Tag Archives: faith

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –Complete Fellowship

Leave a comment

Fellowship with him.

1 John 1:6

When we were united by faith to Christ, we were brought into such complete fellowship with Him that we were made one with Him, and His interests and ours became mutual and identical.

We have fellowship with Christ in His love. What He loves we love. He loves the saints—so do we. He loves sinners—so do we. He loves the poor perishing race of man and longs to see earth‘s deserts transformed into the garden of the Lord—so do we.

We have fellowship with Him in His desires. He desires the glory of God—we also work for the same. He desires that the believers may be with Him where He is—we desire to be with Him there too. He desires to drive out sin—behold, we fight under His banner. He desires that His Father’s name may be loved and adored by all His creatures—we pray daily, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings. We are not nailed to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when He is reproached, we are reproached; and it is a very sweet thing to be blamed for His sake, to be despised for following the Master, to have the world against us.

The disciple should not be above His Lord. In our measure we fellowship with Him in His labors, ministering to men by the word of truth and by deeds of love.

Our meat and our drink, like His, is to do the will of Him who has sent us and to finish His work.

We also have fellowship with Christ in His joys. We are happy in His happiness; we rejoice in His exaltation. Have you ever tasted that joy, believer? There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side of heaven than that of having Christ’s joy fulfilled in us, that our joy may be full. His glory awaits us to complete our fellowship, for His Church will sit with Him upon His throne as His well-beloved bride and queen.

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. 

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Is Worthy of Our Gratitude

Leave a comment

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 107:1)

Thanksgiving might be your favorite holiday. Many American children love everything to do with Thanksgiving. Maybe when you think of Thanksgiving, you think of a banquet – turkey, sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar on top, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh-baked dinner rolls and various vegetables. Of course, there are the pies, ice cream, and other desserts. Maybe you love the tradition of getting together with family and friends. Perhaps your loved ones come from a long way away to spend the holiday with you. Many families think of Thanksgiving as a time to play games, remember the past, play out-side and just enjoy being together again. For you, Thanksgiving might bring back many memories – good memories.

More than anything else, the observation of the Thanksgiving holiday ought to remind us of the God the pilgrims came to America to worship. These people left everything they knew and moved their families thousands of miles so that they could worship God the way they believed the Bible teaches. They were treated badly in their homelands because they would not give in to the way everyone else had decided religion should be done. They wanted to teach their children according to the doctrines of the Bible. They wanted to trust and obey God and His Word over the opinions of men and women. So they risked their lives to cross the ocean and come to America. God was that important to them.

Not everything went well once they reached America, either. There were difficulties they could never have imagined. Some of the natives were hostile and fought against them. The winters were very harsh, and sickness took some of their lives. But God, in His great kindness, provided for them. He provided relationships with some kind natives who helped them. They helped the pilgrims understand how to farm and taught them how to get along in this world that was so new to them. Surely, in many other ways God provided for them. The pilgrims were thankful for all these things.

All of us have many things for which we can be thankful. But it is God Himself Who ought to cause us to feel most grateful. He is the Giver of so many of our gifts. But we ought to love and praise the Giver more than we love and praise the gifts He has given us. God chose to be good to us and provide good things for us. He did so because He Himself is good. Even when we are not as good as we should be, God is still good. And all that is good comes from God. That’s what we are told in God’s Word, the Bible that the pilgrims held in such high honor. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

This Thanksgiving – and every day! – remember all the good things God has given you and your family. And remember what the psalmist did: “give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good!”

God is worthy of our thanks because He Himself is perfectly good and gives such good gifts.

My Response:
» Do I have a thankful heart every day?
» What am I most grateful to God for in my life?
» How can I show every day that God’s goodness and greatness are worth my praise?

Home Page
Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Our Black Friday consumerism is a battleground for America’s soul

Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard Black Friday horror stories, like when Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour was trampled and killed in 2008 by crazed shoppers, or when, more commonly, shoppers break out into fights.  

While these horrific stories are fairly rare—and with the rise in online shopping such accidents will hopefully decrease—such Black Friday dashes show an ugly underbelly to American consumerism. 

You may think that “battleground” is hyperbolic or overdramatic. Before you judge the title too harshly, listen to the apostle Paul’s statement on spiritual warfare: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Satan, who is the “accuser,” the “slanderer,” actively strategizes against us. It seems that Satan would leverage subtle methods to undermine our walk with Christ whenever he can.

That poses the question, what battlegrounds exist in America? 

While some are obvious, and we write on them at Denison Forum frequently, some are perhaps a bit more subtle. 

The subversive element of Jesus’ teaching is that we don’t wrestle with “flesh and blood” (i.e., people themselves) as Paul says. We are called to love and not to fight them, to turn the other cheek. But that doesn’t mean we don’t battle against the powers of spiritual darkness. 

Interestingly, the Greek word for “authorities” or “powers” in Ephesians 6:12 has the root word ousia, which means wealth. 

Consumerism presents a battleground where it appears that Satan continues to gain ground on Christians. Perhaps consumerism gains ground because it is so widespread. Let’s unfold some of Satan’s schemes and common temptations that plague our consumerist culture. 

Consumerism as a battlefield 

Consumerism is “a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.”

The attitude of consumerism refers more to the idea that consumer goods and material possessions lead to happiness. Our culture of consumerism seems particularly driven by instant gratification. The lockdown during the pandemic meant a rise in e-shopping and online sales. While online sales were already overtaking malls and brick-and-mortar stores, COVID quickened America’s spending habits to rely on online shopping. Though convenient, and something I use frequently, online shopping helps feed consumerism. 

I recently heard a phrase that was incredibly helpful: “Lifestyle creep.” The more money we make, the more we tend to spend to match what we picture our lifestyle “should be” given that salary. Many never grow out of the adolescent desire to pose with more expensive name brands that don’t accurately reflect one’s level of wealth. 

All of this deepens an itch for more wealth or more things. When we catch the itch and try to scratch it, we find that the itch persists.

Both natural social pressures and advertisements push us artificially into needs that don’t truly exist or into wants that lead us astray. That social pressure comes from our friends. And that’s a great question to ask in self-reflection: Are your friends influencing you toward lifestyle creep?

Is money your master? 

The sin comes not in buying things, nor in wealth. Rather, it bursts through the door when material possessions or money become the chief thing we glorify, or the chief thing that we long for—when it becomes our master. 

This is why, although getting money is never deemed a sin in the Bible, Jesus teaches, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24 emphasis mine). 

This is one of the hardest sayings from Jesus. We can make masters out of family, friends, children, politics, social status, sex, alcohol, food, clothing, intellectual pursuits, fame, money, or anything else that isn’t the one true Lord. Whatever we make our master becomes an idol, and our worship of it becomes sin. 

If the supply chain problems persist, inflation continues to rise, and some planned purchases are out of reach, what will your response be? 

Even though most (though not all) Americans can live comfortable and secure lives, it seems that the worry around money is only increasing. Even as our wealth increases, Americans are incredibly anxious about money. 

Money was the number one cause of stress for Americans in 2021, higher than personal relationships or work. According to Gallup, America is in the top ten most stressed countries, yet America’s GDP per capita is thirteenth in the world. 

Wealth cannot satisfy us. 

I say all of that to say that each of us tends to put some things over the other. Satan exploits those as best he can, but Jesus redeems them with his ultimate power. 

When I look across our culture, one of the weak spots Satan uses is in that pursuit of more. That dangerous desire looks not to reasonable goals, wise stewardship, or healthy money management, but always to more. 

In that way, consumerism consumes us. 

How Black Friday works

Though everyone knows these facts mentally, it’s still easy to be fooled.

Companies make money from Black Friday deals—they’re not doing it for charity. Ask yourself: When shopping for a particular Black Friday deal, did you stop to buy extra things? At the end of the day, are you actually saving money? 

The truth is that Black Friday sales will come around next year, and often better deals for the same products will roll around soon after Christmas. Here are a few psychological tricks Black Friday uses according to CNBC: 

  • Buying things at a deal is satisfying. 
  • We have a fear of missing out on “limited time offers” (though they’re usually not limited).
  • Shopping momentum makes us buy multiple unrelated items.
  • Shopping can be an escape from the stress of Thanksgiving.

I was recently at a conference where the speaker referred to both financial “savers” and “spenders” for couples. Most couples are a mix of saver and spender. The ones who are both spenders the speaker jokingly called “broke,” and the couples who were both “savers” he called “boring.” 

I’m not advocating for being boring. I’m advocating for sober-mindedness and holding money lightly. Have fun with your purchases, but don’t let consumerism play your heartstrings.

Just remember that a sober-minded perspective will rarely come easily. That mindset is constantly opposed by social pressure and targeted advertising. Consumerism falls under Paul’s idea about the human tradition of empty deceit and philosophy. (Colossians 2:8). 

Like many struggles in life, the solution to overcoming consumerism will vary from person to person. The best general answer to these questions are “good judgment,” or “wisdom.” 

That being said, there are a few pointers from God’s word, as well as a freebie from my experience. 

How to stand firm 

First, become more content in Christ. 

David writes in the psalms, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1–2). 

Second, actively stay aware and awake to the temptation.

While we “cast all our anxieties” on Jesus, we also must “be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:7–8). 

Third, buy what you’d already intended to buy.

I’ll share a practical tip that helps me. Only use Black Friday deals if you were planning on buying the thing in the first place. For instance, in researching for this, I ran across the fact that Apple Watches will go on sale. In the past, I’ve personally decided against buying one. (I’ll stick to my hardy ten-dollar CASIO watch.) 

Yet I have to admit, seeing the deal almost sucked me in.

Interestingly, it seems that both penny-pinching and egregious spending are cut from the same cloth: the worship of money. 

Act with an open hand around money, be generous, and be sober-minded around a season that can hijack our hearts to consume. Stand firm against worldly powers and philosophies, living in peace with the circumstances Christ has given us. 

And of course, remember to be thankful. 

Denison Forum

Charles Stanley

In Touch Ministries; Charles Stanley – Flee Youthful Lusts

Leave a comment

The more we develop a taste for godly living, the less we’re enticed by sinful pleasures.

2 Timothy 2:20-23

It might be tempting to think that today’s passage applies only to the young. But no matter our age, every one of us should flee youthful lusts because they prevent us from pursuing what God desires: righteousness, faith, love, and peace with fellow believers. 

What exactly did Paul have in mind when he wrote about “youthful lusts” in 2 Timothy 2:22? He was referring to strong uncontrolled desires that are characteristic of the young and immature but may continue throughout life without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. In his first epistle, John wrote, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16). These relate to the selfishness, greed, ambition, and pleasure through which Satan has influenced unbelievers everywhere.

All these longings war against God’s will for us because they are not from Him. Uncontrolled longings for pleasure, entertainment, beauty, prominence, possessions, wealth, or popularity are all self-focused and aimed at getting what we want. The way to overcome is to flee from them and begin pursuing God’s desires for our life, as revealed in His Word. 

Bible in One Year: Romans 1-3

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — True Worshipers

Leave a comment

Bible in a Year:

True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.

John 4:23

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

John 4:19–26

She finally had the chance to visit the church. Inside, in the deepest part of the basement, she reached the small cave or grotto. Candles filled the narrow space and hanging lamps illuminated a corner of the floor. There it was—a fourteen-pointed silver star, covering a raised bit of the marble floor. She was in Bethlehem’s Grotto of the Nativity—the place marking the spot where according to tradition Christ was born. Yet the writer, Annie Dillard, felt less than impressed, realizing God was much bigger than that spot.

Still, such places have always held great significance in our faith stories. Another such place is mentioned in the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well—the mountain where her “ancestors worshiped” (John 4:20), referring to Mount Gerizim (see Deuteronomy 11:29). It was sacred to the Samaritans, who contrasted it to the Jewish insistence that Jerusalem was where true worship occurred (v. 20). However, Jesus declared the time had arrived when worship was no longer specific to a place, but a Person: “the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (v. 23). The woman declared her faith in the Messiah, but she didn’t realize she was talking to Him. “Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he’ ” (v. 26).

God isn’t limited to any mountain or physical space. He’s present with us everywhere. The true pilgrimage we make each day is to approach His throne as we boldly say, “Our Father,” and He is there.

By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray

What difference does it make to you knowing that God is spirit, always and ever present? What will you praise Him for in this moment?

Father, thank You for Your constant presence no matter where I am.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Watch Your Step

Leave a comment

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

Walking wisely is a step in the right direction.

Sometimes a soldier has the thankless task of clearing mine fields from enemy territory. If you’re aware of the procedure, you know the work is both dangerous and tedious. To proceed in an orderly fashion, a soldier marks areas that are considered dangerous and areas that have been cleared. Above all, he makes sure he is careful where he’s walking!
 
In the spiritual realm, Paul is telling believers in Ephesians 5:15 to walk carefully. The Greek term translated “careful” speaks of looking carefully from side to side and being alert to what is going on. We need to be extremely alert because the world we’re walking through is a mine field of sin and temptation. Therefore, we must walk carefully, exactly, and accurately. The wise Christian carefully charts his course according to life principles designed by God. He doesn’t trip over the obstacles that Satan puts in his path or fall into the entanglement of the world’s system. He is “careful.”
 
The Greek word translated “walk” means “daily conduct,” “daily pattern,” or “daily life.” The daily pattern of our lives must reflect wisdom. The Greeks saw wisdom primarily as head knowledge. They tended to spin off theories that had no practical implications. To them, the wise people were the intellectuals and the philosophers. The Hebrew mind, however, defined wisdom only in terms of behavior. When a person becomes a Christian, it’s more than a change in theory—it’s a change in how he lives.

Paul is saying in verse 15, “If you used to be a fool, but you’ve been made wise in Christ, then walk wisely.” In other words, we’re to practice our position, to live in accordance with who we are. When we became Christians, we came out of foolishness into wisdom. Therefore, we need to act like it!

Be careful not to act foolishly and step on Satan’s mines. Your spiritual transformation demands that you live your life with care.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank the Lord for helping you obey His Word and avoid Satan’s destructive mines.

For Further Study

Read Titus 3:1-8. What are you to be careful to do (v. 8)? Why?

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Enjoy Life

Leave a comment

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

— 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

I think the greatest tragedy in life is to live and not enjoy life. If you are at war with yourself all the time, you are not enjoying your life. God changes us from one degree of glory to another, but don’t forget to take time to enjoy the glory you are in right now while you are headed for the next one. Don’t compare the glory you are in with the glory of some friend or family member who appears to be in a greater degree of glory. Each of us is an individual, and God deals with us differently, according to what He knows we need and can handle.

You may not notice changes on a daily basis, but as you look back over time you will see very definite changes in yourself. Believe that God is working, just as He said He would. Remember, we see after we believe, not before. We wrestle and struggle with ourselves because of all that we are not when we should be praising and worshipping God for all that we are. As we worship Him for Who He is, God’s character is released into our lives and begins to manifest.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I will be glad today because You are changing me from glory to glory. Thank You for working in my life, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –He Tends His Flock

Leave a comment

Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep.

Hosea 12:12

In conversation with Laban, Jacob described what he had done: “These twenty years I have been with you. . . . What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.”1

Even more arduous than this was the life of our Savior here below. He watched over us until He was able to say, “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”2 His hair was wet with dew, and His locks with the drops of the night. Sleep departed from His eyes, for all night He was in prayer wrestling for His people.

One night Peter must be pleaded for; suddenly another claims His tearful intercession. No shepherd sitting beneath the cold skies, looking up to the stars, could ever utter such complaints because of the hardness of his toil as Jesus Christ might have brought, if He had chosen to do so, because of the sternness of His service in order to procure His bride.

Cold mountains and the midnight air,
Witnessed the fervor of His prayer;
The desert His temptations knew,
His conflict and His victory too.

It is helpful to meditate upon the spiritual parallel of Laban having required all the sheep at Jacob’s hand. If they were torn by beasts, Jacob must make it good; if any of them died, he must guarantee their replacement.

Was not the toil of Jesus for His Church the toil of One who was under obligation to bring every believing one safe to the hand of Him who had committed them to His charge? Look upon toiling Jacob, and you see a representation of Him of whom we read, “He will tend His flock like a shepherd.”3

1) Genesis 31:38-40
2) John 18:9
3) Isaiah 40:11

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Helps Us for His Name’s Sake

Leave a comment

“Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” (Psalm 31:2-3)

Have you ever met someone who was “in charge”? Sure, you have! We all know someone who is in charge of something, or in charge of someone else. To be “in charge” means to be responsible to take care of something.

If your parents put you “in charge” of the new pet puppy dog in your home, that means you have to feed the puppy, give him water, wash him, teach him to obey commands, and take him outside for walks. If the puppy has a clean, shiny coat, and if he is friendly and well-behaved, then people will tell you that you are doing a great job training him and taking care of him. On the other hand, if the puppy damages something very valuable, makes a mess, or bites someone’s hand – you might find yourself in a little trouble! Anything bad that the puppy does could be blamed on you! Your hard work and special care is reflected by your puppy’s behavior and appearance. But if you neglect (forget or ignore) your responsibilities with your puppy, his behavior and appearance will show that, too!

God is in charge of us – did you realize that? If you are God’s child, He has adopted you and brought you into His household. You bear His name now. Your appearance and your behavior ought to reflect Him – they ought to show to other people the good character your Heavenly Father has and the great works that He has done. If you act like an unbeliever, someone who doesn’t know or love God, then your life cannot reflect God’s character and works very well to other people.

Did you know that God is the perfect refuge (place to hide, place to find safety and comfort), and that He will lead you along and point you in he right direction when you are not sure what to do or where to go? That’s what King David believed in the Old Testament, and he was worshipping the same Heavenly Father that we know and love. Read Psalm 31:1-5. What can you learn about God from that part of Scripture?

God takes His responsibility for us seriously. He never messes up. He never does anything accidentally, and He is never surprised. He has a reputation to uphold. Unlike us, God is right to be concerned about His own reputation (His name, or His glory). Being the only perfect God, He has every right to care about His glory. God’s character is always holy and perfect, and He will be faithful for eternity. Because He is all these things (and more!), God cares a great deal about His glory – His good name – and those who bear His name are in His charge.

If you are trusting Him, God is in charge of you. He will lead you and He will guide you. He does that not just for your sake, but for His own name’s sake. He loves to give us the wisdom and guidance we need. He loves to help us and protect us. His care for us is one way He shows publicly what a great and good God He is.

God takes care of His own people, for His glory and for their good.

My Response:
» Is it easy for me to forget Whose name I bear and Who is in charge of my life?
» What do I do or say that reflects upon the glory (the good name) of my Heavenly Father?
» What must I change so that my thinking and behavior line up with the Bible’s true teachings about God’s goodness and greatness?

Home Page
Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Harvard professor: 3 things that will make you happier than winning the lottery

Leave a comment

As we begin Thanksgiving week, this story seems appropriate: a Harvard Medical School professor has identified gratitude as vital to happiness.

Sanjiv Chopra has studied those who win the lottery, concluding that at the end of the year, they’re back to their “baseline” happiness and “some are less happy.” He explains that hedonic adaptation causes us to grow accustomed to what we win or otherwise possess, so it becomes familiar and loses its ability to make us happy.

What, then, makes us happiest? Finding a purpose in life that leads to flourishing, giving to others, and expressing gratitude. Chopra cites research showing that “if you express gratitude on a regular basis, you’ll be happy, you’ll be more creative, you’ll be more fulfilled—you might even live ten years longer.” In fact, research shows that you can increase your happiness 25 percent by the regular practice of expressing gratitude.

Such thanksgiving need not be religious, according to the Washington Post. The act of “saying grace” over a meal or otherwise feeling grateful brings benefits on its own, we’re told.

But there’s a flaw in this reasoning that we need to remedy in order to experience the true power of gratitude today.

A grandmother’s accidental invitation

President Biden pardoned two turkeys on Friday, continuing a long-standing presidential tradition. As the New York Times noted, Peanut Butter and Jelly will be “boosted, not basted,” living out their natural lives at Purdue University.

If these turkeys could express thanksgiving for their pardons, should they be generically grateful? Or shouldn’t they be grateful to those who spared them from someone’s dinner table?

Wanda Dench sent a text inviting her grandson for Thanksgiving dinner. However, he had changed his phone number and the text went to a student named Jamal Hinton instead. He notified her of the mistake, but she ended up inviting him anyway. Six years later, the two are continuing the tradition.

Should Jamal be generically grateful for Wanda’s generosity? Or shouldn’t he express his thanks to and for her?

As our society continues its post-Christian slide into secularism, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas have become secularized as well. One can go the entire Christmas season without seeing a mention of Christ’s birth in secular culture; Thanksgiving has become far less about gratitude to God and far more about football and feasting.

Thus we should not be surprised when even gratitude becomes generically secularized. But we should not overlook the illogic of this trajectory nor the power of thanksgiving when it is properly directed.

The source of your next breath

“Thanksgiving” is obviously the combination of “giving” and “thanks.” A gift requires a recipient; otherwise, it remains unopened. Thus, by definition, thanksgiving should be given to someone. It is less a feeling than an action prompted by another action we have received.

The holiday we call Thanksgiving is not just intentional but vertical. We are told by Scripture to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a result, Thanksgiving reminds us that we are creatures of a Creator, finite and fallen beings whose very lives are not fully our own (cf. Genesis 3:16–19).

From a Baltimore woman who was murdered inside her church, to a former NFL player who died of ALS at the age of fifty-seven, to a pregnant woman and her unborn child who were gunned down after she left her baby shower, to the mounting death toll from fentanyl, to the rising death toll from COVID-19 (2021 US pandemic deaths have now passed 2020 fatalities), every day reminds us of our mortality. John F. Kennedy was assassinated on this day in 1963; on the same day, famed apologist C. S. Lewis died.

Every day we live is a day for which we should give thanks to the God of life (John 10:10).

Your next breath comes from his providential provision. Your capacities were given by his creative grace. Did I earn the right to be born in America rather than North Korea? To have loving parents who encouraged me rather than brutal parents who abused me?

Think back over the key moments that have most shaped your life. How many of them were the sole product of your autonomous achievement? How many were opportunities provided by God and others in grace?

How “life becomes rich”

True thanksgiving not only positions us appropriately as creatures rather than the Creator—it also empowers our relationship with our Creator. We “enter his gates with thanksgiving” (Psalm 100:4). Gratitude for his grace positions us in worship and prayer to experience his presence and love. The more time we spend in thanksgiving to our Father, the more his Spirit can transform us into his best for our lives and cultural impact.

So, let’s eschew the generic gratitude that pervades our secular culture during the Thanksgiving season. Let’s spend time each day giving thanks to God intentionally and sincerely for specific gifts he has given to us. Let’s see each moment as his provision, each day as his gift. And let’s enter his gates with thanksgiving that we might experience his empowering presence.

If we do, we will learn the truth of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s observation, “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”

How rich will you be today?

Denison Forum

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — When You Can’t Go On

Leave a comment

Bible in a Year:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed . . . great is [His] faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22–23

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

Lamentations 3:21–23

In 2006, my dad was diagnosed with a neurological disease that robbed him of his memory, speech, and control over body movements. He became bedridden in 2011 and continues to be cared for by my mom at home. The beginning of his illness was a dark time. I was fearful: I knew nothing about caring for a sick person, and I was anxious about finances and my mom’s health.

The words of Lamentations 3:22 helped me get up many mornings when the light was as gray as the state of my heart: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed.” The Hebrew word for “consumed” means “to be used up completely” or “to come to an end.”

God’s great love enables us to go on, to get up to face the day. Our trials may feel overwhelming, but we won’t be destroyed by them because God’s love is far greater!

There are many times I can recount when God has shown His faithful, loving ways to my family. I saw His provision in the kindness of relatives and friends, the wise counsel of doctors, financial provision, and the reminder in our hearts that—one day—my dad will be whole again in heaven.

If you’re going through a dark time, don’t lose hope. God can help you to not be consumed by what you face. Keep trusting in His faithful love and provision for you.

By:  Karen Huang

Reflect & Pray

In the midst of difficulty, where do you go for strength? How can you remind yourself to trust in God’s great love?

Father, help me to keep trusting You. Open my eyes so I can see Your love and faithfulness.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Living a Satisfied Life

Leave a comment

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. “And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11:13-16).

Resting in God’s promises brings true satisfaction.

I remember watching in horror and disgust as angry mobs swept through Los Angeles, killing people and setting thousands of buildings on fire. Under the cover of chaos, countless people ransacked and looted every store in sight. I saw entire families—moms, dads, and little children—loading their cars and trucks with anything they could steal.

That was the most graphic demonstration of lawlessness I’ve ever seen. It was as if they were saying, “I’m not satisfied with the way life’s treating me, so I’m entitled to grab everything I can—no matter who gets hurt in the process.”

Perhaps we don’t realize how selfish and restless the human heart can be until the restraints of law and order are lifted and people can do whatever they want without apparent consequences. Then suddenly the results of our godless “me first” society are seen for what they are. Instant gratification at any cost has become the motto of the day.

That’s in stark contrast to people of faith like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who trusted in God even when their circumstances were less than they might have expected. God promised them a magnificent land but they never possessed it. They were, in fact, strangers and refugees in their own land. But that didn’t bother them because they looked forward to a better place—a heavenly city.

Their faith pleased God and He was not ashamed to be called their God. What a wonderful testimonial! I pray that’s true of you. Don’t let earthbound hopes and dreams make you dissatisfied. Trust in God’s promises and set your sights on your heavenly home.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for the blessing of a satisfied heart.

For Further Study

Memorize Psalm 27:4.

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Love Is Generous

Leave a comment

Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit.) The Lord is near [He is coming soon].

— Philippians 4:5 (AMPC)

When we talk about generosity, most people assume it’s all about money. However, there are a lot of ways to be generous.

Love, for example, is a generous, selfless act. A selfish person expects everyone to be just the way he is and to like whatever he likes, but love respects the differences in other people.

Respecting individual rights is very important. If God had wanted us to all be alike, He would not have given each of us a different set of fingerprints. I think that one fact alone proves that we are created equal, but different. We all have fingerprints, but they are all different!

We all have different abilities, different likes and dislikes, different goals in life, different motivations, and the list goes on and on. We look different, we come in all sizes and shapes, and each of us is unique.

Love respectfully frees others to be who they were created to be. Freedom is one of the greatest gifts we can give. It was what Jesus came to give us, and it is what love allows us to give to others.

God’s love for us is unconditional, and we should learn to love others the same way. Be generous with mercy and always believe the best.

I encourage you today to be a generous person, who gives love freely and unconditionally. Be someone who gives freedom and understanding, mercy and kindness. Give big.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to love generously and unconditionally, to love the selfish and to give generously whenever and wherever You direct me. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –Of Minor Importance

Leave a comment

Avoid foolish controversies.

Titus 3:9

Our days are few and are far better spent in doing good than in disputing over matters that are, at best, of minor importance. The old scholars did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our churches suffer too often from petty wars over obscure points and unimportant questions.

After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion promotes neither knowledge nor love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field.

Questions about issues on which Scripture is silent, on mysteries that belong to God alone, on prophecies of doubtful interpretation, and on mere modes of observing human ceremonials are all foolish, and wise men avoid them.

Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle’s precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we will find ourselves occupied with so much profitable business that we will have no time to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.

There are, however, some questions that are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my behavior adorn the doctrine of God my Savior? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord and watching as a servant should who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus?

Such inquiries as these demand our urgent attention; and if we have been given at all to frivolous arguments, let us now turn our critical abilities to a much more profitable service. Let us be peacemakers and endeavor to lead others both by our precept and example to “avoid foolish controversies.”

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. 

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Hears Prayer

Leave a comment

“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1b)

“Time to get ready for bed, Taylor. When you’re done, I’ll come pray with you.”

“Dad, does God really hear me when I pray?”

“Well, of course, Taylor. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It just seems like a lot of the things I pray for don’t ever happen. Maybe I’m just not asking God enough times.”

“That reminds me of a parable in the book of Luke. Jesus used parables, or stories, sometimes when teaching His followers. The one I’m thinking of has to do with prayer. Jesus told a story about a judge and a widow. (A widow is a woman whose husband has died.) This widow needed help and the judge was the only one who could give her what she needed, but he refused. He turned her down. But this widow did not give up – she kept on asking the judge for help. After a while, the judge saw that this widow was going to keep on bugging him. He did not want her to bother him anymore, and he did not want others to think he was a bad judge, so he finally gave in and gave her the help she needed.”

“Oh. So I just need to keep on bugging God, right?”

“No, Taylor, because there’s a lot more to the story. Jesus explained that if even this unjust, uncaring judge would give the widow what she needed – then surely we can trust that God, Who is always just and caring, will give His children what they need. And He will do it right on time.”

“But, Dad, I don’t see all my prayers being answered very fast.”

“Well, that could be because God knows better than you do what you need and what would be best to give you. Also, His idea of ‘right on time’ is not always our idea of ‘fast.’ God’s timing is perfect. And it’s important to understand the point Jesus was trying to make when He told the story. He was using the story to teach people to be faithful in prayer. The widow kept asking, even when the judge tried to ignore her. If she can be that faithful in asking an earthly judge for help, then God’s children can pray with much more faithfulness. We have confidence that our God hears and cares about our prayer requests.”

“Ok, I think I get it,” said Taylor. “It’s not about bugging God until He gets tired of me and gives me what I want. But I can keep on praying without being discouraged because I have faith that my requests are going to the right God.”

“Exactly; your prayers are going to the right God, a good and perfect God Who hears you and cares about you. If you trust that God will give people what they need when they need it, then you will keep praying faithfully. Now – finish getting ready for bed so we can pray!”

God hears our prayers and expects us to pray faithfully.

My Response:
» Do I trust God to know and meet my needs?
» Should I be more concerned with how God answers prayer, or with how I pray?
» How can I be faithful in prayer?

Home Page
Denison Forum

Denison Forum – The Beaver Moon eclipse and the collapse of mainstream media

Leave a comment

The Beaver Moon lunar eclipse that occurred early this morning lasted around 21,693 seconds (six hours and two minutes). I know this because I read it on the Time and Date website, which seems authoritative. However, I did not stay up to time the event and can offer no independent confirmation of this claim.

The same article states that the last time a partial lunar eclipse lasted that long was on February 18, 1440. The next time a partial lunar eclipse will reach the same overall length will be on February 8, 2669. However, since I was not alive for the former and will not be alive for the latter, once again I am forced to take these assertions by faith.

Upon reflection, it seems to me that nearly everything we read in the news must be approached in the same way. We can only be in one place at a time, and thus we can witness personally only the tiniest sliver of all that happens in our universe on a given day. Even when televised news covers a distant event, the fact that we are watching that particular televised event means we are not watching any others at the same time.

And even when we witness an occurrence first-hand, we often require the help of those who are more expert on the subject to understand it more fully. I can know that I’m running a fever, but I need a doctor to tell me why.

 

“When All the Media Narratives Collapse”

I say all of that to make this point: if we cannot depend on the objectivity of those whose reporting and opinions we require, our ability to engage with the world is severely affected.

And that is where we are today.

Andrew Sullivan is a British-American writer, editor, and blogger. He has written for The New Republic, TIME, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, New York, and other publications. He is openly gay, married to a man, and a practicing Catholic. He describes himself as a political conservative, though his positions on a variety of social issues have provoked opposition from many conservatives.

Whatever our views on his views, I found his recent newsletter to be profoundly important and disturbing. Titled, “When All the Media Narratives Collapse,” it lists example after example of ways the mainstream media (MSM) have gotten significant recent stories wrong in significant and often indefensible ways.

For example, he links to a New York Times (NYT) article published the morning after the killings for which Kyle Rittenhouse has been on trial this week. Neither the article nor subsequent reporting by the NYT included the possibility that Rittenhouse may have shot assailants in self-defense. Thus, when one of his pursuers admitted on the witness stand that Rittenhouse shot him only after the man pointed his gun directly at Rittenhouse’s head a few feet away, people were shocked.

According to Sullivan, the NYT‘s coverage and videos of the event omitted key elements that only came to light during the trial this week. He cites other examples regarding the Steele Dossier, the Covington boys, Russian bounties on US soldiers in Afghanistan, the lab-leak Covid theory, Jussie Smollett’s claims, a gang assault at UVA, white supremacists targeting Asian-Americans, Hunter Biden’s laptop, the escalation in inflation, the seasonality of the migrant border surge, and claims that Critical Race Theory is not being taught in high schools at all. He links to relevant stories in the MSM and shows that each has been proven highly inaccurate.

Sullivan concludes: “I still rely on the MSM for so much. I still read the NYT first thing in the morning. I don’t want to feel as if everything I read is basically tilted toward wish-fulfillment, narrative-proving, and ideology. But with this kind of record, how can I not?” (his emphasis).

“The truth will set you free”

My purpose today is not to lambast the media for its bias, whether on the right or the left. (In an earlier article, I explained this bias in some detail.) Nor is it to paint all journalists with the same brush. Some, like this reporter in Dallas whose article on our website was insightful and compelling, are working sacrificially to tell the truth as objectively and professionally as possible.

Rather, it is to note that in a post-truth culture, truth claims are likely to be a means to the ends of personal and professional agendas. Including yours and mine.

This is why knowing God and then making him known is so urgent. Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He promises that if we would “abide” in his word, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).

He prayed for his followers that his Father would “sanctify them in the truth” and added, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). His Spirit will “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). His word is “a lamp to [our] feet and a light to [our] path” (Psalm 119:105).

However, as we noted yesterday, you and I are tempted to make people a means to our ends, an object to our subject. We are just as tempted to do this with God.

 

How to get along with God

Transactional religion, from the Greco-Roman world to today, treats God’s word and power as instruments to be used for our purposes. We pray so God will meet our needs. We worship on Sunday so God will bless us on Monday. We read the Bible so its insights will help us succeed in life.

We need to measure the news and everything else we experience in this fallen world through the prism of God’s unchanging, authoritative, completely true word. We need to read, pray, and worship for God’s glory rather than our own, to live for his honor above our own, to commune with our Creator for no reason except to be with our Father, to love our Lord and our neighbor for their sakes rather than ours.

Anything less makes the King of the universe a means to our end. This is idolatry, and it is dangerous. As a wise friend once told me, “If you want to get along with God, stay off his throne.”

We can denounce the media for its personal biases and the culture for its self-promotional secularism, but we cannot control either. What we can control is the degree to which we submit our biases and self-promotion to our Lord each day in repentance and faith. We can control the degree to which God is our King and not our hobby (1 Timothy 1:17), the depth of our surrendered and grateful submission to his Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), the passion of our sacrificial love for every person Jesus loves (John 3:16).

Here is a way to know if God is a means to your end or the King of your heart: When last did reading the Bible, praying, or worshiping God change your life? When last did they cause you to do something you did not want to do or stop doing something you did?

Will they today?

 

Denison Forum

Charles Stanley

In Touch Ministries; Charles Stanley – The Love of God

Leave a comment

We didn’t earn the love God has for us, and that’s why we can never lose it.

1 John 4:7-21

Christians often hear that God loves them. This truth is repeated in church, and believers often recite Bible verses on the topic. Yet do we really grasp what it means to be cared for in this way by the Creator of the universe? Let’s explore two aspects of His love.

First, God’s love isn’t influenced by anything within or around us, because it is one of God’s unchanging attributes. We know that even while we were still living in sin, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). We didn’t do anything to earn His love, and we can’t do anything to hinder it.  

Second, divine love is eternal. Believers will never be separated from it. In fact, Ephesians 1:4 tells us that the Father chose us before the foundation of the world. We know, therefore, that His care for us has always been a fact—and always will be. 

We can trust the One who loves us completely. Jesus proved His love by dying in our place to rescue us from sin and its consequences. He promises to stay with us always and redirects us when we stray. Whether or not we feel His presence, His love surrounds and protects us forever. 

Bible in One Year: Acts 21-22

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God Heals Our Brokenness

Leave a comment

Bible in a Year:

By grace you have been saved, through faith.

Ephesians 2:8

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

Ephesians 2:1–10

Collin and his wife, Jordan, wandered through the craft store, looking for a picture to hang in their home. Collin thought he’d found just the right piece and called Jordan over to see it. On the right side of the ceramic artwork was the word grace. But the left side held two long cracks. “Well, it’s broken!” Jordan said as she started looking for an unbroken one on the shelf. But then Collin said, “No. That’s the point. We’re broken and then grace comes in—period.” They decided to purchase the one with the cracks. When they got to the checkout, the clerk exclaimed, “Oh, no, it’s broken!” “Yes, so are we,” Jordan whispered.

What does it mean to be a “broken” person? Someone defined it this way: A growing awareness that no matter how hard we try, our ability to make life work gets worse instead of better. It’s a recognition of our need for God and His intervention in our lives.

The apostle Paul talked about our brokenness in terms of being “dead in [our] transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). The answer to our need to be forgiven and changed comes in verses 4 and 5: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive . . . . [It] is by grace [we] have been saved.”

God is willing to heal our brokenness with His grace when we admit, “I’m broken.”

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

What brought you to your need to ask God to heal your brokenness? How do you need Him today?

God, thank You for being rich in mercy toward me! May I boast in You and Your gift of salvation through grace by faith.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Looking to the Future

Leave a comment

“By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised; therefore, also, there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore” (Heb. 11:11-12).

Your faith in Christ will influence future generations.

I’ve been blessed with a wonderful Christian heritage. In fact, I’m the fifth generation of preachers in our family. The faith of my predecessors has had an enormous impact on my life—either directly or indirectly. I have the same responsibility they did to influence others for good—as do you.

Hebrews 11:11-12 gives a very personal example of how one man’s faith influenced an entire nation. Verse 11 is better rendered: “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise” (NIV).

God had promised Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation (Gen. 12:2). But Sarah, Abraham’s wife, had always been barren, and both of them were advanced in years. At one point Sarah became impatient and decided to take things into her own hands. She persuaded Abraham to have a son by her maid, Hagar (16:1-4). That act of disobedience proved to be costly because Ishmael, the child of that union, became the progenitor of the Arab people, who have been constant antagonists of the Jewish nation.

Despite his times of disobedience, Abraham believed that God would keep His promise. God honored Abraham’s faith by giving him not only Isaac, the child of promise, but descendants too numerous to count. One man’s faith literally changed the world.

Similarly, the faith you exercise today will influence others tomorrow. So be faithful and remember: despite your failures, God “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20).

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God for those who have had a righteous influence on you.
  • Pray for greater opportunities to influence others for Christ.

For Further Study

Read the account of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18-21 and 23.

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Earthly Blessings

Leave a comment

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

— 3 John 2 (AMPC)

In plain, everyday language, this Scripture could read, “My dearly beloved children, I want you to have every earthly blessing you could possibly imagine, but only to the degree that you have spiritual maturity and Christlike character.” When you look at the Scripture this way, you get the message, “I need to grow up!”

You don’t need to talk God into blessing you. He wants to bless you. In fact, He wants to bless you more than you can imagine being blessed (see Ephesians 3:20). But even more than He wants you to have something, He wants you to be something. He wants you to be Christlike. Once you are spiritually mature, you will be able to handle having the earthly blessings He desires for you and use them for His glory.

Prayer Starter: Father, it’s time for me to grow up, but I’m going to need Your help. In Jesus’ name, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org