Tag Archives: christianity

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Twelve Days of Christmas

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The floor contains the remnants of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. The stockings hang lifeless from the mantel, empty of all their contents. Leftovers are all that are left of holiday feasting. Wallets are empty and feelings of buyer’s remorse begin to descend and suffocate. For many, the days following Christmas begin the season of let down.

It’s not a surprise really. For many in the West, the entire focus of the Christmas season is on gift-giving, holiday parties, and family gatherings, all of which are fine in and of themselves. But these things often become the centerpiece of the season. Marketers and advertisers ensure that this is so and prime the buying-pump with ads and sales for Christmas shopping long before December. Once November ends, the rush for consumers is on, and multitudinous festivities lead to a near fever pitch of consumption.

And then, very suddenly, it is all over.

In an ironic twist of history, Christmas day became the end point, the full-stop of the Christmas season. But in the ancient Christian tradition, Christmas Day was only the beginning of the Christmas season. The oft sung Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, was not simply a song sung, but a lived reality of the Christmas celebration.(1) In the traditional celebrations, the somber anticipation of Advent—waiting for God to act—flowed into the celebration of the Incarnation that began on Christmas Day and culminated on “twelfth night” the feast of Epiphany.

For twelve days following Christmas, Christians celebrated the “Word made flesh” dwelling among them. The ancient feasts that followed Christmas day all focused on the mystery of the Incarnation worked out in the life of the believers. Martyrs, evangelists, and ordinary people living out the call of faith are all celebrated during these twelve days.

Far from being simply an alternative to the way in which Christmas is currently celebrated or an antidote to post-Christmas ‘let down’ understanding the early history and traditions of Christian celebrations can reunite us with the true focal point of the Christmas season. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory…and of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.”(2) Far more than giving gifts or holiday feasts, the joy of Christmas is that God came near to us in Jesus Christ. The Incarnation affirms that matter matters as God descends to us and adopts a dwelling made of human flesh. Far from a let down, we have the opportunity to be lifted up and united to God through Jesus Christ in the living out of our daily lives—long after the presents are opened and the tree is taken down.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Twelve Days of Christmas →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Powerful Prayer

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The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. —James 5:16

For prayer to be effective it must be fervent. However, if we misunderstand the word fervent, we may feel that we have to “work up” some strong emotion before we pray; otherwise, our prayers will not be effective. At times I experience a great deal of emotion while at prayer, sometimes I even cry. But there are plenty of times when I don’t feel emotional and don’t cry. I am sincere in my praying, but I don’t feel anything out of the ordinary. We can’t base the value of our prayers on feelings. I remember enjoying so much those prayer times when I could feel God’s presence, and then wondering what was wrong during the times when I didn’t feel anything. I learned after a while that faith is not based on feelings in the emotions, but on knowledge in the heart.

Also, James 5:16 states that the fervent prayer of a “righteous” man is powerful. This means a man who is not under condemnation—one who has confidence in God and in the power of prayer. It does not mean a man without any imperfection in his life.

The book of James goes on to talk about Elijah. Elijah was a powerful man of God who did not always behave perfectly, but he still prayed powerful prayers. He loved God and wanted to know His will and fulfill His call upon his life. But sometimes he gave in to human weaknesses and tried to avoid the consequences of that will and calling. In many ways, Elijah was a lot like you and me. In 1 Kings 18, we see him moving in tremendous power, calling down fire from heaven and slaying 450 prophets of Baal at God’s command. Then immediately afterwards, in 1 Kings 19, we see him fearfully running from Jezebel, becoming negative and depressed, and even wanting to die. Like many of us, Elijah let his emotions get the upper hand.

The fact that James instructs us to pray powerful effective prayers like the righteous men and women of God—and then gives a discourse on Elijah and how he was a human being just like us, and yet prayed powerful prayers—should give us enough “scriptural power” to defeat condemnation when it rises up to tell us we cannot pray powerfully because of our weaknesses and faults.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Mighty Things Through Faith

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“And so [Jesus] did only a few great miracles there, because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:58).

It was my first visit to Nazareth, and through a series of fortuitous circumstances, I found myself enjoying lunch with one of the city’s prominent leaders. As we talked together in the crowded dining room our conversation turned to Jesus Christ, and ultimately this gentleman bowed his head and began to pray aloud, inviting Christ to be his Savior and Lord.

The change seemed to be immediate and dramatic, and follow-up has proven that God did meet him and change his life. During the course of our conversation, he indicated that what I had shared with him was a new truth. Though he was religious and active in his church, he never had been told that he should receive Christ.

Upon further exploration, I found that, in the entire community of Nazareth, there were but a few in those days who understood the truth of the living Christ indwelling the believer. I was amazed!

Nazareth was the town in which our Lord had spent approximately thirty years of His life. The son of a carpenter, He had walked those winding streets, living, loving and laughing with other young children as they were growing up. He left the town when He entered His public ministry, and went on to perform mighty miracles, die on the cross for our sins and be raised from the dead – and He changed the whole course of history. But 2,000 years have passed since then, and there is still little evidence of the influence of Jesus in the lives of the people of Nazareth.

Then I remembered that it was said of our Lord, He could do no mighty things in Nazareth because of their unbelief. That seems to be true in more than just that city today. Even though there are a billion and a half professing followers of Christ throughout the world, the majority seem to be practical atheists.

And so, our Lord cannot do mighty things in Nazareth, or throughout the world, because of unbelief. The key to releasing His power to accomplish revolutionary, supernatural things in the world – and in individual lives – is faith. “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29, KJV). “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23, KJV). “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, KJV).

Bible Reading: Mark 6:1-5

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Remembering that Jesus Christ lives within me in all of His supernatural power, waiting to accomplish great and mighty things through me, I will trust and obey Him for a life that is characterized by the supernatural, and I will encourage others to do the same.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God’s Never Failing Love

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God will not let you go. The big news of the Bible is not that you love God but that God loves you! He tattooed your name on the palm of his hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore. You never leave his mind, escape his sight, or flee his thoughts.

You need not win his love. You already have it. He sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise him; he sees them now. Every day and deed of your life has passed before his eyes and been calculated in his decision. He knows you better than you know you and has reached his verdict: he loves you still! No discovery will disillusion him. No rebellion will dissuade him. He loves you with an everlasting love. God’s love—never failing. Never ending.

From Lucado Inspirational Reader

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why I disagree with President Obama on Israel

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On December 23, 2016, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 2334, which calls on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.” The US chose to abstain, allowing the resolution to become international law.

Why is this resolution so important to Israel, the US, and the world? As a frequent traveler to Israel and the Middle East, this development is especially personal for me. Let’s survey the basic facts, then I’ll offer my view on this vital issue.

What are the “settlements”?

The “West Bank” refers to an area slightly larger than Delaware situated on the western bank of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. According to the CIA, it is home to 2.7 million Palestinians. Along with the Gaza Strip (an area along the Mediterranean coast), it is land Palestinians intend for their future state.

Israel captured the area during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1980–81, Israel annexed East Jerusalem as well. Some 630,000 Israelis now live in 123 government-authorized settlements and about 100 unauthorized outposts in the West Bank and twelve major neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. Israel views these settlements as security measures to protect its people.

However, many nations consider the settlements illegal. They are also seen as a major impediment to the “two-state solution” whereby Palestine would become an independent state alongside Israel. Critics claim that Israel is stealing land Palestine needs for its state.

Israel has offered to give Palestinians land equivalent in size and value to the areas used for its security settlements. But many living on land that would be ceded to Palestine are opposed to such an arrangement, and Palestinian leaders continue to insist on borders determined in 1967.

Why is this vote so significant? Continue reading Denison Forum – Why I disagree with President Obama on Israel →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Ruin of Rebellion

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Galatians 6:7-10

Rebelling against the Lord is costly. The divine law of consequences is that people reap what they sow, more than they sow, and later than they sow. And the principle is unchangeable whether you believe in God or not.

A prevailing attitude of our modern culture is that rules prevent people from having a good time. That is certainly not the Lord’s intention. In fact, He offers us true freedom through a relationship with Him. Our loving heavenly Father desires to keep His children growing in their faith and safe from the devil’s temptations and worldly influences. He does that by limiting our actions and commanding that we follow certain laws and principles, which He has designed for our good. There is no greater pleasure or source of contentment than serving Him.

Rebellion, on the other hand, is a form of slavery. By defying the Lord’s authority in some area of our life, we are allowing the enemy to shackle us. We may not initially feel the constraint of his trap, but keep in mind that divine law of consequences. Eventually, we will be heavily burdened by our sin. Whether the penalty ends up being carried in the body, mind, heart, or spirit, we will find ourselves distracted from wholly serving the Lord (Matt. 6:24).

God takes disobedience seriously because the consequences are so grave. As the Sovereign of the universe and our loving Father, He has only our best in mind. So rebelling against Him is foolish. Wise men and women live by His Word and obey Him (Psalm 119:9).

Bible in One Year: 2 John 1, 3 John 1, Jude 1

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – On Time

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Read: Luke 2:25–38

Bible in a Year: Haggai 1–2; Revelation 17

When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son.—Galatians 4:4

Sometimes I joke that I’m going to write a book titled On Time. Those who know me smile because they know I am often late. I rationalize that my lateness is due to optimism, not to lack of trying. I optimistically cling to the faulty belief that “this time” I will be able to get more done in less time than ever before. But I can’t, and I don’t, so I end up having to apologize yet again for my failure to show up on time.

In contrast, God is always on time. We may think He’s late, but He’s not. Throughout Scripture we read about people becoming impatient with God’s timing. The Israelites waited and waited for the promised Messiah. Some gave up hope. But Simeon and Anna did not. They were in the temple daily praying and waiting (Luke 2:25-26, 37). And their faith was rewarded. They got to see the infant Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought Him to be dedicated (vv. 27-32, 38).

When we become discouraged because God doesn’t respond according to our timetable, Christmas reminds us that “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son . . . that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Gal. 4:4-5). God’s timing is always perfect, and it is worth the wait. —Julie Ackerman Link

Heavenly Father, I confess that I become impatient and discouraged, wanting answers to prayer in my own time and on my schedule. Help me to wait patiently for Your timing in all things.

God’s timing is always right—wait patiently for Him.

INSIGHT: The story of Simeon, Anna, and the baby Jesus at the temple is found only in Luke’s gospel. Some scholars believe that much of this unique material could have come from Luke’s personal interaction with Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:1-2). Dennis Moles

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Following Christmas

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In the days following Christmas, it is almost natural to find our mood something like that of the brilliant lights we have just unplugged. Guests go home. Decorations come down. Celebrations cease. Life resumes with a little less fanfare perhaps. Reminding me even of things I hadn’t considered, the poet W.H. Auden describes the letdown of Christmas almost too well:

Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,

Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes…

There are enough left-overs to do, warmed-up, for the rest of the week—

Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot,

Stayed up so late, attempted—quite unsuccessfully—

To love all of our relatives, and in general

Grossly overestimated our powers. Once again

As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed

To do more than entertain it as an agreeable

Possibility, once again we have sent Him away…

The Christmas Feast is already a fading memory,

And already the mind begins to be vaguely aware

Of an unpleasant whiff of apprehension…(1)

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Following Christmas →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Jesus’ Prayer for You

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And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts].—John 17:13

When Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:13, He actually prayed that we would have joy. He said, “I say these things . . . so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them…” With Jesus Himself speaking and praying such powerful words about His desire for us to have joy, how could we ever doubt that God wants us to be happy and enjoy our lives?

If it is God’s desire that we enjoy life, then why are so many people miserable and unhappy? Perhaps it is because we fail to set our minds to enjoy life. We can easily fall into a pattern of merely surviving and enduring rather than enjoying. But a new mind-set will release you to begin enjoying life like never before. The more you enjoy life, the more enjoyable you will be to be around, so get started today and don’t delay.

Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, Father, that it is Your will for me to have joy. Regardless of what my circumstances look like around me, I will choose to live the kind of life You have for me. Thank You that I can have overwhelming, abundant joy every day of my life.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Resist the Devil

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“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, KJV).

I received a call for help one day from the wife of an alcoholic. He is a wonderful person when he is sober, but a demon when he is drinking. Why does he keep drinking?

Another day I talked with a young man who was on drugs. He is deathly afraid that someone will find him out and he will be caught, end up in jail and have a police record. Still, something about drugs woos him to go on another trip, to smoke another joint.

While it is true that addiction plays an important part in such enslavement, it is also true that Satan is chortling behind the scenes – and he needs to be resisted.

Satan manifests himself in various ways. At times he presents himself as one who has world authority. Another time he comes as an angel of light, or as a roaring lion. Satan’s demons can have direct influence in your life or mine.

We wrestle against supernatural power. Satan is not just a man. He possesses supernatural powers. He is a very real enemy. True, he has no authority over us except that which is given to him of God, but we dare not become careless about our Christian walk and yield to temptations which he engineers through “the world, the flesh and the devil.”

And that’s the reason I shudder when I think of individuals who are careless in their use of alcohol and drugs, and who become involved in unscriptural sex relationships. The drug culture has spawned a Satan-worship cult, and men are committed to Satan just as you and I are committed to Jesus Christ. In the words of James, we need to resist the devil, knowing he then will flee from us.

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 5:8-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Upon every entrance of satanic influence into my life, I will submit myself to the Lord and resist the devil, and I will claim by faith the power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously and supernaturally.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Secret of Forgiveness

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You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you. Is it still hard to consider the thought of forgiving the one who hurt you? If so, go one more time to the room. Watch Jesus as he goes from disciple to disciple. Can you see him? Can you hear the water splash? Can you hear him shuffle on the floor to the next person? Keep that image.

John 13:12 says: “When he had finished washing their feet. . .” Please note; he finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out. Why is that important? Because that means he washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. That’s not to say it was easy for Jesus. That’s not to say it’s easy for you. That IS to say, God will never call you to do what he hasn’t already done!

From “The Lucado Inspirational Reader”

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Gay ornaments and other Christmas news

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Christmas is far and away the favorite holiday of Americans. Its popularity crosses genders and generations. There’s nothing like this day of the year. Driving through Dallas yesterday, Janet and I noted the closed stores and empty streets as people spent the day with family and friends.

It’s a remarkable thing, the fact that our secular culture takes a day to remember the birth of Jesus. Of course, not everyone celebrates Christmas. For some, the day is more like Saturnalia.

Here’s the difference.

Saturnalia was a pagan Roman festival timed to the winter solstice and marking the “birth of the sun.” It featured drinking, feasting, and much immorality, culminating on December 25. Over time, the church moved its celebration of Jesus’ birth to that date to replace hedonism with worship. (Jesus was likely born in the spring, since Luke 2:8 tells us that the shepherds were “out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks at night.”) By the eleventh century, Christians called their worship “Christ’s Mass,” or “Christmas.”

In some ways, yesterday’s holiday was more like Saturnalia than Christ’s Mass.

An artist in California made headlines when he produced Christmas ornaments depicting same-sex nativity scenes. In one, two Josephs are worshiping the Christ child; in the other, two Marys are doing the same. Meanwhile, British police arrested five people after a Christmas Eve party descended into a mass brawl. And seven people were shot to death in Chicago over the Christmas weekend, while at least twenty others were injured.

In a culture like ours, how can we experience and demonstrate the continuing relevance of the first Christmas?

One: Open God’s gifts by faith. Continue reading Denison Forum – Gay ornaments and other Christmas news →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Jesus Christ Is Lord

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Romans 14:7-12

Followers of Jesus would agree that whether we live or die, we do so for Christ. But His sovereignty is not limited to those who claim Him as King. The entire world—the whole universe, in fact—is subject to His authority. At the final judgment, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess and praise God.

In the here and now, relatively few people recognize the Lord’s rule and seek to remain in His will. Most refuse to see that all of our human constructs—such as government, culture, and society—thrive or falter in the palm of God’s hand. Moreover, nonbelievers resist Christ’s sovereignty in their own lives. People who won’t surrender their will to the Lord’s great purpose assume control of their own destiny. However, the Lord’s supreme reign cannot be thwarted.

It’s common for men and women today to believe that there are no consequences for rejecting the lordship of Jesus Christ. You may have heard people say things like, “That Christian stuff works for you, but it’s not for me. I’ll live on my own terms.” Yet Jesus’ parable of houses built on either solid rock or sand offers a different perspective (Matt. 7:24-27). Only those who make their abode in the Lord can withstand the upheavals of this world.

Kneeling before Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life is the wisest decision you can make. The sovereign Ruler of the universe loves you and desires to bless all of your days. Make your eternal home in the safety of His kingdom, and forever delight in Him.

Bible in One Year: 2 Timothy 1-4

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — One Short Sleep

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Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Bible in a Year: Amos 1–3; Revelation 6

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.—2 Corinthians 5:8

Henry Durbanville, a Scottish pastor from another era, told the story of an elderly woman in his parish who lived in a remote part of Scotland. She longed to see the city of Edinburgh, but she was afraid to take the journey because of the long, dark tunnel through which the train had to pass to get there.

One day, however, circumstances compelled her to go to Edinburgh, and as the train sped toward the city, her agitation increased. But before the train reached the tunnel, the woman, worn out with worry, fell fast asleep. When she awoke she had already arrived in the city!

It’s possible that some of us will not experience death. If we’re alive when Jesus returns, we will “meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:13-18). But many of us will pass into heaven through death and for some that thought causes great anxiety. We worry that the process of dying will be too difficult to bear.

With the assurance of Jesus as our Savior we can rest in the confidence that when we close our eyes on earth and pass through death, we will open our eyes in God’s presence. “One short sleep past we wake eternally,” John Donne said. —David Roper

I love the life You’ve given to me, Lord, yet I wonder what it will be like to see You personally. Help me to trust You with the future. I look forward to that day when I meet You.

To see Jesus will be heaven’s greatest joy.

INSIGHT: After Paul describes Christ’s return in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, he proceeds to discuss daily living (5:12-24). It is easy to get lost in the intricacies and complexities of biblical prophecy. However, it is all a “revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). Amid all the trumpeting and reunions, it is “the Lord himself [who] will come down from heaven” (1 Thess. 4:16). Then Christians will be gloriously “like him for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). How does the vision of Christ’s return have an impact on you individually and practically? Jim Townsend

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – I Still Believe in Santa, and God Too

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I am thirty-five years old, and I still believe in Santa.

I remember well that dark day when my friends told me that Santa didn’t exist. I was devastated. I felt this heaviness in my gut, and the colors of Christmas seemed to fade. I was made to feel like I was a baby for believing in Santa, and so I quickly gave up the belief. I didn’t want to be the odd one out. I didn’t want to be a fool.

But in the privacy of my own mind I began to think it through. If Santa didn’t exist, where did all of those great gifts under the tree come from year after year? If Santa didn’t exist, how did my letters always disappear from the fireplace? Plus, I had been in Santa’s presence plenty of times! I had frequently bumped into him in the mall and on the streets of New York City, and I had pictures to prove it. One time Santa even showed up at my house on Christmas.

How irrational it would have been for me to conclude that Santa simply didn’t exist! To affirm that Santa was merely a legend that had evolved over many generations, or to accept that the multiple and multiply attested appearances of Santa were cases of me and everyone else hallucinating—only a willful neglect of the evidence could lead to such conclusions.

It turned out that my friends had not been very precise with their thinking or with their words. It wasn’t that Santa didn’t exist; it was that Santa wasn’t who I thought he was.

It turns out he is far greater than I had thought. He is indeed capable of providing gifts and picking up letters, and he is, as suspected, responsible for the disappearance of the mountain of cookies that we would leave out for him on Christmas Eve.

But, thankfully, he doesn’t live as far away as the North Pole. He isn’t someone whom I could only hope to catch a momentary glimpse of once a year. He isn’t someone who likes me only if I am not naughty but nice. The good news is that Santa is with me all year, and he loves and is there for me no matter what. Santa exists; it’s just that when he is fully revealed, he is also Mom and Dad.

Many of us can remember a time when someone told us God doesn’t exist, and perhaps they made us feel foolish for believing such a thing. Did we give up that belief because we had really thought it through, or simply because we didn’t want to be seen as a baby?

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – I Still Believe in Santa, and God Too →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – My Normal Mind

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I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones). —Ephesians 1:16-18

This section in Ephesians is difficult for many of us to understand. What does Paul mean by “the eyes of your heart flooded with light” (v. 18)? I believe he is referring to the mind, because that’s what needs enlightenment. It is with the mind that we grasp God’s truths and hold to them.

Too many of us have difficulty being “flooded with light” because we are distracted with too many other things. The apostle prays for us to have what I call a normal mind—a mind that’s open to the Holy Spirit’s work—so that we may follow God’s plan and live enriched lives.

One way to think about the idea of a normal mind is to look at two of Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha. Most people know the story of the sisters and the visit Jesus made to their home in Bethany. Martha scurried around, making certain that everything in their home was exactly right, while Mary sat down to listen to Jesus. Luke says Martha “was distracted with much serving” (see Luke 10:40), and she complained to Jesus that she needed her sister’s help.

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things (v. 41), Jesus told her, and then He commended Mary for having chosen the “good portion.”

As I thought about that incident, I realized it was more than Martha being distracted. I’m sure her mind jumped around, making certain that everything was exactly right. The implication is that even if there had been nothing more to do, Martha wouldn’t have stopped to sit at Jesus’ feet. She was so caught up in busyness that her mind would have searched for something else to do.

The Marthas seem to be in control of our world, don’t they? They are the ones who get things done. When they’re not accomplishing their own goals, they seem to be telling others what they should do. In today’s world of “multi-tasking,” the Marthas seem to get the awards and the accolades. Some people are busy all the time. They wear their busyness like a badge, as if that makes them more important.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – My Normal Mind →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Learn to Be Patient

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“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to be patient” (Romans 5:3).

A Christian family was struggling with the trials of being parents (they had four young children – two of them in diapers). One day the wife, who was frustrated to her wits’ end, came to me for spiritual counsel. As she phrased it, she was at the point of losing her sanity.

How could she cope with rearing her children? She told how angry she got with the children when they disobeyed her. In fact, she indicated there were times when she feared she might physically harm her children, though she loved them dearly.

How could she cope with rearing her children? She needed the fruit of the Spirit, patience and love. The only way she could obtain such patience was by faith, confessing her sins and appropriating the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This she began to do, continually. Today, she is a women of godly patience, and being a parent has become a joyful privilege for her.

All of us need Christ’s patience, regardless of who we are or in what circumstances we find ourselves. Patience is granted to us by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit. It is produced by faith as a fruit of the Spirit, and it is granted in times of great crises (Luke 21:15-19); in dealing with church situations (2 Corinthians 12:12); in opposing evil (Revelation 2:2), for soundness of faith (Titus 2:2) and in waiting for the return of Jesus Christ (James 5:7,8).

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-8

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will look on trials and problems as a forerunner of great patience in my life, while claiming the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – You Need a Savior

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If we could save ourselves—why would we need a Savior? Jesus didn’t enter the world to help us save ourselves. He entered the world to save us from ourselves.

As a Boy Scout, I earned a lifesaving merit badge. In fact the only people I saved were other Boy Scouts who didn’t need to be saved. During training I would rescue other trainees. We took turns saving each other. But since we weren’t really drowning, we resisted being rescued. “Stop kicking and let me save you,” I’d say. It’s impossible to save those who’re trying to save themselves.

You might save yourself from a broken heart or going broke or running out of gas. But you’re not good enough to save yourself from sin. You aren’t strong enough to save yourself from death. You need a Savior. Because of Bethlehem you have one!

From Because of Bethlehem

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What to do when you’re discouraged with America

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Does it seem to you that the gap between Christians and non-Christians is continuing to grow in America?

According to LifeWay Research, two-thirds of Americans now support euthanasia, while nearly two-thirds of evangelical Christians disagree. According to the Pew Research Center, only 25 percent of non-religious Americans believe that abortion is morally wrong, but 75 percent of white evangelical Christians disagree.

When you become discouraged with the direction of our culture, what should you do?

I was reading 1 Chronicles 5 yesterday, frankly a bit bored with the ongoing list of genealogies and tribal members, when a verse stopped me in my tracks: “The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war” (v. 18).

Not surprisingly, these expert warriors waged war against pagan armies and “prevailed over them” (v. 20a). But surprisingly, their victory came because “they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (v. 20b).

Which won the battle, their expertise or their prayers?

For many years I struggled with the relationship between human agency and divine sovereignty. I’d heard the saying, “Let go and let God,” but it seemed to contradict the fact that the Lord gives us minds, abilities, and resources he would seemingly want us to employ in his service. I’d also heard the opposite: “What you are is God’s gift to you—what you make of yourself is your gift to God.” But this seemed to make our Lord a God in the balcony who watches us on the stage but doesn’t interact with us. I knew from Scripture and experience that this wasn’t true.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What to do when you’re discouraged with America →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Feasting on the Word

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Deuteronomy 8:1-6

The Bible should be the main course in our literary diet. If we spent as much time in the Word as we do at the dinner table, our spirit and character would be strong and thriving. And no matter what our circumstances happened to be, we would experience an inner joy. The satisfaction that comes from living an obedient life is not possible apart from Scripture.

It is in God’s Word that we find out how He thinks and what He does. In those pages, we also discover the guiding principles for a successful life. After all, how can we trust our heavenly Father unless we know Him? And how can we become like Jesus unless we practice the habits He displays in Scripture?

Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you … Do not turn to the right nor to the left.” What this means in practical terms is that every time we must make a decision, we’re to sift it through what we know of the Lord from Scripture. When we face a crisis, we dig into the Bible to answer the question, What would the Lord have me do? We do not live by reason, the opinion of others, or our own wisdom. Rather, we conform our mind, heart, and will to the biblical standard.

Bread will keep the stomach full, but life will be empty without a daily meal that includes reading and meditation. Learn to recognize spiritual hunger pains, such as vague discontent or animosity toward the things of God—and quickly begin to feast on the Word.

Bible in One Year: Acts 25-26

 

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