Daily Archives: June 20, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – The Great Outdoors: Nature Is a Place for Rest

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So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Luke 5:16

Recommended Reading: Luke 5:12-16

Did you ever attend a church camp? Maybe the cabins were primitive or the mosquitoes relentless. But there’s something about being in the woods, beside a lake, or camping in the mountains that often opens our hearts to the Lord. Only heaven knows how many young people have dedicated their lives to Christ after hearing the Gospel around a campfire while the crickets chirped and the frogs sang in the distance.

Even now, adventurers young and old find some of their best times in prayer along mountain trails or while occupying a cabin in the woods. Those less adventurous enjoy reading their Bibles on the seaside balcony of their hotels as the waves rise and crash to shore.

If we have the opportunity to vacation in the mountains, along the coast, or in the desert, let’s take our Bibles. If we can’t travel, let’s find a park bench or backyard swing. When we’re surrounded with God’s creation, we find it natural to do as Jesus did—to withdraw to the Lord and pray.

God writes his gospel, not in the Bible alone, but in tress, and flowers, and clouds, and stars.
Martin Luther

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Receiving from God

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Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Today’s Scripture

Galatians 5:13-25

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

In his 1937 book Think and Grow Rich, author Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Hill’s quote epitomizes the American Dream: If you work hard, you can achieve your wildest dreams.

Hard work may lead to earthly benefits; many passages of Scripture—especially in Proverbs—link those things. But as I grow older, I also see a real danger in following Hill’s ideas: My grasping attempts to achieve my dreams can be a self-focused attempt to live independently from God.

In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts two ways of life: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (v. 16). Eugene Petersen paraphrases it this way: “Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness” (The Message). A few verses later, Paul describes what a flourishing life in Christ looks like: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (vv. 22-23).

Many voices in this world compel us to grasp our desires with both hands. The life we long for, though, is not one we earn but one we receive as we yield to the Holy Spirit—freely walking with Him—rather than striving desperately to grasp blessing on our own terms.

Reflect & Pray

How have you tried to achieve your dreams? What habits help you to be in a posture to receive blessings from God?

Dear Father, sometimes I try to fill myself apart from You. Please help me yield to Your Spirit’s guidance and trust You to fill me.

Today’s Insights

In Galatians, Paul sternly warns against believing that the law will make us right with God. He wrote, “A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (2:16). But the apostle knew this might cause some to believe it no longer matters how we live (v. 17). So he cautioned, “Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh” (5:13). The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is crucial here. As we yield to the Spirit, He’ll fill us. The apostle urges, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (v. 25).

Watch this video to learn how our plans can be a part of God’s plan.

 

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why the deaths of Austin Metcalf and Henry Nowak went viral

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A Christian response to the controversy

Two racially-charged stabbings from last year have made headlines in recent weeks as the assailants were convicted of murder. While neither stabbing appears to have been racially motivated, the public conversation around both murders has focused extensively on race, sparking vitriolic tirades online and violence on the ground.

The first stabbing, the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, high school track meet, took place last April. Karmelo Anthony, also 17 at the time and a student at a different Frisco high school, was convicted of stabbing Metcalf during an altercation after Metcalf asked him to leave his team’s tent. Witnesses testified that Anthony reached into his bag and said, “Touch me and see what happens,” before Metcalf attempted to physically remove him.

Despite efforts by coaches and athletic trainers to perform CPR, Metcalf died in his twin brother’s arms. Anthony admitted to the stabbing and claimed self-defense. On June 10, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 17 years.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why the deaths of Austin Metcalf and Henry Nowak went viral →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Messengers Approved by God

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 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts 

—Thessalonians 2:4

Scripture:

As believers, we have the sacred trust of the gospel message. Jesus has given us our command: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16 NLT). That’s another worthwhile cost of following Christ: the responsibility of sharing His Good News with others. Every believer is called to do it. Every Christian is tasked with getting the gospel message out.

In his letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul mentions “the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11 NLT). Emphasizing the sacred trust of the gospel again in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, he wrote, “For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts” (NLT).

Here’s what that means. As Christians, we all have the same gospel. And we each must ask ourselves the question, “How am I getting the gospel out?” It doesn’t matter how other people are getting the gospel out. That’s their responsibility. What matters is how we’re doing it. That’s our call as followers of Jesus, and it’s one we can’t ignore. Too much depends on our obedience. We need to think about our family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others in our sphere of influence and ask, “Am I getting the gospel out to these people in a way that’s clear, concise, and impactful?”

Jesus sees exactly how diligent we are in carrying out our sacred responsibility. In the last chapter of the New Testament, He says, “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12 NLT).

That reward will be directly connected to how faithful we are in this life. Often, we place far too much stock in this life alone. We act as though everything that’s going to happen happens here. Of course, a lot of significant things do happen in this life. The most important decision we will ever make happens in this life: the decision about what we do with Jesus Christ. But we mustn’t let the things in this life distract us from our responsibility regarding the next life.

Paul framed the urgency of our mission perfectly when he wrote, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14–15 NLT).

Our faithfulness here will result in rewards there—in Heaven, and when Heaven comes to earth, when we go home.

 

Reflection question: What does faithfulness to the gospel message look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Jesus Christ Is Lord

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10–11)

Often this passage is thought of as an admission by all sentient beings of the deity of the Lord Jesus—and it certainly is that. There surely will come a point in time in which “every thing that hath breath” will praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). Those of us who are the twice-born will do so with great joy. Those who have chosen to reject the gospel will also do so—but with overwhelming terror (Proverbs 1:27).

However, the foundational passage from which the New Testament quotes, and by which it twice applies the event, is found in Isaiah 45:22–23: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Our verse today applies the Isaiah passage to the great final judgment referred to in Revelation 20. Other insights in Revelation cite some of the songs we may sing and something of the ceremonies and pageantry associated with the celebration of Christ’s formal assumption of His role as king.

The first New Testament quotation of Isaiah 45:23 is in Romans 14:11–12. Here, Paul applies the judgment to an open report of our deeds: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Surely this broader sight should strengthen our resolve to “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). HMM III

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Celebrates Your Progress

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. But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].

Proverbs 4:18 (AMPC)

Our youngest grandson recently stood by himself for the first time. We were out of town on this joyous occasion, but we received a phone call telling us the great news. I vividly remember that there were four adults in the car when we received the news and three of us acted fairly ridiculous about the event. I actually clapped my hands together. Dave grinned from ear to ear and in a very surprised tone said, “REALLY!” A good friend was also in the car and she got excited. I heard questions like, “How long did he stand there?” and “Has he done it more than once?” Nobody asked if he sat down again, although we all knew that he did. We were even aware that he could have fallen down, but we did not care about anything other than his progress.

We had a similar scene at our house when he smiled for the first time, ate his first solid food, crawled, and said “mama” and “da-da.” We get really excited about any little progress that he makes and we all express it to him to encourage him. Dave and I just spent several days with the baby, and, to be honest, we probably encouraged him hundreds of times during those few days. I don’t remember even one time that we chastised him for what he could not do yet. God used this example to help me understand that He celebrates our progress just like we celebrate the progress of our children and grandchildren.

God isn’t keeping a record of each time we fall, but He is excited about our progress, and we should be excited, too! I spent way too many years mourning over my faults and weaknesses. I was taught to grieve over my sins, but nobody in the church I was in at the time ever told me to celebrate my progress, and I think that is tragic. If you missed this important lesson like I did, then today I am telling you to celebrate, celebrate, and then celebrate your progress some more.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me focus on progress instead of perfection. Teach me to celebrate growth, trust Your work in my life, and move forward with joy and confidence each day, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org