Tag Archives: Bible

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Unbroken in China: The Growing Chinese Church

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You’ve probably heard a lot about China in the news lately: How it’s threatening peace in the Pacific by building military bases on artificial islands. You’ve heard presidential candidates warn that China may soon overtake the U. S. as the leading global economic power. But what you probably didn’t realize is that China is ready to overtake the U. S. in another area: the size of its Christian population.

You see, despite years of often savage oppression, the church in China is growing by leaps and bounds.

Yu Jie, a writer and dissident from China, tells the story powerfully in the August issue of First Things magazine. Yu reports that since 1949, when the communists took over and Christian missionaries were expelled, the number of Christians in China has multiplied from half a million to more than 60 million today. If current growth rates continue, “by 2030, Christians in China will exceed 200 million . . . making China the country with the largest Christian population in the world.”

And Yu, who became disillusioned with communism after the Tiananmen Square massacre, might very well be a little bit cautious in his estimates. The respected Operation World prayer guide counts not 60 million but 105 million Christians of all kinds in the country, far outstripping the 70 million or so members of the Communist Party!

Either way, it’s easy to see that the Chinese Church has been unbroken by decades of communist opposition. These days few Chinese outside the Party believe in communism, and the Church has begun to fill the resulting spiritual and worldview vacuums.

“Groups of young, well-educated, active professionals have gathered in urban churches,” Yu says, “smashing the stereotype in many Chinese people’s minds of Christians as elderly, infirm, sick, or disabled. These churches … are a first step toward Christians assuming leadership in the development of a Chinese civil society independent of government control.”

Continue reading BreakPoint –  Unbroken in China: The Growing Chinese Church →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE SON IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER

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Read JOHN 14:1–14

Many people today say they are spiritual but not religious. The positive side of this is that they recognize that people are more than just material or physical beings. The negative side is that they tend to focus on their personal feelings or emotions, either rejecting the idea of absolute truth or reserving for themselves the right to pick and choose what those truths might be. Such people essentially put themselves in the place of God.

By contrast, Jesus proclaimed a truth that grates on the ears of modern spirituality: He and He alone is the way to the Father. John 14, where we’ll spend three days, is part of the Upper Room discourse, Jesus’ teaching following the Passover or Last Supper prior to His crucifixion. In today’s reading, He comforted His disciples with a promise. He was going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them (vv. 2–3).

How close is the relationship between the Father and the Son? “No one comes to the Father except through me” (v. 6). To believe in the Son is to believe in the Father (vv. 1, 11). To know the Son is to know the Father (vv. 7, 9). The words and work of the Son are the words and work of the Father. They are “in” one another— utterly unified as Persons of the Godhead (v. 10). The Father’s power—the gift of the Holy Spirit is implied here and explicitly revealed in the verses following—will also be available to the followers of the Son (v. 12).

The Father sent the Son and the Son reveals the Father. The incarnate Son is the one and only way the Father has made for us to come to Him. Faith in Christ alone is the way to salvation!

APPLY THE WORD

This passage provides us with some practical encouragement for our prayers. We are to pray to the Father in the name of the Son, for His glory, and we have direct access to God’s power through the indwelling of the Spirit (vv. 13–14). Praying for God’s will to be done is a prayer that is always answered “yes” (see Matt. 6:10).

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – RYAN LOCHTE, 3 OTHER SWIMMERS ROBBED IN RIO

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Ryan Lochte and three other US Olympic swimmers were robbed at gunpoint yesterday morning. The criminals posed as police officers, pulled them over in their taxi, pointed their guns at them, and stole their wallets, cell phones, and Olympic credentials.

Meanwhile, a man in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is charged with stabbing his father during Sunday worship services. We don’t yet know the father’s status or why he was attacked.

But we know this: misused freedom is a daily reality on this fallen planet. From Adam and Eve to today’s headlines, humans abuse the freedom God intends us to use to love him and each other (Matthew 22:37–39). And innocent people usually pay the price.

The good news is that when innocent Christians suffer faithfully, God uses our witness in ways we cannot imagine this side of glory. For instance, as Stephen was being stoned to death, “the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58). This “young man” was Saul of Tarsus, better known as Paul the Apostle.

Why did Luke, the writer of Acts, insert Paul into the narrative? Luke was Paul’s personal physician. It seems likely that he knew Paul had participated in Stephen’s martyrdom because Paul told him. And it seems likely that Luke included this fact in the story because of the impression it made on Paul.

For the young Pharisee to watch Stephen die so courageously and graciously, praying that God would forgive the very people who were murdering him (v. 60), must have been dramatically powerful. Stephen’s witness was so impactful that it’s been said, “No Stephen, no Paul.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – RYAN LOCHTE, 3 OTHER SWIMMERS ROBBED IN RIO →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Hunger for God

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Psalms 63:1-5

The Lord has given us a variety of appetites, which are essential for our physical survival. But He has also created within our hearts a hunger that is spiritual. David was a man who recognized and felt this yearning for the heavenly Father. Throughout the Psalms, we find him meditating, offering praise, or crying out to God. His greatest joy was to be with his heavenly Father in intimate communion.

Hungering for the Lord is a desire to know and draw closer to Him. Sadly, this yearning lies dormant in many believers’ lives. They’re saved but have very little desire for more. One of the problems is that our society is filled with all sorts of things that grab and hold our interest and affections. These pleasures and pursuits compete with God for our attention, claiming our time and effort.

The good news is that a longing for God can be awakened if we are willing to change our priorities and pursuits. Although cultivating a desire for the Lord takes time, the joy we’ll experience is lasting—and the rewards are eternal. We’ll always get more out of a relationship with God than we put in. What’s more, as our hunger for Him comes to life, He will open our heart and mind to understand and desire Him even more.

When we yearn for the Lord, He will satisfy us with contentment and a sense of completeness, while awakening an even deeper longing in our souls. Unlike physical hunger, a craving for Him is filled but paradoxically leaves us hungry. The more we are satisfied in Christ, the more we want of Him.

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 18-21

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Your Father Knows

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Read: Matthew 6:25–34 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 89–90; Romans 14

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

I was only four years old as I lay by my father on a floor mat on a hot summer night. (My mother, with a baby, had her own room at the time.) This was in northern Ghana where the climate is mostly dry. Sweat covered my body, and the heat parched my throat. I felt so thirsty I shook my father awake. In the middle of that dry night, he rose up and poured water from a jar for me to quench my thirst. Throughout my life, as he did that night, he exemplified the image of a caring father. He provided what I needed.

Some people may not have a good father figure in their lives. But we all have a Father who is strong and ever-present and who does not disappoint us. Jesus taught us to pray to “our Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:9). He told us that when our daily needs confront us—food, clothing, shelter, protection (v. 31)—“your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (v. 8).

Your loving heavenly Father never takes His eyes off you.

We have a Father who is always there. Night or day, whenever the going gets tough, we can trust that He will never abandon us. He has promised to care for us, and He knows better than we do what we need.

Thank You, Lord, for the privilege of coming to You as my Father. You know my needs before I even ask. Thank You that You will never turn me away.

Your loving heavenly Father never takes His eyes off you.

INSIGHT:

Among the topics Christ so eloquently addresses is the subject of worry. It appears that He was attuned to the fretting the human heart experiences in daily life. He encourages us to seek God’s kingdom as the top priority and then we are assured our Father God will provide for us (Matt. 6:33). He suggests we manage stress by faith: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34).

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Being Devoted to God

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“‘Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’” (Matthew 6:21).

The believer is to have a single-minded devotion to God.

British pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones told the story of a farmer who one day went happily to his wife and family to report that their best cow had given birth to twin calves, one brown and one white. The farmer said, “I suddenly had an impulse that we must dedicate one of these calves to the Lord. We will sell one and keep the proceeds; the other we will also sell, but give the proceeds to the Lord’s work.” His wife asked him which one he was going to dedicate to the Lord. He replied, “There is no need to bother about that now. We will treat them both the same way, and when the time comes, we will do as I say.” And off he went. A few months later the farmer entered his kitchen looking unhappy. When his wife asked him what was troubling him, he answered, “I have bad news to give you. The Lord’s calf is dead.”

We laugh at the story because we all tend to lay up treasure on earth. We want to be rich toward self but poor toward God. Jesus speaks directly to that wrong thinking by saying “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). Your heart and your treasure go together—they both need to be in Heaven. Our Lord is speaking of a single-minded devotion to God and His cause that is undistracted by the world.

Jesus is not saying that if you put your treasure in the right place, your heart will then be in the right place, but that the location of your treasure indicates where your heart already is. Spiritual problems are always heart problems. God’s principle for His people has always been, “Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Prov. 3:9-10). What about you? Is that the principle by which you live?

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask the Lord to help you have a single-minded devotion to His kingdom.

For Further Study

Read Luke 6:38 and 2 Corinthians 9:6. What is the common principle in both verses?

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Wisdom is Calling

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Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets.- Proverbs 1:20

God wants us to use wisdom, and according to today’s scripture, wis¬dom is not difficult to obtain; the Holy Spirit wants to reveal it to us; we simply need to pay attention. For example, have you ever needed to make a decision and had your “head” (your intellectual abilities) try to lead you one way while your heart is leading you another? Have you ever had a situation in which your natural thoughts and feelings seemed to be guiding you in one direction, but something inside of you kept nagging you to go another direction?

Chances are, wisdom is crying out to you. One way to love yourself is to listen to it and obey. Many times, it cries out in your heart that you should or should not do a certain thing—you should eat healthily, you should be kind to other people, you should not spend money you do not have. These are all practical examples of using wisdom in everyday life. When you sense such leadings, the Holy Spirit, who speaks to your heart, is trying to help you make a wise decision, even though it may not be the choice you want to make or it may not seem to make sense in your present circumstances.

The Spirit wars against our flesh, and vice versa (see Gal. 5:17). When we know the wise choice and don’t make it, the reason is often that we are allowing our flesh to lead us and to see if we can get away with unwise decisions—which are also known as “foolishness.” The flesh leads us to foolishness, but God wants us to walk in wisdom and make choices now that we will be happy with later.

Love Yourself Today What is wisdom saying to you today? Are you willing to follow it?

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Whatsoever You Desire 

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“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:23,24, KJV).

How big is your God? If the Holy Spirit were to withdraw from your life and from the fellowship of your local church, would he be missed? In other words, is there anything supernatural about your life or the local church where you have fellowship with other believers?

A skeptic, contrasting the actor and Christian worker, gave this evaluation: The actor presents fiction as though it were true. The Christian worker all too often presents truth as though it were fiction.

A militant atheist attacked Christians with this accusation: “You say that your God is omnipotent, that He created the heavens and the earth. You say that He is a loving God who sent His only Son to die on the cross for the sins of man and on the third day was raised from the dead. You say that through faith in Him one could have a whole new quality of life, of peace, love and joy; a purpose and meaning plus the assurance of eternal life. I say to you that is a lie and you know it, because if you really believe what you say you believe, you would pay whatever price it took to tell everyone who would listen. What you claim is without question the greatest news the world has ever heard, but it couldn’t be true or you would be more enthusiastic about it. If I believed what you believe, I would sell everything I have and use every resource at my command to reach the largest possible number of people with this good news.”

Unfortunately, the critics and the skeptics have good reason to find fault with us. It is true that, if we really believed what we say we believe, we would be constrained, as the apostle Paul, to tell everyone who would listen about Christ, mindful that there is nothing more important in all the world that we could do. At the same time we would claim our rights as children of God, drawing upon the supernatural resources of God.

Bible Reading: Mark 11:20-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will seek to know God better by studying His Word and meditating upon his attributes so that His supernatural qualities will become more and more a part of my life for the glory and praise of His name.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Potter and the Clay

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Read: Jeremiah 18:1-23

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message. So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:1-4

We have commented in previous messages about the many things God uses to teach his people, these remarkable visual aids which appear from time to time in this book whereby God imparts lessons to this prophet. Jeremiah was sent down to the potter’s house, and there he saw three simple things, conveying to him a fantastic lesson. You may have observed the same things that Jeremiah did, for the art of making a pot has not changed through the centuries. The wheel is now turned by an electric motor, but that is about the only difference. Even this is still controlled by the foot of the potter. The clay is the same as it has always been. The potter is the same, with his capable hands, working to mold and shape the clay into the vessel he has in mind.

What did Jeremiah see in this lesson? First there was the clay. Jeremiah knew, as he watched the potter shaping and molding the clay, that he was looking at a picture of himself, and of every man, and of every nation. We are the clay. Both Isaiah and Zechariah, in the Old Testament, join with Jeremiah in presenting this picture of the potter and the clay. In the New Testament we have the voice of Paul in that great passage in Romans 9, reminding us that God is the Potter and we are the clay. So Jeremiah saw the clay being shaped and molded into a vessel. Then some imperfection in the clay spoiled it in the potter’s hand, and the potter crumbled it up, and began anew the process of shaping it into a vessel that pleased him.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The Potter and the Clay →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – God’s Call Includes a Place Prepared for Us

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Read: John 14:1-7

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (v. 2)

The houses we constructed in Mexico were very simple. Built on 18-by-20-foot concrete pads, they have two small bedrooms and one common room. There is no plumbing. Despite their simplicity, these houses feel like a mansion to families that previously slept in lean-to tents, in overcrowded homes, or on the street.

In addition to the standard bedding provided by the local mission agency, we brought extra items to make the house feel more homey. This included tables and chairs, plates and silverware, curtains to provide some privacy for each room, and window treatments.

Once everything was prepared, we dedicated the home. We gathered in a circle outside and each volunteer said a few words of blessing to the family and then we presented them with the key. Once inside, we again prayed for God to bless them and their new home. Tears flowed freely from everyone, men and women, on our team.

As great as this experience was, it is only a glimpse of what joy those who have confessed with their mouth and believed in their heart will experience in heaven (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Jesus is preparing a place for us now. A place we can call our eternal home with all the trimmings.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for preparing a place in heaven for me. May I help others to also find a room.

Author: Rob Donoho

 

https://woh.org/

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Patient

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“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him [Elijah], and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” (1 Kings 19:7)

Do you ever feel tired and grumpy? Maybe you have heard your mom or dad make excuses for your little brother’s or sister’s bad behavior (or maybe even your own!) with phrases like these: “He’s just tired. It’s way past his bedtime.” Sometimes our bodies are so worn out that it becomes hard to keep from acting in grumpy and sinful ways.

The prophet Elijah understood the feelings of tiredness, hunger, and depression. In 1 Kings 19, he was so down in the dumps that he wanted to die – and he told God just that. There he was, sitting in the middle of a dry, rugged wilderness, his only shelter one lone juniper tree. He had no food for his next meal, and he could not go back to civilization to find any, because wicked Queen Jezebel had her soldiers out waiting to snatch him up and deliver him dead on her doorstep. Elijah felt sorry for himself and complained to the Lord. Maybe he was thinking to himself phrases like these: I can’t take it anymore! Just take my life. I’ve got nothing to look forward to, so I might as well lie in a grave next to my ancestors.

It is not hard to feel sorry for Elijah. He was not just tired or hungry; someone was even trying to murder him! But this is the same prophet Elijah who in just the previous chapter had boldly asked God, in front of thousands of people, to send down fire from heaven and had seen God answer his request. This is the same Elijah who had pleaded with God to send rain on a famine-stricken land, and God had answered! And now what does Elijah do? Does he confidently ask God to protect him from Queen Jezebel? Does he boldly ask God to provide him with just a little something to eat? No! Elijah forgets all about God’s past deliverance and instead, complains.

Because God is holy, He never condones sinful behavior. But the way God responded to Elijah teaches us a lot about His patient character. God could have easily struck Elijah down with an immediate and painful death for the way he sinned by faithlessly complaining. But instead, verse 5 tells us that God treated Elijah gently, waiting, allowing Elijah to sleep, in the meantime sending an angel to give Elijah freshly baked bread and a jar of cool water.

Then God showed his might to Elijah through a strong hurricane-like wind, and then an earthquake, and then a huge fire. But when God finally did speak to Elijah, he didn’t yell angrily, or even lecture him sternly. Instead, 1 Kings 19:12 tells us that God’s answer to Elijah came in “a still, small voice.” God had patiently waited for Elijah to regain some physical strength. And when He finally did correct Elijah for his “pity party,” He simply gave Elijah his next assignment with hardly a rebuke at all.

God is often patient with people, even when they deserve a sharp rebuke.

My Response:

» Have I thanked God for being patient with me today?

» Am I being patient with others, even if I think they are reacting wrongly to their circumstances?

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – From Repentance to Blessing

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 4:7

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

David’s experience is very helpful to us in the relationship of repentance and grace: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:1-5).

Here David first stated his conclusion, as he spoke of the blessedness of being forgiven. Then he explained that blessedness by acknowledging his own guilt and his miserable condition before he repented. But with genuine repentance came the deep assurance that he was forgiven. In sequence of time, the blessedness actually came after his repentance and assurance of forgiveness. But just as we often do, David gave the “bottom line” before explaining how he got there.

We must do as David did if we want to experience God’s grace in our failures at mortifying sin. It’s not that repentance earns God’s forgiveness. Only the blood of Christ does that. God, however, does deal with us as a loving but firm father deals with his children. He accepts us unconditionally because we are his sons and daughters in Christ, but he disciplines us for our good. And in the administering of his discipline he withholds the assurance of his forgiveness until we, through repentance, are ready to receive it.

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Praying with God’s People

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Today’s Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. – Acts 4:24

There is a great amount of space given in the Bible regarding the fact that individuals should pray. We read of the prayers of Abraham, David, Jacob, Daniel, Solomon, Paul, and others–even Jesus Himself. But there is also a lot of instruction that we should pray together.

When Peter was thrown unjustly into prison, the church was not led to organize a protest but to organize a prayer meeting. The Bible says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5).

What makes group prayer meaningful and profitable? Here are a few tips that might add new life and spark to your prayer meeting. First, pray loud enough for others to hear so they can pray along with you. Second, don’t spend half the time discussing what to pray about. I know it’s helpful to list some specific needs, but don’t take the bulk of the time doing it. Third, pray about common needs. As a general rule, people get their hearts into those petitions that affect them as well–a missionary the church supports, a need in the Sunday school, a sickness suffered by a member of the class, and so on.

This next “don’t” is very important. Don’t hang your dirty linen out for all to see. If it involves someone else, go to the individual involved and get right with that person. Jesus taught, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you…first go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Praying with others is a part of worship we must exercise faithfully.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the privilege I enjoy of lifting my voice freely in corporate prayer. Amen.

To Ponder

God delights to see His children gather for prayer.

 

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE TRINITY AND THE POWER OF GOD

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Read MATTHEW 12:22–32

Reasonable Faith, an organization led by philosophy professor William Lane Craig, “aims to provide in the public arena an intelligent, articulate, and uncompromising yet gracious Christian perspective on the most important issues concerning the truth of the Christian faith today.” Through scholarly articles, podcasts, debates, videos, and social media, this organization uses reason and logic to support and defend God’s truth.

When the Pharisees accused Him of performing miracles and driving out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus used reason and logic to refute their claim and instead prove that His power and authority were divine. To drive out demons in Satan’s name was an absurd idea. Why would a kingdom fight against itself? But if Jesus did these miracles with the power of a different and greater kingdom—God’s kingdom—shouldn’t they be responding very differently?

Sadly, the Pharisees’ hypocritical hearts were spiritually closed. They were grasping at straws, trying to find a way to ignore the signs and to avoid admitting that Jesus was the Messiah. As He said, because they were not for Him, they were against Him.

The significance of their accusation, and of Jesus’ identity, is shown by the fact that He cited the other two Persons of the Trinity in His response. Jesus had come in His Father’s name. It is His kingdom Jesus proclaimed and His power by which Jesus did miracles of healing. When He drove out demons, it was by the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees’ accusation was therefore against all three Persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit. To call the Son’s work, done in the Spirit on behalf of the Father’s kingdom, satanic? That’s a sin worthy of damnation (vv. 31–32)!

APPLY THE WORD

Many today are pursuing their own priorities with no thought for God’s kingdom or following Jesus. They might not understand our choices to bring glory to God through the ways we use our time, money, or energy. When you are questioned on these issues, remember that standing with God is the safest place to be!

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Becoming a Patient Person

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Acts 25:1-16

Paul demonstrated the power of patience when he was brought to trial before Festus. Instead of letting his accusers’ false claims interfere with his calm demeanor, the apostle patiently went through the legal process while remaining faithful to the Lord. He refrained from attacking the opposition or decrying the injustice of the charges. His peaceful manner found favor with the governor and earned him a hearing for the gospel (Acts 25:24-25).

Because our “flesh” is inclined towards impatience, we need to seek God during difficult situations. We can ask Him to take control over our…

Thoughts. It is important that we shift our attention away from the circumstance and onto the Lord. His Spirit will help us gain the right perspective.

Emotions. When the Holy Spirit oversees our feelings and reactions, we will find ourselves becoming calmer. Then He will empower us to respond in a godly manner.

Speech. Asking Him to help us have self-control over our tongue is essential. A timely word can defuse a situation; speaking defensively or shouting angrily at the other person can inflame it (Prov. 15:18).

The Holy Spirit will answer our prayers and provide what we need, just as He did for Paul.

Patience requires self-control and a desire to please God. Paul had need of both. Despite the injustice of those situations, Paul held his ground and was not provoked. Imagine what God will do through you as you grow in the virtue of patience.

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 15-17

 

http://www.intouch.org/

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Giving Generously to the Lord

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“‘Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’” (Matthew 6:20).

The believer is to be generous in his giving.

The early church was not interested in accumulating great wealth for itself. In Acts 2, for example, thousands of pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. When Peter preached the gospel on that day, 3,000 persons became believers, and soon afterward thousands more were added to the church. The pilgrims who became believers didn’t want to return to their former homes since they were now part of the church. So the believers in Jerusalem had to absorb them. Since many of the inhabitants were undoubtedly poor, the early church had to give to meet their needs. As a result, believers “began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:45). The early church illustrates what it means to lay up treasure in Heaven.

Like the early church, we are to lay up for ourselves treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:20). What is our treasure in Heaven? In a broad sense it is “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4). We could say that, above all, our treasure in Heaven is Christ.

In a specific sense, Jesus is referring in Matthew 6:20 to money, luxury, and wealth. He is saying that to lay up treasure in Heaven is to be generous and ready to share the riches God has given to us, instead of hoarding and stockpiling them. By being generous, you expose yourself to the full potential of all that eternal life can mean. First Timothy 6:18-19 says you are “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for [yourself] the treasure of a good foundation for the future.” The more you send into Heaven, the greater the glory when you arrive. The greater the investment, the greater the reward. Make it your aim to invest for eternity, where you will never lose your reward.

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask the Lord to help you be generous toward others who are in need.

For Further Study

According to Galatians 6:10, to whom are we to do good?

 

http://www.gty.org

Turning Point

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

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You . . . have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Revelation 5:9

“Immigration” is presently the hottest geo-political word in the world. America is trying to solve the question of undocumented aliens entering without legal permission. And Europe is wrestling with additional millions who are fleeing persecution and war in their Middle Eastern homelands.

Recommended Reading: Colossians 1:9-29

“Birds of a feather flock together” is a truism for a reason. Human beings prefer the comfort of familiarity to the discomfort of changing surroundings—including new languages, customs, and religions. But in heaven, God’s original vision for humanity will be restored. Humanity will be unified, on the basis of faith in Christ, as a physical body that manifests the spiritual body we are on earth. Christians will be redeemed “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” on earth. That doesn’t mean our “tribes” and “tongues” will be preserved in heaven. It does mean that the fears we have now of “others” will be erased as we are united in love for eternity.

Better to live now as we will live in heaven—immigrants united as one in Christ.

You must therefore live, in the present, as far as possible like you will live in the future. 
N. T. Wright

Read-Thru-the-Bible: Jeremiah 31 – 36

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Key to Fulfillment

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Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you. – Haggai 1:5

God has a great big, wonderful, fulfilling life planned for you and me, but if we are stubborn (see Exodus 33:3) or hard-hearted, then we will miss what He has for us. Stubbornness and refusal to hear and obey God’s voice keeps us set in our ways and unable to make progress. When we find ourselves in this condition, we often fail to stop and ask ourselves what the problem is.

Today’s verse recounts a time when God’s people were dissatisfied and experiencing many problems, so God told them to consider their ways. Many times when people are not fulfilled in life, they look everywhere except within themselves to find the reason. If you are unfulfilled in your life, do as God told the Old Testament people to do and “Consider your ways.” Ask God to speak to you about “your ways,” and pay attention to what He says. I have had to do this many times, and I have had to make changes in my thinking, my motives, or my behavior as a result. As I considered my ways over time, I found I was stubborn, hardheaded, opinionated, proud, and many other things that kept me from making progress. But, thank God, He has changed me! I pray He keeps on changing me and never stops.

I want everything God wants me to have and nothing He doesn’t. I belong to Him and so do you. He wants you to have a happy, blessed, wonderful life, full of satisfaction and fulfillment. If you aren’t living that kind of life, take time to consider your ways; ask God to show you what needs to change; and then do what He tells you to do.

God’s word for you today: Don’t be afraid to face the truth about yourself, because it sets you free.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A Matter of the Will 

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“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself” (John 7:17, KJV).

At the conclusion of an address I gave at M.I.T., a skeptical young man approached me. He said, “I am a scientist. I can’t believe anything that I can’t see. I must be able to go into the laboratory and test a proposition or a theory. I must prove its authenticity before I will believe and accept.

“Religion,” he said, “is a matter of faith. It has no substance and, as far as I’m concerned, no validity.”

I turned to the seventh chapter of John, verse 17 – our Scripture portion for today – and asked him to read it aloud.

“Do you understand what Jesus is saying here?” I asked.

“Well, I’m not sure,” he replied. “What is your point?”

“Your problem is not your intellect, but your will. Are you willing to do what God wants you to do? Are there relationships in your life that you’re not willing to surrender in order to do the will of God? Are there moral problems, problems of integrity that you are not willing to relinquish?”

An odd expression came over his countenance.

“How did you know?” Then he said, “I’d like to talk to you privately.” Later, as we sat together alone, he poured out his heart to me. He said, “I know that what you’re saying is true. I know that there’s a God in heaven, and I know that Jesus Christ is His Son and that He died on the cross for me.

“But,” he said, “there is sin in my life. I have been living with a young woman without the benefit of marriage for the last couple of years. Today you have exposed me for what I really am – a fraud, a sham, a hypocrite, and I want with God’s help to terminate my present relationship with this young woman and receive Christ into my life.”

I am happy to report that, soon after, he and the young woman both surrendered their lives to Christ and were married. Together they are making their lives count for the glory of God.

Bible Reading: John 7:14-18

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will confess – and turn from – all known sin that keeps me from knowing and doing the will of God. I will also share this message with others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The True Sabbath

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Read: Jeremiah 17:19-27

But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials…. But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses. Jeremiah 17:24, 27

What a strange message to send! Why is God so concerned about the Sabbath all through the Bible, from beginning to end, and especially here in the last days of this nation? Why is it the Sabbath he focuses on? It is amazing how this message about the Sabbath has been distorted in the understanding of men in the church through the ages.

The Sabbath, you remember, began when God ceased from the work of creation and rested on the seventh day. He ceased from all his works. He tells man all through the Scriptures that this is a picture of the life of faith and trust in him. That life of faith is to cease from your own works and trust in God to work for you. That is keeping the Sabbath. All the ceremonials and rituals which gathered around this day are only to illustrate to us what God is getting at. In the book of Hebrews he says, …for whoever enters God’s rest also ceases from his labors as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:10 RSV)

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