Monthly Archives: January 2025

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck -Leaning into Risk 

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So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  ––Acts 15: 25–26

“I dare you to jump off.”

Practically all of us either said those words or had them said to us when we were kids. Oh yeah, baby. Jumping off things is in our DNA. It took me about two seconds to come up with my short list of things that I used to love jumping off as a boy: the roof into a cold pool, trampolines, swings, cliffs above a swimming hole. We jumped into risk for the simple thrill of it.

Jesus’ disciples asked, “Who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Imagine being a first-generation man looking on, wondering the same thing. The disciples were asking themselves, What can I do here that will make me significant up there with God?

It’s not a mystery that Jesus used the parable of a little boy to answer the question of who was the greatest. Jesus looked at His guys and knew exactly what message to send. He called a little child and had him stand among them. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4).

As we grow older, the intensity of our child-like wonder and boldness can get diluted and clouded. But risk is in the DNA of every man, put there by and for God. You may have misplaced it, neglected it, or misused it, but it is time to get it back. It is time to do something great for God with it right now. 

Is He omnipotent or impotent? Sovereign or aloof? Punitive or kind? Faithful or flaky? Loving or vengeful? Just or unjust? Able or unable to make a difference? Creator or kill-joy? 


Lord, am I taking any risk at all? Thank you for faith-building risk. 

Every Man Ministries
Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – A New Beginning with God

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While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Today’s Scripture

Romans 5:6-11

Today’s Insights

The book of Romans tells us that all humanity is sinful (3:23). We were once enemies of God (5:10) and objects of His wrath (1:18; 2:5). But “God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight . . . through Christ Jesus [who] freed us from the penalty for our sins” (3:24 nlt). In Romans 5:1-11, Paul points to the intensity of God’s love for us. First, “we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (v. 5 nlt). Second, while we were still His enemies and sinners, God gave us His one and only Son to atone for our sins (see 1 John 4:9-10), save us from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9-10), and restore our relationship with Him: “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (v. 11 nlt)

Today’s Devotional

“Did your sin also put Jesus on the cross?” That’s the question Dutch painter Rembrandt seems to be asking in his 1633 masterpiece, The Raising of the Cross. Jesus appears in the center of the picture as His cross is lifted and put in place. Four men are doing the lifting, but one stands out in the light surrounding Jesus. His clothing is different; he’s dressed in the style of Rembrandt’s day, wearing a cap the painter often wore. A closer look at his face reveals that Rembrandt has put himself into the painting, as if to say, “My sins had a part in Jesus’ death.”

But there’s another who also stands out. He’s on horseback, looking directly out of the painting. Some see this as a second self-portrait by Rembrandt, engaging all who observe with a knowing glance that seems to ask, “Aren’t you here too?”

Paul saw himself there, and we may also, because Jesus suffered and died for us as well. In Romans 5:10, he refers to himself and us as “God’s enemies.” But even though our sins caused Jesus’ death, His death reconciles us to God: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8).

We stand with both Rembrandt and Paul: sinners in need of forgiveness. Through His cross, Jesus offers us what we could never do for ourselves and meets our deepest need: a new beginning with God.

Reflect & Pray

How were you once God’s enemy? In what ways can you live as His friend today?

 

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Yourself for me. Please help me to live in Your love today.

Listen how the grace of God transforms us.

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Start Where You Are

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Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it—when you have it with you.

Proverbs 3:28 (AMPC)

When God tells you to help someone, it’s easy to put it off. You intend to obey God; it is just that you are going to do it when—when you have more money, when you’re not so busy, when Christmas is over, when the kids are back in school, or when vacation is over.

There is no point in praying for God to give you money so you can be a blessing to others if you are not being a blessing with what you already have. Satan will try to tell you that you don’t have anything to give—but don’t believe Him.

Even if it is only a pack of gum or a ballpoint pen, start using what you have. In the process of giving, you will discover you don’t need money to be a blessing to others.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I thank You for the many blessings in my life. Please help me to strive to be a blessing everywhere I go, with whomever You place in my path, and to be generous with whatever I have to give.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth begins in the Senate

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Adversarial politics and the “steadfast love” of God

The confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, began yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Democrats grilled him, while Republicans largely seemed to indicate their support. This is unsurprising, of course—if Kamala Harris had won the White House, the politics would have been reversed.

The adversarial nature of our governmental system must be frustrating to those who experience it. However, the Founders intended a system of checks and balances in their belief that, because we are flawed and fallen, none of us can be trusted with unaccountable power over others.

As a result, we have prosecutors and defense attorneys in our courts. Our capitalistic economic system thrives on competition that benefits consumers. Competition improves students and athletes as well. Not to mention our never-ending battle with nature for physical survival, from gravity that can break our bodies to diseases, predators, and disasters that can kill us.

It seems that adversity is a foundational fact in every dimension of our world. It is therefore understandable that we would see the Creator of our world in the same way.

This was certainly my experience for many years, even after I became a Christian. I’d like to tell you that story in the hope that it can encourage you in your story today.

Zeus with a scale?

I grew up not going to church, but I always had a sense that God is real. However, I thought of him as a kind of Zeus atop Mt. Olympus, a judge with a giant set of scales—the good went on one side and the bad on the other, and the way the scales tipped determined where you went, either to heaven or to hell.

Even when I became a Christian at the age of fifteen, I pictured God in his holiness and omnipotence more than in his mercy and love. I know that he loves me because “God is love” (1 John 4:8), but I also know that he is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8) and that I am a sinner by virtue of my inherited sinful nature (Romans 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5).

In my fallenness, I am less a good person who sometimes does bad things than a bad person who tries to do good things. David observed, “There is none who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). Paul’s admission is mine: “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18–19).

I am grateful that God forgives all I confess to him (1 John 1:9), but my default subliminal picture of him has typically been of a holy Lord who is consistently displeased with my failures and shortcomings.

But this is not so.

“They all ate and were satisfied”

The psalmist said of God, “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). Here we learn that God wants to bless us and therefore takes the initiative to give us his best.

This is why David exhorted us, “Oh give thanks to the Lᴏʀᴅ; for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34). It is why God can say to his people, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3, my emphasis). It is why we read that nothing “in all creation” is “able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

This is not because we deserve his grace, but because this is the kind of Father he is: “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5). Paul asked, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31–32).

Our Father wants only the best for his children. Accordingly, when Jesus fed the multitude, he didn’t just give them enough to survive another day: “They all ate and were satisfied” (Matthew 14:20, my emphasis), something that I would imagine seldom happened for many of these impoverished people. He turned water not just into wine but into “good” wine, far exceeding the expectations even of the “master of the feast” (John 2:9–10).

And what we experience from his hand in this broken world cannot compare to what is waiting for us in paradise: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). In the meantime, our Lord is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

As “the bridegroom rejoices over the bride”

I say all of that to say this: I am learning to see God as a Father who loves me so unconditionally that he rejoices over me as “the bridegroom rejoices over the bride” (Isaiah 62:5) and “takes pleasure” in me as his child (Psalm 149:4).

If I love my children and grandchildren so deeply that they bring delight to my heart, how much more does my Father delight in me (Psalm 18:19)?

If I want only their best, how much more does he want only my best (cf. Psalm 37:4)?

If I find joy in blessing them, how much more does he find joy in blessing me (cf. Psalm 16:11)?

However, our Lord honors the freedom with which he created us and thus can give us only what we choose to receive. A longtime friend who has experienced much of God’s blessings summarizes his faith this way: “He leads, I follow.”

Can you say the same today?

My latest website articles:

Quote for the day:

“My brethren, it is in proportion as you get near to God that you enter into the full enjoyment of life—that life which Jesus Christ gives you, and which Jesus Christ preserves in you.” —Charles Spurgeon

 

Denison Forum

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Holy Spirit’s Ministry: God Himself Is For Us

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

This stunning statement is founded on the unalterable attributes of the triune God (Romans 8:31-35). God Himself secures our salvation; who then can possibly undo His work?

  • “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
  • “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
  • “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me” (Psalm 56:11).

God Himself is the giver and the protector of our salvation.

  • “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
  • “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
  • “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

What can possibly undo the work of the omnipotent and omniscient triune Godhead and Creator of all things? It is utter foolishness to yield our eternity to the Savior and then conclude that our feeble efforts could somehow thwart a work of eternity. HMM III

 

 

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

My Utmost for His Highest

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – Do You Walk in White?

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We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that . . . we too may live a new life. —Romans 6:4

No one enters into the experience of entire sanctification without going through a “white funeral,” a burial of the old life. If this crisis has never taken place, if you’ve never put your old life to death, sanctification is nothing more than a vision. It is a death followed by one resurrection—a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can upset such a life. It is one with God for one purpose: to be a witness to him.

Have you come to your last days really? You may have come to them many times in your thoughts and dreams; you may have grown excited at the thought of being baptized into death with your Lord. But have you actually done it? You cannot die in excitement. Death means you stop being, stop striving. Do you agree with God to stop being the kind of striving, eager Christian you’ve been up to now? We circle the cemetery all the time, refusing to actually go to our deaths.

Are you ready to be buried with Christ, or are you playing the fool with your soul? Is there a moment you can identify as your last? Can you go back to it in your memory and say, with a chastened and grateful spirit, “Yes, it was then, at that ‘white funeral,’ that I made an agreement with God”?

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When you realize that sanctification is what God wants, you will enter into death naturally. Are you willing to do it now? Do you agree with God that this day will be your last? The moment of agreement depends on you.

Genesis 36-38; Matthew 10:21-42

Wisdom from Oswald

The Bible is the only Book that gives us any indication of the true nature of sin, and where it came from.The Philosophy of Sin, 1107 R

 

 

https://utmost.org/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Lean on the Rock

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When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
—Psalm 61:2

When you become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you will live on a perpetual “high.” The Psalmist David went down to the very depths, and so did the Apostle Paul. But in the midst of all circumstances God’s grace, peace, and joy are there. The tears will still come, the pressures will be felt, and so will the temptations. But there is a new dimension, a new direction, and a new power in life to face the circumstances in which you live.

Listen to a one-minute message on hope in the midst of suffering.

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

Prayer for the day

David and Paul have given me the example of trusting You, Lord, even in the excruciating valleys of life. Like them, I praise You.

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – The Snowy Path Ahead

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.—Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

Turn to this verse when you feel afraid or anxious about the future. Just like walking through a snow-covered path where each step is obscured and uncertain, you may feel unsure about the direction your life is taking. Still, God’s Word reassures you that if you trust Him and submit to His guidance, He will lead you along the right path, even when you cannot see what lies ahead.

Lord, as I navigate the snowy paths of life, strengthen my faith so that I can face uncertainties with courage and confidence.

 

 

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

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – Godly Sorrow

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See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.  ––2 Corinthians 7:11

Let’s dig deeper into the two different types of sorrow. Here are my definitions:

Worldly Sorrow – Sadness, regret, or sorrow that is flesh-based, focused on material consequences, and leads to shame and spiritual death.

Godly Sorrow—Sadness, regret, or sorrow that is God-based, focused on eternal outcomes, and leads to health and spiritual redemption.

Paul had to get in the face of the Corinthian believers. They were living in a very pagan city and were struggling to maintain moral lives. His concern led to chastisement, which led to their repentance. He highlights the fact that their godly sorrow produced truthfulness, honesty, a desire to get right with God, and deep concern over what they’d been doing.

Sorrow—in everyday terms, sadness and regret—is an unavoidable part of life. The question for God’s man is this: how will we respond when sorrow hits us? How will we react when the conviction of the Holy Spirit falls on us after we stray? When we run, hide, or otherwise sidestep the truth, it leads to what God calls “death”—the death of our desire to please God, and the death of our spirit itself.

Make no mistake, the inevitability of sorrow means we walk on a razor’s edge between allowing it to drag us down into the pit of despair and denial, or surrendering to God’s process, which is to heal us, renew us, and redeem us.

Don’t let Satan suck you down into the pit of worldly sorrow—practice the attributes of responding to life’s difficulties with godly sorrow:

Acknowledge when you have sinned, and come before His throne;

Keep short accounts in your relationships, and when problems arise, swiftly work to repair the damage;

Ask the Holy Spirit to filter the troubles and trauma that come at you through His lens, rather than the world’s. All of us will encounter sorrow—it’s just a matter of when and how. The only choice we have is how will we respond when sorrow comes.

Father, help me to take my failures and troubles to You, and may You use godly sorrow to redeem and restore me.

 

 

Every Man Ministries

News and Info

AI Trojan Horse

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AI Trojan Horse: The Infrastructure Necessary For The Antichrist’s Technology Is Being Developed And Used Today – Harbinger’s Daily

 

Greek mythology tells the story of the Trojan horse. The people of Troy—the Trojans—were defeated by the Greeks after they left behind a large, hollow wooden horse and pretended to sail for home. The Greeks persuaded the Trojans that the horse was an offering to Athena (the goddess of war), and believing the horse would protect the city of Troy, the Trojans brought the horse inside the city walls as they were unaware the wooden horse was filled with Greek warriors. At night, these Greek warriors emerged from their hiding place and opened the gates to the city of Troy, letting the Greek army into the city, leading to the defeat of the city of Troy.

Transitioning from Greek mythology to modern-day technology, we may have another Trojan horse, and it may be embraced and welcomed into our homes and lives just as that ancient wooden horse once was. This trojan horse is called Open AI, especially Open AI o.3.

General Intelligence or AGI

OpenAI is far and away the market leader in generative AI. ChatGPT is a term most people are familiar with. ChatGPT is general intelligence or AGI. ChatGPT has over 250 million users, and over 10 million are paying subscribers. The New York Times recently reported that it estimates the annual revenue for Open AI to be over 3 billion dollars. That may seem impressive. However, it’s nothing compared to what they just raised in capital. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has confirmed that Open AI has just raised 6.6 billion dollars. They have plans to continue introducing more technological advancements.

We need to realize that it’s NOT about where we are right now; it’s about where we are heading. AI, virtual reality, drone warfare, genetic engineering, nanotechnology—all of this is the Fourth Industrial Revolution! I believe 2019 and 2020 were NOT about disease or plague; they were about the jab. They were about what could be injected into our bodies.

Seekr, an AI-powered Wearable Device

The Consumer Electronics Show, known as CES, is about to take place in Las Vegas. Each year, this show is considered a global event because it brings together tech companies focused on solving humanity’s greatest problems.

One piece of technology about to be revealed is Seekr, an AI-powered wearable device designed to empower the visually impaired. Seekr uses real-time machine algorithms to process visual data and send audio feed to the users’ bluetooth earpieces. This device is designed to help the visually impaired identify objects, navigate obstacles, and even read signs.

I admit that technology has some amazing abilities; it could allow some people to have their sight restored. It has the hopes of helping the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear. Now, I use that reference on purpose because in Scripture, a sign of the Messiah, according to Jesus, is the lame walking, the blind seeing, and the deaf hearing. Let me be clear on what I am saying here. I am NOT saying that technology is God; I am saying that companies designing this technology tend to think they are god-like in their abilities.

DeepSeek V3

For example, a Chinese lab has created what appears to be one of the most powerful “open” AI models to date. The model is called DeepSeek V3, which was developed in China by the AI company DeepSeek. This technology is designed for coding, translating, and collecting data. This is where the danger comes in. If this technology isn’t dangerous, why in 2023 did the U.S. Department of Commerce prevent the sale of more advanced artificial intelligence chips to China?

The dictionary defines technology as: “machinery and equipment developed from the application of scientific knowledge.” It seems AI goes far beyond that definition. Some will say AI improves the quality of everyday life by doing routine and even complicated tasks better than humans can, which ultimately makes life simpler, safer, and more efficient. Yet, others will argue that AI poses dangers such as privacy risks.

Zechariah 14:12

Centuries ago, many theologians writing commentaries on the minor prophet Zechariah, were unable to finish. Why? Because they could not explain or even imagine how chapter 14 would ever come to pass: “Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths” (Zechariah 14:12).

We now have technology used in warfare that, unlike many theologians in the past, the modern-day believer knows could fulfill that passage of Scripture. Many people are aware that someday the Mark of the Beast will be implemented. We are NOT there yet, which will occur during the Tribulation. However, the infrastructure for the technology needed for the Mark of the Beast to function is being developed and used today.

Open AI o.3

Just three months ago, Open AI announced the launch of a generative AI model with the code name “Strawberry” but officially called OpenAI o.1. That was just three months ago. They are now ready to announce the launch of Open AI o.3. This new Open AI has the ability to “think” before it responds to questions. The desire to create a machine that can think for itself is not new. The ability to possess that technology is.

The Turing Test

The Turing test, proposed by English mathematician Alan Turing in 1950, was an artificial intelligence test designed to determine whether it was possible for a computer to actually “think.” Later, in 1957, at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Frank Rosenblatt created a prototype of an artificial network designed to see if Turing’s test was realistic. Rosenblatt’s work was called “Perceptrons”.

For years, Hollywood has portrayed machines as taking over the human race. I see technology launching the elites into a place where they can accomplish their goals. They now have technology that can, as they say, hack the human mind and body.

We are living in a day where we have another Trojan horse in our midst. This is not from Greek mythology but from the world of technology. It is a Trojan horse because, as the people of Troy did, the general population is welcoming this technology into their homes and lives with open arms. Like the hidden Greek warriors, this technology is designed to come out and capture our data and control our lives.

Let’s remember what the apostle Paul warned us about in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked.”

 

ByDavid Bowen

David Bowen is a Teaching Evangelist for Lamb & Lion Ministries, co-host of the Christ In Prophecy television program, and the Founding and Senior Pastor of Standing Stones Community Church.

 

Source: AI Trojan Horse: The Infrastructure Necessary For The Antichrist’s Technology Is Being Developed And Used Today – Harbinger’s Daily

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Walking with God

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Enoch walked faithfully with God. Genesis 5:24

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 5:21-24

Today’s Insights

The metaphor of walking with God is a prominent theme in the Bible. Walking describes a life of obedience and submission to His instruction. Genesis 5 says that “Enoch walked faithfully with God” (vv. 22, 24). This imagery is also used throughout the book of Deuteronomy to remind Israel to follow the law by walking in it (5:33; 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16). In chapter 6, we see the explicit origin of this idea. Verses 4-9 are referred to as the Shema, which means “hear,” the first word in this section of Scripture: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (v. 4). In the Shema, Israel is encouraged to make God’s law central to everything they do. Observant Jews today still recite this prayer daily. Other examples of walking imagery appear in the Psalms (see 1, 15, 119, 128) and in the New Testament (see Colossians 3:7; 1 John 1:7; 2 John 1:6).

Today’s Devotional

For years, fitness experts have stressed the importance of running for cardiovascular health. But recent scientific studies have demonstrated that daily walking also has a range of health benefits. According to the US National Institute of Health, “Adults who took 8,000 or more steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who walked only 4,000 steps a day.” Walking is good for us.

Throughout the story of the Bible, walking is used as a metaphor for communing with God. In Genesis 3, we’re told how God walked with Adam and Eve “in the cool of the day” (v. 8). Genesis 5 shares the story of Enoch, who “walked faithfully with God 300 years” (v. 22). One day Enoch’s regular time spent with his Creator led to him being taken directly to be with God (v. 24). In Genesis 17, God invited Abram to “walk before” Him as He renewed His covenant with him (v. 1). And Jacob, near the end of his life, described God as his shepherd and spoke of his ancestors who had “walked faithfully” (48:15). In the New Testament, Paul instructed us to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).

Like Enoch and the patriarchs in Genesis, we can walk with God daily. We do so by surrendering our lives to Jesus and being guided by the Holy Spirit. That’s the path to true health.

How’s your walk?

Reflect & Pray

How would you describe “walking with God”? Today, as you reflect on Scripture, how will you follow and obey it?

Father, please forgive me when I’ve chosen not to walk with You but pursued my own agenda. Help me keep in step with You.

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Set Priorities

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Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16 (AMPC)

Be determined to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus Christ desires for you to have. The devil will always try to set you up to get upset. The busy activities of today’s society can make life seem like a blur. Most people have a lot of stress, continuous pressure, and really too much to do.

Set priorities. Start your day with God. Be determined to follow His lead all day, and you will enjoy every day of your life—not just on weekends, vacations, or sunny days when the weather’s perfect. Walking with God will give you pleasure and relaxation even when things aren’t going your way.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am so very grateful that Jesus came that I might have abundant life. When the day is stressful and my joy feels low, help me to remember that You have promised I can enjoy my life. Thank You for the joy, peace, and security I find in You.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Is a deal to end the war in Gaza imminent?

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One way God redeems suffering for greater peace

President Joe Biden delivered his final foreign policy address yesterday, stating that a deal to end war in Gaza through a ceasefire and hostage release deal was “on the brink” of being finalized. Israel and Hamas have reportedly been presented with a “final” draft of such an agreement after a “breakthrough” was reached Sunday evening following talks between Qatar’s prime minister, Israel’s intelligence chiefs, and envoys for President Biden and President-elect Trump. A Palestinian source said he expected the deal to be finalized today if “all goes well.”

According to the terms:

  • Hamas would release thirty-four hostages during the first of three phases in the ceasefire, while Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
  • Women, children, the elderly, and the ill would be among the hostages released in the first phase, though Hamas has not so far publicly confirmed how many of them are alive.
  • Israeli troops would eventually withdraw from Gaza, though Israel has reportedly proposed the establishment of a new buffer zone in the strip to prevent future terror attacks.
  • Humanitarian aid would be significantly increased to Gaza during the first phase of the ceasefire.
  • Discussions about a new governing body and reconstruction of Gaza would be held in the final phase.

Whatever happens with these negotiations, they obviously cannot undo eighteen months of suffering caused by Hamas’s horrific invasion on October 7, 2023. None of us can imagine the pain and suffering of these hostages and their families, or the grief of those who lost loved ones on that day and in the conflict it triggered.

But there is good news amid the bad: we have a God who not only understands our suffering—he feels it personally.

“No other god has wounds”

An elderly seminary professor once advised me, “Be kind to everyone, because everyone’s having a hard time.” The pastor and theologian Joseph Parker agreed: “Preach to the suffering and you will never lack a congregation. There is a broken heart in every pew.”

One way God redeems all he allows is by using our pain to draw us closer to the Great Physician. You don’t usually go to your doctor when you’re well, but when you’re sick. John Piper explained, “This is God’s universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in the world.”

Why should we believe that our Lord can help us as no one else can?

God understands our suffering because he has experienced it with us. I know this is a commonplace observation for Christians, but no other religion in human history has made such a claim. The Greeks would never have suggested that Zeus feels our pain. Muslims view Allah as distant and impervious to our fallenness. Buddhists and Hindus view ultimate reality as impersonal and cannot imagine this Reality being born in a cave, laid in a feed trough, and dying on a cross.

As Os Guinness noted, “No other god has wounds.”

But the One we worship today knows our pain because he has experienced it personally and still does so today. Jesus was “in every respect . . . tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:15) and is interceding for us this very moment (Romans 8:34). In addition, the Holy Spirit lives in us (1 Corinthians 3:16) and thus experiences all that we experience. And our Father is holding us in his hand (John 10:29), so nothing can come to us without first passing through him.

No doctor can pretend to possess our Lord’s omniscience, omnipotence, or omnipresence. Nor can any earthly physician truly feel what we feel and suffer as we suffer. But our Great Physician can and does.

“Knowing Jesus Christ strikes the balance”

However, as with any doctor, this one can treat only the patients who will come to him for help. But it’s not enough to consult him: we must also obey him.

If your doctor tells you that you need to lose weight, exercise more, change your diet, or otherwise modify your life, you can always ignore her advice. So it is with your Lord. Even though he is the King of the universe, he honors the free will he has given you (cf. Revelation 3:20). He can give only what you will receive and lead only where you will follow.

So allow me to ask: What is your next step into obedience with your Lord? If it were easy, you would already have taken it. Such obedience requires us to believe that our Physician knows and wants only what is best for us (1 John 4:8) and that his will always and ultimately results in our good (Romans 8:28).

Blaise Pascal observed:

Knowing God without knowing our own wretchedness makes for pride. Knowing our own wretchedness without knowing God makes for despair. Knowing Jesus Christ strikes the balance because he shows us both God and our own wretchedness.

“To multiplied trials he multiplies peace”

The Lord called David “a man after my heart” (Acts 13:22), but even he had to walk through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4a). However, in the hardest places of life, he could pray with triumphant confidence, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (v. 4b).

So can we.

Through a life filled with physical suffering, Annie Johnson Flint could testify personally:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions he addeth his mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, his grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

For what “burdens” do you need such measureless grace today?

My latest website articles:

Quote for the day:

“Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.” —Alexander MacLaren

 

Denison Forum

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Holy Spirit’s Ministry: God’s Fail-Safe Plan—Glorification

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:30)

God “glorifies” those whom He has justified. The Greek term is doxazo, with the core meaning “to make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor.” It is the same word the Lord Jesus uses of what the heavenly Father will do for His beloved Son. “It is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God” (John 8:54). It is also the same word the heavenly Father speaks about Himself. Jesus prayed: “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:28).

Paul addressed the awful sentence that would be executed on those who reject the substitutionary work our Lord accomplished on Calvary. All who reject it are doomed “because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23).

As for us, we are to share in the glory that our Lord will receive, so that “God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11). When all the redeemed stand before the throne in heaven, we will all sing the Song of Moses: “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy” (Revelation 15:4). HMM III

 

 

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

My Utmost for His Highest

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – Called by God

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I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” —Isaiah 6:8

God didn’t call Isaiah by name; he called for anyone willing to go. Isaiah simply heard and answered.

The call of God isn’t reserved for a special few; it’s for everyone. Whether or not we hear it depends on us. Are our ears open? Is our temperament in line with Christ’s? “For many are invited, but few are chosen,” Jesus said (Matthew 22:14). He meant that few prove themselves chosen. Chosen ones are those who, through Jesus Christ, have come into a relationship with God that has changed their temperament and opened their ears. All the time, they hear God asking, “Whom shall I send?”

God’s call leaves us free to answer or not to answer. When Isaiah answered the call, it wasn’t because God commanded him to. Isaiah was in God’s presence and, when the call came, realized that there was nothing for him to do but to answer, consciously and freely, “Send me.”

We have to get rid of the idea that if God really wants us to do something, he will come at us with force or pleading. When Jesus called the disciples, there was no irresistible compulsion from the outside. Instead, Jesus came with a quiet, passionate insistence, speaking to men who were wide awake, with all their powers and faculties intact. If we let the Spirit bring us face-to-face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard—“Whom shall I send?”—and we will say, in perfect freedom, “Here am I. Send me.”

Genesis 33-35; Matthew 10:1-20

Wisdom from Oswald

To live a life alone with God does not mean that we live it apart from everyone else. The connection between godly men and women and those associated with them is continually revealed in the Bible, e.g., 1 Timothy 4:10. Not Knowing Whither, 867 L

 

 

https://utmost.org/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham – Do You Know God?

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I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
—John 10:14

Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday school, the youth activities, the worship services. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. It is one thing to be introduced to a person, but quite another thing to know him personally.

Read More: How to Know God’s Voice

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

Prayer for the day

Lord, You are, indeed, the good Shepherd, who leads me each day. Help me to love and know You more deeply so that others may be drawn into Your fold.

 

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GuidePosts

Guideposts – Devotions for Women – When You Feel Tested

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In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.—Job 1:22 (NIV)

When you feel overwhelmed by challenges, draw from Job’s example of enduring faith. Anchor yourself in the assurance that God’s love is present, even amid life’s greatest trials. When you feel weak, lean on the everlasting arms of your Heavenly Father. With His help, you can navigate through the dark moments, finding solace and courage.

Heavenly Father, grant me the perseverance to remain faithful in times of hardship and to trust in Your goodness and love.

 

 

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

Every Man Ministry

Every Man Ministry – Kenny Luck – Worldly Sorrow

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Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

––2 Corinthians 7:8-10

I’ve decided that I just can’t watch metro news anymore. You know, the stories that your local network or news outlet run about events ––mostly terrible or tragic—happening in your area. From local politicians getting their hands caught in the cookie jar, to house fires, murders, and car accidents.

It’s not because I don’t care. I think some people are wired to handle sad story after story, but I’ve determined that it’s not particularly healthy for me. As an empath, I just soak up all that tragedy and it can literally leave me in a sorrow stupor. I also realize that I can’t live in denial or ignorance. It’s a fine line of balancing the types and amounts of news I watch with what’s healthy for me.

I will quickly add that I DO follow the news—national, world, and regional. I think it’s important for us as God’s men to stand like watchmen on the walls of society, discerning the times, praying the news, and staying informed on what’s going on. This allows the Holy Spirit to use our knowledge and direct it. Unrest in Haiti? “Here’s a great non-profit that is feeding people there,” says the Holy Spirit. Civil War and famine in South Sudan? “Here’s a ministry that brings tons of food and medicine to the most desperate areas.”

But for me and metro news? It’s hard. So much tragedy, and so much of it very close to home. As today’s opening verse says, worldly sorrow leads to death, while godly sorrow leads to redemption. While we will cover godly sorrow more deeply in tomorrow’s reading, suffice to say, this is the kind of sorrow that God wants us to take on.

Worldly sorrow, on the other hand, just brings us down. Specifically, when tragedy and injustice invade our space, as God’s men it’s our responsibility to process it in a way that honors God. “So what does that look like, Kenny?” Great question. For instance, where I live teens whizzing in and out of traffic on e-bikes is a thing. We’re talking kids who aren’t old enough to drive (legal age in California is 16), but who seemingly have “out-grown” riding a regular bike. Tragically, a 15-year-old boy was killed recently near where I live. Without getting into the details of fault, etc., here’s how I processed that:

  1. This makes me very sad, Father, especially as a Dad and grandfather.
  2. I can’t control the fact that I’m aware of this tragedy or deny the fact that it really saddens me.
  3. Father, help me know how I’m to respond—donate to an organization that advocates for e-bike safety and laws, perhaps. And of course, pray for the people involved.

Prayer is action. Sometimes it’s the only action God calls us to take when we are hit with worldly sorrow—the type generated by the sins or fallibility of people, or even when tragedy isn’t anyone’s fault. Other times, God will call us to move beyond prayer and get involved (volunteering, donating, etc.).

As you filter the sadness of the world that hits you every day, stay in tune with the Holy Spirit. Don’t ignore or deny the world, but be “in it” with a posture of awareness and godly response, without being “of it” to the point that the sins of man incapacitate you or otherwise side-line you from your assignments as God’s man in the world.

Father, help me strike a healthy balance with the amount and type of news I ingest, and help me know where, when, and how I can get involved.

 

Every Man Ministries

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Scouting for Truth

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Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

Today’s Scripture

James 1:19-27

Today’s Insights

When James warns that believers in Jesus should be “slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (1:19-20), the context suggests he has in mind angry outbursts. Instead of lashing out at someone in anger, believers ought to be “quick to listen, slow to speak” (v. 19). Outbursts of anger fall short of “the righteousness that God desires” (v. 20). It’s impossible to aim at how God wishes us to live our lives if our tempers are leading our behavior. Instead, we ought to humbly depend on Him and His standards for a life of service (vv. 21, 25). James even goes so far as to say that “those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (v. 26).

Today’s Devotional

Reflecting on why people tend to be entirely convinced they’re right—even when they’re not—author Julia Galef suggests that it has to do with a “soldier mindset”—where we’re focused on defending what we already believe against what we see as threats. Galef argues a more helpful mindset is that of a scout—someone focused not primarily on eliminating threats but on seeking the complete truth: comprehending “what’s really there as honestly and accurately as you can, even if it’s not pretty or convenient or pleasant.” People with this outlook have the humility to continually grow in understanding.

Galef’s insights bring to mind James’ encouragement that believers adopt a similar mindset—one where they’re “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Instead of being driven by knee-jerk reactions to others, James urges believers in Jesus to remember that human anger doesn’t lead to God’s righteousness (v. 20). Growth in wisdom is only possible through humble submission to His grace (v. 21; see Titus 2:11-14).

When we remember that each moment of our lives is dependent on God’s grace—not on us—we can let go of a need to always be right. And we can rely on His leading for how to live and care well for others (James 1:25-27).

Reflect & Pray

What examples have you seen of a spirit of humble willingness to learn and change? How can you cultivate a willingness to learn from others?

 

Dear God, please help me to surrender the need to always be right in exchange for the gift of unending learning as I journey with You.

Watch this video to learn how to Grow in Humility.

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Freedom to Be Ourselves

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Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.

Psalm 42:5 (AMPC)

Ask 21st-century women, “How do you feel about yourself?” and many will confess, “I hate myself.” Or perhaps their opinion of themselves is not that severe, but they will admit they really don’t like themselves.

Our world has created a false, unrealistic image of what women are supposed to look like and act like. But the truth is that every woman was not created by God to be skinny, with a flawless complexion and long flowing hair. Not every woman was intended to juggle a career as well as all of the other duties of being a wife, mother, citizen, and daughter. Single women should not be made to feel they are missing something because they are not married. Married women should not be made to feel they must have a career to be complete. We must have the freedom to be our individual selves.

Many women hate themselves and have no self-confidence because they have been abused, rejected, abandoned, or in some way damaged emotionally. Women need to experience a revival of knowing their infinite worth and value.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, You know exactly how I feel about myself. You know how deeply I’ve been influenced by the messages of our culture and how confusing it is. Help me to discover the truth of my worth and value in Your eyes, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org