Tag Archives: holy spirit

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD Is Gracious

Leave a comment

“They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Psalm 145:7-9)

To be “gracious” is to be the kind of person who gives other people things they do not deserve. A gracious person shows people unmerited favor (kindness that they could never earn on their own). The LORD is the ultimate Example of Someone Who is gracious, Who gives graciously, time and time and time again. Whenever we act with graciousness toward other people, we are not inventing some new thing. We are simply reflecting the character of the eternal God. He has always been gracious, and He always will be gracious.

Have you ever noticed that it is easier to expect people to be gracious to you than it is for you to be gracious to other people? For example, let’s imagine that you are going over to your neighbor Tommy’s house, and Tommy’s mom is offering cookies to you. They are fresh-baked, warm-from-the-oven, gooey chocolate chip cookies. Of course, you accept her offer, even though you do not necessarily deserve a warm and wonderful cookie. In fact, as you chew it up, you realize that you could never earn a cookie that tastes like that! Tommy’s mom sees that you love the cookies, and she graciously packs a bag full of them and sends them home with you. WOW! (You can tell from the look on Tommy’s face, though, that he is not too pleased to see so few cookies left over for him!)

Now, imagine that Tommy comes over to play at your house. It just so happens that today your mom has just finished baking some warm and wonderful, gooey chocolate chip cookies, and you are thrilled! You and Tommy are both practically jumping up and down with hope and delight. Suddenly, you stop, you glance over at Tommy, and you realize that he is hoping your mom will be gracious and offer him some cookies. Some of your family’s cookies! Why, some guys have all the nerve! And what does your mom do? You watch her, as if in slow motion – reaching for a handful of cookies, placing them in Tommy’s greedy little hands, patting the top of his head. You find yourself wanting to scream NO!

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD Is Gracious →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – After Salvation

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: Philippians 1-4

You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. – 1 Thessalonians 2:1

Dawson Trotman used to tell about picking up a hitchhiker who got into his car and promptly used the Lord’s name in vain. As Dawson talked to this young man and explained the gospel to him, he felt they had met somewhere before. It turned out that one year before, Daws had led him in prayer to receive Jesus Christ. Here he was, a year later, with no evidence of the new life in Christ within him.

This bothered Dawson, and as he prayed about it and studied the Scriptures, he was convinced of the importance of follow-up in the life of every new believer.

One of the passages underlying Dawson’s conviction was Philippians 2:14-16: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”

How could Paul talk about running and laboring for nothing when, back in 1 Corinthians 15:58, he said that his labor was not in vain in the Lord? These Philippians had been converted to Christ and were part of the local church in Philippi. Then why on earth was Paul talking about laboring for nothing? Because he knew that the Great Commission of Jesus Christ could be fulfilled only if every Philippian believer grew to maturity and did his part.

To see someone come to Christ is only the beginning. Let us take the same attitude of responsibility toward new believers that Paul felt toward the Philippians.

Prayer

Lord, give me a heart of love and a desire to help new believers to be built up in the faith. Amen.

To Ponder

Is there a younger believer you could help to grow?

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Healthy Exposure to God’s Word

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16

“All Scripture is . . . profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

The close connection between God and the Word of his grace is illustrated in Romans 15:4-5: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus” (Romans 15:4-5).

Paul tells us here that we receive endurance and encouragement from Scripture. Then he names God as the source of endurance and encouragement. Endurance and encouragement are provisions of God’s grace “to help us in our time of need.” as we go to the throne of grace asking for it, God does provide. But he usually provides through Scripture.

If we are to appropriate the grace of God, we must regularly expose ourselves directly to the Word of God. It is not enough to only hear it preached or taught in our churches on Sundays, as important as those avenues are. We need a regular plan of reading, study, and yes, even memorization. Bible study and Scripture memorization earn no merit with God. We never earn God’s blessing by doing these things, any more than we earn his blessing by eating nutritious food. But as the eating of proper food is necessary to sustain a healthy physical life, so the regular intake of God’s Word is necessary to sustain a healthy spiritual life and to regularly appropriate his grace.

If we’re to appropriate the grace of God, we must become intimate friends with the Bible. We must seek to know and understand Scripture’s great truths about God and his character, and about man and his desperate need of God’s grace.

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

BreakPoint

BreakPoint – Man and Michelangelo’s ‘David’: Fragile Masterpieces

Leave a comment

Throughout history, there’s been no shortage of superlatives showered on Michelangelo’s stunning statue of David, sling in hand, ready to take on Goliath. Giorgio Vasari, a 16th century artist and historian said this:

“It cannot be denied that this work has carried off the palm from all other statues, modern or ancient, Greek or Latin; no other artwork is equal to it in any respect, with such just proportion, beauty and excellence did Michelangelo finish it.”

And if you’re one of the millions of people who’ve travelled to Florence, Italy, and have seen the 14-foot statue in person, you probably agree.

More than any other work of art, except perhaps Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the “David” statue captures the image and essence of Man. Confident, determined, physically beautiful and strong, called to a noble purpose: to do battle with evil in the service of the God in Whose image we are made.

And yet news from Florence reveals that “David” reflects humanity in another way: He is flawed.  To be more specific, there are cracks in his ankles; cracks that could, as the New York Times reports, “bring down the world’s most perfect statue.”

As Sam Anderson writes, “The seed of the problem is a tiny imperfection in the statue’s design. The center of gravity in the base doesn’t align with the center of gravity in the figure itself.”  If the statue is perfectly upright and level, all is well. But even the tiniest tilt places enormous stress on the six-ton statue’s “narrowest part: his ankles.”

And, for what Anderson calls “a very long time,” “David” did lean slightly, which created the hairline cracks that threaten the statue.

You’d think making sure the statue stands perfectly upright would be a simple enough engineering feat, but there are a couple of problems. The first is bureaucratic inertia and confusion on the part of the Italian government. And the second: earthquakes. If Florence gets hit by one, it could be “Arrivederci, David.”

So here we have the crown jewel of creativity, art, beauty, and sculpture, and yet he’s flawed, fragile, in need of restoration, poised on the verge of catastrophe.

Just like we are.

Continue reading BreakPoint – Man and Michelangelo’s ‘David’: Fragile Masterpieces →

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – A HERO IS HONORED

Leave a comment

Read ESTHER 6:11–14

An Aesop’s fable involves two roosters who each want to be king of the farmyard. Finally, one won the title. The losing rooster hid in a corner while the winner squawked and ran about the yard, boasting with pleasure. Suddenly, an eagle flew by, swooped down, and snatched the winning rooster in his talons. The losing rooster, still sitting by the wayside, became the new reigning king. Pride, said Aesop, goes before a great fall.

In an act of supreme humiliation, Haman was forced to honor Mordecai as a hero. He helped him put on the king’s royal robe and led him through the streets on the horse announcing that the king was pleased with Mordecai (v. 11). How devastating this must have been to Haman who had assumed he would be the intended recipient.

Notice the contrasting actions of the two men in today’s passage. After being honored, Mordecai returned “to the king’s gate” (v. 12). Despite having just received great honor from the highest in command, he did not strut about but immediately resumed his duty.

Haman, on the other hand, was self- centered, consumed by grief at his own loss. He immediately shared his displeasure with those closest to him. They advised Haman not to continue his pursuit of Mordecai and the Jewish people: “you will surely come to ruin” (v. 13). The text does not tell us Haman’s response. But knowing his deep hatred for Mordecai and how insulted he felt, it would be safe to assume their caution had little effect on him.

Regardless, Haman had little time to reflect on his choices as he was expected at the king’s table for the banquet given by Esther (v. 14). Haman was still motivated by personal pride, and God was not finished with his story.

APPLY THE WORD

Today’s tale cautions against our pride. We are not to be puffed up or worried about our own honor or reward. Instead, we should let God honor us in His own way and timing. Lay your personal concerns and vanity at His feet, and let Him reward you. Even more, do not be concerned with eliminating your competition. Pride leads to destruction.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – NY BOMBING: UP TO 5 NOW IN CUSTODY 

Leave a comment

ABC News is reporting that as many as five people were taken into FBI custody last night in connection with Saturday’s bombing in Manhattan. In addition, multiple bombs were discovered overnight at a New Jersey train station. A pipe bomb exploded along a racecourse in New Jersey, though no one was injured. And ISIS has claimed responsibility for a stabbing at a Minnesota mall that injured eight.

Life in the age of terrorism seems more fragile than ever.

Our fears are not necessarily based on facts. According to security experts, ninety-four Americans have been killed by jihadists since 9/11, more than half of them in the Orlando nightclub shooting. An additional forty-eight have been killed by other extremists such as the Charleston church shooter. As tragic as these deaths are, more Americans die in car accidents every two days.

However, the fear of terrorism can be debilitating. Experts say that living with such fear can trigger obsessive thinking and alter our mood, temperament, motivation, and personality.

The best way to respond to the fear of terrorism is to acknowledge our mortality and then to live for what matters most. Watching last night’s Emmys, my wife remarked after the “In Memoriam” tribute that many of the deceased actors were our contemporaries. As we grow older, death becomes more real.

And living on purpose becomes more urgent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy last night for her work in Veep. In her acceptance speech, she revealed that her father had died two days earlier. She said, “I’m so glad he liked Veep because his opinion was the one that really mattered.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – NY BOMBING: UP TO 5 NOW IN CUSTODY  →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Facing Life’s Unknowns

Leave a comment

Hebrews 11:23-27

Ignorance of the future is mankind’s frightening reality. Particularly in times of stress and uncertainty, the road ahead appears dark. But believers have a special gift that helps them face life’s unknowns. We possess spiritual eyes that are trainable for seeing the omniscient God who holds the future in His hand.

Moses challenged Egypt’s Pharaoh, led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, and endured turmoil and rebellion as a nomadic leader because he saw “Him who is unseen” (Heb. 11:27). Moses’ spiritual eyes were focused on God, and he trusted the Father completely.

Our daily existence may not be as dramatic as that of an Old Testament political rebel, but like Moses, we all have a purpose for which we are called to move forward without detailed instructions. And we share in the promised presence of God.

But it’s important to realize the Father reveals Himself only to clean-hearted believers. (See Matt. 5:8.) “Pure in heart” refers to holy thinking, which rejects incorrect ideas and replaces them with obedience. When a sinful thought occurs, pure-hearted believers confess and repent in order to move ahead in righteousness. In other words, the people who develop spiritual eyes to see God are those who are dedicated to knowing and serving Him. As we study Scripture to learn His commands, desires, and way of operating, we start to think as He does.

When believers’ hearts are clean, their spirit can sense the Father’s abiding presence. Consequently, we can face life’s unknowns hand in hand with Him.

Bible in One Year: Hosea 6-9

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Making Preparations

Leave a comment

Read: John 14:1-6

Bible in a Year: Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.—John 14:3

As we viewed my father-in-law’s body in his casket at the funeral home, one of his sons took his dad’s hammer and tucked it alongside his folded hands. Years later, when my mother-in-law died, one of the children slipped a set of knitting needles under her fingers. Those sweet gestures brought comfort to us as we remembered how often they had used those tools during their lives.

Of course, we knew that they wouldn’t actually need those items in eternity. We had no illusions, as the ancient Egyptians did, that tools or money or weapons buried with someone would better prepare them for the next life. You can’t take it with you! (Ps. 49:16-17; 1 Tim. 6:7).

But some preparation for eternity had been necessary for my in-laws. That preparation had come years before when they trusted Jesus as their Savior.

Planning for the life to come can’t begin at the time of our death. Each of us prepares our heart by accepting the gift of salvation made possible by Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross.

At the same time, God has made preparations as well: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3). He has promised to prepare a place for us to spend eternity with Him. —Cindy Hess Kasper

Father, we’re grateful that we will have a place with You one day. Thank You that you will fill us with joy in Your presence.

God gives us time—to prepare for eternity.

INSIGHT: Preparation was an important theme in Jesus’s final teaching time with His followers. His “upper room discourse” opens with the promise of a place in the Father’s house (John 14:2), where Jesus would go and prepare a place for His followers. The imagery of a prepared place in the house of the Lord was not new. This same idea brought comfort to David, who sang, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6). As it was with David, Jesus’s disciples had this hope. And so do we! He promised to return for His own and take us to the place He has prepared.

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Spirit-Filled Gratitude

Leave a comment

“Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Ephesians 5:20).

Sincere thanks to God will result at all times if we are truly filled with the Spirit.

I’m convinced that gratitude is the single greatest act of personal worship we can render to God. And today’s verse plainly asserts that thankfulness should be a well-rounded, consistent response to whatever God allows to happen in our lives (see 1 Thess. 5:18). Such a thankful attitude is impossible in our own strength, but as the Holy Spirit indwells us, He graciously and mercifully enables us to be thankful at all times, without exception.

It follows that if a Spirit-filled believer is enabled to give thanks at all times, he will also be strengthened to give thanks “for all things.” Implicit in Paul’s words are the hard things (see also James 1:2-5; 1 Peter 2:20-21); but there are also dozens of blessings that we must not neglect to be grateful for. Here are some primary examples: God’s goodness and mercy (Ps. 106:1), the gift of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 9:15), the gospel’s triumph (2 Cor. 2:14), and victory over death (1 Cor. 15:56-57).

The Spirit-filled Christian will always display his gratefulness in the name of Christ to God the Father. We could not be thankful at all if it were not for the Person and work of Jesus Christ. So to be thankful in His name simply means it will be consistent with His character and deeds (see Eph. 1:5-8, 11-12).

God is the ultimate object of all our thanksgivings, and Father is the name that highlights His loving benevolence and the constant flow of His gracious gifts that come to those who know Him (see James 1:17). We just can’t escape the importance of our continually offering thanks to God on every occasion, for everything. Hebrews 13:15 presents us with this excellent summary: “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”

Suggestions for Prayer

Think of something you have not thanked God for in the past. Confess that neglect, and begin thanking Him for it regularly from now on.

For Further Study

Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-23.

  • How was that opportunity for gratitude different from those mentioned in the lesson?
  • How did Jehoshaphat demonstrate His trust in God?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Small Things 

Leave a comment

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.   Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

Small things are big to God, so they are not to be discounted or despised. After all, our Savior is in the small things. Our pride wants to get on to the larger and more important opportunities. It dismisses the mundane or the monotonous. But success and significance are also found in the small things.

A quiet smile at a restaurant server is small, but significant. A little gift for an unsuspecting sanitation worker is small, but significant. Learning the children’s names of a blue-collar worker in your company, and occasionally joining him for lunch is small, but significant. Attention to small things makes people big. Celebrate an office employee’s birthday over breakfast, or an important personal milestone over lunch or dinner. When we give attention to small things, we say we care. Private acts of love foster public loyalty and long-term commitment. It is the attention to small things that build great people and grow great companies.

This is also true with our children. If we want influence with them when they face big issues as teenagers and adults, it is imperative we show interest in the small things of their childhood. Parental investment in ballgames, recitals, school plays, scouts, church camps, outdoors, homework, shared hobbies, and church all add up to an invitation to big things. Little things like tucking them in at night will one day give them the trust to invite us into the dark night of their soul. Investment in the small things invites influence with the big things.

Therefore, do not despise this season of small things. They are like seeds that eventually grow into grand and glorious opportunities of influence. There is a definite sequence of seed planting, watering, fertilizing, and cultivating. The process can become boring and seem unproductive, but this illustrates how God works. Your Savior is into stringing together a sequence of small activities that leads to larger outcomes. So stay with the small things, for in due season you will reap the harvest.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Small Things  →

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – A New Husband

Leave a comment

Read: Romans 7:1-6

Do you not know, brothers and sisters — for I am speaking to those who know the law — that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. Romans 7:1-3

Paul uses an illustration to teach us the way to be free from the Law. The woman is us. She has two husbands, one following the other. Notice what the death of the first husband does to the woman’s relationship to the Law. When the first husband dies, the woman is released from the Law. Not only is she released from her husband, but she also is released from the Law. If her husband dies, the Law can say nothing to her as to where she can go, and what she can do, and who she can be with. She is released from the Law. The death of the husband makes the woman dead to Law.

The first husband is Adam, this old life into which we were born. We were linked to it, married to it, and couldn’t get away from it. Like a woman married to an old, cruel, mean husband, there is not much she can do about it. While she is married she is tied to that husband. She cannot have a second husband while she is married to the first. She is stuck with #1, and she has to share his lifestyle of bondage, corruption, shame and death. That is why we who were born into Adam have to share the lifestyle of fallen Adam.

If this woman, while she is married to her first husband, tries to live with another — for this lifestyle is sickening to her — she will be called an adulteress. Who calls her that? The Law does. The Law condemns her. It is only when the first husband dies that she is free from that condemnation of the Law and can marry again. When she does, the Law is absolutely silent; it has nothing to say to her at all. Verse 4 says, So…you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

What a fantastic verse! Here is the great, marvelous declaration of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Notice how Paul draws the parallel: So … you also. We fit right into this. The key words here are you also died to the law through the body of Christ. The body of Christ refers to the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – A New Husband →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Joy

Leave a comment

Read: John 16:16-24

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (v. 24)

The connection between prayer and “softness” may have been rather puzzling, but the link here, between prayer and joy, is made crystal clear. There is puzzlement, for sure, in the minds of Jesus’ friends, because up to this point the idea that he might leave them, if only (as it will turn out) for the three days between his death and his resurrection, has been totally mystifying. But knowing a crucified and risen Christ will open up for them a whole new way of praying.

Joe, whom you met yesterday, has been a “disciple” for some time, but the person and name of Jesus are not yet a reality to him. Sooner or later, in God’s good time, Jesus will confront him with the words that lead into today’s text: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name.” To spell it out, Jesus will be saying something like this: “Be sure of it, Joe, when you ask me to be your Savior from sin and the Lord of your life, you’ll find you are able to talk in a new way to ‘him up there,’ who has already helped you from time to time in the past, and he will begin to answer you as never before. Just tell him ‘Jesus said I could come,’ and you’ll be welcome at once. Ask, and you will receive; that missing element, joy, will begin to color your life in ways you never dreamed of.”

 

Here is the poem in its entirety:

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Joy →

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD Is Good

Leave a comment

“They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Psalm 145:7-9)

This psalm was a well-known song among the Israelites in Old Testament times. What do you think the people in the neighboring nations must have thought when they heard the lyrics to this Israelite tune? The “neighbors” were godless people, meaning they were without the God of the Bible. Some of them were idolaters who worshipped many gods. Some of them would not bow the knee to any kind of god at all.

Do you think these godless people were happy? Were their idols hearing or answering their prayers? Were they able to get themselves through hard times on their own, without God? Maybe you are thinking, Well, how can I know what those ancient people were thinking? I am living in the twenty-first century, and those people are all dead now. I can’t watch them live without God. I can’t ask them how they liked their godless lives.

And you would be right, in a way. In our time, we can only imagine what people might have been thinking back then. But you can look around at people today. You can watch how godless people respond in a crisis and see how hopeless they are. You can read about them and see what they do and say. You can watch how it is for them to live life apart from belief in the God of the Bible. And you can see for yourself whether they really are happy or at peace.

When the USA’s World Trade Center was attacked on 9/11/01, Americans everywhere were asking a few questions: “Is God really out there?” “Is God really good?” If you have ever heard recordings of reporters and bystanders that day, as they watched the towers burn and fall, and as so many lives were lost, you can hear that many of them – even the ones who would never admit that God exists – were calling out on God! Most of them were probably saying His name in vain (in an empty way, because they were not really calling Him for help). But if you do not believe that God exists, why would your first reaction be to call out the name of a non-existent “God”?

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD Is Good →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – His Loving Discipline

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 12:6

“The Lord . . . chastises every son whom he receives.”

In addition to disciplining those he loves, the Lord also, as our Father, “chastises” or punishes us. Punishment may serve one of two purposes: the execution of justice or the correction of character. When a person convicted of a crime is sent to prison, that’s punishment in the execution of justice. When a loving parent punishes a child, it’s for the correction of the child’s character.

Although today we usually equate discipline with punishment, the biblical use of the word discipline had a broader meaning. Punishment would have been one aspect of the overall program of child-training. But all of God’s discipline, including punishment for disobedience that he sends to us in the form of adversity, is administered in love and for our welfare. We must never equate his punishment of us with the negative emotions we often see in a human parent.

God does punish in the execution of justice. The Scriptures say, “God is just” (2 Thessalonians 1:6, NIV) and “?t is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, NIV). But as far as believers are concerned, God has already executed the justice we should have received on his Son on the cross. Christ fully satisfied the justice of God and turned away his wrath from us. Therefore, God’s punishment of us is always corrective and always administered in love and for our welfare.

In times of adversity Satan will seek to plant the thought in our mind that God is angry with us and is disciplining us out of wrath. Here is another instance when we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves. The Gospel will reassure us that the penalty for our sins has been paid, that God’s justice has been fully satisfied. (Excerpt taken from The Discipline of Grace)

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – A Cheerful Giver

Leave a comment

Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6-9

“I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” – -Luke 21:3-4

I spent several weeks in the African country of Liberia teaching at a small Bible college. The missionaries who oversaw the college told me of a tragedy several years before, when their house burned down and they lost everything they had. The day after the fire, a little African girl came to them with a pair of well-worn canvas sneakers and gave them to one of their daughters. They were the only shoes the African girl had, and she would likely never get another pair, but she came offering them freely, saying she wanted to help. The missionaries were overwhelmed by her sacrificial giving.

It reminded me of Paul’s description of the Macedonian churches’ response to the grace of God. Second Corinthians 8:2-4 says, “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”

Paul directs our attention to Jesus Christ as the great example of what it means to give: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (verse 9). Paul went on to say that our sacrificial giving should be more than an emotional response on the spur of the moment. It should be thought through and done deliberately. Christian, if you have never done it, sit down and lay out a giving plan that honors the Lord in its sacrificial generosity.

Prayer

Lord, everything I have comes from You. Guide me as I consider how to give to others out of my abundance. Amen.

To Ponder

If your giving practices were made known to Christians in other lands, would your example be a challenge and encouragement to them?

 

https://www.navigators.org/Home

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – A SLEEPLESS NIGHT

Leave a comment

Read ESTHER 6:1–10

People will try counting sheep, drinking warm milk, taking deep breaths, and moving the television out of the room in order to get some shut-eye. In today’s passage, God uses a sleepless night to change the course of history.

The beginning of Esther 6 contains an ironic turn of events. Haman was preparing to destroy Mordecai. But now there would be a great reversal: he would be asked to construct an elaborate plan to honor him.

Notice how God intervened in the plot line of the tragic story. Even before Xerxes heard Esther’s request, Mordecai’s act of bravery was brought to his attention. The king could not sleep. We know that throughout Scripture, God often spoke to men and women in dreams and visions, and we can reasonably conclude that He was responsible for this restless, sleepless night in the palace. God engineered events to bring something to King Xerxes’ attention.

The king asked for the book that chronicled the historical records of his kingdom. Certainly the lengthy, detailed manuscript would be enough to induce drowsiness! But the book had the opposite effect. The king was reminded of Mordecai’s act of heroism when Mordecai prevented his assassination (2:21–23). Although the guilty officials had been put to death for the attempt, Mordecai had never been rewarded.

In a wonderful ironic twist, Haman was asked to suggest a reward for the hero. In his self-centered way, Haman assumed the recipient of the king’s gratitude would be himself (v. 6). He certainly never expected that the recipient would be Mordecai. While honoring Mordecai would delight the king, it was devastating and humiliating for the man who wanted to destroy him.

APPLY THE WORD

Do you realize that your acts of loyalty and love can delight your King? Psalm 147:11 says that God delights in those who fear Him and put their hope in Him. It is wonderful to know that we can bring joy and honor to our God. Ask Him today to guide your steps and to make each word and action one that will bring Him delight.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How God Reveals Himself

Leave a comment

Romans 1:18-21

Look at the delicate veins of an oak leaf, and you experience the beauty of God. Observe the storm-whipped surf beating against a beach, and you witness His power. The Lord’s sense of order is revealed in the march of the seasons and the precise tilt and turning of the earth. People need to look no farther than nature to understand that God is real.

Romans tells us that the revelation of the Lord in nature is sufficient to render inexcusable those who would deny His existence (Rom. 1:20). There’s no reasonable explanation for the creation of the material universe other than an omnipotent God putting it all together. The matter and fuel for a “big bang” had to come from Someone.

But nature can’t give us a full revelation—creation does not show the Lord’s holiness or eternity. That is why He gave us His Word. The Bible reveals God’s character, records His laws, and explains His expectations for the faithful. In its pages, we can learn about our Father and the kind of life He wants us to lead. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Scripture teaches about the living Word—Jesus Christ—who is the full revelation of God. The heavenly Father wanted to ensure that humanity could know Him intimately, so to make Himself known, He sent His Son clothed in flesh. Jesus said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (John 14:7). Spend time in Bible study and prayer to know your Father better.

Bible in One Year: Hosea 1-5

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Survival Float

Leave a comment

Read: Psalm 55:4-23

Bible in a Year: Proverbs 27-29; 2 Corinthians 10

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.—Psalm 55:22

Sunlight glittered on the swimming pool in front of me. I overheard an instructor speaking to a student who had been in the water for quite a while. He said, “It looks like you’re getting tired. When you’re exhausted and in deep water, try the survival float.”

Certain situations in life require us to spend our mental, physical, or emotional energy in a way that we can’t sustain. David described a time when his enemies were threatening him and he felt the emotional weight of their anger. He needed to escape the distress he was experiencing.

As he processed his feelings, he found a way to rest in his troubled thoughts. He said, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22). He recognized that God supports us if we dare to release our problems to Him. We don’t have to take charge of every situation and try to craft the outcome—that’s exhausting! God is in control of every aspect of our life.

Instead of trying to do everything in our own effort, we can find rest in God. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking Him to handle our problems. Then we can pause, relax, and enjoy the knowledge that He is sustaining us. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

God, today I give my problems to You. I know that You are in control of everything and I believe You are willing to help me. Please help me to find peace in You.

How do you find your rest? Share with us at odb.org.

God is a safe resting place.

INSIGHT: In today’s reading David lamented over the activities of the wicked against him and denounced those who accused him (Ps. 55:1-15). Especially troubling was the betrayal of a former friend. Yet David had confidence in God. His goodness and ability to deliver pulled David into a spirit of praise (vv. 16-23).

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Spirit-Filled Song

Leave a comment

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

If we are Spirit-filled, we will have songs of praise in our hearts and on our lips.

Once a Christian knows about being Spirit-filled and walking by the Spirit, it is still fair for him or her to ask, “But how can I know if the Holy Spirit is really at work in my life?” Ephesians 5:19 answers this question by declaring one of the unmistakable evidences of the Spirit’s full operation in our lives—we will have a song in our hearts.

The Bible does not give us much detail about the practical use of music and song, but there are enough references so that its significance to God and His people is clear. The Israelites praised God after He rescued them from the Egyptians (Ex. 15). The Psalms are filled with songs and praise, epitomized by the final verse, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (150:6).

In the New Testament, Jesus and the disciples closed the Last Supper by singing a hymn (Matt. 26:30). Paul and Silas sang while they were imprisoned at Philippi (Acts 16:25). During his vision in Revelation 5, the apostle John sees this: “When He [Christ, the Lamb] had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song” (vv. 8-9).

That “new song” John was about to hear sung before God’s throne was not just new chronologically—it was new qualitatively. Here as elsewhere in the New Testament, “new” is used in relation to God’s salvation, which means it makes perfect sense for us to sing a new song—one that is far better than the world’s songs—if we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Words of genuine praise should well up in our hearts often and at the appropriate times break forth from our lips as we reflect the joy of the Spirit-filled life.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God specifically for some of your favorite hymns.

For Further Study

Read Revelation 5:1-14 for the complete context of John’s new song.

  • What is the song’s theme?
  • How many eventually join in the praises?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Safe Environments 

Leave a comment

“Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”    Luke 15:27

Our soul seeks out safe environments. We are attracted to people we can trust, who accept us for who we are instead of who we need to be. Safe environments give us security and peace. We can bare our souls because we know we are in a place of confidentiality, so do not fear rejection. A business meeting with a rigid agenda, pretense, and pride is not a safe place in which to be yourself.

Those who foster safe environments seek first to understand; there is no rush to judgment, but there is a rash of love. In safe environments, we feel loved, even when we are unlovely. Parents have the privilege of providing a safe environment for their teenagers transitioning into young adulthood. This can be a trying time for everyone, as your children are not babies anymore, so they do not want to be babied and controlled.

By God’s grace, you have trained them for such a time as this. This is your teenager’s time of transition into maturity and he or she may have to make a bad relational decision in the process. This is how he or she grows and learns. Therefore, as parents, it is imperative you keep the home environment safe and non-combative. Continue to speak the truth in love, but do so graciously with great patience and after much prayer. If your teenager doesn’t feel safe at home, they will find safety and acceptance elsewhere; so create attractive environments they want to be in.

Safe environments are also necessary for Christ-seekers. People searching for authentic faith need someplace to ask questions without being rebuffed for their elementary inquires. More mature believers have the opportunity to be there for those on their faith journey, but judgment is a juggernaut against safe environments, as it crushes with a condescending attitude. So, be careful not to impose your high standards on a person or situation, and in the process endanger the safe environment. Share your own failures and struggles, doing so builds bridges to the heart. Safe environments are void of pedestals of pride. Consider a Bible discussion in your home, and follow it up with a fun activity. Make Christianity attractive, not boring. Safe environments draw people to Christ.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Safe Environments  →