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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Following Christ’s Example

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John MacArthur

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7).

Mercy is not a human attribute. It is God’s gift to those who seek Him. Psalm 103:11 says, “As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (KJV).

The verb form of “merciful” appears many times in Scripture and means “to have mercy on,” “aid the afflicted,” “give help to the wretched,” or “rescue the miserable.” In general it refers to anything you do to benefit someone in need. The noun form is used only twice: here in Matthew 5:7 and in Hebrews 2:17, which reads, “[Christ] had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest.” Christ Himself is both the source and illustration of mercy.

Christ modeled mercy throughout His earthly ministry. He healed the sick and enabled the crippled to walk. He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to the mute. His redeeming love embraced sinners of all kinds. He wept with those in sorrow and comforted the lonely. He embraced little children and the elderly alike. His mercy was compassion in action!

Despite His abundant mercy, Jesus received no mercy from His enemies. They hated Him without cause, accused Him falsely, beat Him, nailed Him to a cross, spat upon Him, and cursed Him. Even then He sought mercy for them, praying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Some have paraphrased Matthew 5:7 to say that if you show mercy to others, they will show mercy to you. Now that might happen in some isolated incidences, but in this jaded world that’s not often the case–as Jesus’ life clearly demonstrates. Many Christians have incurred slander, rebuke, lawsuits, and even death for their noble efforts. Jesus didn’t guarantee merciful treatment from others. His emphasis was that God shows mercy toward those who show mercy to others.

Don’t ever be reluctant to show mercy to others–even when they misunderstand or mistreat you. God will use your kindness for His glory and reward you accordingly.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•             Praise Jesus for being willing to suffer death that you might receive mercy.

•             Is there someone you might show mercy to today in some tangible way?

For Further Study:

Read John 5:1-18.

•             How did Christ demonstrate mercy to the sick man?

•             How did the Jewish religious leaders react?

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Too Hard?

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And the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in every work of your hand. . . . If you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being. For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. . . . But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it.

—Deuteronomy 30:9–11, 14

Please make everything easy and simple for me, dear God. I don’t like to struggle, and I want constant victory without exerting any effort. Let me go on my way as I let You do everything to keep me secure.

I’ve never heard anyone pray those words, but I have heard people pray in such a way that they were asking for an easy time in life. Too many people want victory without battle, triumph without effort, and ease without labor. God’s world simply doesn’t function that way.

“It’s just too hard.” I wonder how many times I’ve heard people talk that way. I wonder how many times Joyce Meyer has talked that way. And I did. There was a time when I’d make a firm stand for following the Lord, but in my heart (and often in my mouth) were the words that “it was just so hard.”

God convicted me of negative thinking. He taught me that if I would stop looking at the hardships and obey Him, He would make a way for me. The previous verses tell us that God wants to bless us and prosper the work of our hands, but we must obey His commandments. And in verse 11, He assures us that we can do it: “For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off.”

Because we spend so much time listening to the negatives and figuring out what can go wrong, too often we forget the promise that His will is not too difficult for us. Instead, it may help if you think of the obvious difficulties as blessings from God.

For instance, take encouragement from Joseph. After he spent years in Egypt and saved the lives of his family in Canaan, his brothers were afraid of him. They had hated him, plotted to kill him, and sold him into slavery. After their father, Jacob, died, they expected Joseph to punish them. He could have done that and groaned about his hard life—and his life had not been easy. Not only was he sold as a slave by his brothers, but he had been wrongly imprisoned and could have been put to death if God hadn’t been with him.

Instead of saying, “Life is so hard,” Joseph said, “As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day” (Genesis 50:20). He understood how God works in human lives.

Joseph didn’t look at the hardships; he looked at the opportunities. Joseph didn’t listen to the whispering campaign of his enemy; he turned his ears to the encouraging words of his God. In no place do we read of him complaining. He saw everything that happened to him as God’s loving hand upon him.

I wrote the words loving hand even though it may not always seem that way. And that’s where the devil sometimes creeps in to say, “If God loves you so much, why are you in this mess?”

The best answer I can give is to repeat the words of Paul the great apostle: “Let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5).

God never promises an easy life, but He does promise a blessed life.

God of love and compassion, please forgive me for complaining about life being too hard. Forgive me for wanting things to be easy. Lead me wherever You want me to go and, in the name of Jesus, I plead that You will help me rejoice all the way—even in the midst of the problems, because You will be there to help me solve them. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Destroying the Devil’s Works

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“But if you keep on sinning, it shows that you belong to Satan, who since he first began to sin has kept steadily at it. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

A young Christian came to inquire of me one day, “How do you account for the fact that so many Christian leaders, many of them famous personalities, pastors and heads of Christian organizations are involved in moral and financial scandals?”

He named several well-known pastors and Christian leaders to illustrate his point.

Sadly I acknowledged his statement to be true. It seems there is an all-out attack of Satan to destroy the credibility of the Christian message. My explanation to him was that our Lord and the apostle Paul dealt with the same problem because, even though the disciples had been with the Lord Jesus three years or more, Judas betrayed Him and the others deserted Him.

The apostle Paul spoke of several who had deserted him. Those included Demas, who loved the present world, and Hymenaeus, Alexander and Philetus, who strayed from the truth.

Only one person can help us live holy lives that will honor our Lord, who came to destroy the works of the devil, and that is the third person of the Trinity – God the Holy Spirit. As long as we cast our ballot for the Spirit in our warfare against the flesh, we can live supernaturally every day in the joy, the wonder, the adventure and the power of the resurrection. It is simply a matter of our will; the decision is ours.

Bible Reading: I John 3:4-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  “Oh, God, thank You that You sent Your Son to destroy the works of the devil. I will claim the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit so that I may live victoriously and never bring scandal or disgrace to Your name.”

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – The Foreseen Future

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Many Americans wonder what tomorrow holds for the country and themselves. Where is the nation heading? What will happen to the economy? Who will win the next election? Will I be happy and prosperous? Humans long to know the future so much that psychic hotlines have become a multimillion-dollar industry. People fail to realize while they may not know the details, their future can be certain…if they look to the Scriptures to God’s plan.

Jesus took bread…broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Matthew 26:26

In today’s passage, Jesus and the disciples were celebrating the Passover Feast. Jesus used this meal as a prediction of what He was about to do for all mankind; sacrifice Himself. Passover was the commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. In the new covenant, it would become a symbol of Jesus delivering men from the slavery and penalty of sin through His death and resurrection. Those who believe can know their future is secure.

Are you concerned about your future or the country’s destiny? Know God is in control. As you pray today, ask the Lord to direct you and the nation’s leaders to follow His ultimate plan.

Recommended Reading: Luke 12:22-31

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Trap of Temptation     

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Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. —James 4:7

Right after I became a Christian, other believers warned me, “Greg, watch out. There is a Devil who will tempt you.”

I said, “Right. A Devil.” I thought of the red figure with the pitchfork and horns.

They said, “No, the Devil is real. He is a real spirit power, and he will tempt you.”

I said, “Get out of town! He isn’t going to tempt me.”

I was in high school at the time, and there was a certain girl in my art class whom I sort of had a crush on. I hadn’t mustered up the courage to walk up and talk to her. I was sitting in class one day as a brand-new Christian, and suddenly she walked up to me and said, “Hi. What’s your name?” We had been in the same class for months, and she had never even acknowledged my existence.

I told her my name.

She said, “You know, you’re kind of cute. My parents have a cabin up in the mountains, and I’m going up there this weekend. Why don’t you come up with me? Let’s get to know each other better.”

I thought, This is it. This is what they told me about. It’s temptation! I declined her invitation and realized there had to be something to what had just happened. I thought, I’m not an idiot. No girl has ever come up to me and said this before. This is a setup.

That experience made me want to follow the Lord even more because I saw the reality of the spiritual world beginning to unfold. Remember, the Devil wants to keep you from coming to Christ. And once you have come to Christ, he wants to keep you from moving forward.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – It is Finished

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Max Lucado

Picture if you will, a blank check.   The amount of the check is “sufficient grace.”  The signer of the check is Jesus.  The only blank line is for the payee.  That part is for you!  May I urge you to spend a few moments with your Savior receiving this check?  Reflect on the work of God’s grace. The nails that once held a Savior to the cross.  His sacrifice was for you.  Express your thanks for His grace.  Whether for the first time or the thousandth, let Him hear you whisper, “Forgive us our debts.” And let Him answer your prayer as you imagine writing your name on the check.

No more deposits are necessary.  So complete was the payment that Jesus used a banking term to proclaim your salvation.  “It is finished”  (John 19:30)!  Perhaps I best slip out now and leave the two of you to talk.

from The Great House of God

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Story of the 10 Lepers

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Charles Stanley

Bible Study: Luke 17:11-19

 

Ten leprous men stood at a distance (which the law required them to do), begging Jesus to have mercy on them. The Lord instructed them to show themselves to the priests—the health inspectors of sorts, who could pronounce the disease healed or not (Lev. 14:7). Ironically—even surprisingly—Jesus didn’t heal them on the spot.

They were being invited to exercise faith, as none were yet “clean.” Picture these lepers, hobbling, limping, some with decaying limbs and rotting skin, going to show the priests that their leprous bodies had been healed—when they weren’t yet. That’s why it’s called faith. But as they obeyed, the hobbling and limping became less noticeable, and their skin started to renew itself, as the power of the living God marvelously regenerated their bodies.

Jesus wanted them to personally experience faith, which is an invitation to join God in a miracle. We step out in faith, and He meets us. Yet only one leper, when he realized he had been entirely healed, was so overcome with joy that he rushed back to thank Jesus. Only one. And it was a Samaritan. Jesus tells the man, “Your faith has made you well.”

An invitation.

An acceptance.

Salvation of body and soul.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Most of Jesus’ healings were instantaneous, but that wasn’t the case with the 10 lepers. How did the delayed cure build their faith in Him? How might your faith be stretched or strengthened if you aren’t healed right away?

2. Though 10 men were healed, only one returned to give thanks. How many times over the last year has God answered a prayer of yours or given you some good thing? How have you returned to Him in gratitude?

3. Jesus sent still-leprous men to report to priests that they’d been healed. Scripture

tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Can you remember a time when you had to step out in faith and God met you there? In which areas is He currently asking you to walk by faith?

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Determination

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Our Daily Bread

Ruth 1:6,11-18;

Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. —Ruth 1:16

During a television news report on the plight of refugees displaced from a war-torn country, I was struck by the words of a 10-year-old girl. Despite there being little possibility of returning to their home, she showed a resilient spirit: “When we go back, I’m going to visit my neighbors; I’m going to play with my friends,” she said with quiet determination. “My father says we don’t have a house. And I said we are going to fix it.”

There is a place for tenacity in life, especially when it is rooted in our faith in God and love for others. The book of Ruth begins with three women bound together by tragedy. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, she decided to return to her home in Bethlehem and urged her widowed daughters-in-law to stay in their country of Moab. Orpah remained but Ruth vowed to go with Naomi, saying, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). When Naomi saw that Ruth “was determined to go with her” (v.18), they began their journey together.

Stubbornness is sometimes rooted in pride, but commitment grows from love. When Jesus went to the cross, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). From His determination to die for us, we find the resolve to live for Him. —David McCasland

My life, my love, I give to Thee,

Thou Lamb of God who died for me;

Oh, may I ever faithful be,

My Savior and my God! —Hudson

Love calls for commitment.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 22-24; Luke 12:1-31

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg  – He Was Made Sin

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Alistair Begg

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Leviticus 1:4

Our Lord’s being “made . . . sin”2 for us is pictured here by the very significant transfer of sin to the bullock, which was done by the elders of the people. The laying of the hand was not a mere touch of contact, for in some other places of Scripture the original word has the meaning of leaning heavily, as in the expression, “Your wrath lies heavy upon me” (Psalm 88:7).

Surely this is the very essence and nature of faith, which not only brings us into contact with the great Substitute, but also teaches us to lean upon Him with all the burden of our guilt. Jehovah made all the offenses of His covenant people rest upon the Substitute, and each one of the chosen is brought personally to confirm this solemn covenant act, when by grace he is enabled by faith to lay his hand upon the head of the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world.

Believer, do you remember that wonderful day when you first realized pardon through Jesus the sin-bearer? Can you make a glad confession and join with the writer in saying, “My soul recalls the day of deliverance with delight. Burdened with guilt and full of fears, I saw my Savior as my Substitute, and I laid my hand upon Him—timidly at first, but courage grew and confidence was confirmed until I leaned my soul entirely upon Him. And now it is my unceasing joy to know that my sins are no longer imputed to me but are laid on Him. Like the debts of the wounded traveler, Jesus, like the good Samaritan, has said of all my future sinfulness, ‘Set that to My account.'”

Blessed discovery! Eternal solace of a grateful heart!

My numerous sins transferr’d to Him,

Shall never more be found,

Lost in His blood’s atoning stream,

Where every crime is drown’d!

22 Corinthians 5:21

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission.

The family reading plan for  April 13, 2014  Proverbs 31 | 1 Timothy 2

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon –  A willing people and an immutable leader

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“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” Psalm 110:3

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Kings 19:9-18

Christ shall always have a people. In the darkest ages Christ has always had a church; and if darker times shall come, he will have his church still. Oh! Elijah, thy unbelief is foolish. Thou sayest, “I, only I, am left alone, and they seek my life.” No, Elijah, in those caves of the earth God has his prophets, hidden by seventies. Thou too, poor unbelieving Christian, at times thou sayest, “I, even I, am left.” Oh! If thou hadst eyes to see, if thou couldst travel a little, thy heart would be glad to find that God does not lack a people. It cheers my heart to find that God has a family everywhere. We do not go anywhere but we find really earnest hearts—men full of prayer. I bless God that I can say, concerning the church wherever I have been, though they are not many, there are a few, who sigh and groan over the sorrows of Israel. There are chosen bands in every church, thoroughly earnest men who are looking out for, and are ready to receive their Master, who cry to God that he would send them times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Do not be too sad; God has a people, and they are willing now; and when the day of God’s power shall come, there is no fear about the people. Religion may be at a low ebb, but it never was at such a low ebb that God’s ship was stranded. It may be ever so low, but the devil shall never be able to cross the river of Christ’s church dry shod. He shall always find abundance of water running in the channel. God grant us grace to look out for his people, believing that there are some everywhere, for the promise is, “thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.”

For meditation: Do you feel one of the few? God’s people may be nearer and more numerous than you imagine (Acts 18:9,10); even when we are very few, Christ is nearer than we sometimes imagine (Matthew 18:20).

Sermon no. 74

13 April (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Being Filled with Mercy

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John MacArthur

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7).

Like the other beatitudes, Matthew 5:7 contains a twofold message: to enter the kingdom you must seek mercy. Once there, you must show mercy to others.

The thought of showing mercy probably surprised Christ’s audience because both the Jews and the Romans tended to be merciless. The Romans exalted justice, courage, discipline, and power. To them mercy was a sign of weakness. For example, if a Roman father wanted his newborn child to live, he simply held his thumb up; if he wanted it to die, he held his thumb down.

Jesus repeatedly rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for their egotistical, self-righteous, and condemning attitudes. They were intolerant of anyone who failed to live by their traditions. They even withheld financial support from their own needy parents (Matt. 15:3-9).

Like the people of Jesus’ time, many people today also lack mercy. Some are outright cruel and unkind, but most are so consumed with their quest for self-gratification that they simply neglect others.

Christians, on the other hand, should be characterized by mercy. In fact, James used mercy to illustrate true faith: “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:14- 17). He also said mercy is characteristic of godly wisdom: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (3:17).

As one who has received mercy from God, let mercy be the hallmark of your life.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•             Thank God for His great mercy.

•             Ask Him to give you opportunities to show mercy to others today.

For Further Study:

Read Luke 10:25-37.

•             Who questioned Jesus and what was his motive?

•             What characteristics of mercy were demonstrated by the Samaritan traveler?

•             What challenge did Jesus give His hearer? Are you willing to meet that challenge?

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Sufficient Grace

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My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness.—2 Corinthians 12:9

Do you ever wonder why God does not always deliver you from your bondage and problems immediately? The reason is because only the Lord knows everything that needs to be done in the lives of His children—and the perfect timing for it to be done.

You are not always delivered from your distress at the precise moment you call on the name of the Lord. Sometimes you must endure for a while, be patient and continue in faith. Thank God, during those times in which the Lord decides for whatever reason not to deliver you right away, He always gives the grace and strength you need to press on toward eventual victory.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Inner Strengthening

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“That out of His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you the mighty inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16).

In Christ are all the attributes and characteristics promised to His children as the fruit of the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit was given to glorify Christ.

Do you need love?

The Lord Jesus Christ is the incarnation of love. Paul prays that our roots may “go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves (though it is so great that you will never see the end of it, or fully know or understand it”) (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Do you need peace?

Christ is the “Prince of Peace.” “I am leaving you with a gift,” said Jesus, “peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives” (John 14:27).

Do you need joy?

Christ is joy.

Do you need patience?

Christ is patience.

Do you need wisdom?

Christ is wisdom.

Are you in need of material possessions so that you can better serve Christ?

They are available in Him, for God owns “the cattle on a thousand hills,” and He promised to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

All that we need is to be found in Christ and nowhere else. The supernatural life is Christ, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:17-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Knowing that God’s unlimited resources make possible the mighty inner strengthening in my life, I shall focus my attention upon Him through reading His inspired Word and obeying His commands.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. –  Keep Shouting

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Thousands of frenzied fans made it almost impossible for the Beatles to get inside their venue whenever they came to town. Screaming admirers went to great lengths for even a glimpse of the Fab Four. When musical acts opened for the group, the volume of the audience was so great the bands couldn’t be heard. When you are passionate about something, you can’t help but share your excitement with others.

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!

Luke 19:38

In today’s verse, Jesus’ triumphal entry was also an exciting moment. He rode in on a donkey while onlookers laid their coats and palm branches on the ground in front of Him and screamed praises. When the Pharisees told Christ to quiet His followers, He told them, “If these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:40) Now imagine the throngs of people joined together in worship at Jesus Second Coming, and the shouts of exultation that glorious day.

Rejoice! Give thanks this Palm Sunday for the one and only Son of God. Read today’s verse out loud as a praise to your King. Ask God to strengthen your witness as you lead others to become disciples of Christ. Then pray for your nation and its leaders to turn to God before Jesus returns.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 95:1-7

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Passionate and Protective

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Charles Stanley

Mark 11:15-17

This wasn’t Jesus’ first time at the temple. His parents accidentally left Him there once when He was a boy, and He had often taught there at times during His ministry (Matt.26:55). But this visit was different. This time He surprised a temple audience with more than His words. This time He grew fiercely angry at the activities in the courtyard.

Fierce anger isn’t what we expect from Jesus. But God is passionate about His people, and His people were at the mercy of mercenaries at the temple. That had to stop. So Jesus turned tables, drove out the profiteers, and quoted phrases from the prophets to prove His point. God’s temple is a place of prayer for the nations, not a business venture.

This event clearly teaches us that God opposes deception and greed, but there’s a much deeper message in it. The intensity of Jesus’ reaction reflects the heart of the Father for His people. The passion He demonstrated at the temple wasn’t about the building; it was about the worshipers who have gathered and, on a larger scale, the nations they represented. Apparently, God isn’t just mildly interested in the hearts of human beings. He’s fiercely protective of them. He’s zealous for our worship and jealous for our love.

When Solomon dedicated the first temple in Jerusalem, priests fell on their faces as God powerfully filled the building with His presence. The building was holy ground, a place of purity and prayer. Centuries later when Jesus overthrew the money changers’ tables, He demonstrated God’s intense passion for this same holy ground. But what about now? Worshipers no longer gather at a temple in Jerusalem. Where does God direct His passion?

To us. In the New Testament, God’s people become the temple of His presence. The building gives way to the body. If Jesus could be so profoundly provoked over a stone temple, how much more fervent is He about His body of believers? The purity and prayerfulness of His dwelling place deeply matter to Him. He enters our hearts with zeal to drive out unholy influences and make us His own.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — New Beginnings

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Our Daily Bread

Isaiah 43:14-21

Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? —Isaiah 43:19

New beginnings are possible. Just ask Brayan, a young man who joined a gang in elementary school. Brayan ran away when he was 12 years old, and for 3 years was lost in gang and drug life. Although he left the gang and returned home, it was difficult for him, as he had been expelled from school for selling drugs. When he enrolled in a new high school, however, a teacher inspired and encouraged him to write about his experiences rather than repeat them. He embraced the challenge and is now experiencing a fresh start.

God, through the prophet Isaiah, encouraged Jewish exiles to think about a new beginning as well. God said, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old” (Isa. 43:18). He told them to stop dwelling on their punishment and even on His display of power through the original exodus from Egypt. He wanted their attention to be focused on God who would give them a new beginning by bringing them home from Babylon through a new exodus (v.19).

With God, new beginnings are possible in our hearts. He can help us to let go of the past and start clinging to Him. Relationship with Him provides a new hope for all who will trust Him. —Marvin Williams

Lord, we need Your touch on our lives.

Work in our hearts in whatever areas need

a fresh start. Help us to do our part and to

trust You to do what only You can do.

God gives fresh starts from the inside out.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 19-21; Luke 11:29-54

Insight

In today’s reading, we see the Hebrew remnant facing the arduous trek back to the Promised Land and the demands of rebuilding their lives. Certainly, a feeling of insecurity must have filled their hearts. Yet the Lord was with them and would provide protection and success. Today, believers also need to trust in God’s provision. Inevitably, challenges of transition, new circumstances, and an uncertain future can cause anxiety. Yet the living God gives us this promise: “I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (v.19). No matter what difficulties we encounter, God will find a way for us.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg  – The King’s Garden

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Alistair Begg

…The king’s garden…

Nehemiah 3:15

Mention of the king’s garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise that the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that delightful dwelling and has driven out the children of men to till the ground, which yields thorns and thistles to them. My soul, remember the Fall, for it was your fall. Weep much because the Lord of love was so shamefully ill treated by the head of the human race, of which you are a member, as undeserving as any. Behold how dragons and demons dwell on this fair earth, which was once a garden of delights.

Look now at another King’s garden, which the King waters with His bloody sweat—Gethsemane, whose bitter herbs are far sweeter to renewed souls than the luscious fruits of Eden. In Gethsemane the mischief of the serpent in the first garden was undone: There the curse was lifted from earth and borne by the woman’s promised seed. My soul, learn to ponder Christ’s agony and passion; visit the garden of the olive-press, and view your great Redeemer rescuing you from your lost condition. This is the garden of gardens; indeed, here the soul may see the guilt of sin and the power of love, two sights that surpass all others.

Is there no other King’s garden? Yes, my heart, or should be. How do the flowers flourish? Do any choice fruits appear? Does the King walk there and rest in the arbor of my spirit? Let me ensure that the plants are trimmed and watered, and the mischievous foxes hunted out. Come, Lord, and let the heavenly wind blow at Your coming, that the spices of Your garden may cast their fragrance everywhere. I must not forget the King’s garden of the church. O Lord, send prosperity to it. Rebuild her walls, nourish her plants, ripen her fruits, and from the huge wilderness reclaim the wasteland and make of it a King’s garden.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission.

The family reading plan for  April 12, 2014  Proverbs 30 | 1 Timothy 1

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Spiritual resurrection

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CharlesSpurgeon

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1

Suggested Further Reading: Colossians 2:9-14

Does it not seem a strange thing, that you, who have walked to this place this morning, shall be carried to your graves; that the eyes with which you now behold me shall soon be glazed in everlasting darkness; that the tongues, which just now moved in song, shall soon be silent lumps of clay; and that your strong and stalwart frame, now standing in this place, will soon be unable to move a muscle, and become a loathsome thing, the brother of the worm and the sister of corruption? You can scarcely get hold of the idea; death does such awful work with us, it is such a vandal with this mortal fabric, it so rends to pieces this fair thing that God has built up, that we can scarcely bear to contemplate his works of ruin. Now, endeavour, as well as you can, to get the idea of a dead corpse, and when you have done so, please to understand, that this is the metaphor employed in my text, to set forth the condition of your soul by nature. Just as the body is dead, incapable, unable, unfeeling, and soon about to become corrupt and putrid, so are we if we be unquickened by divine grace; dead in trespasses and sins, having within us death, which is capable of developing itself in worse and worse stages of sin and wickedness, until all of us here, left by God’s grace, should become loathsome beings; loathsome through sin and wickedness, even as the corpse through natural decay. Understand, that the doctrine of the Holy Scripture is, that man by nature, since the fall, is dead; he is a corrupt and ruined thing; in a spiritual sense, utterly and entirely dead. And if any of us shall come to spiritual life, it must be by the quickening of God’s Spirit, given to us sovereignly through the good will of God the Father, not for any merits of our own, but entirely of his own abounding and infinite grace.

For meditation: Have you passed from death to life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:24)? Better to be a nobody alive in Christ than a king dead in trespasses and sins (Ecclesiastes 9:4).

Sermon no. 127

12 April (Easter 1857)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Evaluating Your Righteousness

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John MacArthur

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).

Righteousness means “to be right with God.” When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you passionately desire an ongoing and ever-maturing relationship with God Himself.

Righteousness begins with salvation and continues in sanctification. Only after you abandon all self- righteousness and hunger for salvation, will you be cleansed from sin and made righteous in Christ. Then you embark on a lifelong process of becoming as righteous as Christ–a process that will culminate when you are in His presence fully glorified (Rom. 8:29-30; 1 John 3:2). There’s always need for improvement in this life (Phil. 3:12-14), but satisfaction comes in communing with Christ and growing in His grace.

You can know if you’re hungering and thirsting for righteousness by asking yourself some simple questions. First, are you dissatisfied with your sin? Self- satisfaction is impossible if you are aware of your sin and grieve when you fall short of God’s holy standard.

Second, do external things satisfy your longings? A hungry man isn’t satisfied until he eats. A thirsty man isn’t satisfied until he drinks. When you hunger and thirst after righteousness, only God’s righteousness can satisfy you.

Third, do you have an appetite for God’s Word? Hungry people don’t need to be told to eat. It’s instinctive! Spiritual hunger will drive you to feed on the Word to learn what God says about increasing in righteousness.

Fourth, are you content amid difficulties? A hungry soul is content despite the pain it goes through because it sees every trial as a means by which God is teaching greater righteousness. If you react with anger or resentment when things go wrong, you’re seeking superficial happiness.

Finally, are your hunger and thirst unconditional? The rich young ruler in Matthew 19 knew there was a void in his life but was unwilling to give up his possessions. His hunger was conditional.

Christ will fully satisfy every longing of your heart, yet you will also constantly desire more of His righteousness. That’s the blessed paradox of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Suggestions for Prayer: Read Psalm 112 as a hymn of praise to God.

For Further Study: Read the following verses, noting how God satisfies those who trust in Him: Psalm 34:10, Psalm 107:9, Isaiah 55:1-3, John 4:14, and John 6:35.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Be Fully Satisfied

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Joyce meyer

Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. —Psalm 92:13–14

Many people pursue possessions and awards to satisfy their inner need for contentment. But we can be fully satisfied in lean times and in times of abundance, whether we abase or abound (See Philippians 4:12), when we learn to enjoy fellowship with the Lord as soon as we wake up.

Before you are fully awake, you can start talking to God. Just thank Him for seeing you through yesterday, and for being with you today. Praise Him for providing for you, and for working out all the situations in your life for your good.

Ask Him to make you aware of His presence all day long. Peace fills your heart when your mind is on the Lord. Nothing is more satisfying than walking with God.