Monthly Archives: September 2024

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Dream Great Dreams

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Be thou faithful unto death . . .
—Revelation 2:10

In our day much of the world believes little or nothing. People are broad but shallow. Agnosticism, anxiety, emptiness, meaninglessness, have gripped much of the world—and even the church. Our youth are desperately searching for a purpose and a meaning in their lives. They are searching for fulfillment which they are not finding in sex and drugs. By contrast, our Pilgrim forebears stand as shining examples of men who were narrow but deep, certain of what they believed, unswerving in their loyalty, and passionately dedicated to the God they trusted, and for whom they would willingly have died. I say to you, more than 350 years after the Pilgrim Fathers landed in the New World: Dream great dreams, embrace great principles, renew your hope, but above all, like them, believe in the Christ who alone can give total meaning and an ultimate goal to your life. “For in Him we live and move and have our being.”

Listen: Billy Graham shares there is hope for the future.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

May I always be faithful to my belief in You, Lord Jesus Christ. Where there is despair, use me to bring Your hope.

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – God Is on Your Side

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Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.—Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

When you feel overwhelmed with stress, repeat, “God is on my side.” Be confident and ready to face any situation that life presents, knowing that He has designed your life’s journey specifically for you. Embrace each moment and every lesson that the experience offers.

Heavenly Father, everything will be okay because You are on my side.

 

 

https://guideposts.org/daily-devotions/devotions-for-women/devotions-for-faith-prayer-devotions-for-women/

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – Hearing His Voice

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After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ––1 Kings 19:12

Holy hunches, sensing the Spirit, trusting insight over eyesight, all this talk sounds ethereal and spooky to a lot of men because it requires faith––and risk.  If you are God’s man, author and speaker Malcolm Gladwell’s research confirms what you should already know: God’s Spirit is not failing in your life. In fact, He is constantly providing direction and communication.

So when we think He’s silent or not listening, the problem is not with Him; it’s with us. God speaks to our minds and provides opportunities for spiritual rapid cognition. The disparity between intuition and impulse lies in our familiarity with His voice. If we’re hearing His voice, we cannot give in to our impulses. He might be speaking loudly, but we often press the mute button out of the habit of serving impulses rather than spiritual intuition.

Here’s how to know you are keeping in step with the Holy Spirit: You’re saying no to impulses and feelings and yes to your intuition – you’re taking God at His Word without delay — You’re experiencing freedom from habits that frees your relationships — You’re recognizing rather than rejecting the conviction of the Spirit.

Great decisions do not require great deliberation. For God’s man, great decisions require simple cooperation in the first few seconds. That voice will always say, “Honor God and love people.” So the next time you encounter a complex situation, listen to your godly instinct and obey it––quickly.

Father, thank You for Your still, small voice.

 

 

Every Man Ministries

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Remaining in Jesus

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Bible in a Year :

I will build my church.

Matthew 16:18

 

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Matthew 16:13-19

A fire burned Balsora Baptist Church to the ground. As emergency workers and community members gathered after the blaze subsided, they were surprised to see a charred cross standing upright amidst the smoke and ashes in the air. A firefighter commented that the fire “took the structure, but not the cross. [This is a reminder] that the building was just that, a building. The church is the congregation.”

The church is not a building, but a community united by the cross of Christ—the One who died, was buried, and rose again. When Jesus lived on earth, He told Peter He’d build His worldwide church, and nothing would destroy it (Matthew 16:18). Jesus would gather believers from all over the globe into a group that would continue throughout time. This community would face intense difficulty, but they’d ultimately endure. God would dwell within them and sustain them (Ephesians 2:22).

When we struggle to establish local churches only to have them stagnate and sputter, when buildings are destroyed, or when we’re concerned about believers struggling in other parts of the world, we can remember that Jesus is alive, actively enabling God’s people to persevere. We’re part of the church He’s building today. He’s with us and for us. His cross remains.

By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Reflect & Pray

In what ways might you support fellow believers? How does sharing the good news relate to God’s plan for the church?

Dear God, please strengthen Your people everywhere. Fill them with wisdom, protect them, and help them stay faithful to You.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Pray for Those Who Hurt You

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But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great….

Luke 6:35 (NIV)

One of the reasons we find forgiving others difficult when we are offended is because we have told ourselves probably thousands of times that forgiving is hard to do. We have convinced ourselves and set our minds to fail at one of God’s most important commands, which is to forgive and pray for our enemies and those who hurt and abuse us (see Luke 6:35–36). We meditate too much on what the offensive person has done to us, and we fail to realize what we are doing to ourselves when we take Satan’s bait.

Though praying for our enemies and blessing those who curse us may seem extremely difficult or nearly impossible, we can do it if we set our minds to it. Having the proper mindset is vital if we want to obey God. He never tells us to do anything that is not good for us or to do anything we cannot do. He is always available to give us the strength we need to accomplish the task. We don’t even need to think about how hard it is; we just need to do it!

God is just! Justice is one of His most admirable character traits. He brings justice as we wait on Him and trust Him to be our Vindicator when we have been hurt or offended. He simply asks us to pray and forgive—and He does the rest. He makes even our pain work out for our good (see Rom. 8:28). He justifies, vindicates, and recompenses us. He pays us back for our pain if we follow His commands to forgive our enemies and even says that we will receive “double for our trouble” (see Isaiah 61:7).

Prayer of the Day: Father God, help me to renew my mind with Your Word, so that I can forgive quickly and freely. Help me to trust You to bring justice and healing in my life, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why I’m cheering for NFL quarterback Trevor Lawrence this year

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“A platform and opportunity to put God on display”

The National Football League has begun its 105th season. If you’re looking for a player to follow this year, allow me to nominate Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Not because he makes $55 million a year, which was tied for the highest in the league until the Dallas Cowboys signed Dak Prescott yesterday for $60 million a year. Or because the Jaguars have a good shot at making the playoffs even though they lost to Miami yesterday.

Not even because he is very public about his commitment to Christ, telling a reporter recently, “It’s something I really want to be known about me.” Several other high-profile quarterbacks, including Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, and C. J. Stroud, are also deeply committed to Christ.

Rather, it is because of something his wife, Marissa, said regarding the visibility of their lives:

Knowing that this life and fame is something [God] has trusted us with makes it seem like such an honor. It’s something we fail at a lot, but ultimately all we want is to be able to be a light and glorify God with the things he’s given us, and fame is one of those platforms for us to do that.

I’d say we navigate fame by choosing not to see it as fame but as a platform and opportunity to put God on display.

Mother of Georgia suspect called school before shooting

Several stories in today’s news highlight the significance of sharing God’s word as urgently as we can.

  • According to reporting by the Washington Post, the mother of the suspected Apalachee High School gunman called the school on the morning of the shooting and warned a counselor about an “extreme emergency” involving her fourteen-year-old son.
  • Authorities are still searching this morning for a gunman in rural Kentucky who shot five people Saturday afternoon on Interstate 75.
  • A Jordanian terrorist killed three Israelis yesterday morning at the Allenby crossing between Jordan and Israel.

What happened in Georgia and Kentucky is happening across the country. I have been through the Allenby crossing several times over the years and continue to grieve for my Israeli friends as attacks on their nation continue.

In a world as broken as ours, we might think that people would naturally understand their need for help beyond themselves. But we have been conditioned by our society to think just the opposite.

Science has solved so many of our problems that we think it will solve them all. Medicine has cured so many diseases that we think it will cure them all. We can add clergy abuse scandals, denominational conflicts, and the escalating claim that biblical morality is “dangerous” to society.

If we want people to think biblically and live redemptively, we cannot wait for society to take the lead. Like Trevor and Marissa Lawrence, we will need to see our lives and work as “a platform and opportunity to put God on display.”

This is obviously true given the secularized, post-Christian state of our nation today. But it is also true of all societies, even those whose ethical standards are relatively high.

Why we are in “continuous conflict” with society

The Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian Albert Schweitzer noted in The Philosophy of Civilization that “the system established by society for its prosperous existence” will always transcend the individual, regulate behavior for its own ends, and adjust to the times. Consequently, he warned, “the ethical personality cannot surrender to it, but lives always in continuous conflict with it.”

His observation is especially true for evangelical Christians. In contrast to the state, we believe that society exists to serve individuals made in God’s image. We believe behavior should be regulated ultimately in obedience to God’s word and will. And we believe biblical morality to be absolute, not relative.

Consequently, we will need to be “fishers of men” who go to those who need to come to Christ (Matthew 4:19). Like Jesus, we will meet felt needs to meet spiritual needs. We will earn the right to be heard by those we influence through our personal character and public compassion.

Then we will share the good news of God’s saving grace, “speaking the truth in love” as the Spirit leads us (Ephesians 5:18). This is not, as skeptics claim, an imposition of our subjective beliefs on others. Rather, it is the offer of eternal life shared in the knowledge that “whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death” (James 5:20).

The power of Ronald Reagan’s faith

Using our influence to help our nation turn to God is vital not just for Americans but for America.

Ronald Reagan is in the public eye again with the release of the biographical movie Reagan in theaters. The film focuses especially on our fortieth president’s faith journey, beginning with his mother’s influence and continuing through his historic career.

Mr. Reagan was convinced that such faith is vital to our national character and future. For example, in 1982, he stated in a message to Congress, “Our liberty springs from and depends upon an abiding faith in God.” Two years later, speaking at Eureka College, he quoted from the autobiography of Time magazine editor Whittaker Chambers:

“The crisis of the Western world exists to the degree in which it is indifferent to God.”

How will you meet this crisis today?

Monday news to know:

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote for the day:

“Without absolutes revealed from without by God himself, we are left rudderless in a sea of conflicting ideas about matters, justice, and right and wrong, issued from a multitude of self-opinionated thinkers.” —John Owen (1616–83)

 

Denison Forum

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Christ: Our Example

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

Some have tried to pattern their lives after that of Jesus simply by asking in every situation, “What would Jesus do?” But in the context of our text, the primary “example” that He left us was nothing less than His own sacrificial death!

Note the context: “For this is thankworthy [same word as ‘grace’], if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully…if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, yet take it patiently, this is acceptable [also the same word as ‘grace’] with God” (1 Peter 2:19-20).

To follow Christ’s example, therefore, is to be willing to endure unjustified suffering—even defamation and persecution—with grace and patience.

But that is not all; we must also do it in silence! “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not” (1 Peter 2:23). “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

It is a natural reaction to want to strike back at one who has slandered or injured us, especially when such an act is an insulting response to kindness. But such a “natural” reaction was not Christ’s reaction. He could have called “twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to His defense, but He chose to suffer in silence.

And why would He do such a thing? First, if He had not done so, we would have been lost in our sins forever. He “bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

Second, He left us an example, that we “should follow his steps.” He was not just silent in His sufferings; He “suffered for us”! If we would really be like Him, we must be willing to suffer quietly on behalf of others, even when they are the ones who deserve it. This is acceptable with God! HMM

 

 

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

My Utmost for His Highest

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – Determinedly Discipline Other Things

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We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience. — 2 Corinthians 10:5–6

These verses point to the strenuous nature of Christian discipleship. Paul writes that he takes every thought captive, knowing that “every act of disobedience” to Christ will be punished. So much Christian activity today has never been disciplined in the way Paul describes; it has simply sprung into being on impulse. In our Lord’s life, every project was disciplined according to the will of his Father. There was not a single impulsive movement of the Son’s own will apart from his Father’s: “Whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19).

Think how different we are from the example set by Jesus. We start projects because we’ve had a vivid religious experience and felt the thrill of inspiration, not because we’re living in obedience to God’s will. We’d rather take impulsive action than be imprisoned and disciplined to obey Christ, because we overvalue practical work. Meanwhile, disciples who aren’t caught up in busywork and who do bring every project into captivity for the Lord are criticized and told they’re not sincere about God or souls.

True sincerity is found in obeying God, not in obeying the inclination to serve him; obeying an inclination is born of an undisciplined human nature. It’s inconceivable yet true that many Christians are motivated to work for God by their own human nature, a nature which has never been spiritualized by determined discipline.

We are prone to forgetting that, as Christians, we must be committed to Jesus Christ not only for salvation but for his point of view. We must commit ourselves to Jesus Christ’s view of God, of the world, of sin, and of the devil. When we do, we will understand that we have a responsibility to renew our minds, so that they may be transformed and brought into complete captivity for him.

Proverbs 6-7; 2 Corinthians 2

Wisdom from Oswald

There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them.
The Place of Help

 

 

https://utmost.org/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Science & Faith

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He . . . has given you a full understanding of the truth.
—1 Corinthians 1:5 (TLB)

There is never any conflict between true science and our Christian faith. It is my own feeling that when all of the truth is known, it will be found that the Genesis story is a wonderfully accurate record of what took place when the world was created. This may be a telescoped record, giving only major points, but I believe it is scientifically accurate. To discard the Bible because we do not understand everything in it, or in the world, would be a foolish thing to do. Let me also suggest that teachers should confine themselves to those areas in which they are qualified. I have known unbelievers to attack the Christian faith through their teaching, even when they did not have the remotest idea of what true Christianity is. For instance, one does not send an art critic to write up a football game, or a sports writer to evaluate a painting. Ask God to give you the wisdom to keep things in their proper perspective, and—above all—faithfully read your Bible and pray every day. If you do, God will give you the faith and wisdom you need to meet any problem.

Billy Graham explains why it is possible to be a faithful Christian and a scientist.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Father, each day as I read the Bible You reveal to me more of the reality of Your love and wisdom. I delight in Your Word!

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – Renew Your Mind

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.—Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Every moment is an opportunity to renew your mind, change your perspective and see the good in a situation. When you frame your thoughts through the positive lens of love and trust that God will lead you to your best life, good things happen.

Dear Lord, guide me to follow Your will and focus on what is good, acceptable and perfect.

 

 

https://guideposts.org/daily-devotions/devotions-for-women/devotions-for-faith-prayer-devotions-for-women/

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – Cybernetics 

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In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. ––Proverbs 3:6-8

Cybernetics (loosely translated from the Greek): “a helmsman who steers his ship to port.”

In 1960, Maxwell Maltz wrote a book called Psycho-Cybernetics talking about Cybernetics, the study of trajectory. Trajectory is the origin of the system that guides rocket ships from one heavenly body to another. The study revealed the need for mid-course corrections in a rocket’s trajectory as it sped across space from one moving object to another moving object.

Amazingly, in our flight, it’s possible for even the inertia created by our salvation to be manipulated and thrown off course. Though we might fully embrace the gospel and God’s power in our lives, slight trajectory and velocity changes of the mind, over enough time, can pull us way off course. Think not-so-sound advice, or faulty beliefs about God’s Word. Just like an imperiled space capsule has to fire its engines at exactly the right times to keep the right trajectory, God’s man must employ constant vigilance to listen to the right voices and use the indicators to steer toward an authentic, Christ-centered life.

Satan makes well-calculated attempts to take advantage of our spiritual passion and momentum to slingshot us away from God’s highest purposes and toward his own target of synthetic “Christian” living. That target, as the name suggests, has the look of faith but none of its power.

The Devil can’t take away our salvation or connection to Jesus. True, but he can still do his best to make that connection as unhealthy and toxic as possible. His aim with us is simple: take an authentic conversion and attempt to make it shallow, synthetic, and full of contradictions.

For God’s man, course corrections include check-ins with trusted friends, transparency with spouse of family, consistent time with the Father and His Word. As we check our trajectory against His coordinates, our cybernetics remain true and secure.

Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit and His promptings.

 

 

Every Man Ministries

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Speaking Truthfully in Christ

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Bible in a Year :

Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:25

 

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Ephesians 4:22-29

A man was adept at beating his personal traffic tickets by lying. When he appeared before various judges in court, he would tell the same tale: “I broke up with my girlfriend and she took my car without my knowledge.” In addition, he had been repeatedly reprimanded for misconduct while on the job. Prosecutors finally charged him with four counts of perjury and five counts of forgery for allegedly lying to judges under oath and providing fictitious police reports. For this man, lying had become a lifelong habit.

In contrast, the apostle Paul said that telling the truth is a vital habit for believers in Jesus to live out. He reminded the Ephesians that they’d put away their old way of living through surrendering their lives to Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). Now, they needed to live like the new people they’d become, incorporating specific actions into their lives. One such action was something to cease—“put off falsehood”—and the other action something to practice—“speak truthfully to your neighbor” (4:25). Because it protected the unity of the church, the Ephesians were to always have their words and actions be about “building others up” (v. 29).

As the Holy Spirit helps us (vv. 3-4), believers in Jesus can strive for truth in their words and actions. Then the church will be unified, and God will be honored.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

What will help you consistently tell the truth? How do your words reflect new life in Christ?

Dear God, please help me to put away falsehood and clothe myself in Your truth.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Quit

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And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Galatians 6:9 (AMPC)

“I’ve been a Christian for twenty-three years,” Cheryl said. I’m just not getting anywhere. I’m as weak as I was when I first accepted Christ as my Savior. I still fail. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to talk about her failures. “By now I know all the right things to do, but I don’t do them. Sometimes I deliberately do something mean-spirited or unkind. What kind of Christian am I?”

“Probably a growing Christian,” I said. A startled look appeared on Cheryl’s face. “Growing? Did you hear?”

“Yes, I heard. But if you weren’t growing, you wouldn’t lament your failures. You’d be satisfied about your spiritual level or tell yourself how good you are.”

“But I’m so discouraged, and I fail God so many times.”

I went on to tell Cheryl she was correct that she had failed. All of us do at times. None of us is perfect. If we’re not careful, we allow the devil to point to what we haven’t accomplished and where we have been weak. When that happens, it’s easy to feel bad or want to give up.

That’s not the way of the Spirit. No matter how we mess up our lives, God doesn’t give up on us. The Spirit constantly nudges us.

We can allow our thoughts to dwell on what we haven’t done, why we ought to be more spiritual, or how spiritual we ought to be after all these years in our Christian faith. That’s a trick of the devil to make us think of our defects and short comings. If we focus on what we’re not or what we haven’t accomplished, we are allowing the devil to make advances on the battlefield of our minds.

The fact that my troubled friend was upset was a healthy sign, even though she didn’t see it that way. With the Holy Spirit’s help, she can push back the devil. She can regain the territory Satan has stolen from her.

Cheryl seemed to think that holy, victorious living came from one major victory after another. Yes, we do have times when we have great breakthroughs; however, most of our victories come slowly. They come little by little. It’s as if we inch forward. Because we move slowly in our spiritual growth, we are often unaware of how far we have moved. If the devil can make us think that we must have one decisive spiritual victory after another or we’re losers, he has gained an important stronghold.

He exhorted us not to grow weary; or as another translation says it, “not to lose heart.” He’s saying, “Don’t quit. Keep fighting.”

Life is a struggle, and the devil is determined to defeat and destroy us. We don’t ever reach the place where we never have to fight. But it’s not just our fight. Jesus is not only with us, but He is for us. He’s at our side to strengthen us and to urge us onward.

My friend kept remembering the times she had failed, but I reminded her of the times she had succeeded. “You think the devil is in control, but that’s not true. You have failed, but you have also succeeded. You have stood your ground and you have made progress.”

“Don’t quit. Don’t give up.” That’s the message we need to hear. I think of the words of Isaiah: Fear not, for I have redeemed you…; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you (Isaiah 43:1-2 AMPC).

This is God’s promise. He doesn’t promise to take us completely out of troubles or hardships, but He does promise to be with us as we go through them. “Fear not,”‘ He says. That’s the message we need to ponder. We don’t need to fear because God is with us. And when God is with us, what is there to worry about?

Prayer of the Day: God, despite my failures, You are with me, encouraging me not to give up. Please help me to remember that, with Your help, I can win. In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – DoJ alleges Russian interference through Tenet Media

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How to love God by loving others

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DoJ) issued an indictment against the Russian state news broadcaster RT, claiming that it paid nearly $10 million to several conservative pundits in the hopes of promoting a pro-Russian agenda. Since launching last fall, the company in question—since identified as Tennessee-based Tenet Media—has published almost 2,000 videos through social media outlets like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). Yet, the content creators in question insist—and the DoJ affirms—that they were unaware of the company’s link to Russia.

To help hide the origins of their financing, Tenet claimed that the company was founded by a fictitious individual named Eduard Grigoriann. Yet, despite lucrative contracts that paid the creators upwards of $400 thousand a month, the Russian agents in charge of Tenet eventually grew frustrated that the commentators were not sharing more of the company’s videos. Ultimately, it appears that encouraging them to do so was the extent of the influence they wielded over many of the pundits, with each stating that they maintained both editorial and content control over what they produced.

Still, the indictment claims that “While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, the subject matter and content of the videos are often consistent with the Government of Russia’s interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Government of Russia interests, such as its ongoing war in Ukraine.”

Moreover, FBI Director Chris Wray warns that China and Iran have also attempted to do the same.

And while the notion of foreign interference in our elections is far from new, “amplifying U.S. domestic divisions” is, sadly, not an effort limited to those outside the country.

Our bargain with the media

The notion that a media company would be incentivized to purposely convey the news in a way that fosters division and distrust should not come as a surprise. Increasingly, we see the same effort from domestic outlets, regardless of their political persuasions. Even Amazon’s Alexa appears to be in on the game, giving drastically different answers for why people should vote for Vice President Kamala Harris than with former president Donald Trump.

Still, the idea of a foreign government funding such efforts rather than the general greed of media moguls feels like a different order of threat. But why is that the case? After all, in both cases, individuals’ beliefs are manipulated for the benefit of those creating the agendas.

The key distinction is that we understand greed and the dangers it poses in a way that is not necessarily true for threats from foreign powers.

While domestic news companies may want us living in echo chambers—a concept discussed in greater depth on the latest Denison Forum podcast—by and large, they do so because that’s how they can make the most money from advertisements and partnerships. By contrast, Russia’s efforts to undermine support for the war in Ukraine, influence who will occupy the White House in January, and sway Americans on a host of other issues represent an entirely different type of threat.

To put it another way, most of us understand that we need to approach the media we consume with a rather large grain of salt, but we begrudgingly accept that they’re trying to manipulate us—so long as we understand that that’s what’s going on. In many ways, it’s a necessary bargain for us to make in order to stay connected to the events of the day, and there are some basic steps we can take to protect ourselves from the worst of the effects.

However, when it comes to how we relate to those we encounter in other walks of life,  many take the same approach of viewing people as a means to our end—and that’s a far greater issue facing our culture today.

A dog’s last lesson on love

While Scripture is clear that a person only becomes the child of God when they are adopted into his family through faith in Jesus (Romans 8:14–17), God’s word is equally clear that he loves and cherishes every person that he has created (John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9). As such, how we see and treat those that God brings across our path will have a direct influence on how closely we can walk with the Lord.

And this basic truth is something God impressed upon me in an unexpected way a few days ago.

Earlier this week, my family and I had to put down the dog we’ve had for more than fourteen years. We knew the time was coming for a while, but things took a turn in a way that reinforced the necessity of that decision. I’d been dreading that moment for a while now, but more because of the grief I knew it would bring to my wife and kids than for myself.

I’m not really an animal person, and, while I loved the dog, my role was primarily to take care of him so that the rest of the family could enjoy him. As a result, the degree to which his death got to me caught me by surprise. And it wasn’t until reflecting and praying about it that I began to understand why.

You see, what God showed me was that my love for our dog stemmed from the fact that he was amazing at loving the people that I loved. He brought a level of joy and comfort into their lives that can only be described as a gift from the Lord. And I will be forever grateful to him for that.

And when we do the same with the people around us—when we love them as God loves them—I believe our heavenly Father feels the same kind of gratitude toward us.

His love is not conditional upon our love for others, but when we treat people well and see them as individuals made in his image rather than as a potential means to our end, it opens new levels to how deep our relationship with God can go. And, fortunately, that’s something each of us can do by simply paying attention to the opportunities he brings us and then making the choice to love people as he does.

Who can you love like that today?

Friday news to know:

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote of the day:

“The world does not understand theology or dogma, but it understands love and sympathy.” —D. L. Moody

 

Denison Forum

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Completing a Good Work

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

In his introductory comments to the Philippian church, Paul reminds them of his thankfulness for them (v. 3), his prayer for them (v. 4), and as we see in our text, his confidence in God’s continuing work in their lives.

This “good work” is not the sort of work that men and women are able to accomplish. Paul identifies this as God’s work, as yet not completed—that is, the transforming work of grace. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (2:13).

The work of grace takes several forms. It includes the redemption of our lost souls, having been fully accomplished by Christ on Calvary. It also includes our ultimate sanctification, transforming our character from that of a redeemed sinner to one of Christ-likeness. He is working toward this goal on a daily basis and will finish the task in His presence. But the work of grace also includes our service for Him—not our work but His that He does through us. He grants us, through His grace, the distinct privilege of participating in His work here on Earth.

Paul writes that the ultimate completion of this “good work” of grace awaits “the day of Jesus Christ.” In a similar prayer for the Corinthian believers, he writes of their “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7-8).

Meanwhile, we can rest in His faithfulness, fully convinced of His intention and ability to complete His work. “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalm 138:8). JDM

 

 

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

My Utmost for His Highest

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – Diffusiveness of Life

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Rivers of living water . . . — John 7:38

A river touches places of which its source knows nothing. Jesus says that if we have received his fullness, it doesn’t matter how small the visible measure of our lives may be; out of us will flow rivers that will bless the farthest reaches of the earth. We have nothing to do with the outflow; it is the mighty work of God. God rarely allows a soul to see how great a blessing it is.

A river is victoriously persistent, overcoming all barriers. It goes steadily along in its course, then comes to an obstacle and, for a while, is blocked. But it soon makes a pathway around. Or a river may drop out of sight for miles, then emerge again, broader and grander than ever. So it is with the Spirit of God.

Has an obstacle come into your life? Do you see God using others while you seem to be of no use? Keep paying attention to the source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all. Never focus on the obstacle or difficulty; the river is completely indifferent to anything in its path and will flow steadily through you when you remember to keep your sights on the source. Never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ. Nothing—no emotion, no experience—must keep you from the one great source.

Think of the healing and far-flung rivers nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been awakening our minds to amazing truths, and each truth he awakens points to the wider power of the river he will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has nourished in you mighty torrents of blessings for others.

Psalms 148-150; 1 Corinthians 15:29-58

Wisdom from Oswald

Defenders of the faith are inclined to be bitter until they learn to walk in the light of the Lord. When you have learned to walk in the light of the Lord, bitterness and contention are impossible.Biblical Psychology, 199 R

 

 

https://utmost.org/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Born Again

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Clothe yourself with this new nature.
—Ephesians 4:24 (TLB)

In Texas they tell a story about a man who used to hitch his horse every morning in front of the saloon. One morning the saloonkeeper came out and found that the horse was hitched in front of the Methodist church. He saw the man walking down the street and called out, “Say, why is your horse hitched in front of the Methodist church this morning?” The man turned around and said, “Well, last night I was converted in the revival meeting, and I’ve changed hitching posts.” That’s what it means to be born again. That’s what it means to be converted. It means that you changed hitching posts.

Watch: God’s love is relentless and He calls you by name.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

May I live in such a way that people will know that I am bound in the freedom of Your love.

 

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – Wherever You Go

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Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God.”—Genesis 28:20–21 (NIV)

Jacob fled his family in fear for his life, and God intervened, letting Jacob know he was loved and cared for. Ask God to fill you with His strength and love. If you do this regularly, your life will be completely changed and you will go from feeling stressed to knowing you are blessed.

Dear Lord, I know You are with me and watch over me wherever I go.

 

 

https://guideposts.org/daily-devotions/devotions-for-women/devotions-for-faith-prayer-devotions-for-women/

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – Spiritual Alacrity (Part 1)

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I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. ––Psalm 32:8

In my line of work—as a fulltime pastor to men—I hear a lot of stories. And think about it: Why would a guy approach a speaker after a workshop or conference? So yeah, I hear a lot of sad stories. And yes, I hear the triumphs also—but typically, I’m ministering to men in crisis or near-crisis. Don’t get me wrong: that’s my calling, and I get a ton of joy and satisfaction out of being used to share the hope and victory that men find in Jesus.

But, one occupational hazard for me is numbness. My prayer is often, “Father, soften my heart toward the men I meet and the stories I hear.” Like anything in life that we do over and over, the danger—and not just for me, but for all of us—is to kinda zone out to tragedy and trauma. I mean, it’s not hard to find a sad story, right? All we need to do is open our phone in the morning and bam!, a whole lot of misery and sadness. Wars and rumors of wars. Political mumbo-jumbo and shenanigans. Celebrity downfalls and scandals. It’s exhausting.

As a man of God, we aim to have the faith of a child as Jesus admonishes us: “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:17).

First, we must choose to live in reality—don’t try to deny that the world is a mess, or ignore the tragedies at your door. They are real, and the faster we can admit that and face it, the sooner we can start dealing with it.

Second, we need to realize that we are not Holden Caulfield; we are not responsible for catching all the kids in the fields of rye before they go careening off the cliff. Savior syndrome is toxic and destructive, and usually masks some deeper trauma that drives us to “over help” in the lives of others.

The key is to walk with spiritual alacrity. Or as the OG of basketball coaches, John Wooden said, to “be quick but don’t hurry.” Alacrity means “promptness in response; keenness, eagerness, zeal, fervor.” It means we don’t do it in our own emotional zone—it’s impossible to maintain keenness and zeal for the trauma and crises we face. No matter how much energy or commitment or passion you have, eventually you will run out. In contrast, God’s tank is always full, and His Spirit supplies endless source of power—if we allow Him to flow through us.

Father, help me be prompt, keen, eager, and zealous for You.

 

 

Every Man Ministries

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Grace Now

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Bible in a Year :

[Love] is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.

1 Corinthians 13:5

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

We hurried to a fast-food restaurant to have lunch together on my friend Jerrie’s short work break. Arriving at the door about the same time, six young men got inside just in front of us. Knowing we didn’t have much time to spare, we grumbled inwardly. They stood as a group at both registers to be sure each of them could order first. Then I heard Jerrie whisper to herself, “Show grace now.” Wow! Sure, letting us go first would have been nice, but what a great reminder to think of others’ needs and desires and not only my own.

The Bible teaches that love is patient, kind, and unselfish; it’s “not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:5). “It often . . . prefers [others’] welfare, and satisfaction, and advantage, to its own,” wrote commentator Matthew Henry of this love. God’s kind of love thinks of others first.

In a world where many of us are easily irritated, we frequently have occasion to ask God for help and the grace to choose to be patient with others and to be kind (v. 4). Proverbs 19:11 adds, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

That’s the kind of loving action that brings honor to God, and He might even use it to bring thoughts of His love to others.

With God’s strength, let’s take every opportunity to show grace now.

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

In what ways might you need to not act out of frustration? How could turning to God help you?

I’m in need of Your help, God. I face many levels of irritation but want to instead be filled and overflowing with Your kind of love.

 

 

http://www.odb.org