Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Jesus Is Lord

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Read: Romans 10:5-13

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (v. 9 NIV)

“Jesus is Lord.” With those three words, the early church changed the world. They were convinced that no one could say them except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3) and that all who said them from the heart would be saved (Rom. 10:9). But as the church was being formed, Jesus uttered a strong warning about merely mouthing those three words. In a world full of false teachers and fair-weather believers, what is the proof that we really know Christ?

In Matthew 6-7 Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms what doesn’t prove it—being religious. Preaching great sermons or casting out demons or doing miracles in Jesus name is no proof that Jesus is really Lord of your life. You can be a successful spiritual leader who preaches Christ-centered sermons, but that’s no proof that you know Christ in a saving way.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Legacy of Lethargy

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Who was America’s laziest president? That’s a judgment call and highly subjective. But among the finalists, you would have to include Calvin Coolidge. His 1924 campaign slogan was “Keep Cool with Coolidge.” He was known as “Silent Cal.”

As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.

Proverbs 26:14

If these monikers don’t hint at his lack of activity, perhaps these facts will: Coolidge typically worked four hours a day at the White House, and then went to play golf. He required 11 hours of sleep each night, plus daily naps. The writer H.L. Mencken characterized Coolidge’s work ethic by saying that an ideal day for him “would be one in which nothing happens.” And Gertrude Stein was said to have remarked, upon hearing of the president’s passing, “Coolidge dead? How can you tell?”

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – When Things Look Bleak

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Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. —Acts 12:5

Acts 12 opens with a bleak scenario. James has been executed, and Peter has been arrested by King Herod. He was going to be killed next. But then we read that “constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (verse 5). The church took this seriously and began to pray. So God sent an angel to deliver Peter from prison, and the story has a happy ending.

Then as Acts 12 closes, King Herod, who orchestrated these events, was giving a great speech, and the people began to cry out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” (verse 22). God judged Herod and killed him on the spot.

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God’s Spirit Helps Us Know God

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“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Gordon’s best friend sometimes keeps secrets that he doesn’t want him to know. Gordon can’t read his mind, so he will never know those secrets. Nobody can know his friend’s mind except the friend himself (and God). Nobody knows God’s mind except for God.

So how are we ever supposed to know what God wants?

God has not given us the spirit of the world. If He gave us the spirit of the world we would never know what we need to know. God has given us the Spirit of God so we can know the mind of God. We will never know everything God knows, but we can know the things that are “given to us” from God. We can know everything we need to know.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Giving You Wings

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:9

“You yourselves have been taught by God.”

God administers his discipline in the realm of grace. What does that mean? It means that all his teaching, training, and discipline are administered in love and for our spiritual welfare. It means God is never angry with us, though he’s often grieved at our sins. It means he doesn’t condemn us or count our sins against us. All that he does in us and to us is done on the basis of unmerited favor. To use the words of William Hendricksen, “God’s grace is his active favor bestowing the greatest gift upon those who have deserved the greatest punishment.”

Where the law condemns, grace forgives through the Lord Jesus Christ. Where the law commands but gives no power, grace commands but does give power through the Holy Spirit who lives and works within us.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Marks of a New Life

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Today’s Scripture: Genesis 32-36

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. – 1 Peter 4:12-13

You know, a lot of strange and sometimes exciting things can happen to you when you’re traveling. In Genesis 32, we find Jacob traveling back home, and he has an experience that is more than just exciting. Jacob is met by a host of angels. Then he receives word that his brother, Esau, is heading his way with four hundred men, and he assumes he’s in for a battle, which causes him great fear and distress. But the most amazing thing of all happened while he was alone at night. He had a wrestling match with an angel, in which he prevailed, his life was preserved, and God blessed him.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Marks of a New Life →

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Finding the Pool of Siloam: Another Testament to the Bible’s Accuracy

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The Gospel of John chapter nine tells the story of Jesus’ healing of a man born blind. After telling his disciples that the man’s blindness had nothing to do with either the man’s sins or those of his parents, Jesus applied mud to the man’s eyes and told him to wash it off at the Pool of Siloam.

Since at least the fifth century, Christians had identified a spot in Jerusalem as the Pool of Siloam and the site of the miracle. But it was not until a decade ago that archaeologists found what they are certain is the ancient pool of Siloam.

Like so many such finds, it was almost by accident. During construction work to repair a water pipe near the Temple Mount, Israeli archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron found “two ancient stone steps.”

According to Biblical Archaeology Review, “Further excavation revealed that they were part of a monumental pool from the Second Temple period, the period in which Jesus lived.” The pool was trapezoidal in shape and 225 feet long.

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – FIGHTING SHAME

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Today in the Word – Read Psalm 35

Bullies target colleagues and classmates in an endless need to prove their own superiority. As long as they get away with it, bullies will not stop the relentless pursuit to break their victim’s spirit. In light of Jesus’ call to turn the other cheek, what godly recourse is available for a victim of targeted, shaming attacks?

At first glance, Psalm 35 might seem to violate New Testament teachings about revenge. Shouldn’t David simply be content to take refuge in God and wait out the storm? But his enemies were persistent. They would attack him from every angle until they succeeded in completely destroying him.

Their attacks had already successfully caused him to second-guess himself. Was he somehow to blame for the way he was being treated? After reexamining the past, he verified he had loved these people wholeheartedly. His openness toward them made their malicious betrayal more devastating and broke his spirit further.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – THE SHOW ‘LUCIFER’ MAKES THE DEVIL ‘CHARMING’

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Lucifer premiered last night on Fox. As you might expect, the devil is the lead character. He decides to take a vacation, so he abdicates his throne in hell and flees to Los Angeles. There he opens a nightclub and ends up fighting crime alongside a police detective.

It is appropriate that Lucifer’s nightclub is named “Lux,” which is Latin for “light,” since “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Not surprisingly, Lucifer is highly deceptive.

Early in last night’s episode, the devil tells a woman who fears she has sold her soul to Satan, “The devil isn’t that interested in your soul.” Then he claims that “God has nothing to do with your mess.”

I was especially troubled by the show’s depiction of Satan as compassionate toward hurting people. Lucifer tells one troubled woman, “Pull yourself together. That’s it. That’s all I’m asking. You’re wasting your talent and your life.”

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How to Walk With God

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Genesis 5:21-24

Enoch’s walk with the Lord was so close that Scripture tells us, “God took him” (Gen. 5:24). This implies Enoch didn’t die but was taken directly into the presence of God. What a wonderful testimony!

As we seek to follow God with this same passion, let’s review some specific steps to help us keep up in our walk with the Lord.

Reconciliation. This concept carries the sense of God moving toward us. We can be joyful because the responsibility is all His. Through the cross of His Son Jesus Christ, God has already made His move in our direction. Scripture says, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18). When we trust in Christ, we immediately take part in that reconciliation.

Trusting God.We must have faith, not only that God is concerned with our walk, but that He has, through Jesus Christ, provided all we need to walk intimately with Him anytime. Continue reading Charles Stanley – How to Walk With God →

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Careless Words

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Read: James 3:1-12

Bible in a Year: Exodus 12-13; Matthew 16

The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. —James 3:5

My daughter has had a lot of ill health recently, and her husband has been wonderfully caring and supportive. “You have a real treasure there!” I said.

“You didn’t think that when I first knew him,” she said with a grin.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Face that Won’t Go Away

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Thomas Grüter has always had trouble putting names with faces. But unlike most of us who might have trouble recollecting the name of the man who just said hello, Grüter’s trouble lies in recognizing the face of the man who just said hello—even if it is his own father’s. His condition is called prosopagnosia or “face blindness,” and until recently the disorder was thought to be exceedingly rare. But new research led by a team that included Grüter himself shows the disorder is surprisingly much more common.

Those affected with prosopagnosia are not forgetful or inattentive, nor are they the social snobs they are often accused of being. When it comes to faces—even their own—they see very little that distinguishes one from another. The part of the brain that signals face recognition simply does not respond. As a result, they may greet acquaintances as strangers, struggle to keep up with plots in movies, and have difficulty finding their own children at school pick-up time. “I see faces that are human,” notes one woman of her condition, “but they all look more or less the same. It’s like looking at a bunch of golden retrievers: some may seem a little older or smaller or bigger, but essentially they all look alike.”(1)

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Understanding Your Calling

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“I pray that . . . you may know what is the hope of [God’s] calling” (Eph. 1:18).

The hope of your calling is grounded in God’s promises and in Christ’s accomplishments.

In Ephesians 1:3-14 Paul proclaims the blessings of our salvation. In verse 18 he prays that we will comprehend those great truths, which he summarizes in the phrase “the hope of His calling.”

“Calling” here refers to God’s effectual calling—the calling that redeems the soul. Scripture speaks of two kinds of calling: the gospel or general call and the effectual or specific call. The gospel call is given by men and is a universal call to repent and trust Christ for salvation (e.g., Matt. 28:19; Acts 17:30-31). It goes out to all sinners but not all who hear it respond in faith.

The effectual call is given by God only to the elect. By it He speaks to the soul, grants saving faith, and ushers elect sinners into salvation (John 6:37-44, 65; Acts 2:39). All who receive it respond in faith.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Misapplication of Truth

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Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. Job 5:17-18

A good thing misapplied can become a bad thing. For instance, if a medical doctor diagnoses a person with cancer—when in reality the tumor is benign—then chemotherapy would be unnecessary, perhaps harmful. In the same way, the misapplication of truth can create confusion and hurt, especially when spoken out of judgment and pride. Good words become bad words when they are the wrong words, spoken in the wrong way. If I say the Lord detests dishonesty, but honesty finds favor with God, this would be true. But, if I accuse an honest friend of lying and threaten them with this truth—then I have misapplied, even abused, the truth.

Eliphaz, Job’s “friend,” assumes the worst of his “friend” and wrongly determines that Job is being disciplined by God for sin in his life. He attacks Job’s integrity with a judgmental misapplication of truth. Yes, God’s correction is a blessing to His children, not to be despised—but in this situation Job is not suffering because of the Lord’s punishment. Since God loves and respects Job’s integrity, He honors him by allowing Him to suffer for the sake of righteousness. The Lord trusts the testimony of the faithful to draw the unfaithful to the Faithful One—Jesus Christ.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Snake Handlers

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…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Corinthians 2:11

Recommended Reading

James 4:7-10

Last fall, an employee at a museum in Washington State tried to feed Stella, a Burmese python. When the creature smelled its dinner of rats, it became aggressive and struck the woman’s leg. Firefighters had to pry the snake loose. The museum’s owner told reporters the woman hadn’t been properly trained to handle the snake.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Agreeing with God

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Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.  —1 Timothy 6:12

Take a step of faith and no matter how you feel, agree with God that He loves you. You are wonderfully made and have many talents and strengths. You are valuable, and as a believer in Jesus, you are the righteousness of God in Him. You have rightness before God instead of wrongness—be thankful for that amazing gift!

Begin to speak out against feelings of insecurity and say, “I belong to God and He loves me!” (see Ephesians 2:10). We believe more of what we hear ourselves say than what others say, so start saying something good and drown out the other voices that condemn you.

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Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Be My Portion, Part 2

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“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

Lamentations 3:24

Friend to Friend

I sometimes run to God as if He’s a celestial Wal-Mart purposed to satisfy my every want…

Change my family.

Fix my job problem, God.

Do it my way!

Continue reading Girlfriends in God – Be My Portion, Part 2 →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No More Fears

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“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18, KJV).

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room,” declared Robert Murray McCheyne, “I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me: ‘He ever liveth to make intercession.'”

Is there some fear in your life over which you do not have victory? Whether it is great or small, you can gain victory over that fear through claiming, by faith, God’s supernatural love for yourself and for others, for “perfect love casts out fear.”

That promise makes it imperative that you and I claim God’s agape, the supernatural love described in 1 Corinthians 13, love for God, for our neighbors, for ourselves and for our enemies – for all men. As we do this, we can begin to practice that perfect love, showing it to our families and to friends and neighbors.

Continue reading Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No More Fears →

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Purpose of Disabilities

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Read: John 9:1-39

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3)

The disciples had evidently been taught that sin and hurt, injury and handicap are linked together; that human hurt is the result of human sin. Notice that Jesus does not deny that. It is helpful to note right from the beginning that he recognizes there is such a link. However, it is not the one that many people think, as he will make clear.

What that indicates is that we are not living in a world where we can always expect perfection; that God does not try to operate the world in such a way that everything works out beautifully. We are living in a fallen world. The Scriptures declare that we are living in a broken world, a fragmented world, a world which is not what it once was and is not what it shall be. For the present we are afflicted with hurts, injuries, difficulties and hardships.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Our Worst Nightmare

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Read: Matthew 7:21-23

Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (v. 23 NIV)

“I want to know Christ.” We began these meditations with those words of Paul in Philippians 3:10. That has been our challenge. Now we come to these words of Jesus: “I never knew you.” That is a believer’s worst nightmare. You spend your life calling on the name of the Lord, working faithfully in the church, and serving bravely in the kingdom, all the while thinking that you know Christ. And then at the end, Jesus says, “I never knew you.”

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