Tag Archives: Bible

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Vision for You

Leave a comment

 

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. — Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)

God’s plan for the people of Israel was only for their good, yet they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years on what was actually an 11-day journey. Why? Was it their enemies, their circumstances, the trials along the way, or something entirely different that kept them from arriving at their destination in a timely manner?

To really know the answer to this question, let’s look back a little. God had called the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt to go to the land He had promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—a land that flowed with milk, honey and every good thing they could imagine—a land in which there would be no shortage of anything they needed—a land of prosperity in every realm of their existence.

But the Israelites had no positive vision for their lives—no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they didn’t know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen in the past or what they could presently see—they didn’t know how to see the future with eyes of faith.

We really shouldn’t view the Israelites with astonishment, because most of us unknowingly do the same thing they did; we keep dealing with the same problems over and over again. The disappointing result is that it takes us years to experience victory over something that could have and should have been dealt with quickly.

I come from a background of abuse. My childhood was filled with fear and torment, and my personality was a mess! I built up walls of protection to keep people from hurting me, not realizing that while I was locking others out, I was also locking myself in. I was filled with fear, and believed that the only way I could face life was to be in control so no one could hurt me.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I didn’t know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone with a past like mine ever be all right? It’s impossible!

But Jesus had a different plan. He said, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me . . . to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity] (Luke 4:18).

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free—and that included me. However, I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I really could be set free. I had to get rid of my negative thinking and replace it with a positive vision for my life—God’s vision for me. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present could determine my future. Only then could Jesus free me from the bondage of my past—and free me, He did. Looking back, I realize what a miracle that was!

You may have had a miserable past; you might even be in current circumstances that are extremely negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly: Your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Most of the generation the Lord called out of Egypt never entered into the Promised Land. Instead, they died in the wilderness. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to a child of God—to have so much available and yet never be able to enjoy any of it.

Start believing that God’s Word is true. Mark 9:23 reminds you that with God all things are possible. Because you serve a God who created everything you see out of the unseen realm (see Hebrews 11:3), you can give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work on your behalf. All you have to do is have faith in Him and believe His Word—He will do the rest!

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for loving me and having a vision—a good plan—for my life. Please help me overcome any negative mindsets that are keeping me from the future You have for me, and make my life what You want it to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A Place of Rest

Leave a comment

 

“So there is a full complete rest still waiting for the people of God. Christ has already entered there. He is resting from His work, just as God did after the creation. Let us do our best to go into that place of rest, too, being careful not to disobey God as the children of Israel did, thus failing to get in” (Hebrews 4:9-11).

A Christian leader was asked: “How do you handle the incredible pressure of your schedule – speaking, writing, giving leadership to a great movement that touches the lives of millions of people around the world? How do you do it? You must carry a tremendous load!”

The inquirer was surprised at the response. “No, quite honestly I don’t carry the load. I’m not under any pressure. I made a great discovery, probably the greatest discovery that a Christian can make. In the Christian life there is a place of rest which one enters by faith and obedience. No matter how great the pressure, or how terrible the testing, the supernatural resources of God sustain, empower, bless and encourage us and our Lord carries the load and fights for us.”

Though few Christians ever enter into this rest, it is available to all believers. When the Israelites were on their way to the promised land, God had already prepared the hearts of the inhabitants, filling them with fear. There is reason to believe that they would have capitulated readily. But when the twelve spies returned after forty days of checking out the land, ten of them reported, “There are giants in the land, and we felt like grasshoppers in their sight.” Only Joshua and Caleb said, “Let’s go in and take the land. God has withdrawn His blessing from the people and He will fight for us.”

But three million Israelites agreed with the majority report, and as a result, wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Why did it take so long for them to enter the land God had already given them? Because, as recorded in verse 2, they failed to mix the promises of God with faith.

Why does the average Christian not enter into a place of rest with God – that supernatural life which produces an abundance of fruit? Because he fails to mix the promises of God with faith. That is what this book, Promises, is all about – to remind us daily of our heritage as children of God and to show us how we can draw upon the mighty, inexhaustible resources of deity to live the supernatural life. Are you experiencing the life of the Spirit? Have you entered into God’s rest? If not, you can begin to do so now.

Bible Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: As an act of faith and obedience, I will enter that place of rest and I will encourage every believer with whom I have contact today to join me in the adventure.

 

 

http://www.cru.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Is the US in contact with aliens? The empowering key to a life of transforming grace

Leave a comment

 

Haim Eshed is the former head of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s space directorate. A respected professor and retired general, he made headlines recently with his claim that “there is an agreement between the US government and the aliens. They signed a contract with us to do experiments here.”

He states that extraterrestrials from a “galactic federation” are working with American astronauts in an “underground base in the depths of Mars.” The reason they have not made their existence public before is that “they have been waiting until today for humanity to develop and reach a stage where we will understand, in general, what space and spaceships are.”

White House and Israeli officials have not yet commented, but NASA states, “We have yet to find signs of extraterrestrial life.”

A perceptive question 

Whatever your view about life on other planets, I can tell you how God feels about life on this one.

In a recent radio interview, I was asked a perceptive question: How is the manner of Jesus’ birth relevant to us twenty centuries later? My answer was that our Lord was born in the humblest way imaginable to show that he will go anywhere he is invited.

From tax collectors to prostitutes, lepers to Gentiles and even Roman soldiers, the early church included some of the most scorned people in their culture. Because they were welcomed in the family of God, we can know that all are welcome.

This simple fact is especially relevant to these pandemic days. Yesterday, more Americans died from COVID-19 than died on 9/11. A New York Times article warns that “the coronavirus winter will bring special challenges for our already battered psyches” as we deal with longer nights, indoor isolation, and holiday-related stress in addition to the escalating pandemic and loss of loved ones. Continue reading Denison Forum – Is the US in contact with aliens? The empowering key to a life of transforming grace →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Confidence Amidst Distress

Leave a comment

Psalm 46

It seems as if the world today is constantly changing. This might cause us to be filled with anxiety unless we remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Disturbing times should remind us we are only pilgrims on this earth. Our citizenship is in a heavenly kingdom that can never be shaken.

The commotion of this current world is nothing unprecedented. I remember 1944 being a year of tremendous turmoil in our country because of World War II. Many people anxiously listened to the evening news, fearing the death of loved ones as battles in various locations were reported.

When times are frightening and uncertain—whether personally, nationally, or globally—the place to find comfort and assurance is the Bible, especially the book of Psalms. Scripture helps us look at circumstances from God’s perspective. That reassures us of His love and care for us and lifts our eyes to a higher hope than anything this world can offer.

We all want to find peace, and the first step is to cease striving (Psalm 46:10). Remember that the Lord is always with you, and know that His kingdom is coming.

Bible in One Year: Colossians 1-4

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The True Servant

Leave a comment

 

Bible in a Year:

Being found in appearance as a man, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:8

Today’s Scripture & Insight: Philippians 2:6–11

In 27 bc, the Roman ruler Octavian came before the Senate to lay down his powers. He’d won a civil war, become the sole ruler of that region of the world, and was functioning like an emperor. Yet he knew such power was viewed suspiciously. So Octavian renounced his powers before the Senate, vowing to simply be an appointed official. Their response? The Roman Senate honored the ruler by crowning him with a civic crown and naming him the servant of the Roman people. He was also given the name Augustus—the “great one.”

Paul wrote of Jesus emptying Himself and taking on the form of a servant. Augustus appeared to do the same. Or had he? Augustus only acted like he was surrendering his power but was doing it for his own gain. Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). Death on a Roman cross was the worst form of humiliation and shame.

Today, a primary reason people praise “servant leadership” as a virtue is because of Jesus. Humility wasn’t a Greek or Roman virtue. Because Jesus died on the cross for us, He’s the true Servant. He’s the true Savior.

Christ became a servant in order to save us. He “made himself nothing” (v. 7) so that we could receive something truly great—the gift of salvation and eternal life.

By:  Glenn Packiam

Why is it true that we’re never out of God’s reach? What does it mean for you to know that Jesus is the Servant who suffered and died in order to save you?

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for me. Your servanthood wasn’t a show but the reality of Your love for me. Fill my heart with love and gratitude today.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Waiting for Light

Leave a comment

 

In ancient cities, sentinels kept vigil on the city walls throughout the night. Long, difficult hours of waiting and watching characterized the sentinel’s evenings. The watcher’s role was well understood as vital for the protection of the city and the welfare of its citizens. Morning, nonetheless, meant great relief, both for the watchmen who kept vigil throughout the darkness and for the city within the walls.

Making use of this laden imagery, biblical writers often juxtaposed the role of watchman waiting for morning and the work of the prophet. Through long, dark hours of slavery and exile, cultural stubbornness and crushing despair, the prophets kept watch, calling out injustices, calling forth awareness, peace, repentance, and the unimaginable love of a God who would not let go. Jeremiah cried out, “This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.'” Isaiah expanded the imagery of the sentinel’s watch even further, suggesting watchful eyes throughout the kingdom of God, servants who hold vigil day and night, watching for light even when presently surrounded by darkness. “Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.”(1)

 

An old man in Jerusalem named Simeon was one such sentinel. All that is known of him is that he was righteous and devout, and looked forward to the consolation of his broken land. Led by the Spirit one day, he went to the temple to offer the customary sacrifice, when he noticed an infant in the arms of a young, peasant woman. Taking the baby in his arms, he began to sing:

“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.”(2)

A watchman who had kept vigil through long years of darkness, Simeon sees the infant Jesus in plain sight and uses the language of a slave who has been freed. There is a sense of immediacy and relief, as if the light of morning has finally arrived after years of shadow and night, and he is at last free to leave his post.

The feast of Epiphany, the historical Christian day that celebrates the arrival of the magi to the birthplace of Jesus, tells a similar story. Matthew describes a vigilant scene not unlike that of Simeon at the temple or sentinels on the city wall. Astrologers from the east followed a lone star through a great expanse of darkness to come upon a newborn king. Their watchful journey took years. It impelled further darkness as Herod’s jealousy reared an evil demand for the murder of infant boys throughout Bethlehem. It was a solitary journey, disregarded by the masses and wrought with difficulty. But the light was real and relieving. “Nations shall come to your light,” sang the prophet of this child, “and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isaiah 60:3).

With those who first watched and waited for God to step from the heavens and into our darkness, Epiphany is a reminder that ours is still a world straining in shadow, with our glimpses of light, waiting. Like those who first journeyed to set their eyes on the child born to die, we move through long nights, often finding ourselves out of place, in the dark, straining to see more. The Christian story is a declaration that Jesus can transform this watching and waiting, our lives and our deaths, bringing light where death stings, where tears discourage, and darkness haunts. “I wait for the Lord,” sang the psalmist, “my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.” The night is surely long, but indeed, what if the light is real?

By Jill Carattini.

(1) cf. Jeremiah 6:16-17, Isaiah 52:8.

(2) Story told in Luke 2:26-32.

Read in browser »

http://www.rzim.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Way Is Always Best

Leave a comment

 

For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor? — Romans 11:34 (AMPC)

We need to come to the realization that God is smarter than we are. His plan really is better—way is better than ours. I look back now at many of the frustrating times I went through trying to make things happen in my own timing and being frustrated about waiting, and I realize now that I really wasn’t ready for them. God knew I wasn’t ready yet, but I thought I was. I spent so much of my time asking, “Why, God, why?” and “When, God, when?” I asked questions only God had the answers to, and He knew I wasn’t able to handle the answers yet.

I have discovered over the years that trusting God often requires unanswered questions. When we face confusing situations, we need to say, “Lord, this does not make any sense to me, but I’m choosing to trust You. I believe You love me and that You’ll bring Your best for me at the right time.” God doesn’t need our advice in order to work; He needs our faith.

In Exodus 33:13, Moses prayed for God to show him His ways: “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight.”

We should pray that prayer regularly, remembering that God’s ways include His timing. When we do, He’ll give us the grace to be patient, and the wisdom to know what to do in the meantime.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me trust Your timing and process. I don’t want to force things to happen, so give me the grace to stay patient. Thank You for showing me how to move forward, and for working behind the scenes for my good. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Teach You Much

Leave a comment

 

“But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of Me – and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit – He will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you” (John 14:26).

Some years ago, at one of our week-long Lay Institutes for Evangelism, attended by more than 4,000 trainees, I gave a message on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Afterward, a missionary who had just retired after 20 years of service in Africa came to see me. He was very excited as he came to share how, during that meeting, he had finally found what he had sought throughout his entire Christian life.

“Today, as you spoke,” he said, “I was filled with the Spirit. For 20 years I have tried to serve God on the mission field, but I have served Him in the energy of the flesh and have had very little results. Now, though I have retired and returned to America, I want to go back to Africa.

“This time, I want to concentrate on working just with missionaries, because I know from experience that many of them are still searching for what I have sought all these years. The most important message I can take to them is how they can be filled with the Holy Spirit by faith.

“I want to teach them what you taught me so that they, in turn, will be able to teach the Africans how they too can be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Dr. J. Edwin Orr, a leading authority on spiritual revival, describes the Holy Spirit as “the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Christ. He is the Lord of the harvest, supreme in revival, evangelism and missionary endeavor.”

“Without His consent, plans are bound to fail. It behooves us as Christians to fit our tactical operations into the plan of His strategy, which is the reviving of the church and the evangelization of the world.”

Bible Reading: John 14:13-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will look to God’s indwelling Holy Spirit for the spiritual lessons I need to learn today and claim His power to serve the Lord Jesus Christ supernaturally.

 

 

http://www.cru.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devos – God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

Leave a comment

 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)

Jeremy Fairmont sat in the fourth pew with his family during Mr. Graham’s funeral. Mr. Graham had been Jeremy’s neighbor, his Sunday school teacher, and his friend. Jeremy was feeling very sick to his stomach and very sad in his heart. Mr. Graham’s death just didn’t make any sense at all. He had been driving his semi-truck on the highway for work, when another car’s tire suddenly blew out. The car spun around and came into his lane, and Mr. Graham had not had time to stop his truck. Jeremy did not know all the details, but he knew that Mr. Graham had died right away. He could not understand why God would let someone as wonderful as Mr. Graham die. Wasn’t God supposed to protect His people?

The people who had been in the other car were all fine. They were all Christians – in fact, they were all members of a different church on the other side of town! Jeremy knew that they had been thanking God for taking care of them during the wreck. This is what Jeremy could not understand. Why would God protect this other family of Christians on one side of the wreck, but choose not to protect Mr. Graham and not to spare his life? Jeremy knew that if Mr. Graham were alive right now, he would be praising God for protecting him, just like this other family was. So why didn’t God let Mr. Graham live? Obviously, He could have, but He just didn’t.

One reason Jeremy was so upset at Mr. Graham’s funeral was that he had lost someone he loved dearly, and who loved him back. Death is never an easy thing to deal with, but the death of Christian is still nothing like the death of an unbeliever. Jeremy did have hope that he would see Mr. Graham again one day, in heaven; but what Jeremy could not understand was why God would protect the lives of some Christians in the wreck, but not protect Mr. Graham. Mr. Graham was one of the greatest Christians Jeremy had ever known. It seemed to make better sense for God to leave people like Mr. Graham here on Earth. If there were more people like Mr. Graham in the world, Jeremy thought, the world would have to be a better place, for sure.

After the funeral, Jeremy just sat in his family’s van and cried. When the rest of the Fairmont family went inside the house, Jeremy’s dad stayed in the van with him. Together, they began to talk through what the Bible teaches about the kind of character God has. They talked about how God does not think like we think. God is all-knowing; His thoughts are higher than ours. Even the smartest human being might not ever understand some of God’s perfect reasoning. God never makes mistakes; His ways are better than our ways. God’s timing and actions are perfectly planned. Even our best dreams and wishes and plans could never come close to the perfection of God’s ways. God is loving; His affection is greater than ours. As much as we think we might love someone, and as much as we think we might know what’s best for someone – God knows better, and God definitely loves more.

Based on what he knew of Mr. Graham, Jeremy could figure out a lot of great things that Mr. Graham had done and might be able to do in the future, if he had not died in that wreck. But, based on what he knew about God, Jeremy had to admit that God knew and loved Mr. Graham far more than Jeremy could ever dream. Deep down, Jeremy knew that was true. It was not going to be easy getting used to life without Mr. Graham around. But it helped a little to trust God’s wisdom and perfection and love. Jeremy knew all those things about God in his head already, but it was a lot more difficult to learn them in his heart.

By the time Jeremy and his dad climbed out of the van, Jeremy was feeling a little better. He did not have to understand all God’s reasons for sparing the other Christian family and taking Mr. Graham home to be with Him. Jeremy knew he just needed to keep trusting and obeying God, even when it didn’t always make sense to him. Surely God – with His high wisdom and infinite love and perfect ways – surely He could more than fill up the giant hole that Mr. Graham’s homegoing had left in Jeremy’s heart. And Mr. Graham would have wanted that.

God thinks higher, loves greater, and plans more perfectly than any of us ever could.

My Response:
» Am I struggling lately with a choice that God has made?
» How do I respond when God does things that affect my life?
» How can I show in my responses that I believe God is how He says He is in His Word, and that He is worthy of my trust?

 

 

Home Page

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Young cancer patient designs sweatshirt to raise money for fellow patients: Good news in the news and an invitation to joy

Leave a comment

 

With all the bad news in the news lately, I thought we could use some good news.

A ten-year-old leukemia patient has designed a sweatshirt to raise money for families impacted by pediatric cancer. Her design includes the words, “Be strong and courageous,” taken from Joshua 1:9.

A nightclub closed by COVID-19 restrictions in Lausanne, Switzerland, has been converted into a temporary blood donation center. Gen Z Americans (currently between eight and twenty-three years old) have relied on faith more than any other generation during the pandemic.

The percentage of North Korean citizens who are exposed to the Bible is steadily increasing each year despite extreme persecution. The YouVersion Bible app is now available in fifteen hundred languages.

Franklin Graham reports that Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association saw 1.3 million people give their lives to Christ through online ministries in 2019. This year, the number is 1.7 million. Franklin explains that due to the pandemic, “The people’s hearts have been softened a little bit. People who have not listened before are listening now.”

Santa in a snowglobe 

On the other hand, there’s plenty of bad news available today. Let’s consider some Christmas-related stories.

A nurse who works with COVID-19 patients received an anonymous letter from a neighbor chastising her and her husband for displaying Christmas lights on their home. Their display is subdued—a wreath and a row of lights along one roofline. Nonetheless, the writer called her decorations “a reminder of divisions that continue to run through our society, a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don’t celebrate Christmas or who can’t afford to put up lights of their own.”

In other words, if I don’t like or can’t afford something, you can’t have it. Imagine applying that mantra to the rest of life.

Churches across the country are canceling Singing Christmas Tree programs due to COVID-19 restrictions. As a result of pandemic-related financial stress, 45 percent of Americans responding to a survey said they would prefer to skip Christmas this year.

Shopping centers and photographers are stationing Santa Claus behind plexiglass shields, seating him high on a sled, or putting him inside protective snowglobes. No sitting on Santa’s lap this year, it seems. Continue reading Denison Forum – Young cancer patient designs sweatshirt to raise money for fellow patients: Good news in the news and an invitation to joy →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Working in God’s Kingdom

Leave a comment

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Though we may gather at church every week, Christians shouldn’t remain within its four walls. God has chosen to work through His body of believers to accomplish His gospel mission on earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers sent out to cultivate and harvest His fields (Matt. 9:36-38). No one is a bystander in God’s kingdom.
The Lord has given every single believer a spiritual gift to aid in the work of His kingdom. These aren’t natural abilities but instead are the Holy Spirit’s power manifested through us—a special enablement that helps us serve according to His plan.
Paul reminds us that we are the Lord’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). We should always remember that God’s power works through our gifts so there is no reason to shy away from the opportunities He opens up for us, even if they seem daunting.
Don’t spend your life just sitting in a pew! Experience the joy of participating in God’s kingdom work. The Holy Spirit will empower you to obey the Lord in whatever He calls you to do.
Bible in One Year: Philippians 1-4

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Guidance

Leave a comment

 

Bible in a Year:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.

Psalm 1:1

Today’s Scripture & Insight:Psalm 1:1–3

When their bank accidentally deposited $120,000 into their account, a couple went on a shopping spree. They purchased an SUV, a camper, and two four-wheelers in addition to paying off bills. Discovering the deposit error, the bank told the couple to return the money. Unfortunately, the husband and wife had already spent it. They were then charged with felony theft. When the couple arrived at the local court, the husband said to a reporter, “We took some bad legal advice.” The two learned that following bad advice (and spending what wasn’t theirs) could lead to making a mess of their lives.

In contrast, the psalmist shared wise advice that can help us avoid messing up in life. He wrote that those who find genuine fulfillment—who are “blessed”—refuse to be influenced by the advice of those who don’t serve God (Psalm 1:1). They know that unwise, ungodly counsel can lead to unseen dangers and costly consequences. Also, they’re motivated by (find “delight” in) and preoccupied with (“meditate on”) the timeless and unshakable truths of Scripture (v. 2). They’ve found that submitting to God’s guidance leads to stability and fruitfulness (v. 3).

When we’re making decisions, big or small, about our careers, money, relationships, and more, may we seek God’s wisdom found in the Bible, godly counsel, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. His guidance is essential and trustworthy for living a fulfilling life and not creating messes.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

Why do you believe Scripture is essential in making godly decisions? Who are your counselors that help you with wise advice? 

God, before I seek Your advice about things I don’t know, help me to practice obedience in the areas I do know, and in loving You and others.  

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Uncategorized
Leave a comment

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – On Faith

The story is told of a newlywed couple whose first argument after marriage was over who should brew the coffee in the morning. The husband said it should be the wife; the wife said it should be the husband. The argument went back and forth, until the wife finally appealed to Scripture, saying that, according to the Bible, it was the man who should brew the coffee. Obviously surprised, the husband challenged her to show him where in the Bible it said that. She picked up her Bible and turned to the book of “HE-brews”!

The book of Hebrews is unique and special in many respects. It also contains one of the greatest chapters on the central Christian theme of faith—chapter 11. The chapter begins with a succinct, but unsurpassable, definition of faith, and then goes on to list a number of Bible heroes and heroines of faith.

While the chapter is devoted exclusively to the single theme of faith, it also underscores the diversity of faith stories and experiences. The faith journeys of the people mentioned were very different, and their faith produced, as it were, very different results. When we look at the way these different Bible characters are juxtaposed, the diversity that emerges is fascinating—and encouraging.

We have Abel who believes, or has faith in, God and becomes the first person to die; then we immediately have Enoch who also believes, and becomes the first person to not die.

We have Noah who receives a message from God regarding the depopulation of the world, and by whose faith the world is condemned and destroyed; then we have Abraham who receives a message from God regarding the repopulation of the world, and by whose faith the world is blessed and redeemed.

Abraham is followed by Isaac. (Isaac is one of those poor fellows of whom the saying “The first half of our life is spoiled by our parents; the second half by our children” is particularly true!). In Genesis 27, Isaac, with all his sincere faith, leans on his two sons, Jacob and Esau, carefully feels and smells them, and then blesses them—and gets it wrong. Esau’s blessing goes to Jacob. His son Jacob, on the other hand, in his old age, simply leans on his staff, and by faith blesses his twelve sons from a distance—and gets it spot on.

Then we find Joseph whom God prepares in the desert but uses in the palace; only to be followed by Moses whom God prepares in the palace but uses in the desert.

The two women who get a mention in the passage are Sarah and Rahab. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was a barren woman who was desperately trying to conceive. Rahab, on the other hand, was a prostitute who could ill afford to get pregnant; and so, presumably, was desperate to not conceive.

The point that this list of characters seems to be making is this: The personal faith journeys and stories of these people were different. So are ours—and so should they be.

We are often tempted to compare our experiences with that of others. We often feel frustrated that our faith in God is seemingly not as effective as that of others. Other times we are tempted to be somewhat prideful that our lives and ministries appear to be more productive and fruitful compared to others.

But this passage seems to be making the point that such comparisons are inappropriate and misleading. God calls, leads, and uses us in different ways, and we had better realize that.

In reading a passage like this—a “hall of fame” list of spiritual “celebrities”—we must also take care that we do not romanticize Bible heroes and their stories too much, lest we end up with false and faulty notions about them—just like the way we do today when we collude with the media and their celebrities in creating and projecting false images and ideals.

Take, for example, Sarah again. When we look into the actual story in Genesis 16, we initially find a Sarah with an overzealous and misguided faith (or perhaps even a lack of faith) trying to give God a hand in fulfilling His promise made to Abraham. She gets her husband Abraham to lie down with their servant Hagar. And what happens? She messes things up terribly.

Then again Genesis 18, when God reminds her of his promise, she blurts out laughing because she was almost ninety years old. What we find is that the “real” Sarah is not exactly the kind of person we would normally associate with great faith. But here, she and her faith get a mention.

The passage thus seems to be making another point: The lives of these heroes do not necessarily bear witness to their “greatness” or even the “greatness” of their faith. Some of them were undoubtedly towering personalities with truly great faith who played key roles in the Bible. For the most part, however, they were really ordinary people who, in their feeble and erring ways, by simply believing in the promises of the true and living God, and by aligning their lives accordingly, as best as they knew how, were graciously caught up in a story much bigger than they ever dreamed or imagined: the story of God’s redemption of the world. History, as they say, is HIStory—God’s story.

That is why in Hebrews 12 (which is, in a sense, the application of Hebrews 11), the writer begins by telling us to fix our eyes, not on these great men and women of faith, but on God himself.

And how do we do that? We do that by fixing our eyes on the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature—even Jesus himself, the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the only one who perfectly demonstrates what true faith is, and his is the only faith according to which we may ultimately pattern our own.

As we fix our eyes on him and live our lives of faith in our ever so feeble and erring ways, we, with our own little faith stories, also get graciously caught up in God’s larger story. And I suppose we can, every now and again, fancy ourselves with the thought that, if the Bible were being written today, perhaps even you and I might stand a chance of getting a mention.

A speaker and writer with RZIM India, Aniu has researched political ethics and focuses on theology, Biblical studies, apologetics, politics, peace studies, and ethics.

Read in browser »

http://www.rzim.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Are You Empty?

Leave a comment

 

Then he said, Go around and borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels, and not a few. — 2 Kings 4:3 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud – by Joyce Meyer

Today’s scripture mentions “empty vessels,” which is what all of us are. We don’t have anything useful within ourselves, except the power and presence of God that can flow out of us. Certainly, we have value, but only because of the value God assigned to us by paying such a high price for our redemption: the blood of His Son, Jesus. In Christ, we exist and have everything, but in our flesh (who we are apart from Him), there is nothing of any eternal value.

Without Jesus, what do we have to offer God? Nothing. God doesn’t need us; He can do anything He needs to do without us. But He wants to invite us into His work, which is a great privilege and honor, and one that requires us to empty ourselves so we can be filled with Him.

Now, emptying ourselves is not an easy task, and it definitely doesn’t happen quickly. I spent many years wondering if I would ever start to show humility instead of pride, trusting God’s strength instead of mine. If you feel the same way, let me encourage you that as long as you don’t give up, you are making progress. If we’re pressing on and are sincere about growing spiritually, we’ll eventually be like the vessels in today’s scripture—empty of ourselves and ready to be used by God to fulfill His great purposes for our lives.

Prayer Starter: Father, please empty me of everything in me that isn’t from You, and fill me with Your Spirit. Thank You for treasuring me, helping me grow, and making me truly valuable. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Same Father

Leave a comment

 

“We who have been made holy by Jesus, now have the same Father He has. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers” (Hebrews 2:11).

Though you and I have been made holy by Jesus, we need to ask ourselves a question: Have we really been set apart, consecrated, devoted to God experientially?

A practical definition of the word consecration would carry the idea that you and I are willing to do anything the Lord asks us to do. Is that really the case? Are we listening closely enough to His still small voice even to know what He really wants us to do?

Once a popular TV commercial asked, “How do spell relief?” We might ask ourselves, “How do you spell commitment?” Too many of us, I’m afraid, spell it C-O-N-V-E- N-I-E-N-C-E. If it is convenient for us to share the good news of the gospel, we will do it; if it is convenient for us to go to Sunday school, church or prayer meeting, we will do it.

True commitment is a rare commodity these days – even among Bible-believing, evangelical Christians. Otherwise our churches would be full; our witnessing would be a normal daily routine; our lives would be more Christlike.

We have already been made holy, but we need to reckon on that fact – and through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, live like holy people. Meditate on this fact: We have the same Father as Jesus, and Jesus calls us His brothers. What a great honor and privilege is ours!

Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:5-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will count on the holiness of Christ within me to make me all that He wants and intends me to be, As a member of God’s supernatural family I shall claim God’s power to live supernaturally.

 

 

http://www.cru.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devos – God Is Kind and Desires Kindness

Leave a comment

 

“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8)

Sometimes, we say things we wish we hadn’t said. It may be to a friend, or mother, father, sister, brother – or maybe even to someone we don’t even know.

There is an old saying that goes like this: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” This isn’t true! Physically, sticks and stones can hurt you if someone throws them at you. You will probably recover from the injury. But when someone says something that hurts your feelings, an emotional recovery isn’t always as easy as a physical recovery. You may be able to forgive someone who has been unkind to you, and this is what God wants you to do – but forgetting is almost impossible to do. No matter how old you get, there will be times when you will remember how you felt when someone hurt you by unkind words or actions.

We are taught in James 3 that our “tongues” can harm others. Sometimes you may want to say something against another person because you are angry and you “want to get even.” What should you say when you are feeling unkind toward someone? Probably nothing!

Years ago a man named Ollie lived in a country village. He said something hurtful about a friend of his because he had made him angry. The gossip spread throughout the neighborhoods, and it wasn’t long before Ollie’s friend became the talk of the town. Ollie apologized to his friend, but he did something more – something that is hard for us to believe: Ollie never talked again!

From that day on, Ollie kept a small pad of paper and pencil that he kept with him at all times. When he wanted to say something, he wrote it down. Did he speak when he was at home? No one knows. No one ever heard Ollie say a word to anyone again in public.

It is probably not necessary to do something as drastic and extreme as not talking at all. But it shows us how seriously Ollie considered his sin, and how seriously he was learning to consider his friends. He did not want to harm anyone else the same way he had harmed his friend. To him, if never speaking again meant he would never hurt his friend with unkind words again, it was worth it to Ollie.

Another common saying goes like this: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” If you are having a hard time controlling your tongue and being kind in your words, you might try humbling yourself and shutting your mouth. It is humbling to admit that “the tongue can no man tame” and that your tongue is just as difficult to control as anyone else’s. Admit that you have to keep a close guard over your mouth – maybe just be quiet – and pray for the Lord to help you. Jesus Christ was 100% man and yet 100% God. He is the only Man Who ever lived perfectly, and He is strong enough to help you be kind with your words.

God expects and enables us to speak kind words.

My Response:
» Do I have trouble controlling my tongue?
» How important is it to me to make sure I speak kindly about other people?
» Am I relying on God to help me be as kind as He commands me to be?

 

 

Home Page

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – How should you respond if you consider the election to be illegitimate? Four options and a biblical path forward

Leave a comment

 

Republican state officials in Texas sued Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania in the US Supreme Court yesterday. Their suit alleges that the four states acted unconstitutionally by changing their voting rules to expand access amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes cites experts, however, who claim that the lawsuit is “nearly certain to fail.”

Meanwhile, the results of the 2020 US presidential election were finalized yesterday under what is called the “safe harbor deadline.” This law declares that any completed and certified vote count “made at least six days before the time fixed for the meeting of the electors . . . shall be conclusive, and shall govern in the counting of the electoral votes as provided in the Constitution.”

According to federal law, those voting in the Electoral College “shall meet and give their votes on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.” This year, the specified date falls on December 14. Six days before December 14 was yesterday.

However, court challenges continue. The Supreme Court refused a request yesterday from Pennsylvania Republicans to overturn the state’s election results. Some Republicans in Congress are urging President Trump not to concede the race even assuming Joe Biden wins the Electoral College next Monday, asking him to take the battle to the House floor in January. They believe Congress should consider overturning the election results because of allegations of fraud.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll, 52 percent of Republicans believe President Trump “rightfully won” the election; 68 percent said they were concerned that the election was “rigged” for Joe Biden. Overall, 28 percent of Americans thought the election was “the result of illegal voting or election rigging,” up 12 points from four years ago.

Since I am neither a lawyer nor a lawmaker, I have no expertise to offer on this contentious issue. My purpose today as a biblical philosopher is to help us think through scriptural options for those who believe the presidential election was unfairly decided.

Let’s consider a spectrum of alternatives, then focus on practical steps going forward. Continue reading Denison Forum – How should you respond if you consider the election to be illegitimate? Four options and a biblical path forward →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Learning Obedience Through Suffering

Leave a comment

 

Hebrews 5:7-9

Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to suffer so much when He came to earth as a man? One might expect that the Son of God should have a comfortable life and a quick and easy death. After all, wouldn’t His blood have paid for our sins whether it was shed painlessly or with great agony?

Jesus took on human flesh so that He could die and pay the horrendous price of mankind’s iniquity. The pain He experienced reflects the great consequences of human transgression. In fact, all suffering originates from the entrance of sin into the world through Adam and Eve. Therefore, our Savior also had to suffer in order to redeem us from sin and its far-reaching damage.

The holy Son of God, who had never yielded to sin, struggled with the prospect of being the sin bearer on the cross. Yet Jesus submitted and “learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8). And as the source of eternal salvation, He faithfully completed God’s plan of redemption.

When it’s challenging for us to obey the Lord, we need the help of the One who suffered on our behalf. If His difficult obedience resulted in such a great benefit, surely ours has purpose as well.

Bible in One Year: Ephesians 4-6

 

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — On the Same Team

Leave a comment

 

Bible in a Year:

Encourage one another and build each other up.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Today’s Scripture & Insight:1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, 16–18

When Philadelphia Eagle’s quarterback Carson Wentz returned to the field after healing from a severe injury, the NFL team’s backup quarterback, Nick Foles, graciously returned to the bench. Although competing for the same position, the two men chose to support each other and remained confident in their roles. One reporter observed that the two athletes have a “unique relationship rooted in their faith in Christ” shown through their ongoing prayers for each other. As others watched, they brought honor to God by remembering they were on the same team—not just as Eagles quarterbacks, but as believers in Jesus representing Him.

The apostle Paul reminds believers to live as “children of the light” awaiting Jesus’ return (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6). With our hope secure in the salvation Christ has provided, we can shrug off any temptations to compete out of jealousy, insecurity, fear, or envy. Instead, we can “encourage one another and build each other up” (v. 11). We can respect spiritual leaders who honor God and “live in peace” as we serve together to accomplish our shared goal—telling people about the gospel and encouraging others to live for Jesus (vv. 12–15).

As we serve on the same team, we can heed Paul’s command: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (vv. 16–18).

By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

Who has encouraged you while serving on the same team? How can you encourage someone who serves alongside you?

Jesus, please give me opportunities today to encourage someone who serves with me.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Born to Die

Leave a comment

 

It was June of 1943 in a Nazi-occupied Holland. Corrie Ten Boom turned to the pastor in front of her and asked, “Would you be willing to take a Jewish mother and her baby into your home? They will almost certainly be arrested otherwise.”

Color immediately drained from the man’s face. “Miss Ten Boom!” he said. “I do hope you are not involved with any of this illegal concealment and undercover business. It’s just not safe! Think of your father! And your sister—she’s never been strong!”

On impulse, she told the pastor to wait and ran upstairs. With the mother’s permission, she took the little infant into her arms. Back in the dining room, she pulled back the coverlet from the baby’s face. There was a long silence. The man bent forward, reaching for the tiny fist. Compassion and fear seemed to struggle visually in his face. And then he straightened, “No! Definitely not! We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!”

Meanwhile, unseen, Mr. Ten Boom, Corrie’s Father, appeared in the doorway. “Give the child to me Corrie,” he said. Looking into the little face with eyes as blue and innocent as the baby’s own, he said to the pastor, “You say we could lose our lives for this child. I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to me and to my family.” The pastor turned sharply on his heels and walked out of the room.(1)

This story begs a question we do well to consider: Why? Why did the Ten Booms do what they did? After all, they were not the target of the ongoing Nazi persecution. They were Dutch, not Jewish. Why would they choose to live with such risks?

Allow me to suggest a few possible reasons for their choices. The Ten Booms did what they did because they recognized the immense worth and preciousness of human life. They chose to be ‘betrayers’ and ‘traitors’ in a regime whose adherents not only believed, but acted out, the belief that only the strong, the fit, and the useful had the right to live. All who failed to qualify were annihilated and ‘cleansed’ from the system.

The thought is clearly offensive to our modern sensitivities. And yet, aren’t we still living in a society whose mindset is the same today as it was then? Ours is a world where ‘a person’ has become ‘a thing’ whose worth is only as good as his or her market value.

Second, I believe the Ten Booms did what they did because they were committed to a God whose values of endless, selfless giving, and sacrifice was worth cherishing and emulating. Their God was one who created human life and endowed this life with so much worth and significance that he actually give up his own life in order to preserve human life. This, in fact, is the story of Christianity, the story of the Cross—a God who out of sheer love willingly gave himself up for no fault of his own, in order to save human beings.

Third, I think the Ten Booms were willing to put their lives on the line because of their unshakeable conviction that there is more to the reality of life and death than we know in this one. They were deeply rooted in the awareness that this life and this world, this ‘here and now,’ is not the whole story. It’s just part of the story. On the other side of this life, there is another reality, a glorious and endless one made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the God the Ten Booms worshipped with everything that was in them. Living daily in the knowledge and expectation of this hope allowed them the courage and readiness to suffer and to die for their God and for the sake of others.

When one is imbibed with the knowledge that death is not the final end, we learn to respond to death positively. Closer to my own home, the story of Gladys Staines, the widow of Australian missionary Graham Staines, is a remarkable example of a woman who not only faced the painful reality of the death of her loved ones, but was enabled to seek out meaning and hope even from that dark and horrific experience. On January 23, 1999, Graham Staines and his two little boys, Philip (11) and Timothy (7), were ambushed by a frenzied mob with flaming torches and burnt alive in Manoharpur, Orissa. Yet Gladys Staines said, “I have only one message for the people of India. I am not bitter. Neither am I angry. I can forgive their deeds. Only Jesus can forgive their sins… Let us burn hatred and spread the flame of Christ’s love.” The dignity with which Ms. Staines was able to respond speaks volumes of the values inculcated within her. She showed that forgiveness is love in action. Gladys prayed as Jesus prayer for us: “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” At the funeral of her husband and her two sons, she asked that they sing the song: “Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Because he lives all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future, life is worth the living just because he lives.”

Both the Ten Booms and Gladys Staines are examples of the transforming life that is possible in the transforming death of Jesus. For those who know Christ, the question is not whether we are born to die, but whether we might be willing to die in order to live!

 

Tejdor Tiewsoh is a member of the speaking team with RZIM Shillong, India.

(1) Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place (New York: Bantam, 1974), 99.

Read in browser »

http://www.rzim.org/