Tag Archives: Bible

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Where Do You Go for Advice?

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1 Timothy 4:4-10

Because thinking shapes beliefs, and beliefs in turn determine our lifestyle, a biblical mindset is vitally important in our sanctification. Each day we choose to let either the world or God’s Word shape our thoughts and actions. Although most of us are quick to say we believe the Bible, sometimes our actions do not match our words.

Where do you go when you want advice about a big decision or lifestyle choice? Websites, blogs, and the media offer a wealth of information that can be either beneficial or harmful. Coworkers, family, and friends are also readily available sources of counsel, but do they speak with worldly reasoning or godly wisdom? Our only sure resource for true and wise guidance is Scripture. Yet sadly, we do not always seek direction in its pages but instead often rely on human intelligence and personal preferences.

Hebrews 4:12 describes God’s Word as “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword,” which pierces into the deepest parts of the soul. Those who refuse to surrender to its penetrating work essentially dethrone God from His rightful place in their life. But those who are willing to be nourished by Scripture, accepting its reproof and correction, will discover the riches of a life of faith.

Letting the Word be your guide requires costly changes in thought, attitude, and behavior. Yet any lifestyle adjustments or disciplines that produce godliness also result in eternal profit. A solid foundation of faith and wisdom starts with going to Scripture for direction.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 4-6

 

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Naming God

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Read: Genesis 16:1–13 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 123–125; 1 Corinthians 10:1–18

I have now seen the One who sees me. Genesis 16:13

In his book The God I Don’t Understand, Christopher Wright observes that an unlikely person is one of the first to give God a name. It’s Hagar!

Hagar’s story provides a disturbingly honest look at human history. It’s been years since God told Abram and Sarai they would have a son, and Sarai has only grown older and more impatient. In order to “help” God, she resorts to a custom of the day. She gives her slave, Hagar, to her husband, and Hagar becomes pregnant.

God sees us with eyes of compassion.

Predictably, dissension arises. Sarai mistreats Hagar, who runs away. Alone in the desert, she meets the angel of the Lord, who makes a promise strikingly similar to one God had made earlier—to Abram (see Gen. 15:5). “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count” (16:10). The angel names Hagar’s son Ishmael, which means “God hears” (v. 11). In response, this slave from a culture with multiple gods that could neither see nor hear gives God the name “You are the God who sees me” (v. 13).

“The God who sees us” is the God of impatient heroes and powerless runaways. He’s the God of the wealthy and well-connected as well as the destitute and lonely. He hears and sees and cares, achingly and deeply, for each of us.

Lord, You didn’t sugarcoat the story of Your people in the Bible and yet You loved them—as You love us—in spite of all the dirt and drama. You are the God who sees us, and yet we can still run to You.

Read about some of the names that Jesus is given. See The Amazing Names of the Messiah.

God sees us with eyes of compassion.

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Observing the Flowers

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“‘And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?’” (Matthew 6:28-30).

Observing the flowers is a way to remember that God cares for you.

In Matthew 6, some of the people to whom Jesus spoke perhaps had little clothing, no more than one set of coverings for their bodies. To assure them that God would provide for their basic needs, Jesus asked them to observe “the lilies of the field” (v. 28). That is a general term for all the wild flowers that graced the rolling hills of Galilee. There were many, including the anemones, gladioli, irises, narcissus, lilies, and poppies.

The people were also to observe how the flowers grow. They grow easily, freely, gorgeously; they flourish effortlessly. And flowers don’t toil or spin. They don’t make fancy thread to adorn themselves but have a texture and form and design and substance and color that man with all his ingenuity cannot even touch. Even King Solomon could not make a garment as fine as the petal of a flower. It has a beauty that only God can give.

Despite their beauty, however, flowers do not last long. They are alive today but tomorrow are cast into an oven (v. 30). A woman in that part of the world used a clay oven primarily for baking. If she wanted to hurry the baking process, she would build a fire inside the oven as well as under it. Fuel for the inside fire was usually dried grass and flowers, which she would gather from nearby fields. Jesus’ point was this: If God lavishes such beauty on a flower that is here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He clothe and care for you, one of His own children who will live forever.

Suggestions for Prayer

To attack anxiety, ask the Lord to help you “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).

For Further Study

According to 1 Peter 5:5, how should you clothe yourself?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Conflict Resolution 

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If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.   Matthew 18:15

Christians tend to be too nice, skirting conflict. However, Jesus teaches that healthy conflict is necessary for relational and spiritual growth. It is required to keep clean accounts with others and stay focused on Kingdom priorities. Conflict resolution may be uncomfortable, but if an issue or offense is ignored it can become ugly, even explosive. Conflict resolution requires cooperation from at least two parties. There are two roles in the beginning stages of conflict resolution. One role is the confronter, the other role is the receiver.

If you are the confronter, it is critical to communicate the facts of the situation. If you are loose with the truth and cavalier in your confrontation, the situation will worsen. You probably need to have the details documented and verified. The second critical aspect of the confronter is the spirit in which he directs the conversation. Do not use an accusatory tone of voice. You are there in a spirit of reconciliation and healing. Avoid a condescending attitude, as you are a candidate for the same concerns you are bringing to your friend. Confront in a spirit of humility and grace, with the truth, in love.

The receiver, on the other hand, needs to beware of defensiveness, denial, and defiance. When confronted, the receiver needs to listen carefully and avoid interrupting with petty excuses. After hearing the accuser, the receiver can correct any misconceptions and inaccuracies. His spirit of correction is mature and levelheaded. Moreover, in most cases the receiver needs to apologize. Nine out of ten times a sincere apology from the one receiving the rebuke remedies the situation. On the other hand, a combative environment will just escalate the debate into a stalemate. Then nobody wins.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Conflict Resolution  →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Catch it Early

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Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.- 1 Peter 5:8-9

In the United States, there is an over-the-counter medication advertised as the medicine to take at the first indication of a cold, to keep it from getting worse and becoming full-blown. I take a lot of vitamin C if I have a scratchy throat or a runny nose because it often keeps me from getting worse. Catching something before it goes too far is wisdom.

I recommend that anytime you even begin to feel fearful about anything that you immediately begin to pray and confess, “I will not live in fear.” You will see amazing results. When we pray, God hears and answers. When we confess His Word, we renew our own minds and come into agreement with His plans for us. No matter what God wants to do for us, we must agree with Him in order to receive and enjoy it (see Amos 3:3). We must learn to think like God thinks and talk like He talks—and none of His thoughts or words are fearful.

This thought—I will not live in fear—will help you become courageous rather than fearful. Call it to mind the instant you begin to feel fear, and meditate on it even during the times when you are not afraid.

By doing this you will be even more prepared to stand against fear when it does come. Remember that it will take time; be committed to stick with it until you see change. I still say, “I will not live in fear.” Say it as soon as you feel fearful about anything, and you will be able to keep fear from controlling you. You may still feel fear, but you can move beyond it by realizing that it is merely the devil’s attempt to prevent you from enjoying life or making any kind of progress. Do what you believe you are supposed to do even if you have to “do it afraid.”

Trust in Him: What can you do to “catch it early” and not let fear control you? Trust that God does not want you to live a life of fear.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – To Be Approved

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“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV).

Most of all of my adult life has been centered around the university world – as a student, a teacher, and one who works with students, professors and administrators in the intellectual realm. I count many of the leading scholars of our time as beloved friends, yet if I had to choose between a Ph.D. from the most prestigious university in the world and a thorough knowledge of and comprehension of the Word of God, I would gladly choose the latter. Fortunately, it is not necessary to choose because one can have both academic training and a knowledge of God’s Word.

A recommendation which I have made to our two sons and to thousands of our staff and students with whom we work is that degrees are very important in today’s world, but they will not only be meaningless and worthless in terms of eternity, but can contribute to one’s moral and spiritual disintegration unless at the same time one is studying to show himself approved unto God. In all of our academic pursuits and in our commitment to excellence in the business and professional realms, we must be careful to give God and His Holy inspired Word their rightful place in our daily schedule. Ultimately, it is our knowledge of God learned through the study of Scripture and our response to Him that makes all the difference in our life-style. It makes the difference in the choosing of our mate, in the rearing of our children, in the choosing of our friends, our business or professional career, in all of our attitudes and actions and in the contribution which we make to society. Let us give priority to priorities, the highest of which is to seek after God through the diligent study of His holy revelation to man and to encourage others to join with us in rightly dividing the word of truth.

Bible Reading: II Timothy 2:19-25

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: With God’s help I will seek not only to be a student of God’s Word but also to acquire the ability to teach His word to others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Heal Our Land

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Read: Jeremiah 39:1-18

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate… When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah. Jeremiah 39:1-4

In the further historic detail given in the last chapter of Jeremiah, we are told that they burned the temple of God as well. The long-delayed hour of judgment came at last. The city was taken. The temple was burned. As you read this account you can see a certain poetic justice which is always characteristic of the judgments of God. The city that refused God, God refused. He granted them their own desires, in other words. The temple that burned incense to idols was itself burned. The king who would not see had his eyes put out. The people who held their slaves captives were themselves led captive by the Babylonians. This is always the way God works. His judgment is to give you exactly what you are asking for, to let you finally have your way — but to the fullest extent, beyond anything you would desire.

A nation must never forget that, ultimately, the judgment of God will come. The mills of God grind slow, but they grind exceeding small. Sooner or later judgment will fall. No nation has the right to continue to exist as a nation when it continually violates these requirements of God’s justice. Therefore the hand of doom rests upon any nation that deliberately refuses to hear and heed the will of God. Ultimately, judgment will come. No political manipulation will avert it. No partial compromise will delay, no defiance will evade what God has said. It will come at last — some eleventh year, ninth month, and fourth day, when a breach is made in the walls of the city, and judgment and destruction can no longer be averted.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Heal Our Land →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Cross

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Read: John 19:1-25

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. (1 Peter 2:24)

The story of the Passion is soaked in blood. Jesus is flogged, a crown of thorns is pressed into his head, he is repeatedly hit in the face, he is demeaned and humiliated, and then he is put to death by the cruelest means of capital punishment, at a place called The Skull.

Sometimes lost in this horrific story is the image of Jesus with a tree on his back. The cross was a tree. And though Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to relieve Jesus of the cross near the end, John notes that Jesus carried it by himself.

Trees have been used in many ways in human history, both for good and for ill. As farm tools to grow and harvest food. As planks on disaster relief boats. As the source of life-saving medicines. But also as battering rams to lay siege to medieval cities. As sailing masts for colonial slave ships. As paper for propaganda to fuel the fires of ethnic cleansing.

The cross was a tree. Intended as a means of torture and death, God used this tree for salvation and renewal. God took what was death-dealing and made of it a means to new life.

Prayer:

Crucified Lord, help us remember how you, to make right our crooked ways and put to right all the world, died on a tree.

Author: Steven Bouma-Prediger

 

https://woh.org/

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is a Great King

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“I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” (Malachi 1:14b)

Eric’s heart pounded as his followed his father toward the large display case in the center of the room. This was what he’d been waiting for, ever since their plane landed in London two days ago. His dad had promised to bring him here to the Tower of London to see the British Crown Jewels – the crowns, scepters, and swords that had belonged to England’s kings and queens through the centuries.

Eric’s mouth hung open as he stared at the gem-studded objects. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls, and diamonds gleamed from silver and gold settings. His father pointed to a huge heart-shaped diamond in one of the crowns. “That’s the Star of Africa,” he whispered. “The largest diamond in the world.”

“Dad,” said Eric, “why do the kings and queens have to wear such expensive stuff? I mean, aren’t they afraid someone’s gonna steal all these things?”

A guard standing near them cleared his throat and smiled at Eric. “That’s why I’m here, young man,” he said in a crisp British accent. “Our kings and queens are royalty. They deserve only the best our land has to offer. They wear these jewels because it’s only fitting. They’re kings and queens, you know. It’s only fitting that they have the finest and the best.”

In the book of Malachi, God rebukes His people because they have not been bringing Him the best and the finest that they have to offer. Instead, they have been bringing lame and sick lambs. Don’t you understand, God tells them, that I am a great King? All the nations fear My name!

Do you give God the finest and the best you have to offer? Do you give time to His Word when you feel wide awake and alert, or do you put off your devotions for times that you are rushed or tired? Do you sing songs and hymns to God as an act of worship, or do you sing them without thinking about the words? Do you give God your complete attention when your pastor explains His Word to you? Do you put your whole heart into your chores, schoolwork, and other things He has given you to do? Remember that God is a great King. He deserves our finest and our best gifts.

God is a great King who deserves the best we have to offer Him.

My Response:

» Am I giving God my best?

» Are there any areas of my life in which I’m not giving Him what He deserves as my King?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Know Yourself

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Today’s Scripture: Genesis 4:7

“Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

The evil desire within us constantly searches for occasions to express itself. It’s like a radar system whose antenna is constantly scanning the environment for temptations to which it can respond. Some years ago, when I was continually indulging my desire for ice cream (which I don’t do anymore), my eyes would automatically be drawn to an ice-cream store. It was uncanny. I could pass the signs of a score of stores without consciously seeing them, but I never failed to see the sign of an ice-cream store.

Recently I became interested in a certain model car. It was the same make as the one I drive, but a nicer, more expensive model. As soon as I became interested in that particular car, I noticed every one I passed on the street. I began to think of reasons why I needed that nicer model. It was roomier, more comfortable on a long trip, and had a better transmission. I finally concluded, rather reluctantly, that I really didn’t need that car. But the point is, during that time my antenna was “tuned” for that model car.

Perhaps the indulgence with ice cream and the fixation on a nicer model car seem rather benign compared to temptations you’ve faced. You may be thinking, Come on, let’s talk about some real sins—covetousness, lust, envy, resentment, lying to customers, or cheating on exams. Well, first of all, the indulgence in ice cream and the preoccupation with a nicer car may not be so benign, but either way, those issues demonstrate the principle: our flesh is always searching out opportunities to gratify itself according to the particular sinful desires each of us has.

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – No More Stains

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Today’s Scripture: Zechariah 12-14

In him we have redemption through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. – Ephesians 1:7 (paraphrase mine)

The next time you go to the grocery store, take a look at all the cleaning products that claim to make even the most stubborn stains disappear. But for the most difficult stain known to man, the stain of sin, there is only one remedy.

In Zechariah 13:1, we read: “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”

When I read that verse, I always think of Dr. Robert “Dick” Wilson of Princeton Seminary. As the story goes, a student asked, “Dr. Wilson, what is the most profound thought to ever enter your mind?” Without hesitation, Dr. Wilson quoted the words of an old gospel hymn: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”

This fountain will never lose its power to cleanse people like us from sin. When Jesus died on the cross, He shed His blood that we might receive the gift of eternal life, if we turn to Him in repentance and belief.

And what does it mean to believe? According to the apostle John, it means to open the door of your heart to Christ and welcome Him as your Savior and Lord. To be cleansed from sin is to be free from guilt and free to live a new life of power. Christ Himself is the fountain where you can lose all your guilty stains.

Prayer

Lord, I can never thank You enough for Your shed blood that cleansed me from my sin and gave me a completely new life, now and forever. Amen.

To Ponder

How would you explain to a nonbeliever the meaning of the terms repentance, belief, and salvation?

 

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE TRINITY AND GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION

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Read ACTS 2:29–41

A classic hymn prays: “O holy, blessed Trinity, / Divine, eternal Unity, / O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, / This day your name be uppermost. . . . / My Maker, hold me in your hand; / O Christ, forgiven let me stand; / Blest Comforter, do not depart, / With faith and love enrich my heart.”

All three Persons of the Trinity play their role in the believer’s salvation and daily spiritual life. On the day of Pentecost, Peter declared God’s eternal plan of redemption, including the involvement of the entire Trinity (vv. 30–36). Jesus, the Son, was the man they had recently seen arrested and crucified. He was in fact God’s promised Messiah, from the line of David but greater than the famous king—as David had prophetically known would be the case. Now resurrected, Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of God, having completed His mission of salvation.

The Father was the maker and fulfiller of the Davidic covenant, the One responsible for the overall plan, including the sending of His own Son. He was the One sovereignly calling Peter’s listeners to repentance and faith in Christ. Finally, the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, was the explanation for the phenomenon of tongues they had just witnessed, in which everyone had heard the gospel proclaimed in their own language (2:1– 12). He had been sent by the Father and the Son as part of the gift of salvation, to enable and empower the newborn church to spread the good news of God’s love far and wide.

In response, thousands of Peter’s listeners were “cut to the heart,” repented, believed on Jesus, and were baptized the same day (vv. 37–41).

APPLY THE WORD

Praise our triune God for the gift of salvation and the Trinity’s ongoing role in our spiritual lives! You might sing or listen to music that praises God. You might pray, celebrating the parts that each Person of the Godhead plays in redemption. You might serve others, participating in the commission we have: to follow God.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Mouthpiece

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Read: Exodus 4:1–12 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 120–122; 1 Corinthians 9

Who gave human beings their mouths? . . . Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak. Exodus 4:11–12

My nerves fluttering, I waited for the phone to ring and the radio interview to start. I wondered what questions the host would ask and how I would respond. “Lord, I’m much better on paper,” I prayed. “But I suppose it’s the same as Moses—I need to trust that you will give me the words to speak.”

Of course I’m not comparing myself with Moses, the leader of God’s people who helped them escape slavery in Egypt to life in the Promised Land. A reluctant leader, Moses needed the Lord to reassure him that the Israelites would listen to him. The Lord revealed several signs to him, such as turning his shepherd’s staff into a snake (Ex. 4:3), but Moses hesitated to accept the mantle of leadership, saying he was slow of speech (v. 10). So God reminded him that He is the Lord and that He would help him speak. He would “be with his mouth” (as the original language translates, according to biblical scholars).

May my words today build up someone for Your glory.

We know that since the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God’s Spirit lives within His children and that however inadequate we may feel, He will enable us to carry out the assignments He gives to us. The Lord will “be with our mouths.”

Lord Jesus, You dwell with me. May my words today build up someone for Your glory.

As God’s people we are His mouthpiece to spread His good news.

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Living Life to the Fullest

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“‘Which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?’” (Matthew 6:27).

You can worry yourself to death, but not to life.

Dr. Charles Mayo of the renowned Mayo Clinic wrote, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. I have never met a man or known a man to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry.” We live in a day when people worry about how long they will live. That’s a harmful practice because you can worry yourself to death, but not to life.

In Matthew 6:27 Jesus said that worry cannot “add a single cubit” to a person’s life span. A cubit was the distance from the elbow to the tips of the fingers—about eighteen inches. He was saying, “Which of you by worrying can lengthen your life?” Exercise and good health can help you function better while you’re living your span, but you can’t worry yourself into a longer life.

The quest for living longer is not new. In the early sixteenth century, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon set out to find the fountain of youth, a spring whose waters had the power to restore youth. Although no such fountain exists, there is something far better: a fountain of life. Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.” By fearing the Lord you will experience life to the fullest and not worry. Proverbs 9:10-11 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.” I believe the Lord has sovereignly determined each person’s life span—He has designed how long you will live. And He gives you the gift of life because He wants you to enjoy it to the fullest by fearing and obeying Him.

Suggestions for Prayer

Praise the Lord that you may enjoy life fully by fearing Him.

For Further Study

According to John 10:10, why did Jesus come?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Face Time 

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I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.    2 John 1:12

Some things are best communicated face to face. A proposal for marriage, a job interview, a mentor relationship, family time, explaining an issue, or showing appreciation all thrive in a one-on-one relational environment. Fear tends to force us away from direct engagement with people. We sometimes avoid human contact because of overwhelming insecurity, fear of rejection, or busyness. The season of face time with family evaporates unwittingly. They are off with friends, attending college, and then married. Just as the song says, “The cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon. Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon. When you coming home, Dad? I don’t know when, but we’ll get together soon. You know we’ll have a good time then.”

Calendar time daily, weekly, monthly and yearly with those you love. Invest time and money in face time with your son, your daughter, your spouse, your parents, and your friends. Face time is when you see the fear in their eyes and extend the encouragement to continue. Face time allows your smile to shine a ray of hope across a discouraged heart. Face time is your opportunity to discuss those hard issues and to be sure the sincerity of your love is not missed. So, show up and love them in person. Most important, you need face time with your heavenly Father.

By faith, the eyes of our soul need to gaze at God. If we chronically miss coming alongside Christ, we burn out in our own strength. We desperately need face time, by faith, with Jesus. We need His affirmation and love; we need His instruction and correction; we need His warm embrace, face to face; we need His discernment and wisdom. He can give us all of these, at any time. Our Savior is spontaneous for our sake. Christ is on call for His children, but we still need structured time with Him. It is imperative that we instill in our lives the discipline of daily face time in prayer and engrafting God’s Word into our minds and hearts. Regular face time with God in Scripture is what transforms our thinking with truth and keeps us from being changed by the lies of lazy living.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Face Time  →

Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Together, Forever, on the Streets of Gold: City of Gold

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And the city was pure gold, like clear glass. . . . And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:18, 21

Historically, gold has been the most valuable store of wealth and the most malleable. It can be hammered so thin that it actually becomes transparent. Gold reflects yellow and red light, allowing green and blue light to pass through its transparency.

Recommended Reading: Revelation 21:18-23

Perhaps that is a clue to why the New Jerusalem will be made of gold “like clear glass.” Since the glory of God will provide the light for the city, and the Lamb of God will be its light (Revelation 21:23), perhaps the transparency of the golden city is what allows the light of God to shine throughout its gigantic dimensions—a cube 1,400 miles on each side. It is not just the transparency of gold that accounts for it being the substance of the city but its worth. The image of the city as a golden city is another way of saying it is the most valuable place on earth.

It is a shame that so many on earth pursue wealth that will pass away, when an eternal city of gold is theirs for the believing. Don’t confuse temporal with eternal value.

In the streets of that new Jerusalem above, none shall ever complain that others have too much, or that they themselves have too little.

Thomas Brooks, The Crown and the Glory of Christianity

Read-Thru-the-Bible: Ezekiel 13 – 17

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Calm in Adversity

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Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity….– Psalm 94:12-13

According to Exodus 13:17, When Pharaoh let the people go, God led them not by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer (emphasis added). There was a shorter route, but God took the Israelites the long, hard way on purpose because they were not ready for the battles they would face. He continued to work with them during forty years of wandering, waiting for them to get to the point where they could praise Him in their adversity.

God will continue dealing with us until we learn how to stay peaceful in the storm. Nothing shows our spiritual maturity more than staying calm when our circumstances are not calm. Stability is a sign of maturity, and the more mature we are, the more God can trust us with His power and blessings.

Power Thought: I have the power of God to remain calm in adversity.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Fulfills God’s Promises 

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“Jesus Christ, the Son of God–isn’t one to say ‘yes’ when he means ‘no’. He always does exactly what He says. He carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises, no matter how many of them there are and we have told everyone how faithful He is giving glory to His name” (2 Corinthians 1:19,20).

From Genesis to Revelation the Word of God contains thousands of promises which we as believers in Christ can claim. We are reminded in Matthew 28:18 that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him, and in Colossians 2:2,3 that God’s great secret plan now at last made known is Christ Himself; that in Him lie hidden all the mighty untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge, “For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ” (Colossians 2:9,10).

So make a list of all the promises of God that apply to you, and claim those promises in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. For “He always does exactly what He says. He carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises.” Begin to live supernaturally by drawing upon the supernatural resources of God, claiming His promises by faith.

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 1:15-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I refuse to live the typical Christian existence. I want my life to be characterized by the supernatural, so by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I will claim those promises which will enable me to live supernaturally as a testimony that I serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Fear of the Lord

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Read: Jeremiah 36:1-32

So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them. Jeremiah 36:32

Judgment came against Jehoiakim not simply because he acted foolishly in burning the Scriptures but because of the condition of heart which that action revealed. This is given to us in one flaming sentence in Verse 24: Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words, was afraid, nor did they rend their garments. These men had lost the fear of God. And when a nation or a people or an individual loses the fear of God, they are on their way to destruction. For the fear of God is based upon the sovereign power which he exercises in life. These men were shown to be stupid and senseless men who had lost their sense of reality entirely, because they had lost the fear of God.

There is one great fact everywhere revealed — in Scripture, in history, and even in nature — which has been called the law of retribution. That is, there is an inevitable consequence for doing wrong, and there is no way to escape it. Even an atheist, who does not believe in God at all, must admit that when he examines the laws of nature he is faced with the conclusion that you either obey the laws of nature and live, or disobey them and die. And man is helpless to change that. We are in the grip of forces greater than we are, and everything on every side testifies to this. That is why we learn respect for the laws of electricity. You do not fool around with 10,000 volts of electrical potential, thinking you are going to make up the laws as you go along. You had better find out what they are first, for you disobey them to your peril and death.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Mount of Olives

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Read: Luke 22:39-46

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. (v. 39)

Mountains are frequently mentioned in Scripture. Often they are holy places. Mount Sinai. Mount Hermon. Mount Tabor. Mount Zion. The Sermon on the Mount. The Mount of Transfiguration. And the Mount of Olives. Consisting of three connected summits, the Mount of Olives overlooks Jerusalem from the east. For millennia it has had olive groves.

Luke doesn’t explicitly mention it, but both Mark and Matthew report that while on the Mount of Olives Jesus went to a place called Gethsemane—a small field with a grove of olive trees (Gethsemane in Hebrew means olive oil vat). John in his Gospel (18:1) calls it a garden and from that reference this special place has heretofore been called the Garden of Gethsemane.

Luke tells us that Jesus “came out and went, as was his custom,” so he must have known this mountain quite well, spending considerable time in its olive groves. Judas certainly knew where to find Jesus when he came to betray him. So it is not surprising that in seeking a place to pray—an agonizing prayer of blood, sweat, and tears—Jesus went to the olive grove on this mountain. Jesus chose, on his last night, to pray in the company of trees.

Prayer:

O Lord, giver and lover of trees, hear our prayers, however painful or faltering or awkward they may be. In your mercy, hear us in our time of need.

Author: Steven Bouma-Prediger

 

https://woh.org/