Tag Archives: faith

Uncategorized

Our Daily Bread — Red Tape

1 Comment

 

Romans 5:1-8

Through [Jesus] also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. —Romans 5:2

The expression “red tape” describes the annoying way that bureaucracy prevents things from getting done. Originally, the phrase referred to the common practice of binding official documents with red ribbon. In the early 1800s, the term was popularized by the writings of Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle, who was protesting governmental foot-dragging. Following the American Civil War, the problem of “red tape” resurfaced as war veterans struggled to receive their benefits. The term denotes frustration and disappointment because of the burdensome hurdles it erects to accomplishing goals.

Bureaucratic red tape is almost legendary, but there is one place in the universe where it’s never an issue—the throne of God. In Romans 5:2, Paul speaks of Christ, “through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” When our hearts are broken or our lives are troubled, there is no red tape hindering our access to God. Jesus Christ has paved the way so that we can have access to enter boldly into the presence of the King of heaven (Heb. 4:16).

Remember, when your heart is hurting, you don’t have to cut through a lot of red tape to present your needs to God. Through Christ, we have full and immediate access. —Bill Crowder

 

Thank You, Father, that access to Your throne

has been secured for us by Jesus Christ. We

know that You will not ignore us. Thank You for

the confidence we can have that You care.

 

God’s throne is always accessible to His children.

Uncategorized

World of Violence – Ravi Zacharias Ministry

Leave a comment

 

As is my custom most mornings, I wake up early to take a walk in the still quiet of the day. The morning offers a time for me to pray and to reflect on what is ahead of me that day. But when I returned home on a day not unlike other days and turned on the morning news, the onslaught of violent headlines assaulted my peaceful reflection. In one short broadcast, I learned the details of several horrific stories involving brutal violence. Indeed, watching or listening to any local news station, one finds that the majority of headlines involve mayhem and morbidity. Like it or not, my morning routine is so often upset and unsettled by violence in the news.

Disheartened by the relentless barrage of violent headlines, I am often left wondering why people seem to love violence more than peace. With all the heartache and despair left in the wake of these tragedies, why don’t people seem to tire of violence?

Of course, stories of violence come as no surprise. Assaults and murders are as familiar as any routine. And yet, its occurrence still jars my senses. Somehow, thankfully, I never get used to it, and its commonplace existence does not dull my senses. The familiar reminder of violence calls us all to attention over and over again as a sign and a symbol that something is terribly wrong in this world. Furthermore, when we are honest with ourselves, we come to know rage and hatred that is not just ‘out there’ in a violent world, but near and dear and close to our own hearts. The ancient prophet Jeremiah identified this dark reality: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

While I wish Jeremiah’s indictment was for everyone else out there—the murderous assassin, the violent rapist, or in the polarized political rivals—I know too well the violence within my own heart. I feel the rage like a fever when I am cut off in traffic. I can seethe within when I am patronized or belittled. And why would I wish to recount the careless words spoken in anger leveled against loved ones? Disheartened, I cry out, “Why won’t I tire of violence?”

Jesus, like Jeremiah before him, understood humanity’s violent tendencies. He understood that violence is not something “out there” but something insidious within every human being. He told his followers, “That which proceeds out of a person, that is what defiles her. For from within, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…thefts, murders…deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit…envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile a person” (Mark 7:20-23). The explosive violence that maims, harms, and kills emerges within each and every one of us.

Jesus didn’t issue these words as an indictment against humanity while hanging from the cross of violence that took his life, but he very well could have. Indeed, his offering of himself and his death on a cross is the very embodiment of his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount:

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who mistreat you. And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. But love your enemies, and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons and daughters of the Most High; for God is kind to ungrateful and evil men.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”(1)

Jesus endured the violence that ultimately led to his crucifixion. He endured violence to offer another way in our world of violence. Yet, his way offers a challenge to our everyday embrace of violence in large and small ways. Until I tire of violence, I cannot expect the world to tire of violence. Until I embrace Jesus’s solution to violence, I cannot hope for peace. Yet, since Christ came near and bore our violence, the lion and the lamb can hope for the transformation that is our peace.

Margaret Manning is associate writer at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

(1) Luke 6:27,28,32,33,35,36.

Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

Leave a comment

 

Morning  “The things which are not seen.” / 2 Corinthians 4:18

In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking  forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for  hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future  must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the  future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made  perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.  Looking further yet, the believer’s enlightened eye can see death’s river  passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which  standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates,  hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the  arms of Jesus, glorified with him, and made to sit together with him on his  throne, even as he has overcome and has sat down with the Father on his  throne. The thought of this future may well relieve the darkness of the past  and the gloom of the present. The joys of heaven will surely compensate for  the sorrows of earth. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and  thou shalt soon have forded it. Time, how short–eternity, how long! Death,  how brief–immortality, how endless! Methinks I even now eat of Eshcol’s  clusters, and sip of the well which is within the gate. The road is so, so  short! I shall soon be there.

“When the world my heart is rending

With its heaviest storm of care,

My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,

Find a refuge from despair.

Faith’s bright vision shall sustain me

Till life’s pilgrimage is past;

Fears may vex and troubles pain me,

I shall reach my home at last.”

 

Evening   “The dove came in to him in the evening.” / Genesis 8:11

Blessed be the Lord for another day of mercy, even though I am now weary with its toils. Unto the preserver of men lift I my song of gratitude. The dove found no rest out of the ark, and therefore returned to it; and my soul has learned yet more fully than ever, this day, that there is no satisfaction to be found in earthly things–God alone can give rest to my spirit. As to my business, my possessions, my family, my attainments, these are all well enough in their way, but they cannot fulfil the desires of my immortal nature. “Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” It was at the still hour, when the gates of the day were closing, that with weary wing the dove came back to the master: O Lord, enable me this evening thus to return to Jesus. She could not endure to spend a night hovering over the restless waste, nor can I bear to be even for another hour away from Jesus, the rest of my heart, the home of my spirit. She did not merely alight upon the roof of the ark, she “came in to him;” even so would my longing spirit look into the secret of the Lord, pierce to the interior of truth, enter into that which is within the veil, and reach to my Beloved in very deed. To Jesus must I come: short of the nearest and dearest intercourse with him my panting spirit cannot stay. Blessed Lord Jesus, be with me, reveal thyself, and abide with me all night, so that when I awake I may be still with thee. I note that the dove brought in her mouth an olive branch plucked off, the memorial of the past day, and a prophecy of the future. Have I no pleasing record to bring home? No pledge and earnest of lovingkindness yet to come? Yes, my Lord, I present thee my grateful acknowledgments for tender mercies which have been new every morning and fresh every evening; and now, I pray thee, put forth thy hand and take thy dove into thy bosom.

Uncategorized

Exalting Christ – John MacArthur

1 Comment

 

“[God] seated [Christ] at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph.1:20).

To exalt someone is to elevate that person in status, dignity, power, and honor. As God, Jesus possesses all power and authority and is deserving of all honor and glory. But when He was on earth, most people refused to give Him the glory He deserved. Instead they mocked and eventually murdered Him.

Just prior to His death, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I ever had with Thee before the world was” (John 17:5). The Father answered that prayer by giving Him an exalted name and an exalted position.

Paul wrote, “God highly exalted [Christ], and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Farther” (Phil. 2:9-11).

Hebrews 1:3 adds that when Christ had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Old Testament priests didn’t sit down while on duty because their work was never finished. Repeated sacrifices were necessary because of the priest’s own sins and the sins of the people. Christ, on the other hand, made one all-sufficient sacrifice, then sat down. His atoning work was completed.

The “right hand” of God is a metaphor for the highest place of power, prominence, authority, and honor. From that exalted position Christ reigns as the Sovereign Lord of the universe.

There’s one aspect of Christ’s exaltation that we as believers can participate in right now. David said, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 34:3). Psalm 99:5 adds, “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool.” Be generous in praising Him today, for He is worthy!

Suggestions for Prayer: Read Psalm 34 and exalt the Lord for all the benefits He demonstrates on behalf of His people.

For Further Study: Read Colossians 3:1-4

Describe your position in Christ (vv. 1, 3).

What should be the focus of your life (v. 2)?

When ultimately will God vindicate your faith in Christ (v. 4)?

What must you do to be exalted by God (see James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6)?

Uncategorized

For the Sake of the Gospel – Greg Laurie

Leave a comment

 

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” —Matthew 5:44

Even in the church today, we can write off a lot of people, sometimes even fellow believers. It seems that sometimes the slogan is, “Us four and no more.” We can divide over minutiae and allow second-tier and third-tier issues to bring unnecessary division in our ranks.

I have had people criticize me for those whom we involve in our Harvest Crusades: “Why do you let that church come? If that church is coming, then our church isn’t going to participate.” Or, “Why did you let that pastor pray at the crusade? I don’t agree with that pastor, because in one of his books, he quoted someone who once had coffee with someone else, and it is guilt by association. I want nothing to do with any of this.”

But I will say, “Look at the essential areas where we are in agreement, and we can get together—even though there are some minor differences—for the sake of the gospel of Christ. That is all I am trying to do.”

If people want to withdraw over that, then I guess that is what will happen. But I am going to keep doing what I do and keep preaching the gospel and trying to get as many people to join me as possible. And I want to join as many others who are doing this too.

Here is the thing: Sometimes there are people we don’t want to bring the gospel to, because if we were honest (we probably would not verbalize it), we don’t want them to come to Christ. But the Bible says we are to love our enemies (see Matthew 5:44).

So here is my suggestion to you: Go to them. Take the message of the gospel to the people who have offended you and hurt you.

Uncategorized

Two-Thousand Times More Effective – Max Lucado

Leave a comment

 

Two-thousand years ago the disciples of Jesus started a movement that changed the world.  Are we still changing the world?  We can.  We can be two-thousand times more effective—if we only try!

Here’s an example.  There are 145 million orphans worldwide.  Nearly 236 million of us living in the U.S. call ourselves Christian.  From a purely statistical standpoint, by ourselves, we have the wherewithal to house every orphan in the world.  There’s enough food on the planet to feed the hungry!  But the storehouse is locked.

God has given our generation everything we need to alter the course of human suffering. Change must start with us!  With our transformation!  Ours is the wealthiest generation of Christians ever!  We can be more effective—if only we try!

Uncategorized

Shattering Fear with Truth – Charles Stanley

1 Comment

 

Joshua 1:6-8

Fear enslaves us. Anxiety can color our entire perspective until we live with a constant sense of unease. But fear does not fit who we are as believers. We are children of the living God, who has promised to care for us and work all things for our good. If we choose to live in tense apprehension, then at the end of our life, we’ll look back and wish we had trusted God more. But instead of living in a way that leads to regret, we can be freed from our fear now.

Identify your specific worries and be willing to deal with them. We cannot begin to understand our anxieties until we recognize the basic root of all fear. Certainly, there are numerous causes of fearful concern—ignorance, an inherited mindset, an overactive imagination—but ultimately the root of all our worry is doubt regarding divine sovereignty. God is in control of all things. We are under His power, provision, and protection every single moment of our life. Fear is shattered on the foundational truth of the Lord’s omnipotent control.

Focus on the Lord instead of on fear. When we understand that we are in the hand of our almighty, all-knowing, loving Father, the choice to refocus on Him becomes easier. But we must make this courageous decision every time we face anxiety.

By far the most powerful way to overcome fear is to meditate on the Word of God. In times of trouble, we must hold fast to the truths of Scripture. The Bible is intended to be an immovable anchor for your life. As God’s thoughts become part of your own thinking, fear will fade and faith will grow.

Uncategorized

Our Daily Bread — The Good Old Days

Leave a comment

 

READ: Psalm 143:1-6

I remember the days of old. —Psalm 143:5

Sometimes our minds run back through the years and yearn for that better time and place—the “good old days.”

But for some, the past harbors only bitter memories. Deep in the night, they ponder their own failures, disillusionments, and fantasies, and think of the cruel hand life has dealt them.

It’s better to remember the past as David did, by contemplating the good that God has done, to “meditate on all [His] works; . . . muse on the work of [His] hands” (Ps. 143:5). As we call to mind the lovingkindness of the Lord, we can see His blessings through the years. These are the memories that foster the highest good. They evoke a deep longing for more of God and more of His tender care. They transform the past into a place of familiarity and fellowship with our Lord.

I heard a story about an elderly woman who would sit in silence for hours in her rocking chair, hands folded in her lap, eyes gazing off into the far distance. One day her daughter asked, “Mother, what do you think about when you sit there so quietly?” Her mother replied softly with a twinkle in her eye, “That’s just between Jesus and me.”

I pray that our memories and meditations would draw us into His presence. —David Roper

I have promised you My presence

With you everywhere you go;

I will never, never leave you

As you travel here below. —Rose

Fellowship with Christ is the secret of happiness now and forever.

Uncategorized

Weak and Strong – Ravi Zacharias Ministry

Leave a comment

 

After fifteen years and nearly 17,000 miles, an unlikely fleet was set to make port on the beaches of Britain. On January 29, 1992, three massive containers on a cargo ship from Hong Kong crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The containers were filled with brightly colored bathtub toys bound for the United States. Instead, 29,000 little plastic ducks, frogs, beavers, and turtles began a journey that would be carefully monitored by children, oceanographers, and newscasters alike.

After a decade and a half, the tiny bobbing friends have traveled past Japan and back to Alaska, drifted deliberately down the Bering Strait and past the length of Greenland, and carefully floated down the eastern coastline of the United States. They have persevered through storms that would have left boats and crews in dire straits. They patiently endured four years frozen in ice as they crossed the Arctic Ocean. They have arrived at various intervals on various shores, faded and tattered by sun and surf, some with animal bites and barnacles to show for the journey. But each smiling plastic face seems to return with an ironic confession: the smallest vessels on tumultuous seas are not necessarily the most vulnerable.

Life is far more than an attempt to keep our heads above water, and yet at times it feels a suited metaphor. Tossed like tiny rubber ducks in an oceanic bathtub, we hit rocks of fear and anger, are pulled under by currents of despair and disappointment, and are broken at times by the journey. Human fragility is often as startlingly obvious as the image of a bath toy in the Bering Strait. We are at times almost averse to this fragility, whether seen in ourselves or in others. Fighting to keep afloat in an unpredictable sea, we take on distracting cargo and build defensive walls—anything that makes us feel less like tiny vessels lost at sea and more like giant ships passing in the night.

But metaphors of strength can be misleading, and vulnerability is often misunderstood. Though we may be reluctant to hear it, the story of a fragile and fleeting humanity is not always told despairingly. Jesus spoke readily of his own death and wept at the grave of a friend. The apostle Paul spoke of bodies as “jars of clay,” words hastening back the image of powerful King David who lamented that he had become like “broken pottery.” Yet even well beyond these fragile images of humanity, the story of a vulnerable, incarnate God redefines all of our terms. The image of Christ on the Cross turns any understanding of fragility on its head, challenges our discomfort with brokenness, and redirects our associations of weak and strong. In these images is the strange suggestion that the vulnerability of God is far stronger than our greatest images of strength. In his cruciform journey, God uses the weak to shame the strong, a suffering Son to heal the wounds of creation, and the vulnerable image of a broken savior to show the all-surpassing vessel who saves us.

The Christian oddly professes that it is by the Cross which we live, by a seemingly weak vessel that we are brought home. Here, Christ is not an escape raft for the hard realities of this world. On the contrary, he calls to us in our weakness and reminds us that it is not unfamiliar to him. Through tumultuous waters, he beckons us to see there is potential in fragility, meaning in affliction, and life within and beyond the journey that currently consumes us. Something like the image of tiny ducks arriving after an unlikely voyage, the story Jesus tells redirects thoughts on vulnerability, the weak and the strong. And along the way, God is aware of every last and fragile vessel, going after even one that is lost, longing to gather us unto himself like a hen bringing together thousands of little chicks under her wings.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

Leave a comment

 

 

Morning  “Perfect in Christ Jesus.” / Colossians 1:28

Do you not feel in your own soul that perfection is not in you? Does not every

day teach you that? Every tear which trickles from your eye, weeps

“imperfection;” every harsh word which proceeds from your lip, mutters

“imperfection.” You have too frequently had a view of your own heart to dream

for a moment of any perfection in yourself. But amidst this sad consciousness

of imperfection, here is comfort for you–you are “perfect in Christ Jesus.”

In God’s sight, you are “complete in him;” even now you are “accepted in the

Beloved.” But there is a second perfection, yet to be realized, which is sure

to all the seed. Is it not delightful to look forward to the time when every

stain of sin shall be removed from the believer, and he shall be presented

faultless before the throne, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing? The

Church of Christ then will be so pure, that not even the eye of Omniscience

will see a spot or blemish in her; so holy and so glorious, that Hart did not

go beyond the truth when he said–

“With my Saviour’s garments on,

Holy as the Holy One.”

Then shall we know, and taste, and feel the happiness of this vast but short

sentence, “Complete in Christ.” Not till then shall we fully comprehend the

heights and depths of the salvation of Jesus. Doth not thy heart leap for joy

at the thought of it? Black as thou art, thou shalt be white one day; filthy

as thou art, thou shalt be clean. Oh, it is a marvellous salvation this!

Christ takes a worm and transforms it into an angel; Christ takes a black and

deformed thing and makes it clean and matchless in his glory, peerless in his

beauty, and fit to be the companion of seraphs. O my soul, stand and admire

this blessed truth of perfection in Christ.

 

Evening  “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things

that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” / Luke 2:20

What was the subject of their praise? They praised God for what they had

heard–for the good tidings of great joy that a Saviour was born unto them.

Let us copy them; let us also raise a song of thanksgiving that we have heard

of Jesus and his salvation. They also praised God for what they had seen.

There is the sweetest music–what we have experienced, what we have felt

within, what we have made our own–“the things which we have made touching the

King.” It is not enough to hear about Jesus: mere hearing may tune the harp,

but the fingers of living faith must create the music. If you have seen Jesus

with the God-giving sight of faith, suffer no cobwebs to linger among the harp

strings, but loud to the praise of sovereign grace, awake your psaltery and

harp. One point for which they praised God was the agreement between what they

had heard and what they had seen. Observe the last sentence–“As it was told

unto them.” Have you not found the gospel to be in yourselves just what the

Bible said it would be? Jesus said he would give you rest–have you not

enjoyed the sweetest peace in him? He said you should have joy, and comfort,

and life through believing in him–have you not received all these? Are not

his ways ways of pleasantness, and his paths paths of peace? Surely you can

say with the queen of Sheba, “The half has not been told me.” I have found

Christ more sweet than his servants ever said he was. I looked upon his

likeness as they painted it, but it was a mere daub compared with himself; for

the King in his beauty outshines all imaginable loveliness. Surely what we

have “seen” keeps pace with, nay, far exceeds, what we have “heard.” Let us,

then, glorify and praise God for a Saviour so precious, and so satisfying.

Uncategorized

Strength for Today – Greg Laurie

Leave a comment

 

As your days, so shall your strength be.

When they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ♦ Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God! ♦ He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ♦ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ♦ O my soul, march on in strength!

Romans 5:5; Isaiah 49:23; Jeremiah 17:7; Isaiah 26:3–4; Psalm 62:5–6; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 6:17–20

We’re sending a special Harvest edition of Daily Light to those who make a donation to Harvest Ministries during the month of January.

Uncategorized

Striving According to God’s Power – John MacArthur

1 Comment

 

“These are in accordance with the working of the strength of [God’s] might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead” (Eph. 1:19-20).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the great hope of believers. Because He lives, we will live also (John 14:19). Peter said we have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). We and what we have are protected by God’s power (v. 5).

In Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul draws two comparisons. The first is between the power God demonstrated in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, and the power He demonstrates on behalf of every believer. That power is described as God’s “working,” “strength,” and “might.” Together those synonyms emphasize the greatness of God’s power, which not only secures our salvation, but also enables us to live godly lives.

The second comparison is between our Lord’s resurrection and ascension, and ours. The grave couldn’t hold Him, nor can it hold us (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Satan himself couldn’t prevent Christ’s exaltation, nor can he prevent us from gaining our eternal inheritance.

In Christ you have all the power you will ever need. For evangelism you have the gospel itself, which “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). For difficult times you have the assurance that the surpassing greatness of God’s power is at work in you (2 Cor. 4:7). For holy living you have God Himself at work in you “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

No matter how weak or ill-equipped you may at times feel, realize God “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that [you] ask or think, according to the power that works within [you]” (Eph. 3:20). So keep striving according to that power (Col. 1:29), but do so with the confidence that ultimately God will accomplish His good in your life.

Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God that He can and will accomplish His purposes in your life (Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:24).

Pray for wisdom in how you might best serve Him today.

For Further Study:  Read Psalm 145, noting every mention of God’s power David makes. Allow those examples to fill your heart with confidence and praise.

Uncategorized

The Mother-in-Law – Max Lucado

Leave a comment

 

Someone once asked me, So what do I do about my mother-in-law?  Let’s just say, she’s taken “critical and judgmental” to a whole new level!

Just saying, “my mother-in-law” gets a chuckle every time.  I wonder if in mother-in-law circles they laugh when they hear “the son-in-law?”  Your mother-in-law may be hard to get along with.  But the fact is, you can’t change her, but you can change the way you see her.

For starters, stop looking at what drives you up the wall. Look for a quality worthy of your attention.  Is she generous?  A great cook?  And pray for her.  It’s hard to stand before God and speak horribly about someone He loves!  You may not change your mother-in-law, but it’ll change your attitude toward her.  Who knows? Maybe she’ll start to change when you start to see her differently!

Uncategorized

Escape the Guilt Trap – Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Comment

 

Introduction: How often do you commit a sin, and then fail to find a way to move past the regret and shame you feel? Most people wrestle with guilt from time to time.

The dictionary defines guilt as 1.) “the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, esp. against moral or penal law” and 2.) “a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.”1 In other words, guilt has two components—the actual offense and the feelings that accompany it.2

A. Handling our Guilt. Once we start to feel remorseful about our wrongdoing, we often fail to respond to our guilt in a healthy manner.

Read Psalm 38:4 and Proverbs 28:17. How does the Bible characterize guilt?

How do you typically handle feelings of guilt?

B. The Purpose of Guilt. Guilt is actually a God-given emotion. It has at least three functions: to prompt us to ask for forgiveness from those we hurt; to motivate us to make restitution whenever we can; and to draw us back to the Lord. In terms of our relationship with the Lord, the solution to guilty feelings is simple.

Read about David’s experience with guilt in Psalm 32:1-6. What did he know about how to handle it?

According to this same passage, how does God respond when we confess our sin and ask Him to remove our guilt?

C. Receiving Forgiveness. Many believers are unable to receive God’s forgiveness due to the emotional programming they’ve received from their upbringing, their church, or their culture. For instance, their parents might have expected them to be perfect, so they have a difficult time accepting ourselves when they make moral mistakes. Or, other authority figures may have emphasized what horrible and shameful children they were when they did anything wrong and refused to comfort the children after disciplining them.

In your experience, when you ask for forgiveness from sin—whether from God or another person—do you typically feel free of guilt? Why or why not?

How can you escape these negative patterns of dealing with guilt? The secret is to train your mind to believe God’s truth—found in His Word—instead of your feelings.

What do Psalm 86:5 and Psalm 65:3 say about God’s willingness to forgive?

Acts 10:43 says everyone who believes in Christ receives forgiveness for his or her sins. How many of our sins are forgiven, according to Colossians 2:13?

If you feel guilty after confessing your sins, you know your feelings are not lining up with God’s truth. Find Scriptures that talk about God’s forgiveness and your righteousness in Christ, such as Colossians 1:21-22. Write them down in a list or on note cards. Then, read through the encouraging verses and dwell on what they mean. Your emotions will eventually follow your thoughts, and you will be free from feeling guilty.

Closing: Christ’s death made a way for you to be completely free from the guilt of sin—not only the offense but also the feelings that accompany it. Admit your guilt to God and those you offended, make restitution when you can, and return to living in a manner that pleases the Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your amazing grace that covers our sin. We never have to wallow in feelings of guilt. Remind us to turn to You, focusing on the truth in your Word, instead of trusting our emotions. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Footnotes:

1. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

2. This study focuses on how to overcome genuine guilt. False guilt is a feeling of remorse over an imagined offence. If your “offense” doesn’t violate a law of the land, the rules of your workplace or church, or the principles of Scripture, your guilt is false.

Uncategorized

Our Daily Bread — The Mark Of Leadership

Leave a comment

 

READ: Mark 10:35-45

Whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. —Mark 10:44

While visiting the campus of Purdue University on a frigid winter day, I came upon two young men chipping away thick ice on the sidewalk next to a fraternity house. Thinking they must be underclassmen who had been assigned the tough job by older fraternity brothers, I said, “They didn’t tell you about this when you joined, did they?” One looked up with a smile and said, “Well, we’re both upperclassmen. I’m the fraternity vice-president and my friend here is the president.” I thanked them for their hard work and went on my way having been reminded that serving others is the mark of a true leader.

When two of Jesus’ disciples asked Him for positions of honor in His coming kingdom, the Lord gathered His twelve closest followers and told them, “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-44). If there was any doubt about what Jesus meant, He reminded them that He had not come to be served but to serve others and to give His life to ransom them from the power of sin (v.45).

The mark of true, godly leadership is not power and privilege, but humble service. God gives us strength to follow Jesus’ example and to lead His way. —David McCasland

The paths of leadership are trod

By those who humbly walk with God,

Their gracious spirit holds a sway

That makes you want to go their way. —D. DeHaan

A qualified leader is one who has learned to serve.

 

Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

Leave a comment

 

Morning  “And of his fulness have all we received.” / John 1:16

These words tell us that there is a fulness in Christ. There is a fulness of

essential Deity, for “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead.” There

is a fulness of perfect manhood, for in him, bodily, that Godhead was

revealed. There is a fulness of atoning efficacy in his blood, for “the blood

of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” There is a fulness of

justifying righteousness in his life, for “there is therefore now no

condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” There is a fulness of divine

prevalence in his plea, for “He is able to save to the uttermost them that

come unto God by him; seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

There is a fulness of victory in his death, for through death he destroyed him

that had the power of death, that is the devil. There is a fulness of efficacy

in his resurrection from the dead, for by it “we are begotten again unto a

lively hope.” There is a fulness of triumph in his ascension, for “when he

ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and received gifts for men.”

There is a fulness of blessings of every sort and shape; a fulness of grace to

pardon, of grace to regenerate, of grace to sanctify, of grace to preserve,

and of grace to perfect. There is a fulness at all times; a fulness of comfort

in affliction; a fulness of guidance in prosperity. A fulness of every divine

attribute, of wisdom, of power, of love; a fulness which it were impossible to

survey, much less to explore. “It pleased the Father that in him should all

fulness dwell.” Oh, what a fulness must this be of which all receive! Fulness,

indeed, must there be when the stream is always flowing, and yet the well

springs up as free, as rich, as full as ever. Come, believer, and get all thy

need supplied; ask largely, and thou shalt receive largely, for this “fulness”

is inexhaustible, and is treasured up where all the needy may reach it, even

in Jesus, Immanuel–God with us.

 

Evening   “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” / Luke 2:19

There was an exercise, on the part of this blessed woman, of three powers of

her being: her memory–she kept all these things; her affections–she kept

them in her heart; her intellect–she pondered them; so that memory,

affection, and understanding, were all exercised about the things which she

had heard. Beloved, remember what you have heard of your Lord Jesus, and what

he has done for you; make your heart the golden pot of manna to preserve the

memorial of the heavenly bread whereon you have fed in days gone by. Let your

memory treasure up everything about Christ which you have either felt, or

known, or believed, and then let your fond affections hold him fast for

evermore. Love the person of your Lord! Bring forth the alabaster box of your

heart, even though it be broken, and let all the precious ointment of your

affection come streaming on his pierced feet. Let your intellect be exercised

concerning the Lord Jesus. Meditate upon what you read: stop not at the

surface; dive into the depths. Be not as the swallow which toucheth the brook

with her wing, but as the fish which penetrates the lowest wave. Abide with

your Lord: let him not be to you as a wayfaring man, that tarrieth for a

night, but constrain him, saying, “Abide with us, for the day is far spent.”

Hold him, and do not let him go. The word “ponder,” means to weigh. Make ready

the balances of judgment. Oh, but where are the scales that can weigh the Lord

Christ? “He taketh up the isles as a very little thing:”–who shall take him

up? “He weigheth the mountains in scales”–in what scales shall we weigh him?

Be it so, if your understanding cannot comprehend, let your affections

apprehend; and if your spirit cannot compass the Lord Jesus in the grasp of

understanding, let it embrace him in the arms of affection.

Uncategorized

Trusting in God’s Power – John MacArthur

1 Comment

 

“I pray that … you may know … the surpassing greatness of [God’s] power toward us who believe” (Eph. 1:18-19).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the great hope of believers. Because He lives, we will live also (John 14:19). Peter said we have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). We and what we have are protected by God’s power (v. 5).

In Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul draws two comparisons. The first is between the power God demonstrated in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, and the power He demonstrates on behalf of every believer. That power is described as God’s “working,” “strength,” and “might.” Together those synonyms emphasize the greatness of God’s power, which not only secures our salvation, but also enables us to live godly lives.

The second comparison is between our Lord’s resurrection and ascension, and ours. The grave couldn’t hold Him, nor can it hold us (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Satan himself couldn’t prevent Christ’s exaltation, nor can he prevent us from gaining our eternal inheritance.

In Christ you have all the power you will ever need. For evangelism you have the gospel itself, which “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). For difficult times you have the assurance that the surpassing greatness of God’s power is at work in you (2 Cor. 4:7). For holy living you have God Himself at work in you “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

No matter how weak or ill-equipped you may at times feel, realize God “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that [you] ask or think, according to the power that works within [you]” (Eph. 3:20). So keep striving according to that power (Col. 1:29), but do so with the confidence that ultimately God will accomplish His good in your life.

Suggestions for Prayer: Pray for greater spiritual enlightenment and a clearer understanding of your security in Christ. Nothing will rob you of your assurance quicker than unconfessed sin. If that has happened to you, confess it immediately and turn from it. Then ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation.

For Further Study: Read 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

What prerogatives did David attribute to God (vv.11-12)?

What was David’s response to God’s power (v.13)?

Uncategorized

The Landmine of Fear – Charles Stanley

Leave a comment

 

Isaiah 41:10-13

Humans have legitimate reasons to live in fear—our world has many dangers. But although our environment is frightening, Christians are not to accept fear as a way of life. God’s awesome promises allow us to live peacefully in our surroundings.

For our protection, God has instilled some natural apprehensions in us, like a fear of snakes or deep water. Our instinctive concern teaches us to respect these things until we know how to survive an encounter with them. The Creator also gave us a warning system so we’d react quickly to danger. For instance, if a car speeds toward us, an instant reaction of alarm could save our life.

In other words, some fears protect us. But constant, all-consuming dread is unhealthy. While we may feel afraid if we spot a snake, most of us don’t worry much about having such encounters. Some people anguish over dangers that might occur—instead of entrusting loved ones to God, they anxiously imagine all the ways injury might occur.

As anxiety grows, uncertainty builds up until it hinders our relationship with God. Fears about the welfare of loved ones, financial well-being, or eternal security all result from doubt regarding the Lord’s provision. Then our attention is centered on our concerns rather than on the One who promises to hold us in His hand.

The Lord offers us strength because He understands how fear can torment us. Don’t allow worry to blind you to His promises and thereby deprive you of the help that He always has available. The Bible reminds us: “My God shall supply all your needs” (Phil. 4:19).

 

Uncategorized

Our Daily Bread — Story Time

Leave a comment

 

READ: 2 Corinthians 3:1-11

You are an epistle of Christ . . . written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. —2 Corinthians 3:3

As a child, I loved it when my mom read to me. I would sit on her lap and listen to every word. As she read, I examined the details of every picture and waited eagerly to hear what was on the next page.

Have you ever thought about the idea that our lives tell a story? In every situation—good, bad, or indifferent—people around us are watching and listening to the story we are telling. Our story is communicated not only through our words but also through our attitudes and actions as we respond to life’s buffetings and blessings. Our children and grand-children, spouses, neighbors, and co-workers can all observe the story we’re telling.

Paul reminds us that as followers of Jesus, our lives are like letters “known and read by all men; . . . an epistle of Christ . . . written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God” (2 Cor. 3:2-3).

What is the story that those around us are reading through the letter of our lives? Stories of forgiveness? Compassion? Generosity? Patience? Love?

If you’ve experienced the joy of a grace-filled life that comes from the Spirit of God in you, then welcome to the joy of being one of God’s great storytellers! —Joe Stowell

Dear Lord, we love You. We want our lives to

tell the story of Your goodness and grace.

May we be a bold witness of You.

Use us in ways we never thought possible.

Let your life tell the story of Christ’s love and mercy to the world around you.

Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

Leave a comment

 

Morning  “Your heavenly Father.” / Matthew 6:26

God’s people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and

they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call

him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious word is that.

Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If ye be sons,

where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an

authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is

most cheerfully rendered–which would not be withheld even if it might. The

obedience which God’s children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not

go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, but run in

the way of his commands because it is your Father’s way. Yield your bodies as

instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father’s will, and

his will should be the will of his child. Father!–Here is a kingly attribute

so sweetly veiled in love, that the King’s crown is forgotten in the King’s

face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of

mercy–the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who

wields it. Father!–Here is honour and love. How great is a Father’s love to

his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not

attempt, a father’s heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his

offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself

strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with

unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father!

He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can

reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word–Father! There is all I can

ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in

all to all eternity when I can say, “Father.”

 

Evening “All they that heard it wondered at those things.” / Luke 2:18

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very

difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the

soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express

itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet

it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as “the Wonderful.”

That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him

away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man’s

Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each

believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself.

It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and

royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose

itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy

wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will

cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a

love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear

Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon

you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope.

If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that

heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at

anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What

is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be

that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able

to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard,

but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the

throne, by wondering at what God has done.