Daily Archives: January 10, 2024

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Call to Prayer

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Bible in a Year :

I sat down and wept. . . . I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 1:4

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Nehemiah 1:4–11

Abraham Lincoln confided to a friend, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” In the horrific years of the American Civil War, President Lincoln not only spent time in fervent prayer but also called the country to join him. In 1861, he proclaimed a “day of humiliation, prayer and fasting.” And he did so again in 1863, stating, “It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God: to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.”

After the Israelites had been captives in Babylon for seventy years, King Cyrus decreed that any Israelite who wanted to return to Jerusalem could return. When Nehemiah, an Israelite (Nehemiah 1:6) and cupbearer to the king of Babylon (v. 11), learned that those who had returned were “in great trouble and disgrace” (v. 3), he “sat down and wept” and spent days mourning, fasting and praying (v. 4). He wrestled in prayer for his nation (vv. 5–11). And later, he too called his people to fast and pray (9:1–37).

Centuries later, in the days of the Roman Empire, the apostle Paul similarly urged his readers to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Our God still hears our prayers about matters that affect the lives of others.

By:  Alyson Kieda

Reflect & Pray

Why do you think God calls His people to pray for everyone? Who beyond your own circle can you pray for?

Dear Father, we’re in trouble. Please help and heal us.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Worthy Examples to the World

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 “Let love of the brethren continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

To be a testimony to the world, Christians need to live what they profess.

The nineteenth-century preacher Alexander Maclaren once said, “The world takes its notion of God most of all from those who say they belong to God’s family. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus Christ.” Sound biblical doctrine, as important a foundation as it is, is inadequate by itself to influence the world toward Christ’s gospel.

Christians today could learn much from the early Christians, whose lives were such a rebuke to the immoral, pagan societies around them. Unbelievers in those cultures found it extremely difficult to find fault with Christians, because the more they observed them, the more they saw believers living out the high moral standards the church professed.

Christians in those days were obedient to Peter’s instruction: “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). They also heeded Paul’s advice to Titus: “In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8).

Jesus commanded His original disciples and us, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Of course, Jesus had in mind good works that were genuine and that came from a foundation of good teaching. These verses ought to remind us, therefore, that doctrine and practice must go hand in hand. The author of Hebrews shifts naturally from doctrine and general exhortation to the specific admonitions of chapter 13. Love among believers is his starting point, and it should be ours as we seek to have a credible and worthy walk before the watching world.

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask God to help you maintain a scriptural balance between doctrine and practice. Pray that He would correct specific areas in which you have been living out of balance.

For Further Study

Memorize James 1:25. Use a Bible with good cross references, and look up other verses that deal with “the law of liberty.”

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Living the Good Life

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 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

— Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)

We would all like to know what the future holds for us. God does have a good plan for each of us, but we must be willing to follow His plan, rather than going our own way in order to experience it.

God wants us to live the good life that He has prearranged and made ready for us to live. To press on, we must forget what lies behind us. Your future has no room in it for bad feelings from your past. Take the good things from the past and the lessons you’ve learned along with you but let go of anything that is holding you back or keeping you stuck in fear or insecurity of any kind.

You can have hope instead of hopelessness. Start believing today that your future is filled with good things and refuse to settle for less than God’s best for you.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, please guide me to embrace Your great plan. Help me let go of the past and fill my future with hope. I trust You, Lord, to lead me toward the good life you have prepared for me!

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –Much in Common

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All who believed were together and had all things in common.

Acts 2:44

One of the greatest attractions of the early church in the eyes of the surrounding pagan world was its communal lifestyle. What was it that united such diverse people—Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians and Scythians, slaves and free men (Colossians 3:11)? Jesus Christ. There was no real explanation for the commonality of these Christians’ lives together apart from Him.

From those days until now, the church has always been united in a unique fellowship marked by several commonalities. First is its common faith. The early church did not gather on the basis of ethnicity, education, interests, or anything else; instead, they brought all of their diverse lives under a shared faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Today, Communion remains an eloquent expression of this same unity; there is one loaf and one cup for us to partake from as one body. Jesus is the Bread of life, who sustains and unites us.

Second, we have a common family. When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we are welcomed into His family with other believers, having the same heavenly Father. This familial bond transcends that of even earthly families, because the family of faith is eternal. As such, we should look after the interests of our spiritual brothers and sisters. For us as believers not to love one another would be not only sad but contradictory: “Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:21).

Third, by God’s grace, the true church also experiences common feeling. We see a lesser version of this at sporting events: each individual fan is different, but together they share a common feeling, conviction, and goal. Sometimes they are lifted up together and sometimes they are deflated together. Similarly, as members of one family, we share in each other’s joy, peace, pain, and sorrow. As Paul put it, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Paul’s metaphor in that chapter is of the church as a body: as believers we are different, and we have varying strengths and weaknesses, and so we make up a body that works better together than apart. My limitations and weaknesses are complemented by your strengths, and vice versa.

All families have their difficulties and struggles, and we are all sinners; so it is easy to forget the privilege of belonging to the people of God. When was the last time you thanked your Father for your church family? When was the last time you looked round on a Sunday at your brothers and sisters gathered together and allowed yourself to be buoyed by knowing that this is what you are, by grace, a part of?

Our world, just as in the days of the apostles, is full of division and loneliness. People are fragmented, fearful, and lost. But we, the united body of Christ, can offer to this world a deep fellowship and an eternal, hope-filled future. You have the opportunity to become the very hands and feet of your heavenly Father, reaching into people’s lives as you invite them into His family. Will you seize it?

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

Colossians 3:5–17

Topics: The Church Unity

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 My Refuge

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“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8)

Do you ever need a refuge? A refuge is a place where you go to be safe, a place where you can be free from danger and fear. Everyone is afraid at times. You might feel fearful when you’re alone or when you’re in bed at night with darkness all around. Sometimes you might worry that something bad will happen to your mom or dad. Sometimes you’re afraid because you know you’ve done something wrong – even if you haven’t been caught yet.

God wants to be your refuge at those times. He tells you to pour out your heart to Him. Does that mean you need to use just the right words when you pray? Should you try to pretend you’re a brave, good person who doesn’t really need His help? Pouring out your heart means telling Him exactly how you feel – because He already knows. Tell Him you feel afraid, or tell Him you know you’ve sinned and need His forgiveness. He is greater than anything that you fear. And He cares for you.

God wants to be a refuge for me when I am afraid.

My Response:
» Am I keeping fear or sin in my heart instead of pouring it out to God?

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Did God save lives on Flight 1282?

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When part of an Alaska Airlines fuselage blew out last Friday, no one was sitting next to it.

Was this a miracle?

If so, why did God allow the near-disaster?

More to the point: Will he protect you the next time you travel?

Why Flight 1282’s accident could have been worse

An NTSB official says the accident could have been “much more tragic.” Here’s why:

  • The flight was nearly full, but the seats next to the faulty door plug were unoccupied.
  • The aircraft was still climbing, so passengers were seated with seat belts.
  • If it had been at cruising altitude, people could have been walking around and injured or even sucked out of the hole.
  • A blowout at altitude could have led to oxygen starvation, causing loss of consciousness and even permanent brain damage.

Then there’s the door plug, which could have struck someone on the ground but landed in a Portland science teacher’s backyard instead.

My first thought is to thank God that no one was killed. But my next thought is: If God did in fact save lives on that plane, couldn’t he have prevented the accident?

Because he is omniscient and omnipotent, the answer is clearly yes.

This leads to my big question: Why does God sometimes do what seems best, but not always?

I’ve been praying for a dear friend undergoing cancer surgery. I know God can bring him through and spare his life, but will he? I pray daily for God to protect my family members. I know he can, but will he?

I could go on. So could you.

What you can do now

This is the most difficult issue Christianity faces, so I’ll not attempt a simple “solution” here. Rather, I want to highlight this biblical fact:

When you don’t understand God, you should still trust him.

I know this runs counter to most of life. Would you eat a meal if you don’t trust the chef? Or get in a car if you don’t trust the driver? But God is different:

  • He is omniscient, so we shouldn’t always expect to understand his thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9).
  • He sees the end from the beginning, so we shouldn’t always expect to understand his plans (Isaiah 46:10).
  • Fallen people misuse our free will, so the consequences of our sins are not God’s fault but ours (James 1:13–15).
  • But “God is love” (1 John 4:8), so we can always know that everything he does is for our ultimate best.

Here’s the bottom line: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). The Greek means, “Ask and keep on asking.”

Your prayers don’t inform an omniscient God—they position you to receive what you ask or whatever is best.

What do you need God to do today?

 Going deeper

For more, read “An honest approach to the mystery of suffering” and my book, Making Sense of Suffering, which explores seven biblical and practical responses.

 More news you should know

 Quote for the day

“Suffering is at the very heart of the Christian faith. It is not the only way Christ became like us and redeemed us, but it is one of the main ways we become like him and experience his redemption. And that means that our suffering, despite its painfulness, is also filled with purpose and usefulness.” —Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

James 5:11

God values persistence. He honors those who are faithful, who hang on to hope and continue to believe for breakthrough.

When we continue to profess God’s faithfulness, when we persevere with patience, and when we wait with hope, the mountain of impossibility begins to move.

The prophet, Daniel, exemplifies the supernatural law of breakthrough. After receiving a message from the angel, Gabriel, regarding the desolation that would besiege Jerusalem, Daniel began to fast and pray.

On the twenty-first day of his fast, an angel appeared. God heard the very first prayer on the very first day, and He sent an angel in instant response. However, the angel was delayed by a demonic force that warred against him until reinforcements arrived. Only then was he able to carry the answer to Daniel.

The response that was sent on Day One took twenty days to sort out in heavenly places. If Daniel would not have persevered through the twentieth day, the angel could not have prevailed to bring the answer he sought.

Make perseverance a priority! Continue on course in spite of difficulty or delay. Do not forfeit the blessings of God by bowing out before the breakthrough. Do not pack it in right before the promises become your reality.

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. No enemy can defeat you. No foe can oppose you. Persevere for the promises of God. He will never disappoint you!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Genesis 23:1-24:51

New Testament 

Matthew 8:1-17

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 9:13-20

Proverbs 3:1-6

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – A Strong Tower

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For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.
Psalm 61:3

 Recommended Reading: 2 Samuel 22:2-3

In ancient walled cities a tower was often erected at a corner of the walls or over a city gate. It served as a refuge—a place from which to defend the city from attacks and to protect inhabitants. (See Judges 9:50-55.) A strong tower became a metaphor for God as a place of refuge and protection: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

Today, our cities don’t have walls or towers. Our enemies are spiritual and circumstantial more than physical. So where do we run when we feel we are under attack or experiencing trouble? We do spiritually what people did physically in the Old Testament—we flee to our spiritual tower which is God Himself. In due course, the Israelites began to refer to God as their “strong tower” and “fortress.” His covenant promises and love were what they depended on for protection and comfort. The same is true for us today.

The strength and protection of God are found in His promises to us. Embrace God and His Word; put your faith in Him by trusting His promises.

A sovereign Protector I have, unseen, yet forever at hand.
Augustus M. Toplady

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Rules to Live By

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I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 

—1 Corinthians 9:27

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 9:27 

When athletes have the privilege of representing their countries in the Olympic Games, they agree in advance to play by the rules. This includes an anti-doping code. If athletes test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, even after they’ve won a medal, it will result in their disqualification because they didn’t play by the rules.

In the same way, God gave us rules to live by. And if we don’t live by them, the result will be disqualification. It is not for us to take the Bible and choose which parts of it appeal to us and then cast off the rest.

For example, someone might say, “I like this part about forgiveness and God’s love and grace. But I don’t know if I really like these things that God says about personal obedience or taking up the cross.”

God gave us the Bible. And we are to live by everything that it teaches.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NLT).

Paul was saying, in effect, that he was afraid he would be a hypocrite. And what criticism do we typically hear about the church, and Christians in general, more than any other? It’s something along the lines of this: “There are so many hypocrites in the church. I would become a follower of Jesus, but I see so much hypocrisy.”

Of course, we know this is often an excuse that nonbelievers hide behind. But unfortunately, there is also truth to that statement. There is hypocrisy. And we all have been hypocritical at times.

Yet Paul was saying, “I don’t want to be disqualified in the race of life. I want to practice what I preach.”

The Christian life is like running a race—and it’s a long-distance run. We need to obey the rules, and we also need to pace ourselves. It doesn’t really matter whether we’ve held first place for nine-tenths of the race. We must cross the finish line. Otherwise, it means nothing.

Maybe you’ve been disobeying God. Maybe you’ve been compromising in an area of your life and have been doing things that you shouldn’t do. You know it’s wrong before God.

God is asking you to repent, to turn from it and get back on track again. Even if you’ve done things you regret, even if you’ve made a big mistake, God gives second chances.

If you are genuinely sorry and willing to turn from your sins, then God will forgive you. And you will have another opportunity to obey Him.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Biblical Creation Is Essential

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by Charles (Chas) C. Morse, D.Min.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:1-5)

The doctrine of creation is foundational to comprehending the whole Bible. One can’t change the beginning narrative—even tamper with the smallest Hebrew letter—without incurring the consequences voiced by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17-19).

Biblical creation is essential for correctly grasping and understanding the gospel. The true gospel begins in Genesis when God proclaims, “God created the heaven and the earth” and is further expanded with God’s promise to the serpent that He will put “enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Yahweh speaks in Genesis 1 and then speaks right through Scripture until its climax in Revelation 22:18, when He warns, “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Either you believe the book of Genesis to be historically true or you don’t. If you don’t believe the clarity of Genesis, then you are left with believing deceptive forms of a naturalistic worldview (Colossians 2:8). CCM

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6