Daily Archives: January 23, 2024

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Scraps to Beauty

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Bible in a Year :

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Micah 4:3

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Micah 4:1–5

My wife, Miska, has a necklace and hoop earrings from Ethiopia. Their elegant simplicity reveals genuine artistry. What’s most astounding about these pieces, however, is their story. Due to decades of fierce conflict and a civil war that rages on, Ethiopia’s geography is littered with spent artillery shells and cartridges. As an act of hope, Ethiopians scour the torched earth, cleaning up the scraps. And artisans craft jewelry out of what remains of the shells and cartridges.

When I heard this story, I heard echoes of Micah boldly declaring God’s promise. One day, the prophet announced, the people would “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (4:3). Tools meant to kill and maim would, because of God’s powerful action, be transformed into tools meant to nurture life. In God’s coming day, the prophet insisted, “nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (v. 3).

Micah’s pronouncement was no harder to imagine in his day than ours. Like Israel of old, we face violence and war, and it seems impossible that the world could ever change. But God promises us that by His mercy and healing, this astounding day is coming. The thing for us, then, is to begin to live this truth now. God helps us to take on His work even now, turning scraps into beautiful things.

By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

Where have you seen evil transformed by God’s love? How can you turn scraps into beauty?

Dear God, please change our world. Work through me to bring beauty here.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Comprehending What You Have

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“[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph. 1:17).

Your inheritance in Christ is so vast and profound that you cannot comprehend it apart from God’s enabling.

The late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst invested a fortune in collecting great works of art. One day he read of an extremely valuable work that he determined to add to his collection. His agent searched the galleries of the world but to no avail. Finally, after many months of effort and at great expense, the agent found the prized art work: it had been stored in one of Hearst’s own warehouses all along!

That story parallels Christians who are constantly searching for something more because they don’t understand what they already have in Christ. Since Paul knew that was a potential problem, he prayed for God to enable us to comprehend our spiritual riches.

“Spirit” in verse 17 refers to a disposition or attitude of humility, such as, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3). “Revelation” is knowledge that God imparts through His Word. “Wisdom” is the application of that knowledge to daily living. The combined effect is a humble attitude toward God’s Word that compels you to learn it and integrate it into every aspect of your life.

On the human level the fullness of your inheritance in Christ is incomprehensible. God’s Word reveals many of its benefits and the Holy Spirit empowers you as you learn to live according to its principles, but much of it will remain a mystery in this life (1 John 3:2). Paul’s prayer is that you will understand as much as possible so that godly wisdom and revelation will govern all your attitudes and actions. Let that be your goal today.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God for the incomprehensible riches that are yours in Christ.
  • Pray that you might always approach His Word with a submissive and teachable heart.

For Further Study

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Be Renewed

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God selected…what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are, so that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God.

— 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (AMPC)

If you are weak in faith, in mind, in body, in discipline, in self-control, or in determination, simply wait on God. He will be strong through your weakness.

Isaiah 40:31 teaches that if you expect God, look for Him, and hope in Him, you will change and renew your strength and power; you will run, and not faint or become tired. The Bible doesn’t say “hope so, it could be, or it may be”; it declares that you will be renewed.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am weak, but You are strong. Strengthen me. Renew my faith, my mind, and my body. I will wait on You and Your unfailing power, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – The Lord’s Work

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And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

Today, you and I have work to do.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, when the apostle Paul instructed the church to welcome Timothy warmly into their community, it wasn’t because Timothy was trying to make a name for himself, held some honorific or title, or was seeking to become noteworthy. No, it was simply because Timothy was “doing the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 16:10).

The Lord’s work is anything on which we might lay our hands or focus our minds that is pleasing to God, as we work for him rather than in order to impress others (Colossians 3:23). This can be within the body of Christ or in service to the world around us.

Paul purposefully includes the phrase “whatever you do” in verse 17. The “whatever” of Christian service means that in all our endeavors, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we should seek to position ourselves to be effectively involved in gospel ministry. Whether we’re helping a neighbor, greeting visitors who come through the doors of our church, or volunteering in the community, every type of service is an opportunity to point others to our Savior. What a privilege it is to know that we were placed here on earth to be involved in seeing unbelieving people become committed followers of Jesus Christ!

Within the body of Christ, we should recognize that our spiritual growth is a result of others’ service to the Lord. Paul rightly viewed the Corinthians as the result of his labor in Christ’s name, writing, “Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1). The very existence of the church in Corinth was due to the fact that the apostle was doing the Lord’s work. Paul was neither irrelevant nor pre-eminent; rather, he was purposefully appointed to a specific responsibility.

As Christians, we are called not simply to sit and learn but to grow and go, to fish and feed. God appoints every believer to particular responsibilities within Christian ministry and service, and those responsibilities include working for Him in whatever circumstances and opportunities come our way today; for they do not come by chance but by divine arrangement. Paul admirably modeled this to us through his obedience to God’s call, recognizing that he was “a chosen instrument” who would carry God’s name “before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

The work of the Lord was something Paul took seriously. We should too. We are all called to honor God wherever we are. Consider what might change in how you think and what you do if in every moment you asked yourself, “Now, what would Jesus have me do here? How can I praise His name and bring Him pleasure in this moment?” Today, you have the privilege of having work to do for Him.

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

Psalm 127

Topics: Ministry Service

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 Made You

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“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Psalm 139:14-15)

God made you. Before you were born – even long before your parents were even born – God had plans for you. The Bible says that in God’s book He had a record that told all that would happen to you. No matter what you look like or what talents or disabilities you might have been born with, God planned it all. He made you just the way you are for His own glory.

Sometimes you might be tempted to complain about how God made you. You may wish you looked like someone else, or maybe you wish you had a natural talent like one of your classmates. The Bible says that you were fearfully and wonderfully made and that God’s thoughts toward you are precious.

Although you should never think boastfully about yourself, you should recognize that God made you special and unique, and He has a special plan for your life that includes what you look like and what natural talents you have. Thank God today for making you just the way you are, and look for ways that you can bring glory to Him with your appearance and your talents.

God made me, and His thoughts toward me are precious.

My Response:
» Am I tempted to complain about the way I look or the disabilities I have?
» Do I thank God for everyone He’s made?

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Uncategorized

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Made You

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“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Psalm 139:14-15)

God made you. Before you were born – even long before your parents were even born – God had plans for you. The Bible says that in God’s book He had a record that told all that would happen to you. No matter what you look like or what talents or disabilities you might have been born with, God planned it all. He made you just the way you are for His own glory.

Sometimes you might be tempted to complain about how God made you. You may wish you looked like someone else, or maybe you wish you had a natural talent like one of your classmates. The Bible says that you were fearfully and wonderfully made and that God’s thoughts toward you are precious.

Although you should never think boastfully about yourself, you should recognize that God made you special and unique, and He has a special plan for your life that includes what you look like and what natural talents you have. Thank God today for making you just the way you are, and look for ways that you can bring glory to Him with your appearance and your talents.

God made me, and His thoughts toward me are precious.

My Response:
» Am I tempted to complain about the way I look or the disabilities I have?
» Do I thank God for everyone He’s made?

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why is democracy so popular?

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Only seven countries in the world—Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Brunei, Afghanistan, and the Vatican—do not claim to be democratic.

However, as Winston Churchill famously noted, democracy is “the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Just ask the folks shivering in the cold to vote in New Hampshire’s presidential primaries tonight.

Every state in the Union will hold a primary election or caucus to help nominate candidates for president of the United States. Then comes the political conventions, followed by more campaigning, followed by the elections. More than $10 billion will be spent on political ads this year.

And that’s just for the White House. In 2020, 2,371 people ran for the US Congress. Not to mention the multiplied thousands who ran for state and local offices and all the money they raised and spent.

Why do we do our governance this way?

There’s a right answer and a wrong answer. Choosing correctly is critical to our future as a nation.

The wrong answer to our question

Many who run for office believe they are the best candidate for the position, that in a sense they “deserve” to win. Many who vote in elections believe that their views should prevail and their wishes should be championed by their government, that in a sense they “deserve” for their candidates to win.

In other words, many of us are political consumers who “purchase” what we want by running for office or voting in elections. Our nation’s governance is a means to our personal ends.

This is the wrong answer to our question.

In his essay “Equality,” C. S. Lewis wrote that he believed in democracy “because I believe in the Fall of Man.” He continued:

I think most people [believe in democracy] for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on these grounds is that they’re not true.

Why not?

Lewis explained: “I find that they’re not true without looking further than myself. I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost, much less a nation.”

The right answer to our question

Consequently, Lewis noted, “Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows.”

Here we find the right answer to our question.

  • We should run for office as fallen people who recognize that we desperately need the leadership, wisdom, and strength only God can provide.
  • We should run because God has called us into public service by his grace and because we wish to serve him gratefully by serving our nation and our constituents.
  • We should serve in dependence on his Spirit because only then can we partner with God in fulfilling his plans for our people (Jeremiah 29:11).

The more leaders think they deserve their office, the less they do.

The same is true for the rest of us.

  • We should pray before we vote and then vote as God directs us.
  • We should discuss political candidates in ways that do not demean them (Proverbs 10:18) or dishonor our Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31).
  • When our leaders fall short of God’s intention, we should remember Oswald Chambers’ maxim: “God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.”

Here’s a fact we must never forget:

“Kingship belongs to the Lᴏʀᴅ, and he rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28).

To whom does the “kingship” of your life belong today?

Tuesday news to know

Quote for the day

“A vote is like a rifle—its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” —Theodore Roosevelt

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:15

Our cravings are created and controlled by the things that we see, hear, and experience.

The entertainment industry banks on our susceptibility to the images that it broadcasts: the miracle cream that erases wrinkles, the protein shakes that promise the perfect body, the happily-ever-after portrayed by the beautiful couple living in the huge house with the perfect children.

Where are our eyes focused? Are we looking at the distractions of this world or the Gospel truth? Are we listening to the opinions of imperfect others, or are we tuned in to the revelations of God? Are we experiencing the pressure of unrealistic expectations or the peace of His Spirit?

In today’s verse, John warns us not to love the world or its things. We must guard our hearts against its allures. Love for this world squeezes out our love for the Father. Demanding our own way, coveting the goods and gadgets, desiring to feel important – all of these isolate us from God.

What do we crave most? Nothing must edge out God’s presence in our lives. Nothing should consume us more than our hunger for Him. Nothing else deserves our devotion and delight. Our priority is loving Him.

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. May you seek the kingdom of God and all His righteousness first and foremost, and He will be faithful to add everything that you need. Give praise to the only One worthy to receive it!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Genesis 46:1-47:31

New Testament 

Matthew 15:1-28

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 19:1-14

Proverbs 4:14-19

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Our Defender

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Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath.
Romans 12:19, NIV

 Recommended Reading: Romans 12:14-21

Revenge is such an ugly word that perhaps you think you’re removed from it. But even as children, we schemed to “get even” when we thought someone did us wrong. As adults, we often have trouble knowing the difference between being hurt, becoming bitter, and evening the score. It’s human nature to defend our honor and seek vindication when attacked.

In facing conflict or oppression from the wicked, we must never let our hearts grow hardened. There may be just ways of solving the problem, but in the end it comes back to trusting God to vindicate us. Our Lord Jesus was abused, but He answered His critics, not with ten legions of angels, but with the most shocking event in history—His resurrection.

Pray that when times of conflict come, you will turn to Him and to His Word. Let Him give you wisdom to respond well, and trust Him to be your Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

May the gospel keep me humble and patient…. I don’t want to waste one more self-absorbed moment rehearsing things that hurt me and relishing personal revenge.
Scotty Smith

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – A Squandered Life

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The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ‘Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.’ So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 

—Jeremiah 18:1–3

Scripture:

Jeremiah 18:1–3 

Jeremiah the prophet watched as the potter patiently formed the clay on the wheel. Obviously, he had a goal and purpose in mind for that piece of clay. But some of it was resistant and inflexible in the potter’s hands. Therefore, he cast it aside for a lesser purpose.

In other words, the clay didn’t become what the potter wanted it to be.

We are like the clay, and God is like the potter. He has a plan for each of our lives that is better than anything we’ve planned for ourselves. And we have a choice as to whether we’ll yield to the will of God for our lives or resist it.

Of course, we’ll have setbacks in life. We’ll face hardship and tragedy. We’ll encounter unexpected problems. But we have a choice as to whether we will become bitter or better.

Joseph had setback after setback, yet he chose to look to God. He was even able to say to his brothers who had betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).

In contrast, Samson was someone whom God could have used mightily, but he threw his life away because he made some subtle but serious mistakes. His was a life of squandered resources and wasted potential. And it stands as a warning to us that a good beginning doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good ending.

As Solomon wrote, “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride” (Ecclesiastes 7:8 NLT). Or, as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.”

Of course, when we think of Samson, we usually think of his fall with Delilah. However, it was a series of small compromises that ultimately led to his undoing.

God put his hand upon Samson in a unique way. Physically, there was no one stronger. The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit would come upon him, and he would do incredible, superhuman feats.

During Samson’s life, it was a very wicked time in Israel’s history. The Book of Judges says that everyone “did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (17:6 NLT). So, God raised up Samson. He was one of two people in the Old Testament whose birth and mission were foretold by an angel. And the angel said of Samson, “He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines” (Judges 13:5 NLT).

Samson had the potential to do great things, but he didn’t finish the task he had started.

Life is full of surprises. We all know people like Samson, people who had great promise but never reached their potential. Then there are others who didn’t seem to have much promise, yet God is powerfully using them today.

What will you do with the life that God has given you? You have a choice. Will you conform to the will of God, or will you resist it?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Praying According to His Will

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

This promise is comprehensive and unlimited—a tremendous assurance of answered prayer. But there is one proviso—according to His will! There are a number of Christians who, with all good intentions, have argued that it evidences a lack of faith to add the qualification “if it be thy will” to one’s prayer. But this can hardly be true in light of the example of Christ Himself when He “prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).

The question is how to know whether or not we are praying according to God’s will. One key, of course, is to search the Scriptures. God’s will can never contradict His Word, and it is foolish to ask God to do something that the Scriptures themselves forbid. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).

When, however, we sincerely desire God’s will to be done, and so far as can be determined there is no biblical or personal barrier hindering our prayer, then we can pray in confidence even if we yet don’t know for certain God’s will in the matter. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:26-28). HMM

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