Category Archives: Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Doubting Thomas

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Charles Stanley

Bible Study: John 20:25-29

Thomas is an everyman. He hadn’t yet seen the resurrected Jesus, though he’d heard, as you and I have heard, that Jesus had risen from the dead. Angry, hurt, and confused, he resisted believing the bewildering accounts of resurrection—accounts that came from trusted friends he had lived with for three years.

Thomas was no stranger to resurrection. With his own eyes, he’d seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead—and he had believed. But he had also personally seen Jesus crucified, and that’s when his dream of the kingdom died. Crucifixion seemed more powerful than resurrection, more final. Faith crumbled; hope was crushed.

Then Jesus appeared alive, and gently said, “Peace be with you,” offering Thomas all the proof he needed. The proof he personally needed. Resurrection, it turns out, was more permanent than death.

Face it: Believing in resurrection isn’t easy no matter how many people tell you it happened. Jesus still has to bring us to belief, to give our hearts and minds and souls peace in faith. Without appearing physically to us, He gives us what we need in order to believe—what we ourselves need. And as He did with Thomas, Jesus seeks us out.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Think back to the first time you were told that Jesus had risen from the dead. What was your reaction? Did you find that information easy to believe or terribly difficult? Why?

2. Thomas had seen miracles; he’d witnessed many demonstrations of Jesus’ supernatural power. Yet the crucifixion shook his faith badly. Has anything ever shaken your faith to the core, even though you may previously have seen numerous works of God? What can you learn from Thomas’s experience?

3. In order to believe, Thomas needed something tangible—something special for him. The vast majority of Christians have never seen the resurrected Jesus, yet God gives us what we each need in order to believe. What did (or do) you need for faith to become real? How has Jesus revealed Himself to you? How do you still need Him to do so?

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Truth That Sets Us Free

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Charles Stanley

John 8:25-32

God desires the best for each of His children, but sometimes we become trapped in habits, thoughts, and negative emotions that interfere with His plans for us. However, Jesus offers us a way out. If we’ll continue in His Word, we’ll know the truth that sets us free from whatever is holding us in bondage.

To “continue” in the Word means to be consistently reading and applying it to our lives. Then we’ll know what God says and be able to recognize the traps that threaten to ensnare us. What’s more, we’ll understand the benefits accompanying our salvation that enable us to stand firm in truth without being led astray. Those benefits include . . .

• Our position: Through faith in Christ, we’ve entered into a personal relationship with God. Now, as His children, we have ready access to His throne along with the assurance that He’ll hear our prayers.

• Our provision: God gave the Bible to guide and encourage us in all situations.

• Our promises: By relying on the promises He has given us, we’ll become partakers of God’s nature and escape the world’s corrupting influence (2 Pet. 1:4).

• Our protection: As we walk obediently with Christ, He strengthens and protects us so we won’t fall into the traps of the evil One (2 Thess. 3:3).

The first step to living in freedom is to recognize any sins, attitudes, or negative emotions that are dominating your life. Then get grounded in the truth of Scripture and claim God’s promises and provisions by faith. He’s ready to deal with any type of bondage the moment you cry out to Him for help.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Our Risen Savior

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Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection form a solid foundation for our Christian faith. Scripture tells us that Jesus lived a perfect life—one without any sin. As the spotless Lamb of God, He willingly went to the cross and sacrificed Himself for us (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Christ bore our sins and endured our punishment so we might be reconciled to God.

The Savior’s death was accepted by the Father as full payment for our sins, and it made a way for us to be at peace with Him (Rom. 5:1). Three days after the crucifixion, Jesus was raised from death to life. He had overcome the grave. In victory, He ascended into heaven and now sits at the Father’s right hand.

Christ’s death and resurrection are a picture of what happened at our salvation. Recognizing ourselves as sinners who could not pay for our own misdeeds, we expressed faith in our Savior. Then, “our old self was crucified with Him” (Rom. 6:6), and we were reborn spiritually. Because of His sacrifice, we were forgiven, reconciled to God, and adopted into His family. Heaven will be our eternal home.

Paul emphasized the importance of the resurrection to the Christian life. He explained that if it were not true, our faith would be in vain.

The risen Christ appeared to many people. He let Thomas touch Him to know that He was alive. After the Lord ascended into heaven, the Father sent His Holy Spirit to indwell believers and bear witness to the truth of the resurrection. Our faith is based on the secure foundation of a risen Savior.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Christ: The Key to Contentment

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Charles Stanley

Philippians 4:6-7

While in prison, Paul penned precious words about the sufficiency of Christ. We tend to attach the idea of contentment to beach vacations and mountain retreats, but the apostle wrote that we are not to be anxious in any place or at any time, because we have the Lord’s peace.

Contentment is the believer’s “birthright.” Peace is part of the spiritual fruit that’s ours when we trust in the Savior (Gal. 5:22). Scripture describes it as an inner peace that passes all understanding (v. 7).

Jesus lived through conflict with a sense of inner quiet, and because of His indwelling Spirit, that remarkable calm also belongs to God’s children. That is important because there are times when we come across a problem with no earthly solution. In situations like that, we learn that self-sufficiency is a lie. We can’t cope alone, but Christ is enough for us.

Here is the flip side of the coin: “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the LORD” (Isa. 48:22). Modern culture slaps the word wicked onto only the most vile of actions and people, but God’s definition is much broader. The wicked are those who willfully reject His right to forgive their sins and take Lordship over their life. If you are not a believer, you cannot experience true and lasting contentment.

When we are born again (John 3:3-8), we become children of the living God and rightful heirs to every good thing that He has to offer. This includes the deep, inner peace and joy that can withstand any trial. What can man do to the one who belongs to the Lord (Heb. 13:6)?

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Understanding God’s Holiness

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Charles Stanley

Leviticus 22:29-33

If you’ve ever read through Leviticus, you may have wondered why God gave the Israelites so many rules and details about sacrifices and worship procedures. When I was a boy, I remember thinking all those cows could have fed a lot of people. To me, the sacrifices seemed like a big waste, but that’s because I didn’t understand what the Lord was teaching His people.

Today we have the finished Scriptures to help us understand who God is and what He desires of us. But in the days of the Old Testament, He taught His people by example. He wanted them to grasp three things: His holiness; their sinfulness and the consequences of disobedience; and His care for them—that He was the source of every good thing. The rules and regulations He instituted were visible object lessons.

In every detail, He revealed His holiness—and in every sacrifice, the cost of sin. The rules of the tabernacle taught the people not to take worship lightly. It was a serious and awesome privilege to approach a holy, righteous God.

Today, it’s rather easy to lose sight of the Lord’s holiness. To prevent that, try re-examining the Old Testament sacrificial system for a fresh perspective on the seriousness of worship.

God is our heavenly Father, and we have instant access to His throne room. Yet we should think about whether we’re treating Him with the reverence He deserves. At church, instead of being preoccupied and distracted, we should understand what a privilege it is to come into His presence.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Lordship of Jesus

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Charles Stanley

Philippians 2:5-11

Whether you’ve been a believer for many years or just recently trusted Christ as your Savior, there’s one crucial thing you must settle in your heart. Many Christians understand that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. But who is He today?

Scripture tells us that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God who took on flesh and entered our world in the form of a servant. He came to walk among us and make it possible to know Him. Then after His death, burial, and resurrection, He was exalted back to His rightful place as Lord and sovereign Ruler.

It’s essential that every believer understand the person and position of Jesus Christ. We often call Him “Lord,” but what does that mean? The answer is that as Lord and Creator, He made and sustains all things (Col. 1:16-17). And by trusting in the Savior, we accept His rightful place in our life.

As Lord, He has authority over every single element of our daily lives. We are sheep, and who should follow the Shepherd; going our own way, we’d fall off the mountain and end up destroyed (John 10:2-15). Won’t you acknowledge that He has the right to determine what you do and where you go? You can trust that His way always results in fullness of life.

Jesus is not some distant, judgmental ruler; He’s your awesome, supportive Lord, who loves you and has gone before you, having lived a human life and suffered unimaginably. So when He says, “Follow Me; I’ll make your life count,” you can be confident that He is trustworthy every step of the way.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Precious Blood of Jesus: Why It Matters

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Charles Stanley

1 Peter 1:17-19

What do you consider precious? Perhaps it’s an heirloom that not only is costly but also has sentimental value. Or maybe your first thought is your family—the ones you love the most. Other possibilities may include your salvation, the Bible, or your church family, but if you’re truly honest, the blood of Jesus probably didn’t make the list.

Today’s Christian culture desires a sanitized version of salvation. We talk about the grace and forgiveness of God and sing about His love for us, but rarely do we mention the blood of Jesus. Yet that is the only basis for our salvation. Because the Lord is righteous and just, He cannot love sinners into heaven or forgive them simply because they ask. Every sin that has ever been committed must receive a just punishment, and the penalty for sin is death (Rom. 6:23).

The Lord had only two options in dealing with fallen humanity. He could let the course of justice lead to the condemnation of all mankind, or He could provide a substitute to pay the penalty for everyone. However, this substitute had to be sinless (Deut. 17:1). The only way to rescue us from eternal separation in hell was to send His beloved Son to earth as the God-Man who would live a perfect life and die in our place.

The blood that poured from Christ’s wounds bought your salvation. If you want to truly value what He did, think of Him hanging on that cross just for you. With that thought in your mind, consider how you should live. He gave Himself freely for you; are you giving yourself fully to Him?

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Resurrection Day: Triumph!

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Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 4:14-18

Today is a very special day. Across the globe, young and old alike are wearing their finest clothes, attending church, and sharing delicious meals with loved ones. But Easter is so much more than festivities and traditions. If we truly understood all that was accomplished on Resurrection Day, we’d be the most thankful and triumphant people around. How do I know? By looking at Christ’s disciples—the original witnesses of Jesus’ most astounding miracle. When they finally believed that Jesus was alive, everything changed: those doubting and hopeless men were transformed into passionate preachers of Christianity.

Wouldn’t you like to live with that same confidence and unstoppable resolve? You can—by considering what Christ’s resurrection achieved and then letting that reality become foundational to all you think, say, and do. Start by reflecting on three remarkable truths:

First, Jesus is alive and active, not only in heaven, but in our lives. He sits at the Father’s right hand and intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34)—none could be more qualified than the God-man, who personally experienced human weakness and also knows every detail of our circumstances. What’s more, the Lord is present within us through His indwelling Spirit. His supernatural power (v. 11) is always available to transform our character, strengthen us, provide insight, and guide us into God’s will.

Second, the Lord is completely trustworthy. Because Jesus overcame death just as He predicted, we can know that everything else He said is true as well—and that all God’s promises are sure. These include the certainty that our sins are forgiven if we trust Jesus as Savior. By raising His Son from the dead, God signified that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to pay the full penalty for our transgressions.

Third, death is not the end. Rather, it is the beginning of life as God intended—free from sin and all its negative consequences of suffering, sickness, and pain. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees that believers will be raised as well, receiving new bodies that are strong, perfect, and eternal. Furthermore, we’ll have the joy of being reunited with loved ones in Christ and seeing our Savior face to face.

When you understand what Jesus’ resurrection accomplished, there will be no reason to let worldly sorrows and cares drag you into hopelessness (v. 18). From today forward, invest in your eternal future by living in light of the resurrection and faithfully serving the risen Savior.

—Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Different Than It Appeared

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 16:21

In the Story of Easter, Saturday normally gets lost.

The days (and even the few years) preceding it, however, were filled with amazing events and words. If it were a symphony, it would have all risen to a resounding yet horrific crescendo: the arrest and trial, the scourging and crucifixion, the agony on the cross, the death, the day turning to utter darkness, the ground shaking as if to split the earth, the veil tearing in two . . .

And then, just like the famous pause in Handel’s Messiah, it all comes to a screeching halt. Jesus is buried—and it is all over.

With Jesus gone, the disciples were left with nothing but the memories and His words, neither of which seemed to be affecting them, for they huddled in fear on Saturday, having little faith in what He had promised. The disciples had painted their own picture of who Messiah was supposed to be—a narrative they wanted Him to fulfill.

How many of us believers live with a Saturday mindset—somewhere between the truth of Jesus’ earthly life and the glorious resurrection that validated everything He said and did? It is easy to look at the disciples’ fear and lack of faith on that day and shake our heads. But are we so different, really? Do we have our own plans for God? Do you and I conveniently believe that the best thing for us is that God and everyone else follow our script for the day? Do we get angry when it doesn’t happen?

Do you find yourself speaking words that increasingly convey a lack of hope? Are they words of discouragement, gloom, doom—maybe even despair?

Two choices lie before those of us who live with such a mentality. Either we make the frustrating and futile attempt to get our own way, or we turn and revisit the truth of what God has told us: the truth about Himself and the truth about ourselves; the truth about what He has asked us to do in the disappointment of “Saturday.”

The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit. We now have Him in full. They did not have the fullness of God’s Word. We have all of it at ready access. They were living on the other side of the resurrection. We live in its reality.

Because the Truth, dear friends, is that the music will resume. Sunday’s coming! What an awesome Saturday we have been given!

–Del Tackett

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Good Friday: Loneliness Endured for Us

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 27:26-50

It was 20 years ago that I enjoyed the privilege of portraying Jesus in the film The Gospel of Matthew. The experience was life-changing as I came to understand the Lord in ways I’d never imagined. I discovered His joy, His heartbreak, and the fire of His passion. I also discovered how remarkably alone Jesus was when He walked the earth.

After all, who could possibly understand a man whose thoughts and ways were so astoundingly removed from those of any other person? Even His closest companions never “got it” until after He’d ascended to His Father. How alone does that leave a man—especially that Golgotha day?

When we filmed the crucifixion scenes of Matthew, I arrived on the set after a three-hour make-up job that was so authentic none of the film crew could bear to look at me. I recall thinking of that scripture, “He was . . . like one from whom men hide their face” (Isa. 53:3), and realizing it was very real.

Then the filming began and the brutality was remarkable. We were just “faking it,” and the awfulness was indescribable. I remember hanging there and seeing the faces all around me, just staring. A little girl from the local village where we were filming just cried and cried. They all would have loved to help me somehow. But it was something I had to go through alone.

I thought of Jesus looking out and seeing His mother, John, and others. As much as they loved Him, there was no way they could understand His motivations that day. As much as they’d have loved to somehow help Him, it was something He had to do—alone.

Then came the moment of alone beyond alone. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). And you and I could be born again.

Today is a day to shed all our wanting and live as the Lord desires: thankful. We have the privilege of understanding Him as those who walked by His side never could, and our response can be nothing other than to fall on our faces in profound gratitude. Glory to Jesus!

–Bruce Marchiano

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Prayer in the Hour of Despair

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus’ suffering did not commence with His flogging or with His slow, agonizing march to Calvary. Scripture tells us that the Lord suffered during His dark hours in Gethsemane, the place where He “began to be grieved and distressed” (Matt. 26:37). Knowing He would soon give Himself to the great horror of the cross, Jesus embraced the suffocating weight of all that was to come. The words He spoke to Peter, James, and John reveal His acute pain: “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death” (v. 38). The fact still stuns us: Jesus, the very Son of God, knew profound despair—He knew every human dread, every anxiety. There is no human temptation or fear that Jesus has not experienced.

John’s gospel takes care to note that Gethsemane was a garden (18:1), and his narrative abounds with creation imagery from the opening sentences to the resurrection scenes. The writer, it seems, wants us to connect Gethsemane with another garden, one where a serpent confronted Adam and Eve. John wants to be certain we understand that even though they succumbed to temptation, Jesus would not. Where the first man and woman failed, the Son of Man would succeed. Though we buckle under the burden of fear, self-preservation, or the allure of sin, Jesus triumphs.

But before the victory, there was death and isolation and seeming ruin. Before resurrection, there was a long stretch where it seemed hope had dissipated, where one wondered whether love had not, in the end, lost.

In the garden, as the evil hours neared, Jesus’ heart spilled out to God. Our Lord, in His despair, did the one thing His soul knew to do: Jesus prayed. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me . . .” (Matt. 26:39). Jesus did not merely practice His spiritual discipline or provide us an example to emulate. Rather, His soul had been laid bare, and He went to the only One who can meet us in such depths. Jesus went to the Father.

At times we tend to think of prayer only as calm, meditative devotion. But praying is often born out of sheer necessity. We face ruin and have nowhere to turn. We stand at the brink, and the cry simply erupts: “Help!”

–Winn Collier

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – An Extravagant Love

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 16:6-13; John 11:1-46

She was the only one who believed Him. Whenever He spoke of His death, the others shrugged or doubted, but Mary believed because He spoke with a firmness she’d heard before. And she believed because she’d doubted before.

She’d questioned His affection for her family when He hadn’t arrived in time. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

But she saw that Jesus wept with her.

And then He spoke.

“Lazarus, come out!” And after four days in a stone-sealed grave, Lazarus walked out.

As Mary kissed the now-warm hands of her just-dead brother, she turned and looked at Jesus. He was smiling. She would never doubt His words again.

So when He spoke of His death, she believed.

She carried the large vial of perfume from her house to Simon’s. It wasn’t a spontaneous gesture. But it was an extravagant one. The perfume was worth a year’s wages. Maybe the only thing of value she had. It wasn’t a logical thing to do, but since when has love been led by logic?

Common sense hadn’t wept at Lazarus’s tomb. Love did. Extravagant, risky, chance-taking love.

And someone needed to show the same to the giver of such love.

So Mary did: She stepped up behind Jesus and poured out the jar. Over His head and shoulders. Down His back. She would have poured herself out for Him, if she could.

The fragrance of the sweet ointment rushed through the room.

“Breathe the aroma and remember one who cares,” the gesture spoke. “When You feel forsaken, remember that You are loved.” The other disciples mocked her extravagance, but don’t miss Jesus’ prompt defense of Mary. “Why are you troubling this woman? She did an excellent thing for Me.”

This wasn’t the first time He’d defended her either. When her sister Martha demanded that Mary help with household duties instead of sitting at His feet, Jesus said, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it.”(Luke 10:42 NLT)

Jesus’ message is as powerful now as it was then: There is a time for risky love. There is a time to sit at the feet of the One you love, to pour out your affections on Him. And when the time comes, seize it.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Man and God

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 22:41-46

The Pharisees hated that so many people believed the man standing before them was the Messiah. This Galilean commoner had no pedigree. Sure, he might astound people with inexplicable wisdom, but surely he was not the returning king—for what would that make them?

Not only did they have the wrong answer; they asked the wrong question. They thought Christ’s rise to prominence merely raised the possibility that He was the long-awaited Messiah. But Christ pointed them to a deeper truth, on which depended the salvation of man. “What do you think about the Christ,” He asked them. “Whose son is He?” (Matt. 22:42)

They knew the answer, just as they knew the rumors about this distant descendant of David. But David had many descendants. The Christ would be, they replied, “the son of David.” “Then how,” Christ asked, “does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet'”?” (vv. 43-44).

He referred to Psalm 110, in which the Holy Spirit speaks through David to illuminate Christ’s divinity. The Pharisees thought this debate was about whether Christ was the Messiah. In an instant, Christ raised the stakes.

His interlocutors were stubborn but clever. They recognized the implication of His question. Of course, David would not have called some great-great-grandchild “Lord.” A king would give that honor only to the living God.

Christ was pointing them—and us—to the startling truth: He is king, and He is Savior, and He is God.

It was a scandal, and it was the only path to salvation. God took on flesh, bore it sinlessly into death, and raised it to life eternal, thereby breaking the hold of sin and death over mankind. God became man so that man might return to God.

This upends the world, and it terrified the self-regarding Pharisees. So they were silent, “nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.” (v. 46)

God forgive us when we are likewise silent. Christ is the risen God. Tell it to the world.

–Tony Woodlief

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Lesson of the Fig Tree

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Charles Stanley

Luke 13:6-9

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the hosannas and citywide profession of His messiahship were loud and enthusiastic. It must have seemed a stunning triumph.

But Jesus realized that outward appearances don’t necessarily indicate universal or even authentic agreement. At the time of the cheering, in fact, He was en route to the temple, where money changers were evidence of that very truth. And so our Savior had wept as He neared the city, because the people “did not recognize the time of [their] visitation” (Luke 19:44) or the way to avoid what was now inescapable judgment.

The gospel writers then inserted a rather curious anecdote about Jesus approaching a distant fig tree in leaf, since He was hungry. Mark 11:13-14 tells us, “He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again!'”

Why would Jesus, the Creator of fig trees, curse one for not bearing fruit out of season? The question seems baffling—that is, except to those familiar with Middle East fruit crops. They would realize small edible knobs, or taqsh in Arabic, appear with the leaves and fall off before the actual fruit develops. Scholar F. F. Bruce (Are The New Testament Documents Reliable?) explains, “If the leaves appear unaccompanied by taqsh, there will be no figs that year. So it was evident to our Lord . . . [that] for all its fair foliage, it was a fruitless and a hopeless tree.”

Then Mark added a significant detail: “And His disciples were listening” (v. 14). Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree wasn’t some whimsical or annoyed outburst, as some suppose. It was an object lesson on the fruit born of genuine faith, in contrast to the worthlessness of empty religion, which they’d just witnessed in the temple.

This was a crucial teaching for the first-century disciples, whose Teacher would be present just a short while longer. It’s also crucial for 21st-century disciples. Our fruitfulness matters greatly to God, but only when it’s the genuine article—the fruit of His Spirit, produced as we abide in the vine, Jesus Christ (John 15:5; Gal. 5:22-23). No matter how impressive, works achieved solely through human effort have zero value in our Father’s eyes.

What if the Lord checked you and me for spiritual fruit? Would He discover something nourishing, even though we might consider it inconsequential? Or would He find a breathtaking display of leaves that proves to be but a glorious façade?

–Sandy Feit

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Story of the 10 Lepers

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Charles Stanley

Bible Study: Luke 17:11-19

 

Ten leprous men stood at a distance (which the law required them to do), begging Jesus to have mercy on them. The Lord instructed them to show themselves to the priests—the health inspectors of sorts, who could pronounce the disease healed or not (Lev. 14:7). Ironically—even surprisingly—Jesus didn’t heal them on the spot.

They were being invited to exercise faith, as none were yet “clean.” Picture these lepers, hobbling, limping, some with decaying limbs and rotting skin, going to show the priests that their leprous bodies had been healed—when they weren’t yet. That’s why it’s called faith. But as they obeyed, the hobbling and limping became less noticeable, and their skin started to renew itself, as the power of the living God marvelously regenerated their bodies.

Jesus wanted them to personally experience faith, which is an invitation to join God in a miracle. We step out in faith, and He meets us. Yet only one leper, when he realized he had been entirely healed, was so overcome with joy that he rushed back to thank Jesus. Only one. And it was a Samaritan. Jesus tells the man, “Your faith has made you well.”

An invitation.

An acceptance.

Salvation of body and soul.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Most of Jesus’ healings were instantaneous, but that wasn’t the case with the 10 lepers. How did the delayed cure build their faith in Him? How might your faith be stretched or strengthened if you aren’t healed right away?

2. Though 10 men were healed, only one returned to give thanks. How many times over the last year has God answered a prayer of yours or given you some good thing? How have you returned to Him in gratitude?

3. Jesus sent still-leprous men to report to priests that they’d been healed. Scripture

tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Can you remember a time when you had to step out in faith and God met you there? In which areas is He currently asking you to walk by faith?

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Passionate and Protective

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Charles Stanley

Mark 11:15-17

This wasn’t Jesus’ first time at the temple. His parents accidentally left Him there once when He was a boy, and He had often taught there at times during His ministry (Matt.26:55). But this visit was different. This time He surprised a temple audience with more than His words. This time He grew fiercely angry at the activities in the courtyard.

Fierce anger isn’t what we expect from Jesus. But God is passionate about His people, and His people were at the mercy of mercenaries at the temple. That had to stop. So Jesus turned tables, drove out the profiteers, and quoted phrases from the prophets to prove His point. God’s temple is a place of prayer for the nations, not a business venture.

This event clearly teaches us that God opposes deception and greed, but there’s a much deeper message in it. The intensity of Jesus’ reaction reflects the heart of the Father for His people. The passion He demonstrated at the temple wasn’t about the building; it was about the worshipers who have gathered and, on a larger scale, the nations they represented. Apparently, God isn’t just mildly interested in the hearts of human beings. He’s fiercely protective of them. He’s zealous for our worship and jealous for our love.

When Solomon dedicated the first temple in Jerusalem, priests fell on their faces as God powerfully filled the building with His presence. The building was holy ground, a place of purity and prayer. Centuries later when Jesus overthrew the money changers’ tables, He demonstrated God’s intense passion for this same holy ground. But what about now? Worshipers no longer gather at a temple in Jerusalem. Where does God direct His passion?

To us. In the New Testament, God’s people become the temple of His presence. The building gives way to the body. If Jesus could be so profoundly provoked over a stone temple, how much more fervent is He about His body of believers? The purity and prayerfulness of His dwelling place deeply matter to Him. He enters our hearts with zeal to drive out unholy influences and make us His own.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Believer’s Journey to the Cross

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Charles Stanley

John 12:23-27

We all know that Jesus walked the road to Calvary, but did you know that believers also journey to the cross? We’ve all been positionally crucified with Christ, but those who hunger for Him participate in a deeper experience of this reality. Jesus lovingly takes their hand and leads them to the cross. Even though this is the last place anyone wants to go, it’s the only way to partake of God’s best for our lives.

The trip to the cross is not one you take with family and friends. It’s a lonely journey with just you and Jesus. He strips away everyone and everything you’ve depended on so that you’ll learn to rely only on Him. While we’re at the cross, He uncovers layer after layer of self-deception until we begin to see ourselves as He does. Soon our self-centeredness, inadequacy, and failures are laid bare.

The cross is a place of brokenness, but it’s necessary because there’s no other way we’ll ever bear fruit. If we hang onto our lives and refuse to take this journey, we’ll be like a grain of wheat that is never planted and never grows. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit. The only way Christ can live His life through us is if we’ve allowed ourselves to be crucified.

God doesn’t want you to be content with just your salvation. There’s so much more He desires to give you and achieve through you. Are you willing to take the road to the cross with Him? Yes, it’s painful, but the rewards in this life and in eternity far outweigh any suffering you will experience.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Looking Beyond Disappointment

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Charles Stanley

John 11:3-6

When disappointments come your way in life, it is easy to blame both yourself and others. Frequently it’s difficult to know what to say or do, because you cannot quite identify the real cause or purpose of the letdown.

Disappointment is often an emotional response to our own failure—or someone else’s—to achieve a desire, hope, dream, or goal. This can lead to losing faith in a person on whom we were depending, possibly even a loved one.

The gospel of John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. Because of this, the two women didn’t sense the need to tell the Lord anything more than “He whom You love is sick” (John 11:3). Their expectation was that as soon as Jesus heard these words, He would come and heal their brother. But the Lord didn’t set out for two more days.

When Martha met Jesus, she was disappointed because He hadn’t come right away, and His delay allowed Lazarus to die. She didn’t see His purpose.

But truly, God does have a reason for the disappointments He allows in our life. He could prevent them, but He wants us to discover His purpose. His desire is that we will operate out of trust and let our circumstance bring glory to Him (John 11:4, 25).

When disappointments come, will you be stalled and derailed from the Lord’s will for your life? Or will you find yourself beginning to understand His purpose so you can learn from those situations? The right response is simply to trust Him.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Experiencing Inner Peace

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Charles Stanley

Luke 8:22-25

Jesus promised to give us His peace (John 14:27)—the kind that enabled Him to sleep through a fierce storm. Without it, we’d be like the disciples, who felt helpless and afraid. With it, we will experience inner calmness in the midst of life’s turmoil.

To access the peace of the Lord, we must meet certain conditions. The first requirement is to receive Jesus as our personal Savior. Before salvation, we were by nature opposed to God. But our redemption changed that. The Bible says we now have peace with Him (Rom. 5:10) and are members of His family, instead of His enemies. Fear of death—a major reason that we lack peace—evaporates as we comprehend the glorious truth that we will spend eternity in heaven with Him.

Believing in God’s sovereignty is a second condition for having a tranquil heart. In this troubled world, personal safety is a major concern. To combat fear, we must trust that God controls all things. Knowing that He is in charge will protect us from anxiety and give us peace.

The third thing we must do is understand that God knows our needs and has promised to meet each one (Phil. 4:19). He is a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to His children. We may not receive all we want, but He’ll give us whatever is necessary to fulfill His purpose for us.

Once we have received Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit will remind us that our future is secure, and our loving, sovereign God will see to it that we have everything we need.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Path of Spiritual Independence

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Charles Stanley

Luke 15:11-24

Spiritual independence means living outside the restrictions of God’s will and choosing instead to please ourselves. As believers, we frequently take matters into our own hands, despite God’s promise for perfect provision.

Desires can blind us. We either want what we don’t have or aren’t satisfied with what we do have. We chafe at the constraints of our faith that call us to deny ourselves and obey God (Luke 9:23). Personal satisfaction becomes a priority, opening us to deception. The Enemy paints a beautiful, albeit untrue, picture of how things will be if we just change our circumstances. We start believing the lie that gratification can be found elsewhere and forget the truth that our life is complete in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

When this lie exerts influence over us, our ability to make Christ-centered decisions is crucial. Unless we sift our desires through the will of God and hold onto the truth that His grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9), we will choose to act independently of Him. Though we’ll make a decision that sounds right, looks good, and seems harmless, in actuality we are departing from God’s good and perfect will. For a period of time, we may find delight in walking outside of His plan. Sin—doing what we want instead of what God wants—brings temporary pleasure but is followed by despair and, many times, disaster.

No matter how far you have wandered spiritually, turn back to the Lord. Like the father in the story of the Prodigal Son, God waits to welcome you home. In Him, you will find all you need (Eph. 3:18-19).