Tag Archives: human-rights

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread –Fifteen-Minute Challenge

Leave a comment

Read: Psalm 119:33–40

Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 25–27; John 16

Turn my heart toward your statutes.—Psalm 119:36

Dr. Charles W. Eliot, longtime president of Harvard University, believed that ordinary people who read consistently from the world’s great literature for even a few minutes a day could gain a valuable education. In 1910, he compiled selections from books of history, science, philosophy, and fine art into fifty volumes called The Harvard Classics. Each set of books included Dr. Eliot’s Reading Guide titled “Fifteen Minutes A Day” containing recommended selections of eight to ten pages for each day of the year.

What if we spent fifteen minutes a day reading God’s Word? We could say with the psalmist, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Ps. 119:36-37).

Fifteen minutes a day adds up to ninety-one hours a year. But for whatever amount of time we decide to read the Bible each day, consistency is the secret and the key ingredient is not perfection but persistence. If we miss a day or a week, we can start reading again. As the Holy Spirit teaches us, God’s Word moves from our minds to our hearts, then to our hands and feet—taking us beyond education to transformation.

“Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end” (v. 33). —David C. McCasland

I turn to You, the Author, to teach me as I read Your Word today. I want to hear from You, to know You, and to grow closer to You.

The Bible is the only Book whose Author is always present when it is read.

INSIGHT: Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Each new section starts with a successive letter from the Hebrew alphabet (known as an acrostic poem). The major emphasis of this psalm is to celebrate the usefulness and value of the law. In Psalm 119 the author uses a variety of words to describe the laws and commands of God. Eight times he mentions meditating: on God’s decrees (vv. 23, 48), deeds (v. 27), precepts (vv. 15, 78), laws (v. 97), statutes (v. 99), and promises (v. 148). Meditation is the act of thinking deeply about something, focusing intently on an idea. We really get to know the commands of God by meditating on them. Reading is the necessary first step, but once we have read His Word, meditating on it throughout the day helps us to keep it in our minds.Do you want to learn more about spending time with God?

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Vapor and Mist

Leave a comment

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leafs a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.(1)

One of my most cherished memories is of the New England landscape in the fall. The vibrant colors from dogwood, sassafras, sumac, red oak, and maples can only be described as the finest artist’s palette of paints—crimsons and scarlets, purples, oranges and yellows splashed across the canvas. Making our pilgrimage each year to the local fair, the route transported my husband and me into that world of color, as the road would bend through picturesque towns and take us deeper and deeper into that fall canvas. Sadly, this beauty was transient. Fall rains and wind would come to fade and to muddle those colors. All that would remain were the dull browns melding and making their home in the dark soil that encompassed them.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Vapor and Mist →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Make a Decision

Leave a comment

I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings the curses; therefor choose life, that you and your descendants may live.— Deuteronomy 30:19 (AMPC)

I’m going to start with a question that may seem tough to ask at the beginning of a study, but I believe it goes to the core of how you are living your life: Are you living your life with quantity in mind or with quality in mind?

No matter who you are, whether you are a CEO of a business or a committed stay-at-home mom, we all have the same amount of time available to us—the quantity is the very same. 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year. So why do some appear to enjoy it more? Over my life, I’ve come to realize that it’s all about making the choice to enjoy it, the “choosing life” as Deuteronomy says. And that life is choosing to walk in the life and promises Christ died to give us.

As believers, you and I have available to us the quality of that life through Christ. His life is not filled with fear, stress, worry, anxiety or depression. God is not impatient, and He is in no hurry. He takes time to enjoy His creation, the words of His hands. And because Christ lives inside of us, we have access to approach life in the same way.

However, does that sound like your life today? Do you find yourself rushing through the quantity of your life while sacrificing the quality of it? We must all come to the place where we make the decision to not only enjoy our work and accomplishments, but also enjoy the road in getting there.

Final Thoughts and Action Items

We will never enjoy life unless we make a quality decision to do so. Satan is an expert at stealing, and our joy is one of his favorite targets. Nehemiah 8:10 tell us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. In John 10:10 we are told that “the thief” comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have and enjoy life.

Satan is the thief, and one of the things he seeks to steal is our joy. If he can steal our joy from us, we will be weak, and when we are weak, the enemy takes advantage of us. Weak believers are no threat to him and his works of destruction.

To live as God intends for us to live, the first thing we must do is truly believe that it is God’s will for us to experience continual joy. That doesn’t mean we’ll never face opposition or hardship, but instead, that we will face it with Christ on our side and ultimately, be able to rely on his joy as our strength to go through it. But again, we must make the decision enter and rely upon that joy.

Action Items

What decisions are you making today? Are you making those decisions with quality in mind or quantity?

Are you actively relying on the joy of the Lord to be your strength? Or are you trying to do it in your own strength?

Decide to rest in God’s joy. Make the decision today to look for quality over quantity, knowing that when you rely on Christ, you’ll accomplish everything you need to and in God’s timing.

For more on this topic, check out Joyce’s book Enjoy Your Journey.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Everything Is Possible

Leave a comment

“Jesus looked at them intently, then said, ‘Without God, it is utterly impossible. But with God everything is possible'” (Mark 10:27).

“An hour in prayer can give the believer enough power to overcome the second most powerful force in the universe,” sagely declared an anonymous observer.

God’s Word gives us many “exceeding great and precious promises” that confirm the truth of this wise observation – and the truth of the scriptural promise that with God everything is possible. One of these precious promises declares, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31,KJV).

Sometimes renewed strength – spiritual strength, God’s strength – is all we need to face the problem or difficulty or testing or trial that confronts us.

In the gigantic tasks God has given us to do in the work of Campus Crusade for Christ, often it is the confirmed realization that with God everything is possible that keeps us going on, trusting God to do that which no man could possibly do.

God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, making possible the supernatural life, constantly empowers and enables us to reach out and attempt great and mighty things for God – always an outreach that involves the needs of others more than our own personal needs, as great as they may seem to be at times.

Bible Reading: Mark 10:23-27

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: “Dear Lord, give me a heart like Yours – one that reaches out to the ends of the earth, and the end of the block, with the good news of the gospel, always believing that nothing is impossible with Your help.”

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Master Weaver

Leave a comment

In God’s hands intended evil becomes eventual good! Nothing in the Old Testament story of Joseph glosses over the presence of evil. Bloodstains, tearstains are everywhere. Joseph’s heart was rubbed raw against the rocks of disloyalty nd miscarried justice. Yet time and time again God redeemed the pain. The torn robe became a royal one. The pit became a palace.

The broken family grew old together. The very acts intended to destroy God’s servant turned out to strengthen him. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph told his brothers, using a Hebrew verb that means to weave. You wove evil, he was saying, but God rewove it together for good. God, the Master Weaver. He stretches the yarn, intertwines the colors. Nothing escapes His reach.

From You’ll Get Through This

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

Home

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why going to church is good for your health

Leave a comment

New research indicates that church attendance reduces stress. Before I explain why, let’s survey some reasons we need the help.

According to an expert on radicalization, the latest terrorist attacks in Great Britain are “just the tip of the iceberg, and it’s an enormous iceberg.” British authorities are currently investigating 500 active terrorism plotters, 3,000 other persons of interest, and 20,000 others with links to militancy. UK security officials say the number of radicalized individuals has become unmanageable.

Shootings such as yesterday’s tragedy in Orlando seem to make the news daily. In addition to violence, consider the escalating moral challenges of our day. A Catholic farmer was recently barred from a municipal farmers market in Michigan because he stated on Facebook “his Catholic belief that marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman” and chose not to host a lesbian couple’s wedding at his orchard.

A transgender man is in the news because he stopped taking testosterone and is now pregnant. The Church of England will vote next month on whether to create an official “baptism-style” service to celebrate sex changes. A woman in San Diego says she is “objectum-sexual,” a person who is in love with an object. In her case, she says she married a train station in California.

Do you feel your stress level increase when you read the news? So do I. This is not good—stress has been linked to cancer, lung disease, fatal accidents, suicide, and cirrhosis of the liver. It can damage the heart, weaken the immune system, and cause weight gain.

Fortunately, there’s an amazing remedy for stress: going to church.

We already knew that church attendance improves the longevity of women. A Harvard professor’s study found that women who attend religious services more than once a week have a 33 percent lower risk of death than women who never attend worship.

Now a new report by a Vanderbilt University professor indicates that those who attend church services may reduce their mortality risk by 55 percent. The study collected data on more than 5,000 people, finding that those who did not attend church at all were twice as likely to die prematurely as those who had attended a worship service in the past year.

Why is churchgoing so healthy? The Vanderbilt professor explains that social support, a sense of compassion, and personal holiness result from church attendance. Each is known to contribute to reducing stress. And the lower our stress, the longer and healthier our lives.

The remedy for stress is not found in our fallen culture but in our risen Lord. Fifty days after Easter, his followers were surrounded by a hostile Empire and decadent society. As they met God in worship, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. They witnessed so boldly and preached so courageously that three thousand came to Christ (Acts 2). Before long, they “turned the world upside down” for Jesus (Acts 17:6).

Now God is ready to do through us what he did through them. Two days ago, Christians around the world marked Pentecost Sunday. Will today be Pentecost Tuesday?

NOTE: For more on today’s topic, see Ryan Denison’s Going to church leads to longer life.

 

Denison Forum

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Father’s Good Gifts

Leave a comment

 

Matthew 7:7-11

One of God’s most generous assurances to His children is found in today’s reading from Matthew 7. Not only are we granted permission to come to the Father with our requests, but He also promises to answer our prayers. However, you may be thinking, If this is true, why hasn’t He given me what I asked for?

The key to understanding this passage is found in verses 9–11: “What man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? … If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” Think in terms of parenting. A child may want the latest video game, but his parent knows that a different gift would be better for him. In the same way, the God who made us is more keenly aware of our needs than we are (Matt. 6:8).

Because of spiritual immaturity or the limitations of our humanity, we may ask for what we perceive as good and necessary, when it isn’t truly in our best interest. But our Father gives what He knows is more beneficial. The qualities of Christlike character are among His best gifts, but these develop through trials and testing. We may feel He’s given us a snake instead of a fish, but the problem is with our lack of understanding, not with the Lord’s goodness.

When it seems that the Lord isn’t answering your requests, remember that He’s a loving Father, and consider what good gifts He is giving instead. Although it may take years to gain a godly perspective, in time you’ll say, “Lord, You were right. Thank You for giving me exactly what I needed.”

Bible in One Year: Job 17-21

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — What Do We Want?

Leave a comment

Read: Romans 8:1–11

Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 23–24; John 15

He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.—Romans 8:11

“I went from the horse-and-buggy to a man walking on the moon,” said the elderly man to his granddaughter, who shared this story with me recently. But then he mused, “I never thought it would be so short.”

Life is short, and many of us turn to Jesus because we want to live forever. That’s not bad, but we don’t comprehend what eternal life really is. We tend to crave the wrong things. We long for something better, and we think it’s just ahead. If only I were out of school. If only I had that job. If only I were married. If only I could retire. If only . . . And then one day we catch an echo of our grandfather’s voice as we wonder where the time has flown.

The truth is, we possess eternal life now. The apostle Paul wrote, “The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Then he said, “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (v. 5). In other words, our desires change when we come to Christ. This naturally gives us what we most desire. “The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (v. 6).

It’s one of life’s great lies that we need to be somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else before we start truly living. When we find our life in Jesus, we exchange regret over life’s brevity for the full enjoyment of life with Him, both now and forever. —Tim Gustafson

Lord, You said You came to give us life to the fullest, but so often we have our own agenda and the wrong goals in mind. Please forgive us, and help us desire what You want.

To live forever we must let Jesus live in us now.

INSIGHT: Read John 10:10 to see what Jesus said about eternal life. What hinders you from enjoying life on earth now?To read more on the subject of contentment see Cultivating a Heart of Contentment at discoveryseries.org/hp052.

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In the Beginning

Leave a comment

Someone once told me that the most comforting premise of the Christian imagination was, for her, the assurance of a beginning. Her Hindu upbringing had been far less clear. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” These very first words of Scripture boldly proclaim that we are not lost and wandering in a cosmic circle of time and accident, isolated from any meaning beyond the name or reputation we manage to carve for ourselves. At the heart of the Christian imagination is one who stood at the foundation of the world, and with love, beauty, and wisdom, caused life and history to begin.

For the Christian, this comforting premise is deepened by the image of creation as the cooperative work of a relational, trinitarian God. The account of creation in the Gospel of John runs parallel to the creation accounts of the book of Genesis, except that John makes it clear that the Father was not acting alone. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.”(1) Paul similarly describes the Son’s vital role in creation to the Colossians, referring to Jesus Christ as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”(2)

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In the Beginning →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Safe and Secure

Leave a comment

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? —Hebrews 13:6 AMPC

A confident person feels safe. He believes he is loved, valuable, cared for, and protected by God’s will for him. When we feel safe and secure, it’s easy to step out and try new things.

During the initial construction on the Golden Gate Bridge, no safety devices were used, and twenty-three men fell to their deaths. For the final part of the project, however, a large net was used as a safety precaution. Twenty-five percent more work was accomplished after the net was installed. Why? Because the men had the assurance of their safety, so they were free to wholeheartedly serve the project.

When people feel safe, they are free to take a chance on failing in order to try to succeed. As children of God, we are safe and secure, knowing God loves us and has a good plan for our lives. Therefore, we can live with thanksgiving and confidence as we step out boldly each and every day.

Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, God, that You are always there to catch me when I fall. Today, I choose to live with confidence because I know I am safe and secure in Your love. I know nothing will happen to me that I can’t handle because You are with me.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Most Vital Food

Leave a comment

“Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul. They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me. How proud I am to bear Your name, O Lord” (Jeremiah 15:16).

In my earlier years – as perhaps was true of yours – one thing that seemed to sustain me more than anything else was food: three square meals a day, and sometimes something in between. Food is still vital – I would not understate its value – but I have found something far more vital to my happiness and success as a believer in Christ.

Now, I can truly say with the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, that the very words of God are what really sustain me. They are food to my hungry soul. And they accomplish immeasurable good in my life, and thus in the lives of thousands of people whom I am privileged to meet throughout the world.

God’s Word brings joy to my sorrowing heart. Why? Because it has an answer – theanswer – to every need, every burden, every problem I will face this day, and in the days to come. Furthermore, it will provide the answers for others whom I contact.

God’s Word truly delights me, as it did Jeremiah. When I need encouragement, I turn to the Psalms. When I need practical wisdom for daily decisions, I turn to the Proverbs of Solomon. And so on with every kind of need I face.

All of this being true – God’s Word sustaining me, being food to my hungry soul, bringing joy to my sorrowing heart, and delighting me – “How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord!”

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 15:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My spiritual food must take priority over all other considerations in my life.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Redeems for Good

Leave a comment

Have you wept your final tear or received your last round of chemotherapy? Not necessarily. Will your unhappy marriage become happy in a heartbeat? Not likely. Does God guarantee the absence of struggle and the abundance of strength? Not in this life. But he does pledge to reweave your pain for a higher purpose.

It won’t be quick! Sometimes God takes His time. Twenty years to prepare Noah for the flood, eighty years to prepare Moses for his work. How long will God take with you? He may take His time. His history is redeemed not in minutes but in lifetimes. We see a perfect mess; God sees a perfect chance to train, test, and teach. We see a prison; God sees bootcamp. What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good!

From You’ll Get Through This

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

Home

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why so much violence during Ramadan?

Leave a comment

Last night, ISIS claimed responsibility for the London attack that killed seven and wounded forty-eight. One of the terrorists wore a fake bomb vest. According to ABC News, the vest was likely intended to guarantee a police response that would lead to his martyrdom.

He was the father of a toddler; his wife was expecting a child. What would motivate him to carry out such an atrocity at the cost of his own life?

The day of the attack, an ISIS message called on its followers to use knives, guns, and vehicles in an “all-out war” on “infidels” during Ramadan. The audio message instructed jihadists to “attack them in their homes, their markets, their roads and their forums.”

When Ramadan began this year, jihadists attacked a bus filled with Christians in Egypt, murdering twenty-nine. Ten of the victims were children. The day after Ramadan began, a suicide bomber murdered eighteen people in Afghanistan, two of them children.

Last year’s Ramadan was the bloodiest on record. A gunman killed forty-nine and wounded fifty-three at an Orlando gay night club. An Islamist then stabbed a police officer and his wife in Paris. He claimed that he was responding to ISIS’s call for violence during Ramadan. Later that month, three ISIS suicide bombers killed forty-five and wounded more than 250 at Istanbul’s main airport. When Ramadan ended last year, the final global body count was 421 dead and 729 wounded.

Why would terrorists make Ramadan a time to escalate their violence?

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why so much violence during Ramadan? →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Blessings of Inadequacy

Leave a comment

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Paul never claimed that he was capable of accomplishing all that God called him to do. He simply learned to look beyond his own inadequacy to the sufficiency of Christ. If we’ll adopt the same practice, we too can discover the blessings hidden in our own experiences of inadequacy.

Our insufficiency drives us to God. When we realize that a situation is bigger than we can handle, we must be quick to open the Bible and pray for guidance and power.

Inadequacy relieves us of the burden of self-effort and self-reliance. The Lord has us right where He wants us—at the end of our rope with nothing left to give.

Inability motivates reliance on divine power. God never intended for us to do certain things by ourselves. We’ll never be adequate until we draw from the Holy Spirit’s inexhaustible strength and let Him work in and through us.

By using inadequate people, God demonstrates what great things He can do. He actually delights in choosing unlikely individuals to carry out His plan. There’s no limit to what He can do through someone willing to give Him full control.

Inadequacy challenges our faith. The apostle Paul says, “Our adequacy is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). Those who focus on the reliability of this promise and step out in obedience will grow in faith.

Why go through all the fear, pressure, and frustration that accompany feelings of inadequacy when there’s an alternative? Let the Lord make you adequate: Rely upon Him and allow Christ to live in and through you. He will replace your anxiety with a spirit of contentment.

Bible in One Year: Job 13-16

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Perfect Peace

Leave a comment

Read: John 14:25–31

Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 21–22; John 14

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.—John 14:27

A friend shared with me that for years she searched for peace and contentment. She and her husband built up a successful business, so she was able to buy a big house, fancy clothes, and expensive jewelry. But these possessions didn’t satisfy her inner longings for peace, nor did her friendships with influential people. Then one day, when she was feeling low and desperate, a friend told her about the good news of Jesus. There she found the Prince of Peace, and her understanding of true peace and contentment was forever changed.

Jesus spoke words of such peace to His friends after their last supper together (John 14), when He prepared them for the events that would soon follow: His death, resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Describing a peace—unlike anything the world can give—He wanted them to learn how to find a sense of well-being even in the midst of hardship.

Later, when the resurrected Jesus appeared to the frightened disciples after His death, He greeted them, saying, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19). Now He could give them, and us, a new understanding of resting in what He has done for us. As we do, we can find the awareness of a confidence far deeper than our ever-changing feelings. —Amy Boucher Pye

Heavenly Father, You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on You. Help us to trust in You forever, for You are our Rock eternal.

Jesus came to usher peace into our lives and our world.

INSIGHT: Jesus repeatedly talks about peace in John 14, yet He would soon be arrested and His disciples would be hiding in fear. In verse 1 Jesus offered peace by encouraging them not to be troubled by the events that were coming on them. Instead, they were to look forward to reunion with Him and a home in the Father’s house. Then in today’s reading Jesus rooted this peace in the coming of the Holy Spirit—reminding us that, in part, the fruit of the Spirit is peace (Gal. 5:22-23). Jesus concluded His words to them with the promise of peace for everyday living: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). For now and forever, His great gift of peace carries us through all the seasons of life.How do you see Jesus’s peace present in your life today? Bill Crowder

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Wandering, Wondering Mind

Leave a comment

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 1:13 KJV

In the days when Peter wrote these words, men wore long, flowing robes that hindered fast progress or strenuous action. They wore broad belts (or girdles) about their waists, and when they wanted to move into action, they “girded up their loins”—that is, they shortened their robes by pulling them up inside their belts. That term is similar to what we mean when we say, “Roll up your sleeves.” Peter’s words here are a serious call to action—a reminder that when we lose our focus, it is time for us to do some serious thinking.

I’ve already talked about how staying too busy can result in an abnormal mind as opposed to a normal mind. Now I want to point out that another way the devil attacks your normal mind is by causing your thoughts to wander. It’s a mental attack. If you do not discipline your mind to remain focused on what is important, the devil will cause it to wander aimlessly to other things.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – A Wandering, Wondering Mind →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Praise Brings Results

Leave a comment

“And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

The armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir had declared war on King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. So Jehoshaphat called the people together and prayed, “Oh, our God. Won’t you stop them. We have no way to protect ourselves against this mighty army. We don’t know what to do but we are looking to You.”

Then the Lord instructed the people, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army for the battle is not yours, but God’s! Tomorrow, go down and attack them!…But you will not need to fight. Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).

After consultation with the leaders of the people, Jehoshaphat determined that there should be a choir, clothed in sanctified garments and singing the song, “His Loving kindness Is Forever,” leading the march. As they walked along praising and thanking the Lord, He released His mighty power in their behalf.

One of the greatest lessons I have ever learned about the Christian life is the importance of praise and thanksgiving. The greater the problem, the more difficult the circumstances, the greater the crisis, the more important it is to praise God at all times, to worship Him for who He is; for His attributes of sovereignty, love, grace, power, wisdom and might; for the certainty that He will fight for us, that He will demonstrate His supernatural resources in our behalf.

As in the case of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when they began to praise God and He caused the three opposing armies to fight against each other and destroy one another, God will fight for us if we trust and obey Him. There is no better way to demonstrate faith and obedience than to praise Him and to thank Him, even when our world is crumbling around us and the enemy is threatening to destroy. God honors praise. Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, “With Jesus’ help, we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of His name.”

Bible Reading: Psalm 136:1, 21-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will continue to praise God and give thanks to Him for who He is. When difficulties arise, I will praise Him all the more and thank Him for His faithfulness. I will depend upon the supernatural resources of God which enable me to live the supernatural life, regardless of the circumstances.

 

http://www.cru.org

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY

Leave a comment

Read 1 JOHN 2:12-17

When a worried child expresses doubts about their own worth or their parents’ love, what does any responsible parent do? They comfort the child by repeating over and over again a message of reassurance and encouragement. The same seems to be the case in the first part of today’s reading. Speaking to a community whose confidence about their own relationship with God may have been shaken, John offers a repeated message of reassurance and encouragement. And while the “children,” “fathers,” and “young men” may be specific age groups, these designations may also be a way of addressing the entire community. Regardless of their spiritual progress, whether new to the faith or longtime Christians, the truth is the same.

First, they “have been forgiven on account of his name” (v. 12). The problem of sin has been dealt with once and for all. Second, because of the forgiveness they have in Christ, they “know him who is from the beginning” (vv. 13a, 14b). Despite any doubts, their relationship with God is genuine. Finally, because they have been strengthened by forgiveness and relationship with God, they “have overcome the evil one” (vv. 13b, 14c). The victory that belongs to Christ is theirs by virtue of their relationship with Him.

As a result, the last part of our reading spells out the practical implications: “Do not love the world or anything in the world” (v. 15). The warning about the “world” here refers to the domain of Satan: “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (v. 16). Because we belong to God, our loyalty and love should be with Him, not with the sinful lusts and possessions of the world. Only the one who abides in God will “live forever” (v. 17).

APPLY THE WORD

Do you know people who need Scripture’s reminder that they can find forgiveness in Christ? That He offers genuine relationship and spiritual victory? Encourage and reassure someone today about the truth of the gospel. Consider writing a note, making a phone call, or even stopping for a visit to make God’s message to them real.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Led by the Spirit

Leave a comment

Read: Mark 1:12-13

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt. 4:1)

Like yesterday, today’s reading may seem a bit unusual at first. After Jesus is baptized, he is led (Matthew) or driven (Mark) into the desert to be tempted. Really? You would think that the Holy Spirit would comfort Jesus and encourage him. After all, aren’t we told that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23)? Isn’t the Spirit called the “Comforter” (Jn. 14:16, KJV)?

He is that. But from these verses it seems that the Holy Spirit can also lead us into some trying situations. Here we see that the Spirit can lead us to challenging places not to ruin us but to make us stronger. Certainly Jesus emerged from his temptations committed to God’s calling upon his life. It is true that our Lord uses all kinds of things—good and bad—in our lives to mold us and make us more like him. And he never abandons us. In this case, he sent his angels to help his Son.

The apostle Paul wrote: “For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That is one of my favorite verses, one that assures us that our loving God is always in control and will work things out for our good. —John Koedyker

Prayer: Lord, assure us of your presence and your protection as we undergo all kinds of difficulties, problems, and challenges in life. Amen.

 

https://woh.org/

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – Jesus Never Changes

Leave a comment

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Julie was sad. Sarah, her sister, had always been her best friend, but now Sarah was too busy to play. Every fall Julie and Sarah made big piles of leaves and jumped in them with their dog, Taffy. But this year every time Julie asked Sarah to play in the leaves she had to study or to go to basketball practice or call one of her friends.

Now all the leaves were gone, and Julie wondered whether Sarah would be too busy to play in the snow this year, too. When Julie asked her mother why Sarah didn’t play with her anymore, Mother said that Sarah was growing up and changing. Mother said that everyone changes and that Julie would change one day, too. “The only person who never changes is Jesus,” Mother said. Julie was glad that Jesus never changed.

Have you ever been sad because someone changed? Maybe you have a brother or a sister who is growing up, or a grandpa or grandma who is getting older. Nobody can keep people from changing, but the Bible tells us that Jesus will never change. Jesus will always be reliable. He promises never to leave you, and He listens to everything you want to say to Him all the time. Isn’t it good to know that He will always be the same!

Although other people change, Jesus will never change.

My Response:

» Do I trust Jesus all the time, knowing that He never changes?

» Do I thank Jesus for never changing?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx