Daily Archives: May 19, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Freed From Guilt

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Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Psalm 32:4, NLT

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 12:4-6

Aerial photos are used to reveal the effects of a prolonged drought. One photo will show a lake during times of plentiful rainfall, followed by a photo taken during the drought. The change in the shoreline reveals the effects of evaporation.

The psalmist David used just such an image to describe the effects of unconfessed sin in his life: “My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” Psalm 32 is one of the most graphic portrayals of the movement from hidden sin to open confession found in Scripture. We don’t know exactly what sin David was guilty of hiding—perhaps it was his sin with Bathsheba, detailed in Psalm 51—perhaps some other sin. Whatever the sin, David was only freed from his torment of guilt when he confessed to God: “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

New Testament Christians are provided the same relief: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Fully Dedicated to God

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Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care. Genesis 39:6

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 39:2-6, 20-23

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Today’s Devotion

Like all Singaporean men, I had to serve in the country’s armed forces when I turned eighteen. To be honest, I approached the conscription, which lasted two-and-a-half years, most reluctantly. Like many other young men, I tried to do the minimum, obeying instructions to the letter—no more, no less.

Some, however, threw themselves into their tasks and ultimately gained much from their experience, learning about leadership and endurance. In hindsight, I realize that this type of effort and positive attitude would have pleased God—much like what Joseph showed in Scripture.

Despite being sold off as a slave and imprisoned later on, he fulfilled all his assigned responsibilities with the greatest dedication. Instead of resenting his situation, he took his role seriously, so much so that “Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care” (Genesis 39:6). Joseph also ended up in charge of the prison—and, finally, all of Egypt.

Centuries later, the apostle Paul would also urge believers in Jesus: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). While our situations may be far from ideal, may God help us to be faithful in the tasks assigned to us, for we’re working for Him—the one who sees our true heart.

Reflect & Pray

What undesirable situations have you found yourself in? How did you respond in attitude and in actions?

Dear Father, please help me be faithful in what I do, in whatever situation You’ve allowed me to be in, for ultimately, I’m serving You.

Today’s Insights

Genesis 39’s story of Joseph’s integrity immediately follows the tale of Judah and Tamar in chapter 38. Here we see the opposite of integrity when Joseph’s brother Judah fails to care for his daughter-in-law Tamar after his sons’ deaths (vv. 6-11, 14). This ultimately leads to Tamar resorting to a desperate scheme (vv. 14-26).

In chapter 39, Joseph also faces a sexual temptation when Potiphar’s wife attempts to seduce him. But, unlike Judah, he responds with integrity (vv. 7-10). Even when subjected to unjust imprisonment, Joseph chooses to serve faithfully (vv. 21-23), and God’s presence with him in prison sets the stage for his rise to power in Egypt (see ch. 40). This can remind us today that God can help us be faithful to Him even in difficult situations.

Find strength for the journey of life.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Two reasons Nicholas Kristof’s article on Israel is so significant

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This is one of those days when I wish I could write three Daily Articles. One would respond to the massive prayer rally on the National Mall on Sunday, focused on reaffirming the United States as “One Nation Under God.” A second would reflect on the WHO declaration of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a global health emergency.

However, I feel a special urgency to think with you about Nicholas Kristof’s recent article in the New York Times. The transcendent issues it raises are crucial for the Jewish people and especially relevant to Christian cultural engagement.

Kristof’s May 11 column focuses on allegations of what he calls “widespread Israeli sexual violence against men, women, and even children—by soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.” I will not go into the details, not only because they are extremely graphic but also because they are not the focus of my article today.

Nor will I focus in depth on the vociferous response of his critics, except to note their observation that he relies significantly on a source that has a reported history of spreading libel against Israel and is designated by the Israeli government as a Hamas operative in Europe. Critics also impugn the credibility of many of Kristof’s other sources and a number of the abuse claims he reports.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Two reasons Nicholas Kristof’s article on Israel is so significant →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – By Any Means Available

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 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 

—1 Corinthians 3:7–9

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 3:7–9 

Jesus used the parable of the farmer scattering seed to illustrate different reactions to the gospel message. In the parable, which is found in Matthew 13:1–23, a farmer scatters seed across his field. The seed lands on four different surfaces. The farming methods of Jesus’ day were quite different from the methods of today. Modern farmers prepare the ground, carefully lay the seed, and then use irrigation systems and sophisticated technology to nurture the resulting crop. In Jesus’ day, the process was a little more primitive.

Essentially, a farmer would reach into a sack, grab a handful of seed, and then throw it—to his left, to his right, in front of him, and behind him. Wherever the seed landed, it stayed. In Jesus’ parable, some of the seed fell on a footpath. Some of the seed fell on shallow, rocky soil. Some of the seed fell among thorns. And some of the seed fell on fertile soil. The plowing was done later. After the seed produced its yield, the farmer would harvest his crop.

Jesus compared the scattering of the seeds to the spreading of the gospel. “The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (verse 23 NLT).

His words hit home with us and with all who engage in crusade or proclamation evangelism. At Harvest Ministries, we throw out the seed of the gospel in stadiums at our Harvest Crusades. We throw it out online. We throw it out over the radio. In other words, the seed gets scattered in countless areas. We have very little say in what happens to the seed after it’s scattered. God is the One who ultimately does the work of conversion. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44 NKJV).

Some people are critical of our type of evangelism. But my question is, why wouldn’t we want to reach as many people as possible, using every form of media available? Our job is to reach as many as we can.

The apostle Paul wrote, “It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:7–9 NLT).

There’s important work to be done. Let’s do it in the best way we know.

Reflection question: What means are available to you to reach people with the gospel? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Sowing and Sleeping

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:42)

When a believer’s soul and spirit leave the body and return to the Lord, it is significant that the New Testament Scriptures speak of the body not as dead but as sleeping. For example, Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11:11). This state is not “soul sleep” as some teach, for “to be absent from the body, [is] to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). The body is sleeping—not the soul.

Similarly, when the believer’s body is laid in a grave, Paul speaks of this act not as a burial but as sowing! “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body” (1 Corinthians 15:35–38).

Just as a buried grain of wheat brings forth a fruitful plant, so the old, sin-corrupted, aching body of human flesh sown in the ground will some day come forth “fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21) in which “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4).

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42–44). When a believer’s body is sown in the ground, God will soon reap from it a body of glory that will last for eternity. HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – How to Find God’s Will for Your Life

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A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

Proverbs 16:9 (AMP)

People often ask me how they can determine God’s will for their lives. Many people spend years waiting to hear a voice or to receive a supernatural sign giving them direction. But receiving direction from God is usually more practical than that. So my advice is: Step out and find out.

Early in my Christian life, I wanted to serve God but didn’t know exactly what to do. When different opportunities would arise, I would try those things that were available. A lot of them didn’t work out for me, but I kept trying until I found an area that fit me. I came alive inside when I had an opportunity to teach the Word of God, and I knew that was what I was supposed to do.

Sometimes the only way to discover the will of God is to practice “stepping out and finding out.” If you have prayed about a situation and don’t seem to know what you should do, take a step of faith. Even if that is not God’s ultimate destination, it will be another step toward the fulfillment of His will for your life.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me trust You and step out in faith. Guide my decisions, even when I’m unsure, and lead me step by step into Your perfect will for my life, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Prepare for Worship 

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Do you prepare for church worship?  We’re sadly casual when it comes to meeting God. Suppose you were invited to a Sunday morning breakfast at the White House?  How would you spend Saturday night?  Would you think about your questions and requests?  Should we prepare any less for an encounter with the Holy God?

Come to worship prepared to worship.  Pray and read the Word of God before you come, and come expecting God to speak. Then you’ll discover the purpose of worship—to change the face of the worshiper.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “Our faces, then, are not covered.  We all show The Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like Him” (EXB).  God wipes away our tears, softens our furrowed brows and touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – When Leaders Fall

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Read Numbers 20

We’ve all witnessed it—the shocking moment when a trusted leader makes a catastrophic decision that destroys a legacy. Whether it’s a politician making an unethical choice under pressure, a coach losing composure in a crucial game, or a pastor falling into moral failure, these moments remind us that even the most faithful can stumble when tested. Such was the case with Moses, God’s chosen deliverer, in one of Scripture’s most sobering accounts.

After 40 years of faithful leadership, Moses faced yet another crisis. The Israelites were complaining—again—this time about water. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place?” they demanded (v. 5). The scene was all too familiar: grumbling people, an impossible situation, and Moses caught in the middle. God’s instructions were clear: “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water” (v. 8). But Moses chose differently! Instead of speaking to the rock as commanded, he struck it twice with his staff, saying, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (v. 10).

Water flowed, the people drank, but God’s response was devastating: “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them” (v. 12). Notice God’s diagnosis—this wasn’t fundamentally about anger, but about trust. Moses revealed a heart that had momentarily lost confidence in God’s perfect plan. His modification of God’s clear instructions showed he doubted whether simply speaking to the rock would be sufficient. This distrust led him to dishonor God’s holiness before the people, taking credit for what only God could accomplish.

Go Deeper

What does Moses’ action reveal about his heart? How do we sometimes fail to trust God’s instruction? What warning does his story carry for us?

Pray with Us

We confess God, that we too have sometimes failed to trust You enough to honor You as holy. Like Moses, we act out, doing things our own way. Forgive us when we lose confidence in You.

You did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy.Numbers 20:12

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/