Daily Archives: July 17, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Dealing With Hagrites

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They waged war against the Hagrites…. They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.
1 Chronicles 5:19-20, NIV

Recommended Reading: Psalm 55:22-23

Perhaps in reading through the Bible, you skim across 1 Chronicles 1–9 because these chapters contain long lists of genealogies. Yet here and there, the writer paused to say something special about some of the people. In chapter 5, the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh went to war against the Hagrites. They prevailed, not because of their size or armaments but because of two critical weapons—prayer and faith. They cried out to God during the battle, and He answered because they trusted in Him.

That exact formula will give you victory today. Are you facing an army of Hagrites? Is a loved one in crisis? Is the medical challenge great? Is cash tight? Are your spirits low? Cry out to God, and rely on Him. Trust Him. God is pleased when we bring Him our burdens, and He can lift the heaviest load.

Cry to Him during the battle. He will answer because He will help you trust in Him.

Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.
Elisabeth Elliott

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God’s Handiwork

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Do you know the laws of the heavens? Job 38:33

Today’s Scripture

Job 38:31-41

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Today’s Devotion

Dragonflies are dainty insects with some of the most amazing flight and endurance capabilities. Their aerial abilities have been studied to improve flight technology. Scientists recently found that with its wings beating thirty times a second, a dragonfly that has fallen upside-down can right itself in just 0.2 seconds. Its eyes process an incredible two hundred images per second to determine which way is up and make tiny adjustments.

God’s creativity and wisdom are on display all throughout our natural world. In the book of Job, the main character struggles to reconcile his suffering with God’s goodness and righteousness. God responds by asking Job, “Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?” (38:33). God begins to describe many animals from birds and goats to the world’s largest predators (38:36; 39:1; 40:15-24; 41). He knows what each animal needs for survival and is aware of the hungry cries of their young (38:39-41). God has given each of them distinct characteristics, such as the speed of an ostrich or the strength of an ox, so they can thrive (ch. 39).

How exactly does a dragonfly maneuver so incredibly? We have a lot to learn. And yet we can trust that the all-knowing God who designed these creatures is the same one who knows how to bring us from the darkest night into the light and joy of His presence.

Reflect & Pray

Where do you see God’s handiwork in the world around you? What does it reveal about His nature?

 

Creator God, I trust Your wisdom and righteousness, even when I don’t understand it.

Read more on this topic in All Creation Sings.

Today’s Insights

God’s majestic creation reveals many things about His nature. In creation, we see evidence of His power (Romans 1:20), for He spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:3; Hebrews 11:3). Creation reveals His sense of order (Psalm 139:13-14) and His brilliant design (v. 15). Perhaps above all else, however, it teaches us about His sovereignty (Colossians 1:15-18). Not only did He create the universe by the word of His power, but He’s even now maintaining that universe. He not only made everything, but He also rules over all that He’s made (v. 17). The challenge for believers in Jesus is to live in the conscious awareness of His power, His word, His order, and His design. We can trust the creator of the universe to help us in our trials and bring us into the joy of His presence.

Visit go.odb.org/071726 to learn more about God’s wonderful creation.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why “cigarettes are back in vogue” and why it matters

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I hate cigarettes. I hate everything about them—their smell, the way secondhand smoke imposes itself on everyone in the room, and especially their threat to physical health and life.

My hatred is personal: my mother was a smoker who died of lung cancer as a result. I have also dealt with degenerative disc disease for many years, which is directly related to secondhand smoke.

My hatred is collective as well: according to the Cleveland Clinic, cigarette smoking causes or increases our risk for macular degeneration, cataracts, vision loss, tooth staining and decay, gum disease, frequent infections, COPD, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, developmental delays in children, anxiety, depression, blood clots, heart attack, stroke, bone fractures, osteoporosis, premature aging, yellow nails, wrinkles, and especially raises our risk for lung, oral, laryngeal, and other cancers.

It is estimated that across the twentieth century, around one hundred million people died prematurely because of smoking. The World Health Organization reports that smoking is responsible for about eight million premature deaths each year—more than seven million from direct tobacco use, and about 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why “cigarettes are back in vogue” and why it matters →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Legacies of Two Georges

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 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 

—Acts 3:19–20

Scripture:

The strong faith of two men named George played a key role in shaping the United States of America. The first was George Whitefield, our spiritual founding father. He was a British evangelist who came to our shores to preach the gospel. As a result of his ministry, thousands of colonists came to Christ. It was the first great spiritual awakening in what would become known as the United States of America.

Between 1740 and 1742, before the United States was even a nation, the Great Awakening had a remarkable impact in New England. Historians estimate that 25,000 to 50,000 people were added to New England church membership as a result of the revival. With New England’s population only around 300,000 at the time, that means as many as one out of every six people in the region may have been reached in some way by the revival, in which George Whitefield played a leading role. The evangelistic wildfire left in its wake fertile spiritual ground on which the nation could be built. The Christian truths and principles that guided the lives of the new converts found their way into the nation’s DNA. They formed the cornerstone of the United States government.

John Adams, founding father and second president of the United States, wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Our nation was forged in the flames of revival started by George Whitefield.

The second George is, of course, George Washington—commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States, and the father of our country. Washington was always quick to give the glory to God for his victories. He never tired of invoking the role of Providence in the formation of the United States of America. In fact, Washington directed that a special flag be flown by the ships of the U.S. Navy. The flag depicted a tree with branches stretching upward. The message of the flag was an appeal to Heaven, a reminder that the United States needed to call on God for its success and sustenance.

Unfortunately, that message got lost along the way. Our nation has drifted away from God and His guidance. The good news is that it’s not too late to go back to Him.

The apostle Peter preached to the people of Israel, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT).

That same message is needed in our country today. Our nation, which was forged in a spiritual revival, needs to go through those flames again.

 

Reflection question: How can you incorporate a concern for our nation’s spiritual well-being into your prayers and Bible study? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Partakers of the Promise

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:6)

There are many Christians who regard themselves as almost exclusively New Testament believers, arguing that the Old Testament was for the Jews under the dispensation of law and thus not applicable to Christians today.

Nothing could be further from the truth. While the old animal sacrifices, temple rituals, and Levitical priesthoods have indeed been superseded by Christ’s “one sacrifice for sins for ever” (Hebrews 10:12), there are many “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4) of the Old Testament that can be properly and joyfully appropriated by Christians. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable,” wrote Paul (2 Timothy 3:16), speaking particularly of the Old Testament Scriptures.

In the context of our verse for the day, Paul is stressing that his own new revelations, given in connection with the Christian gospel, actually involve bringing Jews and Gentiles together as one body in Christ. The “dispensation of the grace of God . . . by revelation he made known unto me,” he wrote. But in previous ages, it had not been “made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:2–5).

And what was it that had not been made known? The hidden mystery was simply “that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs” with the Jews and therefore “partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (our text).

Thus, Gentile believers can now share in all the gracious promises of God in the Old Testament (e.g., Psalm 23; Isaiah 26:3; etc.) except those directly dealing with the future of Israel as a nation, “that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:14). HMM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Can Bear Good Fruit

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By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

John 15:8 (ESV)

When we have experienced great pain in our soul, we can hurt other people or spread negativity without meaning to do so. The brokenness that affects our thinking, our choices, and our feelings usually affects the people around us, too. Spiritually speaking, this is called bearing, or producing, “bad fruit.” But God calls us to bear good fruit. As the Lord heals our soul, we become more and more able to bear the fruit He wants us to produce.

God would never ask us to bear or produce anything without giving us what we need to do it. Jesus has everything needed to produce good fruit, and when He is in us and we are in Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have what we need to do anything He asks us to do.

Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the good qualities we exhibit because He lives in us. They are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

  • Love: God is love (1 John 4:8). When He lives in our hearts, our hearts are filled with love. God first loved us, so we have the ability to love others (1 John 4:19).
  • Joy: Jesus was a man of joy. Before going to heaven at the end of His earthly ministry, He says to His Father in John 17:13: But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves (ESV). Many times in Scripture we are encouraged to rejoice, such as in Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice! (NKJV). Because we trust God, we can rejoice in any situation.
  • Peace: According to Ephesians 2:14, Jesus is our peace. When He is in us, we have peace. When Jesus went to heaven after His ministry on earth, He left us His peace (John 14:27). This empowers us to remain calm and peaceful in every situation. It is important to believe you have these things; otherwise, you will never enjoy and walk in them.
  • Patience: God is extraordinarily patient and slow to anger, and Scripture teaches us to imitate Him. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8 ESV). The LORD is slow to anger and great in power (Nahum 1:3 ESV). Paul urges us in Romans 12:12 (ESV) to …rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, and in Ephesians 4:2 (ESV), to act …with patience, bearing with one another in love.

When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, He lives in us, and everything that is in Him is now in us by the Holy Spirit. He gives us what He wants us to produce. Even if your life has produced bad fruit in the past, you can produce good fruit from now on as the Holy Spirit leads you and helps you.

Prayer of the Day: God, help me grow in love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Let the fruit of Your Spirit be evident in my life every day, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Jesus Takes Away Our Sins 

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Play

Denalyn and I had enjoyed a nice dinner at a local restaurant. As we received our bill, a church member spotted us and came over.  After we chatted a few moments, he took our bill.  “I’ll take this,” he said. Guess what?  I let him do what he wanted to do.  I let him take it away.

Someday we will stand before God.  All of us will be present. All of us will have to give an account for our lives. Every thought, every deed, every action.  Were it not for the grace of Christ, I would find this to be a very terrifying thought.

Yet, according to Scripture, Jesus came to “take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29 Phillips). On that day, I will point to Christ.  When my list of sins is produced, I will gesture toward him and say, “He took it.” Let him take yours.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Why We Forgive

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Read Matthew 6:14–15

I have been writing or editing for Today in the Word for more than 30 years, and God’s Word has transformed my life in countless ways through authoring these studies. For example, back in October 2002 I wrote a devotional about forgiveness. What I learned from that study knocked me for a loop. God’s love and grace were and are so much more than I ever realized!

At the close of His lesson on prayer, Jesus highlights forgiveness. He’d already mentioned it as part of the Lord’s Prayer (v. 12). In today’s verses, He explained more: If you forgive others, God will forgive you (v. 14). If you don’t, He won’t (v. 15). These are two sides of the same coin. This is not about salvation. It’s not saying God’s love is conditional. It’s about our responsibility to forgive as we have been forgiven (Matt. 5:7; Eph. 4:32).

Jesus also taught this principle in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:21–35). This was told to explain the idea of forgiving someone “seventy-seven times.” When the servant who had been forgiven a large debt refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him only a small amount, the master reconsidered his forgiveness and punished that servant. Jesus concluded: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Forgiving others is a significant issue. We’ve all wronged God far worse than anyone has ever wronged us. Yet He has completely forgiven us! He has “removed our transgressions from us” as far as the east is from the west, that is, as far as is conceivably possible (Ps. 103:12). Similarly, He has hurled “all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:18–19).

Go Deeper

Are you holding any grudges against fellow believers? Have you said, “I’ll forgive but I won’t forget” about a situation? How might you put today’s devotion into practice?

Pray with Us

We praise You, Lord, for Your gift of forgiveness! Though we sin against You again and again, You forgive us completely when we repent. You are always good to us.

Your heavenly Father will also forgive you.Matthew 6:14

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/