Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Secret of Jesus

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Read: John 5:18-30

Jesus gave them this answer: Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself (John 5:19a)

That is probably the most radical statement in the entire Word of God, because it indicates the first step in being a channel of the power of God: a recognition that any effort made to use God’s power for one’s own benefit will finally leave nothing but a hollow, empty feeling; it will never achieve anything. You may climb to the top of whatever heap you aspire to, and gain the admiration and attention of all the world, but if you have not found this secret, your life will be unsatisfying to you, and of no use whatever to God. The Son can do nothing of his own accord.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Don’t Skip the Preliminaries

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Read: Acts 16:25-31

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (v. 30 NIV)

So I want to grow in my knowledge of Christ, but how can I do that? What’s the magic formula? Of course, there isn’t a formula. As outspoken journalist H. L. Mencken warned, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

Oh, there are definitely things you can do to grow in your knowledge of Christ. They are called spiritual disciplines, and I’ll talk about them later. Millions of people have practiced these disciplines for 2,000 years now, and they work wonderfully as instruments that lead to a deeper knowledge of Christ. But they won’t work for you if you skip the preliminaries.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Friendly Counsel

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For thousands of years, there have been legends of rejuvenating waters. Writings of the fifth century Greek historian Herodotus spoke of a mythical fountain that granted youth to those who drank or bathed in it. The Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon was searching for the fountain when he landed in Florida in 1513. Youth was a powerful motivator for the conquistador to venture into the unknown.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

Proverbs 13:14

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Sowing the Wind

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They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.—Hosea 8:7

In the early twentieth century G. K. Chesterton wrote, almost prophetically, “You may talk of God as a metaphor or a mystification . . . but nobody protests. But if you speak of God as a fact, as a thing like a tiger, as a reason for changing one’s conduct, then the modern world will stop you somehow if it can.”

When people are angry with God, they are often angry with God’s people. This is because they are being convicted by the Holy Spirit as a result of their sin. Jesus said, “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers” (Matthew 5:11).

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Our Shepherd

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“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23:1-2)

One spring afternoon, a tourist named Peter was riding a bus through the countryside in Scotland. Up and down the steep green hills, woolly sheep and their little lambs grazed. Many of the lambs were playing. Peter smiled as he watched them leaping and kicking the air with their tiny hooves.

Another passenger on the bus pointed out a circle of large, weathered stones on the side of a hill. “Look, a sheepfold!” he said. A kind shepherd had built that sheepfold long ago. He wanted his lambs to have a safe place to sleep at night, a place where he could watch over them.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Say No

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Today’s Scripture: Titus 2:11-12

“The grace of God has appeared . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.”

Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness. Ungodliness in its broadest form basically comprises disregarding God, ignoring him, or not taking him into account in one’s life. It’s a lack of fear and reverence for him. The wickedness portrayed by Paul in Romans 1:18-32 all starts with the idea that “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (verse 21, NIV). A person may be highly moral and even benevolent and still be ungodly.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Lord of All

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Today’s Scripture: Genesis 1-2

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

The Bible begins with a mystery: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” What’s so mysterious about that, you say? Did you know the Hebrew word for God in this passage is plural? All three persons of the Trinity were involved in the creation of the world.

The Bible says the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God the Father created all things by Jesus Christ. “For by him”–that is, by Jesus Christ–“all things were created” (Colossians 1:16). That means all things spiritual and physical, including your spiritual and physical life, came through Jesus Christ. Is it any wonder that God’s Word reminds us that in all things His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, must be preeminent in our lives. Just as He was Lord at creation, so He is Lord today.

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – Powerball and the Moral Deficit: Bad Odds for the Poor

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America is in the midst of Powerball fever. And it’s not hard to see why. The potential value of a winning ticket went from $40 million in November, to $800 million last Saturday night, to an estimated $1.3 billion as I record.

In interviews everywhere, people are fantasizing about what they would do with all that money. Many are admitting to buying tickets in bulk. Though in one a refreshing change of pace, a woman at a supermarket told a colleague that she wasn’t playing because, “No one needs that kind of money.”

Well, she’s definitely in the minority. People are lining up to buy, despite the fact that the chances of winning are astronomical: one in 292 million. In miles, that’s more than three times the distance between the Earth and the Sun, what astronomers call an astronomical unit or AU.

Now, if all that was happening was a bunch of people throwing away a couple of bucks on astronomically-long odds, it wouldn’t warrant comment. But that’s not the only thing going on here. As ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser recently said on his radio show, it’s clear that “the lure of easy money affects the segment of the population you wish it [that] it didn’t affect.”

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS: SHAME IN ABUSE

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Read Matthew 26:62-68; 27:22-37

In his book Mending the Soul: Understanding and Healing Abuse, Steven Tracy argues that abuse attacks the image of God in a person. It not only damages the body but also wounds the soul. Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse work to break down their victim’s sense of identity and worth.

Nowhere is this more clearly illustrated in Scripture than in the brutal series of attacks that Jesus endured in the hours leading up to His crucifixion. The religious leaders used their spiritual authority to assault His identity. He was on trial for being Himself, the Son of God. Silence infuriated His accusers; His calm restraint incensed them even more.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF OUR UNION?

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President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address last night.

If you have images disabled or have trouble viewing this message, please view in browser. Also: Forward this email to a friend.  President Obama delivered his final State of the Union (SOTU) address last night. He described his administration’s accomplishments while addressing our fears about national security and terrorism.

The lasting value of the annual SOTU is not primarily legislative. Since 1965, only 39.4 percent of SOTU initiatives have been passed at least in part by Congress. The larger significance of last night’s speech is more visceral. The president sought to articulate a message of hope and optimism, seeking to unify Americans around a vision for the future.

However, The Washington Post noted that “the gulf between his vision of a unified America, one he has trumpeted from his earliest days on the national scene, and the political reality has never seemed wider.” The Post lists guns, immigration reform, Middle Eastern refugees, the Iran nuclear deal, the opening to Cuba, and war and terrorism as issues over which we are more divided than ever.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Learning to Pray the Bible Way

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Matthew 7:7-12

God wants His children to ask for what’s on their hearts, because He delights to give. Even more, He wants to fellowship with us. What joy can be ours every time we meet our heavenly Father through prayer!

The privilege of supplication rests on our relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Only those who are part of God’s family can claim Him as their Father (John 1:12) and avail themselves of His pledge to answer prayer. He makes no such commitment to unbelievers. The single exception is the sinner who asks for forgiveness and receives Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. As promised, his or her prayer is always answered with salvation (Rom. 10:9).

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Hold On!

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Read: Revelation 3:7-13

Bible in a Year: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 9:1-17

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have. —Revelation 3:11

A cowboy friend of mine who grew up on a ranch in Texas has a number of colorful sayings. One of my favorites is “It don’t take much water to make good coffee.” And when someone ropes a steer too big to handle or is in some kind of trouble, my friend will shout, “Hold everything you’ve got!” meaning “Help is on the way! Don’t let go!”

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – For the Joy Set Before Him

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The Pixar Studios film, Inside Out, is a wondrously creative and insightful look into human emotion. Through the experience of the film’s main character, Riley, we come to see the world of her interior life—a world brought to life by making her emotions actual characters at work in her mind. The whimsy of Pixar’s animation to tell this story belies the deep existential themes the film explores. Namely, the film suggests that though often ironic, there is necessary relationship between sadness and joy in human experience. The film turns a critical eye toward trying to keep sadness at bay, or restricting its role in human development through the often well-meaning exhortation to simply ‘be happy.’

These themes were brought home to me at a funeral service for a family member. He was the fourth person to die in this family, and the fourth to die before the age of 70. As the extended family began to gather in the church library prior to the service, the grief was as palpable as if it was a figure in the room. Tears flowed freely, and we embraced one another in an attempt to offer comfort in the midst of the overwhelming sorrow.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Importance of Brotherly Love

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“Let love of the brethren continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

Genuine love among Christians is a testimony to the world, to ourselves, and to God.

The importance of brotherly love extends well beyond the walls of your local church or fellowship hall. In John 13:35 Jesus says, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” In effect, God has made love for one another the measuring stick by which the world can determine if our Christian profession is genuine. That’s why it’s so important that we have a selfless attitude and sincerely place the interests of our brothers and sisters in Christ ahead of our own.

If you are a parent, you know what a delight it is when your children love and care for one another. Such harmonious relations make for a close-knit family and fulfill the words of the psalmist: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). God is both pleased and glorified when Christian brothers and sisters love each other and minister together in harmony.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Have You Put God in a Blessing Box?

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Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Ephesians 3:20, NJKV

There have been times when I have been guilty of trying to put God in a blessing box. What I mean is, I have decided where and how He will be able to bless me. Maybe you’ve done the same. “Lord, I will be blessed if I live in Florida, but not in Vermont.” “I will be blessed if I have a job using my gifts and talents, but not if I am in a job I don’t enjoy.” “I will be blessed if I am employed, but not if I must be unemployed.” “I will be blessed if I have children, but not if I am childless.” “I will be blessed if I am married, but not single.”

The Bible is filled with stories in which people tried to put God in a blessing box. He didn’t stick to their plan, but He blessed them all the same in ways they hadn’t imagined. Many had things happen to them that they would not have chosen for themselves, things that would have made it seem as if God’s blessings had been forfeited. The story of Joseph is one such example. As I was reading it this week, Genesis 39:1 jumped off the page.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – The Majestic

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The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty.

Psalm 93:1

Recommended Reading

Psalm 93

Visitors to New York’s Central Park often pause to admire the twin-towered Majestic skyscraper at 115 Central Park West. It’s been home to such notables as Milton Berle, Walter Winchell, Marc Jacobs, and Conan O’Brien. Mob boss Lucky Luciano also lived there, as did mobster Frank Costello, who was shot in the lobby by a gunman shouting, “This is for you, Frank.”

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Crave God’s Presence

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My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for [only] when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).—Isaiah 26:9

If we are hungry enough, we will get something to eat. And if we can’t eat before we leave home, we will go to a drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant. Or we will call a place that delivers food to bring us something to eat.

If we are hungry enough for God, we will find a way into His presence. We should be so hungry for the presence of God that we absolutely will not go out of our house or tackle any kind of project until we have spent some time with Him.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Please Make the Pain Go Away

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Today’s Truth

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

Friend to Friend

As the basketball game heated up and the man-to-man coverage got up close and personal, he took an elbow to the ear. Seconds later his world went silent on the trauma side. Stunned, he continued to play and pointed to his ear as he ran down the court telling his coach about the situation.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Be Strong in Character

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“Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” (James 1:2-4).

A friend of mine had been very successful in business, but after he became a Christian everything seemed to go wrong. Problem after problem seemed to plague him. Yet he never seemed to be discouraged or defeated.

As we counseled together, he assured me that there was no unconfessed sin in his life. So I rejoiced with him that God was preparing him for a very important responsibility in His kingdom. That is exactly what happened. He is now the director of a very fruitful ministry for our Lord. The problems and testing served to help equip him to be a better ambassador for Christ.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Faith’s Action

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Read: John 5:1-17

Then Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:8b-9a)

Notice that the first thing Jesus says to do is what the man could not do, what he had tried for 38 years to do. On what basis does Jesus say these words to him? Somehow this man senses what that basis was. Perhaps he was thinking, If this man tells me to rise (and I cannot rise), it must mean that he intends to do something to make it possible. Thus his faith is transferred from his own efforts to Jesus: He must do it. I can’t. The man must also have reasoned somewhat along these lines, If this man is going to help me then I have got to decide to do what he tells me to do.

That is a critical clue many miss when they are looking for help from God. There is always something God tells them to believe, and do, and act on. This is a word of action. Jesus does not say, Try to build up faith in your mind. Try to fasten your thoughts on this or that. He tells them to do something: Rise! Stand up! Obviously it was Jesus’ will that this man should do what he told him to do, and the moment the man’s will agreed with the Lord’s will the power was there. I don’t know whether he felt anything or not. All I know is that strength came into his bones and into his muscles and he could stand.

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