Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Complete Access

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 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 

—Romans 8:15

Scripture:

Romans 8:15 

Years ago when I was first getting to know Billy Graham, I addressed him as “Dr. Graham.”

But he said, “Don’t call me Dr. Graham. Call me Billy.”

That was hard for me to do. It felt too personal. But I finally got around to calling him Billy. His children, though, had a more intimate name for him: Daddy. And his grandchildren called him Daddy Bill. Only his children and grandchildren had the right to address him that way. It was because of their relationship with him.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a relationship with the Creator of the universe. And we have complete access to Him through prayer.

We are God’s children, and He loves us. He wants to hear from us. He wants to talk to us and spend time with us. It’s never a drudgery; it’s always a delight. And the same should be true for us when we spend time with Him.

We know from the Scriptures that He is a good Father. For instance, in the story of the Prodigal Son, Jesus presented God the Father as a dad who missed his wayward son and longed for his return. Then, when his son made his way back home, he ran to him and threw his arms around him.

He said, “We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found” (Luke 15:23–24 NLT). This is your Father in Heaven. He’s a father who always will be there, a father who listens, a father who loves you.

In addition, Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9 NLT). Therefore, if you want to know what the Father in Heaven is like, then look at Jesus.

Jesus was approachable. Little children were drawn to Him, and He blessed them. Tears streamed down His face as He stood at the grave of His friend Lazarus. In the upper room, He got down on His hands and knees and washed the feet of His disciples, including the feet of Judas Iscariot.

Maybe you’re thinking, “He’s the Father in Heaven, but Heaven is so far away. I need someone on earth.”

God is omnipresent, which means that He is present everywhere. And is Heaven really that far away? Perhaps, in a sense, it is. But in another sense, Heaven is closer than we may realize. Heaven is another dimension. It’s a supernatural realm.

Thus, for the Father in Heaven to step into our world is nothing to Him. Remember, when Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray, He began His model prayer by saying, “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10 NLT).

God is deeply involved in and deeply concerned about what you’re facing right now. If it concerns you, then it concerns Him.

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Provision of God

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

Psalm 136 gives three key examples of God’s sovereign provision. He protects and shelters during our times in the “wilderness.” He makes possible victories over great “enemies.” And He gives “food to all flesh.” God’s detailed provision and the many examples thereof in the Scriptures are inexhaustible. Yet, in these three areas, we may find hope for any situation “in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Our “wanderings” are compared to hard-hearted Israel (1 Corinthians 10) and the many physical and spiritual sins of a people in rebellion against God’s control in their lives. Jesus warned that the “cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things” would “choke the word” and make us unfruitful (Mark 4:19). Yet, even though we may be like the younger son in the story of the prodigal (Luke 15:11-32) and would waste our “substance in riotous living,” God was still the Provider of the inheritance that was wasted. God was still waiting for the son to “come to himself” and return home. God still has compassion, and He forgives and restores to fellowship all who come home.

And were it not for the promises of deliverance from our enemies that are so replete throughout the Scriptures, were it not for the hope that we would see deliverance “in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13), and were it not for the confident knowledge that “evildoers shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:9), we would be in constant fear and torment. God promises to bring us victory! We are told that He will fight for us, and that we are not left to our own devices! Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth….and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20). HMM III

 

 

 

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

News and Info

We Are To Reach Today’s Culture… Not Compromise To It!

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It’s a real challenge to reach today’s culture. There was once a time when you could assume most people had a general idea of the Bible (if you referenced Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, Noah and his ark, or even Jesus Christ, they would have a sense of what or who you were referring to). Not anymore.

People are largely oblivious to the Bible, not only as God’s Word, but even as great literature. The obsession of some to implement the “separation of church and state” has contributed to this illiteracy concerning God’s Word.

The Challenge With Today’s Culture

When I present the gospel today—especially to young people—I can no longer assume that they understand what I mean when I say something along the lines of, “You need to repent of your sin and put your faith in Jesus and become His disciple!” They might wonder what it means to repent, or what sin even is.

So, our challenge as believers in reaching this generation is to make sense without compromising our message. No matter which generation we’re sharing the gospel with, the message does not change. The gospel that the apostles delivered in the first century is still the one being shared today.

But still, we need to adapt and become, as Paul said, “all things to all men.”

Finding Common Ground With the World Without Conforming to It

Paul said, “…I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

Note that Paul says “I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.” There is a place to draw the line when you are around nonbelievers. We want to be careful to try to influence them more than they are influencing us. Sometimes, in an attempt to “relate” to nonbelievers, Christians will make unnecessary compromises. Listen, if you become too much like them, they will never want to become like you.

Let’s reach people, but stand our ground and hold to our principles as followers of Jesus.

The Christian’s Common Excuse for Compromise

Some who may want to rationalize compromise in their life as a Christian may protest this and say, “Well, Jesus hung around sinners!” That is not really true. Jesus did not “hang around sinners” for the most part. Actually, He “hung around” His disciples.

When Jesus was with sinners separated from God, they did not stay that way for long. He confronted the woman at the well about her sin. Sure, He loved her, but He pointed out she was living in sin with a man at present. She also came to faith after that. Yes, Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, but it was only after she called Him “Lord,” and then He said to her, “Go, and sin no more. . . ” When He went into the home of Zacheus, a notorious sinner, the little guy emerged transformed. See, He was around sinners, not to conform—or “hang out”—but to transform.

So, let’s work on building a bridge to our lost world, not burning one. At the same time, let’s not lower our standards in order to extend our reach.

Greg Laurie is an evangelist, author, and the senior pastor of Harvest Riverside.
ByGreg Laurie

Source: We Are To Reach Today’s Culture… Not Compromise To It – Harbingers Daily

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God Alone Can Satisfy

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Bible in a Year :

When Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in [and] said to Jacob, . . . “I’m famished!”

Genesis 25:29–30

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Genesis 25:29–34

A thousand dollars of food—jumbo shrimp, shawarma, salads, and more—was delivered to a homeowner. But the man wasn’t having a party. In fact, he didn’t order the smorgasbord; his six-year-old son did. How did this happen? The father let his son play with his phone before bedtime, and the boy used it to purchase the expensive bounty from several restaurants. “Why did you do this?” the father asked his son, who was hiding under his comforter. The six-year-old replied, “I was hungry.” The boy’s appetite and immaturity led to a costly outcome.

Esau’s appetite cost him a lot more than a thousand dollars. The story in Genesis 25 finds him exhausted and desperate for food. He said to his brother, “Let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (v. 30). Jacob responded by asking for Esau’s birthright (v. 31). The birthright included Esau’s special place as the firstborn son, the blessing of God’s promises, a double portion of the inheritance, and the privilege of being the spiritual leader of the family. Giving in to his appetite, Esau “ate and drank” and “despised his birthright” (v. 34).

When we’re tempted and desire something, instead of letting our appetites lead us to costly mistakes and sin, let’s reach out to our heavenly Father—the One who alone satisfies the hungry soul “with good things” (Psalm 107:9).

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

When have you allowed temptation to cost you a great deal? Why can only God satisfy your deepest longings?

Dear God, please help me to remember my spiritual birthright when I’m tempted to sin.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Threats to Humility: Strength and Boasting

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 “Walk . . . with all humility” (Ephesians 4:1-2).

Satan will tempt us to be proud of our abilities and accomplishments, but we must remember that every good thing we have is from God.

We’ve just studied three steps to humility. Let’s look at the issue from another angle: What kinds of pride threaten to destroy our humility? Where will we struggle to be humble? There are several areas in which Satan will attack us.

The first area I call ability pride. We’re often tempted to be proud of our strong points, not our weak ones. I’ve never been tempted to boast of my fantastic mathematical ability because I have none. But I am tempted to be proud of my preaching because it is my spiritual gift. Thankfully, the Lord helps me deal with such thoughts. It might come in the form of a letter saying, “I was in your church Sunday, and I violently disagree with everything you said.” Or someone might tell me, “We came to hear you for the first time, but we like our pastor better.” Times like those help me keep the proper perspective.

The key to overcoming ability pride is remembering that every gift you have is from God. All the credit belongs to Him. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7).

Another temptation is verbal pride, or bragging. There is a tendency in human nature to tell people what good we have done or plan to do. People get into a conversation, and soon they’re trying to top each other with their accomplishments. In contrast, Hannah asserts, “Boast no more so very proudly, do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge; and with Him actions are weighed” (1 Sam. 2:3). God knows the truth about what you have done. Proverbs 27:2 instructs, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth.”

As a test, try to get through an entire week without talking about what you’ve done. Perhaps for a starter, try to last an afternoon. When people don’t talk about themselves, the absence of boasting tells volumes about their character.

Suggestions for Prayer

Repent of any pride in your own abilities or accomplishments.

For Further Study

  • The apostle Paul had tremendous advantages and abilities but refused to boast about them. Read Philippians 3:4-11. What were Paul’s accomplishments?
  • How did he consider them?
  • What was most important to him?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Christ Is Our Confidence

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For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.

Philippians 3:3 (AMPC)

God is merciful toward us and wants to bless and prosper us. He sees our heart attitude and our faith in Jesus. When we have confidence in God and His love and kindness, we can progress to living confidently and enjoying the life He wants for us. Note that I said confidence in God, not in ourselves. Usually, people think of confidence as self-confidence, such as TV self-help gurus or athletes promote when urging us to “Believe in yourself!”

I beg to differ. I want to make it clear, right from the start, that our confidence must be in Christ alone, not in ourselves, not in other people, not in the world or its systems. The Bible states that we are sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency (Philippians 4:13), so we might also say that we are confident through Christ’s confidence. Or another way to say it would be, “We have self-confidence only because He lives in us, and it is His confidence that we draw on.”

Prayer Starter: Lord, I know that far too often I put my confidence in my own abilities, or other people, or the place I work to provide for my needs. I fix my eyes upon You. You alone are worthy of being my confidence, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – Exemplary Commitment

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Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of  Jephunneh … tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.”

Numbers 14:6–8

On May 3, 1953, an airliner bound for London from Singapore crashed 22 miles northwest of Kolkata, India, with no survivors. Fred Mitchell, who had become the director of China Inland Mission ten years before, was traveling on that aircraft. In his biography, Fred was described as “an ordinary man from a village home with working-class parents, who spent the greater part of his life as a chemist in the provinces—and who walked with God.”[1]

Until Caleb the son of Jephunneh became a spy, appointed by Moses to scope out the land that God had promised to give His people, there was nothing to indicate that he was particularly significant or distinguished, either. But it was almost certainly in those ordinary experiences, along the humdrum track of his life, that God forged and developed the character that is revealed in Numbers 14.

Crisis tends to reveal character. When the Israelite spies came back to report on their discoveries in Canaan, they announced that the cities were fortified, and that “we are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we … we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers” (Numbers 13:31, 33). And the people responded by accusing God of bringing them to a land where they would be killed (14:3).

Caleb’s commitment to God stands out. He was prepared to resist the tide of popular opinion. When the spies recommended not entering the promised land, he stood against them. When everybody was rebelling against God, he would not join them. He, along with his faithful friend Joshua, were the only men to advise courageous obedience to God.

Caleb was certain of what could be accomplished by God’s power. He did not deny the truth of what the other spies had to say; he simply looked at it from a different perspective. He was confident not in his ability nor in the ability of the Israelites but in the power of God and the trustworthiness of His character. He was a man of faith in the midst of fear. He knew that a grasshopper helped by God is a grasshopper that can do great things.

Although we may feel that our lives are simply routine, we can always seek God in the ordinary. In the most mundane moments, He will forge our character so that we too can become people of courage in all circumstances. God is not looking for giants through whom to achieve His plans. He is looking for ordinary people who are prepared to trust Him, step out in faith, and courageously obey. There is nothing to stop you being that person today.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Numbers 13:25–33, Numbers 14:1–25

Topics: Biblical Figures Faith Faithfulness of God

FOOTNOTES

1 Phyllis Thompson, Climbing on Track: A Biography of Fred Mitchell (China Inland Mission, 1953), p 12.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

 

 

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – The Father Loves You

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“For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.” (John 16:27)

When God made Israel into a nation and blessed them, He also gave them some instructions (what we now call the Law). Unfortunately, the people of Israel often disobeyed the Law. In fact, they disobeyed much more often than they obeyed.

As Israel went on disobeying, God sent prophets to them, warning them that He would judge their sins if they didn’t come back to Him. But Israel kept ignoring Him. So eventually He kept His promise and sent cruel armies against His people to destroy their cities and drag them away from their homes to foreign countries.

But God was merciful, and He allowed many of His people to return home. That happened a few hundred years before Jesus was born. When the Jews returned home, they realized that God was serious about sin – that He really meant business.

But many Jews began thinking that God was merely an angry God, without much love.

When Jesus came, He showed compassion to people. He was often stern – He had to be so that people would know that He took sin very seriously. But He also forgave people who turned from their sins, and He was patient with people who kept messing up.

Because Jesus was so kind and good, His disciples knew that He loved them very much. However, they still viewed God the Father as a bit too distant – a bit too stern – for them to ask Him for things. So they would just ask Jesus.

But then Jesus told them something that probably amazed them. Just before He went to the Cross, He said, You don’t have to ask Me for things anymore. You can go to the Father directly, because the Father Himself loves you.

Jesus also said that the only reason we can go directly to the Father is that He (Jesus) died for us and made a Way. In fact, Jesus said that He is the Way to the Father. Because Jesus is the Way, we pray to the Father “in Jesus’ name.” But we don’t have to pray to Jesus, asking Him for things. He wants us to pray to the Father. Jesus wants us to know that the Father loves us, just as the Father loves His Only Son.

If you believe in Jesus – if your confidence is in Him – then the Father loves you. And so you can pray directly to the Father, in Jesus’ name.

Not only does Jesus love you, but the Father loves you, too.

My Response:
» Do I pray to Jesus instead of to the Father because Jesus seems nicer? Do I need to start praying directly to the Father?
» Do I pray in Jesus’ name? Do I need to start praying in Jesus’ name to remind myself that Jesus is the Way to the Father?

 

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Putin warns that Russia is prepared to use nuclear weapons

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US intelligence agencies issued their 2024 Annual Threat Assessment this week, warning that our country faces an “increasingly fragile world order.” They could have been reading today’s news:

  • As elections begin tomorrow in Russia, President Vladimir Putin says his country is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is threatened.
  • The US sent Marines to Haiti to help secure its embassy amid rising gang violence.
  • Hezbollah launched a hundred rockets on northern Israel in one of the heaviest barrages since the start of the conflict. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is warning that the terrorist group is “dragging Lebanon into a possible war.”
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the IDF will press forward with its military campaign into Rafah amid rising international pressure. Meanwhile, the US Army is sending soldiers to help set up a temporary pier in Gaza for getting more aid and supplies into the territory. An aid ship is sailing to Gaza as well.
  • The House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday that would lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake; the legislation now goes to the Senate. This amid fears the video app could be used to gather personal information on Americans and to spread false information about US elections or a war.
  • Europe’s terror threat is growing from Iran and its proxies in the Middle East.
  • Scientists are warning that the H5N1 bird flu virus could be evolving into a greater threat to humans.
  • The FBI estimates that cybercrime cost Americans $12.5 billion last year.

Here’s what these stories have in common: they are all examples of what psychologists call “anticipatory stress,” where we feel deep anxiety today about things that could happen to us tomorrow. Each of these stories is existentially challenging as they are; any of them could become much worse seemingly overnight.

One reason anticipatory stress is so debilitating is because repeatedly visualizing an event can have a similar impact on our brain as actually experiencing it. In response, we can ignore the future, but tomorrow is coming whether we like it or not. We can obsess over it, which robs today of its joy while focusing our attention on fears that may never come to pass.

Or we can choose a third, counterintuitive option that will empower us to face all that comes today—and tomorrow.

A phrase I just discovered

This week, we’ve been exploring ways a personal, intimate relationship with the living Lord Jesus transforms our character and empowers our witness. Today, I’d like to explore a phrase I just discovered in my personal study of the book of Job:

“[God] delivers the afflicted by their affliction” (Job 36:15).

What does this mean?

  • “Delivers” translates the Hebrew for “pulls out, saves.”
  • “Afflicted” renders the Hebrew for being “wretched, poor.”
  • “By their affliction” could be translated “by using their affliction.”
  • This is an interesting wordplay: “delivers” translates the Hebrew halas, while “affliction” translates

I often state my belief that God redeems all he allows. One way he does this is by using our challenges to rescue us from challenges and our suffering to save us from suffering.

How does he do this?

Where Jesus “breaks through to you”

Solomon, the wisest of all men, wrote: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things” (Psalm 72:18, my emphasis).

Tragically, despite all that God wants to do in and through our lives, self-sufficiency is the “default position” of our fallen souls. In our secularized, self-centered culture, self-reliance is an attribute praised by society as well.

However, God cannot give what we will not receive or lead where we will not follow.

When we face genuine adversity, we learn that we need God’s word and power in ways we did not admit before. If we then surrender our challenges to his providential grace, we discover that we can testify with Paul, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). And we can pray with the psalmist: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Psalm 119:67).

Br. Geoffrey Tristam of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Boston notes:

Christ breaks through to you, not in those places where you are strong, where your skills are well-honed and developed, but precisely in those areas in your life where you know failure or weakness. For it is there that you come close to the power of the Cross. It is precisely there that God is waiting to meet you, longing to offer you forgiveness, strength, and renewal, to live and work not in your own strength, but in the strength of Christ.

Where is God “waiting to meet you” today?

Thursday news to know:

Quote for the day:

“You don’t really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” —Tim Keller

 

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.

Jeremiah 31:34

Jesus taught us to love and forgive one another, and He taught us the pattern for doing both.

He instructs us to forgive immediately. If we are standing at the altar, and we remember that someone has an offense against us, we are to leave immediately to seek out that person. Stop praying! Do not sing another chorus! Do not conceal unforgiveness with religious ritual. Get forgiveness. Go, offer forgiveness.

He instructs us to be reconciled to the one from whom we are estranged. We must take the first step to reach out and set things right. With all humility and gentleness, with patience and love, we must strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3). We are united as one.

He instructs us to forgive absolutely and completely. In the same way that Jesus is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), we are to openhandedly forgive the one who offends, betrays or lies about us.

When we take the step of faith to offer forgiveness and to seek reconciliation, we never go alone. The Prince of Peace walks beside us and gives us the strength to do all things.

Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May the spirit of forgiveness be released in your life so that you are liberated from the burden that you have carried. May the Lord Jesus Christ fill you with His grace and peace. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading:

Old Testament

Numbers 21:1-22:20

New Testament

Luke 1:26-56

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 57:1-11

Proverbs 11:9-11

 

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Draw Me Nearer

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But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.
Matthew 6:6, KJV

Recommended Reading: Psalm 119:17-24

Dick Eastman wrote a book about starting and maintaining a daily time of Bible study and prayer. He called the book The Hour That Changes the World. Eastman said he grew up singing the old hymn “Draw Me Nearer,” yet it wasn’t until his thirties he discovered the secret of spending an hour each day with the Lord in prayer, praise, Bible study, and biblical meditation.

When we get alone with God and open His Word, we’re entering a nuclear reactor, a treasury building, a communications center, a vast library, an illumined chamber, a music hall, and a dear friend’s house—all at once. All of that is in our “closet.”

If we want to walk according to God’s Word, we mustn’t pick and choose things from it but follow all of it, accepting it cover to cover. We must follow it exclusively, not change it or hold any other words as more valuable. We have a treasury of wisdom and comfort between the covers of our Bible. Don’t miss the hour that can change both you and the world!

When we neglect the closet of prayer we remove ourselves from the focus of God’s power.
Dick Eastman

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Prayer As a Lifestyle

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 Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 

—Psalm 4:1

Scripture:

Psalm 4:1 

Have you ever thought there was no future for you, that it was just too late? If so, then you need to know more about the power of God and what can take place through prayer.

One thing that certainly stands out in the pages of Scripture is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and, on occasion, even the course of nature itself. But what prayer changes the most is us.

God will allow hardship and difficulties in our lives so that He can reveal Himself and put His power and glory on display for those who are watching. When we pray, we’re acknowledging our need for God’s help. Maybe that is why we don’t pray as much as we ought to.

Prayer is an admission of weakness on our part, and some people don’t like to admit weakness. However, we’re foolish if we think we don’t need God.

The psalmist was being honest with God when he prayed, “Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. . . . Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love” (Psalm 44:23, 26 NLT).

It isn’t always a bad thing to complain to God or to bring your concerns, your questions, your pain, and your sadness to Him.

We repeatedly read in the Gospels that Jesus prayed, and He prayed a lot. He would spend the night in prayer, and He would rise early while the disciples were still sleeping and pray.

As Jesus hung on the cross, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT). Jesus wasn’t having a crisis of faith, as some have suggested. It was the opposite. As He was dying for the sins of the world, He simply was describing the moment when God the Father turned His holy face away and poured the sins of all humanity upon Christ, who never committed a single sin.

Jesus was crying out to the Father, and we can do the same when we’re in pain.

We should get into a habit of prayer. We tend to make prayer a very formal matter, and we become hung up on that. But when a burden hits us, we should pray right then. When something troubles us or concerns us, we should turn it into a prayer right away. We need to develop a lifestyle of prayer.

Philippians 4 reminds us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then, you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (verses 6–7 NLT).

What do you do with your heartache? Pray. Commit it to the Lord. Cry out to God in your sorrow and pain. Call on God for His provision, protection, and guidance. And give thanks to Him for your joys.

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Essence of Sin

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1)

The first entrance of sin into the world was Satan’s subtle suggestion to Eve that God’s word might not be true and authoritative after all. Then came Satan’s blatant “Ye shall not surely die” (v. 4), openly charging the Creator with falsehood. Ever since that time, the basic root of every sin has been unbelief—the implicit denial of the Creator’s Word.

Therefore, God’s judgment on human sin will be in relation to His Word. Jesus said: “There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me” (John 5:45-46). He also said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). In principle, the Lord Jesus tells us that both the Old Testament (“the law of Moses”) and New Testament (“the law of Christ”) will be witnesses against us at God’s judgment throne.

In fact, at the final judgment, the “books” are specifically said to be the basis of God’s condemnation of the unsaved: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened…and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12). These books surely include the books of the Bible, wherein are written the laws of God, against which men and women are to be judged. Since even one transgression makes one guilty (James 2:10), none could ever stand at the judgment by his own works. But since unbelief is the essence of sin, faith in God’s Word and in the person and work of the Savior revealed in God’s Word brings forgiveness, salvation, and righteousness. HMM

 

 

 

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

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Cries of Distress

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Bible in a Year :

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.

Psalm 118:5

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Psalm 118:1–9

Trapped under two floors of collapsed rubble caused by an earthquake, five-year-old Jinan, a Syrian girl, called out to rescuers as she shielded her little brother from the debris surrounding them. “Get me out of here; I’ll do anything for you,” she called heartbreakingly. “I’ll be your servant.”

Cries of distress are found throughout the Psalms: “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord” (118:5). While we may never experience the crushing weight of earthquake-collapsed buildings, we all recognize the suffocating fears from a challenging medical diagnosis, economic hardship, uncertainty about the future, or relational loss.

In those moments we may offer bargains to God for deliverance. But God doesn’t need to be persuaded to help. He promises to answer, and while it may not be relief from our situation, He’ll be with us and on our side. Nor do we need to fear any other peril—including death. We can say with the psalmist, “The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies” (v. 7).

We’re not promised as dramatic a rescue as Jinan and her brother experienced, but we can trust our faithful God, who brought the psalmist “into a spacious place” (v. 5). He knows our situation and He’ll never abandon us, even in death.

By:  Matt Lucas

Reflect & Pray

How has God shown Himself faithful when you’re in distress? How have you recognized His presence during difficult times?

Heavenly Father, I call to You knowing that You hear me. Thank You for being faithful and loving.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Understanding Who God Is

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“Walk . . . with all humility” (Ephesians 4:1-2).

The more we comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we will become.

God is not given proper respect today. He is often flippantly referred to as “the man upstairs”—more of a buddy than the eternal God. Many see Him as nothing more than a cosmic Santa Claus or an absent-minded grandfather who winks at sin.

Unfortunately, even Christians can be affected by these views. Such sin dishonors God and undermines the next step to humility: God-awareness. Instead of getting our ideas of God from the world, let’s look at what the biblical writers say about Him.

David said, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth, who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens!” (Ps. 8:1). As he contemplated the exalted position of God, it was only natural for him to say, “What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?” (v. 4). We are so minuscule by comparison, it’s a wonder He cares for us at all. But “though the Lord is exalted, yet He regards the lowly” (Ps. 138:6).

Isaiah 2:10 says, “Enter the rock and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and from the splendor of His majesty.” When you compare yourself with God, you’ll want to hide under a rock. Verse 11 gives the crux of the issue: “The proud look of man will be abased, and the loftiness of man will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” Pride is the sin of competing with God. It lifts self up and attempts to steal glory from Him. But God says, “My glory I will not give to another” (Isa. 48:11). God will judge those who exalt themselves. God alone is worthy of exaltation.

As you seek humility, remember that you won’t obtain it by sitting in a corner wishing for it. Rather, you’ll gain humility by sitting in that same corner and reciting before God your sins, failures, and inadequacies, then opening the Scriptures and seeing God in all His majesty.

Suggestions for Prayer

Pray that you would see God for who He really is, not how the world sees Him.

For Further Study

Read Job 38—41. What aspects of His greatness does God emphasize to Job? Make a list of the most prominent ones.

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Your Healing Benefits Others

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As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)

Anytime a person is wounded in their soul, that woundedness affects other people. It can have an impact on your social life, especially if your pain has caused you not to trust people or not to want to enter into healthy relationships. If you are a wife or a mother, one of the consequences of the hurt from your past is that it can negatively influence your relationships with your husband and your children, unless you let God heal you. It is sad to think about the fact that the pain one person has suffered can ultimately cause pain to others, but that’s the truth. However, there is a greater truth in these situations: your healing can also affect the people around you, and it will have a positive impact on them.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of our relationships with other people. Every area of our lives includes relationships of some sort, whether they are on-the-surface acquaintances, deep friendships, or family relationships. All we have to offer to the people around us is what’s inside us. If our hearts are filled with pain, anger, fear, rejection, or other negative qualities, that’s what we give the people in our lives. If we are filled with peace, love, joy, hope, and other positive attributes, then we can share those good things with them.

I encourage you today to think about your relationships. Is there a steady stream of good things flowing from you to your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers? Or do people feel they have to be on guard when they are around you because they have learned they will not hear anything from you that will encourage them or lift them up? Do you talk about yourself and your problems excessively, or do you express an interest in how other people are doing? When you hear about something good that has happened for someone else, can you sincerely rejoice with that person, or do you find yourself jealous inside? Every bit of negativity I have mentioned in this paragraph can be eliminated as your soul is healed. God wants to bring you into a great place of healing and wholeness not only for yourself, but so you can be a blessing to the people you care about.

The journey to healing is not always smooth and easy. It will require you to take an honest look at some painful places in your life and allow the Lord to touch and heal them. In those difficult moments, I encourage you to press on and not to give up, remembering that your healing can have a positive impact on lots of people. I did not like to think about how my past woundedness had hurt other people before my soul was healed, but I rejoice now because God is using the healing He has done in my heart to help others. Stay on your healing journey and watch how He will use you!

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and healing me. I want to have a positive impact on the people in my life and experience more hope and joy in You.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – With Utmost Patience

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The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

2 Corinthians 12:12

When we think about the period immediately following Christ’s resurrection and ascension, when the apostles flourished in ministry and the church was born, it’s easy to imagine the “signs and wonders and mighty works” that were performed—and to wish we had been there to see them, to have our faith strengthened and our ministry furthered by them.

Without question, both the quality and quantity of supernatural events in that time were special and unrepeatable. The apostles were supernaturally gifted in a way that contemporary Christians are not. It is important to notice, though, that the early church did not make these experiences the touchstone of their faith. We can’t focus solely on the miracles and lose sight of their context: those who were filled with God’s Spirit were immediately concerned to understand and proclaim God’s word, which empowered them to have “utmost patience”—or, as some translations say, “great perseverance”—throughout their lives. What built the church was not so much the miracles of the apostles as the faithful, bold endurance of those apostles.

Paul did not want the focus of his ministry to be on the many marvels he performed or the significant trials he endured but on the resolute faith God had given him and the truths he preached. Observing Paul’s ministry, seeing his burdens, and hearing the cries of his heart, it’s easy for us to see that the signs and wonders God performed through him were not meant to be flashy exhibitions of Christian showmanship. Rather, they were born out of suffering and adversity, they took place in a life that was stretched to the limits, and they underlined the truth of the message that was being preached.

Knowing this context would have caused Paul’s followers to ask not so much how he did such miracles but how he could demonstrate such steadfast faith. How could he carry on with “utmost patience” while suffering? Only by his faith in Jesus Christ and his knowledge of God’s word.

What enables us to stand up to tests and to face challenges in the Christian life with patient endurance? Is it miracles? Signs? Wonders? No—while God’s special favor may be a help to us at some point, it’s actually a solid, experiential grasp of basic Christian doctrine that will undoubtedly be the light to our path when all else seems dark (Psalm 119:105), the root of faith that runs deep, the anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19). When God’s truth settles in our hearts and minds, we can say with confidence, “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word!”[1]

What will sustain you? It is not outer experiences but inner faith. The Spirit’s work within you will always be a greater miracle than anything God may do around you. May others look at you and see not just the wonders He works in your life but also your utmost patience through trial and the power of His Spirit as you submit to the truth of His word.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

James 5:7–11

Topics: Faith Perseverance Spiritual Gifts

FOOTNOTES

1 Anon. (possibly Robert Keene), “How Firm a Foundation” (1787).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg,

 

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Makes Each of Us Unique

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“And the LORD God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

Mrs. Gillen watched her sixth-grade students go through a fingerprinting procedure at the school safety fair. A very tall police officer was helping the children place each fingertip in ink, and then carefully press their fingers, one by one, on their papers. As the students compared their fingerprints, they realized that none were alike, not even the fingerprints of the identical twin boys in the class!

Have you ever look closely at your own fingerprints? Have you ever compared them to the fingerprints of your friends or siblings? No one else has your fingerprints. They are uniquely your own. How can this be possible?

Genesis 2:7 shows that God is the One Who created human beings and gave them life. Psalm 139 is another passage that gives a picture of how closely God pays attention in His creative work. David, the writer of this Psalm, describes this kind of special attention to detail way in verses 13-16: “Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb…. My substance was not hid from thee….thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect…and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” God knows everyone this closely–each and every single person who has ever lived, who is living now, and who ever will live one day in the future. No wonder David declares in verse 14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Now, take a moment to think about this: As of the date you are reading this devotional, the world’s population is estimated to be 6,512,737,489. That means there are over six billion people alive today on Earth. And all of them have a unique set of fingerprints. If you multiplied over six billion times 10 fingers per person, then–wow! That is quite a number of unique, individual fingerprints! What an amazing Creator we serve, and what mercy and grace He shows to us when He pays attention to the tiny details of our lives and takes care of our special needs.

For His glory, God created everyone unique.

My Response:
» Why should I praise God for making me unique?
» How should I think about my looks and talents in light of the knowledge that God made me just the way I am?
» How should I treat others, knowing that God created them the way He did?

 

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – NASA is sending a poem to Jupiter’s moon Europa

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President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump each won enough delegates last night to become the presumptive nominees of their parties. A vote is scheduled today in Congress that could lead to a US ban of TikTok. And the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Special Counsel Robert Hur’s testimony before lawmakers yesterday “accomplished a rare feat: Angering all sides of the political world.”

Meanwhile, I’d like to go a different direction this morning by asking: If you could tell the universe one thing about humanity, what would you share?

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“A poem of Europa”

NASA is preparing its Europa Clipper spaceship for an October launch. Six years from now, after a 1.6-billion mile journey, it will begin orbiting Jupiter, making forty-nine close flybys of Europa to determine if the moon has conditions that could support life.

The craft will include a triangular metal plate on which is inscribed what one NASA official calls “the best humanity has to offer across the universe—science, technology, education, art, and math.” Biblical truth is apparently not included, which says something about what the agency considers humanity’s “best” knowledge.

However, an engraving of US Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem of Europa” will make the flight. Her poem includes these lines:

We are creatures of constant awe,
curious at beauty, at leaf and blossom,
at grief and pleasure, sun and shadow. . . .

O second moon, we too, are made
of water, of vast and beckoning seas.

We, too, are made of wonders, of great
and ordinary loves, of small invisible worlds,
of a need to call out through the dark.

Limón is right: our “constant awe” shows that you and I are intended for more than the mundane. In fact, we were made to seek the One who made us. The good news is that when we “call out through the dark,” we can experience the Light.

The urgent news is that we have no other path to the purpose that gives our lives transcendent meaning.

“Continually improved means to carelessly examined ends”

The French philosopher Jacques Ellul wrote a book seventy years ago that could have been published yesterday. Titled The Technological Society, it is considered one of the most important works of the second half of the twentieth century. In it, Ellul explains how our technologically obsessed civilization has become, as the foreword states, “committed to the quest for continually improved means to carelessly examined ends.”

As Ellul argues so compellingly, modern society has commodified not just things but people. Everything—and everyone—is now a means to our personal ends. Even now, you’re tempted to read this article in hopes of profiting personally from it. I’m tempted to write it to profit personally from the fact that you’re reading it.

Here’s my point: our transactional culture tempts us to do the same with the living Lord Jesus.

Oswald Chambers warned: “Beware of an abandonment which has the commercial spirit in it. . . . We have got so commercialized that we only go to God for something from him, and not for himself.”

Instead, he urges us to choose “personal sovereign preference for Jesus Christ himself.”

When “holiness becomes attractive”

Yesterday, we noted that when we know Christ personally, we are compelled to share him publicly. Today, let’s add that this is because knowing the risen Lord of the universe personally must change us personally. The pattern is clear:

  • The Gadarene demoniac threatened the people of his community (Mark 5:1–4), but after he encountered Jesus, he shared his new faith with them (v. 20).
  • The Samaritan woman was shunned by her neighbors, but after she encountered Jesus, she shared her new faith with them (John 4:29).
  • Peter denied knowing Christ, but after he met his risen Lord, he risked his life to share his new faith with the very people who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.
  • All of Jesus’ disciples except John abandoned him at the cross, but after they met their risen Lord, they sacrificed their lives to be his witnesses.
  • Saul of Tarsus sought to kill Christians, but after he met the risen Christ, he joined his fellow believers in sharing Christ with the world.

Theologian D. A. Carson wrote:

When you are converted, you want to do what you didn’t want to do before, and you don’t want to do what you wanted to do before. There’s a change in the heart; there’s a cleaning up, a change in orientation.

With this result:

“Holiness becomes attractive, instead of something you have to put up with to figure out what you can get away with.”

Is holiness attractive to you today?

If not, why not?

Wednesday news to know:

Quote for the day:

“Holiness is doing God’s will with a smile.” —Mother Teresa

 

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:12

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker in World War II. Her family helped many Jews escape the Holocaust by hiding them in a secret room in their home. Eventually, they were arrested and sent to a concentration camp.

Under the atrocious conditions, her aged father died. She and her sister, Betsie, were starved and endured dehumanizing abuse. Her sister died, but in a miraculous clerical error, Corrie was released.

Years later, while speaking at a church, a man approached her after the service. It was one of the cruel, vicious guards who had tortured her! He stood before her, hand outstretched, asking for forgiveness.

Coldness clutched her heart, but she later wrote: “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” Out loud, she asked, “Jesus, help me.”

Woodenly, she grasped his hand. She recounted that the “current of heaven” raced from her shoulder, down her arm, and into their clutched hands. Flooded with a feeling of warm reconciliation, she heard herself say, “I forgive you, brother.” With clasped hands, the former guard and the former prisoner wept together.

She later said that she had never felt the love of God as intensely as she did in that moment: “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner is you.”

 

Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May God give you the courage and the strength to forgive your enemy. May He spring you from prison to walk in the freedom of His grace and mercy.

Today’s Bible Reading:

Old Testament

Numbers 19:1-20:29

New Testament

Luke 1:1-25

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 56:1-13

Proverbs 11:8

 

https://www.jhm.org

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