For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Recommended Reading

2 Corinthians 8:7-9

First John 4:8 says, “God is love.” And John 3:16 says, “God gave.” God’s loving nature was the reason for more than just giving—He created, He redeems, He provides, He forgives, He restores, and more. Yet almost everything God does can be put under the heading of giving.

Everything we have comes from God and comes to us because He has given. As David noted in his prayer, “For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14, italics added). David’s response to God’s giving was to give back to Him as an act of worship. In fact, the apostle Paul said that giving (to others) is a test of the sincerity of our love (2 Corinthians 8:8). And what example of giving did he cite? The fact that Christ gave (became poor) to us so we might receive (become spiritually rich), (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Give Your Love →

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Romans 13:11

Recommended Reading

Psalm 91

The morning headlines hit us with alarm as we realize we’re drawing closer to the season of our Lord’s return. One of our great comforts is what the Bible says about the Lord shielding His people in times like these.

• Psalm 17 says we are hidden under the shadow of His wings.
• Psalm 27 says we are hidden in the shelter of His tabernacle.
• Isaiah 49 says we are hidden in the shadow of His hand.
• Psalm 32 says that God is our hiding place.
• And Colossians 3 says our lives are hidden with Christ in God.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – As Time Draws Near →

If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.

John 7:17

Recommended Reading

John 7:10-24

The book Revive Us Again includes the story of Ruth Sundquist, a Moody Bible Institute student in the 1940s who was attending a missionary conference at nearby Moody Memorial Church. The speaker challenged the students to come forward and offer themselves for missionary service, but Ruth didn’t feel willing to go forward. The speaker then said, “If you aren’t willing to go, ask the Lord to make you willing to go.” Still Ruth hesitated. Then he said, “If you aren’t willing to do that, ask Him to make you willing to be willing to pray that prayer.”

Ruth said, “That’s about where I had to start.”1

The Lord has a calling on our lives, and we’ll discover His will as we’re willing to obey Him without reservation. Sometimes it’s hard to say, “I’m willing.” But perhaps, like Ruth Sundquist, you can start by saying, “Lord, I’m willing for You to make me willing to be willing.”

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Willing to Be Willing →

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 89:1

Recommended Reading

Psalm 78:1-4

Speaking a generation ago, evangelist Vance Havner said, “We are suffering today from a species of Christianity as dry as dust, as cold as ice, as pale as a corpse, and as dead as King Tut. We are suffering not from a lack of correct heads but of consumed hearts.”

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Tut-tut… →

Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me.

Romans 15:30

Recommended Reading

Luke 23:34a

In the sentencing phase of a trial, the judge will often allow individuals to address the court to influence the judge’s decision about the sentence. Some are there to ask for a harsh sentence. But others are there out of love. They understand the need for justice, but they also are there to ask for mercy and fairness.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Pray Your Love →

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:36

Recommended Reading

Psalm 8:1-9

Scientists are learning more and more about the lives of animals. Primates have been found to use tools; fish have demonstrated memory and emotion; dogs have been trained to detect and point out human cancers. But so far, there is no record of any members of the animal kingdom contemplating their origin or expressing appreciation for their existence and the blessings of nature.

Self-awareness is on the human side of a large gap that separates the human from the non-human kingdoms. Even the psalmist, when contemplating the wonders of man’s place in God’s creation, notes that God created “the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea”—but makes no mention of those animals’ awareness of that fact (Psalm 8:8). Fortunately, humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) with the same self-awareness possessed by God. And our awareness lets us know that Someone else is responsible for our creation and sustenance.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – The God Who Made Us →

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1

Recommended Reading

Ephesians 4:15

Famous passages of Scripture are often taken out of context. First Corinthians 13, Paul’s “love chapter,” is such a passage. Why did Paul write his beautiful words about love to the church at Corinth? The answer is simple: They were a carnal, unloving community of Christians! They had an abundance of spiritual gifts, but they used them in unloving ways.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Speak Your Love →

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Matthew 15:19

Recommended Reading

Matthew 15:1-20

Last year the American Environmental Protection Agency allowed an ocean of sludge to pollute Colorado’s Animas River, turning the tributary to a sickening bright yellow. The accident occurred when a crew tried to pump out the polluted buildup of an abandoned mine. The waste overflowed, ruining a hundred-mile stretch of river.

According to Jesus, the human heart is a cesspool of evil, which overflows into our words and deeds. Our world is polluted by the toxic buildup of our hearts. The problem isn’t political, and it can’t be solved by political means. It’s not legal, and all the laws in the world can’t solve it. It’s not educational. If everyone had a doctorate, we’d still have a corrupted culture. It’s not financial; and if everyone were a millionaire, we’d still be in trouble.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – The Yellow River →

In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.

Isaiah 30:15

Recommended Reading

Matthew 16:24-28

Psychologists are warning we’re losing some basic skills of life by our reliance on mobile devices. People no longer add or subtract, they use the calculators on their phones. We no longer type or keyboard; we punch icons with our thumbs. We don’t worry about memorizing anything; our devices have become our brains. We don’t even think as much because we plug in our earphones and listen to podcasts and music.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Be Still →

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

Recommended Reading

Galatians 5:16-26

In the book What My Parents Did Right! Bible teacher Jill Briscoe wrote of how her parents maintained their commitment to each other without ever considering divorce an option. “My sister and I knew that Mom and Dad enjoyed being married, would stay married, and hoped we’d do the same. Differences they had were kept between them and worked out in the context of the promises they made to each other and to God on their wedding day. There was no option out!”

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – What Marriage Needs →

For in [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Colossians 2:9

Recommended Reading

Hebrews 1:3

The first known use of the English phrase “spitting image” was in the 1901 novel Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch by Alice Rice. In her book a character says, “He’s jes’ like his pa—the very spittin’ image of him!” But what does “spitting image” mean? For centuries, versions of the phrase evolved, all involving spittle as a measure of likeness. The earliest versions suggested one person was so like another, it was if he was spat out of the other’s mouth—meaning almost identical.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Spittin’ Image →

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34

Recommended Reading

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Think about what the following words have in common with “love”: address, report, dream, risk, force, joke, license, tour, plan, whisper, stand, peel, hammer, fly, delay, comb, loan, permit, yawn, shape, and judge. All those words are both nouns and verbs, things and actions. And the digital revolution has given us even more: tweet, google, e-mail, text, and others.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Demonstrate Your Love →

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Recommended Reading

1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20:1-4

The story of Jonathan and David in the Old Testament is well known. It is the story of two friends who illustrate the principle of Proverbs 18:24: friends who are closer than brothers. David and Jonathan weren’t related, yet they committed their lives and resources to one another—something brothers might not do. The basis for their friendship was the covenant they made with one another. In their day, a covenant was the strongest form of commitment. The parties would do whatever one another needed.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Closer Than a Brother →

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Ephesians 5:8

Recommended Reading

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Imagine walking into a pitch-dark room—no windows, no lamps, no shadows, no light of any kind. You light a single candle and hold it over your head. When your eyes adjust, you can see a bit of what’s in the room. Now imagine that same room with five people with candles—the overall light is brighter. Then imagine ten people with candles, then twenty-five, then fifty. At some point the darkness is overcome by the light.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – One Light at a Time →