Tag Archives: christianity

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Tree of Life for All

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Read: Acts 10

They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day. (vv. 39-40)

What a remarkable story. Cornelius was a captain in the Roman army. A devout non-Jew, he feared God, gave alms, and prayed continually. And he paid attention to the angel who visited him, and so sent three people to find someone named Simon Peter in Joppa. Meanwhile Peter has had a mind-boggling vision that revolutionizes his view of who is clean and unclean. The living God of Jesus, he learns, loves not only Jews, but all people. In God’s eyes no one is profane. God shows no partiality.

Cornelius’s search party finds Peter, and Peter returns to Caesarea where Cornelius’s whole family and many friends are waiting. Cornelius and Peter each recount their stories. Peter offers a testimony that summarizes the gospel. While Peter is still speaking, the Holy Spirit, like water, is poured out on Cornelius and his clan, so that they speak in tongues and offer praise to God. They are then baptized.

This story summarizes the gospel in a nutshell: Jesus was put to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day. And this good news includes everyone, even people you may have believed (with Peter) were outside the pale, perpetually unclean, eternally damned. Yet another surprise from a grace-filled God. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Prayer:

God of all, open our eyes to the astounding reach of your all-encompassing love.

Author: Steven Bouma-Prediger

 

https://woh.org/

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Fruitful Hearers

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“And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.”—Luke 8:15

Once when I was on a flight returning to California, the captain announced he would have to make an emergency landing. The flight attendants went through the protocol, and I listened carefully. As we went into our descent, we were told to lean forward, grab our legs, and get ready. Thankfully we landed safely, and everything was okay.

When your life depends on something, you listen. That is how we should be as we listen to God’s Word. In the parable of the sower, Jesus talked about seeds that fell on good ground: “honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest” (Luke 8:15).

These are what I call fruitful hearers. Having heard God’s Word, they keep it. One key is how we listen. It is not just hearing the Word of God; it is keeping it. It is no light thing to constantly hear the Scriptures preached and taught. Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”

It is a great thing to read through the Bible. It is a great thing to read chapters of the Bible. But I would rather read eight verses with comprehension than eight chapters without it. Psalm 1 talks about those who “delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.” The word meditate means “to chew, to contemplate.”

Those who hear God’s Word are made more responsible than those who did not hear. God expects us to act on what we have heard. God expects us to obey His Word, not just hear it. Good ground is made that way by the work of the Gardener and by our cooperation.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Our Refuge

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Emily stood on third base, nervously waiting for the final pitch. The softball game score was tied, and this was her last chance to get a run for her team. Crack! The ball sailed past her. Her heartbeat doubled, and she ran for home plate as fast as she could. The outfielders were yelling at each other, but Emily did not listen. They would throw the ball to home any second, but Emily did not look behind her to see how close they were to getting her. Faster, faster! she thought. She ran harder than she had ever run before.

Emily was not thinking about being tagged on her way to home plate. She was not thinking about the catcher getting the ball before she got there. She was thinking only about one thing: getting to home plate as soon as possible. The catcher held her arms out for the ball, waiting. Emily dove, sliding through the dust and over the plate. Thump! The ball hit the catcher’s mitt. Emily paused and listened. “Safe!” yelled the umpire. Emily stood and smiled. Safe.

Emily must have felt a little like the man who wrote Psalm 46. His country was at war, and he was surrounded by danger and death. But he was not afraid. He knew that no matter what happened around him, he was safe with God. He calls God his “refuge.” A refuge is a place of safety in danger, a place that you can run to for help and comfort. The author of Psalm 46 did not waste time being scared. Instead, he remembered that God is always there to give help in times of trouble.

God is still a refuge for Christians today. Sometimes life seems scary, but we know that God is our “refuge and strength.” Like the author of Psalm 46, we need to remember that God will protect us if we trust Him. Then, like Emily, we need to run to Him in prayer.

God keeps you safe in times of trouble.

My Response:

» When life seems scary, do I remember that God is my refuge?

» How can I “run to Him” today ?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – With Him Forever

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Today’s Scripture: John 12:26

“Where I am, there will my servant be also.”

While Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 emphasized the reality of an immortal, spiritual body, John in revelation called our attention to the reality of our eternal presence with God: “and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:3-4).

In the next chapter we read, “no longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:3-5).

The day will come when our perfected spirits and immortal bodies are forever united. And in that glorious condition “we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, NIV). Hallelujah! At that time we will experience the full reality of the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Before we experience that glorious reality, we still live in this life. We’re not just to wait for our hope of heaven, but to be actively and vigorously engaged in becoming more like Christ (the process called sanctification) and of extending the rule of his kingdom (the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13). (Excerpt taken from The Gospel for Real Life)

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – A Powerful Enemy

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. – 2 Timothy 2:22

The mistake I made was trying to read in bed by lamplight. We were in the jungles of Colombia, South America, and I should have known better. Within minutes, thousands of tiny bugs were flying in circles around the lamp.

I jumped up, turned on the ceiling light, and turned off the light by the bed. Immediately, these pesky insects flew to the top of the room and began to circle that light. Next, I opened the door to the hallway and turned on the hall light, then turned off the ceiling light in the bedroom. Off they flew into the hallway and began to fly circles around the light in the hall.

I quickly shut the door, kept all lights off in the bedroom, and had a good night’s sleep. The next morning when I stepped into the hallway, there they were–thousands of insects dead on the floor directly under the light. They had circled hundreds of times, then got too close and were killed.

Friend, I have seen a similar thing happen to people who play around with sexual lust. Like these insects, they flit around and finally go too far. I watched this happen to a friend of mine who seemed to be a dedicated Christian. He was a handsome guy who easily attracted women. When we ate together in a restaurant, he’d often kid around with the waitress, making some witty remark, and the two of them would laugh and wink and flirt with each other. Then it happened. He got caught up in a sexual sin and today he is not serving God.

Beware! Lust is a powerful enemy.

Prayer

Lord, Your Word says that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Help me to honor You with my body. Amen.

To Ponder

To continue to play around danger is to end up serving the sin we thought we were master of.

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  How Can You find Your Calling in an Age of Entitlement?

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A couple years ago, the Huffington Post’s “Wait But Why” blog created Lucy, an imagined embodiment of today’s emerging adult. Lucy is what the article called a GYPSY, short for Generation Y Protagonists and Special Yuppy. Lucy is destined to be unhappy.

From their earliest years, GYPSYs like Lucy, born between the late 70s and mid-90s, were told that they’re special, that they can be whatever they want to be, and that they should just “follow their passions” when choosing a career. Not surprisingly GYPSYs tend to struggle with a sense of entitlement.

According to the article, “The GYPSY needs a lot more from a career than … prosperity and security. …where the Baby Boomers wanted to live The American Dream, GYPSYs want to live Their Own Personal Dream.”

And this is a recipe for unhappiness. In those rare situations when reality exceeds our expectations, those convinced of the inherent goodness of their own personal dreams will be happy. But when reality falls short, as is most often the case, these dreamers will be unhappy, even depressed. Reality will never match the dreams GYPSYs have been told to expect.

Christians are guilty of inculcating false expectations to their young as well. For at least a couple of generations, Christian colleges and other educational institutions, with the noble intent of communicating the Biblical concept of “calling” being more than just full-time ministry jobs, have taught students to look at their own giftedness as the key (and sometimes the only key) to discovering “God’s will.” I must confess my own guilt in this regard.

Of course, it’s true the Lord has gifted us in unique ways to serve Him, and that we can discover these gifts through our passions and use them for His glory. Remember Olympian Eric Liddell’s wonderful line from Chariots of Fire? “God has made me…fast, and when I run I feel God’s pleasure.”

While the biblical picture of calling and vocation includes our giftedness, it also includes things like sacrifice, persecution, and an awareness of the needs of my neighbors. Jesus said that those who follow him carry crosses. Paul said that anyone who wishes to follow Christ will be persecuted. (Remember, Eric Liddell died in a Japanese prison camp.)

Continue reading BreakPoint –  How Can You find Your Calling in an Age of Entitlement? →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE TRINITY AND OUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST

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Read ROMANS 8:5–17

The Greek word oikia can mean “house,” as in the physical building. It can also mean “household” or “family,” the people who live there, as well as “extended family” or “clan,” the entire family tree. The term can also indicate the “estate,” that is, wealth and property belonging to the family. This makes the New Testament metaphor of believers being a family or “household of faith” a rich one (see Gal. 6:10)!

Part of this powerful metaphor declares believers to be “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (v. 17). To be an heir of God means we live by the Spirit; we have been transformed through our spiritual rebirth (vv. 5–8). We have a different life purpose, with our minds now set on what God desires. Our lives lead to a different outcome, life rather than death. This is because we have a different relationship with God, one in which we now seek to please, obey, and submit to Him (see 1 John 3:10).

Life by the Spirit is the evidence that our salvation is real (vv. 9–11). If one is in God’s kingdom, one has the Spirit and a certain hope of resurrection. Conversely, not to have the Spirit indicates one does not belong to Christ at all. Therefore, we have an obligation to live in line with our new spiritual life and identity (vv. 12–13). We should cooperate with the Spirit in putting sin to death in our lives.

The Spirit is the One who brings us into the Father’s family, an adoption made possible by the Son (vv. 14–17). Jesus is, as it were, our older brother, and through Him we have the privilege of calling God “Abba.” Thanks to the Trinity, we’re no longer slaves to sin but are instead children of God!

APPLY THE WORD

What are your “inheritance rights” as a child of God? They include new spiritual life and the promise of bodily resurrection. But they also include a promise of suffering (v. 17). No doubt we prefer to think of blessings and rewards, and these are very real. But we should also rejoice in the privilege of suffering for His name (see Matt. 5:11–12; Acts 5:41; Phil. 1:29).

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – NEWBORN BABY RESCUED AT SEA        

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The front page of this morning’s Wall Street Journal has a poignant photo: a woman is holding a newborn baby surrounded by life jackets and chaos on a ship. They are among more than 700 migrants rescued yesterday from seven boats in the Mediterranean Sea and transferred to the Italian coast guard.

CNN reports today on another harrowing escape over the weekend. Southwest Airlines Flight 3472, en route from New Orleans to Orlando, was diverted to Pensacola, Florida, after an engine exploded. “It was thanks to that pilot that we’re all alive,” a passenger said after the plane landed safely.

One more story of resilience: according to CNN, a couple was married yesterday amid the rubble of the deadly earthquake in Italy. They had planned to be married in the town church, but part of the building crumbled in the quake that killed at least 291 people. So they moved their wedding to the village square and made a memory the world is sharing today.

When people demonstrate courage in the face of devastating challenges, the culture takes notice. This is especially true when Christians remain faithful in a faithless day. But it’s sometimes hard to trust God for a future outcome that redeems present suffering. So let’s consider this statement by the Apostle Paul: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Nearly every word of this remarkable sentence repays deeper investigation.

“Consider” translates a Greek word meaning “to study all the evidence and reach a verifiable conclusion.” “Suffering” is a term for all hardships, generic enough to include your challenges today. “This present time” uses a Greek word meaning not this hour or moment but this present age.

Continue reading Denison Forum – NEWBORN BABY RESCUED AT SEA         →

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?

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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