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C.S. Lewis Daily – Today’s Reading

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On happiness

What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could “be like gods”—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

From Mere Christianity
Compiled in Words to Live By

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – God’s Blessing

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Genesis 12:1-4

“God bless you!” We hear it all the time, don’t we? From the pastor’s benediction in worship to a simple courtesy when someone sneezes, we hear wishes of God’s blessing so often that we don’t even stop to consider what the phrase means.

Let’s break away from habit and discover what it truly means to be blessed by the Lord. In Genesis 12, God’s commission of Abram shows His wonderful promise to make the man into a prospering nation and give him a great and enduring name. More than that, God extends His blessing to those close to Abram and ultimately takes it to a global scale, pledging to bless the entire world by what He’s doing in this one person’s life.

So, when the Lord speaks about blessing someone, it’s a promise to intervene mightily and noticeably in that individual’s life. This could mean a thriving, happy family or, possibly, financial prosperity. Maybe it involves emotional security or spiritual insight. The heavenly Father might have in mind to give honor, wisdom, or lasting purpose. In fact, we see every one of these things in God’s pledge to Abram.

But let’s not overlook two conditions for the Lord’s favor. From Abram’s life, we see that God values obedience and faith (12:4; 15:6; 22:2-3, 12).

God wants to bring abundance into your life. Be sure His blessing isn’t being hindered. Ask, Am I trusting Him? Have I ignored something He has asked me to do? Give in to His call, and open your arms to receive what your Father longs to give you.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Fragrant Living

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Read: Philippians 4:10-20
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 9:37-62

 

I am full, having received . . . the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma . . . well pleasing to God. —Philippians 4:18

I’m grateful that God has given us the sense of smell so we can enjoy the many fragrances of life. I think of how much I enjoy something as simple as the fresh and inviting aroma of after-shave lotion in the morning. Or the mellow smell of fresh-cut grass in the spring. I especially enjoy sitting in the backyard when the delicate scent of my favorite roses fills the air. And then there are the savory aromas of delicious food.

So it catches my attention when the apostle Paul says that our generous acts of love toward others are like a “sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18). When we think of helping those in need, we usually think of it as the right thing to do—or even the Christlike thing to do. But Paul says that our intentional act of reaching out to meet someone’s need actually fills the throne room of God with a fragrance that brings pleasure to Him.

We can please God with the aromas that rise from being a blessing to others! What an added incentive this is for us to perform deeds of kindness in His name.

Who might need your act of kindness today? Ask God to lead you to someone. Be a blessing. It’s a fragrant thing to do! —Joe Stowell

Here is what I hope to do for others today: ___________________

Blessing others is a blessing to God.

INSIGHT: Paul says, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content . . . . I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (4:11,13). Paul’s contentment came from the sufficiency of knowing Christ, not from the gifts he received from the Philippian believers (vv. 14-17). However, these sacrificial gifts were a “sweet-smelling aroma” to God (v. 18; see Lev. 7:12-15).
Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry –  The Last Word

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My high school band director was adamant about many things, but none so much as what he called the obligatory rule of good musicianship. That is, the two most important notes in any musical composition are the first and the last. “The audience might forgive you for what comes in the middle,” he would say, “but they will forget neither your very first impression nor your final remark.”

The last word of the book of Acts in the Greek New Testament is the word akolutos. The word literally means “unhindered,” though many translations render it with multiple words. Others move the word from its final position for the sake of syntax. In both cases, I think something is lost in translation. Luke was intentionally making a statement with this last word of his two volume testimony to the life of Jesus Christ. I think he intended readers to pause at the conclusion of his words, leaving us with the provocative thought of a gospel that is unhindered. After the stories of Jesus’s ministry were told, after recollections of his death and ruminations of his resurrection, after Jesus’s ascension and the church’s beginnings, after all the resistance, disappointment, and surprises along the way, Luke concludes, “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, unhindered” (Acts 28:30-31).

Through prisons and angry crowds, the book of Acts traces the birth and growth of the early church. The book begins with a few hundred believers in Christ and a collective will to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to all the ends of the earth. Opposition to this witness is described at every turn. Persecution, beatings, death, and imprisonment all threatened the voice of the early church and ultimately the spread of the gospel itself. But in spite of all this, Luke epitomizes the history of the early church and the spread of the gospel by boldly describing the progression of God’s kingdom as going forth without so much as the slightest of hindrances. The Good News of God to all the world, he seems to want the world to remember, goes forth in power.

For any man or woman who will hear his testimony, Luke wants to conclude his eyewitness account with the dimension of the gospel that is most striking—namely, that these evidences are far from the end of the story. Luke wants hearers to be well aware that eyewitnesses to the power of the kingdom will go well beyond his own eyes, his stories, his lifetime; your eyes, your stories, your lifetime. Though variant theologies and distorted gospels will abound, though the world will delight in yet another conspiracy theory that promises to be the downfall of Christianity, the great narration of God’s kingdom will go forth unhindered. For the Christian, this means we need not live defeated by every emerging plot to undermine Christ. For Christ is risen! And for the one who has yet to accept him, it is continually and powerfully an invitation. Consider living into a victory like his, walking further up and farther into the great unhindered kingdom of the vicariously human Son of God.

Luke begins on a note intent on crescendo: “Many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us” (Luke 1:1). He sets out to sing the beginnings of the early church and the work of God from the very start to the ends of time. He wants to be clear that we are invited to be a part of a story that will not fade away. Despite all appearances, despite dim turns in melody, the story of Jesus was and will continue to be Good News that resounds without hindrance. No person or power can thwart the resonant sounds of the new life Jesus proclaims, for it is moved by a Spirit who presses it ever-onward, ringing invitingly into the unexpected places of the world. The redemptive song of Christ and the Spirit who enables creation to add its praise will continue to move forth, unhindered.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – What Are Your Chances?

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For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? Luke 23:31

Among other interpretations of this suggestive question, the following is full of teaching: “If the innocent substitute for sinners suffers in this way, what will be done when the sinner himself–the dry tree–falls into the hands of an angry God?”

When God saw Jesus in the sinner’s place, He did not spare Him; and when He finds the unregenerate without Christ, He will not spare them. O sinner, Jesus was led away by His enemies; and you will be dragged away by fiends to the place appointed for you. Jesus was deserted by God; and if He, who was only imputedly a sinner, was deserted, how much more will you be?

“Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?” What an awful shriek! But what will be your cry when you shall say, “O God! O God! Why have You forsaken me?” and the answer shall come back, “Because you have ignored all My counsel and would have none of My reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you.”

If God did not spare His own Son, how much less will He spare you! What whips of stinging pain will be yours when your conscience smites you with all its terrors. You rich, you merry, you most self-righteous sinners–who would stand in your place when God says, “Awake, O sword, against the man that rejected Me; smite him, and let him feel the sting forever”?

Jesus was spat upon. Sinner, what shame will be yours! We cannot sum up in one word all the mass of sorrows that met upon the head of Jesus who died for us; therefore it is impossible for us to tell you what streams, what oceans of grief must roll over your spirit if you die as you are now. You may die in this state; you may die now. By the agonies of Christ, by His wounds and by His blood, do not bring upon yourselves the wrath to come! Trust in the Son of God, and you shall never die.

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Importance of small things in religion

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“The Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.” 1 Chronicles 15:13

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Samuel 13:8-14

When we come before God, it will be no excuse for us to say, “My Lord, I did wrong, but I thought I was doing right.” “Yes, but I gave you my law, but you did not read it; or, if you read it, you read it so carelessly that you did not understand it, and then you did wrong, and you tell me you did it with a right motive. Yes, but it is of no avail whatever.” Just as in Uzzah’s case, did it not seem the rightest thing in the world to put out his hand to prevent the ark from slipping off? Who could blame the man? But God had commanded that no unpriestly hand should ever touch it, and inasmuch as he did touch it, though it was with a right motive, yet Uzzah must die. God will have his laws kept. Besides, my dear brethren, I am not sure about the rightness of your motives after all. The State has issued a proclamation, it is engraven, according to the old Roman fashion, in brass. A man goes up with his file, and he begins working away upon the brass; erases here, and amends there. Says he, “I did that with a right motive; I didn’t think the law a good one, I thought it was too old-fashioned for these times, and so I thought I would alter it a little, and make it better for the people.” Ah, how many have there been who have said, “The old puritanic principles are too rough for these times; we’ll alter them, we’ll tone them down a little.” What are you at, sir? Who are you that dares to touch a single letter of God’s Book?

For meditation: Sincerity needs to be allied to truth (Joshua 24:14). It is possible to be sincerely wrong (John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Romans 10:2).

Sermon no. 307
8 April (1860)

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Controlling Yourself

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“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).

Gentleness is power under control.

The Greek word translated “gentle” in Matthew 5:5 speaks of humility, meekness, and non-retaliation—traits that in our proud society are often equated with weakness or cowardice. But in reality they are virtues that identify kingdom citizens.

The same word was used by the Greeks to describe a gentle breeze, a soothing medicine, or a domesticated colt. Those are examples of power under control: a gentle breeze brings pleasure, but a hurricane brings destruction; a soothing medicine brings healing, but an overdose can kill; a domesticated colt is useful, but a wild horse is dangerous.

Christ Himself is the epitome of gentleness. Even when officially announcing His messiahship to Jerusalem, He humbly entered the city astride a donkey (Matt. 21:5). His behavior amid persecution was exemplary: “Christ . . . suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats” (1 Pet. 2:21-23).

Despite His humility and restraint, Jesus wasn’t weak or cowardly. He never defended Himself, but when His Father’s house was being desecrated, He made a whip and beat those who were defiling it (John 2:13-16; Matt. 21:12-13). He never shirked from pronouncing judgment on unrepentant sinners, and never compromised His integrity or disobeyed His Father’s will.

The hypocritical Jewish religious leaders expected that when Israel’s Messiah came He would commended them for their wonderful spirituality. Instead, Jesus condemned them and called them children of the devil (John 8:44). In retaliation they had Him murdered. His power was always under control; theirs wasn’t.

Our society has little use for gentleness. The macho, do-your-own-thing mentality characterizes most of our heroes. But you are called to a higher standard. When you pattern your life after Jesus, you will have a significant impact on society and will know true happiness.

Suggestions for Prayer; Thank God for the virtue of gentleness, which He is producing in you by the power of His Spirit. Follow Christ’s example today so that gentleness will mark your character.

For Further Study; Read the following passages, noting the responsibilities and blessings that accompany self-restraint: Proverbs 16:32, Ephesians 4:1-2, Colossians 3:12, and Titus 3:1-2.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Why Worry?

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Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing. Psalm 37:8

Anxiety and worry are both attacks on the mind intended to keep you from serving the Lord. The enemy uses these weapons to press your faith down so you cannot live in victory. Many people are worriers but don’t even realize it. They may call it something else—but it is still worry. In addition to telling you to “fret not,” other passages warn you to “take no thought,” (Matthew 6:25), “be careful for nothing” (Philippians 4:6), and “cast . . . all your care” (1 Peter 5:7).

Matthew 6:27 says, And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? The obvious point is that worry is useless. It does not accomplish any good thing. In that case, why worry and why be so anxious?

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Heed the Warning

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Before the Titanic met its fate, numerous messages were sent saying it was speeding into an ice field, but the calls were ignored. In fact, when a nearby ship sent an urgent warning, the Titanic was talking to officials at Cape Race about menu plans and where chauffeurs should meet arriving passengers. Preoccupied with the trivial, the Titanic’s radio officer responded, “Shut up. I am talking to Cape Race. You are jamming my signals.”

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts.

II Corinthians 4:6

In today’s America, too many are focused on the unimportant matters of daily existence. When someone tries to share the gospel, their response is, “Shut up. You’re messing with my life.” They don’t understand the god of this world had blinded their minds.

The Gospel is clear. All have sinned and are separated from God; Jesus died and rose again to pay the price for sin and restore a right relationship with the Father. One only needs to believe the message. Jesus calls you the light of the world and asks you to shine as a reflection of His glory. Pray that He accomplishes His will in you today – then intercede for the nation’s leaders to heed the warning and be saved.

Recommended Reading: II Corinthians 4:1-6

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Language of Heaven

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Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! —Psalm 66:1

When believers gather and worship the Lord, something wonderful happens. As Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). This does not mean that God lives in the church. In a sense He does, if we are speaking of believers. Because we are the church, He lives in us. But God doesn’t live in a building.

But when God’s people meet together, something changes. And what changes is that He manifests His presence in a supernatural way when we gather to worship Him and honor Him. And when we praise God together, whether it’s in prayer or in prayer set to song in worship, we are doing what we were created to do. We are here to bring glory to God.

The Bible tells us that God has created all things for His glory (see Isaiah 43:7). And Psalm 106:1 says, “Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Some might say, “Well, I don’t really have a good voice.” Neither do thousands of contestants on American Idol, but that didn’t stop them. And it shouldn’t stop you. When we sing to the Lord, it is not a performance for each other; it is a performance for an audience of one: God. And God isn’t really all that impressed with your pitch or how loudly you sing. He is really far more interested in what is going on in your heart. So if that is all you can do, then that is good enough.

From Genesis to Revelation, our faith is one of worship. And in Heaven, we will sing (see Revelation 15:2–4). Worship is the language of Heaven. So let’s start practicing now.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Listening With Purpose

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1 Samuel 3:1-10

Yesterday we learned about hearing the Word with eagerness and attentiveness. Now, let’s think about approaching the Bible purposefully, expectantly, and prayerfully.

Christians study the Scriptures not just individually but also corporately to learn more about God. Underlying this simple concept is a big challenge. To gain biblical knowledge with purpose means deciding in our heart to obey what we hear (Ps. 119:33). And to do so expectantly means believing that the Lord is going to speak to us (25:4). Sermons, Bible study lessons, and quiet times on our own should be a part of our life. God uses these to build us up, strengthen us, or offer us comfort—so listening to Him is worthwhile. And obedience is the only proper response to this kind of personal attention.

Approaching the reading of Scripture prayerfully prepares our hearts to listen and ushers in an attitude of purpose and expectancy. Today’s passage tells the story of young Samuel’s first encounter with God. The priest Eli gives the boy valuable advice—that when the Lord calls, he should say, “Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening” (v. 9). Pray those simple words with conviction before you open your Bible, and you will hear God more clearly.

If you want to experience God working in your life, come to Scripture with a prayerful, expectant, purpose-filled attitude. Mourners are comforted. The weary gain strength. Those convicted of their sin repent and know peace. Recognize what a gift God’s Word is.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Firm Foundation

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Read: Matthew 7:21-27
Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 7-9; Luke 9:18-36

 

Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. —Matthew 7:24

Earthquakes are prevalent in the Pacific Rim region known as the “Ring of Fire.” Ninety percent of the world’s earthquakes and 81 percent of the world’s largest earthquakes occur there. I learned that many buildings in the city of Hong Kong have been built on granite, which could help minimize damage in the event of an earthquake. The foundation of buildings is especially important in earthquake-prone regions of the world.

Jesus Christ told His followers that a stable foundation is critical in building lives. He said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matt. 7:24-25). The foundation of Jesus Christ is what will give us the stability our hearts and lives need now and into the future.

By allowing the Lord’s wisdom to guide us in our relationships, decisions, and priorities, we find that He provides the most trustworthy foundation any life could be built upon. —Bill Crowder

Gracious Father, You are the Lord God, the King of heaven, and I choose to place my hope in You because You alone are worthy of my trust.

Jesus is the best foundation upon which to build a solid life.

INSIGHT: Here, at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus returns to a theme He had already discussed earlier in this message—the Father’s will. In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus teaches His followers the “model prayer,” which begins with “Our Father” and continues with “Your will be done.” The Father is the object of our worship and devotion, and in everything we want His purposes to be fulfilled.
Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Everyday Easter

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There is a great amount of anticipation leading up to Easter Sunday. Even for those who are “Christmas and Easter” church-goers, or for those who simply sit at home and dream of Easter baskets, chocolate rabbits, and colored eggs, anticipating Easter, on the one hand, is like waiting for the door to finally be unlocked, unhinged and opened onto a verdant spring meadow. On the other hand, Easter is stepping out onto that meadow and closing the door behind on the long, cold, dreary winter.

Yet, for many, the day comes and goes and then what? Easter is over again until next year. In some parts of the world, winter still hovers above and the grey of death has not given way to the springtime. The candy is eaten, the brunches are over, and everything seems to return to normal. All that anticipation ends in just one day—with grand celebrations and powerful sermons, and perhaps with even a first playful roll in the springtime grass—and then it’s over. Or is it?

The celebration of Easter is insignificant if the celebrations do not point to the continuing reality of the Risen Lord. Indeed, in many church traditions, the season of Eastertide which lasts until Pentecost asks this very question of those who lead congregations into continual contemplation of the resurrection until the day of Pentecost: how do we perceive the continuing presence of the risen Lord in our reality? Indeed, how do we? Is it simply the annual remembrance of a historic event from long ago?

If we’re honest, many of us do wonder what difference the resurrection has made in the practical realities of our lives. We still argue with our spouses and loved ones; we still have children who go their own way. We have difficulties at work or at school. We still see a world so broken by warfare, selfish greed, oppression and sin. Like the two men on the road to Emmaus recounting the events surrounding Jesus, perhaps we wonder aloud: “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21a). Things seem pretty much as they were before Easter Sunday, and the reality of our same old lives still clamor for redemption.

This is often the way we feel if we have only understood resurrection as an event long past that only speaks to a future yet to come. We feel this way if we do not connect Jesus’s prayer for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven” with the reality of the cry, “He is risen, as he said.” The glimpse into the kingdom of God that we get in the life and ministry of Jesus is ratified through the resurrection. New creation, new life, resurrected living is now a possibility for those who follow Jesus.

The risen Jesus told his followers, “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Jesus’s resurrection is not a promise for escape from the world, or a life free from trouble, but rather it commissions those who would remember his resurrection to be his ‘raising’ agents in the world. He sends us out with the extraordinary news that the dead can be raised to new life for death and evil do not have the last word! And as we begin to live in light of the resurrection, we can gain insight into its significance for the practical realities of everyday lives. As N.T. Wright has concluded: “Jesus is raised, so he is the Messiah, and therefore he is the world’s true Lord; Jesus is raised, so God’s new creation has begun—and we, his followers, have a job to do! Jesus is raised, so we must act as his heralds, announcing his lordship to the entire world, making his kingdom come on earth as in heaven.”(1)

We are sent out beyond Easter Sunday into Eastertide because everything has changed. As we live into and out of the resurrection, we demonstrate the continuing presence of the risen Lord in our lives and in this world.

Margaret Manning Shull is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Bellingham, Washington.

(1) N.T. Wright, Surprised By Hope (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), 56.

(2) Artwork included in this essay is the work of Ben May Media, http://www.benmaymedia.zenfolio.com. Used by permission.

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The tomb of Jesus

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“Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:6

Suggested Further Reading: John 20:1-10

Come, Christian, for angels are the porters to unbar the door; come, for a cherub is thy messenger to usher thee into the death-place of death himself. Nay, start not from the entrance; let not the darkness frighten thee; the vault is not damp with the vapours of death, nor does the air contain anything of contagion. Come, for it is a pure and healthy place. Fear not to enter that tomb. I will admit that catacombs are not the places where we, who are full of joy, would love to go. There is something gloomy and offensive about a vault. There are noxious smells of corruption; often pestilence is born where a dead body has lain; but fear it not, Christian, for Christ was not left in hell,in hades,neither did his body see corruption. Come, there is no foul smell, but rather a perfume. Step in here, and, if thou didst ever breathe the gales of Ceylon, or winds from the groves of Arabia, thou shalt find them far excelled by that sweet holy fragrance left by the blessed body of Jesus, that alabaster vase which once held divinity, and was rendered sweet and precious thereby. Think not thou shalt find anything obnoxious to thy senses. Corruption Jesus never saw; no worms ever devoured his flesh; no rottenness ever entered into his bones; he saw no corruption. Three days he slumbered, but not long enough to putrify; he soon arose, perfect as when he entered, uninjured as when his limbs were composed for their slumber. Come then, Christian, summon up thy thoughts, gather all thy powers; here is a sweet invitation, let me press it again. Let me lead thee by the hand of meditation, my brother; let me take thee by the arm, and let me again say to thee, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

For meditation: “Come, see …. Go …and tell.” (Matthew 28:6,7).

Sermon no. 18
7 April (Preached 8 April 1855—Easter)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur –Maintaining Spiritual Sensitivity

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“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

Sin is a serious issue with God. He never winks at it or takes it lightly.

Satan desires to desensitize Christians to the heinousness of sin. He wants you to stop mourning over sin and start enjoying it. Impossible? Many who once thought so have fallen prey to its power. It usually doesn’t happen all at once. In fact, the process can be slow and subtle— almost imperceptible. But the results are always tragic.

How can you remain alert to the dangers of sin and protect yourself from compromise? First, be aware of your sin. David said, “My sin is ever before me” (Ps. 51:3). Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5). Peter said to Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8). Paul called himself the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Those men shared a common awareness of their own sinfulness and it drove them to God for forgiveness and cleansing.

Second, remember the significance of the cross. If you allow a pattern of sin to develop in your life, you’ve forgotten the enormous price Christ paid to free you from its bondage.

Third, realize the effect sin has on others. The psalmist said, “My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Thy law” (Ps. 119:136). Jesus mourned over Jerusalem, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matt. 23:37). Your heart should ache for those enslaved to sin.

Finally, eliminate anything that hinders your sensitivity to sin, such as deliberately sinning, rejecting God’s forgiveness, being proud, presuming on God’s grace, or taking sin lightly. Such things will quickly dull your spiritual senses and give Satan the opportunity to lead you into greater sin.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God that He brings comfort and happiness to those who mourn over their sin.
  • Ask Him to guard your heart from anything that will diminish your sensitivity to the awfulness of sin.

For Further Study

Read 1 Samuel 15.

  • What was Saul’s sin?
  • Did he mourn over his sin? Explain.
Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Faith Connection

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. . . As [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]! Mark 10:46-47

The Word of God tells us that our faith—our positive, hopeful expectation—pleases God (see Hebrews 11:6), and several times in the Gospels, we see that Jesus was moved to act because of the faith—the expectations—of those He encountered (see Matthew 9:29, Mark 5:34, Luke 7:50, and Luke 17:19). One such miracle is found in Mark chapter 10. I love this story, and I think it has great relevance for you and me today because it’s all about the importance of expectation.

If you think about it, Bartimaeus had every reason to expect the worst. He was a blind beggar who sat by the roadside every day, trying to survive on spare change. He was living a very difficult life, and if anybody was going to tone down his level of expectation, you would think it would be Bartimaeus. He could have thought This is useless. It won’t work. Nothing’s going to change. Jesus probably won’t even notice me. Why get my hopes up? No one would have blamed him.

But Bartimaeus dared to hope for something greater in life. He started to think about what might happen instead of what might not happen. There was nothing “toned down” about his level of expectation as he began to shout with all of his might, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!” Can you hear the insistence in his voice? It’s as if Bartimaeus had decided there was absolutely no way he was going to miss this chance. Even though many in the crowd “censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still” (see Mark 10:48), Bartimaeus would not be quieted. He shouted louder and louder until Jesus stopped and called for him.

Here is one of the most amazing parts of this story: When Bartimaeus was brought to Jesus, the Lord asked him an almost unthinkable question. In verse 51, Jesus said to this blind beggar, What do you want Me to do for you?

That seems like a strange question, doesn’t it? The disciples may have been thinking What do you want me to do for you? Lord, isn’t it obvious? The man is blind. How can You ask him that? But Jesus was asking something deeper—He was asking Bartimaeus: What are you expecting? Are you only expecting a meal? Are you wanting someone to lead you around by the hand? Are you merely expecting a handout?All of those things were certainly things Bartimaeus needed, and if he was living with little faith, he may have settled for one of those things.

But Bartimaeus had a greater level of expectation. When Jesus asked, What do you want Me to do for you? Bartimaeus didn’t hesitate, he didn’t have to think about it, he didn’t wonder if he was asking for too much. Bartimaeus boldly said, Master, let me receive my sight. You probably know the rest of the story. Jesus was greatly moved by Bartimaeus’ faith. Verse 52 says: And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he received his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road.

Because Bartimaeus was bold enough to believe for God’s best, that is exactly what he received from the Lord. The same is true in your life, and this is why the level of your expectation is so important to the kind of life you’re going to live. If you don’t expect God to do anything great in your life, He won’t. But if you dare to raise your level of expectation and begin anticipating that God wants to do something great in your life, you’ll begin to dream, believe, ask, and act with a confident boldness, knowing God is for you and has a great plan for your life.

From the book Get Your Hopes Up by Joyce Meyer.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – One More Reason to Praise 

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“His presence within us is God’s guarantee that He really will give us all that He promised; and the Spirit’s seal upon us means that God has already purchased us and that He guarantees to bring us to Himself. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God” (Ephesians 1:14).

To me, this wonderful verse means that, as children of God, we have the ability to obey God’s laws if we are filled continually with the Holy Spirit and refuse to obey the old evil nature within us.

In order to live the supernatural life which is available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we must know our rights as children of God. We need to know our spiritual heritage. We must know how to draw upon the inexhaustible, supernatural resources of God’s love, power, forgiveness and abundant grace.

The first step is to learn everything we can about God. We also need to know about the nature of man and why he behaves as he does. The best way to learn who God is, who man is and about our rights as children of God is to spend much time – even at the sacrifice of other needs and demands on our schedules – in reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on the Word of God, and in prayer and witnessing.

Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, “For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts, and tells us that we really are God’s children. And since we are His children, we will share His treasures – for all God gives to His Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering” (Romans 8:16,17).

Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  I will acknowledge God’s presence, believe His promises and surrender to His special will for me, and thus will I praise Him throughout the day.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Monumental Salvation

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In 1994, the Washington Monument underwent a renovation. While under construction, workers found nineteenth century graffiti on the lobby walls, but not the kind you might expect on buildings or subways today. The writing, covered during decorating at the turn of the century, said, “Whoever is the human instrument under God in the conversion of one soul, erects a monument to his own memory more lofty and enduing than this.” In other words, leading just one person to salvation is monumental.

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom.

I Corinthians 1:17

In today’s verse, Paul was writing the church at Corinth. He reminded them they were to follow Christ only. He explained they shouldn’t get caught up in lofty words or logistics of baptism, but in the plain directive from Christ to preach the gospel and share the salvation story with others.

Jesus commands you to do the same (Mark 16:15). Know that if you convert one soul by sharing Christ, you’ve made a lasting monument. As you pray today for America and its leaders, ask God to direct you to lost people with whom you can share the power of the cross.

Recommended Reading: Romans 10:11-17

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – There’s Nothing Like It

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So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. —Romans 12:5

When someone loses a loved one, perhaps a grandparent, a parent, a spouse, or even a child, where does that person usually turn? Many people will turn to the church. Even if they aren’t a part of the church, they often will come to the church looking for help. And they find help and solace there.

Think of the ways that God has met your needs through the church over the years. When you needed direction in life, where did you find it? You found it at church. Maybe you were having problems with your kids, so you went to church, where the youth pastor intervened and helped you out.

And where did you find Christ? Chances are that you found the Lord in the church.

Maybe it was in the church where you discovered that you have musical ability. I am amazed at how many professional vocalists today have said they got their start by singing at church.

I met my wife at church. She was there with her two sisters, and I invited them all out for coffee afterward. The church is the best place to meet someone who loves the Lord.

Not only that, but the church is good for you physically. Scientific studies have shown that the blood pressure of people who attend church is lower than those who don’t.

These are not the reasons we should go to church, of course. We should go to church because it’s a place where we can draw closer to God. It’s a place where we can grow spiritually. It’s a place where we can give. And it’s a place where we can receive.

I know the church has its flaws. I know it has its shortcomings. But there is nothing out there like the church. It stands apart.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Just the Way You Are

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Don’t confuse God’s love with the love of people. That kind of love often increases with performances and decreases with mistakes. When my daughter was a toddler, she loved going to the park and playing in the sandbox. And often I’d give her an ice-cream treat. One day as I turned to do that, I saw her mouth was full of sand. Where I intended to put a delicacy, she had put dirt. Did I love her with dirt in her mouth? Absolutely. Was I going to allow her to keep the dirt in her mouth? No way. I loved her right where she was, but I refused to leave her there.

God does the same for us. “Spit the dirt out, honey,” our Father urges. I’ve got something better for you.” Jesus wants to give us a heart like his. Can you imagine a better offer?

From Just Like Jesus