Daily Archives: June 14, 2023

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Texts, Troubles, and Triumphs

Leave a comment

Bible in a Year:

We do not belong to those who shrink back . . . but to those who have faith and are saved.

Hebrews 10:39

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

Hebrews 11:32, 35–40

Jimmy hadn’t allowed the reality of social unrest, danger, and discomfort to keep him from traveling to one of the poorest countries in the world to encourage ministry couples. The steady stream of text messages to our team back home revealed the challenges he encountered. “Okay, boys, activate the prayer line. We’ve gone ten miles in the last two hours. . . . Car has overheated a dozen times.” Transportation setbacks meant that he arrived just before midnight to preach to those who’d waited for five hours. Later we received a text with a different tone. “Amazing, sweet time of fellowship. . . . About a dozen people came forward for prayer. It was a powerful night!”

Faithfully serving God can be challenging. The exemplars of faith listed in Hebrews 11 would agree. Compelled by their faith in God, ordinary men and women faced uncomfortable and unfathomable circumstances. “Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment” (v. 36). Their faith compelled them to take risks and rely on God for the outcome. The same is true for us. Living out our faith may not take us to risky places far away, but it may well take us across the street or across the campus or to an empty seat in a lunchroom or boardroom. Risky? Perhaps. But the rewards, now or later, will be well worth the risks as God helps us.

By:  Arthur Jackson

Reflect & Pray

How can you take a risk and follow Jesus even though it might be uncomfortable? What keeps you “playing it safe”?

Dear Father, please give me strength and courage to let go of my life and entrust it to You.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Defining True Religion

Leave a comment

“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).

True religion produces holiness and sacrificial love.

In this verse James continues his practical and penetrating assessment of true faith. So far he has said in effect, “Don’t just study the Bible—obey it! Don’t just dabble in external religion—have pure speech!” Now he adds, “Don’t just say you’re religious—demonstrate sacrificial love! Don’t just claim to love God—live a pure life!” Shallow claims to Christianity meant nothing to him. He wanted to see godly attitudes and righteous deeds.

The apostle John used the same approach when he wrote, “The one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. . . . The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:6, 10-11). “Light” in that passage represents truth and righteousness; “darkness” speaks of error and sin. If you are truly saved, you are in the light and show it by your love for others.

In our society, the definition of religion is very broad. Almost any belief system qualifies. But to God, any religion that doesn’t produce holiness and sacrificial love is not true religion. That narrows the field considerably because anyone who isn’t saved through faith in Jesus Christ remains in bondage to sin and has no capacity to live a holy and selfless life.

How about you? Do you flee from sin and reach out to those in need? If so, you have true religion. If not, receive Christ now. He alone is the source of holiness and love.

Suggestions for Prayer

If you are a believer, God’s love is already shed abroad in your heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Ask God to increase your capacity to love others as Christ loves you.

For Further Study

Read 1 John 3:10-18, noting John’s comparison of the children of God with the children of the devil.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Power of Determination

Leave a comment

Persecutions, sufferings…I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].

— 2 Timothy 3:11-12 (AMPC)

In the beginning of my ministry, I had a dream that I was driving my car and approaching a flooded bridge. I stopped, looking first at the water-covered bridge, back where I had been, and to the side of the road, trying to decide if I should park, retreat, or keep moving forward. Then I woke up.

God used that dream to show me that there will always be opposition when pressing toward a goal. There will always be opportunity to park and go no farther or turn around and give up. It was up to me to decide each time if I would give up or go on. That dream has helped me many times to press on when difficulties came, and I was tempted to quit. I have decided that even though I don’t always do everything right, I will never quit! Determination will get you a lot further than talent. So, if you feel you lack in talent, take heart. All you need to win in life is more determination than anyone else you know.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, today may have its challenges, but I am determined to press on following Your will. By Your grace, I will go the distance and never quit, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –The Weight of Grief

Leave a comment

She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head” … Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

1 Samuel 1:10-11, 1 Samuel 1:18

When we cannot see the way forward in life, we must look up to our God.

This is what Hannah did. Her childlessness meant she bore a weight of grief, which was compounded by being provoked by Peninnah, her husband’s second wife, who had given birth to many children (1 Samuel 1:4, 6), and by her husband’s insensitive and thoughtless questions (v 8). When we are facing trial or grief, Hannah serves as our example first in what she did not do. She did not become resentful toward God, nor did she seek vengeance against her rival, Peninnah. Instead, she removed herself from the environment that provoked her sense of disappointment and placed herself in the presence of the one who holds the answers. She brought her tears, her sighs, her longings—all expressions of her sad heart—before God.

As Hannah prayed, she was not attempting to induce God’s favor with a promise. Hannah recognized God as majestic and sovereign and herself as His servant. She simply asked God to do for her what He had done for His people in the past.

After Hannah brought her grief to the Lord, but before her prayer was answered, her appetite returned and her countenance changed. In other words, the resolution for Hannah was not in her pregnancy or the subsequent arrival of a child but in the fact that she had cast her anxieties on the Lord. That was what settled her spirit and lightened her step.

Psalm 73 recounts the difficulties the psalmist faced which caused him nearly to lose his faith. He knew God was good and looked after His people—but his experience seemed to differ. That all changed, though, when he came before God in his desperation: “When I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God” (Psalm 73:16-17). For both Hannah and the psalmist, peace and understanding came as they brought their griefs and troubles into the sanctuary—into the very presence of God Himself.

When you encounter difficult circumstances that provoke you and test your belief in God’s goodness, where do you go? Do you submerge yourself beneath your troubles? Or do you enter the sanctuary of God’s presence in prayer? When you face distress, cry out to God, in whose presence you stand because of the finished work of Christ. As you remember that He is sovereign and good and acts on behalf of His people, you can pray with confidence and boldness and experience the peace that comes only from above—even before you see how He will answer your prayer.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Topics: Anxiety Grief Prayer

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Is Sending a King

Leave a comment

“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.” (Psalm 72:18)

Do you ever wish you could be a king or queen? It seems like kings and queens have everything! They have whatever food they want. They have servants to do their every bidding. People have to bow down to them out of respect. They tell their military leaders when to go to war. They can give away their money or jewels to whomever they want. It seems like being a king or queen would be the best thing in all the world.

David was a king, but he knew that his subjects, the people of Israel, deserved a better king than he was. So he prayed for a great king to rule perfectly over Israel. He wrote this prayer down in Psalm 72.

God is going to send a righteous king (vv.1-3, 7). Because God’s king will treat all people fairly, whether they are rich or poor, there will be peace for a very long time. When God’s king rules, there will be peace all over the world. God’s king will rule “from sea to sea and….unto the ends of the earth” (v. 8). Kings from all over the world, including places such as Spain and Saudi Arabia, will come to him with gifts because of how great he is.

God is going to send a king who will protect the “poor and needy” from evil. He will “redeem their soul from deceit and violence.” This king will care for his people so much that he will protect them not only from physical danger but also from spiritual harm.

God is going to send a king who will rule forever! Sometimes people in history have been glad when a king died, because he was not a good king. But the king that God will send will be blessed – that means honored – by all nations because of how wonderful he is.

So David blesses the Lord God because He will do the wondrous thing of sending this great king. David did not know who the king would be, but you and I do. Jesus is the king! When the wise men came looking for Jesus, they asked where the King of the Jews would be born. At the triumphal entry the people called Jesus a king. When Jesus spoke to Pilate at His trial, He told Pilate about His kingdom. Jesus is the king for whom David prayed.

God has sent a King for you to honor – and that King is coming again!

My Response:
» King Jesus came once to redeem sinners, and He is coming again to be King of All. Are you praying for Him to come as David prayed? Are you expecting Him to come as David expected Him?

Home Page
Denison Forum

Denison Forum – OU women’s softball team makes history as its coach serves Jesus

Leave a comment

The University of Oklahoma women’s softball team made history recently when it became only the second team to win three national titles in a row. But that’s not why I’m beginning today’s Daily Article with their story.

According to OU head coach Patty Gasso, the Lord told her several years ago, “You’re not here to win games. You’re here to open the door—here to win souls.” Now God is honoring her Christian commitment to the Great Commission in remarkable ways.

Team captain Grace Lyons was asked by an ESPN reporter how she and her teammates handle the pressure of their competition and maintain their joy. The reporter might not have expected her answer: “The only way that you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord. Any other type of joy is actually happiness that comes from circumstances and outcomes.” (For more, see the remarkable “Letter to Softball” video below she recorded about her faith story.)

Lyons’ teammate Jayda Coleman shared how, after winning the Women’s College World Series her freshman year, she was happy but didn’t feel joy: “I didn’t know what to do the next day. I didn’t know what to do that following week. I didn’t feel fulfilled and I had to find Christ.”

She continued: “I think that is what makes our team so strong is that we’re not afraid to lose because it’s not the end of the world if we do lose—obviously we’ve worked our butts off to be here and we want to win—but it’s not the end of the world because our life is in Christ and that’s all that matters.”

The only true remedy for our fractured society

I am writing this Daily Article to convince you that Jayda Coleman’s worldview is crucial not only for her and her teammates but for the future of our society.

Yesterday, I claimed that the only true remedy for our fractured and politicized nation is seeing each person through the eyes of God’s grace. When we view our fellow Americans not as political allies or enemies but as individuals whom our Father loves as much as he loves us, we are empowered to accept them as unconditionally as he does.

Brothers and sisters will disagree with each other, but in a healthy family they know they are equally loved by the same father. So it can be for us when Christians model the grace of Christ in our broken world.

Such a worldview, however, presupposes a view of the world that has been in decline for five centuries. Understanding and reversing this decline is crucial to our collective future.

How science “replaced” religion

I consider Carl Trueman to be the most brilliant historical analyst of culture in the Christian world today. You can find our reviews of his monumental recent works, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self and Strange New World, on our website. Now Trueman has published a remarkable essay in Public Discourse that demands our attention yet again.

In it, he explains the central thesis of Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, whose work on secularism has been so foundational in recent years. To summarize and simplify Trueman’s perceptive analysis: Western people before AD 1500 saw themselves as part of a unified spiritual/physical world. They believed that God made and makes all that is, from the universe to today’s sunrise to your next breath. It was therefore not possible to see oneself as separate from God’s holistic ongoing creation. Religious activities were not ends in themselves but expressions of the unifying reality that we are one with our Maker and his world.

Then came the crisis of the papacy in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and the Reformation in the sixteenth, all of which undermined the central authority of the Church in the world. The printing press led to a rise in literacy and private reading. Economies changed from dependence on the land and seasons to privatized production and trade.

The result was a shift in what Taylor calls the “social imaginary,” which Trueman defines as “the set of beliefs and practices that reflect and reinforce the intuitions of a given culture or society.” In this new “social imaginary,” the “self” is viewed as internal and spiritual and the “world” as external and material. Modern science affirmed this view of the material world as secular rather than spiritual.

Consequently, religion moved from being the default intuition of members of society to being optional or even marginal to society. Science “replaced” religion, not by disproving its basic teachings but by aligning with our new understanding of the world and the way it works.

“If our brothers are oppressed, then we are oppressed”

So long as we separate Sunday from Monday and the spiritual from the secular, we isolate ourselves from God’s power to transform us into Christlike disciples (Romans 8:29) who love others as we are loved (John 13:34–35). We privatize our faith into subjective belief with no relevance beyond our inner selves. We should not be surprised when others dismiss the relevance of such a personal hobby.

But when we reject the social imaginary that secularized the material world, serving God with a “whole heart” (Isaiah 38:3) and viewing every moment as a gift and every person as sacred, we agree with Abraham Kuyper: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

And we embrace our calling to assault the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18) by taking the holistic good news of God’s love to every need we face and every eternal soul we touch. In the face of such a movement, the world cannot remain the same.

Today is Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress on this day in 1777. In his Flag Day address to the nation in 1942. President Franklin D. Roosevelt closed with a prayer I invite you to share with me today:

Grant us that simple knowledge
If our brothers are oppressed, then we are oppressed.
If they hunger, we hunger.
If their freedom is taken away, our freedom is not secure.
Grant us a common faith,
That man shall know bread and peace,
That he shall know justice and righteousness,
Freedom and security, an equal opportunity,
And an equal chance to do his best,
Not only in our own lands, but throughout the world.

Amen.

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

Leave a comment

1 Peter 5:3

…nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…

Fathers, God has entrusted you with your own “home team,” and He has called you to be an example to your family. He has provided some fundamentals that will help you succeed in this mission.

The very first — and most essential — fundamental is to read His Word, commit it to memory, and allow it to change the way that you think and act. An athlete cannot achieve well in his sport unless he is on the same page as his general manager. The Bible is the play book for the General Manager over all.

The second fundamental is to love. When the Pharisees pressed Jesus on which commandment was the greatest, He replied: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Dads, love the Lord in such an out-loud way that your children will learn to love Him too.

Make sure they see you reading the Word and applying it to your life. They need to hear your prayers, to see you give thanks when God answers. Take them with you to the house of the Lord; worship Him with all your heart so that they, too, will begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness. The first God they will ever know is the One to Whom you introduce them.

The third fundamental is to lead. As Christ is the head of His church, so the husband is the head of his wife, the leader of his family (Ephesians 5:23). Dads, the trait that best qualifies you to lead is your ability to follow. If you follow Christ, He qualifies and equips you to lead. Every great coach is coachable. He never stops being a student of the game.

Hebrews 12:2 directs us to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to be our example. When He walked among us, He taught His disciples by speaking truth to them and by demonstrating how to live it out.

He did not just instruct them to pray. He showed them how to pray. He did not just send them out to minister. He demonstrated what ministry “to the least of these” looks like.

As you learn the play book, love out loud, and lead by example, the General Manager promises to be beside you every step of the way. He will train and teach, encourage and inspire. He values your commitment to the home team; He recognizes your importance to its success.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I need Your help to be the father that my children need. Teach me from Your Word. As I follow You, show me how to love them well and lead them directly to You. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 12:20-13:34

New Testament 

Acts 9:26-46

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 132:1-18

Proverbs 17:6

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Glad Grads

Leave a comment

For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!
1 Chronicles 22:13, NLT

 Recommended Reading: 1 Chronicles 22:6-13

David Balogun recently graduated from high school—at age nine! He’s a young prodigy who’s also working on his black belt in karate. David has already finished a semester in college, and his goal is to become an astrophysicist who studies black holes and supernovas.1 At about the same time in another school, Pearl Neumann received her high school diploma—at age one hundred.2

Whether young or old, we have dreams, plans, and goals. We feel exuberance when they come true, and we’re often discouraged when they don’t.

Give all your dreams, plans, and goals to God. Ask Him to guide you. Be sensitive to His leadership in your life, and He will give you the best kind of success—that of fulfilling His perfect will for you. Worldly success can change people for the worse. Godly success brings rest to the heart.

Success is the continuing achievement of becoming the person God wants you to be.
Charles Stanley

1 Ramon Antonio Vargas, “Pennsylvania Boy, Nine, Becomes One of the Youngest Ever High School Graduates,” The Guardian, February 5, 2023.

2 “Pearl Neumann, 100 Years Old, Graduates Spencerport High School,” Westside News, January 8, 2023.

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Perfect Father

Leave a comment

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. 

—Psalm 68:5

Scripture:

Psalm 68:5 

I don’t know what kind of earthly dad you have, but you have a Father in Heaven who is perfect. He’s flawless. He has no limitations whatsoever.

What is He like? Jesus answered that in what we call the parable of the Prodigal Son. We could just as easily call it the parable of the Loving Father, because it’s a story about a father who has two sons.

One of the sons went astray, left home, and blew all the money that his dad gave him as his inheritance. Afterward he came to his senses and returned home. And according to Jesus, when that father saw his boy in the distance, he ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. He welcomed him home again.

God the Father is like the father in that story. He’s a Father who loves you, a Father who longs for a relationship with you, and a Father who is brokenhearted when you sin and are away from Him.

I would also add that God’s heart goes out to fatherless children. I understand how hard this can be because I was basically raised by a single mom. In fact, the Bible tells us that God is a “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows” (Psalm 68:5 NLT).

Honestly, there are times when parents blow it. They abandon their children, or they’re harsh or even abusive. But regardless of what your parents did or even what your grandparents did, God can change your story. When Jesus Christ enters the narrative, He can change your future. But you need to ask Him to come and take control.

If you’re a prodigal child, you can come back home. Or if you never have believed in Jesus, then you can believe in Him and be forgiven of all your sin. There’s a place at the table for you in the family of God.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie