Daily Archives: February 14, 2024

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Motivated by Love

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Bible in a Year :

If I . . . do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

1 Corinthians 13

Jim and Laneeda were college sweethearts. They got married and life was happy for many years. Then Laneeda began to act strangely, getting lost and forgetting appointments. She was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at forty-seven. After a decade of serving as her primary caregiver, Jim was able to say, “Alzheimer’s has given me the opportunity to love and serve my wife in ways that were unimaginable when I said, ‘I do.’ ”

While explaining the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul wrote extensively on the virtue of love (1 Corinthians 13). He contrasted rote acts of service with those overflowing from a loving heart. Powerful speaking is good, Paul wrote, but without love it’s like meaningless noise (v. 1). “If I . . . give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (v. 3). Paul ultimately said, “the greatest [gift] is love” (v. 13).

Jim’s understanding of love and service deepened as he cared for his wife. Only a deep and abiding love could give him the strength to support her every day. Ultimately, the only place we see this sacrificial love modeled perfectly is in God’s love for us, which caused Him to send Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16). That act of sacrifice, motivated by love, has changed our world forever.

By:  Karen Pimpo

Reflect & Pray

How have you tried to serve others without love? How can a love for God and others inspire your actions today?

Loving God, thank You for loving me. May my actions flow out of a loving heart today.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Our Response to God’s Power

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“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. . . . They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

Relying on God’s power gives us confidence to live as Christians.

What should be our response to God’s power? First, we should worship Him. Our response should follow what God told Israel: “The Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice” (2 Kings 17:36).

Understanding God’s power should also give us confidence: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). Because of His strength, we can live the Christian life each day with confidence. God “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20).

Our eternal hope rests on the power of God. His power saved us and will “raise [us] up on the last day” (John 6:40). That day should be the great hope of the Christian, because whatever troubles we have on earth, our heavenly destiny is still secure.

When I’m tempted to worry, I’m comforted to remember that God’s power is greater than any problem I have. The psalmist says, “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2). The God who made everything can certainly handle our troubles!

God’s power also gives us spiritual victory. Paul instructs us to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). When the adversary comes and you’re on guard, you don’t fight him; you go tell the commander, and he leads the battle. God will bring about the victory because “greater is He who is in [us] than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Satan may be powerful, but he’s no match for God.

Finally, understanding God’s power gives us humility. Peter exhorts us, “Humble yourselves . . . under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). Apart from God’s gracious power we are nothing and can do nothing (John 15:5).

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for each of these ways He uses His power for our benefit.

For Further Study

Read Psalm 121. In what ways does God demonstrate His power to us?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Living with Excellence

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Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.

— Colossians 3:23 (AMP)

Whatever God has placed before you to do—whether it is working in a career, raising a family, being a friend, starting a ministry—He wants you to do it with excellence. He wants you to do your absolute best for Him.

Mediocrity is easy. Anybody can do it. But it is costly. It costs us fulfillment. And it costs us real joy. One way to find purpose and joy in life is to pray in your quiet time with God that He will always help you to be excellent in all you do each day.

This doesn’t mean you will be perfect. We all make mistakes and stumble from time to time. But with God’s help, you can learn from those mistakes and purpose to do every new thing before you with excellence in service to Him.

Prayer of the Day: Father God, I never want to settle for a mediocre life. Show me the excellent way to go, help me find my purpose and joy, and the grace to enjoy life even in my imperfections, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –A Disciple of Christ

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There was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Acts 9:10

Every day, you are shaping your reputation. And as a Christian, every day you are shaping Christ’s reputation too. What do our lives say about Christ as we walk around as His disciples?

Ananias may be a lesser-known Bible character, but he had a profound influence on Paul’s life and therefore on all of church history. This resulted from his daily devoted faithfulness as a disciple of Christ. Three traits of his discipleship can help to shape our own character and commitment to Christ as we seek to be used in God’s kingdom.

First, Ananias was, as the KJV puts it, “a certain disciple” (emphasis added): one who was specifically chosen. Even before bringing Paul (then known as Saul) to Damascus or calling upon Ananias, God sovereignly orchestrated the spread of the church after the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem to reach at least 200 miles north to Damascus, where a group of believers, including Ananias, were then established. Then, out of this group, God specifically chose Ananias to reach out to Paul after his conversion. This profound display of God’s sovereignty should inspire and encourage us to trust that God may be working in ways yet unseen to prepare and use us to accomplish His will.

Next, Ananias was a bold disciple. He identified himself as a follower of the Lord—part of the very group in Damascus that Paul was on his way to persecute before his conversion (Acts 9:1). Ananias’s loyalty wasn’t simply to a local church, a denomination, or a theological view but to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Similarly, if Jesus has taken hold of our lives and changed us then we cannot keep this life-altering fact to ourselves either. Just as we say no to sin when we receive Christ’s salvation, we must also say no to secrecy about our faith. Either our discipleship will destroy our secrecy, or our secrecy will destroy our discipleship.

Finally, Ananias was a committed disciple. Later, Paul would remember Ananias as a “devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived” in Damascus (Acts 22:12). A reputation like this is not gained in five minutes, or even five days, but slowly, in the steady ebb and flow of life. Ananias developed such a reputation by committing his whole life to following God and His word—a commitment that he surely displayed through his daily business and interactions with others.

Ananias’s life challenges us to be faithful in seemingly small ways on apparently ordinary days. Perhaps one day we will be called to do something extraordinary for the Lord—but we are not to wait until then before we live wholeheartedly for Him. This is what disciples do: boldly, devotedly, and humbly they pursue God and trust Him completely. Whether you are in the midst of studies, raising children, pursuing a career, or facing retirement and old age, seek to do it all faithfully to the glory of God. Make it your aim to be known simply as Ananias was: as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

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

Acts 9:1–19

Topics: Biblical Figures Discipleship

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 Our Refuge

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“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” (Psalm 91:2)

In the news, we hear a lot about refugees. We talk about those people, and we see pictures of them on TV. But who are they really? They are people who are looking for safety and help. For one reason or another they have been put out of their homes and villages – usually because of war – and are seeking a new place to live and a brand new start in life. We have refugees come to the United States sometimes because they can’t live in their own countries anymore. Just as those people are looking for a safer, better place to live and raise their families, you and I are spiritual refugees. We are searching for a safe place, a refuge – and we find it in God.

The dictionary defines refuge as “a source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.” How is God my refuge? Psalm 91:2 refers to a spiritual refuge, not necessarily a physical one. When we are tempted to sin, what do we do? We need to find a place to get away from the temptation so that we don’t sin. God provides that place. When we are tempted to sin we can run to Him, pray, and ask His help – and He will be our refuge, our source of help and comfort, our safe place.

Next time you are faced with temptation and don’t know what to do, run to God, your refuge. Talk to Him, read His Word, and let Him protect you and be your hiding place from sin and temptation.

God provides safety from all spiritual danger.

My Response:
» Is there any temptation that I need to resist by fleeing to God for protection?

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John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.

Song of Solomon 8:7

Red roses, sweet sentiments, and chubby cherubs with drawn bows abound on this “love-iest” of holidays!

Every human heart longs to be fully loved and fully known. Beyond the flutter of infatuation, Jesus calls us to a sacrificial love that demands the best of ourselves. The very definition of sacrifice tells us that we give up something valuable for the sake of something more worthy or important.

Paul encourages us to concentrate on harmony in our relationships, on ways to build up others and promote their spiritual growth (Romans 14:19). He urges us to not say or do things that would interfere with the free exchange of love. Put an end to selfishness, and consider another person’s feelings and preferences.

Speak words that are a gift of grace to the person who hears them (Ephesians 4:29). Appropriate words spoken at the right time are like apples of gold in a silver setting (Proverbs 25:11).

Instead of pitting ourselves against one another, we should treat one another with deep affection; prefer one another in love (Romans 12:10). Competition and comparison have no place in God’s family.

Choose love above all else – today and every day. Embrace the sacrificial love that Jesus modeled for us. In the same way He loves us, let us love one another. How does that look in your relationships?

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 be rooted and grounded in the incomprehensible love of Jesus, complete in Him. O, the riches of God’s love for us!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Exodus 37:1-38:31

New Testament 

Matthew 28:1-20

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 34:11-22

Proverbs 9:9-10

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Freedom’s Paradox

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A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.
Proverbs 25:28, NLT

 Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-16

One of life’s paradoxes is how self-discipline gives us freedom. People without self-control live under the tyranny of whatever desires master them—pleasure, sleep, sex, indulgence, addictions, or hatred. When the Lord becomes the King of our life, He enables us to grow in the quality of self-control. It’s a fruit of the Spirit. As we’re released from our vices, we’re increasingly free to live healthy and happy lives.

To many people, the word freedom means doing anything you want whenever and wherever you want. But true freedom is impossible without constraint. Limitations don’t bring confinement—they enable freedom. Paul told Timothy, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV). Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…self-control.” 

Identify any area of life in which you find yourself in bondage. Ask God to help you to allow His Spirit to work in your heart so that you will experience true freedom.

Jesus, who lived such a remarkable life, has sent His Spirit to dwell in you. His goal is to reproduce Himself through you—the courage, the self-control, the love, everything.
Charles Stanley

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Safe in God’s Love

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 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. 

—Jude 1:20–21

Scripture:

Jude 1:20-21 

Though God’s love is unsought, undeserved, and unconditional, it is possible for us to be out of harmony with Him.

The Book of Jude tells us, “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love” (verses 20–21 NLT).

Notice the words “keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” The New King James Version translates it as “keep yourselves in the love of God.”

Does this mean we need to keep ourselves in a state where God will love us? In other words, do we need to make sure that we’re very lovable people? That is virtually impossible. No matter how hard we try, we ultimately will fall short of God’s standards.

Obviously, there is God’s part: He is ready to keep us. But we must take practical steps to keep ourselves in His love.

The Bible isn’t saying that we should do certain things to somehow merit God’s love or earn His approval. Rather, to keep ourselves in the love of God simply means that we need to keep ourselves in a place where God can actively bless us and show His love toward us.

Take, for example, the story of the Prodigal Son. His father loved him, but he foolishly took his portion of the inheritance and went to a distant country to live as a fool. Ultimately, he came to his senses and returned home.

Here’s the question: While the prodigal was away, was he still his father’s son? Yes, although he was a wayward son and a distant son. But technically, was the prodigal still his son? Yes. Was he keeping himself in a place where his father could actively demonstrate his love? No, he was not.

His father probably didn’t even know where his son was at the time. But when his son returned home, he forgave him. The father took off his son’s rags, put a ring on his finger, clothed him, and threw a party for him. So, was the son then in a place where his father could actively show his love toward him? Yes, he was.

The same is true when we disobey God and do things we shouldn’t do. It isn’t that God stops loving us. It isn’t even that we have ceased to be true Christians. We are simply wayward children or prodigals. We have essentially taken ourselves out of the love of God. We have removed ourselves from a place where God can actively show His love in our lives.

Stay in a place where God can show His love to you. Keep yourself from all that is unlike Him, from all that would violate God’s love and grieve Him. Stay away from the things that would tear you down. Instead, stay close to the Lord and around people who will build you up spiritually.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Sweet Naamah

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.” (Song of Solomon 1:16)

These words begin King Solomon’s tender expressions of love to his beautiful young wife. Solomon wrote a thousand and five songs (1 Kings 4:32), but apparently this was his favorite, for he called it his “song of songs” (Song 1:1), and it clearly centered on his beloved, whom he called “my sister, my spouse” no less than four times (Song 4:9-12; 5:1), thereby intimating both their spiritual and marital relationship.

Rehoboam was Solomon’s only son, as far as recorded, and his mother’s name was Naamah (2 Chronicles 12:13), meaning “pleasant.” Since he was 41 years old when he inherited Solomon’s throne and since Solomon had only reigned 40 years (2 Chronicles 9:30), the marriage of Solomon and Naamah must have been formalized when Solomon was quite young, long before he was married to Pharoah’s daughter or any of his other 700 wives. Naamah was then and always his one real love, in spite of his spiritual defections in old age. His counsel to young men near the end of his life was “Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days…of thy vanity” (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

Note that Solomon called her “fair” and “beloved” in our text, and then “pleasant.” The Hebrew word for “pleasant” is very similar to “Naamah,” as though Solomon were calling her by a shortened form of her name as a term of endearment. The same word is occasionally translated “sweet.” Naamah was surely a sweet, pleasant maiden but also a capable woman in mind and heart, fit to become a queen.

Solomon’s song for and about her is an inspired ode to true marital love and thus can even be a figurative testimony to the love of Christ, the “greater than Solomon,” for His church (Matthew 12:42). HMM

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