Tag Archives: Jesus

John MacArthur – Leaving a Righteous Legacy

November 6, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Heb 11:4).

The character of your life will determine the legacy you leave to others.

Bible scholar James Moffatt wrote, “Death is never the last word in the life of a . . . man. When a man leaves this world, be he righteous or unrighteous, he leaves something in the world. He may leave something that will grow and spread like a cancer or a poison, or he may leave something like the fragrance of perfume or a blossom of beauty that permeates the atmosphere with blessing.”

That’s illustrated in the lives of Adam and Eve’s first sons: Cain and Abel. Cain was an unrighteous man who sought to please God by his own efforts. God rejected him (Gen. 4:5). Abel was a righteous man who worshiped God in true faith. God accepted Him (v. 4).

In a jealous rage, Cain murdered Abel, becoming the first human being to take the life of another. He forever stands as a testimony to the utter tragedy of attempting to please God apart from true faith. For “without faith,” Hebrews 11:6 says, “it is impossible to please Him.” Cain tried and failed—as have millions who have followed in his footsteps.

Abel, on the other hand, was the first man of faith. Prior to the Fall, Adam and Eve had no need of faith in the same way as their descendants. They lived in the paradise of Eden and had direct contact with God. Their children were the first to have need of faith in its fullest sense.

Cain’s legacy is rebellion, heartache, and judgment. Abel’s is righteousness, justice, and saving faith. His life proclaims the central message of redemption: righteousness is by faith alone.

What legacy will you leave to those who follow? I pray they will see in you a pattern of righteousness and faithfulness that inspires them to follow suit.

Suggestions for Prayer

Praise God for righteous Abel and all who have followed his example.
Ask Him to guard you from ever rebelling against His Word.

For Further Study

Read Genesis 4:1-16 and 1 John 3:11-12.

What was God’s counsel to Cain after rejecting his offering?
Why did Cain kill Abel?
How did God punish Cain?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Experience God’s Peace and Rest

November 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Lord . . . has given peace and rest to His people. —1 Chronicles 23:25

This declaration of David speaks of a God who has faithfully given peace and rest to His people—down through the ages, and still today.

In your busy world, your days are often filled to overflowing with all kinds of work and activities that can drain you of your physical energy and leave your mind reeling from the sheer volume.

I’m sure it was the same in David’s day. The pace may have been slower but the responsibilities were just as demanding and draining. But David knew the secret to receiving the goodness of God was thanking and praising the Lord both morning and evening.

If you feel drained from a trying day, spend some quiet time with the Lord before you go to bed. Tell Him how much you thank Him and praise Him for being with you today . . . and for the peace and rest you are about to experience as you lie down to sleep.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – How to Obey God’s Laws

November 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“So now we can obey God’s laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us” (Romans 8:4).

Are you not glad that the Word of God make things so simple? If we really want to obey God’s laws, His resources are available to us. First and foremost, the Holy Spirit abides within to guide us. While it is true that we have all of the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion, we cannot expect the full blessing and power of God until the Holy Spirit has full control of all of us.

As we appropriate the fullness of His Holy Spirit by faith, we are supplied with supernatural power to obey God’s laws. That supernatural power, even, is contingent upon our cooperation in that we must not only commit ourselves to the Holy Spirit but we must also be familiar with the Word of God if we are indeed to obey its commands.

Obedience is a key word in the Christian life. This verse points it out quite clearly, for we either obey God’s laws or we obey the old evil nature. The choice is ours as we are controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Someone has well pointed out that all of life, really, is nothing more nor less than a series of choices. The secret of the successful Christian life is in making the right choices. And even the wisdom to make the right choices is available – as a gift from God.

That leaves us, you and me, without excuse. We can, if we choose, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, obey God’s laws and thus accomplish His purpose for us as believers.

Bible Reading: Galatians 5:16-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Drawing upon the supernatural resources of the Holy Spirit I choose to obey God’s laws rather than yield to the pull of my old evil nature

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Godly Foundation

November 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Ten Commandments are a summary of the law given to God’s people through Moses. Jesus’ summary in the book of Matthew also adds “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Yet, just like the Ten Commandments, it reflects God’s expectations for His followers: to love Him and to love people.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37

The Pilgrims are a great example of people who embraced these biblical principles. Ninety-nine percent of the colonial population professed to be followers of the Lord. Their purpose, as stated in the Mayflower Compact, was to plant colonies “for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith.” In fact, the Pilgrims’ reason for coming to America was to share the gospel with the Native Americans.

As you spend time with the Lord, remember to thank Him for blessing America with a unique heritage rooted in the Bible. Remember also to look for daily opportunities to share His love through your actions and your words. Intercede for your local and national leaders to embrace a true love for God and His commandments. Pray, finally, that Americans would embrace God’s purposes for this country.

Greg Laurie – Needing a Recharge

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O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! —Psalm 63:1–3

When I travel, I take my laptop with me to work on my messages. But often I must work off the battery, so whenever I have the opportunity, I will plug in to the nearest electrical outlet. Why? Because my battery runs down and needs a recharge.

Sometimes that’s the way it is for us as believers. We come to church and get plugged in spiritually. Then we try to run off that energy all week long. We don’t realize we need the power of Christ at all times, in every situation, every conversation, every circumstance in which we find ourselves. In other words, we need a constant power source. We need to be plugged in all the time.

In Psalm 63, David was praying, “Lord, I want to walk with you all the time. Yes, I have seen your glory in the sanctuary, but I want that all week long.”

I can’t help but think of the prophet Elijah, who became physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted in his warfare with the enemies of God. An angel of the Lord found him curled up under a bush in the desert, wanting to die. The angel provided him with some bread, let him rest, and then woke him up for another heavenly meal. The angel said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). We, too, become run down and spiritually depleted. And God has a wonderful meal waiting for us every day in the Word of God, served by the Holy Spirit Himself.

Elijah needed to plug in again, and so do we. We need to make time for God and His Word in our day. Sometimes that means just grabbing it where we can. Read some Scripture verses when you get up in the morning. Listen to some worship or a Bible study on your way to work or school. Take the moments where you can find them to plug in and stay tapped into all that God has for you.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Strength in Prayer

November 6, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Jesus prayed! He would even disappear for an entire night of prayer. I’m thinking of one night in particular. The day began with the news of the death of John the Baptist. Grief-stricken, Jesus sought to retreat with His disciples, yet spent the day teaching and healing people who followed him. When it was discovered the crowd had no food, Jesus multiplied bread out of a basket and fed the entire multitude. In the span of a few hours, he battled sorrow, stress, demands and needs. He deserved to rest. Yet when evening came, he told the crowd to leave and the disciples to board their boat.

Mark 6:46 tells us, “He went up into the hills by himself to pray.” Lord, teach us to pray like that! To find strength in prayer. Teach us to experience a heart connection with God instead of settling for a prayer wish list for God!

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Pursuing Holiness

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

1 Peter 1:15-21

God’s children are called to live holy lives that are marked by a deep reverence for Him. One strong motivation for righteous living is the cross and what it represents.

First, the cross is a reminder of our original position as outsiders, separated from God because of sin. Second, it points to our need for a Savior. Divine justice decrees that the penalty for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). But the only acceptable payment is a blood sacrifice from a life without defect (Lev. 17:11; Deut. 17:1). Since we’re all guilty, we can’t pay for our own sins. Third, it was on the cross that Jesus took our place and endured God’s wrath so we could be forgiven. Fourth, the crucifixion marks the time when God’s justice was satisfied and His mercy was demonstrated. Finally, it points out the way to be reconciled to the Father and adopted into His family. Only by faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved (John 14:6).

Sadly, many have forgotten about God’s requirement of holiness (v. 15). Instead of keeping to His standards of attitude and behavior, they tend to embrace some worldly values that seem more comfortable or self-satisfying. Then, secular goals like pleasure and material wealth tend to replace godly ones like obedience and servanthood. Such worldly goals are encouraged by our culture, which has little fear of God and typically ignores His warnings and commands.

To counteract the culture’s influence, keep the meaning of the cross before you. Then you’ll be motivated to pursue holiness in honor of the One who gave His life to save you.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Less Than The Least

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Genesis 32:3-12

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant. —Genesis 32:10

Unlike those who think highly of themselves, Jacob knew that he had been ruined by sin (Gen. 32:10). He thought himself a man unworthy of God’s grace. He had cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright (ch.27), and his brother hated him for it. Now, years later, Jacob was going to face Esau again.

“I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies,” Jacob prayed, using a word for “least” that suggests the tiniest object. “Deliver me, I pray” (32:10-11).

How odd to see those phrases side by side: I am unworthy of Your mercies . . . . Deliver me! Yet Jacob could pray for mercy because his hope lay not in his own worth, but in God’s promise to look with favor on those who throw themselves at His feet. Humility and contrition are the keys that open the heart of God. Someone has said that the best disposition for praying is being stripped of everything. It is crying out of the depths. It comes from the soul that knows its deep depravity.

Such prayers are offered by those who are thoroughly convicted of their sin and shame, but, at the same time, are convinced of God’s grace that goes out to undeserving sinners. God hears best those who cry out: “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). —David Roper

Lord, I am like Jacob, in need of Your mercy.

I have failed You, and I bow at Your feet today.

Thank You for being a merciful God, ready

and able to forgive and restore me.

It is fitting for a great God to forgive great sinners.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 34-36; Hebrews 2

Insight

Jacob had good reason to fear his brother Esau. With trickery and deception, Jacob had stolen both Esau’s inheritance (Gen. 25) and his blessing (Gen. 27). Esau’s last recorded words before he met Jacob again (Gen. 32) were “I will kill my brother Jacob” (27:41).

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Shelf Life of an Idea

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The concept of “shelf life” has always intrigued me. It is an expression that describes exactly what it attempts to define. For instance, Twinkies have a shelf life of twenty-five days, after which, their existence on the shelf as something edible expires. But shelf life is also an expression that is metaphorically full. One might say of the American “Cabbage Patch Kids” that they were once a quite a phenomenon; shoppers were injured as the dolls were pulled off the shelves and seized by anxious crowds. But the craze was relatively short-lived; as far as fads go, the shelf life was fairly brief.

In high school chemistry we took in the ponderous thought that everything has a shelf life. In fact, in many substances this is an incredibly important number to watch. A variety of compounds, particularly those containing certain unstable elements, become more unstable as they approach their shelf life. Chemical explosives grow increasingly dangerous over time and with exposure to certain factors in the environment becoming liable to explode without warning.

There is a tendency to view ideas and thoughts as having a similar aging process. When something is deemed ancient or even slightly “behind the times” it is often accordingly considered obsolete, needing to be removed from the shelf. As if it has become out-dated like a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk, the aging thought or idea, in many minds, grows more unusable with time. And in many cases, history has shown this to be an accurate picture. Certain philosophies might come to mind as movements that rendered themselves useless over time and exposure to the world. Like compounds approaching their shelf life, their collapse was inevitable and they eventually imploded without warning.

Ideas undeniably have consequences and some approach their shelf lives more dangerously than others. While some have not fully burst at the seams, signs of instability appear. Grumbles of discontent from within their own ideological camps may hint at incoherence. Even so, the noticeable shelf life of specific ideas should cause us to question the cause of their expiration, rather than assume it is time alone that moves an idea to expire.

This is no doubt well-studied in science. Factors that increase and decrease the shelf life of a product move well beyond time itself. When certain compounds are stored at decreased temperatures, their shelf life is increased significantly. Likewise, the development of preservatives dramatically set back the expiration dates on food in our pantries. Like compounds and breakfast items, all ideas do not expire equally. We are thus badly mistaken to dismiss a thought solely because it is old.

The Christian story speaks of the promising hope of Father, Son, and Spirit as something that does not expire, but rather, continues to transform generation after generation. “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them,” writes the psalmist. “I have learned from your words and acts that you established them to last forever.” Personally I know how often I have lived with quite a different assumption, thinking that surely modern thought has improved this or that idea, only to find myself returning to things generations old with new intrigue. The story of one who takes creation so seriously that he joins us within it is one such idea I cannot seem to remove haphazardly from the shelf because it seems to defy the notion of shelf life. A God who can come that near and be that available, while remaining really God, is a gift that won’t be outdated. It is the sort of thing that rearranges everything else on the shelf.

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

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg -Think Highly of Christ

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Give thanks to him; bless his name. Psalm 100:4

Our Lord would have all His people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning His blessed person. Jesus is not content that His brethren should think poorly of Him; it is His pleasure that His people should be delighted with His beauty. We are not to regard Him as a bare necessity, like bread and water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight. To this end He has revealed Himself as the “pearl of great price” in its peerless beauty, as the “bundle of myrrh”1 in its refreshing fragrance, as the “rose of Sharon” in its lasting perfume, as the “lily” in its spotless purity.

As a help to high thoughts of Christ, remember the estimation that Christ has beyond the skies, where things are measured by the right standard. Think how God esteems the Only Begotten, His unspeakable gift to us. Consider what the angels think of Him, as they count it their highest honor to veil their faces at His feet. Consider what the blood-washed think of Him, as day without night they sing His well-deserved praises. High thoughts of Christ will enable us to act consistently in our relationship with Him. The more loftily we see Christ enthroned, and the more lowly we are when bowing before the foot of the throne, the more truly shall we be prepared to act our part toward Him.

Our Lord Jesus desires us to think well of Him, that we may submit cheerfully to His authority. High thoughts of Him increase our love. Love and esteem go together. Therefore, believer, think much of your Master’s excellencies. Study Him in His pre-incarnate glory, before He took upon Himself your nature! Think of the mighty love that drew Him from His throne to die upon the cross! Admire Him as He conquers all the powers of hell! See Him risen, crowned, glorified! Bow before Him as the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Mighty God, for only in this way will your love for Him be what it should.

1) Song of Solomon 1:13, KJV

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The family reading plan for November 5, 2014 * Hosea 11 * Psalm 132, 133, 134

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Fast-day service: An exposition of Daniel 9:1-19

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Taken from brief exposition of Daniel 9:1-19 (This comment is on vv 10-15)

John MacArthur – Knowledge Through Faith

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

God’s greatest truths are discovered by simple faith.

As a man or woman of faith, you have insights into life that unbelievers can’t know. You know how the physical universe began, where it is heading, and how it will end. You know Who governs the universe and how you fit into the total scheme of things. You know why you exist and how to invest your life in matters of eternal consequence.

Unbelievers can’t possibly appreciate those things because “a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Cor. 2:14).

Some of the most basic issues of life remain a mystery to most people because they refuse God’s counsel. For example, the most brilliant thinkers have never agreed on the origin of the universe. Theirs is a futile attempt to explain what is beyond the realm of scientific investigation.

But such things aren’t beyond the realm of knowing—if a person is willing to be taught by God’s Word. For the Bible clearly states that God spoke the physical universe into existence, creating visible matter from what was non-physical or invisible (Rom. 4:17). No humans observed that event. It cannot be measured or repeated. It must be taken by faith.

Any attempt to explain the origin of the universe or the nature of man apart from God’s Word is foolhardy. The unregenerate mind, no matter how brilliant it might be, cannot fathom such things.

So never feel you have to apologize for trusting God’s Word. Let the confidence of the psalmist be yours: “I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Thy precepts” (Ps. 119:99-100).

Suggestions for Prayer; Read Genesis 1-2 as a reminder of the power and wisdom of God in creating the universe. From those chapters select specific things to praise Him for.

For Further Study; Memorize Psalm 19:1. Can you think of ways that the natural creation brings glory to God? (See also Romans 1:18-20.)

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Talk to God Anywhere

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Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? —1 Corinthians 6:19

The angel of the Lord said to Moses, “Take the shoes off your feet, for the ground on which you stand is holy ground” (see Exodus 3:5). The ground was holy because the Holy One was there. Now through faith in Jesus, you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Everywhere you go becomes a holy place because the Holy One dwells in you.

God is not in a building, where you can only visit Him on Sunday morning. He is with you everywhere you go. You can talk to Him while you vacuum, or while you change the oil in your car. When you let God become involved in every aspect of your life, every day becomes exciting.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – You Can Trust Him

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“So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to” (Matthew 6:31-33).

As a young businessman, I was strongly attracted to the material things of the world and worked very hard to achieve success. But when I became a Christian, I could not ignore the logic of Christ’s command, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33, KJV).

I made my commitment to obey His command. Since that day so many years ago, I have sought to be obedient to that command. The Lord has graciously and abundantly blessed me with the fulfillment of the promise of His supernatural provision which follows:

“You heavenly father already knows perfectly well (the things you need), and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to.”

God is trustworthy, and the obedient, faithful Christian soon learns that he, like the psalmist of old, can proclaim:

“I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves Him, nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry” (Psalm 37:25).

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:25-30

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Resting on the absolute certainties of the Word of God, I will refuse to worry about anything today (recognizing that concern involves others, while worry involves only myself). “All things work together for good to them that love God…” (Romans 8:28). “My God shall supply all your need…” (Philippians 4:19). By trusting these and other promises from God’s word, I have no reason to worry

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Eager to Serve

November 5, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The newly-christened battleship USS South Dakota headed towards the Pacific to join the war in the summer of 1942. It carried new recruits eager to retaliate for the attack on Pearl Harbor. None were more willing than twelve-year-old Calvin Graham – an underage boy wanting to do his part to fight for his country. Somehow, Graham slipped through the cracks, telling the Navy he was seventeen. This young vet ended up with a bronze star and a purple heart at thirteen.

That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

Judges 5:2

When someone is willing to risk their life in such a way, people take notice. In today’s passage, Deborah sings praises for a military victory over Israel’s enemies. She thanks God for effective leadership and for her people who, like Calvin Graham, proved ready to “willingly offer themselves.”

Praise God for the presidents who have led this nation into battle with a strong hand. Thank Him for the many men and women who choose to join the armed forces in order to protect this country. Ask Him to strengthen the current leadership of America and prepare this country for His plans for the future. Then ask for special blessings on the many United States veterans.

Greg Laurie – Savoring the Moment

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We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. —2 Corinthians 5:1–2

When my son Jonathan turned eleven, I remember asking him, “What age are you really looking forward to?”

“Sixteen,” he replied. “I want to be sixteen.”

That’s so typical. When you’re young, sixteen is where it’s at. Then you hit sixteen, and you say, “Eighteen—that’s the age to be!” Then you hit eighteen, and you want to be twenty-one because you can do so much when you’re twenty-one. Then you hit twenty-one, and you say, “No one takes me seriously yet. They think I’m still a kid. Wait until I hit my thirties. Those are the earning years.” You hit your thirties and say, “If I could just be in my forties, then I will have arrived.” Then you hit forty, and you say, “I wish I were a teenager again. I wish I could have that carefree life I used to have.” That’s when the so-called midlife crisis kicks in for a lot of people.

Next come the fifties and then the sixties . . . the golden years. You look back, and you have many memories and regrets.

One could almost look back on life and come to the same conclusion that Benjamin Disraeli, former Prime Minister of England, came to: “Youth is a blunder; Manhood a struggle; Old Age a regret.” That’s a pretty accurate assessment of life apart from Jesus Christ.

But when Jesus Christ is at the center of your life, you don’t have to feel that way. You can live a life that is rich and full on this earth—in spite of old age or limitations or infirmities. And then . . . beyond the grave, the best is yet to come! Just around the corner from this life is an eternal life so wonderful that we can’t even put words to it.

What am I looking forward to? I’m looking forward to each day that God lets me live here on earth. And beyond that, I’m looking forward to that moment in time when I cross over from this world to the next.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Our Good Intentions

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Struggles come for sure—but so does God! Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer. As simple as, “Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

We want to pray but the calendar pounces on our good intentions like a tiger on a rabbit. Prayer is not a privilege for the pious, not the art of a chosen few. It is simply conversation between God and you. He wants to talk with you!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Sign on at BeforeAmen.com—take a few minutes and do the Prayer Strengths Assessment. It will not only encourage you but give you a building block for your growth in prayer!

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Benefits of Commitment to Prayer

November 4, 2014 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Romans 12:10-12

Jesus loved to talk to His Father and often sought the opportunity to be alone with Him. At times, the Savior would speak with God in front of large groups of people or ask certain of the disciples to join Him in prayer. Because Jesus prayed frequently, He followed God’s lead, joined in His work, and spoke the Father’s words to the people around Him.

When we are serious about prayer, our intimacy with the Lord begins to grow. The more we listen and speak with God, the better we get to know Him. And as that happens, we start to view the world from a divine perspective. The things that matter to God will become our concerns as well, and our prayers will increasingly reflect His interests. Experiencing answered prayer will encourage us and grow our faith.

Over time, the discipline of prayer should begin to have a purifying effect upon us. The Holy Spirit works God’s truth into our hearts as we allow regular study of Scripture to fuel our communion with Him. Consistent exposure to the Word will reveal personal areas of ungodliness, and the Spirit will give us power to change. What’s more, we will learn to recognize where God wants us to become involved and how to invest our time, finances, and spiritual gifts in His work. Through prayer, we will also receive divine peace—even when circumstances worsen or remain unchanged (Isa. 26:3).

The benefits of prayer are many, but greatest of all is the joy derived from spending more time with the Lord.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Perception or Reality?

November 4, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Mark 4:35-41

Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? —Mark 4:38

We often hear it said, “Perception is reality.” That idea for Americans may have dawned on September 26, 1960—the date of the first televised debate between two presidential candidates. In front of the cameras, John Kennedy appeared composed; Richard Nixon appeared nervous. The perception was that Kennedy would be a stronger leader. The debate not only turned that election, but it also changed the way politics is done in the US. Politics by perception became the rule of the day.

Sometimes perception is reality. But not always—especially our perceptions about God. When Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a small fishing vessel, a sudden storm threatened to sink the boat. With Jesus asleep and the disciples on the verge of panic, they began to stir Him, asking, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38).

Their question sounds similar to questions I’ve asked. At times I perceive God’s apparent inactivity as a lack of care. But His care for me goes well beyond what I can see or measure. Our God is deeply concerned for what concerns us. He urges us to place all our care upon Him, “for He cares for [us]” (1 Peter 5:7). That is true reality. —Bill Crowder

O yes, He cares; I know He cares!

His heart is touched with my grief;

When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

I know my Savior cares. —Graeff

Even when we don’t sense God’s presence, His loving care is all around us.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1

Insight

It appears that each of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) had a distinct audience and approach to telling Jesus’ story. Some scholars believe that Mark’s telling of the story was directed primarily to a Roman audience, and that his approach to Christ was to present Him as the “divine Servant.” This theme is rooted in Jesus’ own words about His mission when He said, “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This theme would have had a strong connection for a Roman audience in the first century.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Beyond Thoughts

November 4, 2014 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

I would like to begin by telling a story about an event that took place some years ago when I was beginning my studies, an event that has had a major impact on my approach to the ministry to this day. I had a neighbor who was deeply committed to a version of the New Age movement. He and I had many conversations about God in the course of several months. He was a highly educated man with a couple of PhDs to his name, and so he provided me with an opportunity to test my training. But the training I was receiving in apologetics was good, and I soon realized that I could not only answer the questions he was asking about my faith in God, I could also poke holes in his worldview in a way that forced him to check books out of the local library to try and put his worldview back together. And I was feeling very good about myself. I was actually getting it!

Finally I decided to challenge him to consider giving his life to Christ. His reaction surprised me; he did not seem to care at all about what I was telling him. So I said to him, can you please explain to me what is going on? You don’t seem to care about what I am telling you. His answer was even more baffling to me. He said to me, “Listening to you asking me to become a Christian is like listening to a naturalist asking me to become a naturalist.”

I said to him, “What in the world do you mean. I just asked you to consider giving your life to the God who created you, and you are accusing me of being an atheist? What do you mean?”

He said to me, “All you Christians have are statements and creeds. You think that if people accept those statements and creeds, everything will be okay. When I pray, I get in touch with powers that you know nothing about.”

And that was one of the most convicting things anyone has ever said to me. Because what this man was saying to me was essentially this: “Yes, you can say a lot of very convincing things about your faith, but does your faith really rise beyond well-argued propositions?”

In his book, Beyond Opinion, Ravi Zacharias says that the greatest obstacle to the reception of the Gospel is not its inability to provide answers; it is the failure on the part of Christians to live it out. J. I. Packer writes similarly in his classic book, entitled, Knowing God: “From current Christian publications you might think that the most vital issue for any real or would-be Christian in the world today is church union, or social witness, or dialogue with other Christians and other faiths, or refuting this or that -ism, or developing a Christian philosophy and culture… it is tragic that….so many in our day seem to have been distracted from what was, is, and always will be the true priority for every human being—that is, learning to know God in Christ.”(1)

Whatever your position of faith, it is helpful to occasionally step back and ask a similar question of priority. Whatever your calling in life, what is the ultimate goal of all that you do?

The Bible addresses this question in many places, in both the Old and New Testaments, but none so much as in the person of Christ himself. If there is a message we hear loudest in his coming to earth it is this. The primary call of God is to know God, to be near God, not to serve God or to argue on God’s behalf. The end is knowing God. Even the scriptures were given to us a means to that end. For when all is said and done, when the dust settles, it is the eternally incarnate Son of God who lies behind the hauntingly inescapable question, “Who do you say that I am?” It is a question we must answer, with our words and with our lives. There is no neutral ground.

No, Christians don’t have only statements and creeds on which to stand. We stand on holy ground, before a holy God. And how wonderful it is when the curtain is pulled back, and we see God for Who God truly is, and we are able to say with Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God?”

J.M. Njoroge is a member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 279.

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