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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Examples of His Love 

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“Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions” (1 John 3:18).

The story is told about two farmers. Every day, one of them would haul pails of water up the steep slope to his terraced field and irrigate his meager crop.

The second farmer tilled the terrace just below, and he would poke a hole in the dyke and let the other farmer’s water run down into his field.

The first farmer was upset. Being a Christian, he went to his pastor and asked for advice. The pastor told him to keep on watering as before and to say nothing. So, the farmer returned to his fields and the watering of his crop, but the farmer below him continued to drain off his water. Nothing had changed.

After a few days, the first farmer went to his pastor again. The pastor told him to go a step further – to water his neighbor’s crop! So the next day, the farmer brought water to his neighbor’s field and watered the crops. After that, he watered his own field.

This went on for three days, and not a word was exchanged between the two farmers. But after the third day, the second farmer came to the first farmer.

“How do I become a Christian?” he asked.

There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies!…If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathens do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

Bible Reading:I John 3:14-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  I will make every effort to demonstrate the love of Christ by the way I act toward others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Time Claimed for God

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

A friend described to me her daily ninety-minute commute. “Ninety minutes,” I commiserated. “Don’t feel sorry for me,” she smiled, “I use the trip to think about God.” She went on to describe how she fills the hour listening to entire books of the Bible. She recites prayers. By the time she reaches her place of employment, she’s ready for the day. She says, “I turn my commute into my chapel.”

Is there a block of time you can claim for God? Perhaps turning off the network news and opening your Bible. Set the alarm fifteen minutes earlier. Rather than watch TV as you fall asleep, listen to an audio version of the Bible or a Christian book. Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 ESV).

Read more Anxious for Nothing

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Patrick Reed wins the Masters: How focus changes everything

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It was nearly a Masters for the ages. Jordan Spieth began yesterday’s final round trailing by nine shots. No one in the history of the tournament has ever won from such a large deficit. Spieth actually tied for the lead late in the day, but Patrick Reed held on to win his first major title.

I have been privileged to attend the tournament several times over the years. Television cannot do justice to the difficulty of Augusta National—the narrow rolling fairways, the glass-like greens, the extraordinary precision required to navigate the course.

Patrick Reed survived the pressure yesterday. His victory showed that shutting out the massive crowds, the television cameras, and the burden of winning the most prestigious tournament in golf is essential to success. The Masters demands the best of its champions, as it should.

A troubling New York Times article

Meanwhile, police arrested six people yesterday who are suspected of planning to attack spectators at a half-marathon in Germany. The lead suspect reportedly wanted revenge for the death of Anis Amri, the terrorist who drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016, killing twelve people.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Patrick Reed wins the Masters: How focus changes everything →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Life-Changing Prayer

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Colossians 1:1-9

When the apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Colossae, his letter included a life-changing prayer that is still impactful all these centuries later. It remains powerful because every request is in agreement with God’s will.

The first petition is for the Colossians to know the Lord’s desires. In order to please God, we must comprehend what His plans are and help carry them out. These include such things as loving God and our neighbors as well as His specific purposes for each believer’s life (Luke 10:27; Eph. 2:10).

Paul’s second request is for God to give spiritual wisdom and understanding with regard to such knowledge. He knew that to apply what we learn, we need the insight and clarity that can come only from the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). The result of these two petitions will be the ability to see better from God’s viewpoint. We’ll perceive our choices and situations as they really are, not just as they appear to be.

Another wonderful thing about these requests is that we can make them for those who do not trust in the Savior. Our Father offers salvation to all who believe in Christ. It is not His desire for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). If unbelievers know God’s will, their minds could be opened to His offer of forgiveness, and they might accept the sacrifice Jesus made.

God’s Word says that those who pray in agreement with His purposes will receive what they ask. That’s why it is important to start by discovering what His plans are. Try incorporating scriptural prayers—like the one from today’s passage—into your conversations with the Lord.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 13-14

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Strength in Suffering

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Read: 1 Peter 2:11–23 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 10–12; Luke 9:37–62

Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  1 Peter 2:21

When eighteen-year-old Sammy received Jesus as Savior, his family rejected him because their tradition was of a different faith. But the Christian community welcomed him, offering encouragement and financial resources for his education. Later, when his testimony was published in a magazine, his persecution intensified.

But Sammy did not stop seeing his family. He visited whenever he could and talked with his father, even though his siblings cruelly prevented him from participating in family affairs. When his father fell ill, Sammy overlooked his family’s slighting and attended to him, praying his father would get well. When God healed him, the family began to warm up toward Sammy. Over time, his loving witness softened their attitude toward him—and some of his family members became willing to hear about Jesus.

Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21

Our decision to follow Christ may cause us difficulties. Peter wrote, “It is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God” (1 Peter 2:19). When we undergo discomfort or suffering because of our faith, we do so because “Christ suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example, that [we] should follow in his steps” (v. 21).

Even when others hurled insults at Jesus, “he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (v. 23). Jesus is our example in suffering. We can turn to Him for strength.

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to follow Your example in my conduct and in suffering for You.

When we suffer for Jesus, He comes to walk us through it.

By Lawrence Darmani

INSIGHT

Why would God allow those He loves to be chased from their homes and homeland? (1 Peter 1:1–2). According to Peter, their plight was a chance to show their faith in the goodness of God who calls all of us to something far more wonderful than material comfort and security. What other reasons does Peter offer?

 

Mart DeHaan

 

http://www.odb.org

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – WHY BLOOD?

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Hebrews 9:1–28

A classmate of Billy Sunday, hymn writer Lewis Jones (1865–1936) attended Moody Bible Institute. Upon graduation, he worked for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), and at a camp meeting in Maryland he wrote the words to the hymn, “There Is Power in the Blood.”

Would you be free from the burden of sin?

There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;

Would you o’er evil a victory win?

There’s wonderful power in the blood.

Jones was writing about the power in Christ’s blood, offered on our behalf, as we read in our text today. The writer of the book of Hebrews draws heavily on the book of Leviticus, and Leviticus 17:11 provides some helpful context for this passage: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Why did God require the presentation of the animal’s blood in the sacrifices of the Mosaic Law? Because it represented the unblemished life that atoned for the people’s sins (vv. 7, 13).

In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is described as our high priest who entered God’s presence with the perfect offering of His blood. He was the only human who lived a sinless life before God. He was resurrected from the dead with a body that defeated death and decay. He was the only One who could come into the heavenly Most Holy Place, into the presence of God the Father, and bring a sacrifice of perfect life and obedience (vv. 24–28).

And He did this for us! Jesus makes this sacrifice so that we can have forgiveness from our sins and fellowship with God. Our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ Himself, which offers “eternal redemption” (v. 12).

APPLY THE WORD

Our culture tends to be averse to blood, finding it painful or gory. But this passage underscores the beauty and power of the blood of Christ offered on our behalf. If you are able, sing or listen to the old hymn, “There Is Power in the Blood,” and rejoice in the amazing truth today. You are forgiven through the blood of Jesus!

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Cast Your Care

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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]. — 1 Peter 5:7

You can pray about everything and worry about nothing. When you worry, it says you think you can solve your own problems better than God can. But you were not built to handle problems in your own strength. You were created by God to be dependent upon Him; so bring Him your challenges in life and allow Him to help you with them.

Can you imagine your life without worry? Why not start today to live a worry-free life? Ask the Lord to show you every time you are taking on care instead of casting it off. When He makes you aware of it, be willing to immediately cast it on Him—you will enjoy life so much more. After a period of time, you will actually find it difficult to worry! It just won’t suit you any longer.

Prayer Starter: Father God, You are my One and Only source of peace. Right now, I commit to you all of my worries and concerns—big and small. They are too much for me, but they are not too difficult for You. Help me to trust You more and more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God’s Home Is Holy

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“Don’t you realize that all of you together are the house of God, and that the Spirit of God lives among you in His house? If anyone defiles and spoils God’s home, God will destroy him. For God’s home is holy and clean, and you are that home” (1 Corinthians 3:16,17).

At this writing, I am with the staff at our annual training on the campus of Colorado State University. In addition to the 3,000 United States and Canadian field staff of Campus Crusade for Christ who are here, thousands more are attending music workshops, summer school, numerous conferences and meetings on this campus. Also, the entire Denver Broncos professional football team is here for training.

Throughout the day, from early morning till late at night, the campus is alive with people jogging, roller-skating, playing tennis, walking and other physical activities. These people are disciplining their bodies, keeping them in good physical tone.

Sadly, however, I also witness many people who lack interest in physical well-being by smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. A stroll down the sidewalks of this beautiful campus will reveal numerous smokers. And, in the early hours, before the clean-up crews go to work, one can see in the gutters the empty beer cans from the previous night’s revelry and carousing.

The body of the Christian is the temple of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19 and 1 Corinthians 3:16,17). For this reason, God asks us to present our bodies as “living sacrifices,” holy and righteous, for God could dwell in no less a temple.

Bible Reading:I Corinthians 3:11-15

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  I will take especially good care of my body – physically, mentally, spiritually – realizing it is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit.

 

http://www.cru.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Heart Knowledge 

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If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

There is a very important distinction between heart knowledge and head knowledge. A person can know facts about God in her head, without applying it to her heart by faith. A man or woman can hear all the right things, say the right things, attend church, and still be 18 inches away from heaven—the distance between the head and the heart.

We can play church, masquerade our true heart to others, and even fool ourselves, but God cannot be fooled. We can volunteer in ministry, give money and have accolades from genuine Christians, but has our heart truly been transformed by the grace of God? Evidence of conversion is a public declaration of Jesus as Lord, and an internal confession that God raised Him from the dead. A heart engaged with eternity is saved from sin.

“The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught’” (Isaiah 29:13).

Where are you on the continuum of your commitment to Christ? Are you still seeking? Have you crossed over the line of belief by bowing in humble submission to your Savior and Lord Jesus? Be honest with yourself and God if you have not given your heart to heaven. Pray for the Lord to help your unbelief, and be bold to request prayer from others.

What life event will it take to lead you to authentic faith and repentance? Marriage? The birth of a child? The loss of a child? The loss of a parent? Health issues? Financial brokenness? When we are on our back, our heart looks to heaven for help. When we drop to our knees in humble prayer, we see the Lord lifted up, and we invite His warm embrace.

Don’t fight the hang-ups in your head—instead surrender your heart to Jesus. The enemy will always find an excuse for your mind to excuse eternal life in heaven. Do not dismiss childlike faith in Jesus for this is the entrance into His Kingdom. We are first born again with infant faith then we mature by grace and the meat of God’s word. Have you made this initial move of heart-felt faith? Take this first step of trust and start your walk with Jesus.

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5).

Prayer: What obstacle to faith do I need to lay at the feet of Jesus, and trust Him?

Application: How can I grow a heart of humble prayer to process my knowledge of God?

Related Readings: Job 33:3; Psalm 21:2; Mark 7:6; John 3:3; 2 Timothy 1:9

 

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – God Isn’t Safe

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Read: Acts 5:1-11

And great fear came upon all who heard of it. (v. 5)

What can we say about a story like this? One thing we can say is that it demonstrates Luke’s honesty as a historian. The English leader Oliver Cromwell supposedly instructed the artist who was about to make his portrait, “Paint me as I am, warts and all!” That’s exactly what Luke does in his picture of the early church. Here we see a glaring example of dishonesty and hypocrisy. Apparently, the Jerusalem church’s beautiful life of fellowship and mutual care was not as wonderful and complete as it seemed at first.

Another thing we can say is that God isn’t one to be trifled with. Narnia, C. S. Lewis’ magical land, is presided over by Aslan, the godlike lion. When the children whose adventures make up the Narnia stories are first told about Aslan, they are apprehensive about meeting this terrifying being. “Is he—quite safe?” asks one of the children. “Safe? . . . ’Course he isn’t safe,” comes the reply. “But he is good.”

What bothers us most about the story in Acts 5 is not so much the sin of Ananias and Sapphira as what happened to them as a result of it. Nowadays we tend to downplay both the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin. Who doesn’t want to concentrate on God’s mercy and love instead? So you’ll often hear that we shouldn’t be afraid of God. Really? Read verses 5 and 11 again.

God isn’t safe. But he is good. He is a Savior for repentant sinners. Be thankful for that! —David Bast

Prayer: God, be merciful to me.

 

https://woh.org/

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Enclosed in God’s Will

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Psalm 139:1-12

We all have periods in life when it seems as if God’s plan has stalled or jumped the track. Perhaps you’ve prayed a long time for something or someone, but the Lord still hasn’t answered. Or maybe you asked Him to intervene in a situation, but nothing has changed. In times like these, it’s important to remember certain truths about your heavenly Father.

Even before you were born, God predetermined what He wanted to accomplish in, through, and for you. His plans for your life are guided by His wisdom as He directs events and chooses the precise timing to help you grow as a Christian. And His love motivates and propels everything He does in your life to make you more like His Son.

But from a human perspective, the heavenly Father’s plan may seem too slow or too hard to follow. For example, a husband and wife may become disillusioned with their marriage and decide to divorce, thinking that finding a new spouse would be easier than working out their problems. Or maybe financial pressures prompt someone to be dishonest on a tax return. These shortcuts demonstrate a lack of trust in the Lord’s ways and unbelief in His sufficiency.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can hold fast during those periods when we want to direct our own life. By relying on God’s great wisdom and loving intentions, we’ll have confidence to rest in His care. Our path may seem dark to us, but in His light, the way becomes clear. All we have to do is follow.

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 10-12

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Fair Play

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Read: Titus 2:7–8, 11–14 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 7–9; Luke 9:18–36

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. Titus 2:7

When Singaporean runner Ashley Liew found himself at the head of the pack during a marathon at the Southeast Asian Games, he knew something was wrong. He quickly realized that the lead runners had taken a wrong turn and were now behind. Ashley could have taken advantage of their mistake, but a strong sense of sportsmanship told him it would not be a genuine victory. He wanted to win because he was faster—not because those ahead of him had made a mistake. Acting on his convictions, he slowed down to let them catch up.

In the end, Ashley lost the race and missed out on a medal. But he won the hearts of his countrymen—and an international award for his act of fair play. It spoke well of his faith as a Christian, and must have prompted some to ask, “What made him do that?”

Live so that others will want to know Jesus.

Ashley’s act challenges me to share my faith through my actions. Little acts of thoughtfulness, kindness, or forgiveness can glorify God. As Paul put it simply, “Show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:7–8).

Our positive actions toward others can show the world that we are able to live differently because of the Holy Spirit’s work in us. He will give us the grace to reject ungodliness and wrong passions, and to live upright lives that point people to God (vv. 11–12).

Heavenly Father, may our behavior today cause others to ask us why we are different. We ask that we follow Your Holy Spirit’s leading as we explain to them the hope that is in us.

Live so that others will want to know Jesus.

By Leslie Koh

INSIGHT

In our passage today, Paul writes to Titus, whom he left on the island of Crete to guide the new churches they had planted there. The citizens of Crete had earned an especially bad reputation, and Paul saw fit to remind Titus of that (see Titus 1:12–13). The need for diligence in their service to the believers there was especially vital.

As Paul gave Titus directions about wise living, he highlighted God’s grace. We may tend to think of grace as giving us freedom—and it does. But God’s grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit, also instills a holy discipline in us. “It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (2:12). Or, as Paul phrased it in Galatians, “The Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires” (5:17 nlt).

 

The “secret” to living the Christian life isn’t to stress over not sinning; it’s to focus on the work of God’s grace in us.

Tim Gustafson

 

http://www.odb.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Knowing God 

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I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10–11

Knowing God is not for the casual Christian but for the committed one. This intimate relationship is forged on the anvil of adversity and expressed through the power of Christ’s resurrected life. Knowing God requires dying to self and coming alive in Christ. Resurrected living is the fruit of a faith that is not satisfied with surface Christianity.

To know God is to be loved by Him, to love Him, and to love for Him. To know Him is to behold Him in the glory of His holiness and to bow down in humble worship. To know Christ is to receive His comfort and to carry on a caring conversation with Him. It is going deep in knowledge and understanding of God so we can carry His character and faith far and wide. Knowing God leads to making God known with our words and deeds.

“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:3–4).

Knowing God grows your character, as intimacy with Him influences you to be like Him. Christ’s character begins to transform your character. His influence in your life broadens your influence in other lives. Indeed, your depth of character determines your breadth of influence. Grow in grace so you can export grace throughout your circle of influence. But be careful not to compare your character standard to that of others or even other Christians. Comparison games are the enemy’s game plan to get you off track in trusting Jesus. Pride will puncture your ballooning influence when you begin to take credit for what only the Lord can do. The more you know God, the less you see of yourself and the more you see of Him and others. You know Christ in His death, accompanied by a radical resurrection.

How do you grow to know Him better? It happens in the margins of life, not in a packed schedule with no room for interruptions. A frantic pace lacks grace. A hurried life is tired and unable to trust or give back. Start by slowing down and calendaring time with Christ. Be with Him so you can hear Him, get to know Him, and be changed by Him. Then the depth of your character will grow the breadth of your influence—for His glory!

“For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:10–11).

Prayer: Dear Lord, I want to know you intimately through my ups and downs, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application: How am I growing in my knowledge of God? How is He transforming my character and broadening my influence for Him?

Related Readings: 1 Chronicles 16:24; Isaiah 45:24; Isaiah 54:11; Matthew 21:42; John 5:29

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Accidental Mistakes

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No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God. — 1 John 3:9 (AMPC)

I like to put it this way: I used to be a full-time sinner, and once in a while I accidentally slipped up and did something right. But now that I have spent many years developing a deep, personal relationship with God and His Word, I concentrate on being a full-time obedient child of God. I still make mistakes, but not nearly as many as I once did. I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.

There are times when I accidentally make mistakes, but it is not the desire of my heart to do wrong. I do not deliberately, knowingly commit sin. I do not habitually sin. So, I don’t allow those occasions to make me feel insecure. I don’t do everything right, but I do know that the attitude of my heart is right.

I can be having an absolutely wonderful day, feeling very close to the Lord and quite spiritual. Then my husband, Dave, comes home and says he does not care for the outfit I am wearing, and I suddenly become angry and defensive, telling him everything I don’t like about him either.

I don’t intend for that to happen; in fact, I plan to be very sweet and submissive when he comes home. But, as Paul said in Romans 7, the things I want to do, I don’t do, and the things I don’t want to do, I end up doing. We plan for right behavior because our hearts are right, but like Paul our plans don’t always work. Thank God for His mercy that is new every day! (See Lamentations 3:22-23).

Prayer Starter: Father, Your Word says if we repent and confess our sins, You are faithful to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). Thank You for Your great mercy. Help me to receive Your forgiveness and grace for my mistakes and move forward with confidence that You love me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – One More Reason to Praise 

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“His presence within us is God’s guarantee that He really will give us all that He promised; and the Spirit’s seal upon us means that God has already purchased us and that He guarantees to bring us to Himself. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God” (Ephesians 1:14).

To me, this wonderful verse means that, as children of God, we have the ability to obey God’s laws if we are filled continually with the Holy Spirit and refuse to obey the old evil nature within us.

In order to live the supernatural life which is available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we must know our rights as children of God. We need to know our spiritual heritage. We must know how to draw upon the inexhaustible, supernatural resources of God’s love, power, forgiveness and abundant grace.

The first step is to learn everything we can about God. We also need to know about the nature of man and why he behaves as he does. The best way to learn who God is, who man is and about our rights as children of God is to spend much time – even at the sacrifice of other needs and demands on our schedules – in reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on the Word of God, and in prayer and witnessing.

Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, “For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts, and tells us that we really are God’s children. And since we are His children, we will share His treasures – for all God gives to His Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering” (Romans 8:16,17).

Bible Reading:Ephesians 1:15-23

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  I will acknowledge God’s presence, believe His promises and surrender to His special will for me, and thus will I praise Him throughout the day.

 

http://www.cru.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – You Are Worth More than Flowers

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Matthew 6:30–33, The Message

Have you ever wandered deep into the woods and found a beautiful flower blooming there? Ever wondered who, besides you, will ever see that beautiful flower? Jesus talked about that. He said that God gives a flower so much beauty and detail and then he may put it in a place where no one ever sees it. Why? It is because God makes everything perfect whether or not anyone notices. Everything he makes has a purpose. You have a purpose. And he didn’t make any mistakes when he made you. Even if you sometimes feel like you are hidden in the woods where no one notices you, God has a purpose for your life.

Because you are his child, God will take care of all your needs. Jesus told the people of his time to stop worrying about everything. He told them that God knew they needed certain things to live. He said that if God dressed the flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, God will certainly take care of his children—that includes you—who are much more important to him than flowers.

If you can understand that God loves you and wants to take care of you, life will be a lot easier. God knows what you need. God knows what your family needs. Count on the fact that God knows, and trust him.

Dear Lord, I know you love me and that you care about my needs. Help me to trust you to take care of me and my family. Amen.

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE PERFECT SACRIFICE

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Luke 22:1–23

Jesus inaugurated the Lord’s Supper, also called the Eucharist or Communion, during His last Passover meal with His disciples. Today, Christians continue to observe the Lord’s Supper as part of corporate worship. Partaking together of the bread and the cup, which represent Christ’s body and blood, reminds us of our life together as the spiritual body of Jesus. This is made possible only because of who He is and what He has done for us.

Today’s passage describes Jesus’ final Passover meal with disciples in the hours preceding His death. It was the first day of Passover, also called the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt (see Exodus 12). As part of their rescue, an unblemished lamb had to be killed and its blood applied to the doorposts. The firstborns within houses with the blood applied would be spared from death.

The meal began with a somber announcement. Jesus declared that one of the Twelve would betray Him. Each of the disciples proclaimed his innocence, but Jesus persisted. Then, while they were eating, Jesus broke a piece of bread, distributing it to His disciples: “This is my body given for you” (v. 19). He distributed a cup of wine, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (v. 20).

Jesus was identifying Himself as the Lamb who delivers us from the bondage of sin. His blood would be shed, and all those who trust in His work of redemption will be saved from sin and death. Only through His blood can we find forgiveness (see Matt. 26:28). In an echo of Exodus 12:24, Jesus instructed His disciples to participate in this Lord’s Supper in “remembrance of me” (v. 19).

APPLY THE WORD

Participation in the Lord’s Supper is more than consuming the elements of the bread and the cup. We should remember that Jesus was the spotless Lamb who died in our place to save us. We should be thankful that the offering of His blood makes it possible for us to be forgiven. And we should renew our commitment to live as His body, the church.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Shortcutting God’s Will

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Psalm 37:1-9

In sports, construction, and travel, precision timing is essential. Rushing ahead of the plan could result in lost opportunities, future problems, or disaster. God’s plan for our life also contains time-sensitive elements. He orchestrates events to accomplish His will, bring Himself glory, and benefit us. This is why cooperation with His timing is so crucial. Instead of learning this lesson the hard way, consider what happened in the following situations from Scripture:

  • Abraham and Sarah tried to gain the promised son through Hagar, resulting in domestic discord and anger (Gen. 16:1-6).
    • Rebekah and Jacob used deception in an attempt to gain the Lord’s blessing, and Jacob became a fugitive (Gen. 27:1-43).
    • Becoming impatient for Samuel’s arrival, King Saul offered the sacrifice himself, and God took away his kingdom (1 Samuel 13:8-14).

Refusing to wait for God’s plan brings heartache and closes doors. But trusting in the Lord’s wisdom, believing His promises, waiting for His timing, and committing our way to Him will bring the blessings of obedience.

There are no shortcuts to God’s will, and His path for us may not be easy. To cooperate with Him, we must die to self, relinquish our own desires and plans in order to pursue His, and understand that we are His servants.

Coming up with a plan and rushing ahead may seem like the best approach, but who is better qualified to lead the way—you or God? One pathway is filled with fretting and uncertainty, but the other leads to rest and blessing. Which will you choose?

Bible in One Year: 2 Samuel 7-9

 

http://www.intouch.org/

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Comfort Shared

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Read: 2 Corinthians 1:1–10 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 4–6; Luke 9:1–17

Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. John 20:21

“God sent you to me tonight!”

Those were the parting words from the woman standing in front of me as we exited our flight to Chicago. She had sat across the aisle from me, where I learned she was headed home after several flights in a round-trip that day. “Do you mind if I ask why you had such a quick turnaround?” I inquired. She glanced downward: “I just put my daughter in rehab for drug abuse today.”

I praise You for Your compassion for us at the cross, Lord!

In the moments that followed I gently shared the story of my son’s struggle with heroin addiction and how Jesus had set him free. As she listened, a smile broke through her tears. After the plane landed we prayed together before parting, asking God to break her daughter’s chains.

Later that evening I thought of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

All around us are people who need to be encouraged with the comfort only God can give. He wants us to reach out to them with tenderhearted compassion, to share the love He has shared with us. May God send us to those who need His comfort today!

I praise You for Your compassion for us at the cross, Lord! Help me to comfort others with Your kindness and love today.

God’s kindness meets our deepest need.

Watch Geoff Banks’ story at ourdailybread.org/story/geoff.

By James Banks

INSIGHT

We honor the “God of all comfort” (v. 3) when we offer compassion to others. Who needs comfort? Ecclesiastes 4:1 says, “I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors—and they have no comforter.” Scripture reminds us that from the victim to the oppressor, everyone needs the comfort God offers.

For further study, check out the free course Soul Care Foundations I at christianuniversity.org/CC201.

Bill Crowder

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Bank of Justice

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In his famed “I have a Dream speech,” Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed: “We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.” At these words, Dr. King painted for a troubled nation a powerful image of hope, and forever rooted the civil rights movement in images of justice and the image of God.

The images presented in the book of Daniel are similarly rooted in images of justice and God. In fact, it is for this reason that the sixth chapter of Daniel was a favorite Scripture passage among civil rights preachers in the early 1960s. The story told in Daniel 6 presents a king who loses sight of his purpose as king and the purpose of the law, creating a system void of justice and a law that only hinders and traps its makers. But against the images of lawlessness and corruption, the story portrays a silent but active Daniel clinging to a higher law, bowing before the King of Kings in the midst of persecution, in the hands of his oppressors, and the shadows of the lions’ den. Living within the hopelessness of exile, sweltering under the heat of injustice, Daniel unflinchingly declares the sovereignty of God, and with faithfulness and perseverance refuses to believe otherwise.

In a kingdom in which he was a mere foreigner, Daniel was appointed a position of great authority because the king found him to be useful. The story quickly hints that in the peaceful dominion of King Darius all is not peaceful. The leaders serving under Daniel want to get rid of him. The story does not provide a thorough explanation for their hatred of Daniel and yet, perhaps in this silence much is said. The nature of any prejudice is absent of explanation. Without reason, without logic, we discriminate and are discriminated against. There is no explanation because to explain our reasons behind prejudice is to become our own judge. In fact, Daniel’s enemies announce their illogic when they conclude, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God” (6:5).

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