Tag Archives: human-rights

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Let God Accept You

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Do you think God could heal your angry heart? He asks the same question of you that he asked of the invalid in John 5:6,  “Do you want to be healed?” Not everyone does. Anger may be part of your identity.

T.D. Terry’s stressful job stirred in him daily bouts of anger. A tree near his driveway had been tall. Then lost a few limbs. After some time it was nothing more than a stump. T.D. explained, “I took my anger out on the tree. I took an ax to it. I tore the limbs. I didn’t want to come home mad, so I left my anger at the tree.”

Let’s do the same. In fact, let’s take our anger to the tree on the hill. Leave it at the tree of Calvary. Let God accept you. Take a long drink from his limitless love, and cool down!

Read more A Love Worth Giving

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Woman seeks leniency for man who laced her tea with abortion pills

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Brooke Fiske was seventeen weeks pregnant. Her then-boyfriend and the father of their child, Dr. Sikander Imran, was pressuring her to get an abortion, but she refused.

She told reporters what happened next: “When I was drinking my tea in the evening, I got to the bottom of the cup. There was a gritty substance in there, and when I looked at it, I could tell that it was a pill that had been ground up.”

Imran had placed the abortion-inducing drug in her tea. She began having contractions and was taken to the hospital, where she went into labor and aborted their child.

Imran was arrested and pled guilty to fetal homicide. He was sentenced to prison last Friday and has lost his medical license. He could also be deported to his native Pakistan.

The illogic of abortion

Their story is making headlines because Fiske asked the judge to give Imran a lighter sentence during his trial. “When something tragic happens, it’s really important to try to find a way to move forward and to use it for good,” she explained.

I believe their story should make news for a different reason as well.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Woman seeks leniency for man who laced her tea with abortion pills →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How Christ Modeled Humility

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Philippians 2:1-11

Although humility is not highly valued in our society, it’s essential in the Christian life. And the one who set the pattern for it is Jesus Himself. Therefore, as His followers, we too should seek to have a humble spirit. Humility is lowliness of mind that does not seek to exalt or assert self, and from today’s passage, we learn that it’s characterized by several traits:

Humility is other-focused (Phil. 2:3-4). Christ was looking out for our interests when He came to earth to rescue us from sin and condemnation.

Humility doesn’t grasp rights and privileges (Phil. 2:6-7). Although Jesus was fully God, He emptied Himself and took on the limitations of humanity.

Humility willingly serves others (Phil. 2:7). The Lord didn’t come as a self-serving ruler who wanted to conquer and subjugate the world. Instead, He came as a lowly slave serving others.

Humility obeys God (Phil. 2:8). The Son came to earth in full obedience to the Father. He did and said only what His Father commanded Him (John 5:19), including His ultimate act of obedience: laying down His life on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind.

These qualities are the exact opposite of the ambition, self-promotion, and self-advancement our culture values. From the world’s perspective, humility is weakness. But which takes more strength—to deny self or to promote self? Humility requires the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to overcome our natural self-centeredness. Instead of being a sign of weakness, it’s actually a sign of Christ’s life in us.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 32-34

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Prayer of Forgiveness

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Read: Luke 6:27–36 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 13–15; John 7:1–27

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27–28

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to integrate an all-white public elementary school in the American South. Every day for months, federal marshals escorted Ruby past a mob of angry parents shouting curses, threats, and insults at her. Safely inside, she sat in a classroom alone with Barbara Henry, the only teacher willing to instruct her while parents kept their children from attending school with Ruby.

Noted child psychologist Robert Coles met with Ruby for several months to help her cope with the fear and stress she experienced. He was amazed by the prayer Ruby said every day as she walked to school and back home. “Please, God, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing” (see Luke 23:34).

Father, You have so graciously forgiven us. Help us today to forgive others who have wronged us.

The words of Jesus spoken from the cross were stronger than the hatred and insults hurled at Him. In the most agonizing hours of His life, our Lord demonstrated the radical response He taught His followers: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you . . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:27–28, 36).

This remarkable approach is possible only as we consider the powerful love Jesus has given us—love stronger than even the deepest hatred.

Ruby Bridges helped show us the way.

Father, You have so graciously forgiven us. Help us today to forgive others who have wronged us.

Bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.

By David C. McCasland

INSIGHT

Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive [someone] who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). In that day, if you forgave a person three times, you were considered magnanimous. So Peter must have thought he was a super saint to forgive an offender seven times. Jesus corrected him, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (v. 22). Jesus is saying that when it comes to forgiving another, you can’t keep score. We never reach a limit when we can say we have forgiven enough. Although forgiveness doesn’t excuse an offense, we can choose to “be kind and compassionate to one another, [forgive] each other, just as in Christ God forgave [us]” (Ephesians 4:32).

Is there someone who needs your forgiveness today, yet again?

  1. T. Sim

 

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Myth and Fact

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In the last few centuries the cacophony of voices suggesting Christianity (and religion in general) is a tale on par with the tooth fairy continues to deepen. The story may well have beautiful components, some add charitably, but the story functions as a psychological crutch to comfort us through the uglier realities of real life. Often couched in the objection is the notion that time has moved forward such that we have outgrown the superstition, and along with it, the need to explain life and comfort ourselves with archaic religious myth. And though by equating Christianity with “myth” critics mean to suggest that religion is fanciful and untrue, the comparison between Christianity and the genre of myth is absolutely fascinating. In fact, it is a comparison C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and G.K. Chesterton found altogether relevant and revelatory.

A scholar of ancient and medieval literature, Lewis came to recognize the great Greek, Roman, and Nordic myths as being a genre of narrative that wrestled as fiercely as the human heart can wrestle with its yearning to know the gods. In this, he reasoned that what we glean from the myth is not truth but reality, for myths concern themselves with questions of ultimate reality and theological inquiry. Through the story of Sisyphus, for instance, we ask profoundly, does life have meaning? As he endlessly rolls the great rock up the hill, only to have it tumble down the hill before he reaches the top, we ask: Do the gods hate us? Are they indifferent? Do they care? Is life worth living in acknowledgment of their presence? Is life worth living at all? The genre of myth has concerned itself with the great and impenetrable questions of life, questions that every worldview must answer. As G.K. Chesterton comments in Everlasting Man, “Myth has at least an imaginative outline of truth.”

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – How to Resist Rejection

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What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? — Romans 8:31

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Do you feel as though the world is against you? Does it seem that no matter how hard you try no one is pleased? Maybe you have conflict with a family member. Perhaps your boss finds fault with your work.

Sooner or later you will experience some form of rejection. Not everybody will like you. Some may even aggressively dislike you. No one enjoys being rejected, but you can learn to handle rejection and get on with your life if you remember that Jesus was also rejected and despised. If you feel rejected, give your hurt to God…

Prayer Starter: Lord, I can’t please everyone all of the time. I will concentrate on being a God pleaser and not a man pleaser. The rest I leave in Your hands, Lord. Grant me favor with You and with men, and continue transforming me into the image of Your Son. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We can Have Real Peace

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“So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord had done for us” (Romans 5:1).

When Arthur DeMoss, one of my very best friends and one of our Lord’s choicest servants, went to be with the Lord, as the result of an unexpected heart attack, all of us were shocked. The word reached me in Austria, where I was meeting with our European staff. Immediately, I flew back to the United States for the memorial service.

As I participated in that service, I looked over the large audience, about half of whom had been introduced to Christ through the ministry of this man whom we had all come to honor.

In the crowd, I saw one face that stood out – a face that was most radiant of all. It was Art’s widow, Nancy. She was sitting in the front row with their seven children. Her radiant countenance was a demonstration to me of the supernatural joy and peace which God gives in such times of extreme grief.

Nancy and Art were the greatest of lovers and friends. They had been deeply in love since their courtship and were almost inseparable whether in the building of the business, in the rearing of their family or in their burden for evangelism and the souls of men.

Yet, in this time of Nancy’s greatest sorrow, the evidence that she was filled with the Spirit radiated from her countenance. She was experiencing the supernatural peace of God – love’s security, which is available to all of God’s children.

Bible Reading:Romans 5:2-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will claim by faith God’s peace – not only for me but also for family and friends in need of such peace – and seek to introduce others to the One who is the Prince of Peace.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – It’s All About Me

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

The self-centered see everything through self. Their motto?  “It’s all about me!” To the self-centered– the flight schedule, the traffic, the worship styles—everything is filtered through the mini-me in the eye.

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.”  Looking after your personal interests is proper life management. Doing so to the exclusion of the rest of the world is selfishness. Desire success? Fine. Just don’t hurt others in achieving it. Love isn’t selfish! Love builds up relationships but selfishness corrodes relationships.

What’s the cure for selfishness? A smaller “I” and a greater Christ! Don’t focus on yourself; focus on all that you have in Christ—the encouragement in Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit, the affection and compassion of heaven!

Read more A Love Worth Giving

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What I would have added to the royal wedding

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History was made Saturday in Great Britain. The day after another horrific shooting, this time in Santa Fe, Texas, it was good to watch good news. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married before a watching world, we witnessed a fascinating mix of tradition and innovation.

There was much in the wedding to celebrate. But I would have added a vital element to the ceremony.

Celebrating inclusiveness

Seated directly opposite Queen Elizabeth II was Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, a descendant of slaves on plantations in the American South. A black choir sang; a black cellist performed; a black minister preached. African-American women flew from America to join the procession in the streets and participate in history.

Denise Crawford, a court stenographer from Brooklyn, made my favorite observation of the day: “One of the children of slaves is marrying a royal whose forerunners sanctioned slavery; the lion is lying down with the lamb.” She added, “Today is a day that history will never forget.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female” in God’s eyes (Galatians 3:28). Nor should there be in ours.

Observing tradition

The couple’s decision to wed on a Saturday was unusual, as royal weddings usual occur on weekdays. The Queen was married on a Thursday; William and Kate were married on a Friday.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What I would have added to the royal wedding →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Hidden Causes of Anxiety

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Psalm 94:19-22

Experiences affect how people think about themselves and what they choose to believe. Sometimes negative events create a hurtful thought pattern that can play in someone’s brain in a continuous loop. When that gets switched on, it triggers anxiety in the person’s heart. Shutting it off permanently requires faith in the Lord.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. Suppose that little Tina’s efforts to do well were often rejected by her parents. She heard, “You can do better than that” or “Your sister did much better at your age.” Tina rarely received praise for a job well done. Now an adult, she refuses to apply for a job promotion, even though her boss is encouraging her to do so. Why? Because she fears being found inadequate. Tina may not be able to name her fear, but it certainly holds her back. There are several other potential root causes of anxiety. An exhaustive list would not fit here, but a few of the more common ones are …

  • The belief that one can’t reach a set standard.
    • Guilt over past sin.
    • A faulty idea of God as a punisher.
    • Attitudes instilled during childhood.

When feeling anxious, ask yourself what produced the uneasiness. Knowing which incidents nurture fear can point you to the underlying cause. Let God help you reject the unhealthy thought pattern and replace it with assurance that those who listen to Him live free from the dread of evil (Prov. 1:33).

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 29-31

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A New Community

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Read: Acts 2:1–12, 42–47 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 10–12; John 6:45–71

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Acts 2:44

My friend Carrie’s five-year-old daughter, Maija, has an interesting approach to playtime. She loves mixing together dolls from different playsets to come up with a new community. In the world of her imagination, everything belongs together. These are her people. She believes they are happiest when they’re together, despite being different sizes and shapes.

Her creativity reminds me of God’s purpose for the church. On the day of Pentecost, Luke tells us, “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Though these people were from different cultures and spoke different languages, the Holy Spirit’s arrival made them a new community: the church. From then on, they would be considered one body, unified by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

As believers in Christ, we belong together.

The leaders of this new body were a group of men Jesus brought together during His time on earth—His disciples. If Jesus hadn’t united them, more than likely they would never have come together. And now more people—“about three thousand” (2:41)—had become Christ-followers. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, this once divided group “had everything in common” (v. 44). They were willing to share what they had with each other.

The Holy Spirit continues to bridge the gaps between people groups. We might not always get along, nor readily understand one another. But as believers in Christ, we belong together.

Jesus, thank You for dying for us and uniting us as one people in the church.

The Holy Spirit turns “us” and “them” into “we.” 

By Linda Washington

INSIGHT

The brand-new church God established in Acts 2 demonstrated a sense of unprecedented community across ethnic and national lines (vv. 5–11). This life included teaching by the apostles, fellowship with each other, sharing meals, and praying together (v. 42).

How do we live out the community life God calls us to?

Tim Gustafson

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – How to Love and Respect Those in Their Golden Years 

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Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.  Leviticus 19:32

We are in the final preparations of celebrating my in-laws’ 60th wedding anniversary and stunningly, all four of our children, their spouses and children can attend—15 total! I am so grateful to God all of us made it a priority to honor James and Jean with our presence at their momentous milestone. Their steadfast love can be felt and seen in the DNA of those they have loved so well all these years. Now we have the privilege to lavishly love them on their lifetime achievement. Love and respect for those in their golden years is golden in the sight of God.

Advanced years can bring improvement in decision making, perspective, understanding of people, and our intimacy with God and those closest to us. The elderly represent a plethora of wisdom waiting to be tapped. They tell stories of real-life events that challenge, educate, and entertain. Those approaching their twilight years who love Jesus have an eternal perspective that is infectious. They see God for who He is.

Yet with all of these potential, positive traits, we stutter at spending time with the aged, even those who are own flesh and blood. Why is this so? Yes, some are hard to get along with; others reek of body staleness (having been trapped indoors), and others are very high maintenance. This is hard; yet it is temporary, and before you know it they will be gone. How many more days do you have with a parent, grandparent, or mentor?

“Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance” (Titus 2:2).

As the sand is rushing toward the bottom of the hourglass, what are some ways you can demonstrate respect toward the elderly? One way is to spend time with them. Perhaps it is a regular visit to the nursing home or retirement center. Love them by showing up with flowers and by reading an uplifting portion of Scripture. Listen to their hopes, dreams, and regrets. Throughout your conversation with the elderly, capture in your memory the nuggets of wisdom, thoughts, ideas, and places that resonate with how you do or do not want to live your life. Look for those life snapshots that you can emulate and pass down to your children and your children’s children.

Respect for your elders may express itself with them visiting you rather than you visiting them. They may need to move in with you so you can love them twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Yes, this is a huge commitment. It is harder to “raise” your parents than it is to raise your children. Their needs are more complicated, and they certainly do not want to be told what to do, but you love them anyway.

You respect them even when they are not respectable. Seize this time. Do not let it slip by in the abyss of busyness. It is an opportunity for your kids to experience how you would like for them to treat you one day. Your respect for the elderly is a reflection of your reverence for God. Love, serve, and respect them as if you were doing the same for Christ.

“Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he” (Job 32:4).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me a caring heart for those in my life who are older, who desire and deserve my love and respect, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application: How can I schedule regular time to learn from and love the elderly?

Related Readings: Job 32:4–6; Proverbs 16:31; Romans 13:7; 1Timothy 5:1–2

Post/Tweet this today:   Our love and respect for the older generation is a reflection of our reverence for God. #goldenyears #wisdomhunters

Worship Resource: 6-minute music video- Gaither’s: There’s Always a Place at The Table

Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Changes People Through Prayer

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First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people. — 1 Timothy 2:1

In Exodus 32, Moses interceded for the children of Israel so that the wrath of God would not destroy them. It’s a stirring example that depicts how sincere prayer can change situations.

There are times when I find myself being led to pray for God to be merciful to a person, or to continue working with them and making the changes in them that are needed.

As Jesus told His disciples at Gethsemane, we can “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41 KJV). We have the opportunity to pray for one another, not judge and criticize each other. God allows us to discern people’s needs in order to be part of the answer, not part of the problem. Remember we are not the potter. God is, and we certainly don’t know how to “fix” people. We cannot change people, but we can pray and watch Him work.

When people are hurting, even from their own poor choices, they often are blinded to the truth. We can pray for their eyes to be opened and for them to truly see the truth so it will set them free. People who are hurting need God to intervene in their lives, but if they don’t know how to call on Him, we can stand in the gap between them and God as intercessors and see breakthrough as we pray. We can do the praying and let God do the work.

Prayer Starter: Thank You, Lord, that You hear our prayers. Please help me to be sensitive to the needs of others and faithful to pray on their behalf. Use me as a tool help others grow and change. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Preserved From the Enemy

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“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me” (Psalm 138:7, KJV).

Robert Bruce, the famous emancipator of Scotland, was fleeing from his enemies. He sought refuge in a cave.

Hot on his trail, his enemies reached his hideout where they saw that a spider had built a web over the mouth of the cave. His pursuers, concluding that he could not have entered without first destroying the web, turned around and went on their way.

“Oh God,” Bruce prayed, “I thank Thee that in the tiny bowels of a spider you can place for me a shelter, and then send the spider in time to place it for my protection.”

“God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform,” and whatever is necessary to protect His children from their enemies will be done.

All of life’s journey is summed up in that one work “walk.” Constant action, movement onward, never stationary, always on the move. Life is not simply a walk; often it is a walk “in the midst of trouble.” Since sin came into the world, pleasure is mixed with pain. Trials and conflict often seem to mar the pathway.

To the trusting, confident believer in Christ, however, there is certain renewal and deliverance. Christ’s indwelling Holy Spirit, given full control, guarantees victory and joy and abundant life – supernatural life.

Bible Reading:Psalm 138:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will see God’s protecting hand in my walk with Him today and proclaim His faithfulness to others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Peace

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Read: Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (v. 1)

How are you feeling today? Are you anxious, sad, struggling with sinful thoughts, or angry at someone? Or do you feel content, blessed, and loved? What is the inner state of your heart and mind?

One of the blessings that comes through faith in Jesus Christ is peace. Even in a world filled with violence and warfare, a busy home life, or a stressful time at work, we can have inner peace. Hear this from Scripture: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Jesus, the Prince of Peace, said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). Before he went to the cross, Jesus declared, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

If you have been justified by faith, hold on to the peace you have with God through Jesus Christ. Amid troubled thoughts and a world that often lacks peace, give thanks for the hope and peace you have in Jesus! —Steve Petroelje

Prayer: Jesus, Prince of Peace, fill my heart today with peace that sustains me even in the uncertainty of this world. Amen.

 

https://woh.org/

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – WAR IN HEAVEN

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Revelation 12:1–17

After the August 1945 surrender of Japan, which ended World War II, a number of Japanese soldiers refused to stop fighting. Some did not believe that the news of the surrender was accurate. Others simply refused to accept it. The last known holdout did not surrender until 1974.

In the same way, the announcement of the kingdom in the previous chapter does not end hostilities. The struggle continues as a great sign appears and a battle ensues.

The “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head” (v. 1) is likely a sign of Israel, and the child would be Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah. The woman is followed by “an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads” (v. 3). The dragon, identified as the devil in verse 12, attempts to destroy the child but is thwarted. The child is “snatched up to God and to his throne” and the woman is given a place of protection (vv. 5–6).

The battle depicts Satan’s last-ditch attempt to take heaven by force (vv. 7–9). His defeat at the hands of Michael and his angels illustrates his weakness. Satan knows what this defeat means (v. 12). Victory is beyond reach, and his doom is imminent. He will attempt to vent his anger upon Israel. When his efforts to do so are thwarted, he will turn his attention to “the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (v. 17).

These three descriptions use symbolic language to link historical events with those that are yet to come. But the verdict is already in—and Satan himself knows it.

APPLY THE WORD

God’s faithfulness in the past tells us what to expect from Him in the future. If you keep a spiritual journal or prayer record, review past entries to see how God has answered prayer and provided for you. When you face trials and uncertainties, hold on to the truth that God has worked in your past and He will be faithful in your future.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – No One Is Beyond God’s Reach

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Luke 23:39-43

A few years ago, one of our church deacons died. In preparing for his funeral, I thought about the truth that countless people realized because of his life: If God can save that man, He can save anyone.

The deacon was a Christian for 30-plus years, but before that, he’d lived hard. He participated in some despicable activities and had to pay the price behind bars. But once God got hold of him, he couldn’t stay quiet about his heart’s transformation. This former slave to sin spent part of each week sharing the gospel in prisons. The inmates listened, and many believed because their minister’s life was a testament to God’s power. This deacon would often share excitedly with me about those who had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Scripture very clearly states that the Lord’s desire is for all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). No one can do anything to put himself beyond God’s reach. Yet many people believe that is exactly where they are—too far, too dirty, or too hopeless for the Father to want them. The church desperately needs Christians willing to share their testimony. It doesn’t make any difference if your story is less dramatic than my friend’s—God will set men and women in your path, for whom your witness is like manna from heaven.

If you are a believer, then you have been commissioned to make disciples for Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19). Start telling your story to those who are willing to listen. After hearing what the Lord has done, some will say, “If God can do that for you, He can do it for me, too!”

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 26-28

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Even If

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Read: Daniel 3:8–18 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 7–9; John 6:22–44

The God we serve is able to deliver us from [the fire] . . . . But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods. Daniel 3:17–18

Sometimes life deals us a tremendous blow. Other times the miraculous happens.

Three young men, captives in Babylon, stood in front of the fearsome king of that land and boldly proclaimed that under no circumstances would they worship the giant image of gold towering above them. Together they declared: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know . . . we will not . . . worship the image” (Daniel 3:17–18).

God is able to give us strength and hope for each day–no matter the circumstance.

These three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were hurled into the fiery furnace; and God miraculously delivered them so that not a hair of their head was singed and their clothing was smoke-free (vv. 19–27). They had been prepared to die but their trust in God was unwavering—“even if” He had not saved them.

God desires that we cling to Him—even if our loved one isn’t healed, even if we lose our job, even if we are persecuted. Sometimes God rescues us from danger in this life, and sometimes He doesn’t. But the truth we can hold firmly is this: “The God we serve is able,” loves us, and is with us in every fiery trial, every even if.

Dear Lord, we love You! Please give us unwavering faith—and strength and hope for each day—no matter the circumstance.

God is able.

 

http://www.odb.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – A-Mazed

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Ecclesiastes 7:13

Have you ever been in a maze—the real kind that’s made out of hedges and paths? There’s one at a palace in England called Chatsworth House. It is a very complicated maze. Every hedge is the same height so there are no identifying features to help you even go back the way you went in.

It could be frightening to get into a maze and not be able to find your way out. Life is like that sometimes. We find ourselves in situations where we don’t know where to turn, and when we do make a choice of which way to go, it ends up being the wrong way. It’s scary when our situation gets worse and worse. But there is someone who knows every turn, every path of our life. Jesus is that someone, and he came to guide us through life. When you are confused and don’t know which way to turn or which decision is best, you can rely on Jesus to lead

you. Isn’t a relief to know you don’t have to make decisions on your own? Ask for his guidance and wait patiently for him to show you the way out of your problems.

Dear Lord, Sometimes I really get mixed up when I’m trying to make decisions about my life. Please guide me and help me to listen for your voice telling me the right way to go. Amen

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Defeating Doubt and Unbelief

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Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]  — 1 Peter 5:8-9

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Sometimes we unintentionally give the wrong impression about spiritual warfare. We know that our enemy is the devil and that we must fight daily to win, but that’s not everything. If the Christian life were nothing but battles, it would be discouraging to fight every hour of every day.

I would feel that I could never relax because as soon as I did, Satan would sneak back again. That’s not the picture I want to present. The Christian life is one of joy and peace. God gives us a great sense of fulfillment, and we’re at rest because we know we honor Him by the way we live.

Peter wrote to Christians about their enemy—warning them and urging them to be vigilant, which is where we often put the emphasis. Just before he wrote those words, however, he said, Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully] (v. 7). As we read that verse, it tells us that we must remind ourselves of God’s love for us—God cares. Because God cares, we can trust Him to take care of us.

We need that as part of our foundation. It’s not that we don’t have faith; it’s that Satan tries to destroy our faith with lies like: “If God really cared about you, would He make you go through this trial?” “If God truly loved you, would He treat you this way?” Those questions that the devil throws at you are full of lies. If he can make you think you’re not loved or that God doesn’t have your best interests at heart, he can plant tiny seeds of unbelief. God wants you to remain strong and true like Abraham and other believers in the Bible.

One of the things I’ve learned from ministering to thousands of people is that the terrible and negative problems striking our lives are not what cause us to turn away from God. No, it’s our reaction to those situations that makes the difference. Think of Abraham again. When God promised to give him a son, he was an old man. He could have said, “How could that possibly be? I’m old and long past being able to father a child.” Instead, he said, “That’s wonderful! I believe.”

When struggles, trials, and hardships come your way—and they always do—you have a choice. You can heed Peter’s words and give God your cares, worries, and concerns. No matter how dark the night or how evil the situation, you must remind yourself that God is not only present with you in those situations, but He also loves you and will provide for you.

Your job is to be vigilant during those difficult times. You can rejoice in God’s love and blessings when all is going well—and that’s what God wants you to do. But in the dark moments, you need to remind yourself that the devil stalks you and wants to defeat you.

One more thing. Sometimes you may wonder why you have so many trials and problems. Is it possible that the devil may have singled you out because of God’s great plan for your life? The more faithful you are, the more you have to resist him and his lies of unbelief.

Prayer Starter: Dear heavenly Father, the enemy often tries to fill me with unbelief and make me deny Your powerful love for me. But like Abraham, I stand firm on Your promises. Thank You for the comfort I find in Your assurance that You’re always with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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