Tag Archives: Bible

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Space for Questions

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Returning to graduate school in mid-life has re-introduced to me the importance of asking questions. There are the all-important pragmatic questions that involve the mechanics and the specifics of various assignments. Should one use a particular style guide in writing papers, for example, or what material will be covered on the next exam? There are the questions of curiosity about a particular topic or subject, and there are research questions intended to take a student more deeply into the minutiae of her course of study. I often find that questions beget other questions, and many are not as easily answered as when I first began “formal” education. Instead, I am often led from one question to another on this journey of inquiry that is often only tangentially related to the original question.

When this happens, I wonder whether or not I am in fact asking the “right” questions which would generate answers. Perhaps inquiring into the motivation behind the questions is an even more important task. Do I simply ask out of curiosity? Or am I asking in order to fill my head with as many possible answers as there are question? Or do I continually ask questions as a way of blocking answers—answers that I may not want to hear, or to receive. Of course, asking questions is one of the wonderful qualities of being human. And anyone who has spent even a small amount of time around young children knows that asking questions about every possible subject preoccupies their early verbal expressions.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Step Out and Find Out

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A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the LORD directs his steps and establishes them.— Proverbs 16:9

People often ask me how they can find out what God’s will is for their lives. Some spend many years waiting to hear a voice or to receive supernatural direction. But hearing God’s voice in your heart is usually more practical than that. I tell them to step out and find out.

Early in my journey with God, I wanted to serve Him. I felt He had placed a call on my life, but I didn’t know exactly what to do, so I tried different opportunities that were available.

A lot of them didn’t work out for me, but I kept trying different ones until I found an area that fit me. I finally came alive inside when I had an opportunity to share the Word with people. I found joy in teaching, and it was obvious God had given me the ability to do it. I knew then that I had found my place in ministry.

Sometimes the only way to discover God’s will is to practice what I call “stepping out and finding out.” If you have prayed about a situation and don’t seem to know what you should do, take a step of faith. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Step out and God will guide you.

Prayer Starter: God, I trust You and I know You will direct my steps, so I’m not afraid to step out and find what You have for me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Children of God

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“But to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust Him to save them” (John 1:12).

My wife, Vonette, had been active in the church since she was a little girl, and I assumed that she was a Christian. However, after my proposal and during our engagement, I realized she had never received Christ, though she was a very moral, religious person.

Because of the emotional involvement, I hesitated to press her to receive Christ because I was afraid she would go through the motions of receiving Him to please me, which certainly would not be pleasing to our Lord. So I asked the Lord to send someone who could introduce her to Christ. He clearly led me to call upon a dear friend, the late Dr. Henrietta Mears, who had played such a vital role in my own spiritual growth.

One day at Forest Home, a Christian conference center in California, Dr. Mears took time to talk with Vonette. “Receiving Christ,” she explained, “is simply a matter of turning your life – your will, your emotions, your intellect – completely over to Him.” With that, the great transaction took place and Vonette became a new creature in Christ.

Similarly, in India, a convert from Hinduism could neither read nor write, so he asked others to read the Bible to him. His favorite verse was John 1:12.

“I have received Him,” he said, “so I have become a son of God.”

Radiantly happy, he returned to his village.

“I have become a son of God,”he proclaimed. And his life was so transformed and his simple witness so effective that the other villagers all wanted to become “sons of God,” too.

That radiant convert led the whole village to Christ – and hundreds of others besides. A poor, illiterate, former Hindu, he realized that he had indeed become a son of God and he longed for others to become sons as well.

Bible Reading: John 1:6-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will make certain first of all that I have truly received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord by faith – with the intellect, the emotions, the will. Then I will seek to be God’s instrument in helping to introduce others to Him as well.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Teach Us to Pray, Lord

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

We can’t even get the cable company to answer us, yet God will?  The doctor is too busy, but God isn’t?  We have our doubts about prayer!

Jesus raised people from the dead. But a “How to Vacate the Cemetery” seminar? His followers never called for one. But they did ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Might their interest have something to do with the jaw-dropping promise Jesus attached to prayer? “Ask and it will be given to you.” When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a prayer. Could you use the same?

Father, You are good.

I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help.

Thank You.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer. Punctuate your day with it!

Read more Before Amen

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Stock market plummets 1,175 points: 3 biblical responses

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The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1,175 points yesterday, its worst single-day points drop in history. Coming on the heels of Friday’s 666-point loss, the Dow’s gains for the year have now been erased.

Markets are lower in Europe and Asia this morning, indicating that the US stock market could be in for another tough day today. This may be a short-term correction, or it may be a sign of more declines to come. But the recent plunge may already be affecting our health as well as our wealth.

During the Great Recession, online searches for stomach ulcer symptoms and headaches increased by 228 percent and 193 percent. A second study reported that sharp stock market declines are highly correlated to immediate spikes in hospital admissions.

A third study found the stock market crash of 2008 to be associated with an increase in the rate of heart attacks. And data indicates that while suicide rates increased slowly between 1999 and 2007, the rate of increase more than quadrupled during the Great Recession.

Three biblical principles can help us manage our health and wealth in these days of financial volatility.

Trust God with your financial health Continue reading Denison Forum – Stock market plummets 1,175 points: 3 biblical responses →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Divine Guarantee

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Matthew 6:31-34

Today’s passage contains one of the most amazing promises in all of Scripture. If we truly believed it and lived accordingly, our lives would be transformed, and worry would lose its grip on us. Yet if we keep seeking our security in the things the world values—bank accounts, stable jobs, and a strong national and global economy—we will be filled with anxiety at every fluctuation.

Instead, why not take God up on His guarantee in Matthew 6:33? Make Him your number one priority, seeking both His kingdom (His rule over you) and His righteousness (His transformation of you). What that means is obeying His instructions and submitting to whatever He uses to transform your character, whether it be hardship, suffering, or ease. What I’m talking about is not a sinless life but, rather, the desire to live in God’s will and become increasingly like Christ.

When we make a commitment toward that goal, the Lord promises to take full responsibility for providing whatever we need. Now, this doesn’t mean He will give us everything we ask for, but aren’t you grateful that He doesn’t? Just think back to some of the foolish things you’ve requested in the past. He alone knows what our true needs are.

God has a plan for each believer’s life, and the spiritual benefits of living in His will are amazing. But our loving Father doesn’t stop there—He promises to provide for our physical needs as well. So even though each day will have its own trouble (Matt. 6:34), you can rest in the faithfulness of the heavenly Father and trust Him to keep His Word.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 21-23

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Listening to His Voice

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Read: John 10:25–30

Bible in a Year: Exodus 36–38; Matthew 23:1–22

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.—John 10:27 NKJV

I’m hard of hearing—“deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other,” as my father used to say. So I wear a set of hearing aids.

Most of the time the devices work well, except in environments where there’s a lot of surrounding noise. In those settings, my hearing aids pick up every voice in the room and I cannot hear the person in front of me.

So it is with our culture: a cacophony of sounds can drown out God’s quiet voice. “Where shall the Word be found, where will the Word resound?” poet T.S. Eliot asks. “Not here, there is not enough silence.”

Fortunately, my hearing aids have a setting that cuts out the surrounding sounds and enables me to hear only the voices I want to hear. In the same way, despite the voices around us, if we quiet our souls and listen, we will hear God’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12 NKJV).

He speaks to us every day, summoning us in our restlessness and our longing. He calls to us in our deepest sorrow and in the incompleteness and dissatisfaction of our greatest joys.

But primarily God speaks to us in His Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13). As you pick up His book and read it, you too will hear His voice. He loves you more than you can ever know, and He wants you to hear what He has to say. —David H. Roper

Dear Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word. Help me to listen to Your voice as I spend time alone with You.

God speaks through His Word when we take time to listen.

INSIGHT: Throughout the Scriptures, God used a variety of ways to speak to people. Sometimes, God spoke audibly (Abraham, Moses). Sometimes, He communicated by way of dreams (Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar). At other times, God gave His message through prophets (Samuel, Ezekiel). Occasionally, God even sent His message by way of angels, which means “messengers,” as He did with Mary and Joseph.

No wonder the writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, “God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways” (1:1). However, God’s greatest means of expressing His heart to people was His Son, as verse 2 states: “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” That explains why John opened his gospel by describing Jesus as the Word (the Logos) who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Jesus—the living Word—is God’s ultimate message of love to us! And He is revealed to us in the Scriptures—the written Word.

 

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Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Right Side of Pain

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We shuffled back and forth between the states that sat like metaphors between our divorced parents—a summer, a spring break, a Christmas far from one of them. The pain of the one we were leaving was always palpable, but we always had to leave.

It’s strange the things you interpret as a child with the limited perceptions you have. I was very small when I determined that pain had sides—like a terrible river that could be crossed. I silently vowed I would not allow anyone to keep me stranded on the wrong side of people in pain. As a result, I’ve spent much time collecting strays, searching for the oppressed, feeling the pain of others, and desperately attempting to bind broken hearts, usually without much (or any) success. I realized one day that every community I have ever been involved with has been one somehow marked by suffering. At times, I was even somewhat frantic about expanding my circle of care. The world of souls is a sad and broken place. I was most certain of this because I was one of them, and I vowed that they would not be alone—or perhaps, at times, more accurately, that I would not be alone.

On occasion, I could be honest about unhealthy patterns to my ever-expanding circles of care. With each oppressed group or heart, I would come alongside with the best of intentions. I would give everything I could and some things I could not—love, time, money, tears, depression—until I collapsed, no longer able to give anything at all. I always thought I was retreating out of necessity because taking in pain was understandably exhausting. I figured that the metaphorical house I tried to keep filled, at times, simply needed to be emptied from over-crowding. I was opening up my house until people were hanging from the rafters and lamps started getting broken, and I was falling apart. Little did I realize, the house was falling apart before any of them entered in the first place. For I was inviting them into the wrong house.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Right Side of Pain →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Forgetting About Ourselves

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I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.— Galatians 2:20

Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ. In other words, he had to stop thinking about himself in order to live for God. And we are encouraged to do the same.

At this point you may be thinking, What about me? Who is going to take care of me? This is usually what prevents us from living the way God wants us to live.

It’s easy to just think about what we want, think and feel, but living for yourself is actually a frustrating, empty way to live. It’s amazing how focusing on God and what we can do for others brings freedom from fear about having what we need or want.

The secret to having joy is giving your life away rather than trying to keep it. When you get the focus off of you and onto God, God can show you how to live a truly meaningful life.

I encourage you to start your days by dedicating yourself to God. When you do, He will faithfully help you live a godly life.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Maintains the Seasons

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“As long as the earth remains there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night” (Genesis 8:22).

On his way to a country church one Sunday morning, a preacher was overtaken by one of his deacons.

“What a bitterly cold morning,” the deacon remarked. “I am sorry the weather is so wintry.”

Smiling, the minister replied, “I was just thanking God for keeping His Word.”

“What do you mean?” the man asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“Well,” the preacher said, “more than 3,000 years ago God promised that cold and heat should not cease, so I am strengthened by this weather which emphasizes the sureness of His promises.”

It is most reassuring to realize that we serve a God who keeps His promises, for He is the same God who makes possible the supernatural life for the believer. Part of that supernatural life is the ability to accept our lot in life, to be able to say with the psalmist:

“This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24, KJV).

“Springtime and harvest” reminds us that as we sow the seed of the Word of God, He is faithful to give the increase – in His own good time. He simply asks and expects that we be faithful in our part, which is to give out His Word – to plant – at every possible opportunity.

The Christian who lives the supernatural life is enabled by the Holy Spirit to rejoice under all circumstances and to interpret every problem, adversity, heartache and sorrow in a positive light.

Bible Reading: Genesis 8:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will give thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness, no matter what the circumstances. I will faithfully plant the Word of God today whenever and wherever possible, realizing that our faithful God will produce the promised harvest.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – We Need Prayer Guidance

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

When I pray, I think of a thousand things I need to do. I forget the one thing I set out to do– pray! Can you relate? But wouldn’t we all like to pray. . .More? Better? Deeper? Stronger? With more fire, faith, or fervency? Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, and deadlines to meet. We want to pray, but when? We want to pray, but why? We have our doubts about prayer, our checkered history of unmet expectations, and unanswered questions.

We aren’t the first. The sign-up for Prayer 101 contains familiar names like John, James, Andrew, and Peter. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance. Join us in a prayer challenge. Every day for four weeks, pray four minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before.

more Before Amen

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Denison Forum – Eagles win the Super Bowl, then exhibit true success

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Super Bowl LII set all kinds of records. The Eagles and Patriots combined for the most yards ever in an NFL playoff game. Nick Foles was the first quarterback ever to catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl. It was the first Super Bowl title for Philadelphia, a team which was the underdog in all three of its playoff games.

Nick Foles has to be the most famous backup quarterback in the world today. Forced into action when franchise quarterback Carson Wentz went down earlier in the season with a knee injury, he led his team to the world title and was named Super Bowl MVP. His coach, Doug Pederson, was coaching in high school nine years ago and led his team to the world title in only his second season in Philadelphia.

But for me, the most significant part of the game came during the awards ceremony. Coach Pederson said, “I can only give the praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity.” Tight end Zach Ertz, who made the game-winning catch, then told the audience, “Glory to God first and foremost.” Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles followed Ertz to the microphone and said the same.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Eagles win the Super Bowl, then exhibit true success →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Big Anxieties, Little Faith

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Matthew 6:25-30

Stressful situations come in a variety of forms and intensities, and our earthly existence will never be completely free of them. However, the important question is, What are we going to do with our anxiety? If we let it dominate our thinking, fretfulness can become a way of life. But if we believe what the Bible says about the Lord and His care for us, then we will experience an awesome liberation from worry.

Do you sometimes doubt whether our heavenly Father really cares about the ordinary things that cause you anxiety? After all, He’s got the entire universe to run, and your issues seem so small in comparison. Consider how inconsequential birds and flowers are, yet Jesus says that the Father cares for them (Matt. 6:26). Don’t you think you are worth much more to Him than they are?

At times we let ourselves get all worked up and stressed out because we’re trying to change something that is beyond our control. Just as no one can add a single day to the length of his life, there are likewise many situations that we are powerless to alter. But the sovereign Ruler of the universe loves us and holds everything in His hands—including our stressful and seemingly out-of-control situations. Therefore, we have no reason to fret or fear.

Perhaps the biggest reason we worry is because we don’t trust the Lord. Anxiety can be a symptom of unbelief. The Bible is filled with God’s promises to provide, but so often we doubt that He will. If you can trust Him for your eternal security, can’t you also trust Him for your earthly needs?

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 18-20

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — It Is Amazing!

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Read: Revelation 21:1–3, 10–11, 23

Bible in a Year: Exodus 34–35; Matthew 22:23–46

Let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.—Psalm 72:19  NKJV

In our natural state, we all fall short of it (Romans 3:23).

Jesus was the radiance of it (Hebrews 1:3), and those who knew Him saw it (John 1:14).

In the Old Testament, it filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35), and the Israelites were led by it.

And we are promised that at the end of time, heaven will shine with it in splendor so great there will be no need for the sun (Revelation 21:23).

What is the “it” in all those statements above?

“It” is the glory of God. And He is amazing!

Throughout the Bible we are told that we can enjoy glimpses of God’s magnificent glory as we dwell on this earth He has created. God’s glory is described as the external display of His being. Because we cannot see God, He gives us clear pictures of His presence and His work in things like the majesty of the universe, the greatness of our salvation, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Today, look for God’s glory—for the evidence of His greatness. You’ll see it in nature’s beauty, a child’s laughter, and the love of others. God still fills the earth with His glory. —Dave Branon

Thank You, heavenly Father, for the glimpse of Your glory that we see now, for the glory that we know exists in our Savior, and for the sure hope of the full knowledge of glory that we will experience in heaven.

 

We can see and enjoy the glory of God both now and forever.

INSIGHT: In picturesque language, John describes the New Jerusalem descending as a bride prepared for her husband. The beauty of the bride is derived from a single source: God’s glory. The brilliance of the city “was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:11, emphasis added). The text doesn’t say that the new Jerusalem will be made from those precious stones, but that the glory of God will make the city shine like those gems. The brilliance of God’s glory gives light to the city (v. 23). In other words, God’s presence—His glory—enables the inhabitants of the city to see, both physically and spiritually. In the New Jerusalem, we will be guided by the light of God’s glory. J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Righteous Resolve 

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The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land. Proverbs 10:30

Resolve is the result of righteous living. There is a determination deep within a soul dependent on God. When you are established in the faith, no one can remove you from Christ’s call. He has appointed you to this post of service. Do not leave until the Lord reassigns you. Righteous resolve decides to stay put; so by faith, keep on for Christ.

It probably means you disappoint some and invigorate others. However, if your goal is to first trust and obey the Lord, you will be misunderstood by some and rejected by others. Friends may even urge you to move on, but you cannot because Christ has not released you. Your resolve is His resolve. Therefore, you persevere through pain, suffering and uncertainty. Righteous resolve remains, regardless of the consequences, good or bad.

Moreover, there is a righteous resolve that remains in Christ (see John 15:5). Your conversion to Christianity was a resolution to abide under the influence of almighty God. You stay true to your commitment to Christ because of the joy that comes from following Jesus. The “meek inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5), while the wicked don’t.

Lastly, you cannot lose what you give away, and you cannot keep what you will not release. Indeed, a righteous resolve has a relentless trust in the Lord. Obedience, generosity and contentment all require tenacious trust. Therefore, resolve in your heart to go hard after God. Release your relentless pursuits, only after He has released you. Perhaps you ask, “Is my resolve righteous, or is it contingent on circumstances?”

The Bible says, “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:3).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me Your resolve to complete the project I have started and to finish well, in Jesus! name, amen.

Application: Where do I need a righteous resolve to remain true to my commitment and calling?

Related Readings:  Psalm 15:5; Daniel 1:8; Romans 8:35-39; 1 Corinthians 2:2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Reaching Out to Others

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If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.— Isaiah 58:10 (NKJV)

God is passionate about helping people who are hurting and in need. Throughout the years, as I have become closer to Him and my love for Him has grown, I have become more determined to live each day in a way that will make someone else’s life better. God’s passion has become my passion.

Reaching out to others isn’t something we should pay lip service to. It should be a top priority of living the Christian life.

It takes determination and commitment to stretch ourselves to help others, but that’s how God wants us to live. God says that when you truly give and pour yourself out for others, He will use you. And when He uses you, your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:10 NKJV).

If you reach beyond your own situation and bring Christ’s love to others, your peace and joy will increase, making the struggles you face seem to fade away. And you’ll experience the amazing satisfaction of making a difference where it counts.

So consider this: Do you need to rearrange your priorities to make God’s passion your passion? Ask Him to show you how you can reach out to others and bring His light and love to those who need it most.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Underneath: Everlasting Arms

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“The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out your enemies before you…” (Deuteronomy 33-27, LB).”…with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8, KJV).

Susan was broken-hearted. She had just lost her first child at birth. The trauma of that experience had affected her relationship with her husband and with everyone else around her. She had become cynical and moody. She blamed God for what had happened and said, “I hate Him. Why would this happen to me? Where was God when I was going through the birth pangs, the excruciating pain of giving birth to a stillborn child? Why didn’t He give me a healthy baby?”

I was reminded of a statement that I had heard in response to a similar anguished plea: “Where was God when I lost my son?”

The answer: “Where He was when His own Son died on the cross for our sins.”

We do not understand the mystery of why God allows tragedy, heartache and sorrow, but we do know that those who trust the eternal God as their refuge will experience the reality of His promise that “underneath are the everlasting arms.”

Sometime later I talked with a godly Christian leader whose son had just taken his own life. Of course this man and his wife were devastated. Their hearts were broken. But what a difference in their reaction. Even through his tears this great Christian was saying, “I know I can trust God. He is a loving God. He is my refuge, and I feel His strength and compassion and care for me and my loved ones. My wife and I and all of our family are rededicating ourselves to Him as an expression of our love and confidence in His trustworthiness.”

Bible Reading: Psalm 91:1-7

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: As an expression of my confidence in God and His love and faithfulness I will make a special effort to visualize those everlasting arms of love spread out beneath me, ready for any fall I may take, like a giant net below a trapeze artist. That will give me courage in the face of every obstacle and assurance despite my weaknesses.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Faithful Lover

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Read: Song of Solomon 1:9-17

Behold, you are beautiful, my love. (v. 15)

Just as no one knows for sure if the Song of Solomon was actually written by King Solomon or is just “Solomonesque,” so also no one knows exactly why this love poem, with its tricky plot line and just a passing mention of God, was first included in the Bible. There is a clue, however, in the Jewish practice of reading the Song during the Passover Seder.

Many Jewish scholars consider the Song a midrash, or commentary, upon the book of Exodus, the great salvation story of Israel. The Song shows an image of God as a faithful lover within the bonds and bounds of a covenant relationship. This biblical relationship is built on love instead of just legal obligations.

Staying in love over time has its challenges. Husbands and wives take each other for granted, our hearts and minds (and eyes) wander, and lovable quirks become irritations. Over time our experience of salvation also has its challenges. We struggle to stay alert to the glories of God’s saving grace, and our prayers may become worn out and tired. One way to avoid this is to attend to the words of this Song. That’s why the Song is read at Passover, so people hear God’s voice saying, “Behold, you are beautiful, my love.” More than anything, God loves you. Do you believe it? Read the words of the Song as addressed just to you. —Jeff Munroe

Prayer: Lord, may we hear your voice of love.

 

https://woh.org/

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – WE HAVE THE WORDS OF LIFE

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Romans 1:8–17

The famous nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he would defend the Bible against its critics. He responded, “Open the door and let the lion out; he will take care of himself.”

As we begin the work of evangelism, we often find ourselves already discouraged. We recognize our own shortcomings, and we worry that we are poor examples of the life of faith. We fear that we will have no answers to the objections of unbelievers. We doubt that our feeble words will have any effect on their hearts. Today’s passage is just the encouragement we need! We have the words of life (John 6:68).

First, Paul sets an example for us by his commitment to telling people about Christ. Three times in this passage (vv. 9, 13, 15), Paul expresses how eager he is to come to Rome and preach the gospel. Paul’s confidence that this is exactly what the Romans need can encourage us in our own evangelistic work. What the people in our communities need most is to hear from us about Jesus.

Paul also tells us why he was so determined to preach the gospel and continue preaching it: because he knew it was the power of salvation (vv. 16–17). Every one of us who has been saved from sin knows this to be true. The message of Christ crucified for sinners reveals God’s righteousness to those who receive it by faith (see Rom. 3:21–26). And we cannot be ashamed of the precious truth that has brought us from death to life.

Our words to our unbelieving neighbors may sound inadequate to our ears, but God assures us that the message of the gospel comes from our lips with power—His power!—for the salvation of everyone who believes.

APPLY THE WORD

At times, the work of evangelism seems fruitless and hopeless. God encourages us to this difficult task by reminding us that the gospel is powerful, and we do not need to be either discouraged or ashamed. If you have not already done so, memorize Romans 1:16. Be encouraged by its promise. Then, open the door and let the lion out!

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Serve With Humility

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Philippians 2:3-8

There are no big shots in Christ’s kingdom. We are all on the same level at the cross and saved by the same grace and blood of Jesus. As we humbly admit our sinful, helpless condition and call on the Lord to save us, He forgives our sin and irrevocably adopts us into His family. And just as we humble ourselves to receive Christ’s salvation by faith, we must also serve Him with humility of mind.

Being a servant of Christ requires that we submit to His leadership, regarding what we’re to do, how we’re to carry out His will, and where He would have us serve. There is no room for self-seeking or self-promotion; our only concern should be obedience, with the aim that God alone gets the glory.

Sometimes we become preoccupied with finding our purpose in life so we can gain a sense of usefulness and self-fulfillment. Although we do benefit from serving the Lord according to the way He’s gifted and designed us, that should not be our motive. A humble spirit doesn’t look out for its own interests but instead thinks of others. This is the attitude Christ had. He willingly left heaven to take on human form in order to go to the cross—that was a selfless act of obedience to the Father so we could be saved.

Are you willing to serve the Lord in obscurity? What if no expressions of gratitude or praise come your way? Do you cheerfully do lowly tasks? It’s not always easy to evaluate our motives, but asking ourselves these questions will help us determine whether we’re truly serving in humility or seeking our own interests.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 14-17

 

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