Tag Archives: human-rights

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – God’s Nonsense

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Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19

The theme of this section is the power of the cross, and Paul is going to show clearly what the cross does in human thinking and in human affairs. The cross has become the symbol of Christianity today. Women wear it on chains around their necks; we use it as decorations. We have become so familiar with the cross that we have forgotten much of the impact it had in the first century. It was, for these early Christians, and for those among whom they lived, a horrible symbol. If you had used it then as a symbol it would have made people shudder. We would get much closer to it today if we substituted a symbol of an electric chair for the cross. Wouldn’t it be strange driving across this country to see church steeples with electric chairs on top?

The cross is significant in Christianity because it exposes the fundamental conflict of life. The cross gets down below all our surface attempts at compromise and cuts through all human disagreement. Once you confront the cross and its meaning, you find yourself unable to escape that final judgment of life as to whether you are committed to error or committed to truth.

We must understand what Paul means by the word of the cross. First of all, it means the basic announcement of the crucifixion of Jesus. There are many religious groups based upon various philosophical concepts. But when you come to Christianity you do not start with philosophy, you start with facts of history that cannot be thrown out. One of them is the incarnation of Jesus, the fact that he was born as a man and came among us. Another of the great facts of our faith is the crucifixion. Jesus died. It was done at a certain point of time in history and cannot be evaded. This is part of the word of the cross. He did not deserve it, but by the judgment of the Romans and Jews alike he was put to death for a crime that he did not commit.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – God the Liberator

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Read: Acts 16:25-27

And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (v. 26)

In my work with prisoners, I’ve met people locked up, like Paul, unjustly. I’ve met wrongdoers who were themselves the victims of greater wrongdoing, whether by parents, abusive husbands, systemic racism, or other prisoners. A few times (less often than TV would have you believe) I have met people in bondage to real evil, people who actively and habitually identified with their worst impulses—but that’s still bondage, perhaps the worst kind. The one thing I have in common with all these people is that I am a sinner. I too need deliverance.

When I think of these things, I find myself growing frustrated with biblical miracle accounts, such as the one we read today. If God rescued Paul and his cellmates in this dramatic fashion, why won’t he do likewise for me and you? We have no answer for this question except the knowledge that our Savior suffers with us. But as for this miracle, it’s no easy delivery. Paul was saved from imprisonment only to take up again a life of inconvenience, rootlessness, exile, intermittent torture, and further imprisonment. He did so because he knew and loved Christ Jesus, a person whom this miracle, like all miracles, reveals to us. Christ is the one who, in his own time, unfastens all the bonds.

Prayer:

Lord, every one of us needs to be freed from something. Show us how you are already accomplishing our freedom, and direct us to your liberating work in the lives of those around us.

Author: Phil Christman

 

https://woh.org/

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Is Your Marriage Alive?

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Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

—Ephesians 5:14–16

In Ephesians 5, Paul tells us to awake from spiritual lethargy. I want to apply these verses specifically to marriage today.

You can’t sleepwalk through marriage. Show me a marriage that is strong and vibrant and thriving, and I will show you a marriage that people are giving attention to.

It’s sort of like making a fire. You begin with some kindling and newspaper and twigs, and then add some logs to it. Once the fire is going, you put another log on it. And another. You continue to feed it over time. In the same way, if a marriage is strong, especially over a period of time, it is because the husband and wife keep putting logs on the fire. They cultivate their romance. They strengthen the marriage.

If you stop feeding the fire, it will start to weaken. You must constantly give it attention. You must be proactive, not merely reactive. When the husband neglects his role and the wife neglects hers, one problem turns into another, and soon it gets worse and worse. Eventually it reaches a state of crisis.

It’s best to engage in “preventative maintenance” and strengthen the marriage every day. Verses 15 and 16 tell us how: by “walking circumspectly” and “redeeming the time.” To “walk circumspectly” conveys the idea of looking, examining, and investigating something with great care. It’s like the attention you would give to the words of a contract before signing it. “Redeeming the time” refers to making the most of every opportunity.

Are you examining your marriage carefully, paying attention to detail? Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to strengthen your marriage? Are you making sure you have done everything you can do?

Don’t sleepwalk through marriage; tend the fires to keep it alive and strong.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Always Available

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

What does it mean when someone is not available? Maybe your mom has taught you to take a telephone message for her when she cannot come to the phone. She has probably told you to say something like this: “I’m sorry, but Mom is not available right now. May I please take a message?” When you tell someone that your mom is “not available,” it may mean that she is not at home, or it may mean that she is giving the dog a bath and is up to her elbows in soapy water. Whatever Mom is doing, the point is that the person trying to call her cannot reach her. The caller will have to wait or try again later.

Sometimes we cannot reach people when we need them. We get their answering machines or their voice mail messages when we try to call them. But God is never out of reach when we call on His name. The Bible tells us that He is “a very present help” – especially when we are in trouble. One translation of the Bible has this wording in the margin: “abundantly available for help.” When you go to God in prayer and ask Him for help, He is always available! In fact, He is very or abundantly available. He is ready, willing, and eager to help you. You must come in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). You also must not be hanging onto any sin that you are unwilling to confess when you come to Him (Psalm 66:18). But as long as you are coming in obedience to these conditions, you can come to Him for help any time at all.

What kind of trouble can God help you with? Maybe you have started attending a new school, church, or club, and maybe you’re finding it hard to make friends. God can help you reach out to others. Maybe you are upset because your brother or sister treated you unfairly. God can help you forgive and love in return. Maybe you are worried about a family member who is sick. God will listen to you and carry your burden for you so you don’t have to worry. Whatever your problem, nothing is too great or too small for God to care about and help you with. Don’t hesitate to come to Him and ask His help. He is always available to you.

God is always available to help us.

My Response:

» What problem do I need to take to God for His help?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Submitting to His Discipline

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Today’s Scripture: James 4:6

“God . . . gives grace to the humble.”

It’s not enough to see God’s mighty hand behind our adversities, nor to view him as a loving Father disciplining his children. I’ve seen the doctrine of God’s sovereignty in the Scriptures for so many years that I instinctively see his hand behind every circumstance. I regularly acknowledge, almost reluctantly sometimes, that all hardship is God’s discipline, either corrective or remedial. The rub comes in submitting to it. Sometimes we resist it. But if we’re to appropriate God’s grace in our trial, we must first submit to his hand, which brought the trial.

God gives grace only to the humble, to those who are not only humble toward other people, but are humble, or submissive, under his mighty hand. John Lillie expressed this idea well: “?umble yourselves, therefore,’ receiving in silent, meek submission whatever humiliation it [God’s hand] may now lay upon you. For this is your time of trial, and, when paternal rod meets thus with the child-like spirit, will be surely followed by another time of healing and joy.” Then Dr. Lillie added this word of exhortation: “see that you do not frustrate the gracious purpose of God and lose the blessing of sorrow. Rather make that purpose yours also.”

After the death of my first wife, a friend sent me a sympathy card on which she had copied the following verse, apparently from an ancient hymn, which I’ve now put in my notebook to meditate on frequently when I pray: “Lord, I am willing to receive what you give, to lack what you withhold, to relinquish what you take, to suffer what you inflict, to be what you require.”

We must have that spirit if we are to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand and receive the grace he has promised to give.

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Love Without Limit

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Today’s Scripture: Jonah 3-4

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” – John 15:8

I know a man who was the pastor of a church in the South when he and his wife began to feel that God was calling them to Africa. They came up with the usual reasons why they shouldn’t go: They were too old–he was forty-five; they had too many children–seven. And yet, two facts kept coming back to their hearts: Those without Christ were really lost, and the Great Commission still stands. So they went, and faced some rather tough years.

They left their beautiful home for a bamboo hut in the jungle. Their health and the health of their children were threatened by parasites and tropical diseases. They found themselves walking for miles through steaming heat, crossing treacherous rivers in dugout canoes, sleeping in rat-infested native huts. They watched in helplessness as a young mother brought her newborn baby, convulsing in the early stages of tetanus, because an old grandmother had rubbed country medicine–a mixture of dirt, leaves, and cow manure–into the baby’s navel. They had to stand by and watch as a young girl drank the deadly poison of sassa wood to prove she was not a witch.

As this family stayed on and related in love to their lost and ignorant world, they began to see fruit. The lostness of these people had brought them to Africa, and Christ’s love sustained them through the hard times.

This is not a love that casually says, “Be ye warmed and filled,” but a love characterized by sacrifice–a Christ-inspired and God-given love that knows no limits.

Prayer

Lord, increase my faith and strengthen my discipleship. Amen.

To Ponder

If Christ has called us to a labor, it is of eternal consequence.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – Homeschooling, the Feds, and You: Who Knows Best?

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Recently, US Secretary of Education John King, while speaking at a press conference, remarked that although some homeschool situations are just fine, in general, “Students who are homeschooled are not getting the kind of the rapid instructional experience they would get in school.”

King also said that part of the school experience is learning how to deal with and build relationships with peers and teachers—implying that homeschoolers don’t get this kind of experience.

Now, before I go on, in the interest of full disclosure, I’ll tell you that my wife and I homeschool our three daughters. To be specific, we’re part of a community of homeschooling families with a hybrid model that shares resources and that journeys together. We think our daughters are receiving a first-rate education. I say that not just so you know I’ve got a horse in the race, but because my wife and I have personal experience. We know this world. We live in it.

But back to the Secretary’s comments. It’s not clear what he meant by “rapid instructional experience,” but that can mean a sort of checklist approach—plowing through the material, cramming for standardized tests, and hitting every mandated topic. In that sense, he’s right. Many homeschoolers don’t get “rapid instruction” of this sort, but that’s not really education in the first place.

But what has me most concerned about the Secretary’s remarks is the classic “we know better than you” attitude so endemic among governmental elites—whether it’s telling us what kind of healthcare we need, or how to teach our young ones about the most intimate of human relations.

Let me be clear: The federal government’s ever-growing reach into our children’s education is a bi-partisan effort. The Department of Education was established by Jimmy Carter. George W. Bush signed the disastrous “No Child Left Behind” initiative into law. And Common Core, which many argue will leave kids unprepared for college, has both Republican and Democratic support.

Continue reading BreakPoint – Homeschooling, the Feds, and You: Who Knows Best? →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE GOSPEL AND SALVATION

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Read 1 PETER 1:10–12

Mapmaking in the sixteenth century was a mix of information gathered by explorers and educated guesses about previously undocumented parts of the world. One persistent mystery for European mapmakers was what lay between the Americas and Asia—was it a land border? A vast body of water? Were the two continents connected? The Italian mapmaker Gastaldi is thought to be the first to draw a map of the Bering Strait in 1563, though his atlas was not published until it was discovered in a private collection of manuscripts in the 1920s.

Like those early mapmakers, the Old Testament prophets had some information about the coming of Jesus and the message of the gospel, but the Holy Spirit did not reveal the full details to them. They had to trust by faith that the message they were given would bless readers hundreds and even thousands of years later. As we look back at the Old Testament today, we see Christ revealed there.

For instance, Isaiah 53, from which our key verse today is taken, paints a powerful portrait of the Savior who died for sins on our behalf. This chapter predicts “the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow” (v. 11; Isa. 53:10–12). Our salvation rests on this gospel: that Jesus, the Son of God, willingly became human in order to die for our sins, and God raised Him from the dead. He promises eternal life in relationship with God to all who trust Him (vv. 3–5, 12).

Peter mentions the gospel here in part to encourage his readers to rejoice in their identity. Yes, they were suffering—but so had Jesus. And just as Jesus was raised to glory, so too would His followers be given a glorious inheritance of salvation that is worth more than gold.

APPLY THE WORD

Some think the Old Testament isn’t relevant for Christians or that it features an angry god who punishes people. Neither view is correct; 1 Peter says that it is filled with grace and points to Jesus. Read Isaiah 53, and follow Peter’s example by praising God that the gospel was made possible through the suffering and glory of Christ.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior

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John 3:16-17

In this busy and impersonal high-tech world, it seems easier than ever to ignore Jesus Christ. We are led to believe that every challenge can be met quickly and self-sufficiently, often through some online resource. After all, if we want to keep our eyes on the future, why seek a Savior from 2,000 years ago?

As we look to ourselves more and more for answers, we become increasingly susceptible to a dangerous trap—the idea that we can handle life on our own and don’t need Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth.

All through the Bible, we see God taking the initiative in the salvation of man. None of us who are saved have sought Him out; we’ve just responded to the ways He has drawn us to Him (John 6:44). God made the first move: He chose to save us, and then our response followed.

Today’s passage underscores our need for Jesus—it clearly teaches that the Father gave His Son so we might be saved. Without Jesus, we would be utterly without hope of eternal life and would perish instead.

Now think about the Lord’s parting instructions to His disciples. Did He say to sit idly by and simply mention His name to anyone who walked past? No! He said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). He wants the good news to go forth because He is still seeking the lost today.

Our omniscient, omnipotent Savior can meet needs better than the most capable among us. If you don’t know Jesus, He’s looking for you (Luke 19:10). If you do know Him, won’t you share His great news with the world?

Bible in One Year:Malachi 1-4

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Reminders

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Read: Mark 8:11-21

Bible in a Year: Isaiah 14-16; Ephesians 5:1-16

He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”—Mark 8:21

My friend Bob Horner refers to Jesus as “the Master Reminder.” And that is good, because we are so doubting and forgetful. No matter how often Jesus met the needs of the people who came to Him when He was here on earth, His first disciples feared they would somehow be left in need. After witnessing miracles, they failed to understand the greater meaning the Lord wanted them to remember.

On a journey across the Sea of Galilee, the disciples realized they had forgotten to bring bread and were talking about it. Jesus asked them, “Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” (Mark 8:17-18). Then He reminded them that when He fed five thousand people with five loaves, the disciples had collected twelve basketfuls of leftover pieces. And when He fed four thousand with seven loaves, they filled seven baskets with leftovers. Then “He said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’” (v. 21).

The Lord’s miraculous provision for people’s physical needs pointed to the greater truth—that He was the Bread of Life and that His body would be “broken” for them and for us.

Every time we eat the bread and drink the cup during the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of our Lord’s great love and provision for us. —David McCasland

In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus left us a great reminder of His sacrifice. Read about it in Matthew 26:17–30; Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26.

Communion is the Lord’s reminder to us of His love and provision.

INSIGHT: In Mark 7-8, Mark records three stories that highlight Jesus’s ability to meet the needs of His followers: the exorcism of a demon-possessed girl (Mark 7:24-30), the healing of a deaf and mute man (7:31-37), and the feeding of four thousand people with seven simple loaves of bread (8:1-10). Mark tells these three stories in quick succession, underscoring Jesus’s ability to meet the needs of people in a variety of situations. The apostle John calls the miracles Jesus performed “signs.” Like all signs, they point to something. In the case of Jesus’s miracles, they point to His true identity. J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Plague of Plagues

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“But I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:23).

Sin is the deadliest plague ever to affect mankind.

Throughout history, deadly plagues have ravaged the human race. In just three years (1348-1350), the infamous “Black Death” (an outbreak of bubonic plague) killed half the population of Europe. In our own times, diseases such as AIDS have reached epidemic proportions.

But there is one plague that is far deadlier than all the others combined: sin. Sin has affected everyone who has ever lived (Rom. 3:19, 23). And unlike other plagues, sin kills everyone it infects (Rom. 5:12).

While sin invariably causes physical and (apart from faith in Christ) spiritual death, it has many other devastating consequences. Sin corrupts the mind (Jer. 17:9; Eph. 4:17-19), the will (cf. Jer. 44:16-17), and the affections (John 3:19; 1 John 2:15). Sin brings people under the control of Satan (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2) and makes them the objects of God’s wrath (Eph. 2:3). Sin robs people of peace (Isa. 48:22) and replaces it with misery (Job 5:7; Rom. 8:20).

Although as Christians we experience God’s gracious forgiveness, sin still has serious consequences in our lives. Sin grieves the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30), causes God not to answer our prayers (1 Peter 3:7), limits our ability to serve God (2 Tim. 2:20-21), or even disqualifies some from Christian service (1 Cor. 9:27). It also renders our worship hypocritical and unacceptable (Ps. 33:1; Isa. 1:14), causes God to withhold blessing (Jer. 5:25), robs us of joy (Ps. 51:12), subjects us to God’s chastening (Heb. 12:5-11), hinders our spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:13), and pollutes our fellowship with Him (1 Cor. 10:21). Most significantly, sin causes our lives to dishonor Him (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Every true Christian despises sin and yearns to be free from it. Do you realize the deadly nature of sin? I pray that the cry of your heart would echo that of Paul’s: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24).

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for delivering you from sin, and pray that He would give you a holy hatred for it.

For Further Study

Read Romans 7—8.

  • How did Paul view his struggle with sin?
  • What was the key to overcoming it?

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – One in Spirit 

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After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.    1 Samuel 18:1

Being one in spirit means you have reached a level of relational intimacy that few obtain. The loyalty, generosity, love, service, and depth of communication reach levels that are rare in relationships. For intimacy to grow, it is imperative that we get beyond the surface of self-indulgence, and move toward selfless acts of service. People become one in spirit when there is no score-keeping. There is no scorecard charting the rights and wrongs that have been committed. You know the other accepts you, and they love you as they love themselves. One in spirit means you are comfortable with one another’s company. There is a peace that penetrates your presence. Distractions diminish in importance when you experience oneness in spirit. There is an unspoken loyalty that leavens the relationship of those who are one in spirit. When one or the other is caught in the crossfire of life’s events, each knows his friend is close by to help.

Oneness in spirit means you hurt when your friend hurts. When he feels the barbs of rejection, you feel rejected; When she is the brunt of another’s anger, you are taken back by the anger; When he is jarred by jealousy, you feel the pain of jealousy; When she is ravished by disease, you are available any time. There is an energized empathy that engulfs the relationships of those who are one in spirit. It is not a sentimental sensitivity, but one that is based on the sensitivity of our Savior.

The oneness of spirit around the Spirit of God is the most meaningful. Jesus is the best facilitator for real relationships. He is the glue that brings hearts together in oneness for what’s best for God’s Kingdom. Christ is the catalyst for unity around what’s really important. His heart is for us to pray for unity around His will. Jesus has an intimate affect on friends who fear and love Him. Oneness around our one and only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, brings us close together. His Spirit binds the spirits of believers together in a bond the world does not understand. As we grow closer to Christ, we grow closer to Christ’s followers. We are able to have oneness in relationships with those who are one with Christ. So, seek to go deep with those who are deep in the Lord.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – One in Spirit  →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Obedience Brings Success

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Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action).— 2 Timothy 3:16

The Bible says that we will reap what we sow. The dividing line between success and failure is doing what God tells us to do. We pray for fruit in our lives, but we don’t always want to pray for roots.

If we want our days to go right, we need to do whatever God tells us to do. If we don’t walk in obedience, then we can’t complain if we wind up in a mess. If we are lonely and God tells us to invite somebody over, but we decide it is too much trouble, then we will stay lonely.

Obedience brings the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Dig deep into God’s Word before you walk away from blessings today.

From the book Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Greater Works Than He Does

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“In solemn truth I tell you, anyone believing in Me shall do the same miracles I have done, and even greater ones, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask Him for anything, using My name, and I will do it, for this will bring praise to the Father because of what I, the Son, will do for you” (John 14:12,13).

For many years, during and after seminary, I asked leading theologians, pastors and students, “What does this passage mean? How can I and other believers do the same miracles that our Lord did when He was here in the flesh – and even greater ones?”

Surely there had to be some mistakes in the translation of this passage, for I saw little evidence of this supernatural power in the lives of the Christians around me or in my own life.

But I had wrongly interpreted what Jesus said. I was thinking only of the miracles of physical healing. God still heals the sick, and almost daily I pray that He will touch the ailing bodies of ill ones. God sometimes heals them miraculously, though mostly He works through the skill of surgeons and the miracle of modern medicine.

Yet, while physical healing is certainly valid and very desirable, I realize more and more that a greater miracle is the miracle of new birth. For the body that is healed will one day die, but the person who is introduced to Christ and experiences salvation will live forever. The main reason our Lord came to this earth was to “seek and save the lost,” not primarily to perform miracles of physical healing. Frequently, we are privileged to experience the reality of our Lord’s promise as He enables us to “seek and save the lost” in greater numbers than He did while He was here in the flesh.

For example, in 1980, during the Korean Here’s Life World Evangelization Crusade we saw more than one million people indicate salvation decisions during the week.

Bible Reading: Matthew 21:21-22

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Beginning today, I will claim, in the name of Jesus, that He who dwells within me, who came to seek and to save the lost and is not willing that any should perish, will do even greater miracles in and through my life than He did while here in the flesh. By faith, I will experience and share the Supernatural life of Christ with others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Behind Divisions

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Read: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Paul always expresses great concern about the possibility of a split in the church. In a similar passage in his letter to the Philippians he says, So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind, (Philippians 2:1-2 RSV). In writing to the church at Ephesus, he exhorted the elders there to be careful to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, (Ephesians 4:3 RSV).

Church unity is a very important matter. Paul puts it first in the list of problems he has to deal with here at Corinth. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. Here in Verse 10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I appeal to you, he says, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. There is no other name big enough, great enough, glorious enough, and powerful enough to gather everybody together, despite the diversity of viewpoint and the differences of background or status in life, than the name of Jesus. That is why the apostle appeals to it. He recognizes that we share a common life if we have come to Christ; we are brothers and sisters because we have his life in us. He is the ground, always, of unity. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Behind Divisions →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Paul’s First Bit

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Read: Acts 16:16-24

These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. (v. 20)

It’s hard for people who have never been there to “remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them” (Heb. 13:3). Thankfully, the Bible shows us how—most of all through Paul, who did his share of time. We’ll examine his story over the next several days.

Paul’s first bit happens in Philippi, a financial capital originally founded to help King Philip II of Macedon control the nearby gold mines. Wealthy cities are naturally obsessed with predicting the future. Today, we have market forecasters on Wall Street; in Paul’s day, they had soothsayers—such as the slave girl who clamorously followed Paul and his companions around until he finally cast the fortune-telling spirit out of her.

When Paul exorcised the slave girl, he ruined a sound business plan. The young woman’s exploiters reacted accordingly. They had Paul beaten and jailed on the charge that he was, in effect, a weirdo, an ethnic outsider who upset the order. We still jail people for being not so much harmful as outside some norm. Think, for example, of the undiagnosed mentally ill, nonviolent addicts, or the black man who was arrested on a charge of “obstructing pedestrian traffic”—for standing in his own doorway. By preserving this moment in Paul’s story, the Holy Spirit reminds us that we as Christians shouldn’t fit too smoothly into the order of things, either.

Prayer:

Lord, remember and defend those who mean well, but don’t fit in.

Author: Phil Christman

 

https://woh.org/

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – We Should Not Resist God

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“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:25-29)

Annie looked at the fire that Mr. Cook had built for their Sunday School class’s hot dog roast. She tried to get closer with her stick, but the fire was still too hot. She was hungry, and this was going to take a long time! It was a good ten minutes before the roaring fire had died down enough for Annie and her friends to get near enough to roast their hot dogs. When she finally squatted down nearby and stuck her hot dog over the hot embers, Annie glanced down at her shoes. The tips of her sneakers were a little bit melted! Wow!

Annie’s shoes were not fire-resistant. That means that they were not able to stand up against the heat of the fire. The toes of them were melted! It is a good thing that she stayed as far away from the fire as she did!

Did you know that God describes Himself in His Word as a consuming fire? “Consuming” means it burns up everything it touches and cannot be put out. That is pretty strong language to describe God, isn’t it? But it probably does not even come close to how powerful and glorious and holy God really is. Human language could never express everything that God is. But Hebrews 12:25-29 uses very strong words to describe Him – as the One “that speaketh from heaven,” and as Him “whose voice then shook the earth,” and “God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:25-29 starts out with “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.” That “him” there is referring to God, and the command is that we are not supposed to refuse Him and His Word. Why? Because this is the kind of God He is – the kind of God Who speaks from heaven, the kind of God Whose voice shakes the earth, and the kind of God Who is a “consuming fire.” No one can stand up to God and get away with it.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – We Should Not Resist God →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Adversity’s Goal

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Today’s Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:14-16

“The Lord your God . . . led you through the great and terrifying wilderness . . . to do you good in the end.”

The writer of Hebrews contrasted the finite wisdom of human parents in disciplining children with the infinite, infallible wisdom of God. Even the best human parents can only discipline as they think best. Their judgment is fallible, their actions are sometimes inconsistent and are often guided by the impulse of the moment. As is often observed, they have to learn by doing. Anyone who has tried to rear children in a godly, responsible manner knows there are times when parents simply do not know what is the appropriate manner or degree of discipline for a child.

God, however, always disciplines us for our good. He knows what is best for each one of us. He doesn’t have to debate with himself over what is most suitable for us. He knows intuitively and perfectly the nature, intensity, and duration of adversity that will best serve his purpose to make us partakers of his holiness. He never brings more pain than is needed to accomplish his purpose. Lamentations 3:33 expresses that sentiment this way: “For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men” (NIV).

Returning to Hebrews 12:10: “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (NIV). Observe how the writer equated our good with becoming more holy. Paul wrote in a similar manner when he said, “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son” (Romans 8:28-29, NIV). To be conformed to the likeness of Christ and to share in God’s holiness are equivalent expressions. That is the highest good to which the believer can aspire. (Excerpt taken from The Discipline of Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Open Territory

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Today’s Scripture: Ezekiel 16-19

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” – Mark 16:15

Do you have anyone in your church who seems territorial about his or her ministry? This person may be in charge of the kitchen or the choir robes or the nursery or the Sunday school. If someone comes along with a suggestion for improvement, the person in charge blows up. It reminds me of the poster of the great big gorilla who says, “If I want any advice from you, I’ll beat it out of you.”

In light of that, consider Ezekiel 16:1-3: “The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem…” Ezekiel had been called by God to minister among the captives in Babylon. His older contemporary, the prophet Jeremiah, was left to preach to those in Jerusalem. Was Ezekiel trying to move in on Jeremiah’s territory here? No. God was using His messengers among His scattered people, wherever they were.

In the New Testament, we find Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, winning people to Christ in a synagogue in Greece. We find Peter, the apostle to the Jews, sharing Christ with a Roman centurion named Cornelius.

In the task of proclaiming God’s message, there are no territorial lines, and all of us need all the help we can get. I was speaking in a church where the pastor is a godly man with a very successful long-term ministry. His only territory was the harvest field of God, and he was open to everything he could learn from others. Christian, let’s labor together, because we can’t do it alone!

Prayer

Lord, keep me from staking out my “turf” at church, and strengthen me in my desire to quietly serve others. Amen.

To Ponder

Our service in the church is to build up the believers, to the glory of God. Our ministry to the world is to cooperate with our fellow believers in spreading the gospel, to the glory of God.

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – SUFFERING AND SALVATION

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Read 1 PETER 1:6–9

The 2016 Summer Olympics were held in Brazil this year, the culmination of years of training and dedication for thousands of athletes. Psychologists have studied how athletes stay motivated to endure rigorous preparation for months and years before the pinnacle of competition. For many, when faced with yet another day of swimming laps or doing speed drills or perfecting their form, it helps to remember the goal: representing their country and winning a medal.

Our reading today is the second section of Peter’s opening doxology in verses 3 to 12, which is one long sentence in the Greek text. As we saw yesterday, God’s work through Jesus has provided us with a living hope and promised inheritance. But like an intricate symphony weaving together major and minor keys, Peter acknowledges that his readers, these foreigners and strangers, are also suffering and grieving due to “all kinds of trials” (v. 6).

Scripture never ignores the reality of our suffering. Peter does not instruct his readers to “just look on the bright side.” But God’s Word does give us perspective in our suffering. Enduring these trials strengthens our faith. Persevering through times of suffering deepens our joy. We are able to face these challenges, day in and day out, because we focus on God’s promise to save us—and we believe that our God always keeps His promises.

Notice how many times the words rejoice or joy appear in these verses. Scripture often juxtaposes suffering and joy (see Ps. 30:5; 1 Thess. 1:6). This seems contrary to our assumptions— we’re happy when things are going well, right? This spiritual mystery should encourage us when we go through challenging times: God uses suffering to bless us with joy, a joy that allows us to praise Jesus and keep our eyes fixed on Him.

APPLY THE WORD

God doesn’t promise us nirvana or prosperity or freedom from pain. But He does promise that suffering and trials can never take away our eternal salvation or His love for us. If you’re in the middle of a difficult slog, ask the Lord to fill you with the “joy of your salvation,” to keep your focus on your eternal inheritance in Jesus (Ps. 51:12).

 

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