Daily Archives: November 8, 2023

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Knowing the Shepherd’s Voice

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Bible in a Year:

His sheep follow him because they know his voice.

John 10:4

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

John 10:1–10

When I was a boy living on a ranch in Tennessee, I spent glorious afternoons roaming with my best friend. We’d hike into the woods, ride ponies, visit the rodeo arena, and venture into the barn to watch the cowboys work the horses. But whenever I heard my dad’s whistle—that clear sound slicing through the wind and all the other clatter—I’d immediately drop whatever I was doing and head home. The signal was unmistakable, and I knew I was being called by my father. Decades later, I’d still recognize that whistle.

Jesus told His disciples that He was the Shepherd, and His followers were the sheep. “The sheep listen to [the shepherd’s] voice,” He said. “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). In a time when numerous leaders and teachers sought to confuse Christ’s disciples by asserting their authority, He declared that His loving voice could still be heard clearly, more distinctly than all the others. “His sheep follow [the shepherd], because they know his voice” (v. 4).

May we be careful as we listen for Jesus’ voice and avoid foolishly dismissing it, for the fundamental truth remains: The Shepherd speaks clearly, and His sheep hear His voice. Perhaps through a verse of Scripture, the words of a believing friend, or the nudge of the Spirit—Jesus speaks, and we do hear.

By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

How do you think you’ve complicated hearing God’s voice? What’s the Shepherd saying to you today?

Dear God, I need to be reminded that You’re speaking, and that I do hear You. Help me pay attention. Help me to listen and respond.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – The First Disciple

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“Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. And Abel . . . brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard” (Gen. 4:3-5).

True discipleship is characterized by obedience to God’s Word.

In John 8:31 Jesus issued an important statement to a group of people who were showing an interest in Him: “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” Sadly, they rejected His words, proving themselves to be less than true disciples. Jesus went on to explain why: “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God” (v. 47). They listened but didn’t really hear. They were interested but not truly committed. They were hearers of the Word but not doers (James 1:22).

In contrast, Abel did what God told him to do. He was, in effect, the first disciple. He was probably a better person than Cain—more friendly, moral, and dependable—but that’s not why God accepted his sacrifice and rejected Cain’s. Abel trusted God, and his faith was counted as righteousness. Like Abraham, whose faith was evidenced by his willingness to obey God and sacrifice his son Isaac (James 2:21-22), Abel’s faith was evidenced in his obedient offering. He didn’t rely on his own goodness but acknowledged his sin and made the prescribed sacrifice.

Perhaps God indicated His acceptance of Abel’s sacrifice by consuming it with fire, as He did on other occasions in Scripture (Judg. 6:21; 1 Kings 18:38). But whatever means He used, God made his pleasure known to Abel.

Abel’s brief life conveys a simple three-point message: we must come to God by faith; we must receive and obey God’s Word; and sin brings serious consequences. If you hear and heed that message, you’ll walk the path of true discipleship and be assured of God’s pleasure.

Suggestions for Prayer

Make it your goal to please the Lord in everything you do today. Seek His wisdom and grace to do so faithfully.

For Further Study

Read these verses, noting what they say about pleasing God: 2 Corinthians 5:9; Ephesians 5:6-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 11:6; and Hebrews 13:15-16, 20-21.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Are the Home of God

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 Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God.

— 1 John 4:15 (AMPC)

As believers, we have the life of God inside of us. We are the dwelling place or home of God. This truth is necessary for each of us to understand in order to enjoy close fellowship and intimacy with God. God takes up residence within us when we give our lives to Jesus, believing in Him as the only Savior and Lord. From that position, He, by the power of the Holy Spirit, begins a wonderful work in us.

We can be thankful that God loves us and chooses to make His home in us. He has the ability to do what He wants, and He chooses to make His home in our hearts. This choice is based not on any good deeds we have done or ever could do, but solely on the grace, mercy, power, and love of God. As believers in Christ, we become God’s dwelling place (see Ephesians 3:17; 2 Timothy 1:14).

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, for the way You take up residence in my heart. You are not distant or out of reach. I thank You that You dwell in me and are involved in every area of my life.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –Prophecy Fulfilled

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It was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief … Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:10-11

One of the most powerful aspects of the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Christ is the way that again and again and again they record how the events of the day fulfilled Old Testament prophecies made hundreds of years before.

When the chief priests and scribes delivered Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor was perplexed at His choice not to publicly defend Himself. When Pilate asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied enigmatically, “You have said so” (Matthew 27:11). When the religious leaders continued making accusations, Pilate asked again, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you” (Mark 15:4-5). Yet Christ did exactly as Isaiah 53:7 had foretold: He “opened not his mouth,” but instead waited in silence to be sentenced to death.

Later that day, only hours before Jesus breathed His last, the noonday sun was suddenly and dramatically swallowed up in darkness (Matthew 27:45). The Jewish people who were present ought to have understood the significance of that event from what had happened at the first Passover. They knew that in Egypt, the ninth plague, which preceded the death of the firstborn, was the plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-29). The darkness on the day of crucifixion mirrored that very plague, identifying the need for blood to be shed, for a lamb to be slain, and for provision of shelter from the judgment of which the darkness itself spoke.

The Gospels show us that Jesus knew He was the one who had been promised, the one who would bear our sin to win our salvation. He lived out the prophetic words of Isaiah 53, and He operated of His own will according to the plan of Almighty God, expressing God’s love and sacrificing everything for those who deserve nothing except judgment.

As Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled before their eyes on the day that Christ was crucified, the biggest question that Pilate and the Jews each faced was essentially “What shall I do with Jesus?” And that is the great question that we all face every day. By our very nature, we neglect His wisdom, rebel against His authority, and doubt His goodness. That is why “it was the will of the LORD to crush him,” for God had purposed that He Himself would “bear [our] iniquities.” The realization that God had planned His Son’s sin-bearing death centuries before He hung on the cross—in fact, had planned it before the creation of the world—ought to bring us to our knees in awe, not just at the sovereignty of God’s plan but also at the love that brought it into being, the love that wrought its climax at Calvary. Christ remained silent as He stood before Pilate; there is no reason or excuse for us to remain silent as we kneel before Him and consider all He has done for us.

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

Luke 4:16-21

Topics: Preaching Christ from the Old Testament Prophecy Sovereignty of God

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 the Redeemer

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“Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” (Isaiah 43:1b)

Christopher wanted a toy sailboat. He went to his father and asked for some money. His dad told him that yes, he could buy a sailboat, but that he would have to earn the money and buy it himself. So Christopher worked hard and bought the boat.

Christopher loved his boat. He would take it to a small river nearby his house and spend hours playing with it.

One day Christopher was playing with his boat on the water. The wind was strong, and soon – the boat drifted away. He tried to go after it, but it was too late. He watched it go downstream.

Christopher was, of course, very sad about this. He had worked very hard, and now his boat was gone.

Weeks passed, and then one morning, Christopher went to town with his father. There in the window of the toy store was his boat! Someone had found it and put it up for sale. Christopher went right in to the store to get his boat back. The store owner told him he could have it, but for a price. He would first need to work and buy it back. So that’s exactly what Christopher did. He worked and bought the boat again. He redeemed (bought again) the boat!

And that’s exactly what God did for you. God made you, which means He “owns” you, fair and square. You are His because He created you. You don’t belong to anyone – not even to yourself! – like you belong to God. But if you are a believer, God owns you “times two.” After you sinned and lost fellowship with Him, He “bought you back again.” Jesus Christ is the One about Whom Paul is writing in Ephesians 1:7. Paul is talking about Jesus Christ when he says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood.” Redemption is what it is to be bought back, to be bought a second time.

God paid for you with the life of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Christians belong to God – two times over! So how should you live, if you are God’s “property”? You are loved and you belong to Him forever. If you are redeemed, you can be sure God has gone to great lengths to make sure He can keep you.

God is completely good and completely great, so His purposes and plans for your life have got to be good and great. They are better plans for your life than any of the things you might have in mind. There is nothing better than living a life that glorifies the God Who loved you enough to keep you for His own. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

If God has redeemed your soul from sin and hell, He owns you “times two.”

My Response:
» Am I tempted sometimes to think that I am the one in control of my life?
» How can I show that I believe my plans and desires for my life aren’t as good and great as God’s are?

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Voters supported abortion in yesterday’s elections: What is the path forward for life?

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Yesterday’s elections were bad news for preborn children in America. Kentucky reelected pro-choice Gov. Andy Beshear, indicating that abortion rights advocacy will be a positive issue for Democrats in next year’s national elections. Ohio voters adopted a ballot measure to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution. And Virginia voters rebuffed Republican candidates in favor of those who support abortion rights.

Abortion rights have won in every election since Roe v. Wade was overturned and abortions have risen nationally, even though several states have restricted or outlawed the procedure. Yesterday’s results are significant politically because Donald Trump won Kentucky by a 25.9 percent margin in 2020 and Ohio by an 8 percent margin. While Joe Biden won Virginia, Republican Glenn Youngkin won the governor’s race the next year.

Virginia’s elections are especially relevant to this issue since Gov. Youngkin has advocated an approach that many hoped would forge a cultural consensus on abortion.

Is a 15-week ban the solution?

Youngkin has been supporting a fifteen-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest, and protecting the life of the mother. US Catholic bishops have endorsed a similar Senate plan sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham (R.–SC) that would allow states to restrict abortion earlier in pregnancy but no later than fifteen weeks.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America also endorses a national ban on abortions after fifteen weeks of pregnancy and promises to oppose any presidential candidate who refuses to embrace this standard at a minimum.

Here’s the political reasoning behind such proposals: according to Gallup, 69 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal in the first trimester (conception to twelve weeks), while support drops to 37 percent for the second trimester (thirteen to twenty-seven weeks) and 22 percent for the third (twenty-eight to forty weeks). Majorities oppose abortion being legal in the second (55 percent) and third (70 percent) trimester.

In other words, a majority of Americans would theoretically support an abortion ban at fifteen weeks. However, since only 13 percent oppose abortion in all circumstances, it would seem that a large majority also want exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the mother’s life.

The challenges we face

Some pro-life supporters believe that since life begins at conception, permitting abortion politically at any stage is wrong. Just as we would not debate whether to legalize the killing of a newborn baby versus one who is fifteen weeks old, we should not legalize the aborting of a preborn baby at any stage in its life.

However, since only 13 percent of Americans agree, forging a political strategy to eliminate all abortions will be challenging.

This is why many pro-life advocates view a fifteen-week ban as the way to reverse pro-abortion gains after Roe was overturned. They believe this to be a way for pro-life politicians to win the political power necessary to protect as many lives as possible. But yesterday’s results in Virginia call into question the political viability of this strategy as well.

Pro-life advocates clearly must not abandon our political efforts to protect preborn children. But yesterday’s results illustrate the challenges we face and remind us that, in a post-Roe world, supporting life also requires non-political strategies that are highly commended by Scripture.

Where ministry begins in a post-Christian culture

Research indicates that women who chose abortion did so for these reasons:

  • Not financially prepared: 40 percent
  • Not a good time: 36 percent
  • Issues with partner: 31 percent
  • Need to focus on other children: 29 percent
  • Interferes with future plans: 20 percent
  • Not emotionally or mentally prepared: 19 percent
  • Health issue: 12 percent
  • Not independent or mature enough: 7 percent
  • Influence from family or friends: 5 percent
  • Don’t want children: 3 percent

Only 12 percent considered the preborn child, citing “unable to provide a ‘good’ life.”

Those who choose abortion obviously prioritize their personal issues over the life of their preborn child. If we are to help women considering abortion choose life instead, clearly we need to help them with these practical issues. We can provide financial assistance, health care, and counseling and resources for managing their other relationships. We can support pro-life ministries that provide such services. We can encourage adoption for those who do not think they are prepared to have another child and we can consider adopting personally.

In these ways, we can meet mothers of preborn children at the point of their personal needs, following the example of our Lord as he healed bodies to heal souls. His first followers did the same as they ministered to a man born lame (Acts 3) and “the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits” (Acts 5:16).

In their pre-Christian culture, ministry began with personal compassion. In our post-Christian culture, the same is true today.

As a result, whenever we see this issue in the news, let’s pray for mothers considering abortion to choose life for their preborn child, then let’s look for practical ways to answer our prayers.

Would you join me in doing so right now?

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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I Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

No matter what personal flood is swirling around you, be assured that God has placed someone in your life to throw out a line to you.

God created us for relationship with Himself and with one another. He made us family. He instructs us to look out for the interests of others; we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.

In the middle of strange waters, struggling to keep your head above water, be alert for the person that God has sovereignly placed near you. That is the person who will toss out the life preserver, that will remind you that God has not brought you this far to fail.

In the face of a frightening diagnosis, that brother will testify to Jesus’ healing power. Once drowning in a sea of debt, that sister will tell of a Provider Who is more than enough. She will remind you of His past faithfulness. He will encourage you to trust and persevere. They will stand beside you in the rain and pray for the sun to shine again.

Watch for the hand reaching down to pull you out of the waves. Listen for the life-giving words that will be breath to your lungs. Find hope in the friends that He will give you in the flood.


Blessing:

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. Even when facing a personal flood, God has provided everything that you need to come up out of the water in victory. He is our strength and salvation!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Ezekiel 18:1-19:14

New Testament

Hebrews 9:1-12

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 106:32-48

Proverbs 27:10

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Angels Watching Over Me

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But while [Joseph] thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 1:20

 Recommended Reading: Daniel 10:1-19

We have questions to ask and decisions to make; we pursue familiar biblical means of decision-making: prayer, biblical principles, counsel, and more. But one thing we don’t often consider is that God might use an angel to direct us.

Think of Joseph when he learned that his betrothed, Mary, was pregnant. A good man, Joseph intended to end the engagement quietly so as not to bring shame upon Mary. But an angel came to him in a dream and told him to go ahead with his marriage to Mary—because her pregnancy was of divine origin. That angelic message led Joseph to marry Mary and become the earthly father of Jesus. Or consider Daniel: For three weeks he prayed for understanding, and then an angel appeared and told him the delay was due to spiritual warfare in the heavenlies (Daniel 10).

Make allowance in your decision making for the ministry of angels. Directly or indirectly, seen or unseen, they are commissioned by God to help you.

Angels will never be kings. They will always be servants.
Andrew Bonar

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Tandem Walking

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Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? 

—Amos 3:3

Scripture:

Amos 3:3 

It was a unique time in human history. Before God’s judgment of the earth by water, people were very wicked—so wicked, in fact, that God was sorry He made them.

Here’s how the Bible describes this time: “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5 NLT).

Yet in the midst of this dark environment was an individual who walked with God. His name was Enoch, and he showed that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world.

Enoch also was a prototype of a generation of people who will not see death but will be caught up to meet the Lord in what the Bible calls the Rapture. And we could be that generation.

The Bible says, “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him” (Genesis 5:23–24 NLT).

When you’re walking somewhere, it means you’re making progress. You’re moving toward a destination, going from one place to another.

In the original language, the word the Bible uses for “walking” carries a lot of meaning. We also find a helpful verse in Amos 3, which says, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (verse 3 NLT).

Together, these passages give us a good picture of what it means to walk with God.

“Walk together” means walking in tandem or harmony. Think of a bicycle for two, a tandem cycle. If the rider in front is pedaling away while the rider in back is hitting the brakes, that is going to slow things down.

The same is true of two people in a canoe. They both have to work together in perfect rhythm. If one person digs in the paddle like a brake, it will hinder both of them from going where they want to go.

The idea is that both need to get into harmony. Both need to move together. And that is what it means to walk with God.

As followers of Christ, we need to get into harmony with God. It doesn’t mean that God needs to get into harmony with us. But often we think that is the case. We want God to bless the plans that we’ve made apart from Him.

Jesus said, “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7 NLT).

We like the second half of the verse about asking for anything we want. But let’s not forget the first half: “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you . . .” If we’re doing that, then we’ll start asking for what is aligned with God’s will. And that’s what prayer is all about.

In the same way, to walk with God means to get into harmony with Him. Are you walking with God today?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie