Tag Archives: jesus christ

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Forgets Our Sins

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“And then he adds, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds'” (Hebrews 10:17).

We were seated at the breakfast table, talking about the exciting adventure of the Christian life. Chuck and Mary were just discovering new facets and understanding of the life in Christ.

“Can you tell us in a few words what should be our objective as Christians?” they asked me.

In very brief summary, I replied, “The Christian life is the process of becoming in our experience through the enabling of the Holy Spirit what we already are in God’s sight, in order to bring maximum glory, honor and praise to His name.”

Christ gave Himself to God for our sins – as one sacrifice for one time. Then He sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. For by that one offering He made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom He is making holy.

I am perfect in God’s sight, because in His sight there is no such thing as time and space. Let me hasten to all: I know that I am not perfect in my experience. That is a process which takes time, knowledge of God and His Word, and growth in faith in order to claim these truths as reality in our lives.

I am perfect in God’s sight because He sees me in Christ, and in Christ, who is perfect and without sin. He sees me without spot or blemish. Someone has referred to this great experience of being crucified, baptized and enthroned with Christ as a different life altogether. As we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV), “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Bible Reading: Hebrews 8:8-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Because God has forgiven and forgotten all my sins and lawless deeds. I will now, through the enabling of His Holy Spirit, receive His forgiveness and cleansing and never again be burdened with those sins of the past. I will claim my new supernatural life in Christ for the glory of God. Because this is such great good news, I will not keep it to myself. I must tell others.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Broken Walls, Broken Hearts

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More than broken walls greeted Nehemiah when he returned to Jerusalem. The people themselves were broken. They despaired at the condition of their beloved city, weeping over its destruction. Through his inspired leadership, each family was charged with rebuilding not only his own home, but the portion of the Jerusalem walls where he lived. Within a year, they had settled in, but something was still missing…the Word of the Lord!

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

For perhaps two generations or more, they’d had no preacher, no one to bring God’s laws to them. So they built a platform for Ezra, who read the Torah from daybreak to midday, making clear God’s message, and the people stood in rapt attention. Aware of their sinful condition, they wept and repented. Ezra proclaimed the day sacred and instructed the people to rejoice – for the Lord had sustained them.

Often today’s churchgoers sit and squirm under half an hour of instruction, and just as frequently leave with the same somber faces they had when they arrived. Where is the joy? Won’t you purpose in your own heart to be strengthened in the joy that knowing Jesus brings? And purpose, too, to intercede for the brokenhearted among the nation’s leadership.

Recommended Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-12

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Through the Fire  

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He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. —Job 23:10

God specializes in putting us in situations where only He can delivers us. That way, we can’t “thank our lucky stars” or compliment ourselves on our own cleverness or resourcefulness. Rather, we must say, “Only God could have done this.” The Lord wants to receive the glory for what He does. And He clearly says in Scripture that He will not give His glory to another (see Isaiah 42:8).

It reminds us of a man who knew something about suffering, whose very name, in fact, is synonymous with the word. I am speaking, of course, of Job. Here was a man who lost his children, his home, and everything he owned, including his health.

Job had a lot of questions, the same questions that many of us have. He said, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me” (Job 23:3-5).

Job honestly admitted what he was struggling with. Then he added what would become a classic statement of faith: “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Job was saying, “I don’t know what’s is going on. I don’t know why God has allowed these things to happen. But I know this: when I am tested, I will come forth as gold.” That was God’s objective for Job. And it’s His objective for you, too.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Loving the Child Who Drops the Ball

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Max Lucado

Dropping a fly ball may not be a big deal to most people, but if you’re thirteen years old and have aspirations of the big leagues, it’s a big deal. I was halfway home when my dad found me. He didn’t say a word.  Just pulled over to the side of the road, and opened the passenger door. We both knew the world had come to an end.

I went straight to my room.  He went straight to the kitchen. Presently he appeared in front of me with cookies and milk.  And somewhere in the dunking of the cookies, I began to realize that life and my father’s love would go on. If you love the guy who drops the ball, then you really love him. My skill as a baseball player didn’t improve, but my confidence in Dad’s love did. He never said a word. He showed up. He listened up.

From Dad Time

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – To Believe or Not to Believe

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Charles Stanley

I have a friend whose heart was broken when his son decided he no longer wanted to be married. The father prayed that God would reconcile that broken relationship, but soon the divorce was final. My friend felt as though the Lord had let him down.

After Christ’s death, Thomas struggled with a similar issue. He had envisioned his Messiah ruling as King of the whole earth—but now Jesus was dead, and Thomas’s hopes were buried with Him. Had he believed a lie? Why had his Lord not done what the biblical prophecies said He would do?

When the other disciples reported that the Lord had risen from the dead, Thomas refused to believe unless he could actually see Christ’s wounds of crucifixion (John 20:25). Having been disappointed after putting faith in Jesus before, he hesitated to do so again without tangible proof.

Our trust in God can take a nosedive when expectations of what He will do are unfulfilled. Perhaps you can think of a time you asked the Lord for something and believed with all your heart that He would do it—but then He didn’t. What are we to do when it looks as if God has failed us? Keep believing! Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (v. 29).

Thomas’s huge disappointment—Christ’s death—ultimately led to the greatest hope for mankind. When we feel that the Lord has let us down, we need to realize that in His great wisdom, He is doing something even greater than we asked.

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Teaching By Example

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Our Daily Bread

Ephesians 6:1-11

Bring [your children] up in the training and admonition of the Lord. —Ephesians 6:4

While waiting for an eye examination, I was struck by a statement I saw in the optometrist’s office: “Eighty percent of everything children learn in their first 12 years is through their eyes.” I began thinking of all that children visually process through reading, television, film, events, surroundings, and observing the behavior of others, especially their families. On this Father’s Day, we often think about the powerful influence of a dad.

Paul urged fathers not to frustrate their children to the point of anger, but to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Think of the powerful example of a dad whose behavior and consistency inspire admiration from his children. He’s not perfect, but he’s moving in the right direction. A great power for good is at work when our actions reflect the character of God, rather than distort it.

That’s challenging for any parent, so it’s no coincidence that Paul urges us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (v.10). Only through His strength can we reflect the love and patience of our heavenly Father.

We teach our children far more from how we live than by what we say. —David McCasland

Heavenly Father, I need to know Your love

in order to love others. I want to experience

and share Your patience and kindness with

those I care about. Fill me and use me.

We honor fathers who not only gave us life, but who also show us how to live.

Bible in a year: Nehemiah 1-3; Acts 2:1-21

Insight

In today’s reading, Paul writes of two of the most basic human relationships: parent-child (6:1-4) and employer-employee (6:5-9). The parent-child relationship is particularly sacred. The fifth commandment to honor parents is the only one of the Ten Commandments with a special blessing attached for those who observe it (Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:2-3). On the other hand, ancient Israelites who physically or verbally abused their parents were put to death (Ex. 21:15,17; Lev. 20:9).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – He Sets an Open Door

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Alistair Begg

. . . Who opens and no one will shut. Revelation 3:7

Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise, and before every believing soul He sets an open door, which no man or devil will be able to close. What joy it will be to find that faith in Him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, do you carry this key close to you, or are you trusting in some dishonest locksmith who will fail you in the end?

Pay attention to a parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and He has proclaimed to all the world that no one will enter except those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and each one brings the flower that he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence and do not enter into the festive halls. Some are carrying the poisonous plant of superstition, others the flaunting poppies of empty religion, and some the hemlock of self-righteousness; but these are not precious to the King, and so those carrying them are shut out of the pearly gates.

My soul, have you gathered the rose of Sharon? Do you wear the lily of the valley on your lapel constantly? If so, when you arrive at the gates of heaven you will know its value, for you only have to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open and without a moment’s delay, for to that rose the Porter always opens. You will find your way with the rose of Sharon in your hand up to the throne of God Himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise, none of them can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into your hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it your all in all, and you will be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

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The family reading plan for June 15, 2014 * Isaiah 47 * Revelation 17

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Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Omniscience

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“Thou God seest me.” Genesis 16:13

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 94:4-11

It were hard to suppose a God who could not see his own creatures; it were difficult in the extreme to imagine a divinity who could not behold the actions of the works of his hands. The word which the Greeks applied to God implied that he was a God who could see. They called him Theos; and they derived that word, if I read rightly, from the root theisthai, to see, because they regarded God as being the all-seeing one, whose eye took in the whole universe at a glance, and whose knowledge extended far beyond that of mortals. God Almighty, from his very essence and nature, must be an Omniscient God. Strike out the thought that he sees me, and you extinguish Deity by a single stroke. There would be no God if that God had no eyes, for a blind God is not God at all. We could not conceive such a one. Stupid as idolaters may be, it is very hard to think that even they had fashioned a blind god: even they have given eyes to their gods, though they see not. Juggernaut, or Jagannatha (a god worshipped in some areas of Hinduism), has eyes stained with blood; and the gods of the ancient Romans had eyes, and some of them were called far-seeing gods. Even the heathen can scarce conceive of a god that has no eyes to see, and certainly we are not so mad as to imagine for a single second that there can be a Deity without the knowledge of everything that is done by man beneath the sun. I say it is as impossible to conceive of a God who did not observe everything, as to conceive of a round square. When we say, “Thou God,” we do, in fact, comprise in the word “God” the idea of a God who sees everything, “Thou God seest me.”

For meditation: The proofs of Jesus’ deity in Mark 2:5-8: He could see faith, forgive sins and perceive the thoughts of the heart. He still can!

Sermon no. 85

15 June (1856)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Demonstrating Sacrificial Love

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John MacArthur

“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

Recently a local newspaper reported the story of a young woman who had been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, repeatedly stabbed, then dumped down a hillside and left for dead. Miraculously she survived the attack and crawled up the hill to a spot along the road where several people were parked enjoying the panoramic view of the city.

Covered with blood from head to foot, she went from car to car pleading for help, only to have one person after another roll up their windows and drive away. No one wanted to get involved. Finally someone came to her rescue and took her to a hospital where she was treated for her wounds. The article went on to describe the anger of her rescuer toward those who turned their backs on the woman’s cries for help.

That tragic story illustrates the lack of compassion that is so prevalent in our society. Many people won’t become involved–even when the lives of others are at stake. They’re unwilling to risk personal injury or inconvenience, or perhaps they’re just complacent and insensitive.

That should never be true of Christians! Jesus showed great compassion to those with special needs, and He expects us to do the same.

Just as James used the tongue to represent a pure heart (v. 26), so he uses widows and orphans to represent pure love. “To visit” means to bring love, pity, and care to them. Widows and orphans are an especially needy segment within the church. As such, they represent all who are destitute and unable to repay your kindness.

Let your love be sacrificial. Give with no intention of receiving anything in return. Generously invest your time and resources in ministering to those who have no resources of their own. That’s the essence of true religion!

Suggestions for Prayer: Is there someone in your neighborhood or church whom you can help today? Ask God for wisdom and discernment on how you might best demonstrate His love to that person.

For Further Study: Read Exodus 22:22-24, Deuteronomy 14:28-29, Psalm 68:5, Acts 6:1-6, and 1 Timothy 5:3-16, noting God’s provisions for widows and orphans.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Above Every Name

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That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. —Philippians 2:10

Speaking the name of Jesus and having a revelation about the power in that name are two different things. Releasing the power in the name of Jesus requires a supernatural revelation.

When you speak the name of Jesus in faith, His name is so powerful that every knee must bow in three realms—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth!

Think about this tonight: Jesus came from the highest heaven, He has been to the earth, and has descended to Hades, or under the earth, and now is seated at the right hand of the Father once again in the highest heaven. He has filled everything and everywhere with Himself. He is seated above everything else and has a name that is above every other name. His name is the highest name, the most powerful name—and His name has been given to us!

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – We Are Kings

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“The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

Jack protested angrily, “Why should I be held accountable for the sin of Adam? Why should I be judged and condemned to eternal punishment because of the disobedience of someone who lived centuries ago? I resent that his action should involve me.” I asked my young student friend if he remembered the infamous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor followed by the declaration of war by then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “Yes,” he said, “I’m a student of history and I remember that event very well.” I reminded Jack that every able-bodied man who was of age was automatically conscripted to join the United States Army to do battle against Japan. “Yes,” he said, “I know.”

“Don’t you think it unfair, following your logic, that the President of the United States should make a decision that would affect young men like yourself? Remember that tens of thousands of them died on the field of battle. Was that fair?”

“Well,” he replied, “that was the only decision that could be made. We had to protect our homeland. We had been attacked and had to defend ourselves.”

“So it was with Adam,” I explained. “The wisdom of the Almighty Creator was attacked by Satan in the Garden of Eden and the battle was lost when Adam and Eve, the epitome of God’s creation, surrendered to Satan’s tempting lies. God, in His sovereignty, wisdom and grace caused the results of the disobedience of Adam to be borne by the rest of us in the human race. But the judgement of God which demands penalty for sin was intercepted by God’s love. while we were yet in our sins God proved His love for us by sending the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us. Now, through accepting God’s free gift by faith, we can become kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ.”

Simply stated, one man, Adam, through his disobedience to God, introduced sin into the world, and one man, Jesus Christ, through his obedience to God, paid the penalty for that sin for all who would believe and trust in Him.

Bible Reading: Romans 5:14-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Christ has overcome the sin I inherited from Adam by liberating me from the king of death, and making me a king of light. As an expression of my deep gratitude for His love and grace, I will seek every opportunity to communicate this good news to others who still live in darkness that they, too, may enjoy the abundant supernatural life which I now enjoy.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Wailing to Song

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No believer in Christ is exempt from trials and correction. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:6) As one commentator expressed it, you undergo “home training” so you may have a personal, intimate relationship with God.

I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

Psalm 13:5

The Psalmist David was often in distress. Psalm 13 begins as he boldly comes before the Lord asking, “How long…how long?” David was sorrowful, enemies pursued him, and he felt distant from what he determined was an unresponsive God. But the wailing turned to song when he realized that he could not save himself. His deliverer was Almighty God! The apostle Paul struggled as well. “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18) His joy became full when he knew his deliverer was Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25-8:1).

Believer, know that your “Woe is me!” pleases the devil, but your songs of praise grieve him sorely (Martin Luther). Lift your eyes heavenward, trust in God’s steadfast love and rejoice that God is the deliverer of body and soul. Then pray for the people of this nation that they may do the same.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 16

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Do Fathers Really Matter?

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Charles Stanley

Ephesians 5:22-6:4

A great deception is spreading in our culture. It’s the idea that fathers are irrelevant. This attitude is promoted on television, in movies, and throughout the media. Men are generally portrayed as shallow, self-absorbed, and ignorant. Because of her husband’s inadequacy, the mom is pictured as the one who comes to the rescue and wisely solves the family’s problems. Furthermore, the prevalence of divorce and the absence of men in the home have led many people in our society to consider fathers unnecessary.

But let us consider what the Lord says about men. After all, He created the family and established the roles for each member. First, God has designated that the husband is to be the head of the wife (Eph. 5:23). Next, He prescribed that children are to honor and obey their parents (6:1-2). This has nothing to do with value; He’s simply describing areas of responsibility. All people are valuable—and that includes fathers.

According to God’s Word, fathers are to be honored. Now, I know some of you did not experience the blessing of being raised in a home led by a godly man; however, this command isn’t dependent upon the circumstances or the person. We are to honor our fathers because of the position given to them by God. Although our dads may have failed in many ways, we are still to treat them with respect.

Instead of taking your father for granted or finding fault, stop and recall the reasons you can be thankful for him. Father’s Day is a good opportunity to express your gratitude to him in word and deed.

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Rock-Solid

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 34:15-22

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. —Psalm 34:15

It was a sad day in May 2003 when “The Old Man of the Mountain” broke apart and slid down the mountainside. This 40-foot profile of an old man’s face, carved by nature in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, had long been an attraction to tourists, a solid presence for residents, and the official state emblem. It was written about by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his short story The Great Stone Face.

Some nearby residents were devastated when The Old Man fell. One woman said, “I grew up thinking that someone was watching over me. I feel a little less watched-over now.”

There are times when a dependable presence disappears. Something or someone we’ve relied on is gone, and our life is shaken. Maybe it’s the loss of a loved one, or a job, or good health. The loss makes us feel off-balance, unstable. We might even think that God is no longer watching over us.

But “the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). He “is near to those who have a broken heart” (v.18). He is the Rock whose presence we can always depend on (Deut. 32:4).

God’s presence is real. He continually watches over us. He is rock-solid. —Anne Cetas

The Rock of Ages stands secure,

He always will be there;

He watches over all His own

To calm their anxious care. —Keith

The question is not where is God, but where isn’t He?

Bible in a year: Ezra 9-10; Acts 1

Insight

Psalm 34 was written during a difficult time for David, as the superscription indicates: “A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech [Achish], who drove him away, and he departed.” Recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-15, those dark days were not David’s best as a person of faith. First, he had joined Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, as he fled from Saul. Then, when things in Gath (Philistine country) became threatening, David pretended madness to escape. Fear and deceit may not be characteristics of great faith, but they are normal human responses to danger—reminding us of our great need for God.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Lie Low Before the Throne

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Alistair Begg

To us, O Lord, belongs open shame . . . Because we have sinned against you. Daniel 9:8

A deep sense and clear view of sin, its dreadfulness, and the punishment that it deserves should make us lie low before the throne. We have sinned as Christians. It is sad that it should be so. We have been favored, and yet we have been ungrateful; privileged beyond most, but we have not brought forth fruit in proportion. Who is there, although he may have been engaged in the Christian warfare for years, who will not blush when he looks back upon the past? As for our days before we were born again, may they be forgiven and forgotten; but since then, though we have not sinned as before, yet we have sinned against light and against love—light that has really penetrated our minds, and love in which we have rejoiced.

The sin of a pardoned soul is an atrocity! An unpardoned sinner sins cheaply compared with the sin of one of God’s elect, who has had communion with Christ and leaned upon Him for his comfort. Look at David! Many will talk of his sin, but I ask you to look at his repentance and hear his broken bones as each one of them moans out its mournful confession! Consider his tears as they fall upon the ground, and the deep sighs with which he accompanies the softened music of his harp!

We have strayed: Let us, therefore, seek the spirit of penitence. Look again at Peter! We often speak of how he denied Christ. Remember, it is written, “He wept bitterly.” Do we have no denials of our Lord to be lamented with tears? These sins of ours, before and after conversion, would consign us to the place of inextinguishable fire if it were not for God’s sovereign mercy, which snatched us like sticks from the fire.

My soul, bow down under a sense of your natural sinfulness, and worship your God. Admire the grace that saves you—the mercy that spares you—the love that pardons you!

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

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The family reading plan for June 14, 2014 * Isaiah 46 * Revelation 16

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Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Israel in Egypt

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“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” Revelation 15:3

Suggested Further Reading: Exodus 15:1-18

One part of the song of Moses consisted in praising the ease with which God destroyed his enemies. “Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters.” If we had gone to work to destroy the hosts of Pharaoh, what a multitude of engines of death should we have required. If the work had been committed to us, to cut off the hosts, what marvellous preparations, what thunder, what noise, what great activity there would have been. But mark the grandeur of the expression. God did not even lift himself from his throne to do it: he saw Pharaoh coming; he seemed to look upon him with a placid smile; he did just blow with his lips, and the sea covered them. You and I will marvel at the last how easy it has been to overthrow the enemies of the Lord. We have been tugging and toiling all our lifetime to be the means of overthrowing systems of error: it will astonish the church when her Master shall come to see how, as the ice dissolveth before the fire, all error and sin shall be utterly destroyed in the coming of the most High. We must have our societies and our machinery, our preachers and our gatherings, and rightly too; but God will not require them at the last. The destruction of his enemies shall be as easy to him as the making of a world. In passive silence unmoved he sat; and he did but break the silence with “Let there be light” and light was. So shall he at the last, when his enemies are raging furiously, blow with his winds, and they shall be scattered.

For meditation: Creation took God a matter of a few days; the destruction of a great power will take him only a fraction of the time (Revelation 18:8,10,17,19).

Sermon no. 136

14 June (1857)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Defining True Religion

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John MacArthur

“This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).

In this verse James continues his practical and penetrating assessment of true faith. So far he has said in effect, “Don’t just study the Bible–obey it! Don’t just dabble in external religion–have pure speech!” Now he adds, “Don’t just say you’re religious–demonstrate sacrificial love! Don’t just claim to love God–live a pure life!” Shallow claims to Christianity meant nothing to him. He wanted to see godly attitudes and righteous deeds.

The apostle John used the same approach when he wrote, “The one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. . . . The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:6, 10-11). “Light” in that passage represents truth and righteousness; “darkness” speaks of error and sin. If you are truly saved, you are in the light and show it by your love for others.

In our society, the definition of religion is very broad. Almost any belief system qualifies. But to God, any religion that doesn’t produce holiness and sacrificial love is not true religion. That narrows the field considerably because anyone who isn’t saved through faith in Jesus Christ remains in bondage to sin and has no capacity to live a holy and selfless life.

How about you? Do you flee from sin and reach out to those in need? If so, you have true religion. If not, receive Christ now. He alone is the source of holiness and love.

Suggestions for Prayer:  If you are a believer, God’s love is already shed abroad in your heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Ask God to increase your capacity to love others as Christ loves you.

For Further Study: Read 1 John 3:10-18, noting John’s comparison of the children of God with the children of the devil.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Follow Peace

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Joyce meyer

Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. — Romans 8:6

People hesitate to follow their desires, because they don’t know how to divide their soul from their spirit. If they can’t discern the difference between the desires of their flesh and Spirit-led desires, then they don’t know when God is truly leading them to do something.

But you can learn to know if God is leading you or not. When God gives you a desire for something, He will give you peace along with it. You may not be excited, but you will have peace, if the thing you desire is from God. Wait for peace today.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Simple, Wonderful Message

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“He brought them out and begged them, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your entire household” (Acts 16:30- 31).

The story is told of a man who was very fond of the famous general, Robert E. Lee. He was eager for his four-year-old son to admire and respect this great, southern, Civil War general as much as he did. So every day, as they strolled through the park near their home, they would stop in front of the statue of General Lee astride his beautiful horse, Traveler, and the father would say to his little David, “Say good morning to General Lee,” The little lad would dutifully wave his hand in obedience to his father’s instructions and say, “Good morning, General Lee.” Months passed and one day, as they again stood in front of the statue of General Lee, the father said, “Say good morning to General Lee,” which the boy did. But as they walked on through the park together, David asked, “Daddy, who is that man riding General Lee?”

One of the biggest problems we have in life is communication. To David’s young mind the horse was more important that the rider. We all have a tendency to filter information through our own experiences. What I say is not necessarily what you hear, and what you say may not be what I hear. This is true even in communicating the gospel.

The most joyful news ever announced is found in Luke 2:10,11:” ‘Don’t be afraid!’ the angel said. ‘I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem!'” Yet that simple message has been diluted and profaned through the centuries.

One evening, I presented this message to a very mature, intelligent layman.

“Does it make sense?” I inquired.

It was as though a light suddenly went on and, for the first time, he understood what the gospel was all about. “Of course it does,” he answered.

“Would you like to receive Christ right now?”

“Of course I would. If what you say is true, I should think everyone would want to know Christ.”

If Spirit-filled, trained communicators properly presented the gospel, the majority of people would want to receive Christ.

Bible Reading: John 1:9-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will seek to present the good news of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ in such a logical, joyful, Spirit-filled way that those who hear will want to know my wonderful Savior. And I will trust God to use me to train other Christians as well to be better communicators of the greatest news the world has ever heard.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Now and Later

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In Across the Plains, Robert Louis Stevenson’s travel memoir about his journey as an immigrant from New York to San Francisco, he says, “Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all.” Stevenson was a stranger traveling in a foreign land. The conditions were not always ideal, but he knew not to miss the joy.

Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.

Isaiah 35:10

God’s followers have always been on a journey in a foreign land. Because of sin, the conditions are not always perfect, but the Lord promises joy along the way and eternally (John 16:22). In today’s verse, the prophet Isaiah was calling God’s people back to faithfulness. He reminded them they would face judgment, but would also receive restoration. Christians today share this promise through the hope of Christ’s return.

Are you missing the joy? Don’t let your struggles rob you of the joy you are promised in this life or the next. As you pray today, ask for peace and joy (Romans 15:13) and for America and its leaders to return to faithfulness so they might also experience restoration and hope.

Recommended Reading: I Peter 1:3-9