Tag Archives: Bible

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – I was reminded in Israel that religion doesn’t work

Leave a comment

I am returning this morning from leading a study tour of the Holy Land. (Today’s article was posted yesterday before our plane left Tel Aviv.) Each time I travel to Israel, I am impressed again with the beauty, history, and spiritual significance of this singular land.

As our group took communion while looking over Jerusalem, I reminded them that this “Holy City” is venerated by the world’s great monotheistic religions and more than half of the planet’s population. Before us stood some of the most famous structures in these religions.

For Muslims, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock comprise the third-holiest site in the world. For Jews, the Western Wall of the Temple Mount is the holiest place on earth. For Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or Garden Tomb is believed to be the location of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Throughout our stay in Israel, we were surrounded by the fervency of religion. Muslims streamed to the Temple Mount for Friday prayers. Jews crowded the Western Wall on the Sabbath. Christians gathered for Sunday worship in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

As I experienced what is arguably the world’s most religious city, I was reminded of the deception of religion.

An illustration from Leonardo da Vinci

To illustrate my point, I’d like you to consider what is now the world’s most expensive painting.

Continue reading Denison Forum – I was reminded in Israel that religion doesn’t work →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Strengthen Yourself in the Lord

Leave a comment

 

1 Samuel 30:1-8

After an exhausting three-day journey, David and his men finally arrived home to find a scene of devastation. Their homes were burned to the ground, and their families were missing. Utter despair engulfed them. David’s distress soon increased when his men’s grief turned into bitter anger and they spoke of stoning him.

Most of us won’t experience this extreme a situation, but we can identify with David’s discouragement. Sometimes despair follows a personal tragedy or loss, but it can also result from the weariness of ongoing daily pressures. Family problems, financial difficulties, and health issues may make discouragement a constant companion. The same can happen with emotional struggles over feelings of unworthiness, failure to overcome an addictive habit, the pain of criticism, or fear of inadequacy.

Despair can afflict anyone unexpectedly, but the Lord doesn’t want us to linger in a fog of depression. We often can’t avoid the situations that lead us into discouragement, but we do have a choice whether to stay in that condition. Instead of caving in to misery, David chose to strengthen himself in the Lord. He recognized that God was the only one who could give him the proper perspective on the problem and provide the guidance he needed.

When you’re discouraged, where do you turn? Perhaps the last thing you want to do is read Scripture and pray—initially, the passages may seem like meaningless words, and your prayers might feel empty. But if you persist in crying out to God, you’ll eventually experience His comforting strength.

Bible in One Year: Acts 25-26

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Take a Number

Leave a comment

Read: John 14:15–27

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 14–15; James 2

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.—John 14:27

We have an ancient cherry tree in our backyard that had seen better days and looked like it was dying, so I called in an arborist. He checked it out and declared that it was “unduly stressed” and needed immediate attention. “Take a number,” my wife, Carolyn, muttered to the tree as she walked away. It had been one of those weeks.

Indeed, we all have anxious weeks—filled with worries over the direction our culture is drifting or concerns for our children, our marriages, our businesses, our finances, our personal health and well-being. Nevertheless, Jesus has assured us that despite disturbing circumstances we can be at peace. He said, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27).

Jesus’s days were filled with distress and disorder: He was beleaguered by His enemies and misunderstood by His family and friends. He often had no place to lay His head. Yet there was no trace of anxiety or fretfulness in His manner. He possessed an inner calm, a quiet tranquility. This is the peace He has given us—freedom from anxiety concerning the past, present, and future. The peace He exhibited; His peace.

In any circumstances, no matter how dire or trivial, we can turn to Jesus in prayer. There in His presence we can make our worries and fears known to Him. Then, Paul assures us, the peace of God will come to “guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Even if we’ve had “one of those weeks,” we can have His peace. —David H. Roper

Dear Lord, thank You that I can come to You with every care and Your peace will guard my mind.

In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus.

INSIGHT: Are you struggling today? Thank God that you can take your cares to Him in prayer and ask Him to help you commit your situation to His care.

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Face that Won’t Go Away

Leave a comment

Thomas Grüter has always had trouble putting names with faces. But unlike most of us who might have trouble recollecting the name of the man who just said hello, Grüter’s trouble lies in recognizing the face of the man who just said hello—even if it is his own father’s. His condition is called prosopagnosia or “face blindness,” and until recently the disorder was thought to be exceedingly rare. But new research led by a team that included Grüter himself shows the disorder is surprisingly much more common.

Those affected with prosopagnosia are not forgetful or inattentive, nor are they the social snobs they are often accused of being. When it comes to faces—even their own—they see very little that distinguishes one from another. The part of the brain that signals face recognition simply does not respond. As a result, they may greet acquaintances as strangers, struggle to keep up with plots in movies, and have difficulty finding their own children at school pick-up time. “I see faces that are human,” notes one woman of her condition, “but they all look more or less the same. It’s like looking at a bunch of golden retrievers: some may seem a little older or smaller or bigger, but essentially they all look alike.”(1)

The more I think about what it would mean to live unable to recognize faces, the more I am amazed at our ability to do so at all. Human faces are so complex, differing in both great and minute details. Our faces change with expression or circumstance, angle or shift of light; they are transformed by emotions, altered by different situations, and slowly transformed with age. Given the intricacy of the task, it is phenomenal that we should be able to recognize so many faces so effortlessly in the first place.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Face that Won’t Go Away →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Follow the Ark

Leave a comment

Commanding the people: When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being borne by the Levitical priests, set out from where you are and follow it.— Joshua 3:3

Are you facing any new opportunities right now? Whatever those opportunities may be, it’s always important to “follow the ark.” What do I mean by that? Well…sometimes we can hang on to old, stale situations in life, simply because they are familiar to us, and we’re really just afraid of getting into uncharted territory. And then there are times we can sense something new ahead of us and we just want to step right into it—before it’s God’s time for us to do it.

In Joshua 3:3, God talks to Israel about following the Ark of the Covenant. The ark represents the anointing of God…the presence of God…the will of God. It’s very important for us to learn to follow the will of God and not our own will or the will of others.

God has a plan for you and me, and the only way to see that plan unfold is to follow the ark, or the will of God, and not our flesh, other people or our emotions.

Remember today that whatever God’s will is for your life, He will provide the way for you to accomplish it.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God Uses Sorrow for Good

Leave a comment

“For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life. We should never regret his sending it. But the sorrow of the man who is not a Christian is not the sorrow of true repentance and does not prevent eternal death.” (II Corinthians 7:10).

Frank often referred to himself proudly as a self-made man. He bragged that in his youth he had been so poor he didn’t have two nickels to rub together. Now his real estate holdings and various business enterprises were worth tens of millions of dollars. He was a pillar in the community, able to give generously to civic and philanthropic causes.  His philosophy was that there was no God, and every man had to make it on his own. He laughed at the weaklings who needed the crutch of church.

Then his world began to fall apart. His only son was sent to prison for pushing drugs. His daughter had an automobile accident that left her partially paralyzed for life; and his wife, whom he had largely ignored for years, announced she was in love with someone else and demanded a divorce. Meanwhile, because he had become lax in his business dealings, one of his partners embezzled several million dollars from him.

By this time, he was devastated, and, therefore, was open to spiritual counsel. After the Holy Spirit showed him his spirit of pride and selfishness, he opened his heart to Christ and the miracle took place. Now, he frequently quotes this passage: “God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life.”

Though his son is still in prison, and his daughter still paralyzed, he and his wife are reconciling, and his heart is filled with joy and thanksgiving to God. He is no longer a proud, “successful” businessman, but a humble child of God, a servant who discovered the hard way that everyone needs God.

For every Frank there are hundreds of others experiencing heartache and tragedy who have not repented. Yet, God offers to all men and women the priceless gift of abundant and supernatural life.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 28:12-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall seek to live the full, abundant, supernatural life, walking in faith and obedience, so that God will not find it necessary to discipline me in order to bless me.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – What He Says He Will Do

Leave a comment

God will always be the same. No one else will. Companies follow pay raises with pink slips. Friends applaud you when you drive a classic and dismiss you when you drive a dud.

Not God. God is always the same. James 1:17 says, with Him “there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Catch God in a bad mood? Won’t happen. Fear exhausting His grace? A sardine will swallow the Atlantic first. Think He’s given up on you? Wrong. Did He not make a promise to you? God is not a human being, and He will not lie. He is not a human, and He does not change His mind. What He says He will do. What He promises, He will make come true. His strength, truth, ways, and love never change. Hebrews 13:8 declares “He is the same yesterday and today and forever.” What He says, He will do!

Read more Lucado Inspirational Reader

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

Home

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Starbucks Cup cheered by LGBT advocates

Leave a comment

Starbucks has unveiled its new holiday campaign. It features what appears to be an affectionate lesbian couple in its promotional video. Some believe that the design of the new cup includes a same-sex couple as well.

The British LGBT Awards tweeted, “We’re loving @Starbucks’ new festive ad with a lesbian couple.” Other LGBT advocates are cheering the Holiday Cup design that seems to incorporate the couple. Predictably, those who oppose such “inclusiveness” are being labeled as “closed-minded” and ridiculed.

As unbiblical morality becomes increasingly popular, it’s worth asking: Why should Christians stand up against cultural trends?

The popularity of popularity

I often write about our culture’s postmodern belief that truth is what we believe it to be. Here’s a corollary consequence: popularity has become our definition of success.

Possessions are measured by popularity. Why do we want to drive and wear what is fashionable? Why do we care what other people think of our cars and clothes so long as they do their job?

Social media is driven by popularity measured in “likes,” “click-throughs,” and “follows.” The larger your audience, the more valuable your message. Or so we think.

Morality is driven by popularity as well. Since 61 percent of Australians voting in a recent election supported same-sex marriage, lawmakers will now change the centuries-old definition of marriage to accommodate the popular vote. Whether gay marriage is actually harmful to gay people and society at large is not a factor in the conversation.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Starbucks Cup cheered by LGBT advocates →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Assurance of Salvation

Leave a comment

 

1 John 5:10-13

Many of the people who call In Touch have questions about their salvation. They’re frustrated to feel uncertainty about such an important issue. Today’s devotion is a three-part salvation assessment. If you answer yes to every question, you can be sure that you are in God’s family and destined for an eternity in His presence. If you answer no, you’ll know exactly which issue(s) to talk over with your pastor or spiritual mentor.

  1. Do I trust Scripture? Salvation is a one-step process: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Either we trust that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world (including ours), or we don’t (John 3:16).
  2. Do I accept the witness of the Holy Spirit? Anyone who believes in Jesus has the Spirit dwelling within his or her being. That is, the Holy Spirit testifies with regard to our identity as God’s children (Rom. 8:16). It’s not about whether we feel saved; God’s Spirit offers an abiding conviction that we are.
  3. Do I walk like a follower of Jesus? Those who are in Christ are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). If we have been transformed, then there are going to be changes in our life. Simply put, true believers are creatures who seek the things of God—they desire to read and understand His Word, they want to gather with His people, etc.

Confirmed Christ-followers still sin. Some even backslide for a time. No matter how meandering our walk of faith may be, the Holy Spirit continues to convict. He won’t allow us to be satisfied with wrongdoing. That tug of guilt over sin is yet another assurance that you’ve placed yourself in God’s grip.

Bible in One Year: Acts 23-24

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Seeing Masterpieces

Leave a comment

Read: Psalm 139:11–18

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 11–13; James 1

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.—Psalm 139:13

My father creates custom quivers designed for archers to carry their arrows. He carves elaborate wildlife pictures into pieces of genuine leather, before stitching the material together.

During a visit, I watched him construct one of his works of art. His careful hands applied just the right pressure as he pressed a sharp blade into the supple leather, creating various textures. Then he dipped a rag into crimson dye and covered the leather with even strokes, magnifying the beauty of his creation.

As I admired my dad’s confident craftsmanship, I realized how often I fail to acknowledge and appreciate my heavenly Father’s creativity manifested in others and even in myself. Reflecting on the Lord’s magnificent workmanship, I recalled King David’s affirmation that God creates our “inmost being” and that we’re “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:13–14).

We can praise our Creator in confidence because we know His “works are wonderful” (v. 14). And we can be encouraged to respect ourselves and others more, especially when we remember that the Maker of the Universe knew us inside and out and planned our days “before one of them came to be” (vv. 15–16).

Like the pliable leather carved by my father’s skilled hands, we are each beautiful and valuable simply because we are God’s one-of-a-kind creations. Each one of us, intentionally designed to be unique and purposed as God’s beloved masterpieces, contributes to reflect God’s magnificence. —Xochitl Dixon

Lord, thank You for creating us in Your perfect love. Please help us to see ourselves, and others, as Your unique masterpieces.

God masterfully creates each person with uniqueness and purpose.

INSIGHT: Like a potter, God shaped man from clay (Isa. 64:8) and breathed into him the breath of life (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4). Humans are the only creatures privileged to have the breath of God, setting us apart from other creatures, for only humans are created “in the image of God” (Gen. 1:27). Each person is a unique individual, possessing the mental, emotional, and spiritual consciousness of our Creator and the capacity to have a personal relationship with Him. The Old Testament patriarch Job may be the first person to acknowledge that “[God’s] hands shaped me and made me. . . . [You clothed] me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews” (Job 10:8, 11-12). The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed that God had preordained his destiny and life even before he was formed in his mother’s womb! (Jer. 1:5). David, celebrating himself as one of God’s masterpieces, says that he has been “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God (Ps. 139:13-16).

Do you see yourself as God’s masterpiece? Reflect on how God has uniquely created you. Sim Kay Tee

 

http://www.odb.org

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – GOD WAITS BECAUSE HE WANTS ALL TO COME

Leave a comment

2 Peter 3:8–14

David Nasmith had a heart to bring the gospel to the poor in Glasgow, Scotland. On January 1, 1826, he opened the first city mission known in the Protestant world. This organization ministered to spiritual and physical needs, including preaching, worship services, literature distribution, health care and medical services, schools, visiting prisoners, and legal advocacy. His model inspired many other city missions around the world.

Nasmith shared God’s heart for all to be saved. It should encourage us that waiting is not only a human experience. In some mysterious way, it is a divine experience as well. God waits patiently because He wants “everyone to come to repentance” (v. 9). He “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). Though lengths of time mean nothing to Him (v. 8), He still chooses to “wait” as part of His plan. To us, this may feel “slow,” but it just means that God is patient in His promise-keeping. Patience is the virtue or attribute that empowers waiting.

God desires for His gift of salvation to be received by as many as possible. As the apostle Paul described it, He desires “the full number of the Gentiles [to] come in” (Rom. 11:25). He takes no pleasure in sending people to hell. Without this patience and love, there would be no reason for time to continue. The Day of the Lord might as well arrive immediately. When it does arrive, it will do so suddenly and disastrously, “like a thief” (v. 10).

How should we live while God waits (vv. 11–14)? We should live “holy and godly lives.” We should joyfully anticipate the Day of the Lord, for the old will be destroyed and “a new heaven and a new earth” will be born.

APPLY THE WORD

If God wants “everyone to come to repentance,” how can we want any less? Sharing the good news with others is an excellent way to learn and reflect the heart of God. Consider unbelievers He’s put in your life, such as family, friends, neighbors, or work colleagues. Pray for opportunities to witness through words and actions.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – You Can’t Out-Give God

Leave a comment

Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.— Luke 6:38

Some put money or the world’s system of commerce before God. But the Bible states in Revelation 18, that if we put our trust in money it’s going to fail. I’ve found that the way to deal with money, instead of struggling with it, is to try and out-give God…because we can’t.

The more we give away…the more we obey Him with our finances, the more He blesses us. As we do more for other people, we will find we are happier and more fulfilled than we were before.

Society tells us to invest everything in the world’s system and work all the time to make more money. But if we do, we’ll never really have anything that matters, especially joy. And we won’t be able to enjoy the money we have because we won’t be using it God’s way.

It may not make sense according to the world’s system, but God doesn’t want you to simply make money and hoard it away. God says that by giving it away, you will have more in the end. I challenge you to increase your generosity today. Trust me—you can’t out-give God.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Like a Sweet Perfume

Leave a comment

“But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, He has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go He uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

We can certainly learn a lesson from the apostle Paul. He frequently begins a chapter or a verse with a note of praise. To say that he had a thankful spirit would be understating the case. That perhaps is the key to victory in every area of our lives, to begin with thanksgiving.

It is God who leads us to triumph over principalities and powers. And in leading us to triumph, He is then able to use us to tell others of His love and forgiveness through the Lord Jesus. As we rest in His victory and in His command, with its promise of “Lo, I am with you always,” we spread the gospel like a sweet perfume.

In your own home and in your own neighborhood, perhaps, are those who need the sweet perfume of the gospel, that heavenly aroma that comes first from God, then through us as His servants, and finally in the message itself: the good news of sins forgiven and a heavenly home assured.

Around the world, literally, I personally have seen multitudes of men and women, old and young, become new creatures in Christ. The aroma indeed is one of sweet perfume, for tangled lives have become untangled to the glory of God, and joy abounds in hearts and lives where only sadness and despair had been known.

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: “Dear Lord, help me to bear a heavenly aroma as I share the sweet perfume of the gospel with others.”

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – A Disciple’s Prayer

Leave a comment

Read: Nehemiah 1:1-11

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (v. 4 NIV)

  1. M. Bounds once said, “The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” There are plenty of how-to guides out there on prayer, but in the Bible God gives us his servant Nehemiah whose life and prayers challenge us to be people who pray.

When should we pray? When Nehemiah hears that Jerusalem is in ruins, the first thing he does is sit down and weep. Then for several days he mourns and fasts and prays. He doesn’t try to “fix” things. Instead, he gets alone with God. True disciples of Jesus do more than pray, but they don’t do anything until they pray.

Why should we pray? Nehemiah has a huge weight on his heart because of this news. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he goes straight to the Lord. This shows Nehemiah’s dependence on God while allowing God to lighten Nehemiah’s load. His prayer of faith permits God’s power to be released.

How should we pray? If we look at today’s passage, we see that Nehemiah adores God’s character (v. 5). He focuses on God’s position, power, and promises to his people. Furthermore, instead of passing the blame, he admits to God that the Israelites, including himself and his father’s family, have sinned and need God’s forgiveness. And lastly, he claims God’s promises to the people of Israel. This reminds him of God’s faithfulness. —Bob Bouwer

Prayer: Father, thank you for godly examples of people who pray.

 

https://woh.org/

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – No Stress

Leave a comment

 

2 Corinthians 1:8–9

Today we call pressure stress. You hear many people talking about stress. Stress can be bad if all we do is worry. It can be good if it pushes us toward the only One who has answers for our stress—God our Father.

Once a stressful situation has passed, you come out of it with the ability to help other people. Think about the last time you had to study for a hard test. You probably felt pressure until you finished the test. But now when a friend talks about being stressed out about an exam, you know exactly how he or she feels.

Or do you remember a time when your mom got really sick or your dad traveled away for several weeks? Was it stressful for the rest of your family? But when the sickness or travel was over, you were relieved. Now, you can be understanding when others face a similar situation.

The most important thing to remember is that any time you face pressure, turn to God first. If you learn to rely on him, you will experience his peace and the stress won’t be as overwhelming. Then you will have a truly helpful answer to offer others—God’s strength.

Dear Lord, Everybody talks about being “stressed out.” I’m so glad you are the answer to all stressful situations. Amen.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Believer’s Conduct

Leave a comment

 

1 Peter 1:1-9

Peter wrote his first letter to build up readers in their Christian walk. That purpose still applies today. Let’s take a look at some of the key points in today’s passage.

Our life is to be based on the atoning work of Jesus Christ, who died to redeem us from bondage to sin. His precious blood paid in full the cost of all our transgressions—past, present, and future (Eph. 1:7). Upon acceptance of the Lord’s sacrificial death on our behalf, we experience a second birth and become spiritually alive (John 3:3).

At that moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. His presence is proof of our new position in Christ, as well as a guarantee of our future inheritance and our place in heaven. As God’s children, we’re commanded to live a life of holiness, marked by a deep reverence for the Lord.

Our desire for holy living comes from knowing our Father’s character, understanding what it cost for us to be saved, and recognizing we will face a future judgment. Though we won’t face condemnation, we will one day stand before our Lord so He can assess our work and determine our heavenly rewards (Rom. 8:1; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15). He will examine our inner feelings as well as our outward behavior. Acts of obedience will be rewarded; times of rebellion will not. In other words, our attitudes and choices really do matter, both in this life and in the future.

Take time regularly to ponder these truths. Use them to increase your desire to follow God, to make changes in your conduct, and to be His faithful, obedient servant.

Bible in One Year: Acts 21-22

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Hide and Seek

Leave a comment

Read: Ezekiel 8

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 8–10; Hebrews 13

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.—1 Peter 1:3

“You can’t see me!”

When small children play “hide and seek,” they sometimes believe they’re hiding just by covering their eyes. If they can’t see you, they assume you can’t see them.

Naïve as that may seem to adults, we sometimes do something similar with God. When we find ourselves desiring to do something we know is wrong, our tendency may be to shut God out as we willfully go our own way.

The prophet Ezekiel discovered this truth in the vision God gave him for his people, exiled in Babylon. The Lord told him, “Have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The LORD does not see us’” (Ezek. 8:12).

But God misses nothing, and Ezekiel’s vision was proof of it. Yet even though they had sinned, God offered His repentant people hope through a new promise: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (36:26).

For us, God met the brokenness and rebellion of sin with His tender mercy at the cross, paying the ultimate penalty for it. Through Jesus Christ, God not only offers us a new beginning, but He also works within us to change our hearts as we follow Him. How good is God! When we were lost and hiding in our sinfulness, God drew near through Jesus, who “came to seek and to save” us (Luke 19:10; Rom. 5:8). —James Banks

Thank You for Your kindness to me, Lord. Help me to seek You and follow You faithfully today.

God knows us completely . . . and loves us just as much.

 

http://www.odb.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Pray without Ceasing

Leave a comment

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (vv. 16-18)

For many of us, learning to pray involved certain fixed times of prayer: before meals, before bedtime, and during church. The apostle Paul encourages something more in our prayer life: “pray without ceasing.” This biblical command draws us toward a lifetime of continual conversation with God. But how is this possible?

Does praying without end mean that we are to spend our waking hours with our eyes closed and hands folded? By no means! Paul encourages us to be in a continual, ongoing dialog with God our loving Father. Imagine reserving times of communication with our closest friends or family to only a few fleeting moments in a day. Or worse, suppose we limited those conversations to a set of memorized sentences that we simply repeat every day.

Our lives are meant to be a steady stream of conversation with our ever-present Lord. In times of fear, anxiety, or want, we must turn to the Lord as our comforter, helper, and provider. In times of gladness and joy, we should celebrate with him and share our thankfulness. When we’re angry and upset, we must seek his wisdom and guidance. “Do not be anxious about anything,” Paul says elsewhere, “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6) —Brad Haitsma

Prayer: Father, keep us closely connected to you in prayer at all times. Amen.

 

https://woh.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer –You Can Win the Battle Today

Leave a comment

Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].— Romans 8:6

Right now, you and I are in the middle of a war. It’s a spiritual warfare, and we wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV). We need to have the mind of the Holy Spirit to win the battle.

Sadly, there are many believers who operate with the mind of the flesh. But if we want to live in a way that can change our world, then we have to stop living in the flesh and start living in the Spirit.

Every one of us needs to continually make adjustments to put our fleshly desires under the Holy Spirit’s control and not let our emotions or mind rule us. Scripture explains that the spirit wages war against the flesh and the flesh wages war against the spirit, so they are continually antagonistic toward each other.

It’s a war! The devil hates us, and he is constantly working overtime, trying to make sure that we give in to the flesh.

Ultimately, you decide who wins in your life. The good news is, you don’t have to be subject to your flesh. You can live in the Spirit, bringing your flesh in line with His Will. You can win the battle today!

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright –He Wonderfully Comforts

Leave a comment

“What a wonderful God we have – He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4).

Whatever God does for you and me is without merit on our part and by pure grace on His part, and it is done for a purpose. Here the apostle Paul tells the Corinthian believers why God so wonderfully comforts and strengthens them, and us, in our hardships and trials.

This scriptural principle is a good one to remember: God never gives to or benefits His children solely for their own selfish ends. We are not comforted and strengthened in our hardships and trials just so that we will feel better.

Eleven out of the 13 Pauline epistles begin with the exclamations of joy, praise and thanksgiving. Second Corinthians, obviously, is one of those. Though Paul had been afflicted and persecuted, he had also been favored with God’s comfort and consolation.

Paul delighted in tracing all his comforts back to God. He found no other real source of happiness. The apostle does not say that God’s comfort and strength is given solely for the benefit of others, but he does say that this is an important purpose. We are not to hoard God’s blessings.

Bible Reading: Hebrews 13:15-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: As I live in the supernatural strength of the Lord God, I will make an effort, with His help, to share that strength (and other blessings) with others

 

 

http://www.cru.org