Daily Archives: August 3, 2018

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Call to Be Merciful

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Luke 6:31-36

It’s common today to have a simplistic view of Jesus. This can be true even of believers if they aren’t sufficiently familiar with Scripture. Many Christians who passionately claim, “I just want to love like Jesus” have no idea what that entails.

One thing Christ requires of His followers is selfless love for those who mistreat them, and He gives the following reason, based on God’s character: “For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:35). In essence, Jesus is telling us to have the same mercy for others that God has for us.

Mercy is not simply feeling pity; it means acting with compassion. Instead of just sympathizing with us, God did something about our desperate condition—He sent His Son to save us from sin and its horrendous consequences. Although we can’t save anybody by showing mercy, we can demonstrate God’s kindness to others despite their treatment of us.

Being merciful to those who don’t deserve it is contrary to our natural inclinations and is possible only through the power of God’s Spirit within us. What we naturally want is justice. To extend mercy seems to say the offense against us wasn’t very bad—but this is a misunderstanding of the word’s meaning, because where no wrong has been committed, there’s no need for mercy.

When you are merciful, you are giving to others what God has given to you. And aren’t you glad that He doesn’t immediately deal out retribution for every sin you commit? So remember, God wants you to trust Him with all your hurts. And He also wants you to treat others (even your enemies) as you want to be treated—with mercy.

Bible in One Year: Isaiah 46-49

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — I See You

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Read: Psalm 121 | Bible in a Year: Job 25–27; Acts 12

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

When Xavier was two, he darted into one aisle after another in a small shoe store. Hiding behind stacks of shoeboxes, he giggled when my husband, Alan, said, “I see you.”

Moments later, I saw Alan dash frantically from aisle to aisle, calling Xavier’s name. We raced to the front of the store. Our child, still laughing, ran toward the open door leading to the busy street outside.

Within seconds, Alan scooped him up. We embraced as I thanked God, sobbed, and kissed our toddler’s chubby cheeks.

A year before I became pregnant with Xavier, I’d lost our first child during the pregnancy. When God blessed us with our son, I became a fearful parent. Our shoe store experience proved I wouldn’t always be able to see or protect our child. But I discovered peace as I learned to turn to my only sure source of help—God—when I struggled with worry and fear.

Our heavenly Father never takes His eyes off His children (Psalm 121:1–4). While we can’t prevent trials, heartache, or loss, we can live with confident faith, relying on an ever-present Helper and Protector who watches over our lives (vv. 5–8).

We may encounter days when we feel lost and helpless. We may also feel powerless when we can’t shield loved ones. But we can trust that our all-knowing God never loses sight of us—His precious and beloved children.

Thank You for watching over our loved ones and us, Lord.

God always keeps His eye on His children.

By Xochitl Dixon

INSIGHT

Psalms 120–134 are known as “Pilgrim Songs”—songs for “pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem” (nlt). God commanded all male Jews to come to the temple to observe the three annual feasts (see Deuteronomy 16:16): Unleavened Bread (Passover), Weeks (Pentecost), and Tabernacles. As pilgrims trod up the hilly paths to Jerusalem, they sang from these psalms.

When we embark on a journey, we often pray for journeying mercies for safety is foremost on our minds. Psalm 121—known as “The Traveler’s Psalm”—is a prayer addressing our safety and security concerns as we journey through life. Even as the psalmist speaks of unknown dangers, he affirms God’s divine protection and preservation. He reminds us that God is our Helper, giving us the security and stability we need (vv. 1–3). And because God is our Keeper—watching our every step (vv. 4–8)—we can pray in confident trust, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe” (Psalm 4:8 nlt).

How does being led by God, our Good Shepherd, empower you to “walk through the darkest valley”? (Psalm 23:4).

  1. T. Sim

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Image of Things

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I was on hold the other day trying to schedule an appointment for a haircut. As I waited for the receptionist, I half-listened to the obligatory recordings. The announcer asked me to consider scheduling a make-over with my upcoming appointment and to make sure I leave with the products that will keep up my new look. (Apparently, when you have a captive audience of customers “muzak” is hardly strategic.) But then I was caught off guard by a question: “What do the local communities of Chad, Africa, mean to you?” The answer he offered was as immediate as my inability to think of one: “Chad is a leading producer of organic acacia gum, the vital ingredient in a new line of products exclusively produced for and available at our salon.”

In a culture dominated by consumption, the commodification of everything around us is more and more of an unconscious worldview. Thus, when we think of Chad, we can think of our favorite shampoo and its connection with our hair salon. The land where it came from, the conditions of its production, and the community or laborers who produce it are realities wholly disassociated with the commodity itself. Like soap and luggage, the nation of Chad can become just one of the many commodities within our consumer mindset.

As I put down the phone, I couldn’t help but wonder about Amos’s description of those who are “at ease in Zion.” How at ease do you have to be to begin to see the world in commodities?

In fact, at the time of Amos’s words, Israel itself was at one of its most opulent junctures. They had expanded their territory in more than one direction. Their winter palaces were adorned with ivory and their feasts were lacking nothing. They could be heard singing songs to the sound of the harp and seen anointing themselves with the finest of oils. It was in such affluence that the shepherd Amos proclaimed indomitably: “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria.”(1)

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Love Gives Us Confidence

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By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. — 1 John 4:17

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

No matter how we feel, we need to magnify God above all else and step out in faith to do whatever He asks us to do.

We never have to be afraid of God. We should have reverential fear, meaning a respectful awe, of Him, but He does not want us to lack con¬fidence when we face Him. The Bible tells us to come “fearlessly and confidently and boldly” to the throne of grace and make our requests known ( see Hebrews 4:16 AMPC).

We cannot operate in boldness and fear at the same time. We may “feel” fear, but we must not bow down or give in to it; we can approach God with confidence.

In our society today we have an epidemic of insecurity. The world is full of people who lack confidence. Our confidence is to be placed in Christ alone and in His love for us. We are to put no confidence in the flesh, but to be bold and courageous in Christ.

Begin to believe today that from now on you will step out in faith to do whatever He asks you to do. Don’t draw back in fear and timidity, but go all the way through to the finish of each task.

Prayer Starter: Father, deliver me from insecurity and a lack of confidence. Help me be bold and courageous. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Authority Over the Enemy

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“And I have given you authority over all the power of the Enemy” (Luke 10:19).

By nature I am a very shy, reserved person. But I can look the world in the face and say, “I’m a child of the King. There is royal blood in my veins.”

Because of our identification with Christ, we are no longer ordinary people. The authority of God is available to those who believe in Christ. What a promise!

“Authority over all the power of the Enemy!” That is His promise, but it is something you and I must claim each time we face the enemy. We are to believe this; it is an intellectually valid fact. It is not exercising positive thinking and blindly hoping for the best; rather, it is claiming and leaning on the promises of God by faith.

Supernatural authority belongs to the believer, and there is a difference between authority and power. A policeman standing at a busy intersection has no physical power that would enable him to stop cars coming from all directions. But that little whistle he blows and the uniform he wears represent authority, and because of that authority the drivers know that they had better stop.

You and I have authority – given to us by the Lord Himself – over all the power of the enemy. He may tempt us; he may attack us; he may sorely try us. But victory is assured us as we continue to trust and obey our Lord and claim by faith His supernatural resources for our strength.

Bible Reading:Luke 10:20-24

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Because I have been given authority over the enemy, by faith I will exercise that authority on behalf of others as well as myself, believing God for ultimate victory in each situation.

 

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Shaky World

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

It’s a shaky world out there. Could you use some unshakable hope? We live in a day of despair.  The suicide rate in America has increased 24 percent since 1999. How do we explain the increase?  We’ve never been more educated.  We’re saturated with entertainment and recreation.  Yet more people than ever are orchestrating their own deaths.  How could this be? Among the answers must be that people are dying for lack of hope. Secularism reduces the world to a few decades between birth and hearse.

Many believe this world is as good as it gets, but people of the Promise have an advantage.  They are like Abraham who didn’t ask skeptical questions.  He plunged into the promise and came up strong” (Romans 4:20).  Because God’s promises are unbreakable, our hope is unshakable!

Read more Unshakable Hope

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Double amputee wins modeling contract

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Daisy-May Demetre was born with underdeveloped fibular bones in both legs. Her parents chose to have her legs amputated below the knee. After being fitted with prosthetics, she can walk, run, and jump and is an avid gymnast.

She is also a model.

Daisy-May has appeared on the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Now the seven-year-old has been awarded a contract with British fashion brand River Island. The company explained: “We required a model who has lots of energy and who looked great in activewear. Daisy-May Demetre fitted this brief perfectly.”

Her parents aren’t shocked that their daughter is inspiring so many people. Her father explained: “The support we get through Instagram from other disabled and non-disabled people is what we are about–helping to put smiles on faces and inspire people to push and follow their dreams.”

Woods and Mickelson will play for $10 million

Material success can be used for significant purposes.

Consider yesterday’s announcement that Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will play a $10-million showdown match Thanksgiving weekend. The two golfing legends will compete against each other in the Las Vegas area on November 23 or 24.

They hope the match starts a series of events of a similar nature, pitting people or teams against one another with a high purse at stake.

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