DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Feed My Sheep

Bible in a Year:

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

John 21:16

Today’s Scripture & Insight:John 21:15–19

In a lecture in 1911, Oswald Chambers reflected on being a young shepherd in the highlands of Scotland: “When you have to carry across your shoulders a dirty old [goat] and bring it down the mountain-side, you will soon know whether shepherding is poetry or not.” He didn’t want to romanticize this form of labor as “poetry” but rather called it “the most taxing, the most exhausting, and the most exasperating work.” The hard work of shepherding people is what Jesus entrusted to Peter, for Peter would face criticism, misunderstanding, and other challenges in caring for His flock.

Chambers reflected, “To whom did He say, ‘Feed My lambs’? To Peter. Who was Peter? A very wayward sheep.” Even though Peter had denied knowing Jesus (see John 18:15–27), Jesus met him on the beach and lovingly restored him in front of the other disciples (21:15–19). Peter’s bitter experience taught him how to be tender and watchful over the Lord’s sheep. Having received the Holy Spirit, he was ready for the toil and joys of being a shepherd to people.

Like Peter, we may have failed Jesus through denials, wrongdoing, selfishness, or pride. But He seeks us out and forgives us, just as He did Peter. Watch Meno Kalisher’s, Daniel Kalisher’s, and Debby Nalbandian’s devotional video, “Jesus, the Mission,” and learn more about God’s forgiveness and restoration. He restores us and gives us a new commission—helping us care for others. As we follow Jesus, we share our love for Him with those we meet.

By: Amy Boucher Pye

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Can Talk to God

http://www.joycemeyer.org

I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my wickedness; I said, “I will confess [all] my transgressions to the LORD”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. — Psalm 32:5 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Healing the Soul of a Woman – by Joyce Meyer

Our souls can be wounded for many different reasons. Sometimes we’re wounded by things other people have done to us, other times the wounds come from our own bad choices. Even when we regret past sin or mistakes, the pain they caused will linger if we let it.

Some people who are strong, mature Christians and walk closely with God today haven’t always had an intimate relationship with Him. Some of them, like me, have abuse, betrayal, addictions, and other hurtful things in their background. They’re healed today because they refused to allow their past to determine their future. I want you to know that no matter what is in your past or how painful it’s been, healing is available for you and your future can be better than you ever imagined.

One of the most important steps you can take toward healing is to talk to God about what hurts you and confess to Him any sin you’ve committed. If there’s shame or guilt associated with what happened to you (as in the case of victims of abuse, or someone who made a very bad decision that affected others), you may wonder if God really wants to hear about it. I can assure you that He does! First of all, He already knows everything about the situation, and second, He understands that acknowledging our wrongdoing or pain helps cleanse it from our soul. There is no one better than God to talk to about the things that have hurt you. You can talk to Him about anything, and He will not judge you or be angry or frustrated with you. He loves you more than anyone on earth ever could, and He’s the only One who can heal your broken heart.

Many people in the Bible sinned and failed. Even some of those we think of as being closest to God made bad choices. Abraham got tired of waiting for God to give him a son through Sarah, so he turned to her handmaid instead (see Genesis 16:1–4). David lusted after Bathsheba and got her pregnant, then had her husband killed (see 2 Samuel 11:2–24). But both Abraham and David recovered and went on to do great things for God. James refers to Abraham as “a friend of God” (James 2:23), and the Bible calls David “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).

One of the keys of David’s restoration and the great future he enjoyed after his moral failure was his willingness to repent and receive God’s forgiveness. He wrote that God desires “truth in [our] innermost being” (Psalm 51:6 AMP). I encourage you today to talk to God about the things that have hurt you or the ways you’ve failed in the past, and He will comfort you. You can be restored completely, and I encourage you to believe that with all your heart.

Prayer Starter: Lord, please show me what I need to talk to You about, and how I can begin to overcome the pain in my past. Thank You for comforting me, forgiving me, and giving me the strength to move forward. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – As Much As We Need

“But you should divide with them. Right now you have plenty and can help them; then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way each will have as much as he needs” (2 Corinthians 8:14).

I like Paul’s emphasis on spiritual equality. In his letter to the church at Corinth, this principle is clearly expressed:

“You can help them…they can share with you…each will have as much as he needs.”

Not one of us is a total body within himself; collectively, we are the body of Christ.

The hand can accomplish only certain kinds of functions.

The eyes cannot physically grasp objects, but they can see them.

The ears cannot transport the body like feet can, but ears can hear many sounds.

The hand needs the eye, and the eye needs the hand. All parts of the body need each other in order to function as a healthy body.

Are the parts the same? No. Do they have equality? Yes.

While the Christians at Corinth possessed all the spiritual gifts, they were not glorifying Christ or building up one another. Instead, they were glorifying themselves, glorifying their special gifts, and exercising their gifts in the flesh instead of in the power and control of the Holy Spirit.

Time and again, the apostle Paul stressed to the Corinthians that an atmosphere of godly love, agape, must prevail or the exercising of their gifts would be fruitless.

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 8:7-15

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will be content with my place in the Body of Christ, whether it be large or small, realizing that every part of the body is vitally important in God’s kingdom.

http://www.cru.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids -Don’t Fret

Psalm 37:1

What in the world does “fret” mean? Here is a little word that doesn’t have any positive definitions. It means “to worry, to be discontent, to have something be eaten away by something else.” It means, “to torment or irritate or upset someone or yourself.” So when the Bible says not to “fret” it means “quit worrying about it.” That’s not always easy to do, is it?

Here’s another little word with a negative definition: Envy. Envy is a kind of jealousy. The dictionary defines it as the “resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else’s success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions.” We can envy someone else’s clothes, their looks, their friendships, their talents, or their achievements. For example, when a friend does well on an exam, instead of being happy for her, you feel jealous and you wish it could have been you instead. That’s envy.

The Bible says that we shouldn’t fret about or envy the apparent success of people who do wrong. Do you know someone who got rewarded for cheating? How did it make you feel? Did you fret and feel envious? Unfortunately, fretting and envy don’t change the situation, but they do make us miserable. That’s why the Bible says not to fret or envy. And although people who cheat to get ahead appear to be getting away with it, they’re losers in the long run.

Dear Lord, I admit I have both fretted and been envious. Please help me to be content with doing honest work and to trust you with the rest. Amen.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Resurrection and the Gospel

Romans 10:5-11

If you were to briefly explain the gospel to someone, what would you include? It would be necessary to explain: the reason we all need salvation—our sin; the identity of the Savior—God’s Son, who chose to become a man; and the price He paid for our forgiveness—His death on the cross. Another important thing to include would be how one can be saved—by repenting of sin, believing in Christ, and calling on Him for salvation.

However, there is one more essential aspect: belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9). If people deny this, they have rejected the gospel and cannot be saved. The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God, who overcame death. It also affirms that God was satisfied with His Son’s death as the sacrifice for mankind’s sins.

The disciples considered Christ’s resurrection an essential part of the gospel they proclaimed. As eyewitnesses, they were so convinced of this that nothing could dissuade them. The resurrection was also the primary message Paul delivered as he traveled around the Roman world, preaching the gospel. And it should be our message as well. Because Christ rose from the dead, we have assurance of both God’s forgiveness and our own future resurrection.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 18-19

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Standing Firm

Bible in a Year:

Stand firm. Let nothing move you.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Today’s Scripture & Insight:Mark 15:33–41

In the Middle Eastern country where they live, Adrian and his family suffer persecution for their faith. Yet, through it all, they demonstrate Christ’s love. Standing in his church courtyard, which was pummeled by bullets when terrorists used it as training ground, he said, “Today is Good Friday. We remember that Jesus suffered for us on the cross.” And suffering, he continued, is something that believers in Jesus there understand. But his family chooses to remain in their homeland: “We’re still here, still standing.”

These believers follow the example of the women who stood watching as Jesus died on the cross (Mark 15:40). They—including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome—were brave to stay there, for friends and family members of an enemy of the state could be ridiculed and punished. Yet the women showed their love for Jesus by their very presence with Him. Even as they “followed him and cared for his needs” in Galilee (v. 41), they stood with Him at His hour of deepest need.

On this day when we remember the greatest gift of our Savior, His death on a cross, take a moment to consider how we can stand for Jesus as we face trials of many kinds (see James 2:2–4). Think too about our fellow believers around the world who suffer for their faith. As Adrian asked, “Can you please stand with us in your prayers?” Watch Moti Vaknin’s devotional video, “Jesus, the Divine,” to learn more about Christ’s death and resurrection.

By: Amy Boucher Pye

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In the Depths

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In the Depths →

“My baby’s dead! My baby’s dead! My baby’s dead!” This is the cacophonous refrain playing from the living room as I am jolted out of slumber by my father. What is this awful sound? Why is my mom screaming?

“Mikey’s dead, son.” Mikey? My dad never called Mike Mikey, but there is no easy way to tell a 5-year-old child that their brother has died. Adding a “y” to the end of his name was about the best he could do to soften the blow. As the reality of the situation sank in, the world began to taste and feel a little different. There had been an irreversible rupture in the cosmos. My brother, Mike, in his senior year of high school, had just been killed in a car accident along with one of his best friends. Jesus did not, so far as we can tell, take the wheel, as the song goes. The wheel stayed on its path to destruction, reminding us all that chaos lurks behind every façade of safety in a broken world. April 28, 1988: The day my mother entered into Mary’s Good Friday passion.

Mom was not the same for a very long time. My father tells me that we would often find her crying alone. By some sort of inner prompting, my 5-year-old self would sit on her lap and hug her, tell her everything would be okay, and that I loved her. These moments were very special and cemented a close bond between mom and me. Sometimes we need someone to mourn with us, sometimes to encourage us, and sometimes both. Christians may take some sort of pride in looking different from the world, but when it comes to death we often look very much the same: afraid.

For centuries, theologians overlooked the question of how Mary might have felt, but debated whether one could use the phrase “God died on the cross.” The most debated portion of the Apostle’s Creed is that portion which affirms that Jesus did, in fact, go to the land of the dead after his death. Jesus died. The Messiah died. God’s chosen one, the Son of God, the Son of Man suffered, died, and was buried. But long before this became a confession that the church would uphold through centuries, plagues, and persecution, Mary was not thinking of doctrines. She was agonizing over the loss of her son. She was present at the crucifixion, one of the few remaining people from his life to see him off. Mary was thinking: my baby is dead. He was alive. Now he is not.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Small Beginnings

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Who [with reason] despises the day of small things? … — Zechariah 4:10 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Ending You Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

Right now, you’re probably believing God for something big to come to pass in your life—maybe a job, a relationship, a dream, or something else deep in your heart. If you look, you’ll find evidence of a small beginning. God always gives you seed—even if only a little, tiny seed—something that causes you to hope. Focus on that seed. Rejoice over that seed. It’s a sign of greater things to come.

When you despise something, you regard it lightly; you count it as nothing and don’t take care of it. But if you don’t take care of what God gives you, you will lose it. That’s why we have to learn to be content while things still seem small.

You know God is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, and everything else in our lives (see Hebrews 12:2). What He starts, He always completes (see Philippians 1:6). Don’t kill your seed by complaining or speaking negative things over it. Instead, say things like, “Lord, this is only a little thing right now, but thank You for giving me some hope, something to hold on to. Thank You, Jesus, for a beginning.”

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the beginnings You’ve placed in my life, even though they may be small. Please help me to care for those seeds well, and to trust You to bring the big dreams in my heart to life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – His Gifts and Powers

“It is the same and only Holy Spirit who gives all these gifts and powers, deciding which each of us should have” (1 Corinthians 12:11).

As I counsel in the area of Christian service, I find much confusion among many Christians regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Believers often are so involved in trying to discover or receive additional spiritual gifts that they are not developing and using their known gifts and abilities to do God’s will.

For this reason, I caution against going to great lengths to discover one’s spiritual gifts. Rather than emphasize gifts, I encourage a person to surrender fully to the lordship of Jesus Christ and appropriate by faith the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Then, by faith and hard work, while depending on the Holy Spirit, a person can set out with determination to accomplish that to which God has called him.

Paul wrote about this important principle in his letter to the Philippians:

“Dearest friends, when I was there with you, you were always so careful to follow my instructions. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to do the good things that result from being saved, obeying God with deep reverence, shrinking back from all that might displease Him….

“For I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (Philippians 2:12; 4-13). This, of course, can be done only if a Christian totally submits himself to the lordship of Jesus Christ and the control of the Holy Spirit.

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 12:1-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I’ll be more concerned about being yielded to the moment-by-moment direction and control of God’s Holy Spirit than about discovering my spiritual gift(s).

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Lesson in Trust

Listen to Today’s Devotion

In one of Henri Nouwen’s books, he tells about the lesson of trust he learned from a great trapeze artist. The acrobat said, “The flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything. I have simply to reach out my arms and hands and wait for him to catch me and pull me safely over the apron.” The flyer must trust, with outstretched arms, that his catcher will be there for him.”

In the great trapeze act of salvation, God is the catcher, and we are the flyers. We trust. Period. We rely solely upon God’s ability to catch us. And as we trust him, a wonderful thing happens– we fly! Your Father has never dropped anyone. He will not drop you. His grip is sturdy and his hands are open. Place yourself entirely in his care. As you do, you will find it is possible, yes possible, to be anxious for nothing!

Read more Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum – Meet the Christ family, who worship in a prairie chapel: A Good Friday meditation

Continue reading Denison Forum – Meet the Christ family, who worship in a prairie chapel: A Good Friday meditation →

This is the first Good Friday in Christian history to be observed primarily online. Millions of Christians are attending worship services through digital means.

Unless they have their own chapel, that is.

The Christ family (pronounced “Crist”) lives on a slice of pastureland an hour southeast of Oklahoma City. They usually worship with the Wewoka Church of Christ. But three years ago, Ryan Christ constructed a tiny chapel, about twelve feet wide and twenty-five feet long, on their property. It has six small pews and can hold about a dozen non-social-distancing adults.

As the Christian Chronicle article notes, “That’s more than enough for a family of four, stuck at home in the midst of a pandemic.”

According to his wife, Ryan is always looking for ways to share his faith. His last name helps. When people ask him if he’s related to Jesus Christ, “he always comes back with, ‘I’m not him, but I know him,’” she says.

“The symbol of Christianity is an instrument of death”

So can we, because of what happened on this day twenty centuries ago.

Karl Barth is often considered the most important theologian of the twentieth century. In 1962, on his one visit to America, he was asked how he would summarize the millions of words he had published. Barth replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so.”

And what the Bible tells us is that Jesus loves us enough to die for us.

Frederick Buechner observed: “A six-pointed star, a crescent moon, a lotus—the symbols of other religions suggest beauty and light. The symbol of Christianity is an instrument of death.”

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – What If Christ Hadn’t Been Resurrected?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Have you ever considered what your life would be like if Jesus had not been raised from the dead? Paul explained the dire consequences of such a scenario and the effect it would have on every believer.

The Christian faith would be worthless. There would be no gospel to preach and no reason to go to church. And if anyone did preach the resurrection, he’d be a false witness.

Jesus would be proved a liar, since He predicted His resurrection. He’d be just like any other sinful man who was crucified. Moreover, this lie would make it difficult to believe anything the Bible said.

There would be no pardon for sin. Without the resurrection, which was the proof that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice, there would be no basis for the forgiveness of our transgressions.

We would have no hope after death. Instead of being raised to eternal life in heaven, we’d all be doomed to eternal punishment and separation from God.

Seeing the horrible alternative often leads to greater appreciation of the truth. We can rejoice that Christ has been raised, our faith is valid, the Bible is true, our sins are forgiven, and our hope of resurrection is secure.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 15-17

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Surrendering All

Bible in a Year:

Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

Mark 10:28

Today’s Scripture & Insight:Mark 10:26–31

Two men remembered for serving others for Jesus left careers in the arts to commit themselves to where they believed God had called them. James O. Fraser (1886–1938) decided not to pursue being a concert pianist in England to serve the Lisu people in China, while the American Judson Van DeVenter (1855–1939) chose to become an evangelist instead of pursuing a career in art. He later wrote the hymn “I Surrender All.”

While having a vocation in the arts is the perfect calling for many, these men believed God called them to relinquish one career for another. Perhaps they found inspiration from Jesus counseling the rich, young ruler to give up his possessions to follow Him (Mark 10:17–25). Witnessing the exchange, Peter exclaimed, “We have left everything to follow you!” (v. 28). Jesus assured him that God would give those who follow Him “a hundred times as much in this present age” and eternal life (v. 30). But He would give according to His wisdom: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (v. 31).

No matter where God has placed us, we’re called to daily surrender our lives to Christ, obeying His gentle call to follow Him and serve Him with our talents and resources—whether in the home, office, community, or far from home. Watch Annahita Parsan’s devotional video, “Jesus, the Revolutionary.” She surrendered to God’s call to share the gospel in Sweden. As we submit to His call, He’ll also inspire us to love others.

By: Amy Boucher Pye

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Longing for Restoration

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Longing for Restoration →

My wife and I have now had the chance to attend a couple of performances by the excellent Atlanta Symphony Orchestra where we listened to the rarely performed Symphony No. 5 by British composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams. I have always enjoyed his music, but about halfway through each performance, I found myself wondering why I find it so gripping, soothing, and even a tad, well, unsettling. Throughout his music, there is a sense of unease with flashes of calm or peace or whatever you want to call it breaking through.

Vaughan Williams wrote with a sense of the ominous on the horizon. As a medic during the First World War, looking across the shredded French landscape, he surely considered that something so big was happening as to change the world forever. He struggled to reconcile something so heartbreaking with what was once pristine. This violent transition signaled the sad reality of loss.

These thoughts fueled his Symphony No. 3 also known as the Pastoral Symphony, which he completed after the war. Beset by trench warfare, Vaughan Williams produced one of the most memorable pieces of 20th century music: at turns slow and somber, haunting and full of melancholy, and yet containing moments of hope and even triumphalism. The piece aurally paints a picture of beauty slipping away never to be recovered. In so much of his music, one finds a sense of sadness. But even more than this is the constant feeling of universal longing. Longing for a place we once had or shared. Longing for a time unmarred by panic, whether made by humanity or nature. Longing toward restoration and wholeness.

One of the Bible’s most gripping descriptions of longing comes from Deuteronomy 28:32. With dramatic examples, Moses describes life as it might look apart from God, broken and marred. “Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and fail with longing for them all the day.” Here the Hebrew term translates “longing” (kaleh) to “failing with desire.”

What a vision for us today. We see a way of life we have enjoyed for a century, and we feel it slipping out of our hands. Falling stocks, a frozen housing market, retirement plans jettisoned, weddings and funerals conducted with no one in attendance. Not the life we were brought up to expect or for which most of us saved and looked toward. We long for what we thought was promised us. But right now, we look upon all of this with failing eyes.

The last weeks have been surreal. Videos of over-capacity emergency rooms. Government officials coming to grasp how to navigate an unseen enemy. Social distancing. “Stay-in-place” orders. Businesses closing. Death unfolding in real time. To be sure, we are not embroiled in a global military conflict. But we have lost our sense of normalcy, and we are grasping with how to cope with it.

The notion that we would long for something necessarily implies that we are not satisfied. C.S. Lewis is well-known for suggesting that our longings indicate that we are made for another place and time.(1) It is a natural state for our souls to long for something, and our earthly desires serve to alert us to a real, if eventual, fulfillment of what truly satisfies.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – How Many Times Should I Pray?

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. — Matthew 7:7-8 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Closer to God Each Day – by Joyce Meyer

I don’t believe we can make any strict rules on how often we should pray about the same thing, but I do think there are some guidelines that might help us to have more confidence in the power of prayer.

For instance, if my children need something, I want them to trust me to do what they’ve asked me to do. I wouldn’t mind, and might even like it, if they occasionally said, “Boy, Mom, I’m sure looking forward to those new shoes.” That statement would tell me that they believed I was going to do what I promised. They would actually be reminding me of my promise, but in a way that didn’t question my integrity.

When I ask the Lord for something in prayer and that request comes to my mind later, I talk to Him about it again. But when I do, I ask Him confidently, not as if I think He didn’t hear me the first time. I thank God that He’s working on the situation, and then let Him know I’m anticipating that He’s going to take care of me.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to pray confidently, knowing that You know my needs and you’re working to meet each one. Thank You for being faithful! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Examples of His Love

“Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions” (1 John 3:18).

The story is told about two farmers. Every day, one of them would haul pails of water up the steep slope to his terraced field and irrigate his meager crop.

The second farmer tilled the terrace just below, and he would poke a hole in the dyke and let the other farmer’s water run down into his field.

The first farmer was upset. Being a Christian, he went to his pastor and asked for advice. The pastor told him to keep on watering as before and to say nothing. So, the farmer returned to his fields and the watering of his crop, but the farmer below him continued to drain off his water. Nothing had changed.

After a few days, the first farmer went to his pastor again. The pastor told him to go a step further – to water his neighbor’s crop! So the next day, the farmer brought water to his neighbor’s field and watered the crops. After that, he watered his own field.

This went on for three days, and not a word was exchanged between the two farmers. But after the third day, the second farmer came to the first farmer.

“How do I become a Christian?” he asked.

There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies!…If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathens do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

Bible Reading: I John 3:14-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will make every effort to demonstrate the love of Christ by the way I act toward others.

Max Lucado – But God is Good

Listen to Today’s Devotion

There’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror. Your future matters more than your past! God’s grace is greater than your sin. You thought the problem was your calendar, your marriage, your job. In reality, it’s this unresolved guilt! Don’t indulge it. Don’t drown in the bilge of your own condemnation. What you did was not good. But your God is good. And He will forgive you.

He is ready to write a new chapter in your life. Say with Paul, “Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us” (Philippians 3:13-14). Your salvation has nothing to do with your work and everything to do with the finished work of Christ on the cross. Rejoice in the Lord’s mercy!

Read more Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – William and Kate made a video call to children of frontline workers: The best way to measure greatness

Continue reading Denison Forum – William and Kate made a video call to children of frontline workers: The best way to measure greatness →

One of the most famous couples in the world went online this week to speak with school children whose parents are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, made a video call to pupils and staff from Casterton Primary Academy in Lancashire, in northwestern England.

The students wore Easter-themed bunny ears and presented them with a virtual bouquet of paper flowers. Their parents are working in the National Health Service and social care, as well as serving in supermarkets and making deliveries.

One of them told the duke that the “first William was called William the Conqueror.” The children then wanted to know, “What do you want to be called in a thousand years’ time?” He laughed and said he didn’t think he could answer that.

Your title is your towel

On this Maundy Thursday, Jesus redefined greatness when he washed the dirty, smelly, mud-caked feet of men who would soon abandon, deny, and betray him. He then taught us, “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:15).

And he added a “new commandment”: “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (v. 34). “Just as” means “in the same way” or “to the same degree.”

Here’s why obedience to his commandment is so crucial: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (v. 35). Not because we preach sermons or write Daily Articles. Not because we attend church services or work as elders or deacons. Not because we earn and donate large sums of money.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Hindrances to Hearing

April 8, 2020 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

1 Samuel 3:1-10

How sharp is your spiritual hearing? Ask yourself the following questions:

How well do I know God? Not knowing God’s character and what pleases Him hinders listening.
Have I been too busy to Make time for God? We can’t listen and respond to Him when there’s no breathing room in our schedules and mind.
Do I believe God speaks through His Holy Spirit? Unless we believe that our heavenly Father speaks to us personally, we won’t hear His voice.
Do I have a sense of guilt? If we don’t live in the freedom of God’s forgiveness—which Christ gained for us on the cross—we’ll experience false guilt, and our listening skills will diminish.
Am I committing repeated sin in my life? Unless we repent of known transgressions, we will be harboring sin, which makes hearing the Lord difficult—like static in our ears.
How well do I receive criticism and correction? Our tendency is to reject the messenger without determining if he or she was sent by God.

Believers have a responsibility to listen carefully and be self-aware (Luke 8:18). Consider these questions with an open heart, and God will guide you to the next steps He wants you to take.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 13-14