Daily Archives: February 25, 2023

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Keep Talking about Jesus!

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Bible in a Year:

Day after day, . . .  [the apostles] never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Acts 5:42

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

Acts 5:17–21, 25–29, 41–42

In an interview, a musician who’s a believer in Christ recalls a time he was urged to “stop talking about Jesus” so much. Why? It was suggested that his band could be more famous and raise more money to feed the poor if he stopped saying his work was all about Jesus. After thinking it through, he decided, “The entire point of my music is to share my faith in Christ. . . . No way [am I] going to be silent.” He said his “burning calling [is] to share the message of Jesus.”

Under much more threatening circumstances, the apostles received a similar message. They’d been jailed and miraculously delivered by an angel, who told them to continue telling others about their new life in Christ (Acts 5:19–20). When the religious leaders learned of the apostles’ escape and that they were still proclaiming the gospel, they reprimanded them: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in [Jesus’] name” (v. 28).

Their reply: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (v. 29). As a result, the leaders flogged the apostles and “ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus” (v. 40). The apostles rejoiced that they were worthy of suffering for Jesus’ name, and “day after day . . . never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news” (v. 42). May God help us to keep following their example!

By:  Alyson Kieda

Reflect & Pray

If you’ve ever been told to stop talking about Jesus, what was your response? What are some ways you can tell others about Him?

Dear God, thank You for the example of the apostles and others who were bold witnesses for You. Please give me courage to follow their lead.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Living in a Worthy Manner

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“So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects” (Col. 1:10).

Your manner of life should be consistent with Christ’s.

In Colossians 1:9 Paul speaks of being controlled by the knowledge of God’s will. In verse 10 he speaks of walking in a manner worthy of the Lord. There is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between those verses. When you are controlled by the knowledge of God’s will, you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.

The Greek word translated “walk” means “to order one’s behavior.” It’s a common New Testament metaphor for one’s lifestyle. Paul made a similar plea to the Thessalonians: “Walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12).

The thought of being worthy of the Lord might raise some eyebrows because we usually relate worthiness to merit or something deserved. But that isn’t Paul’s point at all. The Greek word translated “worthy” in Colossians 1:10 speaks of something that weighs as much or carries the same value as something else. He isn’t saying we deserve Christ, but that our conduct should be consistent with His.

That is Peter’s point in 1 Peter 2:21: “You have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” John said, “The one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6). He added in 2 John 6, “Walk according to His commandments.” That’s how you demonstrate your love for Christ (John 14:15) and please Him in every respect.

As a word of encouragement, a worthy walk is not a walk of sinless perfection. That won’t happen until you are fully glorified. But each day you are growing in godliness as a result of the Spirit’s transforming work in you (2 Cor. 3:18). Be faithful to that process. Set your affections on Christ, look to His Word, and rejoice in the privilege of becoming more like Him today.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God for the power and guidance of His Spirit in your life.
  • Be diligent to confess your sin when you stray from a worthy walk.

For Further Study

Read Ephesians 4:1-3 and Philippians 1:27-30.

  • What specific attitudes are involved in a worthy walk?
  • Does a worthy walk eliminate the possibility of suffering or persecution? Explain.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Choose God’s Secret Place

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He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!

— Psalm 91:1-2 (AMPC)

This Scripture holds the key to overcoming worry, anxiety, discouragement, disappointment, depression, despair, and disease. It is simply trusting God.

Perhaps you want to trust God, but it seems you just don’t know how. Trusting God requires knowing Him—knowing His character and having experience with Him. Going through trials with God by your side builds your faith.

So, when you face problems, you can choose trust or torment. Choose to trust God and dwell in the “secret place,” enjoying divine provision in the midst of attacks and walking through dark times in His presence.

Prayer of the Day: I am thankful for the joy and peace that only come from You. Today, I come to You with a childlike faith, trusting that You will take care of any problem in my life. Thank You, Father, that You are in control of my life, and my joy and peace are found in You.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – No Other Gods Before Me

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I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:2-3

Perhaps the most basic truth about the God of Scripture is that He is the only one. There is no other. This truth ought to simplify things for us because it teaches us that there is only one who is the worthy object of our love, loyalty, and devotion. But the hearts of men and women are not so easily instructed. And so it is necessary for God to give us the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The danger is not that there are actual other gods for us to worship but that we have a proclivity for making them.

On first glance, this first command is straightforward. To live for a god other than the true God would be like taking a second spouse while your first spouse is still alive and still happy to be your spouse. Worse, it would be like taking a second spouse who is in truth a figment of your imagination. It would be a breach of an exclusive relationship.

We must not kid ourselves that we are immune from the possibility of breaking this commandment. Many of us read it and picture people bowing down before statues or going through elaborate rituals, and those mental images assure us that we’re not in danger of violating it. Yet the commandments are not restricted to outward actions but also relate to the disposition of our minds and hearts. From this perspective, we may not be as far from those mental images as we assume. We may not have statues to which we bow down, but maybe we have segments of our lives that we keep away from God, preserving them under the authority of some other little “deity”—ourselves, perhaps.

Ask yourself: “Do I joyfully acknowledge God’s comprehensive claim on my life? Is God in charge of my family, my work, my relationships, my money, my dating, my use of time?” Take a close and honest look to see if there are portions of life you try to keep from Him.

In addition to keeping things away from God, another form of danger is functionally replacing Him. When we put our family, our job, our hobbies, or anything else in the place that is God’s alone, we violate the first commandment. To the degree that we allow anyone or anything besides obedience to God to direct our course day to day, we defy His law.

So we are not so safe from the possibility of breaking this commandment as we may think! While we must acknowledge the truth that there is one God, we must also beware our own ability to put things in His place. If we do not daily submit ourselves to Him and entrust the entirety of our lives to Him, something will take His place. We are made to worship. The question is, are you going to worship the living God or are you going to pretend there is another?

GOING DEEPER

1 John 1:8-10, 1 John 2:1-3

Topics: Idolatry Worship

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotional by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Psalm 118:23

This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

When God does something, man does not deserve one ounce of credit. That’s why all glory, all praise, and all honor are to Him alone. There are things that happen in our lives that we can’t make sense of. We did the best we could, but it was not enough, so God took over, and it was His doing. Don’t try to make heads or tails of it; just get on your knees and declare, “This is the Lord’s doing!”

Take a moment to consider all that God has done. Everything in your life is the Lord’s doing. Your salvation is by grace through faith, the gift of God that no man can boast. It is the Lord’s doing. Every ounce of success you’ve ever known is not because you are so amazing. It’s because God has given you the strength to succeed and the mind to achieve. It is the Lord’s doing. Every struggle you’ve made it through, every battle you’ve ever won is not because you are so brilliant in strategy or so capable. It’s because God has a plan to protect you and pull you through that storm and bring you to the other side. It is the Lord’s doing, and He is greatly to be praised!

Today’s Blessing: 

And now may the Lord bless you and may the Lord keep you. And may the Lord make His face to shine upon you. And may the Lord be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May you walk in the confidence that you have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ; that you are whiter than snow; that you are the property of heaven. And when the King comes, you’re leaving this earth in the twinkling of an eye for mansions on high and for a life that is simply beyond the minds of men’s capacity to understand or fully know. And all of God’s children said, “Praise the Lord.” Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Leviticus 16:29-18:30

New Testament 

Mark 7:24-8:9

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 41:1-13

Proverbs 10:15-16

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Big Promises: The Promise of Providence

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And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

 Recommended Reading: Genesis 50:19-21

The oldest Baptist congregation in America, founded in 1638, still meets today in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence was founded by a Puritan theologian named Roger Williams, who, after advocating for the separation of church and state, was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. The new community he founded was named Providence to recognize God’s gracious direction in leading them there.

Providence is not a biblical word but has evolved into an idea that refers to God’s rule over the affairs of His creation. It is akin to the biblical idea of God’s sovereignty—God’s righteous rule over the affairs of men. For example, God “changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21). And, in Christ, “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17, NASB). Such an idea motivated Paul to write Romans 8:28, giving us confidence that God uses everything in our life for good.

Because God is good and sovereign, we can trust Him to work out His divine plans and purposes for creation—including for us personally.

Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.
Augustine

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – An Earmark of the Jesus Movement

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Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

—1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 

An earmark of the early days of the Jesus Movement and of the first-century church was a belief in the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

I believe that Jesus Christ is coming again. I believe we are now seeing the signs accelerating, reminding us that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes. And I believe that the next event on the prophetic calendar will be the rapture of the church, when we’re caught up to meet the Lord in the air in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

The Bible clearly points out that Christ will return. In fact, New Testament writers mention Christ’s return no less than 318 times. Statistically, one out of every twenty-five verses in the New Testament speaks of Jesus’ return.

God wants us to get this message. Jesus said it clearly: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3 NKJV).

If you believe this, then it will affect the way that you live. The Bible says those who have this hope of the Lord’s return “will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 NLT).

When you were a child and got into trouble, maybe your mother gave you this ominous warning: “Just wait until your father gets home.” You were dreading your dad’s arrival. On the other hand, if you were well-behaved, you probably ran out to greet him when you heard his car pull into the driveway.

The same is true of our attitude toward Christ’s return. If we’re right with God, then we will be excited about and looking forward to the return of Jesus. We want to be ready. We want to be watching.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie