Tag Archives: human-rights

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Acceptable Worship and Service

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Malachi 2:1-9

Malachi delivered a hard message to the priests of Israel. Many years earlier the Lord had chosen the descendants of Levi to have charge of the temple service and to instruct the people. This sacred duty was an honor—it should have caused them to stand in awe of the Lord and serve Him with fear and reverence. But in Malachi’s day the priests had dishonored Him with their attitudes and actions.

At first glance, it may seem that this Old Testament passage has nothing to do with us, but as believers in Christ, we are a holy priesthood who offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (1 Peter 2:5). This truth should cause us to pause and consider whether we are fulfilling this sacred duty with the right attitudes and actions. The failures of the priests in Malachi 2 warn us of attitudes that will lead us down the path of irreverence and disobedience.

  • First, the priests dishonored God’s name by serving Him in a careless manner and offering unacceptable sacrifices. (See Mal. 2:1-3.)
  • Second, they were ungrateful for God’s covenant, which gave them close access to Him through their priestly service. (See Mal. 2:4-6.)
  • Third, they didn’t preserve knowledge of God’s Word but led people astray with their instructions. (See Mal. 2:7-9.)

Since we are now God’s holy priesthood, we must ask ourselves if we have dishonored His name with careless worship, ingratitude, or a failure to uphold His truth as revealed in Scripture. Salvation is a marvelous blessing, but it comes with responsibilities. Our worship and service are acceptable only if they are offered according to God’s desires and standards—not ours.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 14-16

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Blessing Bowl

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Read: Romans 1:1–10

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 14; Matthew 26:51–75

I thank my God every time I remember you.—Philippians 1:3

The familiar bing of an arriving email caught my attention while I wrote at my computer. Usually I try to resist the temptation to check every email but the subject line was too enticing: “You are a blessing.”

Eagerly, I opened it to discover a faraway friend telling me she was praying for my family. Each week, she displays one Christmas card photo in her kitchen table “Blessing Bowl” and prays for that family. She wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3) and then highlighted our efforts to share God’s love with others—our “partnership” in the gospel.

Through my friend’s intentional gesture, the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians came trickling into my inbox, creating the same joy in my heart I suspect readers received from his first-century thank-you note. It seems Paul made it a habit to speak his gratitude to those who worked alongside him. A similar phrase opens many of his letters: “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world” (Romans 1:8).

In the first century, Paul blessed his co-laborers with a thank-you note of prayerfulness. In the twenty-first century, my friend used a Blessing Bowl to bring joy into my day. How might we thank those who serve in the mission of God with us today? —Elisa Morgan

Father, help us to intentionally bless those who serve alongside us.

Who can you thank today?

INSIGHT: Paul’s letter to the Romans is generally considered his most intensely theological letter. Yet it opens and closes with great warmth, revealing an unexpected affection. The opening shows this personal touch through gratitude, and the final chapter displays Paul’s care for the Romans in words of greetings—personally expressing his heart for more than twenty-five different people. Included in the list are ministry leaders (Priscilla, Aquila; 16:3), prisoners (Andronicus, Junia; v. 7), and both men and women—all considered fellow workers in the gospel. In the fellowship of the gospel, there is much to be thankful for, much to celebrate, and many co-laborers whom we can encourage with our gratitude.

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Paradoxical Call

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For Christians around the world, the life and ministry of Jesus—his birth, his life and death, his resurrection and ascension—are enacted and re-told through the celebrations and seasons of the church year. The Christian church prepares for his coming during the season of Advent. Anticipation grows for the triumphant entry of God into the world in Jesus on Christmas Day, while the season of Epiphany, that follows Advent, invites all to see God at work in the life and ministry of Jesus. Each season of the church year is filled with expectation, discovery, and hope.

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. And unlike the celebration of Christmas day or the expectation of the season of Epiphany, Lent is a solemn season for the Christian. As part of the Ash Wednesday worship service, ashes are imposed on one’s forehead in the pattern of a cross. The imposed ashes are the remains of the Palm Sunday fronds from the previous year—fronds reminiscent of those waved triumphantly as Jesus entered Jerusalem on his way to Golgotha—but that now serve as a reminder of death and mortality. The Jews of Jesus’s day believed he entered the city as the coming King; they could not see how his reign would be from a Roman cross.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Take Responsibility for Your Happiness

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I know that there is nothing better for them than to be glad and to get and do good as long as they live.— Ecclesiastes 3:12 (AMPC)

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that I cannot count on someone else to make me happy. God has given us the ability to take responsibility for our own happiness.

A lot of people aren’t happy unless a certain person behaves a certain way, or a certain situation works out just the way they want it to. Every day we let our happiness depend on other people and situations, when in reality, God wants us to find our happiness in Him.

There was a time when I would feel sorry for myself if Dave went to play golf the day after one of our conferences. I wanted him to go shopping or watch a movie with me. But God showed me that we have different ways of relaxing and unwinding.

That’s just one example, but there are so many ways that we put unrealistic expectations on people and rely on them to keep us happy. God wants us to look to Him first and rely on Him for our happiness.

Prayer Starter: God, my happiness should only rely on You, not other people and situations. Help me to see any unrealistic expectations I have so I can take responsibility for my own happiness.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Bears and He Gives

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“What a glorious Lord! He who daily bears our burdens also gives us our salvation” (Psalm 68:19).

Did it ever occur to you that you are disobeying God when you carry your own burdens, when you are worried, frustrated and confused over circumstances? That is exactly what God’s Word says.

In 1 Peter 5:7, God gives a specific command to His children, “Cast…all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you” (KJV). Not to cast all of one’s cares upon the Lord is to disobey Him and to deny oneself that supernatural walk with God among men.

Is it not logical to believe that He who loved us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son would also be faithful to keep His promise to bear our burdens daily?

As the psalmist so aptly states, the Lord bears our burdens on a daily basis for the believer, the day will never come when God fails to carry our load, to strengthen us, to impart power to us through His indwelling Holy Spirit – if we but ask.

Marvel of marvels, the psalmist points out, our heavenly Father not only is our great burden-bearer; He is also the very one who gives us our salvation and the assurance of eternal life. How could anyone ask for more!

With the sure knowledge that our sins are forgiven (salvation) and the assurance that He knows all about every burden we face – more important, He bears them for us – our lives should reflect honor and glory to Him by the way in which we share His blessings and the message of His great love with others.

Provision for the supernatural life is promised in the Old Testament as well as the New, as evidenced by this glorious promise in the Psalms.

Bible Reading: Psalm 68:15-18

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will take careful inventory of my burdens and my worries and be sure that I am casting them all on the Lord with the certain knowledge that He cares for me. I will also encourage those around me to cast their cares upon the Lord.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – I’m a Recovering Prayer Wimp

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Yes, I’m a prayer wimp—but a recovering prayer wimp. Not where I long to be, but not where I was. This simple, easy to remember, pocket-size prayer has become a cherished friend.

“Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Jesus’ disciples faced angry waves and a watery grave. You may face angry clients, a turbulent economy, and raging seas of stress and sorrow. Let this simple prayer punctuate your day. As you begin your morning…“Father, you are good.” As you commute to work or walk the hallways at school…“I need help.” As you wait in the grocery line and recall others…“They need help.”  Keep this prayer in your pocket as you pass through the day. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His child.

Read more Before Amen

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Suspicious letter sent Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law to the hospital

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“Thankful that Vanessa & my children are safe and unharmed after the incredibly scary situation that occurred this morning. Truly disgusting that certain individuals choose to express their opposing views with such disturbing behavior.” This is how Donald Trump Jr. responded after his wife opened an envelope addressed to him that contained white powder, sending her to a Manhattan hospital yesterday.

In happier news, the most popular class at Yale University may surprise you. The course is titled “Psychology and the Good Life.” About 1,200 students, one-fourth of Yale undergraduates, enrolled in the course.

Their interest is understandable: a 2013 report by the Yale College Council found that more than half of undergraduates sought mental health care from the university during their time on campus. A freshman agreed: “In reality, a lot of us are anxious, stressed, unhappy, numb.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – Suspicious letter sent Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law to the hospital →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Encouragement in Every Season

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Psalm 62:5-8

Maybe there’s not enough money in the bank to cover that bill. Or a loved one died. Or your family is facing hard times. In difficult or painful circumstances, many believers turn to the Bible in search of comfort and guidance. Within its pages, we find assurance that encourages us through every season of life: “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-23).

God truly is faithful. In other words, we can count on Him to be and do exactly what He says. For instance, the Bible assures us that the Lord is trustworthy, loving, and incapable of failure (Psalm 37:5; Rom. 5:8; Josh. 1:5). Out of deep love for us, He’ll use any aspect of His multifaceted nature to provide exactly what He knows we need. He’s our Savior, Comforter, and Discipliner, who safely guides us through life’s changes and challenges.

No matter what hardships we face, we can trust God because He knows all things. He’s aware of the duration and intensity of our current season and uses His knowledge to offer us the best possible help and support. What’s more, the Lord is all-powerful, which means He is more than adequate to meet needs and change circumstances according to His plan. And our Father is everywhere, including right beside us in whatever we face. He promises, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

Difficulties may cause us to question God’s dependability. But if we’ll place our trust in our omniscient, omnipotent Father, we can begin each morning with a fresh sense of His faithfulness, which will carry us through the day.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 11-13

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Trust Me

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Read: 1 Kings 17:7–16

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:26–50

Do not worry about tomorrow.—Matthew 6:34

After graduation from college, I had a low-paying job. Money was tight, and sometimes I didn’t even have enough for my next meal. I learned to trust God for my daily provision.

It reminded me of the prophet Elijah’s experience. During his prophetic ministry, he learned to trust God to meet his daily needs. Shortly after Elijah pronounced God’s judgment of a drought in Israel, God sent him to a deserted place, Kerith Ravine, where He used the ravens to bring Elijah his daily meals and refresh him with water from the brook (1 Kings 17:1–4).

But a drought occurred. The brook shrank to a tiny stream, and slowly became a mere trickle. It was only when the brook had dried up that God said: “Go at once to Zarephath . . . . I have directed a widow there to supply you with food” (v. 9). Zarephath was in Phoenicia, whose inhabitants were enemies of the Israelites. Would anyone offer Elijah shelter? And would a poor widow have food to share?

Most of us would rather God provided in abundance long before our resources were depleted rather than just enough for each day. But our loving Father whispers, Trust Me. Just as He used ravens and a widow to provide for Elijah, nothing is impossible for Him. We can count on His love and power to meet our daily needs. —Poh Fang Chia

Faithful Father, thank You for knowing exactly what we need before we even ask. Help us to trust You for our daily needs.

God supplies all our needs—one day at a time.

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – What Do You See?

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They told me to give it three weeks. “Your eyes and your brain are getting reacquainted again,” he said. “Your eyesight will fluctuate for the next few days.” Less than a week after eye surgery, I was tired of fluctuating. At times my vision was so crisp that it was almost too much for me—like I was somehow seeing more than I should. But this clarity came and went; I was sometimes far-sighted, sometimes near-sighted, sometimes neither very well. Perfect sight was not as immediate as I anticipated.

My inhabiting of faith and belief is not so far from this. Fittingly, I was given the charge of writing about my meandering path toward Christian belief the same week of my eye surgery. The reflective task of peering into my life, looking at patterns and history with the hope of illumination seemed ironic as I squinted to see my computer screen. But it served as a helpful metaphor. My vision of Jesus has been far from immediate. It has been much closer to a fluctuating timeline of beholding and squinting, seeing, not-seeing, and straining to see. My experience has been something more like the blind man’s from Bethsaida:

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – What Do You See? →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Is Our Source, Not the World

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Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].— 2 Corinthians 9:10

God’s financial system is not like the world’s system. And no matter what happens around us, we don’t have to be fearful because God loves us.

While the world’s financial systems are often unstable, the love of God never changes and remains our solid foundation in life. We can have confidence that whatever is happening, God wants to help us and will go out of His way to meet even our simple day-to-day needs.

Second Corinthians 9:10 emphasizes that God will provide for our needs and give us bread for eating.

God is the One who supplies our needs. Our jobs are not our source—God is. So when jobs and investments disappear, we don’t have to feel hopeless because God is not limited. He can provide for us through other means, in ways we may not have imagined or can figure out ahead of time.

Matthew 6:26 reassures us that if God takes care of the birds, we can believe He is going to provide for us, too. Do you believe God can take care of you?

Prayer Starter: God, thank You for being a faithful, trustworthy source and providing all I need. No matter what happens, I rely on You and only You to meet my needs.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Set Upon a Rock

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“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5, KJV).

Doug and Judy stood at the graveside of their little Timothy – their only child – who had been run over by a drunken driver while riding his tricycle on the sidewalk. It was a senseless, one-in-a-million, freak kind of accident, but their little lad was gone forever from their loving embraces.

As they wept, I consoled them with the promises of God’s Word: “In the time of trouble, He shall hide us in His pavilion, in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide us. He shall set us upon a rock.”

In the words of Jesus, I shared with them His promise, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, KJV). “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, KJV).

Man’s words are never adequate in a time like this. Only the holy, inspired Word of God, revealed through the indwelling Holy Spirit, can help us to comprehend and experience the reality of His promises.

What a joy to be able to tell people – burdened people, grieving people – that we serve God, who not only saves to the uttermost, but who also is the God of all comfort. As His Holy Spirit empowers us, let us share the good news of an all-loving, ever-wise Savior.

Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1-4

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will ask God to help me to be sensitive to the hurts and heartaches of others, so that I can comfort them with the Word of God through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. And when I face grievous troubles, I too will look to the rock, Christ Jesus, and claim His wonderful promises for comfort and strength.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Come In, O King!

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

This much is sure: God will teach you to pray. Don’t think for a minute that he is glaring at you from a distance with crossed arms and a scowl, waiting for you to get your prayer life together. Just the opposite!

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with Me.”

Jesus waits on the porch. He taps. . .and calls. He waits for you to open the door. To pray is the hand of faith on the door handle of your heart. The happy welcome to Jesus that says, Come in, O King, come in!  The kitchen is messy, but come in. I’m not much of a conversationalist, but come in.  Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer! God changes His people through such moments.

From Before Amen

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Couple sells everything for sailboat, which sinks on day two

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A Colorado couple sold everything they owned to buy a twenty-eight-foot sailboat. They spent a year refurbishing it, then set out to sea. On their second day, their craft struck something underwater. Water flooded the cabin. The couple grabbed Social Security cards, cash, IDs, and their dog as they fled the boat.

The woman told a reporter, “Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve owned since I was a child, I brought with me. It’s just floating away and there’s nothing I can do.” However, she was undeterred: “The boat sank, but our dreams didn’t sink with the boat.”

Other accidents in today’s news were far more traumatic.

Lionel Douglass was attending a wedding at the Grand Canyon when he saw a sightseeing helicopter crash and explode. He told ABS News, “I had taken my phone and I was zooming in to see if I could see anybody and a lady walked out of the flames and I just lost it.” Three people died; four survivors were taken to a local hospital and remained in critical condition as of last night.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Couple sells everything for sailboat, which sinks on day two →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Impact of Salt

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Matthew 5:13

In today’s verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called His followers “the salt of the earth.” It was a way to describe how we as Christians are to influence the society around us. Who we are, what we say, and the things we do in the world can be compared to the role and effect of salt.

Salt flavors. Have you ever eaten a baked potato without salt? It probably tasted bland, didn’t it? Whenever salt is added to food, the taste is enhanced, and that’s how Christlike character, words, and actions can flavor our witness and open the door for people to hear our message.

Salt preserves. In biblical times, salt was used to preserve food so it wouldn’t spoil. In the same way, our lifestyles offer an alternative to the corrupting ways of the world and point people to Jesus for salvation.

Salt impacts what it touches. The chemical reactions caused by salt may be invisible, but the changes it brings are evident. We never know how a timely word, an act of kindness, or a stand for righteousness may affect someone.

Salt causes thirst. When those who don’t know Christ see how we handle suffering with calmness, endurance, and hope, they will thirst to know how we do it. Telling them of our reliance on God and His sufficiency could lead them to our Savior.

Do the people around you sense something special about you and thirst to know what it is? Becoming salt of the earth isn’t simply a matter of being good; it’s the work of the Holy Spirit. When His fruit is produced in us (Gal. 5:22-23), our life will bear the flavor of Christ.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 8-10

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Fault Lines

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Read: Acts 6:1–7

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 11–12; Matthew 26:1–25

They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread.—Acts 6:6–7

An influx of refugees to our community has led to new growth in area churches. That growth brings challenges. Church members must learn how to welcome these newcomers as they adjust to a strange culture, new language, and different worship styles. All this change can create some awkward situations.

Misunderstandings and disagreements occur everywhere we find people. Church is no exception. If we don’t handle our differences in a healthy way, they can harden into divisions.

The early church in Jerusalem was growing when a dispute arose that broke along a cultural fault line. The Greek-speaking Jews (the Hellenists) had a complaint against those Jews who spoke Aramaic. The Hellenist widows “were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1). So the apostles said, “Choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (v. 3). The seven chosen all had Greek names (v. 5). In other words, they were Hellenists, members of the group being neglected. They best understood the problem. The apostles prayed over them and the church thrived (vv. 6-7).

Growth brings challenges, in part because it increases interactions across traditional barriers. But as we seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we’ll find creative solutions as potential problems turn into opportunities for more growth. —Tim Gustafson

Father, help us to recognize the barriers that keep us from living in the unity You desire for Your church.

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.

INSIGHT: Spirit-filled people are needed when dealing with issues in the church. It was Spirit-filled men who got the call when a challenge arose within the new community of believers in Acts 6. When we think of the “filling of the Spirit” we may think of empowerment to speak about Christ or some other gospel-related witness. Yet the primary characteristic of those who were tasked with resolving the conflict surrounding the distribution of food was “to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (v. 3). This situation called for those whose lives displayed the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Being Spirit-filled means being under the Spirit’s control. The Spirit helps us navigate situations that can get out of hand and be costly in terms of time and energy.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS THE EVANGELIST

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Mark 10:17–31

One useful technological development in recent years is the Global Positioning System, or GPS. Drivers who are directionally challenged can tell their smartphones where they would like to go, and GPS will identify their current location, orient them in the correct direction, and guide them to their goal.

The man in today’s passage was in need of direction. He came to Jesus with a question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 17), and Jesus’ kind answer reoriented him. The man was mainly interested in himself—how he had kept the law in the past and how he could be assured of an eternal reward in the future. But instead of giving him directions to heaven, Jesus had compassion on him and showed him that his greater need was to know and serve God.

At first glance, it might seem strange that Jesus evangelized by using the Ten Commandments. He certainly wasn’t saying that the man could earn his salvation by keeping the Law! Rather, the Law should have caused the man to confront God’s holiness and his own shortcomings. As the Puritan Thomas Watson said, “Until sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.”

Furthermore, the Law showed the man that following Christ was not simply a quick road to heavenly bliss. The Christian life requires each of us to deny self and take up our cross (see Matt. 16:24). And it is when we give up our own interests that we receive God’s gracious repayment (vv. 29–31).

Jesus’ conversation provides a model for our own evangelism. We too can have compassion, apply God’s Word to their hearts, cause them to count the cost of discipleship, and hold out the promise of heavenly treasure and a new life following Him.

APPLY THE WORD

If we are intent on evangelizing like Jesus did, we must grow in our own knowledge of God and His Word. As you study Scripture, consider how each passage shows you God’s holy and gracious character. Thank God for revealing Himself in the Bible, and be ready to bring those precious truths into your conversations with unbelievers.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Taking Care of Your Body

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You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.— 1 Corinthians 6:20 (AMPC)

Some of us haven’t learned to love our bodies enough to properly care for them. To change that, we must confront the three biggest obstacles to healthy living.

We don’t know how to care for our bodies. Bad diets, misinformation, and fast foods have confused people about what a wholesome diet is and how to eat the right foods in proper amounts.

Our view of body image is skewed by media and advertising. We’re bombarded with unattainable ideals of beauty, while obesity is so prevalent that it’s almost considered normal. We need to rediscover what a healthy person looks like.

Exercise is nearly obsolete. We’ve invented enough conveniences that we often live completely void of exercise. We don’t even walk anywhere if we don’t have to! But the truth is, a good deal of our well-being is dependent on exercising our bodies.

If you struggle with these obstacles, make a decision today that you will not be defeated. God tells us to treat our bodies well, and He will always help us do the things He tells us to do. So make a decision to rely on God’s strength and live a healthier lifestyle.

Prayer Starter: God, I want to honor You by taking care of my body and living a healthy life. I believe that I can make changes through Your power that is at work in me.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Wait and He Will Help

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“Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and He will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted and courageous. Yes, wait and He will help you” (Psalm 27:14).

Our surveys of hundreds of thousands of Christians throughout the world indicate that most Christians do not witness because of their fear. Even Timothy seems to have had the same problem.

His father in the faith, the apostle Paul, reminded him, as recorded in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (KJV). That is the reason our Lord promised, in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses” (KJV).

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can enable us to overcome fear. So, as we claim the promises of God and appropriate the fullness and power of His Holy Spirit, we can know that courage.

A Japanese schoolboy once showed his courage in a way that puts many of us to shame.

“He belonged to a school in Nagasaki containing 150 boys, and he was the only Christian among them all. He brought his lunch to school, as he lived at a distance, and he dared to fold his hands and ask a blessing every day before he ate.

He had some enemies among the boys who went to the master of the school and accused him of ‘doing something in the way of magic’ The master thereupon called the lad before the school and asked him what he had been doing.

“The little fellow spoke up bravely, explaining that he was a Christian, and that he had been thanking God and asking Him to bless the food. At once the master burst into tears, putting his head down on the desk.

“‘My boy,’ he said, ‘I too am a Christian; but I was afraid to tell anyone. Now, with God’s help I will try to live as a Christian ought to live.’ ”

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:27-31

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I shall, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, be brave, stouthearted and courageous as I go forth to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

http://www.cru.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – Determined

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Luke 18:1

David Livingstone was one of the greatest missionary doctors who ever lived. But when he was struggling on his expeditions, he didn’t look so great. His exploration of the River Zambezi was a failure—the river could not be navigated. He kept trying to find a way until the British government ordered him home. After that, no one wanted to give him more money to return for more explorations.

After a while, he somehow found the money to return to Africa. Once he got there, no one heard from him for six years. Many thought he was dead, but he was not. Although he was seriously ill, he was determined to stay in Africa until his mission was complete. He stubbornly continued to explore. Finally, he died and his friends carried his body a thousand miles to the coast so that he could be returned to England and honored with a proper burial.

At the time he died, many people thought Livingstone’s whole life was a failure. But now, many years later, we know he traveled 29,000 miles in Africa, and that he made important geographical discoveries for Great Britain, such as Victoria Falls and four important lakes. He explored Central Africa so missionaries could go there. He was honored by African chiefs. He spoke out against slavery. And others who knew him were inspired to build schools to educate African children. Much good has come of his life.

One of the things Livingstone said was, “I determined never to stop until I had come to the end and achieved my purpose.” That means he decided he would never give up, and it explains a lot about who he was. It also helps us understand that we must not give up praying for whatever it is we want and need from God.

Dear Lord, First help me know what I should pray for, and then make me determined never to stop praying and talking with you. Amen.