we can do to bless, encourage, and strengthen one another—things that don’t take much time or cost much money. Here are some of the acts of kindness the Bible says we can and should do for one another:

  • Watch over one another
  • Pray for one another
  • Look for kindnesses we can express to others
  • Be friendly and hospitable
  • Be patient with one another
  • Bear with others’ faults and weaknesses
  • Give others the benefit of the doubt
  • Encourage one another
  • Be loyal to one another
  • Be happy for people when they are blessed
  • Keep people’s secrets and don’t tell their faults
  • Believe the best of one another

The ideas listed here are relatively simple things we all can do if we are willing. We don’t have to make special plans for most of them, but can do them throughout the day as we have opportunities.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to truly love other people today—with my thoughts, attitudes and actions. allow others to see Your love and kindness through me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Praise Brings Results

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“And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

The armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir had declared war on King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. So Jehoshaphat called the people together and prayed, “Oh, our God. Won’t you stop them. We have no way to protect ourselves against this mighty army. We don’t know what to do but we are looking to You.”

Then the Lord instructed the people, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army for the battle is not yours, but God’s! Tomorrow, go down and attack them!…But you will not need to fight. Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).

After consultation with the leaders of the people, Jehoshaphat determined that there should be a choir, clothed in sanctified garments and singing the song, “His Loving kindness Is Forever,” leading the march. As they walked along praising and thanking the Lord, He released His mighty power in their behalf.

One of the greatest lessons I have ever learned about the Christian life is the importance of praise and thanksgiving. The greater the problem, the more difficult the circumstances, the greater the crisis, the more important it is to praise God at all times, to worship Him for who He is; for His attributes of sovereignty, love, grace, power, wisdom and might; for the certainty that He will fight for us, that He will demonstrate His supernatural resources in our behalf.

As in the case of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when they began to praise God and He caused the three opposing armies to fight against each other and destroy one another, God will fight for us if we trust and obey Him. There is no better way to demonstrate faith and obedience than to praise Him and to thank Him, even when our world is crumbling around us and the enemy is threatening to destroy. God honors praise. Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, “With Jesus’ help, we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of His name.”

Bible Reading:Psalm 136:1, 21-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will continue to praise God and give thanks to Him for who He is. When difficulties arise, I will praise Him all the more and thank Him for His faithfulness. I will depend upon the supernatural resources of God which enable me to live the supernatural life, regardless of the circumstances.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Showing Who God Is

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

The Bible says that each person is given something to do that shows who God is! (1 Corinthians 12:7). When God gives an assignment, he also gives the skill. Look at your life. What do you consistently do well? What do you love to do? And what do others love for you to do?

So much for the excuse, I don’t have anything to offer. Enough of the self-deprecating, I can’t do anything. And enough of its arrogant opposite, “I have to do everything.” Imitate the Apostle Paul who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Corinthians 10:13). Extract your uniqueness. “Kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you!” (2 Timothy 1:6). And do so to make a big deal out of God!

Read more Cure for the Common Life

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Teenager hospitalized after working out too much

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We all want to make a mark in the world, to do something that will outlive us.

Prior to last night’s game between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sports Illustrated opined that “LeBron James is good enough to steal the NBA Finals.” Then Stephen Curry set an NBA Finals record with nine three-point shots as the Warriors defeated James and the Cavaliers 122–103.

Mortality is a fact of life, on the basketball court and everywhere else.

A teenager in Houston was hospitalized last week with an unusual and potentially deadly disease. Rhabdomyolysis causes a breakdown of muscle tissue, releasing a protein into the blood that can damage the kidneys. The cause? He worked out in the gym too much.

Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that a volcanic eruption less than thirty miles from Guatemala’s capital killed at least twenty-five people yesterday. Meanwhile, eruptions of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii have stranded nearly a dozen people in an area cut off by lava.

And this morning’s New York Times profiles two elite climbers who fell to their deaths while scaling El Capitan in Yosemite last Saturday. Tim Klein had reportedly climbed El Capitan more than one hundred times; Jason Wells had climbed it many times as well. The men were tethered together when they fell one thousand feet to their deaths.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Teenager hospitalized after working out too much →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Worship That Glorifies God

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Psalm 95:1-11

God created us to worship and has placed this inclination in every human heart. If people don’t worship their Creator, they’ll focus their devotion on something or someone else. That’s why there are so many religions in the world.

As Christians, we may assume that since ours is the God of the Bible, He must be pleased with our worship of Him. But that may not be the case. Hebrews 9 refers to the old covenant, in which the Lord gave very precise instructions about how to approach Him. Although we now have direct access to the Father through the Son, we must still be careful to worship Him in ways that glorify Him—whether or not they please us.

If we want to worship God in truth, we must avoid the following pitfalls:

Inaccurate Knowledge of God. If we’ve fashioned God according to our desires, then our worship is worthless. This is why it is so important to know the Lord as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

Lip Service. When our hearts are far from God, we may go through the routines of worship without meaning anything we say or sing.

Wrong Focus. If we come to church simply to have a satisfying emotional experience, we’ve missed the point. Worship is about honoring, reverencing, and adoring God with our whole being—mind, will, and heart.

Psalm 95 is a wonderful song of praise. But the writer included a warning not to be like the Israelites in the wilderness, who erred in their hearts and didn’t know God’s ways (Psalm 95:10). Instead, let’s make it our ambition to know God so we can glorify Him in our worship.

Bible in One Year: Job 9-12

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Clocks and Calendars

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Read: Psalm 62 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 19–20; John 13:21–38

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

My father died at 58 years of age. Ever since then, I pause on the date he died to remember Dad and reflect on his influence in my life. When I realized I had lived more of life without my dad than with him, I began pondering the brevity of my own life.

On reflection, we may wrestle with both an event in time and the feelings it stirs within us. Though we measure time with clocks and calendars, we remember times because of events. In the moments of life that trigger our deepest emotions, we can experience joy, loss, blessing, pain, success, failure.

The Scriptures encourage us: “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). This confident statement did not occur in a time of ease. David wrote these words while surrounded by enemies (vv. 3–4). Still, he waited quietly before God (vv. 1, 5) reminding us that God’s unfailing love (v. 12) is greater than any of the times of struggle we may face.

In every event, we have this confidence: Our God stands with us, and He is more than adequate to carry us through all of life’s moments. When the times of life threaten to overwhelm us, His help will be right on time.

We’re grateful that You are always and will always be faithful to us, Father.

Listen to the Discover the Word series, “Remembering Who God Is” at discovertheword.org/series/remembering-who-god-is/.

 

Our God is ready to be with us in all the times of life.

By Bill Crowder

INSIGHT

Slowing down to consider what Psalm 62 tells us (or at least implies) about the situation that prompted the psalmist to write it can deepen our understanding of God. It helps us internalize the psalm’s teaching in a way that transforms us rather than simply informs us. These are not the blissful words of reflection from an untroubled soul. David writes from the tired depths of someone maligned and assaulted. Saying that hope comes from the Lord is simple when hope is a luxury. To say that you will not be shaken when even your friends are secretly cursing you (v. 4) is an expression of trust before, during, and after all other hopes have failed.

How can you express hope in God?

J.R. Hudberg

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Death of Discouragement 

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Be strong and courageous.… The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:6

God is with you; through faith in Jesus He is right here. If the Lord physically walked with you throughout the day, would you be afraid or discouraged? Of course you would be totally encouraged and secure. By faith your heavenly Father walks with you day in and day out. You are not left out in the cold. You have the resources of a child of God to be strong and courageous. Thus, rise up and receive the grace and strength of the Lord.

Yes, life does have its moments, and, yes, there are times of discouragement and fear, but you are not to dwell there. You can be confident because the Lord is preparing the way before you. He is executing the due diligence for your life’s future. He is your advance man as you move forward. There will be bumps along the way, but as long as you follow the Lord, He will smooth the way, preparing your path.

Listen to what the Lord says: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16). You can take courage because Christ is your compass and your companion.

Above all, He will never leave you or forsake you. Yes, you have and will face difficulties and heartache. Some of the adversity you encounter may feel insurmountable. But do not despair to the point of giving up. He has not left you. Even though it may not always feel like it, He is there. Like a child off at college for the first time, the security and support of his parents seems distant, but mom and dad still love him profusely though separated by distance.

When you blow it, He is there. When you succeed, He is there. When you are angry and fearful, He is there. He never leaves you. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). So maybe it is time to slow down and take an inventory of God’s faithfulness over the years. It is at the point of your pain that others look to see if your Christianity works. Anybody can claim Christ when the road is smooth, but what if the bottom falls out and life stinks? Where do others see you turn? Do they see faith or fear?

When you fail and fall on your face, you will succeed if you fall on your knees in prayer and humbly depend on the Lord. When a fire breaks out we tell our kids to stop, drop, and roll. God gently encourages you in your fiery trial, reminding you to stop, drop to your knees, and pray. “But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid’” (Matthew 14:27). Have I prayerfully received the courage Christ offers?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are my ultimate Encourager, I lean into You for love, affirmation and instruction, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application: What discouragement am I experiencing that I can take courage from Christ to carry me through this circumstance?

Related Readings: Exodus 6:9; Deuteronomy 31:8; Ephesians 3:13; Colossians 3:21

Worship Resource: 4-minute music video- People and Songs: My God Fights For Me

Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Winning God’s Way

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Let me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. — Psalm 25:4

Most of us are happy when we get what we want. That’s human nature. But when we walk with God as we should, other things become more important than seeing our desires fulfilled—things like seeking God’s desires for our lives, hearing His voice as we make decisions, and being obedient to His leading in every situation.

Dave and I once saw a picture in a store in the mall and I wanted to buy it. Dave didn’t think we needed it, so I threw one of my silent temper tantrums; I simply became quiet because I was angry.

“You okay?” Dave asked.

“Fine. I’m fine, fine, just fine.” I responded with my mouth while my mind was thinking, You always try to tell me what to do. What can’t you just leave me alone and let me do what I want to do?

I continued pouting for about an hour. I was trying to manipulate Dave. I knew that with his peaceful, phlegmatic personality, he would rather let me have my way than fight with me. I was too immature in the Lord to understand that my behavior was ungodly.

I began to push Dave to buy the picture and we finally bought it. As I placed it in my home, the Holy Spirit said to me, “You know, you really didn’t win. You got your picture, but you still lost because you didn’t do it My way.”

The only way to win in life is to do things God’s way. Then, even if we don’t get what we want, we have the great satisfaction of knowing we have obeyed His voice—and that outlasts the satisfaction that comes with any earthly possession or achievement.

Prayer Starter: Father, change my desires and help me to want what You want. Help me to be less selfish and more concerned with treating others the right way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Bring Forth Much Fruit

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“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24, KJV).

Alex was distressed over his constant failure to live the Christian life victoriously.

“I am always failing,” he said. “I know what is right, but I am simply not able to keep the many commitments, resolutions and rededications that I make to the Lord almost daily. What is wrong with me? Why do I constantly fail? How can I push that magic button which will change my life and make me the kind of person God wants me to be, and the kind of person I want to be?”

I turned with him to review Romans 7 and 8, and discussed with him how all of us experience this conflict when we walk in our own strength. But the victory is ours as we walk in the Spirit. It is impossible to control ourselves and be controlled by the Holy Spirit at the same time.

Perhaps you have had that same problem and wondered why your life was not bringing forth much fruit. Christ cannot be in control if you are on the throne of your life. So you must abdicate – surrender the throne of your life to Christ. This involves faith.

As an expression of your will, in prayer, you surrender the throne of your life to Him, and by faith you draw upon His resources to live a supernatural life, holy and fruitful. The command of Ephesians 5:18 is given to all believers: We are to be filled, directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, continually, moment by moment, every day. And the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15 is made to all believers: When we pray according to God’s will, He hears and answers us.

The person who walks by faith in the control of the Holy Spirit has a new Master. The Lord Jesus said, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38, NAS). “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24, NAS).

Bible Reading:John 12:25-31

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Because my deep desire is to “bear much fruit,” I will surrender afresh to God’s Holy Spirit so that He might endow me with supernatural life and enable me to bear much fruit for His glory.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – How Would You Like Those Beans Served?

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Read: Ephesians 4:25-32

Let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor. (v. 25)

On a lazy summer day as a youngster, my friends and I loaded my Radio Flyer wagon for a hot dog roast away from home. We also took a can of pork and beans. About the length of a cow pasture away, a small creek crossed through a culvert under the road. There in the large drainage tunnel we built a fire where we could lounge hidden from the view of the world.

When it came time for the pork and beans, one of my friends said, “My dad just sets the can on a burner.” Simple enough. He failed to mention that his dad first punched a hole in the can. Suddenly, KABOOM! The cement ceiling of the county road culvert was now coated with a hot sticky covering. Instead of eating pork and beans, we watched it dripping from the ceiling into the fire.

What an unforgettable and foolish childhood experience, yet it’s one that impresses on me the importance of telling the whole story, the whole truth. Speaking the truth is a key indicator of genuine conversion. It’s also proof that we’re living a new life in Christ Jesus, who embodies the truth of God in human form. Jesus always spoke and lived the truth. He misled no one by word or deed. People who were questioning, seeking, and hurting could count on Jesus for the truth.

Can they count on you and me? —Chic Broersma

Prayer: Lord of truth and wisdom, make us ready to tell the whole truth with care.

 

https://woh.org/

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – HUMAN SILENCE: AARON AND THE SILENCE OF GUILT

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Leviticus 10:1–7 DEVOTIONS

Computer scientists recently used new techniques to read a 1,500-year-old text known as the Ein Gedi scroll. Because it had been badly burned, archaeologists had been afraid to open it lest it crumble into dust. So researchers at the University of Kentucky used X-ray scan data and special software to digitally “unwind” the scroll—and read the first verse of Leviticus, “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him.”

This is what the Lord spoke . . . “In the sight of all the people I will be honored.” Aaron remained silent.

LEVITICUS 10:3

The book of Leviticus sets forth God’s Law, His instructions to the nation of Israel. The main purpose of these instructions was to ensure that God’s people could be in a relationship with Him and that God was shown proper respect. The consequences of failing to do so were serious and often deadly. That’s what happened in today’s reading (vv. 1–2). Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offered “unauthorized fire” at the altar of the Lord. Immediately the fire of God consumed them. Not even priests—especially not priests!—could get away with disregarding God’s instructions and dishonoring His name (v. 3).

Aaron’s silence in this episode was an acknowledgment of guilt. His sons’ motives are unknown to us—drunkenness may have been involved (see the warning in v. 9)—but no reason or rationalization could justify their disobedience. For Aaron to keep his mouth shut was the only appropriate response to Moses’ rebuke.

Furthermore, by staying on duty at their priestly posts while the bodies were disposed of, Aaron and his remaining sons demonstrated that God took precedence over mourning for family (vv. 4–7). This might seem harsh, but it was necessary and proper to show the Israelites the absolute importance of obeying God and worshiping Him rightly.

APPLY THE WORD

When we count the cost of discipleship, following Christ is more important than family responsibilities and relationships. Skipping church during sports season to attend the kids’ games, lying to cover-up a relative’s wrongdoing, or taking lavish vacations while refusing to give financially to support the Lord’s work all turn family into idolatry (Luke 14:26).

PRAY WITH US

Again, our prayers go to God for the staff of Facilities Maintenance: Carl Bjerga, John Addison, Joshua Burkhardt, and Matthew Morris. May God bless their work of repair, replacement, and preventative maintenance of MBI’s equipment and facilities.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Whole Life Worship

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Romans 11:33-36; Romans 12:1-8

For many Christians, the word worship is synonymous with the songs we sing in church services. This is often implied when those who lead music announce to the congregation, “Let’s stand and worship.” Singing praises to God is but one aspect of what the word means—it includes much more and is not limited to Sunday morning in a church building.

When the Samaritan woman spoke to Jesus about this, He told her a time would come when the place wouldn’t be important. In that day, worship would be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:20-24), as an integral part of everything in our daily life.

Let’s consider ways we worship God:

With our words (Rom. 11:33-36). Right after finishing a thorough explanation of doctrine to the church in Rome, Paul broke out in praise to the Lord. As our minds are filled with God’s truths, our worship will likewise overflow in prayer and songs of adoration, praise, and reverence.

With surrendered lives (Rom. 12:1-2). Instead of worshipping with animal sacrifices, we offer ourselves to the Lord through holy, obedient living. This is possible because God’s truth renews our mind, thereby transforming our life.

With service to others (Rom. 12:3-8). Everything we do can be an act of worship when it is done as unto the Lord. By His grace, He has even given us spiritual gifts that enable us to serve one another.

Think about your choices, actions, and words throughout the day—both to God and to others. How can they be transformed into worship?

Bible in One Year: Job 5-8

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The “Chewing” Years

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Read: 1 Peter 2:1–11 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 17–18; John 13:1–20

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

My wife recently gave me a Labrador retriever puppy we named Max. One day when Max was spending time with me in my study, I was concentrating at my desk and heard the sound of paper ripping behind me. I turned to find a guilty-looking puppy with a book wide open and a page dangling from his mouth.

Our veterinarian tells us that Max is going through his “chewing years.” As puppies lose their milk teeth and permanent ones grow, they soothe their gums by chewing almost anything. We have to watch Max carefully to ensure he isn’t gnawing on something that could harm him, and we point him to healthy alternatives.

Max’s urge to chew—and my responsibility to watch him—cause me to think about what we “chew on” in our minds and hearts. Do we carefully consider what we are feeding our eternal souls when we read or surf the web or watch TV? The Bible encourages us, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2–3). We need to fill ourselves daily with God’s Word and truth if we are to thrive as followers of Christ. Only then can we grow to maturity in Him.

Loving Lord, help me to hunger for You and Your Word and to stay away from that which harms me. Fill me with Your goodness today.

When Christ returns, what will He find us craving?

By James Banks

INSIGHT

Food is used as a metaphor to describe the Bible’s nutritional value. To Peter, it’s pure milk (1 Peter 2:2). Job treasured God’s Word more than his daily bread (Job 23:12). In Psalm 19:10, it’s sweeter than honey. Looking at Hebrews 5:12–14, why do we need the solid food of Scripture to mature spiritually?

  1. T. Sim

 

 

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