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Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Delights To Answer Prayer

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“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11).

Regular readers, please see a special note for you at the foot of this devotional.*

When Michele was eleven, her best friend left their school to go to a different school. Michele’s class was small, and she didn’t feel close to any of the other three girls in the class. She wanted so much to have a best friend that she could talk to.

That summer before sixth grade, Michele’s mom said, “Why don’t you pray that God will send a new girl to your class next year to be your close friend?” She took her mom’s advice and started praying. But she didn’t have much faith. Where would a new girl come from? And even if a new girl did come, would she really want to be her friend? Michele dreaded the beginning of the new school year, because she didn’t believe God would answer her prayer.

Then in August, a new girl named Kelly and her family started coming to Michele’s church. God had moved her all the way to Kansas from the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean! That fall, Kelly was in Michele’s sixth grade class. She was so cheerful and friendly that it was easy for Michele to get to know her. They quickly became best friends and went through the rest of high school together. They even attended the same college for four years, and still keep in touch today.

Michele would tell you now that God delights to answer the prayers of His children. It brings Him glory when we ask and truly depend on Him for things we need. If we ask for things that are good for us, He is pleased to give them to us at just the right time. But sometimes He goes beyond giving us what we ask for. Often, His gifts are better than anything we could have asked for or even imagined. And His gifts are always the best thing for us.

God delights to answer the prayers of His children.

My Response:
» What am I praying for?
» Am I praying with faith that God will answer in the best way?

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Kansas City Chiefs overcome three “curses” to win Super Bowl LVII

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The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in yesterday’s Super Bowl, overcoming three “curses” to do so.

First, their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award again this season. Since 1999, nine MVPs made it to the Super Bowl; none won it. Second, Canadian rapper Drake bet $700,000 on the Chiefs, but nearly all his large sports bets in recent years have failed. Third, Chiefs fans have been placing team apparel on the Rocky Balboa statue in Philadelphia. When fans did this in the 2015 and 2018 playoffs, their teams lost to the Eagles.

In more serious news, Chiefs fan John Gladwell donated a kidney to Eagles fan Billy Welsh more than two years ago. The pair met more than twenty years ago when they both served in the Marines. They sat together yesterday at the game, but Welsh was worried about a Chiefs victory since he has a “Chiefs kidney”: “I don’t know how my body will react if the Chiefs win.” There is no news so far on his medical response.

The rest of us might be concerned about the outcome for a different reason: over the previous fifty-six Super Bowls, stocks do better when the NFC team wins. Also, the Chiefs won by a last-minute field goal, but the best years for markets have come when the game is decided by a large margin.

Why is football so popular?

If you didn’t watch yesterday’s game (at least for the ads), you were a cultural outlier: the NFL estimates that 208 million-plus viewers saw last year’s Super Bowl, approximately two-thirds of our population. While the Super Bowl is unique, football games in general were eighty-two of the top one hundred highest-rated shows on television last year.

Why is football America’s most popular sport?

Consider a psychologist’s contrast between the sport and baseball, formerly our “national pastime.” Writing for Psychology Today, Thomas Hendricks notes that “baseball is largely an individual sport” in which batters face the pitcher alone and defensive players occupy isolated positions on the field. Football, by contrast, “is more thoroughly collective” since “every teammate is involved in the design and execution of every play.”

Hendricks then observes, “More thoroughly social, contemporary people accept that group cohesion is the foundation of individual success. Football heroes are covered up in helmets and pads. Individuals become soldiers, elements in a great collective striving.”

When our team wins, “we” win

As a cultural apologist, I would add that the parallels between watching American football and participating in American religion are noteworthy.

On a typical Sunday, 100 million Americans (30 percent) watch an NFL game, roughly the same percentage as attend worship (28 percent). Most who participate in either activity engage in a transactional experience.

I have noticed that when a football team wins, their fans will say “we” won; when a team loses, their fans often say “they” (not “we”) lost. Very few fans have the players first in mind or even know an NFL player personally. The players and coaches are a means to the end of our entertainment and vicarious victory (we hope). If they lose, we are angry with them; if they win, we are excited for ourselves.

Many American Christians engaged in worship in a similar way yesterday. We inherited the cultural religion of our Greco-Roman ancestors who placed sacrifices on altars so gods would bless their crops or otherwise give them what they wanted. Worship was a means to their end, as it often is to ours.

Reflect on the last time you needed God’s help. If he did not do what you wanted, were you angry with him? If he did, were you excited for yourself?

“God doesn’t want to be used”

Imagine a marriage where one partner seeks a relationship with the other primarily for what their spouse can do for them. Is this how the “Bride” of Christ (Revelation 19:7) is treating our Groom today?

By contrast, we are told to “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). Does this describe your last worship experience?

Dr. Derwin Gray is a former NFL player, a pastor, and the author of God, Do You Hear Me? He observes, “When we deduce prayer to be a mantra or a spiritual ATM or superstition, we’re really not praying. We’re actually using God and God doesn’t want to be used. God wants to be worshiped. Because when we worship, we become who we were created to be.”

Who were we “created to be”?

In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes: “God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually.” Thus he “gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.”

Warren adds: “Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: he wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven.”

“Our greatest privilege”

As the winners of Super Bowl LVII, the Kansas City Chiefs are being granted “football immortality” by our culture this morning, but this is a myth. Do you remember who won the title even ten years ago?

By contrast, the more you seek to know Christ for no reason except to know Christ, the more you will become like Christ and the more you will make him known. According to Rick Warren, being like Christ is “our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.”

Do you agree?

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Matthew 21:42

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled every prophecy given in the Old Testament, and the life of Christ painted the exact portrait of the One who was promised. Every action that He took and every word He spoke shouted in agreement with John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” But regardless of all that He did to demonstrate who He was on the earth, the men in that day rejected Him. Why? Because Jesus was what they needed, but He wasn’t what they wanted. They needed a Savior; they wanted a king. They needed someone to forgive them of sin; they wanted someone to run Caesar out of town. When they saw His miracles and His majesty, they said to themselves, “Maybe this is the guy who’s going to bring back the good ol’ days.” But having seen the priceless gemstone of eternity, they walked away from the priceless treasure for counterfeit traditions.

What a joy to know that our Savior is not just another stone; He is the Stone that our faith is built upon. Never put your faith in something that can be substituted. You can take lots of stones out of a building and replace them, but if you take the cornerstone away, the building goes flat. Put your faith in the Chief Cornerstone. You can’t live without Him.

Today’s Blessing: 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you. May the Lord be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May you know that your destiny is in the hand of the Lord, measured only by your obedience to His Word. As you obey the Lord, so shall His substance and blessing be poured out to you. Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. May the Lord bless you and all that you put your hands to. In Jesus’ name, receive this blessing.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Exodus 35:10-36:38

New Testament 

Matthew 27:35-66

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 34:1-10

Proverbs 9:7-8

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – A Way of Escape

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No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

 Recommended Reading: James 1:13-15

Jesus Christ was tempted to sin. For example, He underwent three major temptations from Satan after fasting for forty days (Matthew 4:1-11). But He resisted not only those temptations but others as well (Hebrews 4:15).

How did Jesus resist temptation and not sin? By taking “the way of escape” that God provided—in His case, biblical refutations from Deuteronomy to all of Satan’s lies. And because He “suffered” during temptations, “He is able to aid those [us] who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Because temptations don’t come from God (James 1:13), He is more than willing to provide a “way of escape” so that, like Jesus, we can avoid falling into sin.

First Corinthians 10:13 promises that God will provide a way of escape. Our task is to find the way and take it. If you don’t immediately see the way God has provided, ask Him to reveal it (James 1:2-5).

[We must] pray constantly for His enabling grace to say no to temptation, of choosing to take all practical steps to avoid known areas of temptation and flee from those that surprise us.
Jerry Bridges

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Disturbing the Culture

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See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

—Ephesians 5:15–16

Scripture:

Ephesians 5:15-16 

There never was a dull day for the first-century followers of Jesus. In fact, it seems that wherever Paul went, there was either a conversion or a riot.

The early church didn’t have modern technology at their disposal. Yet in a relatively short time, these believers changed their world. They permeated their culture.

Tertullian, a Christian leader and a contemporary of these early followers of Christ, said of the church, “We are but of yesterday, and we have filled every place among you—cities, islands, fortresses, towns, marketplaces, the very camp, tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum—we have left nothing to you but the temples of your gods.”

He was pointing to the fact that the church had infiltrated everything. There were even Christians in the palace of Caesar. This is what we need today. We need Christians to go out and make a difference. We need Christians involved in the arts, making great films and creating graphic design. We need Christians in places of authority, because the Bible says that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice (see Proverbs 29:2).

We need Christian doctors, lawyers, and businesspeople. We need believers to let their light shine in this culture today.

Religious leaders in Thessalonica had this to say about Paul and Silas: “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6 NKJV).

G. Campbell Morgan said, “Organized Christianity which fails to make a disturbance is dead.”

Believers in the first century made a disturbance because they understood that God had called them to do their part. They took risks. They left their comfort zones. In the Book of Acts, we see their fearless preaching, their expectant prayer, and their willingness to obey God.

Twenty-first-century believers should be living like these first-century believers, impacting our culture. We should be making a difference. We should be turning our world upside down.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Information and Evidence

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Bible in a Year:

These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

John 20:31

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

John 20:26–31

When Doris Kearns Goodwin decided to write a book about Abraham Lincoln, the fact that some fourteen thousand books had already been written about America’s sixteenth president intimidated her. What could be left to say about this beloved leader? Undeterred, Goodwin’s work resulted in A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Her fresh insights on Lincoln’s leadership style became a top-rated and top-reviewed book.

The apostle John faced a different challenge as he wrote his account of the ministry and passion of Jesus. The final verse of John’s gospel says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25). John had more material than he could possibly use!

So John’s strategy was to focus on only a few selected miracles (signs) that supported Jesus’ “I am” claims throughout his account. Yet behind this strategy was this eternal purpose: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (v. 31). Out of the mountains of evidence, John provided plenty of reasons to believe in Jesus. Who can you tell about Him today?

By:  Bill Crowder

Reflect & Pray

How do you view the biblical evidence for Jesus and His claims? What does it mean for you to believe in Him?

Heavenly Father, please strengthen my faith with solid evidence so that I may truly live for Jesus.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – The Joy of Participation

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“In view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:5).

You share in a sacred partnership with Christ and your fellow-Christians for the advancement of the gospel.

In recent years the Greek word koinōnia has become familiar to many Christians as the New Testament word for fellowship. However, it is also translated “partnership” and “participation.” In Philippians 1:5, Paul uses it to emphasize the participation of the Philippians in common ministry goals.

Romans 12:13 gives one aspect of that partnership and participation: monetary contributions. That’s one aspect of fellowship that the Philippian church eagerly shared with Paul. As he says in Philippians 4:15-16, “At the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.” They were partners in his ministry because their financial support made it possible for him to preach the gospel more effectively.

The Philippians knew that Paul carried a tremendous burden in his heart for all the churches. In listing many of the trials he endured as an apostle, then added, “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). The Philippian church eased that burden somewhat by being committed to Paul, to his teaching, and to godly living. That brought great joy to him.

How about you? Do your leaders derive encouragement and joy from your participation in the gospel? Remember, you share in a sacred partnership with Christ and your fellow Christians in the advancement of the gospel, just as the Philippians shared a partnership with Paul. Rejoice in that privilege and make the most of it today.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank the Lord for the Christian fellowship you enjoy.
  • Ask for wisdom on how you might advance the gospel more effectively.
  • Always seek to ease the burden of your spiritual leaders by faithfully participating in the ministry of your church as God has gifted you.

For Further Study

Read Ephesians 4:11-16.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Fruit of Self-Control

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Like a city that is broken down and without walls [leaving it unprotected] is a man who has no self-control over his spirit [and sets himself up for trouble].

— Proverbs 25:28 (AMP)

People often say that they have no self-control, but if they are Christians, that is not accurate. God has given us the power and ability to control our thoughts, words, and actions. We are not to try to control other people, and we cannot control all of the circumstances in our lives, but we can control ourselves.

Self-control is actually a fruit of the Spirit-led life (see Galatians 5:22–23). If you have a tendency to want to control the people and circumstances in your life, ask God to help you control yourself instead. The more we exercise self-control, the easier it will become to do it.

When a circumstance is unpleasant or even downright painful, exercise self-control. Pray right away, asking God to help you control yourself and have a godly response to the situation rather than an emotional one.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please give me Your grace to live a life of discipline and self-control—one that is guided by Your Holy Spirit instead of my own fleshly desires.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – Stealing Glory

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He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 4:17

Is God useful for your life or worthy of your life?

At the start of 1 Samuel 4, the Israelite army had experienced a significant defeat after taking the ark of God to the battlefield, hoping to use it as a kind of magic box to ensure victory (1 Samuel 4:1-4). The high priest, Eli, had known better, but he’d agreed to the plan nevertheless.

At that time, the ark was God’s dwelling place among His people. God wanted them to come to the ark to seek His presence, not use it as a talisman. Eli understood this—and so, as the army went out to battle, he sat trembling in Shiloh, waiting for news to come (1 Samuel 4:13). When a messenger finally arrived from the field, the message ended in a devastating punch line: “The ark of God has been captured.” With this news, Eli’s heart trembled, and he died (v 18), a 40-year career coming to a crashing end in a moment.

God’s presence and glory, represented back then in the ark of God, is not to be taken lightly or used for our selfish purposes. What happened at Shiloh has been long remembered. The psalmist writes, “When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind” (Psalm 78:59-60). Jeremiah, too, speaking at a time in the history of God’s people when they were also tempted to “use” God, gave this word of warning: “Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel” (Jeremiah 7:11-12). Shiloh was to serve as a reminder of the repercussions of attempting to use God as a good-luck charm instead of worshiping Him as the Lord.

Centuries later, as Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem, He quoted part of Jeremiah’s warning (Matthew 21:12-13). Once again, the people were using God for their purposes rather than honoring Him. But He came not only to expose sin but to deal with it. In allowing the forces of darkness to nail Him to a cross, the one who was all the glory of His Father (John 1:14) was taken far from the presence of His Father. Therefore, He is worthy of all authority and all honor (Revelation 5:9).

What about you? When you honestly consider your heart’s inclination, do you say to God “You are useful” rather than “You are worthy”? Look with the eye of faith on Jesus cleansing the temple of sinners, and then cleansing sinners so they might live in the presence of God forever, and you will find yourself desiring to spend your days praising Him. “A day in [his] courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10). As you believe this, your life will declare His worth, and you will look to worship Him, not to use Him.

GOING DEEPER

Psalm 84

Topics: Love of God Thanksgiving Worship

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotional by Alistair Begg, 

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Has Not Given You a Spirit of Fear

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“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).

One day when Kelly was in second grade, she flipped a few pages ahead in her math book and saw little clocks all over the pages. She was going to have to learn how to tell time—on non-digital clocks! She was terrified. She was sure that she would never be able to learn that. From that moment on, she worried and worried and worried about the clock lesson.

When the day came to learn about telling time, Kelly was so worried and fearful that she could not even concentrate on the lesson. Just as she had feared, when she got her clock paper back, there were checkmarks next to almost every problem and a sad face at the top of the page! Her fear about that math lesson had taken over her mind and kept her from understanding.

Kelly eventually learned how to tell time on regular clocks. But she still sometimes allows herself to be controlled by sinful fear about other things. Any time that we are being controlled by fear, we are not being controlled by God. His Word says that fear does not come from Him. Instead, He gives us a spirit of power, love, and control. With God in control, we can be calm and clear-thinking, and we can obey everything that God tells us to do.

God does not give us a fearful spirit.

My Response:
» Is there sinful fear in my life that I need to confess to God?

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News and Info

DDNI Featured News Article – The Pulpits Are Silent

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What incredible times we live in — like no previous generation. The world is heading pell-mell for a conclusion though nobody knows the timing on this. But we are privileged to look at signs that are like clouds forming on the horizon. In the 1970s there were only a few events that were prophecy-related happening. There were minor shakings but sometimes connecting the dots was even a stretch!

Fast forward to today and there are so many prophecy-related events happening daily and hourly that it presents a major dilemma for those of us watching the signs of the times to know just where to focus. As I post stories daily on my website, I agonize that I must leave off so many as space and time won’t allow readers to zero in on all that is happening!

It is a privilege and a challenge to be born for such a time as this. Very little that is predicted to happen in the “last days” is good news and who wants a steady dose of bad?But if one can “look up” one can bear the heartache of looking around as the signs of the times explode on our news outlets.

The Bible asks us to be “watchmen” (Ezekiel 33). We’re to be sounding an alarm. Trouble is ahead. Time is short. And I have never felt such a sense of urgency and the realization that time is, indeed, short.

I am watching signs “converge.” They are stunning and breathtaking. But most pastors will not talk about them!

LifeWay Research is a Nashville-based, evangelical research firm that specializes in surveys about faith in culture and matters that affect the church. They report that a third of America’s Protestant pastors expect Christians to be Raptured — or taken up in the sky to meet Jesus — as the last of the last days begin. Over 36% believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture. In spite of this glorious good news, their pulpits remain silent.

Over 50% of Protestant pastors, according to the survey, believe in a literal Antichrist — but their pulpits are silent.

Most pastors hold to the basic teachings of Christ’s Second Coming — but their pulpits are silent.

This same survey says almost 50% of Protestant pastors believe in a coming Millennium and hold to premillennialism. At this time we finally do away with the curse and fallen human nature — but their pulpits are silent.

Pastor Tom Hughes leads The 412 Church in San Jacinto, California. He has written a thoughtful article titled, “Five Reasons Pastors Don’t Teach Bible Prophecy.” He writes, “Prophecy fills the Bible. End time prophecy touches every person alive today. Jesus taught on it. So did John, Paul, Peter, James, and Jude. Yet only a small percentage of churches teach this crucial part of God’s message to our generation.

“Some pastors don’t teach it for theological reasons. They don’t believe it, don’t think it applies to us, consider it symbolic, or whatever. Others believe we’re probably living near the end of the age, but still refuse to touch the topic. They see it as an elective part of God’s curriculum. Take it or leave it.”

Hughes continues, “That’s not how Jesus saw it. He reprimanded the Pharisees and Sadducees for not discerning the times. ‘When it is evening you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red; and in the morning, it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.’ ” (Matthew 16:2-3)

Hughes concludes, “More than a quarter of the Bible is prophecy — much of it yet to be fulfilled. How can we give congregations a well-rounded understanding of scripture if we leave out such a vital part of it?”

He then goes on to list these five reasons pastors may not be sharing these issues in the pulpit:

1) They don’t understand prophecy.

2) They fear offending members of the church.

3) They sense this will scare people.

4) People might not tithe if they think we’re close to the end.

5) There is fear in looking like the “loony-tune fringe. The Harold Campings have done great damage.

The prophecies of the first coming of Christ were fulfilled. They stand as evidence that the Bible can be trusted. Prophecies of His second coming work the same way, except we get to witness these events in our time, often with our own eyes.

The nations of the world seem moved, as though by a hidden hand, into exactly the right positions on a global chess board. What an amazing thing to see it happening before our eyes! It builds faith and draws our attention God-ward. And it is a fantastic evangelism tool.

I think the church is headed into the home stretch of her history! I base that not on emotions or wishful thinking. I base that on what I see happening daily. Man can live for a week or two without food. We can live only days without water. But our spirits are crushed within hours without hope.

We have the good news of the ultimate hope — the “blessed hope.” (Titus 2:13) His glorious appearing. Pastors, please don’t remain silent! Share the only good news out there.

ByJan Markell

The Pulpits Are Silent

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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Lamentations 3:23

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

People who live in the Rocky Mountains, looking at the same mountains every day, can easily take for granted the majestic sights and the peace that surrounds them. It may take a visit from somebody who lives in the flatlands of Kansas to help them recognize the wonders they’re taking for granted. Somebody who’s never experienced it before will be filled with amazement.

We need to guard against becoming so familiar and saturated with the good things God has provided us that we lose our wonder. Sometimes I think we forget the power of God’s Word because we have unlimited access to it. We have 24/7 access to Christian television and radio. There is no shortage of opportunities for us to worship with others and receive excellent preaching. Sometimes our abundance creates complacency, and we just start to take it all for granted when there are places in the world today where people are being persecuted even unto death for professing their faith in Christ.

Let us never become complacent in our walk of faith and lose our sense of amazement at what great things God has done for us. His compassions and mercies are new every morning. Take time right now and give Him thanks for His wonders.

Today’s Blessing: 

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, giving you His peace. Today, regardless of your circumstance, be thankful to God for all that He is and for all that He is going to be—for forgiving your past, for controlling your present and for resolving your tomorrows. Let us rejoice and be glad for the Lord our God is great and mighty. He holds us in the palm of His hand. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,” saith the Lord unto His people. And all of God’s children said, “Praise the Lord!”

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Exodus 34:1-35:9

New Testament 

Matthew 27:15-34

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 33:12-22

Proverbs 9:1-6

https://www.jhm.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — An Undeserved Gift

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Bible in a Year:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

1 Timothy 1:15

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

1 Timothy 1:12–16

When my friend gave me a gift recently, I was surprised. I didn’t think I deserved such a nice present from her. She’d sent it after hearing about some work stress I was experiencing. Yet she was going through just as much stress, if not more, than I was, with an aging parent, challenging children, upheaval at work, and strain on her marriage. I couldn’t believe she had thought of me before herself, and her simple gift brought me to tears.

In truth, we’re all recipients of a gift that we could never deserve. Paul put it this way: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). Although he “was once a blasphemer and persecutor and a violent man, . . . the grace of our Lord was poured out on [him] abundantly” (vv. 13–14). The risen Jesus gave Paul a deep understanding of the free gift of grace. As a result, he learned what it meant to be an undeserving recipient of that gift and he became a powerful instrument of God’s love and told many people about what He had done for him.

It’s only through His grace that we receive love instead of condemnation, and mercy instead of judgment. Today, let’s celebrate the undeserved grace that God has given and be on the lookout for ways to demonstrate that grace to others.

By:  Karen Pimpo

Reflect & Pray

How have you lost sight of the miraculous gift of grace? What would it look like to be motivated by grace once again?

Dear God, help me understand more fully what it means to extend Your gift of grace to others.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – God Is Always with Us

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“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).

Understanding God’s omnipresence should encourage us in times of distress and keep us from sinning.

It is a great comfort as a Christian to know that God is always present in me both essentially and relationally. No matter what the trial, He is there. Sometimes He might seem far away, but He’s really no further away than He’s ever been. His promise to us is, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

God is always with us to support our service to Him. When God called Moses to proclaim His message and lead Israel out of slavery, Moses protested because of his lack of speaking abilities (Ex. 4:10). But God said, “I . . . will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say” (v. 12). Jesus commands us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20). If you doubt you have the power to witness, remember that you have the same resource as any evangelist—the presence and power of God!

God’s continual presence is also a shield against sin. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Nothing will ever tempt us without His giving us the strength to resist.

The omnipresence of God should also motivate us to holiness. Most of us prefer to sin with no one else watching. But when we sin—whether in thought, word, or action—we sin in the presence of God. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). “His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves” (Job 34:21-22). Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want God to see, because He’ll see it anyway!

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for the comfort He brings to you through His continual presence.

For Further Study

Hebrews 13:5 is a quote from Deuteronomy 31:6. Read Deuteronomy 31:1-8. What was the basis for Moses’ admonition to “be strong and courageous”?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur 

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Start Where You Are

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Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.

— Galatians 4:7 (AMPC)

As a Christian, you believe Jesus died for your sins and that when you die you will go to heaven because you believe in Him. But there is more to our redemption than that. There is a life of victory God wants for you now.

It is impossible to live victoriously on this earth without understanding your rightful authority and dominion over the devil and all his works. Your position “in Christ” is one of being seated at the right hand of the Lord God Omnipotent.

God wants to restore you to the place of authority that is yours. He has already made all the arrangements; you might say He has “sealed the deal.” The purchase price has been paid in full. You have been bought by the precious blood of Jesus.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, that for helping to understand my rightful authority and dominion I have over the enemy and all his works, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – Enjoying Life Under the Sun

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There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:14-15

None of us, of course, are guaranteed to know the date of our death. But we know something just as certain: unless Christ returns first, that day will come. Until then, Scripture says, we will inhabit a creation that is subject to futility, with evil around us, sin within us, and chaos seeming to prevail more often than not. We will see the wicked prosper and the godly struggle. These truths are poignantly expressed in the words of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes: “There is a vanity that takes place on earth.”

By itself, that observation could send us into a spiral of sorrow, sullenness, and despair. But the writer of Ecclesiastes does not leave us there. Instead, he makes a rather surprising recommendation: “I commend joy … to eat and drink and be joyful.” Observation: life is unmanageable. Recommendation: enjoy life’s simple pleasures!

How can anyone know genuine enjoyment of such pleasures when life is futile and unjust and comes with an expiration date? This is something that is only possible for those who know the truth. We can freely and guiltlessly enjoy the pleasures God gives because we know God; indeed, it honors the Giver of such gifts to enjoy what He gives. The apostle Paul describes God as the one “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). The fact that simple pleasures offer no ultimate satisfaction does not mean they offer no satisfaction. It is knowing that there is life beyond the sun that frees us to enjoy our life “under the sun.” As the hymn writer puts it:

Heav’n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen.[1]

When was the last time you asked someone, “Are you enjoying yourself?” When did you last ask yourself that question? It is a good, Christian thing to ask! We know both that the world is broken and that every good gift comes from God. So honor Him by enjoying your next cup of coffee, your next day with your spouse, your next day at work, the next thing that makes you smile, as a gift from Him. He’s given these blessings to you for your God-honoring enjoyment, so that you can say with the psalmist, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

GOING DEEPER

1 Timothy 6:6-10

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Topics: Contentment Giving Joy

FOOTNOTES

1 Wade Robinson, “I Am His, and He Is Mine” (1876).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotional by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Hates Sin

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“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

What are some things that you hate? Brussels sprouts? Folding laundry? Cleaning your bedroom? We all have things we don’t like to see or do, but did you know that the Bible says that there are certain things God hates?

God hates sin. Proverbs 6 says that God hates a proud look. Whenever you look at someone in a way that shows you think you are better than he is, you are giving a proud look. God also hates a lying tongue. Have you ever told a lie or misled someone? God hates that type of sin. God despises it when we plan wicked things in our minds. Have you ever done that? God hates it when His children are quick to run to mischief. God also hates it when we say or do things that cause our friends to fight. Have you ever started an argument between friends? God hates that.

God doesn’t hate people, but He hates the sins they commit. Unfortunately, sometimes we think the sins we commit “aren’t that bad.” You might think, “I’m not so bad. It’s not like I murdered anyone!” But did you notice that Proverbs 6:16-9 puts the sins of a lying tongue and a proud look in the same list with the sin of murder? In God’s eyes, all sin is serious.

Are you committing sins that God hates? Have you been thinking that it’s “no big deal?” Now that you understand how God thinks about those sins, confess them to the Lord and ask Him to keep you from committing sin.

All sin is a big deal to God.

My Response:
» Are there sins that I need to confess to the Lord and take more seriously in the future?

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John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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1 Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

If you ever feel overlooked for some reason, David knew what you feel. The day the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons for the throne, David’s family sent him out to the field. They didn’t see in David what God saw. He wasn’t considered worthy enough to even be considered by Samuel. David was overlooked and ignored until God reminded Samuel that man’s opinions do not determine one’s destiny. God Almighty is the One who ordained us. God Almighty is the One who says that when He begins a good work in us, He will be faithful to complete it. God Almighty is the One who makes the least one suddenly ascend to be the greatest.

Don’t let the small-minded perspective of others around you become your limitation. Believe in your life what David believed in his life: “The Lord is on my side. God loves me, and He has chosen me. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord whom I serve. No giant is too big that God and I cannot take down. No valley is too great that God and I cannot walk through. No night is too dark that His Word will not be a lamp to my feet.”

Today’s Blessing: 

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May you walk in the confidence of knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ will never lose its power. It has redeemed us. It has set us free from the power of sin and Satan. We are liberated. We are royalty, for the blood of heaven is flowing through our veins. Lift up your heads and rejoice; redemption draweth nigh. But until then, let us put on the whole armor of God, fight the good fight, and be victorious in the authority of Jesus’ name.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Exodus 32:1-33:23

New Testament 

Matthew 26:69-27:14

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 33:1-11

Proverbs 8:33-36

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Big Promises: The Promise of Presence

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Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5

 Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 31:6

Eagles usually build their nests high in the branches of a tall tree. In the winter, when icy rain, sleet, or snow falls, the parents and eaglet(s) are left exposed. In such weather, one of the parents will gather the baby eagle(s) under their wings and provide shelter through the storm.

On our own “stormy nights,” God is with us. The apostle Peter reminded his readers that it is possible to love, worship, and follow the Lord whom we have never seen (1 Peter 1:8). Peter may have been remembering Jesus’ words in John 20:29: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We sometimes think that because we can’t see the Lord, He cannot meet our needs. But Paul wrote that the One who gave us His Son will surely meet all our other needs (Romans 8:32). The best way to be assured of God’s presence is to be in His presence daily through prayer, Bible study, and worship.

Read and pray a promise of God today and be reminded of His presence with you.

Anxious care is out of place in a heavenly Father’s presence. 
Kenneth Wuest

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – A Supernatural Invasion of God

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Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name. 

—Psalm 80:18

Scripture:

Psalm 80:18 

We can’t create a revival. We can’t organize a revival. But we can agonize in prayer for a revival. A revival is a supernatural invasion of God. It is something that God does for us and not something we do for Him.

One person defined revival as a community saturated with God. Richard Owen Roberts, who wrote a great book called Revival, described it as “an extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.”

A. W. Tozer defined revival as that which changes the moral climate of the community.

Revival is nothing more or less than a new beginning of obedience to God.

And really, nonbelievers don’t need revival; they need salvation. The church needs revival. Revival is for believers only, but evangelism is for nonbelievers.

Charles Spurgeon said, “To be revived is a blessing which can only be enjoyed by those who have some degree of life. Those who have no spiritual life are not, and cannot be, in the strictest sense of the term, subjects of a revival. A true revival is to be looked for in the Church of God.”

I don’t think most Americans have heard an authentic, biblical gospel presentation. In fact, I think we have a lot of “almost Christians” in our nation today. They know a little about the gospel, but they don’t understand it fully. They haven’t responded to it or embraced it.

For example, when the apostle Paul presented the gospel to Herod Agrippa, the ruler said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28 NKJV).

One of the greatest revivals in human history started with one man, Jonah. Initially he ran from God, but ultimately he came to his senses. God has called us, like Jonah, to go and preach the gospel. The question is, are we doing it?

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie