Monthly Archives: April 2024

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Singing Meadows

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Bible in a Year :

The valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

Psalm 65:13

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Psalm 65:8-13

I’ve often affectionately joked with my mother-in-law about her ability to talk to her dogs. She responds to their barks with loving understanding. Perhaps now she and dog owners everywhere will also listen for their canine pals to laugh. Scientists have discovered that many animals, including dogs, cows, foxes, seals, and parakeets, all have “vocal play signals”—otherwise known as laughter. Identifying these accompanying sounds helps distinguish an animal’s play behaviors from what might otherwise look like fighting to a human observer.

That animals express laughter and joy gives us a delightful glimmer of what it might look like for other parts of creation to praise God in their own way. As King David looked over his surroundings, it seemed to him “the hills [were] clothed with gladness” and the meadows and valleys were “[shouting] for joy” (Psalm 65:12-13). David recognized that God had cared for and enriched the land, providing both beauty and sustenance.

Even though our physical surroundings don’t “sing” in a literal way, they bear witness to God’s active work in His creation and, in turn, invite us to give praise to Him with our voices. May we—as part of the “whole earth”—be “filled with awe at [His] wonders” and respond to Him with “songs of joy” (v. 8). We can trust that He’ll hear and understand them.

By:  Kirsten Holmberg

Reflect & Pray

How do your physical surroundings encourage you to praise God? Where have you seen His handiwork elsewhere?

Thank You, God, for Your continued work in creation.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – How’s Your Spiritual Appetite?

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“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).

Your appetite for righteousness should equal your appetite for food and water.

David was a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm 63:1 he writes, “O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” He communed with God and knew the blessings of His sufficiency: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. . . . He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness. . . . Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:1-4). He endured unjust persecution for the Lord’s sake: “Zeal for Thy house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach Thee have fallen on me” (Ps. 69:9).

David’s zeal for God illustrates what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matt. 5:6). The words translated “hunger” and “thirst” speak of intense desire. They are present participles, which imply continuous action. The idea is paradoxical: the believer’s continuous and intense desire for righteousness is continually satisfied by Christ.

J.N. Darby, an early leader of the Plymouth Brethren movement, said, “To be hungry is not enough; I must be really starving to know what is in [God’s] heart towards me. When the prodigal son was hungry he went to feed upon husks, but when he was starving, he turned to his father” (quoted in Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, vol. 1, p. 81). When you have that kind of desperation, only God can satisfy it!

Does your desire for righteousness drive you to Christ for satisfaction? I pray that the words of the psalmist will be yours as well: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15, KJV).

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask God to use the events of today to increase your hunger and thirst for righteousness. Look to Him in all things, knowing that He alone can satisfy.

For Further Study

Read Philippians 3:1-14.

  • What does it mean to place confidence in the flesh?
  • How did Paul define true righteousness?

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur

 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Case of the “Ifs”

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Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

Do you have a bad case of the “ifs”? It is a common misconception that if only we had this, that, or the other, we would find the happiness and fulfillment we so desperately desire. We find ourselves saying things like: If I didn’t have to work, if we had more money, if I had a bigger house, if the kids were grown, if I were married, if I weren’t married….

Stop thinking that you could be happy “if” your circumstances were different, and start being happy right now because God loves you and has already blessed you in many ways. Our unhappiness usually comes from within us and not from something around us. So I recommend that you take responsibility for your own joy and stop blaming the lack of it on anything or anyone. The people who are happy are the ones who decide to be happy.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want my joy to always be rooted in You and not in my circumstances. Help me learn to take responsibility for my own joy and to stop blaming other people or my situation in life, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – Put Your Sword Away

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Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear … Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John 18:10–11

Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane ultimately revealed His submission to the Father. When the soldiers came for Him, Jesus had already resolved to drink the cup of suffering—His death on the cross—so that it might be for us a cup of salvation.

But which of the disciples stepped in, as if on cue? The impetuous Simon Peter, of course—wielding a sword! Peter was no stranger to impassioned acts and words. He had attempted to walk on water to Christ. He had tried to rebuke Christ. He had offered to lay down his life for Christ. And yet, soon after stepping up to Jesus’ defense, he would fearfully deny even knowing Him.

Peter’s reaction to seeing his Master arrested is entirely understandable but utterly mistaken. While Peter was willing to fight for Christ here, he was actually fighting against Christ. He was fighting against the very will of God, who had purposed that Jesus would be the atoning sacrifice for sins. Peter’s example teaches us an important lesson; as Calvin urges, “Let us learn to moderate our zeal. And as the wantonness of our flesh ever itches to dare more than God commands, let us learn that our zeal will turn out badly whenever we dare to undertake anything beyond God’s word.”[1]

Knowing Peter’s action needed correction, Jesus intervened with a rhetorical question: “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” He was affirming the part of God’s will that He had just prayed to accept, the very action that later led Him to cry out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Through His suffering, His glory was magnified, and salvation was freely offered to all who might believe. No path that Peter could have orchestrated could have been better than this one, and he was in error to resist it.

When our impatience seeks to interfere with God’s plans, we must learn to put away our figurative swords. We must trust God’s plan, wait on His timing, and act on His command. The more familiar we are with the Scriptures—knowing the great story, promises, and truths found within them—the more we will understand His plans. But even then, there will be times when His ways are very mysterious to us and we are tempted to fight the path He is leading us along. Perhaps you are doing that right now.

Take Christ’s words to Peter to heart: “Put your sword into its sheath!” Trust God’s loving hand, obey His commands, and follow His lead. He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV), and the story He is writing is more glorious than you could imagine or direct for yourself.

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 23

Topics: Easter Faith Self-Control

FOOTNOTES

1 John Calvin, The Gospel According to St John 11–21 and The First Epistle of John, trans. T. H. L. Parker, ed. David W. Torrance and Thomas F. Torrance, Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries (Eerdmans, 1994), p 156.

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 – Attitudes Matter to God

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“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” (Psalm 66:18)

Outwardly, Jenna was dusting the coffee table. But inwardly, she was stewing. She could think of at least fifty other things she would rather do than clean the house for company. A new family from the church was coming over for supper, and her mother had given each of the children a task to help prepare the house. Not only did Jenna dislike having extra work, but she also dreaded eating lasagna again, her mother’s favorite dish to make whenever company came. Furthermore, the children in the new family were all under school age, and Jenna was not looking forward to babysitting them after dinner while the adults talked.

Nothing about the plans for the evening appealed to her. The more she thought about it, the more her resentment grew. Why didn’t her mother consider what Jenna wanted? Why shouldn’t her mother do all the cooking and cleaning, since she was the one who wanted to have company in the first place?

Stepping into the living room, Jenna’s mother glanced around and smiled approvingly. “That looks much better, honey. Thanks for your help.” Suddenly Jenna felt ashamed. She realized that her mother had no idea what she had been thinking. She had fooled her mother, but Jenna knew that her attitude was not right.

It is sometimes easy to hide from others what is going on in our hearts. We can act as though everything is okay and pretend to be sweet, obedient Christians. Still, the secret sins of our heart cause our fellowship with God to be broken. God does not want our service if our attitude is not right.

Psalm 19:12b says, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” What kind of attitude do you have when it comes to serving God? A holy heart is much more valuable to God than busy hands.

God will accept our acts of service only if our hearts are right toward Him.

My Response:
» Am I serving the Lord out of love for Him or for some other reason?
» Am I trying to fool others or myself, or am I genuinely trying to please God from my heart?
» If I need to change my attitude to one that will glorify God, how should I do that?

 

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Iranian attack on Israel said to be imminent

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The US believes a major attack by Iran on Israel is imminent, according to reports citing sources familiar with US and Israeli intelligence assessments. It is apparently a matter of when Tehran will attack rather than if they will attack, though it is unclear whether such an assault will come directly from Iranian territory or from one or more of its proxies.

Here’s the background: On April 1, Israel allegedly bombed Iran’s embassy in Damascus, Syria, a strike that Iran said killed seven of its military advisors, including three senior commanders. Yesterday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel “must be punished and it shall be” for the attack. Now Israel is warning that if Iran directly attacks Israel in retaliation for the bombing in Damascus, Israel will strike directly at Iranian territory.

Why should any of this be of great concern to Americans?

As we’ll see today, to ask the question is to answer it.

Iran’s nuclear weapon breakout time is at zero

According to Foreign Policy, the Institute for Science and International Security currently assesses Iran’s breakout time—the period necessary for Iran to assemble a nuclear weapon—at zero. This means that Iran has enough weapons-grade uranium to build a bomb within days and enough to assemble six weapons within thirty days.

Iran is already successfully weaponizing proxies to fight Israel on its behalf, encircling the besieged nation with terrorist groups Hezbollah in the north, Hamas in the west, Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the east, the Houthis in the south, and militias in Syria and Iraq in the northeast.

The irony is that Iran, which is Shiite and Persian, is using Arabs, many of whom are Sunni, to do its bidding. As one commentator notes, “Attacking Iran’s proxies in the region has . . . been largely ineffective, given the regime’s indifference to Arabs martyring themselves for its cause.”

But Iran’s reach transcends the Middle East. Tehran is now aligned directly with Russia and China, delivering more than two thousand drones to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and exporting vast oil shipments to aid the Chinese government. It joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in July 2023, further solidifying its economic and defense alliance with the two.

How far America’s support for Israel has fallen

Iran’s multipolar strategy is working.

A bipartisan letter sent earlier this year by over a dozen senators noted that, despite US sanctions, “Iran is now exporting on average more than 1.4 million barrels of crude oil per day,” two-thirds of it to China. The letter adds that because of illicit oil exports and pervasive sanctions evasion, Iran’s economy is growing by 4 percent annually and its foreign currency reserves increased by 45 percent from 2021 to 2023.

In the meantime, Hamas’s strategy of sacrificing Palestinian civilians to shelter its troops is working as well. As civilian casualties in Gaza have tragically but predictably climbed, support for Israel in the West has fallen. Americans’ support for Israel’s military actions has declined from 50 percent in November 2023 to only 36 percent today. Support for Israel among young evangelicals in the US has plummeted by more than 50 percent in just three years.

All this raises the pressing question: If Iran attacks Israel, how will Americans respond?

President Biden vowed yesterday that the US commitment to defend Israel against Iran is “ironclad.” We are learning this morning that a senior US military commander in charge of the Middle East is expected to go to Israel today to coordinate a response to an attack from Iran.

But will Americans support this commitment, and at what cost?

The very fact that many will ask this question shows how far we have regressed from the founding ideals that enabled our democracy.

“There shall be none to make him afraid”

As I have noted this week, American democracy cannot be sustained merely by the rule of law and must depend on the consensual morality and values of its people. Among these founding values was our belief that “all people are created equal,” whatever their ethnicity or religion.

This belief especially extended to the Jewish members of our infant nation. In a 1790 letter to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, George Washington wrote:

May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy.

Would this letter from the “father of America” speak for all Americans today? Or have we so commodified and objectified people and nations that we value them only to the degree that they benefit us?

Asked differently: Is supporting the Jewish people in their quest for a secure homeland a commitment we will make only if it is in our personal interest to do so?

There was a time when the answer was clear. On this day in 1945, the US army liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp. US President Harry Truman was the first world leader to recognize the State of Israel, just minutes after its founding in 1948.

However, if Iran attacks Israel, Americans will learn much about ourselves and the current health of our consensual democracy. In the meantime, the people of Israel need us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6) more now than at any time since the war began.

Let’s answer this call now.

Thursday news to know:

Quote for the day:

“Though Israel is a secular state, its very existence is testimony to faith: the faith of a hundred generations that Jews would return; the faith that led the pioneers to rebuild a land against seemingly impossible odds; the faith that after the Holocaust the Jewish people could live again; the faith that, in the face of death, continues to say: choose life.” —Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

 

 

 

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.

Isaiah 45:2

Prayer doesn’t need proof, it needs practice. God is as close as your next breath. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. This means that when the dearest on earth have turned their backs on you, God sees. He knows your pain. And He wants to set things straight.

If you want to make a difference in your day, begin each morning with prayer. As soon as you start to pray, God releases His angels to meet your every need. Then get ready! Great and mighty things are about to happen!

Prayer is the weapon that God has given His children to wage war in the heavenlies. Put on the full armor of God and make it a great day. Satan is a defeated foe who has no power over you as a child of God. He cannot stop you when God is on your side. Run to the One who calmed the raging seas with three simple words: “Peace, be still.”

If you feel like you’ve hit more bumps than usual on the road of life, look to the face of God! He has promised to lead you down a path that will grant you the greatest possible success. If you need Him to make crooked places straight, call on His name, then leave the driving to 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. Though you have prayed for the answer and it has not come, please know that God’s delays are not God’s denials. The answer will come. Now rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for everything your heart desires is just before you. In Jesus’ name, amen!

Today’s Bible Reading:

Old Testament

Joshua 3:1-4:24

New Testament

Luke 14:7-35

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 80:1-19

Proverbs 12:27-28

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Divine Insulation

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Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

Recommended Reading: John 14:27

Have you ever experienced a surge of anxiety that felt like an electric shock running through your emotions as if you were being electrocuted inwardly? Psychologists tell us anxiety can feel like electrical charges flying though our bodies and minds. One anxious person described a panic attack that felt “as if electricity ran from my lower stomach down to my knee.”

We need to wrap the sheathing of God’s promises around our minds and allow the Bible to insulate us from this pain. The power of Scripture can cast down anxious thoughts, bringing every aspect of our emotions and minds into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Find and claim the promises of God, being constantly in prayer for the peace of God that can and will overcome your high voltage thoughts of worry, anxiety, envy, hatred, unrest, and confusion. Picture the Lord wrapping you in the insulation of His promises, His peace, and His very presence.

Until you actually possess true peace with God, no one can describe its wonders to you.
Billy Graham

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Winning Side

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 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. 

—Psalm 34:19

Scripture:

Psalm 34:19 

From the moment we come into this life, there are all kinds of troubles. Life is filled with challenges, and it seems as though when you have one problem finally resolved, three more take its place.

In fact, the Bible says, “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire” (Job 5:7 NLT).

Some people may say that if you accept Jesus Christ, then all your troubles will go away. The implication is that if you become a Christian, then your problems will be gone. On one hand that’s true, because when you become a true follower of Jesus, many troubles do go away. The issues of an ever-present guilt, an emptiness in your life, and the fear of what happens beyond the grave are resolved.

But in all fairness, other troubles start once you give your life to the Lord. The moment you decide to follow Jesus Christ and seek to do the right thing, the devil will do everything that He can to stop you.

But you also need to know that God is far more powerful than the devil. And God will do everything He can to strengthen you. You are on the winning side.

That doesn’t mean you aren’t going to be tempted. It doesn’t mean you aren’t going to face hardships or that you won’t have obstacles in your life. But it does mean that you will ultimately get through these things with the help and power of God.

When the disciples were afraid, Jesus gave them some words of assurance to bring calm to their anxious hearts. He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1 NLT). We could also translate this to say, “Don’t be agitated or disturbed or thrown into confusion.”

Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to mull over their problems. Instead, He told them not to be troubled. He was saying there are reasons to be troubled in life, but there is a greater reason not to be.

Yes, we have all kinds of troubles in our lives: health troubles, family troubles, relationship troubles, and financial troubles. Things don’t go the way that we hoped they would go.

And there are times in our lives when things happen that we just don’t understand. Why did God do a certain thing? Or why did God not do a certain thing?

When I don’t understand something about God, I try to always fall back on what I do understand. I understand that God loves me and that He’s looking out for me with my best interests in mind. I do understand that no matter what happens, He will get me through it.

Nothing is too hard for the Lord. There is no addiction so strong that He cannot free someone from it. And there is no problem so complex that He cannot unravel it. There is no hope without God. But with Him, you have all the hope that you ever will need.

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Cain’s Way

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” (Jude 1:11)

Jude compares the awful examples of three Old Testament characters to leaders in the New Testament church who have used their influence for evil. Cain was the first child of Adam and Eve and had every opportunity to excel. Yet, he chose a “way” that not only ended in the horrible murder of his brother but also resulted in an entire culture in rebellion against God.

The murder was preceded by a flagrant disobedience that was expressed when the family came to offer their sacrifices to the Creator. Cain brought an offering of the “fruit” of his own labor from tilling the ground. Abel’s offering was a “firstling” from the flock that he kept (Genesis 4:3-5). Why did God “respect” Abel’s offering and not Cain’s?

God’s commentary on this event (Hebrews 11:4) tells us that Abel “obtained witness” that his sacrifice was a righteous action that testified of his obedience. The Genesis account does not give much information, but it is clear that the first family were following instructions—likely emulating the sacrifice that God made to clothe Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3:21).

Cain began a “way” many years before (a lifestyle, a broad road) that turned his heart away from simple obedience to God’s instructions. Cain’s occupation (farmer) was certainly okay. He provided food for the growing world population. But when the regular sacrifice came due, Cain decided that he would “show” God his own works rather than follow God’s requirement of bringing an innocent life in sacrifice.

That way, of course, is the way “which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). HMM III

 

 

 

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

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Eyes to See

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Bible in a Year :

I . . . will make you to be a covenant for the people and . . . to open eyes that are blind.

Isaiah 42:6-7

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Isaiah 42:5-9

Genevieve had to be the “eyes” for her three children, each born with congenital cataracts. Whenever she took them into their village in the Republic of Benin of western Africa, she strapped the baby onto her back and held on to the arm and hand of her older two, always looking for danger. In a culture where blindness was thought to be caused by witchcraft, Genevieve despaired and cried out to God for help.

Then a man from her village told her about Mercy Ships, a ministry that provides vital surgeries to honor Jesus’ model of bringing hope and healing to the poor. Uncertain if they could help, she approached them. When the children woke up after their surgeries, they could see!

God’s story has always been about coming alongside those shrouded in darkness and bringing His light. The prophet Isaiah declared that God would be “a light for the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6). He would “open eyes that are blind” (v. 7), restoring not only physical sight but spiritual vision as well. And He promised to “take hold” of His people’s hand (v. 6). He restored sight to the blind and brought light to those living in the darkness.

If you feel overcome by darkness, cling to hope as you embrace the promises of our loving Father while asking for His light to bring illumination.

By:  Amy Boucher Pye

Reflect & Pray

How has God opened your eyes, physically or spiritually? How can He remove the blinders you may have?

Heavenly Father, You desire that no one would live in darkness. Release Your love on those who are blinded in any way, that they might see.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Clothed in Christ

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Bible in a Year :

Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:12

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Romans 13:11-14

I was so excited to put on my new glasses for the first time, but after just a few hours I wanted to throw them away. My eyes ached and head throbbed from adjusting to the new prescription. My ears were sore from the unfamiliar frames. The next day I groaned when I remembered I had to wear them. I had to repeatedly choose to use my glasses each day in order for my body to adjust. It took several weeks, but after that, I hardly noticed I was wearing them.

Putting on something new requires an adjustment, but over time we grow into it, and it suits us better. We may even see things we didn’t see before. In Romans 13, the apostle Paul instructed Christ followers to “put on the armor of light” (v. 12) and practice right living. They had already believed in Jesus, but it seems they had fallen into “slumber” and become more complacent; they needed to “wake up” and take action, behave decently and let go of all sin (vv. 11-13). Paul encouraged them to be clothed with Jesus and become more like Him in their thoughts and deeds (v. 14).

We don’t begin to reflect the loving, gentle, kind, grace-filled, and faithful ways of Jesus overnight. It’s a long process of choosing to “put on the armor of light” every day, even when we don’t want to because it’s uncomfortable. Over time, He changes us for the better.

By:  Karen Pimpo

Reflect & Pray

What does it look like to “put on” Jesus today? How does practicing Christlikeness become more comfortable over time?

Dear Jesus, thank You that You’re transforming me day by day.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Taking up the Sword in Vain

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 “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword’” (Matthew 26:52).

It is wrong to violently take justice into our own hands, even to defend or promote the name of Christ.

The Body of Christ does not grow and strengthen itself by physical warfare. Every time it has endeavored to do so, the name and cause of Jesus Christ have been harmed. Such wars as the Crusades in the Holy Land or later religious wars between Catholics and Protestants in Europe served no scriptural purpose. As Jesus taught many times, and as Paul reiterated to the Corinthians, “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4).

Peter, in his usual headstrong fashion, had not yet understood this principle the night of Jesus’ arrest. That’s when Peter used his sword and cut off the ear of one of the high priest’s prominent slaves. But the impulsive disciple’s reaction was all wrong. Peter no doubt took Christ’s earlier statement, “Let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one” (Luke 22:36) much too literally. Our Lord was actually speaking of preparedness for spiritual, not physical, warfare.

Jesus therefore had to instruct Peter to put away his weapon. In effect, He was saying, “Peter, no matter how unjust My arrest is, you must not respond with vigilante action. If you do that and kill someone else, your own life will justly be forfeited as punishment.”

Christ’s power has been demonstrated many times—in person to Peter and through Scripture to us. It is incredible that any of us should think He needs the puny help of a sword, a gun, or any other human device. Christ’s battles are won in the strength of His sovereign power alone, as He pointed out to Peter: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions [72,000] of angels?” (Matt. 26:53).

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask God’s forgiveness for times when you’ve been too quick to seek your own justice during arguments or conflicts.

For Further Study

Read 2 Kings 19:14-37.

  • How did King Hezekiah respond when God’s people and land were threatened?
  • How did the prophet Isaiah support Hezekiah’s actions?
  • How did God finally respond to the Assyrians’ threat?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Stop Waiting and Start Trying!

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And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

Philippians 1:6 (AMPC)

Many people are confused about what they are to do with their lives. They don’t know what God’s will is for them; they are without direction. I felt the same way once, but I discovered my destiny by trying several things. I tried working in the nursery at church and quickly discovered that I was not called to work with children. I tried being my pastor’s secretary, and after one day I was fired with no explanation except, “This just isn’t right.” I was devastated at first, until a short while later I was asked to start a weekly meeting on Thursday mornings at church and teach God’s Word. I quickly found where I fit. I could have spent my life being confused, but I thank God that I was confident enough to step out and discover what was right for me. I did it through the process of elimination, and I experienced some disappointments— but it all worked out well in the end.

If you are doing nothing with your life because you are not sure what to do, then I recommend that you pray and begin trying some things. It won’t take long before you will feel comfortable with something. It will be a perfect fit for you. Think of it this way: when you go out to buy a new outfit, you probably try on several things until you find what fits right, is comfortable, and looks good on you. Why not try the same thing with discovering your destiny? A confident person is not afraid to make mistakes, and if they do, they recover and press on.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I know You have a good plan for my life. Please show me the purpose You have planned for me and the courage to try new things. I need discernment, guidance, and the wisdom to find the perfect fit, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – Name Above All Names

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Being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.

Philippians 2:8–9

In a sense the best summary of the message of the Bible and the most fundamental truth in this universe is simply this: Jesus Christ is Lord.

Most theologians agree that “the name” that Paul refers to in verse 9 can only be “Lord” (Philippians 2:11). Here, the Greek word for “Lord” is kyrios, which is also used as the translation of God’s divine name, Yahweh, over 6,000 times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament)—the name that is rendered in most English Bibles today as Lord. Paul’s implied use of God’s divine name emphasizes Jesus’ divinity, just after he has reminded us about Jesus’ humiliation during His time on earth.

Comprising four consonants (YHWH), Yahweh is basically unpronounceable in Hebrew—and purposefully so, for Jews did not dare take this divine name of God upon their lips. Yet Yahweh, the indescribable God, came to earth as the incarnate Christ and revealed Himself to men and women. He humbly went to the cross, and then He was raised to the highest place—His rightful place—and given this name “above every name.” Says one commentator, “He hath changed the ineffable name, into a name utterable by man and desirable by all the world.” In the one who bears this name, God’s majesty “is all arrayed in robes of mercy.”[1]

Old Testament prophecy reinforces this idea again and again. In Isaiah 45, God gives a description that applies exclusively to Himself: “There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me” (Isaiah 45:21). Paul, once an aggressive opponent of Christ and His followers, applies this very description to Christ, making an impressive declaration of His deity. He points out that Jesus has been publicly exalted to the position that was rightfully His even before He came to earth to suffer humiliation on our behalf. He is now seated at the Father’s right hand. His majesty is there for all who know Him as Savior to see. His identity is unclouded and undoubted.

God is the only Savior—and Jesus is that Savior, of whom it was said, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Years after Paul had first had his eyes opened to the truth about who Jesus is, we can still catch a sense of awed reverence and love in his words to the Philippians. Jesus Christ is LORD. He possesses the name above all names. Paul never allowed familiarity with this truth to breed complacency about it. Neither must we. Pause now and allow each word to prompt you to an awed praise of this man: Jesus, the Savior of His people… Christ, the long-promised King… is LORD, the indescribable, revealed God. And you get to call Him “brother” (Hebrews 2:11).

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

Revelation 1:9–20

Topics: Christ as Lord Deity of Christ Glory of God Salvation

FOOTNOTES

1 Jeremy Taylor, “Considerations upon the Circumcision of the Holy Childe Jesus,” in The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life According to the Christian Institution, Described in the History of the Life and Death of the Ever Blessed Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World (1649), p 61.

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 Wants Us To Pray

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“Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God for Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

One of the hardest commandments in the Bible is that we ought to pray. Prayer takes serious thought and time. Have you ever started to pray but then got interrupted or distracted?

What is prayer? Prayer is talking to God. When we talk to God, we develop our relationship with Him. God is the only perfect Source of power, strength and wisdom. The disciples wanted to know how to communicate with God and to have a relationship with God, so they asked Jesus to teach them to pray.

Early in life, it is wise to learn how to pray, when to pray, and what to pray. Each person is different, and each person prays differently, but each prayer is precious in the sight of God. He hears, knows what is on your heart, and wants you to “talk” to Him. Prayer gives honor and glory to God.

A man named Fenelon (who lived from 1651-1715) wrote this: Let us not be content to pray morning and evening, but let us live in prayer all day long. All should become prayer, that is, a loving consciousness of God’s presence.

Read Matthew 6:5-13, if you have a few minutes to do that right now. Prayer is not difficult to do, but it does take determination. Will you decide to pray? Will you intend to pray? Will you make yourself pray? Will you ask God to help you pray? Will you pray?

God wants us to pray, and He teaches and enables us to pray if we will ask Him.

My Response:
» Do I spend thought and time in prayer?
» What distractions and interruptions keep me away from talking to God?
» How can I change around my priorities so that my relationship with God comes first?

 

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why are Israelis so happy?

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As Israel’s war with Hamas passes the six-month mark, here are some updates:

  • The IDF is withdrawing troops from the southern city of Khan Younis; Hamas rejected an Israeli ceasefire proposal and Israel set a date for an offensive into Hamas’s last stronghold in Rafah.
  • Israel and the US are preparing for a significant attack by Iran in response to Israel’s strike in Damascus last week.
  • Israel is also preparing for a second war on its northern border with Hezbollah.
  • Iran is arming fighters in Iraq to join Hezbollah in an attack on Israel.
  • The UN recently adopted what Israel’s envoy to the group called the body’s 105th anti-Israel resolution.

Despite all the hardships Israelis are facing these days, Gallup’s recent World Happiness Report lists their country as the fifth-happiest nation on Earth, behind Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. The US ranks twenty-third.

Why, in the midst of a battle for its very existence, surrounded by enemies on all sides and confronting the escalation of anti-Semitism around the world, are Israelis so happy?

And how is the answer relevant to Christians in our secularized culture?

“An intimate society that runs on trust and generates hope”

Gil Troy is an American presidential historian and senior fellow in Zionist thought at the Jewish People Policy Institute. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, he explains the difference between Israel and the US: “Amid unspeakable suffering, Israelis have found comfort in one another and a higher calling. Too many Americans feel lonely and lost.”

According to Troy, “Israelis pursue happiness through family and community, by feeling rooted and having a sense of purpose.” He adds: “Despite disagreeing passionately, Israelis live in an intimate society that runs on trust and generates hope. Israelis feel that they’re never alone, and that their relatives and friends will never abandon them.”

After leading more than thirty study tours to Israel over the years, I can attest personally to the truth of his description. The Israelis I know are indeed some of the most optimistic, gracious, and family-centered people I have ever known.

By contrast, Troy says of anti-Israel progressive students in the US:

These illiberal liberals trash traditional families, religion, and America’s noble story of a flawed nation becoming “a more perfect union.” These campus commissars are among the unhappy Americans the surgeon general sees in the depths of loneliness and despair.

Israelis didn’t seek this war—but when attacked, they unleashed a patriotism, idealism, self-sacrifice, and grit that today’s regressive progressives scorn. Israelis’ resilience, duty, and love of life explain how this often polarized and besieged society remains such a happy place. Rather than demonize these heroes, protesters could learn from Israelis about the art of living—not only for their sake but for America’s too.

Secularized Americans can indeed learn from Israelis about “resilience, duty, and love of life.” But both are missing a factor that should cause Christians to be an even greater model for “the art of living.”

The gospel before the Gospels

Witnessing yesterday’s solar eclipse, I was reminded of the biblical report that on Good Friday “there was darkness over the whole land” from noon until 3:00 PM (Luke 23:44–45). The ancient historian Thallus the Samaritan attempted to explain this darkness as an eclipse of the sun. The church father Julius Africanus showed that Thallus was mistaken since Passover always occurs at the time of the full moon, but a full moon cannot come between the earth and the sun.

I mention this discussion because Thallus wrote his account around AD 52, likely before any of the canonical Gospels. Here we find fascinating, early non-biblical historical evidence for Jesus’ existence and crucifixion.

Of course, the best evidence for Jesus’ existence in the first century and relevance in the twenty-first century is the changed lives of his followers.

Think of it: the God who made you now lives in you (Colossians 1:27). His Spirit indwells you (1 Corinthians 3:16) and is working to make you more like Christ every day (Romans 8:29). You are literally the “body of Christ” in the world (1 Corinthians 12:27), continuing his earthly ministry through your own.

Here’s the point:

The more we become like Christ, the more we will draw the world to Christ.

“The condescension of compassion”

To this end, let’s close by reflecting on the miracle of Jesus’ incarnation. Pope St. Leo the Great wrote:

[Jesus] took the nature of a servant without stain of sin, enlarging our humanity without diminishing his divinity. He emptied himself; though invisible he made himself visible, though Creator and Lord of all things he chose to be one of us mortal men. Yet this was the condescension of compassion, not the loss of omnipotence. So he who in the nature of God had created man, became in the nature of a servant, man himself. . . .

Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death. . . .

One and the same person—this must be said over and over again—is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man.

Because Jesus became one of us, we can be one with him.

How fully will you seek to know him and make him known today?

Tuesday news to know:

Quote for the day:

“Christlikeness is not produced by imitation, but by inhabitation.” —Rick Warren

 

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:14

Jesus Christ nailed them to the Cross – every charge that was stacked against you. Every sin, He covered with His Blood. He became the propitiation for you.

Jesus’ action at Calvary made peace between humankind and a holy God. He took our place and became the payment for a debt He did not owe. His act of obedience repaired the breach between us; He broke down the wall that separated us (Ephesians 2:14).

When you accepted His invitation and welcomed Him into your heart, every accusation against you was covered in His Blood. Satan – the accuser of all believers – points his finger at us day and night, attempting to bring up all those old allegations, to drown us in shame and condemnation.

But when you enter the throne room of His grace and approach the Righteous Judge, and He demands the charges against you, an Advocate will defend you. He will announce that all of your sins are covered with His Blood, plunged into the depths of the ocean to never be remembered again. Though your sins were as scarlet, He washed them white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). There are no longer any charges. He nailed them to the Cross.

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. Jesus has liberated you from your past. Your future is in the hands of God – full of joy and honor and reward. He has set you free!

Today’s Bible Reading:

Old Testament

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

New Testament

Luke 13:1-22

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 78:59-72

Proverbs 12:25

 

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Protect Your Heart

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Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23, NIV

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:21

It seems that most law enforcement personnel today wear bulletproof vests while on duty. While those vests are usually made of tough, synthetic material, in many combat situations soldiers have vests with actual metal or ceramic plates covering their chests. Why the emphasis on protecting the chest from fatal gunfire? Because a wound to the chest may result in a wound to the heart. And a wound to the heart is rarely survived.

In Paul’s description of the Christian’s spiritual armor, he wrote that righteousness is the believer’s breastplate—that which protects the heart (Ephesians 6:14). The leather breastplate of the Roman soldier in Paul’s day has been replaced by today’s bulletproof vests—but the purpose is the same. Righteousness implies holiness or sinlessness. But how are we, as sinners, able to protect our heart from Satan’s accusations of sinfulness? By relying not on our righteousness but on the righteousness of Christ who never sinned: “For [God] made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Protect your heart by depending on Christ’s righteousness rather than your own.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
Edward Mote

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Prayer and the Supernatural Realm

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 But he said, ‘No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!’ 

—Revelation 22:9

Scripture:

Revelation 22:9 

If an angel were to appear to you right now, no doubt you would be overwhelmed. In fact, you might even be tempted to fall down and worship him. This happened to the apostle John when, in Revelation 22, he saw an angel who gave him a message.

John wrote, “I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, ‘No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!’ ” (Revelation 22:8–9 NLT).

Notice what this angel said: “Worship only God!” In other words, “Keep your priorities straight, John. Don’t worship me. I am but the messenger. Worship God.”

If an awe-inspiring angel were to appear before us, we would be inclined to believe just about anything he said. But let’s keep in mind that the Bible says even “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT).

Not only do holy angels exist, but fallen angels exist as well. And a fallen angel can appear as an angel of light with a message that contradicts what the Bible teaches.

This is why the apostle Paul wrote, “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you” (Galatians 1:8 NLT).

In the Old Testament, we find a fascinating story that gives us insight into the way angels work. The prophet Daniel was praying, and the Bible tells us that God heard his prayer and dispatched an angel with a special message for him. But this angel was engaged in combat with a demon power for twenty-one days.

The angel was unable to get through to Daniel with God’s message. But the angel went on to tell Daniel that one of the archangels, Michael, came to his aid (see Daniel 10:12–14 NLT).

This indicates that in the angelic realm, both holy and unholy, there are rankings. Ephesians 6 points out, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (verse 12 NLT).

For example, the Bible refers to Michael as an archangel. Then there is Gabriel, who also may be a high-ranking angel because God sent him with a specific message for Joseph and Mary about the arrival of the Messiah.

Daniel’s story teaches us that delays are not necessarily denials. So, the next time you ask God to do something for you, and it doesn’t happen as quickly as you would like, don’t assume it means that God is saying no. Who knows what’s going on in the supernatural realm? Who knows what’s taking place behind the scenes on your behalf?

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie