Tag Archives: holy spirit

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Human Beings 

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Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.   Psalm 46:10

God created us as human beings, not human doers. Yet everything—from our culture to our career—defaults to doing. We are taught by western society that if we are not busy, we must be lazy. There is a contemporary guilt that keeps us on the go. We are driven to do by some unseen capitalistic force. We are so intent on getting things done that we forget why we engaged in the process to begin with. It’s all about progress and seeing it through to the end. It’s all about the results, making the grade, and exceeding the earnings estimates. After all, if you are really important, your cell phone will constantly vibrate and your e-mail will seduce you 24/7. This is the sad state of those of us who are trapped by doing. Like an alcoholic in denial, we are intoxicated by activity.

Our ego glosses over the need for God, as we justify driven behavior with bad theology. We act like the Almighty’s hands are tied and it is up to us to make things happen. But God is not limited by our lowly view of Him. He still governs the universe and our lives. Kings, presidents, and dictators are still accountable to the Almighty and His agenda. CEOs, entertainers, and athletes still have a higher power in Jesus Christ to whom they must answer. It is wise to get off our high horse of self-importance and be still before God. If we continue to race through life at a breakneck pace, we will break. Our health, finances, and relationships are fragile, and eventually they will fracture under the pressure of habitual doing.

We are humans in need—in need of being who God created us to be. Our God-given roles in life are a great place to cultivate our human being-ness. For example, when we take the time to be a respectful child who honors his parents, we are being. Visit, call, or write regularly and you will be the child your parents need. You honor God when you honor them. Above all else, be with God. There is a knowing and understanding of God that comes only from spending time with Him. In-depth knowledge of God is not derived from service only, but in sitting and reflecting on the Holy One being served. It is in your doing that you validate your being, and it is in your being that you purify your reasons for doing.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Cooperate with God’s Plan

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For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. – Jeremiah 29:11

God has a plan for every person and His Word clearly says it is a good plan. But Satan starts his dirty work early in your life, attempting to pervert and destroy God’s good plan. He arranges for all kinds of disappointing, discouraging, hurtful, and frightening events to take place. And often he does a lot of damage.

But no matter how much you have been hurt, God can restore you. If you experienced a bad beginning, do not despair. God is in the business of repair, and His repairs are better than new. However, this restoration will not happen automatically. You must believe the Word of God and fully cooperate with Him during the restoration process. Look to Jesus, the One who loves you unconditionally. He is the Author and Finisher of everything in you and your life.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We Can Obey All

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” ‘Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: “Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.” All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if your obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying the others'” (Matthew 22:36-40).

Steve came for counsel. “I want with all my heart to be a man of God,” he said. “Can you tell me how I can please the Lord and be everything He wants me to be? You have walked with the Lord for many years. Surely you have learned some lessons that would help me.” I turned to this passage, and we read it and discussed it together.

“Jesus has answered your question, Steve,” I said to him. “If you keep these two commandments, all the others and all the demands of the prophets will be fulfilled.” We turned to Exodus 20:1-17 and reviewed the Ten Commandments.

“You see, Steve, if your love God with all your heart, you will have no other god before Him. You will not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. You will remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will honor your father and mother. You will not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet that which belongs to your neighbor.”

Think what would happen if every person who professed to be a follower of Jesus Christ would truly obey the two greatest commandments. Not only would the Ten Commandments be fulfilled, but so would the Golden Rule and every other command of God. The great miracle would result. The moral, spiritual and even the economical problems that plague the nations of the world would be resolved almost overnight.

This kind of love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. For the supernatural love of God (agape) is spread abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. It is only as we walk in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit, fully surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ, that we can fulfill these commandments.

Bible Reading: Mark 12:28-34

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Through the supernatural enabling power of the Holy Spirit, I will love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and my neighbors as myself, knowing that as I do so, I will be fulfilling and obeying all the other laws.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Assurance

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Read: Romans 8:15b-17

And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:15b-16

What Paul describes here is our deepest level of assurance. Beyond the emotions, beyond the feelings, is a deep conviction that is born of the Spirit of God himself, an underlying awareness that we cannot deny that we are part of God’s family. We are the children of God. I think this is the basic revelation to which our emotions respond with the cry, Abba, Father. That is our love to him, but even more this is his love to us. It is what Paul refers to in Romans 5 when he speaks of the love of God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit which is given unto us, (Romans 5:5 KJV).

As I look back on my own life, I can understand how this is true. I became a Christian when I was about eleven years old, in a Methodist brush arbor meeting. I responded to the invitation, and, with others, came and knelt down in front and received the Lord. I had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Lord that summer and the next winter, and there were occasions when I just would be overwhelmed with the sense of the nearness and dearness of God. I used to sing hymns until tears would come to my eyes as the meaning of those old words reflected on the relationship that I had with God. Then I used to preach to the cows when I would bring them home. Those cows were a very good audience too, by the way — they never went to sleep on me. But that fall we moved from this town where I had Christian fellowship to a town in Montana that didn’t even have a church. Gradually, because of that lack of fellowship, I drifted away from that relationship with God, drifted into all kinds of ugly and shameful things — habits of thought and activity that I am ashamed of. I even developed some liberal attitudes toward the Scriptures. I didn’t believe in the inspiration of the Bible. I argued against it, and during high school and college I was known as a skeptic. But all through those seven years there was a relationship with God I could not deny. Somehow I knew, deep down inside, that I still belonged to him; and there were things I could not do, even though I was tempted. I could not do them because I felt that I had a tie with God. This is that witness of the Spirit. Calvin called it the testimonial of the Spirit, which we cannot deny and which is especially discernible in times of gross sin and despair. First John 3:20 says, If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, (1 John 3:20a KJV). He knows all things. There is a witness born of the Spirit which you can’t shake, which is there along with the ultimate testimony that we belong with the children of God.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Milky Way

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Read: Genesis 15:1-6

Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able . . . So shall your offspring be. (v. 5)

The Milky Way, as such, doesn’t figure anywhere in the Bible. But perhaps it was that band of brightness across the night sky, where the stars seem most densely packed, that illustrated the mind-blowing fact that God brought home to Abraham in Genesis 15—innumerable descendants promised to a childless man. Why does Herbert link it with prayer, though?

There is a clue in another of his poems, “The Holy Scriptures (II),” not itself about prayer but about Bible reading. Here too he has a starry sky in mind: “Oh that I knew how all thy lights combine, / And the configurations of their glory! / Seeing not only how each verse doth shine, / But all the constellations of the story.” The apparent patterns the stars make should remind God’s people of the actual patterns he intends their lives to follow.

Concerning the night sky as a whole, not just the Milky Way, it is these constellations, as well as the immense number of the stars, that stargazers have always noted. In a similar way, to Abraham they represented a multitude of people who were not just numberless but also all related.

Consider this truth when you pray. All the people, all the things, that we talk to God about, and all the connections between them, are mapped out in his mind. He knows what he’s doing.

Here is the poem in its entirety:

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Loves Unconditionally

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“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

“Mom, Nate doesn’t love me! What am I gonna do?” Davey was fighting to keep back his tears. His little brother had been in such a good mood yesterday, but today little Nate did not seem to want to have anything to do with Davey.

“Oh, honey. Little Nate is teething. His gums hurt, and he gets really grouchy – really quickly.”

“But yesterday, he acted like I was his best friend!” wailed Davey. “He let me hold him, and he made all those vroom-vroom sounds he likes to make with my cars. Yesterday, we played all day together, and all I had to do to make him smile was just look at him! But today, he won’t even let me get near him! What’d I do wrong?”

“Davey, it wasn’t something you did wrong. Nate’s just a baby, and he has mood swings. But he doesn’t feel good. He loves you, and he’ll learn to love you even more. He just doesn’t like anyone right now.”

That is one hard thing about baby brothers and sisters. You never know from one day to the next whether or not they will treat you nicely. They are usually thinking about themselves, so their love for you is dependent upon how they feel that day. One day you might be on their “good side,” but the next day, you might be in big trouble with them.

Here’s some good news: God does not put conditions (rules) on His love. He does not stop loving His people for no good reason. In fact, even if we were to give God good reasons to change His mind, He would not. If you are God’s child, you can count on Him to keep loving you, no matter what.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Loves Unconditionally →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Submission to Our Father’s Discipline

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Today’s Scripture: James 4:7

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.”

To gain the most profit from the discipline of hardship, we need to submit to it. The author of Hebrews said that if we respected our fathers’ discipline, how much more should we submit to God’s discipline: “We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (12:9). Our fathers’ discipline was at best imperfect, both in motive and in application. But God’s discipline is perfect, exactly suited to our needs.

How do we submit to God’s discipline? Negatively, it means that we don’t become angry at God, or charge him with injustice, when difficult circumstances come into our lives. I believe even short-term anger toward God is sin, for which we need to repent. Though the anger may be an emotional response, it’s still a charge of injustice against God. Surely that is sin. It’s even more serious when someone allows anger toward God to continue over months or even years. Such an attitude amounts to a grudge against God and is actually rebellion. It is certainly not submitting to our heavenly Father.

Positively, we submit to God’s discipline when we accept all hardship as coming from his loving hand for our good. This means that our primary response would be one of humble submission and trust. As Peter wrote, “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). We should submit to God’s providential dealings with us, knowing there’s still much in our characters that needs improving. We should trust him, believing that he’s infinite in his wisdom and knows exactly the kind and extent of adversity we need to accomplish his purpose.

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – A Bold Witness

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. – Romans 1:16

There is no evidence of timidity on the part of the Christians from Thessalonica. The gospel message did not tiptoe from their lips, nor was it whispered in the hope no one would hear. Having received the gospel, these people entertained no thought of keeping it to themselves. By word and deed they made it known to others. They followed the example of Paul, with a burning zeal that prompted them to proclaim what God had done for them. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5-9, Paul describes his ministry in that city. “Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia…your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it.”

Paul was speaking of the gospel that came to them, and ultimately sounded out from them to all of Greece. The words sounded out are best described as the rumble of a tremendous thunderclap that reverberates long after its initial burst of sound. It pictures a bold, straightforward, continuing witness.

Friend, the message of the gospel of Christ, boldly proclaimed, can burst like thunder from your life today. And by the power of God, it will keep on rolling.

Prayer

Lord, give me a fresh vision of who I am, and gift me to tell others that You have called me out of darkness into Your marvelous light. Amen.

To Ponder

If God has shed His love abroad in your heart, you will want to proclaim Him to everyone.

 

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – MORDECAI INCREASES IN POWER

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Read ESTHER 9:1–4

In one miracle to bring His people into the Promised Land, God dried up the Jordan River, allowing the Israelites to cross safely to the opposite side. The Lord instructed the people to erect a memorial of twelve stones that would serve as a continual reminder to them of His mighty salvation. “All the peoples of the earth” would bear witness to His power (Josh. 4:24).

In today’s passage, we also see God’s power on display, bearing witness to people from every nation. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month had finally arrived. Originally, Haman had declared that the Jewish people would be killed on this date. Now, “the tables were turned” (v. 1). With the new edict, the Jews had the power to overtake their enemies and destroy them. So great was their force that Scripture tells us that “no one could stand against them” (v. 2). The people had organized and gathered not only to defend themselves and their possessions but also to go on the attack.

Word spread about the new edict and the newfound power of the Jewish people. So great was their influence that “the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them” (v.2). God had not only rescued them but also strengthened them. Mordecai, who once sat outside the gate in sackcloth and ashes, now had a prominent role in the government. “His reputation spread throughout the province, and he became more and more powerful” (v. 4). By increasing Mordecai’s power, God brought glory to Himself.

God’s hand had moved decisively throughout the kingdom. Haman was destroyed. The Jewish people were redeemed. Esther was saved. Mordecai was honored. God had not only delivered His people, He had gone beyond all expectations.

APPLY THE WORD

God can go beyond your expectations, too. Sometimes we go to God and ask hesitantly for small things. But we serve an all-powerful God. He can do far more than we would ever dream. Do not hesitate to bring big requests to God. Just as He redeemed the Jewish people in extraordinary ways, He can provide for you today.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Your Commitment Is a Witness

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Daniel 6:1-28

Daniel had been faithfully living out his commitment to the Lord from the time he was a teenager. His witness of integrity and godliness was earned over a lifetime, during which he’d been challenged frequently to compromise his faith.

Today’s passage shows him facing a desperately dangerous situation: the lions’ den. Although we usually focus on Daniel and the beasts, an unexpected aspect of this story is the reaction of the king.

Though he’d foolishly signed the law that created Daniel’s treacherous predicament, Darius was so impressed with him that he tried to rescue him. When the ruler’s efforts failed, he made a surprising statement of trust in the Lord: “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you” (Dan. 6:16). Now, that’s a witness!

Does your unwavering devotion to Christ lead others to trust your Savior? Too many Christians have a commitment of convenience. They’ll stay faithful as long as it’s safe and doesn’t involve risk, rejection, or criticism. Instead of standing alone in the face of challenge or temptation, they check to see which way their friends are going. What kind of witness is that? Who will want to follow our God if we ourselves won’t follow Him? Our response can draw others to Jesus or push them away.

If you desire to be like Daniel, practice your commitment to Christ both privately and publicly. The time you spend alone with God will transform your character and increase your devotion. Then your integrity and godly behavior in an unbelieving world will make others long to know the Lord.

Bible in One Year: Micah 1-4

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Pass It On

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Read: Psalm 78:1-8

Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 4-5; Galatians 3

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.—Psalm 78:4

I enjoy watching relay races. The physical strength, speed, skill, and endurance required of the athletes amaze me. But one crucial point of the race always gets my special attention and makes me anxious. It is the moment the baton is passed to the next athlete. One moment of delay, one slip, and the race could be lost.

In a sense, Christians are in a relay race, carrying the baton of faith and the knowledge of the Lord and of His Word. And the Bible tells us about our need to pass this baton from one generation to another. In Psalm 78, Asaph declares: “I will utter . . . things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us . . . . We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (vv. 2-4).

Moses said something similar to the Israelites: “Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deut. 4:9).

For generations to come, we are called to lovingly and courageously do whatever we can to pass along “the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). —Lawrence Darmani

Father, help me to be faithful in passing my faith along to someone else.

Share with us at odb.org/story the ways you are passing along your faith to the next generation.

We influence future generations by living for Christ today.

INSIGHT: It is interesting that Psalm 78:2 makes reference to speaking in parables. Jesus quotes this verse in Matthew 13:35. Jesus is the Master Teacher, and His primary teaching tool was the parable. A parable has been called “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Each story conveys an insight into God and the human condition. Yet in a very mysterious way, Jesus used parables to confound the wise. In Mark, Christ quoted Isaiah regarding the lack of spiritual understanding of those who have hardened hearts. He said he spoke in parables so that “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” (4:12).

 

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Spirit’s Intercession

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“But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

Because He understands our struggles in this life, the Holy Spirit continually prays for us before the Father’s throne.

In the midst of life’s many difficulties and stressful times, there is hardly anything more comforting than knowing you have a friend—someone on your side. In the legal realm, an attorney formally argues your case when you need to settle a judicial or financial dispute. This concept of friend and advocate is right at the heart of the Holy Spirit’s role as our Paraclete, one called alongside to help (John 14:16).

Paul’s words in today’s passage comfort us with the knowledge that the Spirit is fulfilling the promise of John 14 by being on our side and shepherding us toward Heaven. In the process He is continuously ensuring the security of our salvation and interceding for us and all believers, just as Christ does (see Luke 22:31-32; Heb. 7:25).

We would be at an eternal loss if the Holy Spirit did not intercede for us. He understands our sinful frailties and knows that, by our own wisdom, we don’t know how to pray properly for ourselves or how to consistently maintain our walk with the Lord. This intercession is done “with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26).

Those “groanings” refer to divine communications between the Father and the Spirit that transcend any human language. They are more like sighs that can’t be put into words. That means we can’t know precisely what the Holy Spirit says when he intercedes on our behalf, but we can be certain that He is praying for us.

The Spirit’s lofty ministry of intercession reminds us again of how utterly dependent we are on Him to support us and help us with our daily discipleship. As the Christian writer A.W. Pink once said, “Only by His [the Spirit’s] strengthening of the heart are we delivered from being engrossed in the things around us, and our earthbound affections are drawn to things above.”

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God that when you are perplexed or confused and unsure how to pray, the Spirit will already be interceding for you.

For Further Study

Jesus’ most notable time of intercession for His disciples came in John 17. Read this chapter, and record the items that compose His intercessory list. How do these apply to us?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Path of Life 

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You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.   Psalm 16:11

God set us on a path when we surrendered by faith to our Savior, Jesus. His path is not without bumps, but it is by far the best path. It is an inviting path because Christ accompanies us. Wherever Jesus walks, we want to walk. Where He goes, we want to follow. When He is out front, we have confidence in the direction. When we run ahead, we lose the advantage of Christ’s compass. When we lag behind, we lose perspective and our focus of faith in Him. God’s path is the most productive because this is where we walk with Jesus. Along the path with Christ, we hear His voice and His guidance in different directions. When we started out, we were determined to go in one direction. But over time, He has a way of revealing to us a better way.

Stay on the path with Jesus. Our direction determines our destination. We can be full of good intentions and still be on the wrong path. Good motives do not govern our outcomes, and sincere dedication does not dictate our destination. The road we are on determines our route. We can pray about visiting Washington, D.C., and even plan a trip there, but if we strike out due west from Atlanta, Georgia, we will not arrive at our desired destination. The path you choose carries you toward or away from your goals. A loving and respectful spouse is on a path of understanding and accountability. An excellent employee is on a path of doing what he or she does best with diligence. A fulfilling friendship is on a path of service and unselfishness. Those who enjoy financial freedom are on a path of generosity, saving, and wise spending. Paths have predetermined outcomes, so make sure to go down the God-honoring ones. We can lose a season of our life by strolling down a wrong path.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Back to Your Future—Back to the Basics

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A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach….1 Timothy 3:2

Years ago, a ministerial student approached Dr. H. Edwin Young, and asked about the role of a pastor. “What does a pastor do?” asked the student. Dr. Young wisely answered, “It’s not what I do that counts. It’s who I am. Being always comes before doing.” Pastor Young then talked about the personal traits and character qualities necessary for those who walk with and work for the Lord.

Recommended Reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

That’s the way Paul approached the role of bishops and deacons in 1 Timothy 3. He had little to say about what they were to do. Instead he devoted his teaching to the personal qualities that should characterize their lives—morally blameless, faithful in family matters, temperate, mature, and well behaved.

Perhaps God hasn’t called you to be a deacon, bishop, or pastor; but the lesson applies to all of us. As we move into the fall, let’s get back to the basics. Remember:  being comes before doing. Our authenticity trumps our activity. It’s great to be busy for the Lord, but our walk with the Lord is more important than our work for the Lord.

As children of the King, we are to walk worthy of our calling!

  1. Edwin Young

Read-Thru-the-Bible: Nahum 1 – Habakkuk 3

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Word of God Sets You Free

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. . . Welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls.- James 1:21

The most powerful and effective tool to bring about real and lasting transformation in our lives is the Word of God. It is the Word of God that draws us and keeps us close to God.

The devil will always try to deceive you, telling you things about yourself and your situation that are contrary to God’s Word. As long as we believe the lies, we remain frustrated, miserable, and powerless. But when God’s Word of truth uncovers those lies, the truth sets us free.

Only the Word of God has this power, and only God can change us. The Word exposes wrong motives, wrong thoughts, and wrong words. Truth can set us free from guilt, self-rejection, condemnation, self-hatred, the works of the flesh, and every lie that we have bought into and brought into our lives. God is out to set us free so that we can enjoy the life He has given us.

A sword in the sheath is of no value. It must be wielded and appropriately used. Well, the Word of God is the believer’s sword, and we can learn by applying it daily, getting it down in our heart, and speaking it out our mouth. The believer who does this is full of power and can accomplish great things for the kingdom of God.

Studying the Word is the number one way to draw close to God.

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Key to Real Joy

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“Remember what Christ taught and let His words enrich your lives and make you wise; teach them to each other and sing them out in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, and come with Him into the presence of God the Father to give Him your thanks” (Colossians 3:16,17).

As I travel and speak throughout the world, I meet many individuals who are caught up in the emotionalism of a religious experience which they attribute to the Holy Spirit. They live from experience to experience, with little knowledge of what the Bible teaches. As a result, they seldom grow past the baby stage. They are seeking and talking about their experiences with the Holy Spirit instead of the Lord Jesus, forgetting that the Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ.

At the other extreme, I find that most Christians seldom mention the Holy Spirit. The supernatural life is a life of balance.

Notice the close parallel between Ephesians 5:18-20 and Colossians 3:16-17. The Spirit-filled person and the one whose mind and heart are saturated with the person and the Word of Jesus Christ will be joyful and thankful, and he will do all as a testimony of love to Him who is our Lord and Savior.

We can no more live a joyful, abundant, fruitful, victorious, supernatural life apart from the Word of God than we can do so apart from the Spirit of God. They are like the two wings of an airplane; a plane cannot fly with only one wing. Neither can we live balanced, victorious lives if we do not invest time in reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on God’s Word, while at the same time depending on the Holy Spirit, who inspired its writing centuries ago, to illuminate its truth to our minds and hearts.

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 10:31-33

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today – and every day – I will claim the Holy Spirit’s power to enable me to read, study, memorize and meditate on God’s holy, inspired Word with comprehension. I will claim by faith the help of the Holy Spirit to live in accordance with the teaching of God’s revealed truth. With His help, I will live a balanced, Spirit-controlled, supernatural life.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Children of God

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Read: Romans 8:14-15b

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. Romans 8:14-15

We are all creatures of God by natural birth, but Paul is careful to use a different word in Romans. Here the word is children (sons) of God. We are in the family of God, and this is a very distinctive term. This is something that God intends for us to return to when we are in trouble. If you are having difficulty handling your behavior — whether you are not doing what you want to do, or doing what you don’t want to do — the way to handle it is to remind yourself of what God has made you to be.

In other words, in the struggle that you have with sin within you, you are not a slave, helplessly struggling against a cruel and powerful master; you are a son, a son of the living God, with power to overcome the evil. Though you may be temporarily overcome, you are never ultimately defeated. It cannot be, because you are a child of God. That is why Paul could say in Romans 6, Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace, (Romans 6:14 KJV). In this gracious relationship, we are made sons of the living God. No matter what happens to us, that is what we are. Nothing can change that.

It is important also for us to see how we become sons of God. Paul says the Spirit of God found you, and he adopted us into God’s family. Some of you may be saying, What do you mean when you say we are adopted into the family of God? I have been taught that I was born into the family of God. The truth is that both of these are true. You are both adopted and born into the family of God. God uses both of these terms because he wants to highlight two different aspects of our belonging to the family of God. You are said to be adopted because God wants you to remember always that you are not naturally part of the family of God. We are all children of Adam by natural birth. We belong to the human family, and we inherit Adam’s nature. All his defects, all his problems, all the evil that came into his life by his disobedience. So by nature we are not part of God’s family. This is just like those today who were born into one family, but were taken out of that family and were adopted into another family. From then on they became part of the family that adopted them.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Children of God →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Man Well Dressed

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Read: Ephesians 4:17-24

Taught . . . to put on the new self. (vv. 21, 24)

The meaning of yesterday’s quotation, “heaven in ordinary” may not have been obvious to us, but we need have no doubts about today’s phrase “man well drest,” or “man well dressed”—what it means, what it has to do with prayer, and why it is here bracketed with that previous phrase.

“Putting on Christ” is regular New Testament language for what you actually did in becoming a Christian. So once you belong to Jesus, it’s not something you have to do again, let alone do repeatedly; it’s something you have already done. You could rightly say that the whole character of your wardrobe is now different from what it was before. So far as your witness to the world around is concerned, what you are “wearing” these days will be what you might call a uniform, showing other people what you are. But so far as your prayer life is concerned (that being the focus of these readings), what you are “wearing” these days will always be your best clothes, recognizing what a privilege it is to be meeting God and talking with him.

About that meeting, yesterday’s phrase (“heaven in ordinary”) was about how God comes to me; today’s phrase (“man well drest”) is about how I come to him. They are two ways of describing what is happening when I pray. The first consideration moved me to humble worship, this second one gives me happy confidence.

Here is the poem in its entirety:

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Man Well Dressed →

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

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He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

—John 3:36

Sometimes people will make a profession of faith, and then seemingly fall away. We ask ourselves, “Did this person lose their salvation?”

My question, in turn, would be, “Were they ever really saved to begin with?”

If somebody commits their life to Christ, then walks away and never comes back, I suggest to you that they were never a Christian at all. If, on the other hand, someone commits their life to the Lord, walks away, and then comes back to Christ, I suggest to you that they were simply a prodigal.

The true test is where they end up.

A true believer will always come home to the Lord, eventually. A person who is not a true believer won’t. In 1 John 2:19 (NIV) we read: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – Waiting on God Is No Vain Thing

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“The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” (Lamentations 3:25)

Jim Elliot was a missionary in Ecuador, South America – over fifty years ago. Even as a young man, Jim had decided in his heart to follow God’s leading. He did not want to make a plan unless he was sure his plan was what God wanted. He was careful not to “run ahead” of God. Instead, he waited on God to make things plain. In a letter to the girl who would one day become his wife, Jim wrote about how he was waiting on God to lead and protect and provide for them. He signed his letter to her this way:

 

Waiting on Him for Whom

it is no vain thing to wait,

Jim

 

What does it mean to say “it is no vain thing to wait” for God? The word “vain” means “worthless,” “without purpose,” “hopeless,” or “empty.”

“Waiting on Him for Whom it is no vain thing to wait.” Jim’s words were another way of saying what God Himself says in Lamentations 3:25. It is not a worthless or purposeless or empty thing to wait on the Lord. Why not? Because the LORD is good to all those who wait for Him.

You and your family might be waiting on God today for something. Maybe you are waiting for provision (things you need). Maybe you are waiting for protection (safety or a rescue from something painful). Maybe you are waiting on God for direction (leadership and wisdom).

Whatever it is you think you need or want from God…can you wait for it? Can you wait for Him? Like Jim Elliot was learning when he wrote that letter over fifty years ago, you can never go wrong if you are waiting on God. By waiting on God, you show that you trust His perfect timing and His goodness. You can show you believe the truth of Lamentations 3:25 when you hold out for God’s direction and protection and provision.

When you wait to know what God wants you to do, when you wait for Him to rescue or protect you, and when you wait for Him to provide what He thinks you need, you will agree – God’s timing is perfect, and His goodness is worth waiting for.

God’s goodness and God’s timing are always worth the wait.

My Response:

» Am I tempted to “run ahead” of God instead of waiting for Him?

» What are some ways God has protected, directed, or provided for my family and my church?

» How can I show that I trust that God really is good?

 

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