Tag Archives: faith

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Dangerous Confidence

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Read: Philippians 3:4-7

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Phil 3:7

What was the ground of Paul’s confidence that he could achieve his mission? He could be confident in four things: his ancestry, his orthodoxy, his activity and his morality. But it is important to see how and when Paul changed his mind about these matters. Most commentators suggest the change came in the dust of the road on the way to Damascus, when he was converted in that remarkable encounter with Jesus Christ. I don’t think that is true. Only one of these values was changed at that time.

When Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor, blinded by the light, was led captive into Damascus, he immediately got busy in another direction and substituted another form of activity in which he took great pride. For at least five to ten years after his conversion, Paul was just as confident in the flesh as before his conversion. His life was therefore as barren and ineffective as when he was Saul of Tarsus and persecuted the church, with one exception: he was born again, and the indwelling Holy Spirit was teaching him what he needed to become an effective minister for Jesus Christ.

Eventually, Paul learned that all his background, training and education, his ancestry and morality and activities, added not one thing to God’s purpose in him. He came to the place that he could write, But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7).

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H.- See and Believe

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David Copperfield is hailed as one of the greatest magicians of all time. He has grossed over $4 billion, more than any other solo performer. People are amazed at his ability to seemingly defy the laws of nature before their very eyes. Onlookers are left scratching their collective heads and saying to themselves, “How can it be?”

But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Mark 16:11

The disciples in today’s passage surely asked the same question when Mary Magdalene arrived to tell them Jesus was alive. They wanted to see it with their own eyes because seeing is believing. No magic was necessary to bring Jesus back from the grave. God doesn’t seemingly defy the laws of nature – He actually literally controls them.

Until Jesus returns, no one on Earth will see His physical body like Mary and later the disciples did that day. But when you serve and love one another, you are the hands and feet of Christ. When others see the love of God through you, they, too, may come to see and believe in Him. Pray for Americans and your national leaders to see Jesus in the lives of believers and come to know Him as well.

Recommended Reading: Luke 24:1-12

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Honest with Us about the Christian Life

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“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

What if you were sitting at your desk one day and your teacher said: “Class, tomorrow you will have a test. Be sure to study hard and be prepared for it.” That would be a good enough reason for you to start some serious thinking. But what if the teacher stopped her announcement right there? What if she would not tell you what subject your test would be in? How would you know whether to study Math, English, Science, History, or Geography? How would you know what books to take home or what chapters to review?

If your teacher announced only that you needed to prepare for a test, but she did not tell you important things about that test, her announcement would not really be very helpful to you, would it? In fact, it might be scary and frustrating!

I’m so glad that God tells us exactly what is expected of us as His children. First, He honestly tells us that the Christian life isn’t easy. In James 1:2 it says to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” It doesn’t say IF, it says WHEN. That tells us that we should expect difficult times. But praise God that in verse 5 He says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask Him for it and He will give it to us! He doesn’t just tell us what to expect: He also helps us to be prepared for what comes!

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – The Sin of Self-Sufficiency

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 62:7

“My mighty rock, my refuge is God.”

I believe one of the chief characteristics of our sinful nature is an attitude of independence toward God. Even when we know and agree that we’re dependent on him, we tend out of habit to act independently. Undoubtedly, one of the reasons God allows us to fall before temptation so often is to teach us experientially that we really are dependent on him to enable us to grow in holiness.

One of the best ways, apart from those painful experiences of failure, to learn dependence is to develop the discipline of prayer. This forces us in a tangible way to acknowledge our dependence on the Holy Spirit. Whatever else we may say about prayer, it is a recognition of our own helplessness and absolute dependence on God.

It’s this admission of helplessness and dependence that is so repugnant to our sinful spirit of self-sufficiency. If we’re prone by temperament to be disciplined, it’s more difficult to acknowledge that we’re dependent on Christ and his Spirit instead of on our self-discipline.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Jesus Is God

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Today’s Scripture: John 17

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” – John 20:28

A friend’s cat came home one day proudly carrying a chipmunk in its mouth. My friend grabbed the cat and forced it to drop the chipmunk. She then picked up the poor animal, stroked it gently, said some soothing words, and put it into a box for recovery.

After an hour or so, the chipmunk seemed alert, so my friend reached in to check, and the chipmunk bit her finger to the bone! Why? Because my friend couldn’t communicate with chipmunks! While this lady had saved its life and meant it only good, the chipmunk didn’t get the message.

That’s why Jesus became a man–to communicate with us and be the bridge between God and man. Jesus Christ is God. He claimed to be, and those who knew Him best said He was. He did the things that only God can do. But He was also man. The Bible says He was God in the flesh, God’s son, a descendant of David on the human level, but the Son of God.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Jesus Is God →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word –JESUS, THE BROTHER

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Read Luke 15

When William Penn designed Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love,” he envisioned a more humane setting than the overcrowded streets of London. Penn wanted every family to have room for a garden, and he widened city thoroughfares and promoted religious freedom. No doubt he would be disappointed by the homicide rate, which is hardly evidence of “brotherly love”; in 2014, Philadelphia counted 248 murders.

The parable of the prodigal son depicts little brotherly love between the two sons, despite the gifts of a loving father and stable home. The younger brother demands a share in the family estate before his father’s death. The older brother labors for his father and yet resents that his hard work isn’t sufficiently repaid. The younger brother leaves the family estate for a “distant country,” where he squanders his inheritance (v. 13).

The older brother remains dutifully at home—although he is no less estranged from his father than his younger brother. He may not be corrupted by parties and prostitutes, but his sins of bitterness and self-righteousness are no less scandalous. He resents that his father would generously forgive his younger brother, whom he has regarded as unworthy (vv. 28–30).

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Living Under Jesus’ Lordship

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Philippians 2:6-11

The Lord Jesus Christ—God’s only begotten Son—has been given the name above all other names. Jesus has complete authority over heaven and earth, and He exercises that authority according to His Father’s good purposes. Christ’s position as Lord over all of mankind will never end.

Most of the people in our world have not acknowledged Jesus’ right to rule. They reject His lordship and do whatever they think is best. As a result, sin abounds, wreaking havoc in the lives of many. The good news is that the Father has a plan, which cannot be stopped. One day every person will acknowledge the authority of Jesus. Just as God promised, all created beings in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will kneel before Him (Phil. 2:10)—including those who have rejected the Son of God. What a triumphant and glorious time that will be!

Even before that day, we who follow the Savior are to live with our wills bent in submission to His. If Jesus is Lord over us, then we will acknowledge that life revolves around Him and we exist for His purposes, not the other way around. We’ll also make His priorities our own, giving the Lord’s plans precedence over all others. We will furthermore confess His Lordship over us (Gal. 2:20), proclaim that He is our Savior, and testify to what He has done for us. Our choices will reflect the desire to be a living testimony to His lordship in our lives.

Surrendering control to Jesus Christ is the wisest decision we can make. Is He truly Lord of your life?

Bible in a Year: Judges 18-19

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Ignore No More

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Read: Philippians 1:27-30

Bible in a Year: Joshua 1-3; Mark 16

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. —Psalm 19:8

I don’t know how these people find me, but I keep getting more and more flyers in the mail from folks asking me to show up at their events so they can teach me about retirement benefits. It started several years ago when I began getting invitations to join an organization that works on behalf of retirees. These reminders all serve to say: “You’re getting older. Get ready!”

I have ignored them all along, but soon enough I’m going to have to break down and go to one of their meetings. I really should be taking action on their suggestions.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Looking Out for Others’ Interests First

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“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

The Lord wants us to have a general but sincere concern for the ministry interests of fellow Christians.

We live in a world that is preoccupied with special interests. On the national and international levels, interest groups push for public acceptance of their particular agendas. Likewise, on the local level most people care only about their own personal interests. They’re concerned about their jobs, their families, their hobbies, and perhaps their favorite sports team. In addition to those, if you’re a Christian, you will be concerned about your local church. But even there you can become focused only on your area of ministry.

In today’s verse, the apostle Paul cautions us, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests.” He is warning first of all that we shouldn’t see our personal activities and ministries as our only goals in life. When we become narrowly preoccupied with our own things, it can cause conflicts and other problems with people we know. Instead, God wants us to have a serious, caring involvement in some of the goals others are concerned about. And one way that will happen is if we take our eyes off ourselves and our often excessive concern for self-esteem in everything we do.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Gentle and Humble 

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Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.  Zechariah 9:9

Jesus is gentle and humble, and He is aggressive and brave. Gentleness does not eliminate aggression, nor does humility cross out courage. Jesus is King of creation and ruler over the world, but He rules and leads with gentleness and humility. He describes Himself this way: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Power is not a rod of rejection for the gentle and humble leader. A gentle and humble leader uses his position of influence to serve others and help them be their best. He brings to bear resources and relationships that facilitate the unity of the team. His gentle and humble approach to people increases their probability of success. There is no need to inflict fear as your mode of operation. Why cause people to cower in contempt because they are afraid?

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Important Church Celebrations: Marriage

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Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.

Ephesians 5:25

Recommended Reading

Ephesians 5:22-33

When Jesus returned to heaven, He left behind one institution to continue His Gospel work—His church. He didn’t establish a university, a hospital, or an orphanage. He just left His church. Other wonderful ministries have sprung out of His church—like universities, missions organizations, and hospitals. But at the core of it all is His special group of people, the local church. This is where life happens. This is where babies are dedicated, where baptisms are witnessed, and where marriages are established.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Getting What We Want

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Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6

I usually know what I want, and I like to get it. I’m exactly like most people. When we don’t get what we want, our negative feelings flare up. (And remember those feelings began with thoughts.)

“I drove across town to buy that dress, and you’re out of my size?”

“What do you mean there are no HD TVs left? You advertised it in the paper.”

Most of us are like that—and when we don’t get what we want, we make people around us miserable. It’s not something we learn in school—it may be inborn.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Not Hard at All

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“Loving God means doing what He tells us to do, and really that isn’t hard at all; for every child of God can obey Him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him” (1 John 5:3,4).

I believe that we are on the threshold of witnessing the greatest spiritual revival in the history of the church. I believe that the Great Commission will indeed be fulfilled before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19,20).

Today, however, because of the subtle ways of the world system, there are more carnal Christians than at any other time in history. But the Bible tells us that the tide will turn and that the church will soon enter its finest hour.

We are beginning to see that turning of the tide. More and more Christians are discovering how to live supernaturally in the power and control of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is being spread throughout the world by many committed Christians who are determined, by faith, to help fulfill the Great Commission in this generation, whatever the cost.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman –  True Spirituality

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Read: Philippians 3:3

…who put no confidence in the flesh. Phil 3:3b

The measure of true spirituality is in contrast to those who put confidence in some self-effort. Paul says, we put no confidence in the flesh. We are living in an age that continually strives to get us to put confidence in the flesh. We are taught from childhood that the way to become proficient and competent and accomplish our aims and desires is to develop our self-confidence. This is what destroys human life. Self-confidence is not intended to be our strength, but rather it’s to be our confidence in God. We were intended to face life recognizing we are weak, ineffectual, and unable, that it might drive us back upon the one who is totally adequate, and can be our total strength. This is the way God intended us to live. Therefore, the spirit of self-confidence is the most deadly lie that has ever been perpetrated upon the human race.

Now there is self-confidence that is based on God in us, but when it comes from something in ourselves, something we have learned or achieved, it is deadly. Paul says we have learned at last to put no confidence in the flesh. Even in religion there is strong emphasis on putting confidence in the flesh, or perhaps I should say, it is especially in religious areas we encounter this pressure.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – What Does It All Mean?

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Read: Luke 19:35-40

Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zech. 9:9)

The disciples threw their coats and robes on top of a young donkey, and for two miles they continued, travelling from Bethany toward Jerusalem, throwing down their coats, making a show out of the procession. This was the triumphal entry’s “pre-party.” Joining in the jubilation were many of those who had travelled with Jesus the whole way. They were the ones who “began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen” (v. 37). They thought they were headed into their victory lap.

The Pharisees worked to rein them in. But Jesus cherished and craved his disciples’ praise because he knew, as he had always known, that before the victory would come a crushing defeat. As they crested the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem and its temple stood before them. Instead of rebuking his disciples as the religious leaders insisted, Jesus rallied the crowd: “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (v. 40). As the very human Jesus entered the most difficult week of his life and, ultimately, faced his own death, I wonder what solace he found from friends and followers who praised, even when they couldn’t possibly know what it all meant.

Prayer:

We praise you, Lord Jesus Christ. We may not grasp what it all means, but “blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” Amen.

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Why God Allows Suffering

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“For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation!”—2 Corinthians 1:5–6

This is not an exhaustive treatment of a very weighty subject, but merely some thoughts for your consideration.

Suffering helps us grow spiritually and makes us stronger in the faith. It takes our faith from the realm of theory to reality, so we can start living out our faith in the real world.

A.B. Simpson said, “Temptation exercises our faith and teaches us to pray. It is like military drill and a taste of battle to the young soldier. It puts us under fire and compels us to exercise our weapons and prove their potency. It shows us the recourse of Christ and the preciousness of the promises of God. Every victory gives us new confidence in our victorious leader and new courage for the next onslaught of the foe.”

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – From Darkness to Light

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Every night for three nights we had listened to the slow beat of the African jungle drum and the piercing screams of the people as they shattered the night with the terrifying sound of the African death wail. A woman had died giving birth to a child, and those nearest her gathered night after night to scream for hours. In their screams, we could detect the horror that held them–the hopelessness, the agony of spirit, the fears that Satan whispered to their lost souls. And we were made very much aware in a new and powerful way of the hate, the cruelty, and the delight Satan displays in tormenting those who belong to Jesus. His foul, ugly personality came through loud and clear in the din of the death wail that kept us from sleeping.

Scripture records a visit of the Lord Jesus to the country of the Gadarenes. Mark 5:2,5 tells us, “When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him… Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” What did Jesus do? Jesus took one look at the man and knew that those who said he must be bound in chains were wrong. In fact, what he needed was to be set free. And that’s what Jesus did.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – From Darkness to Light →

BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Evangelicals and Politics: So What is an Evangelical, Anyway?

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Forty years ago, Time magazine declared 1976 to be “The Year of the Evangelical.” The occasion was the candidacy of then-former governor Jimmy Carter who introduced many Americans to a phrase they had never heard before: “born-again Christian.”

This year, Evangelicals are in the news again, and again, for mostly political reasons. It’s difficult to avoid the plethora of stories about how “Evangelicals” are voting and what it all means.

This broadcast is about none of this. Instead I want to talk about the word “Evangelical” in the context where it makes the most sense: what people believe. In the process we may learn things we probably didn’t know but should.

Writing for Christianity Today, “BreakPoint This Week” co-host Ed Stetzer and Leith Anderson of the National Association of Evangelicals sought to define what the term “Evangelical” means, especially in this election year.

Most surveys, especially political ones, depend on self-identification. If a person calls herself an Evangelical, then she is counted as one. Others use denominational affiliation as a proxy. Neither of these gives us an accurate estimate: They either include people who probably shouldn’t be included or miss people who should be included.

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD

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Read Luke 14

Two father-son duos have served as U.S. president: the Adamses (John and John Quincy) and the Bushes (George H. W. and George W.) The Canadians have their own notable political family; last October, Justin Trudeau followed the steps of his father, Pierre, and was elected prime minister. Observers of political dynasties love to see whether the governing style will be “like father, like son.”

The Godhead is definitely “like Father, like Son”: Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being and character. What angers God, angers Jesus; what delights God, delights Jesus. In His ministry and teaching, we see an outworking of God’s preoccupations for broken people and this broken world.

Jesus reminded the Pharisees that God isn’t nitpicky about the rules simply for the sake of keeping a moral checklist. All God’s rules are for human flourishing, which is why Jesus healed on the Sabbath though rabbinic law forbade medical treatment (vv. 2–4). If an ox or child can be pulled from a pit on the Sabbath, a sick man can be made well!

Jesus also reminded the Pharisees that God’s priorities are not like those of aspirational, ambitious men and women who vainly pursue the honor of their own name (vv. 7–14). These people want the best seat in the house; they grant favors in order to gain recognition. They are nothing like the heavenly Father who desires humility from His children. God cares for the lowly and humble, and the eternal banquet He is preparing will include an unlikely guest list of the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind (v. 21).

This chapter ends with the call to carry a cross, sacrificing personal ambition for godly devotion (v. 27). God hasn’t promised any of us our best life now.

APPLY THE WORD

The Lamb of God will preside over a great feast (see Rev. 19:7–9). From today’s reading, it’s clear that God extends a gracious invitation to all of humanity, through Jesus, to join Him at that table: “My house will be full!” (v. 23). How can we mirror God’s generosity by telling others about Jesus and the great banquet to come?

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Today Is the Day of Salvation

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Hebrews 3:7-19

Procrastination can be a big problem: Important tasks are neglected, and the benefits of finished work never come to pass. Even worse, though, procrastinating in spiritual matters can be disastrous.

Every person is going to spend eternity somewhere. The destination is determined in this lifetime by a choice to either accept or reject Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. But eternity seems distant, and there is so much to enjoy in this life, so some people feel that they can delay this decision until later. They assume, I’ll just wait until I’m closer to death. Then I’ll ask Jesus to save me.

The problems with this reasoning are obvious. First of all, there is no guarantee that you will have any warning before death. Second, by spending a lifetime rejecting Christ’s offer, you run the risk of developing a hardened heart. Hebrews 3:13 says, “Encourage one another … so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Saying no to God frequently throughout your life may result in being unable to say yes when death comes knocking at the door. In fact, you may not even be interested in Christ’s offer anymore.

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