Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Keeping the Peace

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If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18 (AMPC)

Recently someone was quite rude to me, and of course it hurt my feelings. I was tired because I had just returned from a conference, and that made me even more vulnerable. I had a decision to make! Would I stay angry, confront them, tell other people how they had treated me (gossip), or pray for them and be at peace?

I am sure you are familiar with the scenario I am describing, and when these things happen to us, we dare not follow our emotions. What we “feel” like doing and what God wants us to do are usually two very different things. I find it best to be quiet for a bit, let my emotions calm down, and think about the situation rationally.

Did the person hurt me on purpose, or were they perhaps under some sort of pressure that made them insensitive to my feelings? The individual who hurt me was having a very difficult day, and although they knew they were being rude and did apologize, they were having difficulty being kind to anyone. God’s Word encourages us to always believe the best of every person (1 Corinthians 13:7), and if we are willing to do it, it is one of the best ways to keep our peace in situations like this.

Keeping the peace with others is very important and I highly recommend that you do so if it is at all possible. Confront those who mistreat you when God leads you to but avoid being touchy and getting your feelings hurt easily. When you get your feelings hurt, forgive the offender quickly and just imagine all the times you may have hurt someone and needed God’s forgiveness and theirs!

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me be at peace at all times. I want to always believe the best and forgive others just as You forgive me, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Let Grace Begin with You 

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Most people keep a pot of anger on low boil. But you aren’t most people. Look at your feet. They’re wet, grace soaked. Jesus has washed your feet. He has washed the grimiest parts of your life.

To accept grace is the vow to give it. You don’t endorse the deeds of your offender when you forgive them. Jesus didn’t endorse your sins by forgiving you. The grace-defined person still sends thieves to jail and expects the ex to pay child support. Grace sees the hurt full well. But it refuses to let hurts poison the heart.

Where grace is lacking, bitterness abounds. Where grace abounds, forgiveness grows. So go ahead. Set your feet in the basin. Let the hands of God wipe away every dirty part of your life. Then look across the room and wash someone else’s feet.  Let grace begin—and continue—in you.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Preparation for Confrontation

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Read Ruth 4:1–2

The King William County Courthouse in Virginia was built in 1725 and is considered the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States. Its architecture is beautiful, in classic colonial style.

In the time of Ruth and Boaz, cities also provided a place for judicial business. Many cities were surrounded by thick walls of fortification. The gates to these cities were complex structures with lookout towers and defensive stations. The gates also served as a gathering place and a center for business.

As soon as Ruth headed home on the morning after her visit, Boaz headed to the town gate (v. 1). He positioned himself in that strategic location, knowing he would likely find the other guardian there—and also understanding that any official legal matter should be settled in the court.

The Hebrew wording, translated in the NIV as “just as,” communicates surprise and calls attention to the providential timing of story events. It harkens back to Ruth 2:4 when Boaz arrived home from Bethlehem “just then.” God’s hidden hand was directing the narrative.

When Boaz saw the other guardian-redeemer, he called the man: “Come over here, my friend, and sit down” (v. 1). The Hebrew word translated as “my friend” actually means “so-and-so” or “such-and-such.” Surely, Boaz would have known the man’s name, so this is likely the author’s choice to obscure his identity. This creates a less-than-favorable impression of the other guardian in the mind of the audience, immediately establishing him as a foil for Boaz—just as Orpah was for Ruth. As the other guardian joined him, Boaz assembled the “ten elders of the town” (v. 2) to make sure the legal proceedings were legitimate and documented. He would take great care of each detail

Go Deeper

Have you seen God’s providential care in your life? Was He present even in the details?

Pray with Us

Jesus, help us to see You even in the smallest details of our lives. You are with us every step of our journey, with lovingkindness and assurance. Teach us how to show Your love and encouragement to others.

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.2 Corinthians 6:2

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Coals of Love

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If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25:21-22

Recommended Reading: Romans 12:14; 12:17-21

A strange, ancient practice used as a metaphor occurs in Proverbs 25:22 and in Romans 12:20. The metaphor is based on an apparent practice of a guilty party being forced to carry a container of burning coals on his head. Some scholars think the practice was common in Egypt; the intent seems to be to motivate a guilty party to repent of his actions. The writer of Proverbs and the apostle Paul both cite the practice (as a metaphor) when encouraging charitable actions toward one’s enemy. In other words, charitable actions toward an enemy may motivate him to repent of his evil deeds.

There are examples in Scripture of feeding and clothing enemy captives in times of war (2 Kings 6:22; 2 Chronicles 28:15), and exhortations against seeking vengeance against those who have hurt you (Romans 12:14, 17-21). Jesus corrected a Jewish tradition that allowed for hating one’s enemies: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you” (Matthew 5:43-44).

If you have been hurt, follow Jesus’ example and be kind.

The success of the Gospel exasperates its enemies.
Matthew Henry

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Joining God to Help

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He will deliver . . . the afflicted who have no one to help. Psalm 72:12

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 72:12-14

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As the Taliban swiftly overran the Afghanistan government in 2021, and tens of thousands were trapped with no way to escape, many were isolated and desperate. Ordinary citizens jumped to action, including one young man who launched an Instagram campaign, raising $7 million to pay for chartered evacuation flights. “We’ve shed the political divisions in this situation,” he told a news outlet, “and really come together from all walks of life to rally together and save these people.” They chose to jump into the fray.

It’s not just Afghanistan. From skyscrapers to villages around the world, so many people are alone—enduring crushing sorrows. It’s stunning, however, to see God’s attention turned toward these places of suffering and hopelessness. Somehow, ultimately, in His own way and time, He will “deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help” (72:12). And remarkably, one way God’s help arrives is through us. Psalm 72 refers to both King Solomon’s work and God’s work—and it’s not always easy to disentangle which is which. God is the rescuer, but He calls us to move with Him.

When we encounter injustice or suffering, we can join Him, moving right into the middle of the ruin. We can follow God and go into the places where no one else is there to help.

Reflect & Pray

What situation have you encountered where it seems like there’s no one else to help? How can you join God in that place?

 

Dear God, thank You for promising to help us—and for calling us to join You in helping others.

 

Today’s Insights

Psalm 72 is one of only two psalms attributed to King Solomon (see also Psalm 127). The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says of Psalm 72, “This psalm is a royal psalm wherein petition is made for the prosperity of the Lord’s anointed. The psalm is messianic in the sense that Jesus is the ‘Christ’ (‘anointed one’) who shares in all the promises made to David and to his descendants (see 2 Samuel 7).” Seen as a messianic psalm, it anticipates the time when Jesus will return as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15; see Revelation 19:16) and bring an end to all injustice and suffering. In fact, this psalm was the inspiration for the classic hymn “Jesus Shall Reign” by Isaac Watts, which celebrates the future worldwide reign of Christ. Today, as we wait for His return, we can join Him and help those who are suffering.

Learn how you can be moved to helping those in need.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What is the “shadow docket” and why does it matter?

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The “shadow docket” refers to the way the Supreme Court decides whether to issue emergency rulings, often determining whether a lower court’s decision can take effect while it’s being appealed to a higher court. The practice has become far more common in recent years, and a recent New York Times story has shed new light on how its rise began.

Why it matters: While the Supreme Court is intended to be the least politicized branch of government, it has faced increasing accusations over recent years that it has lost its independence. The litany of shadow docket decisions in response to appeals from the Trump administration and others are a big reason why so many have sought to discredit the Court over that time.

The backstory: How the shadow docket works

Maybe I’m just paying more attention to it now, but it feels like the Supreme Court has been in the news a lot more often over the last few years. Court insiders like Sarah Isgur have called it the “last branch standing,” but its members have also come under fire for appearing to be overly partisan and—especially over the last year—beholden to President Trump. That description is flawed for a number of reasons, but a recent story from the New York Times shed light on one of the Court’s most pressing problems: the shadow docket.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What is the “shadow docket” and why does it matter? →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Watch Out

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 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master. 

—Genesis 4:7

Scripture:

Genesis 4:7 

Years ago, my son Christopher was lying out in the sun at our house when he woke up to find a huge gopher snake, coiled up and hissing at him, poised to strike. It must have been six or seven feet long. Terrified, he ran into the house and shut the door behind him.

His experience reminds me of a hard truth about the Christian life. Like that gopher snake, sin is poised to strike—usually when we least expect it. And it’s been that way since the very beginning.

When Cain saw that the Lord accepted Abel’s offering but not his, he was angry. So, God gave him a warning. He essentially told Cain what was going to happen to him if he didn’t get himself under control: “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master” (Genesis 4:7 NLT). The passage portrays sin as a dangerous wild animal, always ready to pounce.

The apostle Peter used similar imagery in his description of the devil in 1 Peter 5:8: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (NLT). And while the imagery is certainly sobering, we need to keep these words of Scripture in proper perspective. It’s not so much an emergency broadcast warning as it is a word to the wise. Peter doesn’t tell us to panic, hide, or be afraid. He tells us to be alert.

Our enemy isn’t all-powerful, but he is always watchful. He looks for opportunities to make us stumble, to make us doubt, to make us lose sight of the path God would have us travel. He attacks us when we’re weak—physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally. He also attacks us when we seem to be strong, after a spiritual victory or a “mountaintop” experience. In good times and bad, he keeps sin crouched at our door, ready to pounce.

But we need not fear. As the psalmist wrote, “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17 NLT).

So, the next time sin comes knocking at your door, you might say, “Lord, would You mind getting that? I’m going to stand in Your strength. I’m going to trust in You. You are the only one who can give me the strength to overpower sin.” If we will master sin, then we must first be mastered by Him who mastered it.

Reflection Question: What types of sin often crouch at your door, poised to strike? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Accepted in the Beloved

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6)

This wonderful verse assures that all who have been saved by God’s grace have been “accepted” by the Lord. However, this is not just a marginal acceptability. The Greek word occurs only one other time in the New Testament, and there it appears in the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary. “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28). That is, we are not merely accepted, but we are highly favored by God!

This is not because of our own personal merits, of course. It is because God sees us as in His Son; He loves us because He loves Him, and we are in Him.

Although Christ is called God’s “beloved Son” seven times in the New Testament (each time directly by the Father Himself), there is only one other time when He is spoken of simply as “the beloved.” This is in Matthew 12:18 (quoting Isaiah 42:1): “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him.”

The love of God the Father for His beloved Son is the root source of every other love in the universe, for it is the one love that is eternal. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). This is what it means to be highly favored in the beloved! This was the prayer of Christ on His way to Gethsemane the night before He went to the cross.

We who are in Him as redeemed sinners saved by grace through faith are predestined to be with Him in glory, to behold His glory, and forever to be “to the praise of the glory of his grace” (today’s text). HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Can Be Free from Shame

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I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame.

Psalm 44:15 (NIV)

Have you ever felt like the writer of today’s scripture—as though you go through life wearing a cloak of shame? I felt this way for years, and I know it’s a terrible way to feel. I also know there is hope!

Many people are “rooted” in shame. This means their shame is so deep that it functions as the root of a tree and actually produces “fruit” in the form of unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that negatively affect their lives and relationships. Shame is different from guilt, and it affects people more deeply than guilt. Normal guilt causes us to feel embarrassed, regretful or bad about something we have done, while shame makes us feel bad about who we are.

When you and I make mistakes or commit sin, we feel bad until we repent and are forgiven. Then we’re able to put it behind us and go on without any lasting harm. But when people are rooted in shame, it affects everything about their lives. They have such deep negative attitudes and feelings toward themselves that their negativity poisons everything they try to accomplish. They struggle more than people who don’t deal with shame and seem doomed to failure because they have no confidence.

According to Hebrews 12:2, Jesus bore our shame for us on the cross. This includes both the shame anyone would feel in certain situations and the deeply rooted shame that affects some people. You don’t have to live ashamed of who you are. Jesus has set you free.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Jesus, for Your work on the cross and for making a way for me to live free from shame. Heal my heart, I pray.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – As I Have Done to You 

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Play

Victoria Ruvolo doesn’t remember the 18-year-old boy leaning out the window, of all things, holding a frozen turkey. He threw it at her windshield. Crashing through the glass, it shattered Victoria’s face like a dinner plate on concrete.

John 13:14-15 (NKJV) says, “Since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet…do as I have done to you.” Victoria Ruvolo did. Months later, she stood face to face with her offender in court. He was no longer cocky. He as trembling, tearful, and apologetic. Six months behind bars, five years’ probation. Everyone in the courtroom objected to the light sentence. He sobbed, but she spoke. The light sentence was her idea. She said, “I forgive you, and I want your life to be the best it can be.” Grace does this. Grace chooses to give the forgiveness that’s been received.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Steadfast Love

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Read Lamentations 3:1–26

Michael Card writes about lament: “One of the fascinating features of biblical laments…was the way every one transitions. These psalms begin lamenting…and then at some unpredictable point they transition and begin to praise…In three important laments, Psalms 13 and 69 and Jeremiah’s Lamentations, the word hesed appears at this turning point. It marks the transition from despair to hope.”

The prophet Jeremiah wrote the grief-saturated book of Lamentations in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction and Israel’s exile in 586 BC (see our August 2025 study). Lamentations is a raw outcry of pain and loss. Jeremiah began chapter 3 by blaming God for his hardships. He accused God of afflicting him, driving him away, and turning against him out of wrath (vv. 1–3). Then, Jeremiah described his body—broken, aged, and covered in darkness (vv. 4–6).

These physical details vivify his human vulnerability and agony. Jeremiah’s pain was also spiritual. In verses 7–9, he uses the metaphor of a prisoner. His grief felt like thick walls and heavy chains. Most devastating was the seeming silence of God. He likened God to a bear or a lion who attacked and left him for dead. Jeremiah’s grief took a social and emotional toll. His people mocked him (v. 14) until his hope and peace were gone (vv. 17–18).

But God! In verse 21 we see a turning: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” This transition is an intentional shift in thought, leading to one of the most hope-filled declarations in all of Scripture: “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (v. 22). The Hebrew word for “great love” (“steadfast love” in the ESV) is hesed.

Go Deeper

When have you expressed lament? Did you transition to hope? If so, how?

Pray with Us

God, is it possible to trust You even in “the valley of the shadow of death”? Yes, Your Word says that in You we find hope and strength, and Your steadfast love heals the brokenhearted. We praise Your holy name!

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.Lamentations 3:22–23

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Your Truest Friend

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For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; then I could hide from him. But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance.
Psalm 55:12-13

Recommended Reading: Matthew 24:9-10

We wonder what Jesus must have felt when He was betrayed by Judas and then denied by Peter. In His teaching on the End Times Jesus said that many will turn away from the faith and will betray their friends who choose to remain faithful (Matthew 24:10-11).

There are many examples of betrayal by friends in the Bible. Cain betrayed his brother Abel; Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers; Jacob betrayed his brother Esau. And David recounted numerous instances of his friends turning against him (Psalm 31:11; 38:11; 41:9; 55:12-13). It pays to choose friends wisely, though even a wise choice doesn’t guarantee loyalty. True friends are made for adversity (Proverbs 17:17), and there are friends who can be more loyal than family (Proverbs 18:24). One way to cultivate true friendships is by being the kind of friend you desire to have (Proverbs 18:24).

Give thanks today that Jesus is your truest friend (John 15:14-15).

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
Joseph M. Scriven

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Lost but Now Found

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Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. Luke 15:9

Today’s Scripture

Luke 15:8-10

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Today’s Devotion

When I visited Ecuador’s Amazon region with my father many years ago, we took a fun speedboat ride to a small village to take in the sights and learn about the local tribes. My dear dad bought me handmade jewelry, including a set of earrings. I only wore those earrings on special occasions, including when I went to visit my sister for my birthday. When I came back from my trip, I was horrified to discover I’d lost one of my earrings. I looked everywhere.

It was just an earring, but I’d have to travel all the way back to the Amazon jungle to replace it. Amazingly, when my sister returned to the restaurant we had visited for my birthday, she spotted my missing earring in their lost and found. I was overjoyed!

Jesus told a parable about a woman who’d lost her silver coin. She wouldn’t rest while her valuable coin was missing. “Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Jesus asked (Luke 15:8). And when she found her coin, she greatly rejoiced (v. 9).

Jesus told this story to demonstrate how precious we are to God. He “came to seek and to save” those who are lost (19:10). Although we were once lost, heaven rejoiced when we were found.

Reflect & Pray

How does it feel to know you’re precious to God? How does it feel to know heaven rejoices when we’re found?

Dear God, thank You for searching for me.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

Today’s Insights

God’s love for us is described throughout the Bible. John 3:16-17 declares, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He “did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God “lavished” great love on us by “[sending] his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 3:1; 4:10). We were deserving of death, but because of God’s merciful love, He “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (Ephesians 2:5; see Romans 5:8). When we turn away from our sins and place our faith in Jesus, heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10).

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – The birth rate crisis is looming: Where do we go from here?

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New data confirms the continuation of a nearly 20-year decline in births

According to CDC data from earlier this month, the birth rate in the United States continued its historic decline, with a 1 percent decrease in births in 2025, a trend that began in 2007. Last year’s rate of 53.1 births per 1000 women in the 15-44 age bracket fell from 53.8 in 2024. The total fertility rate is now 1.57 births per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1.

Financial insecurity is the most consistent factor in historical birth rate trends. With continued economic concerns and instability, it is no surprise that 2025 did not produce a baby boom.

Another clear explanation for the continued decline is a sharp reduction in teen births. Sociologists attribute this to decades of educational initiatives aimed at the topic. The birth rate for women between the ages of 15 and 19 was just 11.7 last year, an all-time low and 72 percent lower than in 2007.

Continue reading Denison Forum – The birth rate crisis is looming: Where do we go from here? →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – No Compromise

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 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 

—2 Timothy 4:3

Scripture:

2 Timothy 4:3 

There was a time when we were bombarded by a one-sided view of God as an angry deity, ready to throw people into the open fires of Hell. People complained about too much hellfire-and-brimstone preaching.

But when was the last time anyone has heard a hellfire-and-brimstone message? Sadly, the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” that Jonathan Edwards preached in 1741 would not be allowed in many churches today.

Many people have gone too far in the other direction, teaching that God is an all-loving, benign, supreme being that doesn’t seem to have any opinions about the way we live. The assumption is that as long as we’re true to ourselves, then it’s okay with Him. He accepts us the way we are.

We like the qualities of God such as love, forgiveness, and compassion and the incredible fringe benefit of eternal life in Heaven. On the other hand, we’re appalled by a God of holiness who desperately loves us yet requires repentance as well as trust, a God who promises to judge those who refuse to come to Him on His terms.

Others look at God as some kind of pagan deity who simply needs to be appeased. They think that if they go through religious rituals, they’ve done their part and they can build up credit for sinning that week. People can follow that god as much as they want. But that is not the God of the Bible.

When we start picking and choosing the things about God that appeal or do not appeal to us, we are not only diminishing our view of who God is but also believing and teaching a false gospel.

Some preachers today offer weak, watered-down proclamations in the name of the gospel. They tell you to believe, but they don’t tell you to repent. They tell you there’s a Heaven, but they don’t tell you there’s a Hell. And they tell you there’s forgiveness, but they don’t tell you there’s repentance.

If we don’t include those things, then it isn’t the gospel. We cannot edit the gospel according to what we like or don’t like. It’s for us to share it as God gave it. Otherwise, we strip the gospel of its power and effectiveness.

We cannot control what happens in the world. But at the same time, we cannot allow the belief system of a secular society to influence the way we believe. The idea is not to conform ourselves to the world’s way of thinking. It is not to bend the Bible to the culture.

When we desperately want to please everyone and not offend anyone, we will fail to make an impact on our culture.

When we start tampering with the essentials of our faith such as the Bible, the gospel, and the nature of God Himself, we are making God into a different image.

The God of the Bible does love us and accept us as we are. But the God of the Bible also wants to change us. He wants to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

Reflection Question: What does it practically look like to share the full gospel—both grace and repentance—without compromising truth? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Opening the Ear

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.” (Psalm 40:6)

That Psalm 40 is primarily a Messianic psalm speaking mainly about the work of Christ is evident from its quotation as such in Hebrews 10:5–10. The psalm prophesies particularly of His incarnation, for He says, “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me” (Psalm 40:7).

Burnt offerings and sin offerings had indeed been required from God’s people under the law, but these were not an end in themselves. These sacrifices were meaningless unless they were offered out of a willing heart as obedient expressions of submission to their forgiving God.

That was the implication of the “opened ear,” a symbolic expression indicating one’s willingness thenceforth to hear only the voice of his master and to submit to his will in all things. If a freed bondservant “shall plainly say, I love my master . . . I will not go out free: then his master shall . . . bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exodus 21:5–6). This was the testimony of the coming Messiah, as reported in our text.

Then note its application as recorded in Hebrews 10:5: “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” That is, the phrase “mine ears hath thou opened” is translated by the Holy Spirit as “a body hast thou prepared me.” The perfect submission of the Son to the Father required that He become a man, with a very special human body prepared by His Father. Then Psalm 40:7 becomes (in Hebrews 10:7): “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God . . . . By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:9–10). HMM

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – We Wait, God Speaks

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For from of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor Samuel has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on Samuel behalf of him who [earnestly] waits for Him.

Isaiah 64:4(AMPC)

The Holy Spirit will lead us into amazing exploits in prayer if we simply ask Him what to pray, wait for Him to answer, and then obey. We are unwise if we say we don’t have time to wait on God and allow Him to speak to us and lead us as we pray. We will wait 45 minutes for a table at a restaurant but say we do not have time to wait on God. When we wait on God, turning our hearts toward Him for direction, we honor Him. By our willingness to wait He knows that we want His will and that we are dependent upon Him for guidance. We save a lot of time by turning our hearts toward God and waiting on Him.

As the verse for today says, God shows Himself active on behalf of those who wait on Him. Start your prayers by simply saying, “I love you Lord and I wait on you for direction in my prayers today.” Then begin to pray what is in your heart rather than what is in your own mind or will. I was recently praying for someone to do a certain thing that I knew they needed to do, but God showed me that I needed to pray for them to develop discipline because the lack of it was affecting many areas of their life. I would have prayed for the one area I saw, but God saw much more deeply than I did. Another time I was praying for someone concerning some problem behavior that I saw, but God showed me that the root of their problem was self-rejection and that I needed to pray for them to know how much God loved them. You can see that we often pray for what we see, but God will lead us deeper if we will wait on Him.

Prayer of the Day: Holy Spirit, teach me to wait on You and pray according to Your will. Quiet my heart, guide my words, and help me trust Your wisdom beyond what I see, amen.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Where Grace Abounds 

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If hurts were hairs, we’d all look like grizzlies! So many hurts. When teachers ignore your work, their neglect hurts. When your girlfriend drops you, when your husband abandons you, when the company fires you, it hurts. Rejection always hurts. People bring pain. Sometimes deliberately, sometimes randomly. So where do you turn? Hitman.com? Jim Beam and friends? Pity Party Catering Service? Retaliation has its appeal, but Jesus has a better idea.

Grace is not blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God’s forgiveness even more. Hebrews 12:15 (NIV) urges us to, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” You see, where grace is lacking, bitterness abounds. But where grace abounds, forgiveness grows. Forgiveness may not happen all at once. But it can happen with you.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Naomi’s Evaluation

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Read Ruth 3:16–18

Elisabeth Elliot once wrote: “Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it.” At its core, waiting isn’t about passing time. It’s about exercising trust.

Today’s scene takes place at Naomi’s house, just after dawn. Boaz had left for the city (v. 15), and Ruth returned home with his bountiful gift. Naomi greeted Ruth as “daughter” and asked about her visit (v. 16). She was eager to hear the story; so much depended on the outcome. The narrator doesn’t recount the complete conversation. He simply sums up Ruth’s account: “Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her” (v. 16).

We learn about Boaz’s gift and his parting words: “Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed” (v. 17). Interestingly, this remark from Boaz was not included in the actual account (vv. 6–14). The author adds it here because of its particular importance for Naomi. The word “empty” references Naomi’s declaration of emptiness in chapter 1: “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty” (v. 21). Ruth had been present when Naomi made that initial despairing statement, so it is fitting for Ruth to articulate Boaz’s care for Naomi—his hesed desire to fill both her stomach and her heart.

Naomi now understood the depth of Boaz’s commitment. She was confident in his character, his purpose, and his ability. So, with this assurance, Naomi counseled Ruth to “wait” (v. 18). To sit still and trust—in both Boaz and the Lord. Once again, we are left in suspense. We wait with Ruth to learn the outcome of Boaz’s trip to the city. This is also the last time that Ruth and Naomi speak. They step aside as Boaz takes the lead.

Go Deeper

We don’t always get answers as quickly as we would like. When have you waited on God for answers? Were you able to trust Him in those circumstances?

Pray with Us

Lord, thank You for the wonderful lessons You are teaching us this month. Today, together with Ruth, we’re learning how to wait patiently on You to act. Instill in us this trust and patience, we pray!

Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.John 4:14

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Twins

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But your sorrow will be turned into joy.
John 16:20

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Some Bible verses are twins—they say exactly the same thing in slightly different words. Compare, for example, these two verses about looking at our suffering in life from the perspective of eternity:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us—Romans 8:18 (NIV).

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all—2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV).

When we go through suffering, it’s important to look ahead to the wonder and joy we’ll experience in heaven with our Lord. When we learn to look at life from the perspective of eternity, we gain a unique perspective that lightens any load. Just before His crucifixion Jesus promised the disciples that their sorrow would be turned to joy. The same is true for us. The Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Ask God to help you put your suffering into perspective, understanding that difficulties now pale in comparison to the wonders of heaven.

If you could see the everlasting crowns of the saints in heaven, and the great glory wherein they now rejoice. How could you dare to complain?
Thomas à Kempis

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

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