Tag Archives: Jesus

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – The Opposite of Covetousness

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“Let your way of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5).

If you are content with what God has given you, you will not be a person who is covetous or a lover of money.

I once had a man come into my church office and confess the sin of gluttony. When I told him he did not look overweight, he answered, “I know. It is not that I eat too much but that I want to. I continually crave food. It’s an obsession.”

Covetousness is very similar to that man’s gluttonous attitude. You do not have to acquire a lot of things, or even anything at all, to be covetous. If you long to acquire things and are focusing all your attention on how you might get them, you are guilty of covetousness.

It is not wrong to earn or possess wealth. In the Old Testament, Abraham and Job had tremendous wealth. A number of faithful New Testament believers were also fairly wealthy. The problem comes when we have a greedy attitude that craves money above everything else. Paul warns us, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang” (1 Tim. 6:10). Loving money is perhaps the most common form of covetousness; it is akin to lusting after material riches in various forms.

No matter how it appears, this kind of covetousness breeds the same spiritual result—it displeases God and separates us from Him. More income, a bigger house, nicer clothes, a fancier car can tempt all of us.

But the Lord wants you to be free from the materialism that so easily controls your non-Christian neighbors. Your earthly possessions are only temporary anyway. You will lose them all one day soon enough. So God tells you and me to be “content with what you have” (Heb. 13:5), realizing that we have “a better possession and an abiding one” (10:34) in our salvation.

Suggestions for Prayer

Is there any covetousness or materialism in your life today? Confess it to the Lord, and pray that He would give you a renewed desire to trust Him rather than uncertain wealth.

For Further Study

Read Luke 12:13-34.

  • Make a list of the things that illustrate how God cares for our material needs.
  • How does the rich fool’s attitude contrast with what Jesus teaches in verse 31?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Setting Boundaries

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The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

— Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)

It is wrong for anyone to try to control us, but it is equally wrong for us to allow it. We must stand up for ourselves and be determined to please God rather than other people. My mother allowed my father to control her out of fear, and everyone in the family paid the price for her refusal to stand up for herself and us. Fear is a real thing, but it has no power over us except what we give it. Author and psychologist Henry Cloud says that we get what we tolerate.

The best thing is never to start a relationship by letting yourself be controlled and manipulated. But if you are already in that situation, it is not too late to stand up for yourself. It will be more difficult to do than it would have been had you had boundaries from the beginning of the relationship, but it can still be done. Let the person who is controlling you know that you realize you have been allowing them to control you and that you will no longer let it continue. They may react in an angry and even a violent manner, but in the end, they will respect you for it.

It is God’s will for us to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in order to do that, we will find that we must often say no to the demands of people. People who will only stay in relationship with you if they are allowed to control you don’t really love you. They are simply using you to help them get what they want. You deserve better than that and are far too valuable to let anyone abuse or misuse you.

If you have a history of not speaking up or just “going along to get along,” taking the first step toward freedom will be the most difficult. Satan is delighted to rob you of your God-ordained destiny, and he can easily do it through the fear of other people. The apostle Paul said that had he been trying to be popular with people, he would not have become an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:10). Think seriously about that for a moment, and then take a look at your own life and make sure you are not missing God’s will by being overly concerned about keeping people happy. We should want to please and make people happy, but not if the price of doing so is disobeying God. The Word of God tells us to follow peace and I want to strongly recommend that you begin doing that. Anyone who truly cares about you will want you to follow God even if it means you can’t give them what they want. God is always with you to help you do what you need to do.

Prayer of the Day: Father, give me the courage to stand up for myself to those who try to control me. Help me to always follow Your will and value my worth the way You value me. In the name of Jesus, I choose to follow Your guidance rather than the approval of other people, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – The Triumphant King

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Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

Revelation 1:4–5

What do you do when your Christian convictions and the circumstances of your life appear to declare two different truths?

This was the conundrum facing the first readers of the book of Revelation. The last book in our Scriptures was not written to confuse but to bless (Revelation 1:3). We ought not to regard it as if it were a collection of riddles or some theological Rubik’s Cube. Rather, we must understand that John was writing to readers in a historical context—first-century believers who were being buffeted and persecuted by the authorities of their day—in order to offer hope and assurance.

The gospel was being preached, and the people of God were absolutely convinced that even as Jesus had gone, so He would return. They believed that, as the ascended Lord and King, Jesus was fully in control of all circumstances and His will was being established throughout the whole earth. That was their conviction. But when they looked at their circumstances, these did not seem to square with those convictions. None of the things that they affirmed to one another and shared with their friends and neighbors appeared to be happening. Mockers abounded. In fact, the apostle Peter had already warned the believers, “Scoffers will come in the last days,” and they would ask, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

While the church was small and beleaguered, the empires of man were growing in strength and significance. Persecution was increasing in its intensity, and the Evil One doubtless came and insinuated to these suffering Christians that they had bought into a great delusion. They needed Jesus to come and give them His perspective so that their troubles would not discourage, perplex, or overwhelm them. They needed to understand simply this: that Jesus was still the triumphant Lord and King. His resurrection from the dead had declared His authority and His integrity. He could be trusted with His people’s lives and futures.

In a world that continues to oppress God’s people, the book of Revelation is exactly what the church today needs. While economic gloom, material deprivation, and issues of morality and personal identity threaten to unravel the minds of men and women, John’s message reminds us that our Christian faith is sufficient for the challenges and questions that confront us. Do your circumstances suggest to you that perhaps your convictions about your faith might be mistaken? Rest in this assurance: Jesus rose, Jesus reigns, and ultimately, Jesus wins.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Revelation 1:1–8

Topics: Christ as King Christ as Lord Trials

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Wants You To Love Him Most

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“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)*

What is an idol? You have probably heard about them in missionary stories, and you’ve read about them in the Bible. An idol is a piece of wood or stone shaped like a person or an animal, and people worship it. Right?

That is one kind of idol. But there are other kinds, too. An idol is anything that we love more than God. An idol could be a person, an object, a hobby, a goal, or a desire. God commands us to love Him first. And first means most. God wants to be our highest love.

If we really knew and understood our God, we would have no trouble loving Him most. He is so worthy of our love. He is mightier, wiser, kinder, and more beautiful than any being we can imagine. His love for us is deeper and stronger than we can even begin to understand. He is perfectly holy, and yet He is merciful and forgiving. No one else could ever come close to being like Him. He is, as His Word says, “altogether lovely.”

It is only when we take our eyes off our God that other things seem more important to us. What is taking first place in your heart?

God wants and deserves to be our highest love.

My Response: » Who or what is in first place in my heart? » Do I need to ask God to help me get rid of an idol so that I can love Him most?

*NOTE: The audio recording lists the passage as Matthew 23:37-38, however, the correct passage is Matthew 22:37-38.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Whom should voters elect in Iowa? Why did God create such a chaotic, unpredictable world?

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As I write this morning, the temperature where I live is nineteen degrees. It will be much, much colder in Iowa tonight, with wind chills forecasted in Des Moines of minus thirty-five degrees. And yet, thousands of Republicans will brave the elements to participate in the Iowa caucus, the first contest of the 2024 presidential elections.

Which candidate has the best chance of being elected? Of governing effectively? Are these the same thing?

Speaking of elections: according to the Wall Street Journal, “China’s least preferred candidate” won the presidential vote in Taiwan on Saturday. Should voters have elected someone who is more closely aligned with China, perhaps forestalling military conflict in the future? Or would this only accelerate China’s aggression?

Meanwhile, a Houthi cruise missile fired from Yemen toward a US warship was shot down by a fighter jet yesterday, the first attack by the Houthis since strikes on the rebels began on Friday. Should the US and its allies desist from further attacks on the militants lest they escalate the conflict in the Middle East? Or would this only escalate the conflict?

Reflecting on the fact that we cannot know the future consequences of present choices, I found myself asking why an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God created and allows a world that is so chaotic and unpredictable.

Then I realized: he didn’t.

A thought experiment

Try a thought experiment with me: Call to mind the last time you made a choice that you know was God’s will for you. Looking back on the consequences of that decision, are you glad you made it?

Now think of the last time you made a choice that you knew was not God’s will for you. Looking back on its consequences, are you sorry you made it?

From the Garden of Eden to today, we know enough about the future consequences of obeying God’s will to know that we should always obey God’s will.

  • We learn from Adam and Eve that the “will to power,” Satan’s temptation to “be like God” (Genesis 3:5), should always be resisted.
  • Abraham shows us that following God’s will even when we don’t understand it leads to our best future (cf. Hebrews 11:8).
  • Joseph teaches us that refusing sexual temptation (Genesis 39) leads to our best life and largest influence.
  • By contrast, David’s adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) proves that yielding to lust leads to devastating consequences that far outweigh the pleasure promised in the moment.
  • Because Paul submitted to Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9), he became the greatest evangelist, missionary, and theologian the world has ever known.
  • Because John chose to worship Jesus on Patmos (Revelation 1), he met the risen Christ personally and received his Revelation for the world.

We could go on, but the pattern is clear: God always gives his best to those who leave the choice with him. By contrast, as I often warn, sin will always take us further than we wanted to go, keep us longer than we wanted to stay, and cost us more than we wanted to pay.

As a result, it’s clear that the world God created is not so unpredictable that we must live without hope. Our Father has told us all we need to know to know that choosing his will in the present is always best for our future.

So, here’s the best way to find hope in a chaotic world:

Stay faithful to the last word you heard from God and open to the next.

What does this mean in practical terms?

First: Submit to the Spirit every day.

You cannot give God “tomorrow” today because “tomorrow” does not exist. This day is the only day there is. All of God there is, is in this moment.

So begin every day by taking it to the throne of God and entrusting it to him (Ephesians 5:18). Ask his Spirit to bring to mind anything that is hindering his work in your life, confess what comes to your thoughts, and claim your Father’s forgiving grace. Turn your day, influence, abilities, and challenges over to him. Ask him to lead and empower you.

If every Christian would do this one thing every day, our world could never be the same.

Second: Trust the consequences of your choices to God’s unconditional love.

One of the challenges to unconditional obedience is our fear that it will cost others. What about our family’s future? Our finances? We are right: as Oswald Chambers observed, “If we obey God it is going to cost other people more than it costs us.” But he added: “If we obey God, he will look after those who have been pressed into the consequences of our obedience. We have simply to obey and leave all consequences with him.”

Remember that the God who “is” love (1 John 4:8) loves each of us as if there were only one of us (St. Augustine). He loves your family and friends as much as he loves his own Son (John 17:23).

So take your next step of obedience, trusting that God’s best for you is also his best for those you love. You cannot measure the eternal significance of present faithfulness.

“God’s blessing must be our objective”

Pope St. Clement I was the bishop of Rome in the late first century, holding his office from AD 88 to his death in AD 99. In a letter to the church at Corinth, he wrote:

God’s blessing must be our objective, and the way to win it our study. Search the records of ancient times. Why was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because his upright and straightforward conduct was inspired by faith? As for Isaac’s faith, it was so strong that, assured of the outcome, he willingly allowed himself to be offered in sacrifice. Jacob had the humility to leave his native land on account of his brother, and go and serve Laban. He was given the twelve tribes of Israel.

Honest reflection upon each of these examples will make us realize the magnitude of God’s gifts. All the priests and Levites who served the altar of God were descended from Jacob. The manhood of the Lord Jesus derived from him. Through the tribe of Judah, kings, princes, and rulers sprang from him. Nor are his other tribes without their honor, for God promised Abraham: “Your descendants shall be as the stars of heaven.”

It is obvious, therefore, that none of these owed their honor and exaltation to themselves, or to their own labors, or to their deeds of virtue. No, they owed everything to God’s will. So likewise with us, who by his will are called in Christ Jesus. We are not justified by our wisdom, intelligence, piety, or by any action of ours, however holy, but by faith, the one means by which God has justified men from the beginning. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

His first-century wisdom is God’s twenty-first-century invitation to us.

“I just want to do God’s will”

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on this day in 1929. On April 3, 1968, the great civil rights leader told an assembled crowd in Memphis, “I just want to do God’s will. . . . And so I’m happy tonight; I’m not worried about anything; I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

He was assassinated the next day. But the movement he led continues, helping our nation keep our founding declaration that “all men are created equal.”

How fully do you “want to do God’s will” today?

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of God has anointed Jesus to break the yokes—the shackles of Satan—in our lives. When Jesus abides in us, the power of His anointing is brought to bear in our every need.

Jesus brings the gospel to the poor—not just those lacking in financial resources, but any of us who experience lack in our lives. Our bank accounts may be full, but our heart accounts can be empty. Our All in All recognizes the places where we fall short and brings the good news of His sufficiency into the equation.

In place of turmoil, He gives peace. In place of doubt, He gives confidence. In place of exhaustion, He brings refreshing. In place of weakness, He grants strength.

Jesus has come to heal the brokenhearted. Our hearts are so susceptible to brokenness. They can be crushed through circumstances beyond our control, destroyed by decisions that we long to take back, or shattered by tragedies of the past.

One touch of His anointed hand can restore the splintered fragments. He fills our hearts with hope again. We sing a new song. We learn to love once more. He is a God of second chances and new beginnings.

Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May God provide for your every need according to His glorious riches. Even though your weeping may last through the night, His joy will come in the morning!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Genesis 31:17-32:12

New Testament 

Matthew 10:27-11:6

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 13:1-6

Proverbs 3:16-18

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – We Need Both!

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He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5

 Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 31:7-8

It’s easy to say to a lonely person: “But remember, you have the Lord with you all the time!” That’s true, but it’s not what God said to Adam in the Garden of Eden: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We’re created with an intense need for fellowship with both our Lord and with other people. We need both! Psalm 68:6 says, “God sets the solitary in families.”

If you feel alone, work specifically on cultivating your daily walk with the Lord and enjoy His fellowship. Then, in that context, ask Him to bring into your life a person or group of people who can be a family for you. Of course, we can’t be passive in the process. We need to find someone to whom we can minister and a church in which we can become involved.

The Lord knows all our needs, and He has promised to meet them. Don’t give up and don’t despair. Lean on Him who will never leave or forsake you.

God [is] at work, ready to transform our loneliness into a positive experience that…draws us into the very thing we long for: a closer, deeper, more satisfying relationship with Him and others.
Ruth Graham

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Spiraling Downward

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For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 

—2 Corinthians 7:10

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 7:10 

Have you ever known someone who appeared as though they would really make their mark in life? They looked like they were going to do well, but then they self-destructed.

That is what happened to Saul, the first king of Israel. He started out well, but things went from bad to worse because he disobeyed God. And when his successor, David, emerged on the scene, Saul began to relentlessly hunt him down.

On more than one occasion, Saul tried to murder David because he was paranoid and jealous of him. And when Saul went to battle against the Philistines and realized that he was clearly defeated, he killed himself.

Saul had so much promise and potential, but he threw his life away. He was more concerned with what others thought of him than with what God thought of him. He was shallow. He was vain. And he was a fool.

In fact, he once admitted, “I have been a fool and very, very wrong” (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version puts it, “I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

Like Saul, we can play the fool in our lives as well.

We play the fool when we disobey God, even in the smallest matters. Spiritual decline is gradual. Saul’s failure wasn’t immediate. At first, he was humble, but then pride set in. He took matters into his own hands and did what God told him not do.

We play the fool when we attempt to justify the wrongs we have done. More than once, Saul blamed others for something he had done wrong. And when he finally owned up to his sin, it was only to save face. We must be honest about our sin and admit it when we’ve done something wrong.

We play the fool when we allow hatred and jealousy to control our lives instead of love. There always will be people who do better in life than we do. There always will be someone who is better looking, in better shape, and more intelligent than we are. And if allow jealousy to control us, then we’ll be miserable people. Instead, we can thank God for everything He has given us because we don’t deserve any of it.

Saul threw his life away, and his jealousy ultimately destroyed him. In the end, if he had genuinely repented, God would have forgiven him.

The Bible says, “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

In other words, if we’re really sorry for something we’ve done, then we will stop doing it. But to say we’re sorry and continue in a path of disobedience shows that we’re not sorry at all.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Incarnate Wisdom

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.


“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” (Proverbs 8:22-23)

The book of Proverbs repeatedly extols the virtues of true wisdom founded on the fear of the Lord. In the eighth chapter, however, beginning at verse 22, the theme changes, retreating far back in time to creation itself and even before. The statements in the next 10 verses, especially, must be of an actual divine Person. From the New Testament perspective, especially with John 1:1-14 as the definitive exposition, it becomes clear that the divine wisdom of Proverbs 8:22-31 is none other than the incarnate Word of John’s prologue.

The Lord Jesus Christ, indeed, fits perfectly all the statements in this particular section of Proverbs, which then gives marvelous new insight into the events of creation and the divine fellowship in the Godhead before the creation. Note that in these first two verses, the Lord’s “ways” were prior to His “works” and that He “possessed” His Son “from everlasting.” This is the profound doctrine of “eternal generations” whereby the Son is “brought forth” continually from the Father, forever manifesting Him in His creation.

The New Testament makes it plain that Jesus Christ is, indeed, the incarnate wisdom of God. He is the “Word” by whom all things were made (John 1:1-3). He is “the truth” (John 14:6) and “the light” (John 8:12) by whom alone men can come to God and follow Him. He is called “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” in 1 Corinthians 1:24, and He called Himself “the wisdom of God” in Luke 11:49.

All of the vaunted knowledge of the world’s thinkers and scientists is empty and futile apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, for in Him alone are found “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). HMM

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Worker

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Bible in a Year :

The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Genesis 39:23

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Genesis 39:19–23

In a refugee camp in the Middle East, when Reza received a Bible, he came to know and believe in Jesus. His first prayer in Christ’s name was, “Use me as your worker.” Later, after he left the camp, God answered that prayer when he unexpectedly secured a job with a relief agency, returning to the camp to serve the people he knew and loved. He set up sports clubs, language classes, and legal advice—“anything that can give people hope.” He sees these programs as a way to serve others and to share God’s wisdom and love.

When reading his Bible, Reza felt an instant connection with the story of Joseph from Genesis. He noticed how God used Joseph to further His work while he was in prison. Because God was with Joseph, He showed him kindness and granted him favor. The prison warden put Joseph in charge and didn’t have to pay attention to matters there because God gave Joseph “success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23).

God promises to be with us too. Whether we’re facing imprisonment—literal or figurative—hardship, displacement, heartache, or sorrow, we can trust that He’ll never leave us. Just as He enabled Reza to serve those in the camp and Joseph to run the prison, He’ll stay close to us always.

By:  Amy Boucher Pye

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced God’s redeeming action, such as Reza and Joseph did? How does Joseph’s story help you to trust Him more?

Saving God, You never leave me, even when I face the hardest of circumstances. Please give me hope and eyes to see Your work in my life.

http://www.odb.org

Uncategorized

Grace to You; John MacArthur – The Importance of Brotherly Love

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 “Let love of the brethren continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

Genuine love among Christians is a testimony to the world, to ourselves, and to God.

The importance of brotherly love extends well beyond the walls of your local church or fellowship hall. In John 13:35 Jesus says, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” In effect, God has made love for one another the measuring stick by which the world can determine if our Christian profession is genuine. That’s why it’s so important that we have a selfless attitude and sincerely place the interests of our brothers and sisters in Christ ahead of our own.

If you are a parent, you know what a delight it is when your children love and care for one another. Such harmonious relations make for a close-knit family and fulfill the words of the psalmist: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). God is both pleased and glorified when Christian brothers and sisters love each other and minister together in harmony.

Neither the author of Hebrews nor the apostle John is equating love with a sentimental, superficial affection. As already suggested, practical commitment marks true brotherly love. If you do not have such commitment, it is fair to question your relationship to God (1 John 3:17). Refusing to help a fellow believer when you can, John reasons, reveals that you don’t really love him. And if you don’t love him, God’s love can’t be in your heart, which proves that you don’t belong to Him. This logic is sobering and persuasive. It should motivate us all the more to see the importance of practicing brotherly love: “Let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him” (1 John 3:18-19).

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask the Lord’s forgiveness for times when you did not show brotherly love or when you were reluctant to help another Christian in need.

For Further Study

Read Luke 6:31-35 and notice how our duty to love extends even beyond the sphere of fellow believers. What kind of reward results?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Overcoming a Poor Self-Image

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God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness….

— Genesis 1:26 (AMPC)

Second Samuel 9 tells the story of Mephibosheth, the grandson of King Saul and the son of Jonathan. Crippled as a youth, Mephibosheth had a poor self-image. Instead of seeing himself as the rightful heir to his father’s and grandfather’s legacy, he saw himself as someone who would be rejected.

When David sent for Mephibosheth, he fell down before the king and displayed fear. David told him not to fear, that he intended to show Mephibosheth kindness because of David’s covenant with Jonathan. Mephibosheth’s initial response is an important example of the kind of poor self-image we all need to overcome.

A poor self-image causes us to operate in fear instead of faith. We look at what is wrong with us instead of what is right with Jesus. He has taken our wrongs and given us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can joyfully walk in the reality of that truth.

I love the end of the story. David blessed Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake. He gave him servants and land and provided for all of his needs. God will bless us for Jesus’ sake!

We can all relate Mephibosheth’s lameness to our own weaknesses. We may also fellowship and eat with our King Jesus—despite our faults and weaknesses.

Prayer of the Day: Father, You know my struggles. Help me overcome any issue I have with self-image and only see myself as You see me. Help me to walk in faith and righteousness and embrace Your many blessings as Your beloved child, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg –Power and Purity

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After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Matthew 17:1–2

As John Lennon and Paul McCartney once suggested, there are places we’ll remember all of our lives.[1] Surely Peter, James, and John would have regarded this mountainside, where they saw Christ’s transfiguration, as one of those places. Certainly Peter never forgot it (2 Peter 1:17-18).

What was involved in the transfiguration? To begin with, it changed Jesus’ appearance. His face “shone.” Clearly this was not a matter of cleanliness but of supernatural transformation. There was a radiant glow to His face that Matthew could only describe as “like the sun.” His clothes were dazzling white—whiter than you or I have ever seen—signifying the matchless purity of heaven.

One of the ways in which the Old Testament describes God is that He wraps Himself “with light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2). And that is how Jesus looked at the top of His mountain. Who does such a thing? Only God! It was no coincidence, but a clue that the transfiguration was a revelation not only from God but of God Himself. In this scene, Christ revealed Himself as God in an unprecedented way. Scripture tells us that Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God” (Hebrews 1:3). Yet when He entered our world, God’s glory was veiled in Christ’s humble humanity. The transfiguration was what John Calvin referred to as “a temporary exhibition of his glory.”[2] It was a little pulling back of the curtain—a little flash up on the mountainside and into the minds of these three disciples. God was making it possible for Peter, James, and John to get a taste of what they could not yet fully comprehend but would one day enjoy eternally.

In Scripture, when there is a display of God’s majesty people often react by falling on their faces. The disciples were no different, responding with terror. But Jesus graciously said to them, “Rise, and have no fear” (Matthew 17:7).

Do you and I approach Christ in similar awe of His perfect holiness and transcendence? Or is there a possibility that our view of God is at times too small? Come before Him in such a way that you find yourself on your face as you consider His power and His purity. Then hear Him, in His mercy, say, Get up. You don’t need to be afraid. That is the way to live in awe and joy today and every day, until you gaze on our glorious Lord for yourself.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Matthew 17:1–9

Topics: Deity of Christ Fear of God Glory of God Transfiguration

FOOTNOTES

1 John Lennon and Paul McCartney, “In My Life” (1965).

2 Commentary on the Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, trans. William Pringle (Calvin Translation Society, 1845), Vol. 2, p 347.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids4Truth Clubs Daily Devotional – God Knows His Creation

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“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.” (Psalm 147:4)

Molly loved to visit her grandma on her farm in Missouri. Because Grandma lived so far away from all the city lights, Molly could see many more stars there than she could at her house in the city. She would lie in the grass on a summer night, just staring into the sky. It seemed like the longer she looked, the more stars there were. Millions and billions and trillions of stars.

The Scripture says that God, the Creator, knows the number of the stars. And not only that, but He also knows all of their millions and billions and trillions of names! His knowledge of His creation is infinite.

The God who created each of the stars created you, too. He knows your name, too. And He knows you – from the inside out. He knows all of your thoughts, good and bad. He knows your fears and your desires. He knows what makes you cry. He knows what you love most. He knows things about you that you don’t even know yourself! He knows all this – and He loves you.

God’s knowledge of His creation is both infinite and personal.

My Response:
» Am I willing to ask God to show me things about myself that need to change?

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Is “The Book of Clarence” blasphemy? What the new film says about Jesus—and us

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The Book of Clarence, a new film from writer/director Jeymes Samuel, takes place in Jerusalem across the weeks leading up to Christ’s crucifixion.

However, it’s not really a story about Jesus.

As Samuel described, “If they tell you a Bible story, you wouldn’t get the story of the guy around the corner. Or the person who sold Jesus his sandals.” And that’s where the movie’s main character—Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield)—steps in.

What is The Book of Clarence about?

You see, Clarence is the fictionalized twin brother of the apostle Thomas, a detail based in Scripture—Thomas was called “the Twin” three times in John’s gospel—but the film takes a great deal of license from there.

Consequently, Clarence is well acquainted with the work of Jesus.

Yet Clarence is also, as Alissa Wilkinson described, “an atheist stoner who sells first-century weed.” As such, when he looks at Christ’s ministry, he sees a false messiah getting paid by a duped populace and thinks he can do the same. After all, in his view Jesus is a con man as well.

Clarence’s ruse works, for a time.

However, he eventually learns the hard way that the Romans don’t take kindly to would-be messiahs and his story turns from there.

Ultimately, The Book of Clarence is a solid film that tells an interesting story while pulling from the biblical account without feeling beholden to it. There are certainly times when those creative liberties stand out more than others. But, when it comes to his portrayal of the true messiah, Samuel does not cross the line into blasphemy, staying pretty faithful to the Jesus of Scripture.

If you can get past those differences and accept the film for the story it’s trying to tell, Clarence has a lot to offer.

Multiple messiahs?

Take one of the film’s central premises, for example.

While Samuel certainly took liberties with some aspects of the gospel story, the proliferation of false messiahs was not one of them.

Jesus was not the only person who claimed to be God’s anointed one in the first century. He was just the only one for whom that claim was true.

The Jews in ancient Rome were desperate for someone to save them and restore the nation of Israel to prominence. And like those who trusted the false prophets in the time leading up to the exile, when those false messiahs filled the heads and hearts of first-century Jews with promises that satisfied their most sincere longings, they were prone to believe the lies.

That this was the case is demonstrated best by how quickly they turned on Jesus once it became clear that he would not be that kind of messiah. And even after he spent more than a month with his disciples following his death and resurrection, they still struggled to see the truth, asking if he would now restore the kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6).

Who is your messiah?

The very human impulse to create a God in our own image rather than to serve the God who made us in his has been around since the Garden of Eden, and it would be naïve to think it’s going to go away anytime soon. We are just as likely to turn on our heavenly Father today when it doesn’t seem like he meets our expectations as messiah-seekers were two thousand years ago.

I don’t know if that’s the message Jeymes Samuel intended to convey, but it’s a truth God reminded me of through his film. And it’s a message I needed to hear.

  • So who or what are the false messiahs in your life today?
  • Is there a person or cause that you’ve turned to as a greater source of hope and security than the Lord?

Few things will hinder your relationship with God as quickly as attempting to place someone else on his throne. So take some time right now to pray and ask the Lord to reveal the false messiahs limiting your walk with him.

They may not look like a con man seeking to get rich or powerful off of false faith—though those certainly still exist. But chances are good that something or someone is vying for Christ’s role in your life, and it’s ultimately up to you to decide whether or not they will have it.

Who will be your messiah today?

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

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I have been anointed with fresh oil.

Psalm 92:10

As we navigate the upcoming year, let us move forward in the power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

This anointing distinguishes us from the world and sets us apart for service to our King. Consider how the anointing impacted David – the youngest of eight sons, forgotten by his father, and overlooked by his brothers. God saw his heart and commanded the prophet, Samuel, to anoint David as the next king of Israel.

From that day forward, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him (1 Samuel 16:13). Under that anointing, he vanquished a giant and reigned over Israel as the apple of God’s eye.

The anointing puts a finger on our God-given talents and activates them to accomplish the divine purposes God has ordained for each of us. It gives strength when we are weak. It swallows up fear with courage.

The anointing destroys the yokes of slavery and oppression. It lifts the heavy burdens. It makes crooked paths straight and causes our feet to be steady on the journey.

Ask the Lord to pour out the anointing that will activate the gifts of God in our lives and set us apart for His service. For all that the new year holds, we can face it in the power of His anointing.

Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May the anointing of God break every weapon which the enemy has used to entangle and ensnare you. Shake off the yoke of bondage in the mighty name of Jesus!

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Genesis 26:17-27:46

New Testament 

Matthew 9:1-17

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 10:16-18

Proverbs 3:9-10

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – What a Friend!

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I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
Psalm 142:1

 Recommended Reading: John 15:14-15

Those who have a best friend are blessed with a relationship of transparency and acceptance. For some, it is a sibling, for others, a non-family member. That may be what Proverbs 18:24 refers to as “a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

A friend is a person to whom you can pour out your heart, a person who will not judge you for the feelings you express. For David the psalmist that friend was God Himself. When David found himself alone and oppressed by those who opposed him, he cried out to the Lord. That is, he used his voice to tell God what he was experiencing and how he was feeling (Psalm 142). He didn’t hold back; he trusted his covenant friendship with God was strong enough to withstand his flood of words and emotions. In John 15, Jesus introduced a new relationship with His disciples: He called them His friends (John 15:14-15). Their relationship changed from Master/servant to Friend/friend. And so it is with us.

When you are lonely, discouraged, or confused, tell Jesus. He invites you as a friend to come unto Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
Joseph M. Scriven

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Destructive Power of Sin

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Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 

—Deuteronomy 30:19

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:19 

The Philistines, the enemies of Israel, had mounted an attack against them, and fear was immobilizing the people. As a result, they went into hiding. Meanwhile, King Saul was trying to rally his troops.

God had told Saul to wait until the prophet Samuel arrived to offer a sacrifice and ask the Lord for direction as to what they should do next.

But Saul grew tired of waiting. When Samuel didn’t show up as soon as Saul thought he should, Saul essentially said, “Why do I have to wait for some prophet to do this? I can offer a burnt offering as well as anyone else. I’ve watched him do it.”

Then Saul proceeded with the offering the way he thought he should do it. And when Samuel arrived, there was trouble.

We pick up the story in 1 Samuel 13: “Samuel said, ‘What is this you have done?’ ” (verse 11 NLT).

“Saul replied, ‘I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, “The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came’ ” (verses 11–12 NLT).

Saul had been on a roll. Everything was going beautifully. But then he started to self-destruct. What he did may seem like a small thing to us, but God had said not to do it. And who are we to say something is small if it is a big deal to God?

The problem is that we want to edit the Bible. We try and rationalize something by saying, “Maybe it is a sin, but it is not as bad as other sins. Therefore, it is okay. Besides, everyone else is doing it.”

It always starts that way. Little sins always turn into big sins. If God says don’t do it, then that means don’t do it. All too often we underestimate the power of sin.

Saul was no exception to this. He was disobeying the Lord, and that led to his downfall.

Samuel told him, “How foolish! . . . You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end” (verses 13–14 NLT).

At first blush, this reaction may seem a bit extreme. But we must remember that God looks on the heart. And He could see that Saul’s heart already had turned away.

Sin can seem small when we start to fall into it, but it can become big in the end. Think of the messes that people make of their lives because they disobey the Word of God.

Like Saul, we unnecessarily bring trouble on ourselves when we don’t obey God. Yet God says that He gives us a choice: life or death, blessings or curses (see Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT). We choose how we want to live.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie
Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Twelve Legions of Angels

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.


“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)

In 1 Chronicles 27:1-15, David assembled 12 “courses” (i.e., legions) of fighting men to protect him. Each would serve him one month out of the year when the nation was at peace, but presumably all would have reported for duty in time of war. Since each contained 24,000 warriors, they combined to form an immense personal army numbering 288,000.

By contrast, Christ, David’s greater Son, had at His command “more than twelve legions of angels.” These were not mere soldiers, as those guarding David were; these were angels. Consider the power of just one angel in the days of King Hezekiah. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (2 Kings 19:35). Simple multiplication shows that 288,000 such angels could handle 53 billion soldiers. And Christ had access to more angels than that!

Humanly speaking, Christ did not have to submit to brutality and death. But Christ was not only human; He was also the offended but loving God who had come to redeem His own. “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8) had “come to do thy will, O God….By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:9-10). “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). “All this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Matthew 26:56). JDM

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Simple Request

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Bible in a Year :

If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.

John 21:22

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

John 21:17–24

“Please clean the front room before you go to bed,” I said to one of my daughters. Instantly came the reply, “Why doesn’t she have to do it?”

Such mild resistance was frequent in our home when our girls were young. My response was always the same: “Don’t worry about your sisters; I asked you.”

In John 21, we see this human tendency illustrated among the disciples. Jesus had just restored Peter after he’d denied Him three times (see John 18:15–18, 25–27). Now Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!” (21:19)—a simple but painful command. Jesus explained that Peter would follow Him to the death (vv. 18–19).

Peter barely had time to comprehend Jesus’ words before he asked about the disciple behind them: “What about him?” (v. 21). Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” Then He said, “You must follow me” (v. 22).

How often we’re like Peter! We wonder about the faith journeys of others and not what God is doing with us. Late in his life, when the death Jesus foretold in John 21 was much closer, Peter elaborated on Christ’s simple command: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14–15). That’s enough to keep each of us focused on Jesus and not on those around us.

By:  Matt Lucas

Reflect & Pray

How are you tempted to compare your faith walk with others? How will you keep your focus on Jesus today?

Heavenly Father, please continue to conform me into the image of Your Son. 

http://www.odb.org