Tag Archives: Jesus

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Grieving the Holy Spirit

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“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

Suggested Further Reading: Isaiah 63:7-19

The Spirit of God is in your heart, and it is very, very easy indeed to grieve him. Sin is as easy as it is wicked. You may grieve him by impure thoughts. He cannot bear sin. If you indulge in lascivious expressions, or even if you allow imagination to dote upon any lascivious act, or if your heart goes after covetousness, if you set your heart upon anything that is evil, the Spirit of God will be grieved, for thus I hear him speaking of himself. “I love this man, I want to have his heart, and yet he is entertaining these filthy lusts. His thoughts, instead of running after me, and after Christ, and after the Father, are running after the temptations that are in the world through lust.” And then his Spirit is grieved. He sorrows in his soul because he knows what sorrow these things must bring to our souls. We grieve him yet more if we indulge in outward acts of sin. Then is he sometimes so grieved that he takes his flight for a season, for the dove will not dwell in our hearts if we take loathsome carrion in there. A cleanly being is the dove, and we must not strew the place which the dove frequents with filth and mire; if we do he will fly elsewhere. If we commit sin, if we openly bring disgrace upon our religion, if we tempt others to go into iniquity by our evil example, it is not long before the Holy Spirit will be grieved. Again, if we neglect prayer; if our closet door is cobwebbed; if we forget to read the Scriptures; if the leaves of our Bible are almost stuck together by neglect; if we never seek to do any good in the world; if we live merely for ourselves and not for Christ, then the Holy Spirit will be grieved.

For meditation: If we are grieving the Spirit, it is absolutely impossible for us to obey the command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Sermon no. 278

9 October (1859)

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The “Holy Thing”

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Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining and holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which will be called the Son of God. —Luke 1:35

The Virgin Mary became pregnant by the working of the Holy Spirit, Who came upon her and, according to today’s verse, planted in her womb a “holy Thing.” The Spirit of Holiness was planted in her as a Seed. In her womb the Seed grew into the Son of God and the Son of Man, Who was necessary to deliver people from their sins.

When we are born again, a similar dynamic takes place in us. The “holy Thing,” the Spirit of Holiness, is planted in us as a Seed. As we water that Seed with God’s Word and keep the “weeds of worldliness” from choking it out, it will grow into a giant tree of righteousness, “the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3).

God’s Word teaches us to pursue holiness (see Hebrews 12:14). When we set our hearts on this pursuit, the Spirit of Holiness helps us. If we want to be holy, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and permit Him to speak to us, correct us, guide us, and help us in every area of our lives.

Never forget that a “holy Thing” lives inside of you. Water that seed with God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit speak to you and teach you how to help it grow.

God’s Word for You Today: The Holy Spirit desires to be your close companion as He teaches and instructs you in holiness.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Has Not Deserted Me

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“And He who sent Me is with Me – He has not deserted Me – for I always do those things that are pleasing to Him” (John 8:29).

If we have a conscience free of offense, and if we have evidence that we please God, it matters little if men oppose us or what others may think of us. “Enoch, before his translation, had this testimony – that he pleased God.”

It would not be fair for you or me to profess ignorance in this matter of pleasing God. If we had never known before, we know now that it comes from doing always those things He commands – which of course are the things that please Him.

Jesus is saying here, among other things, that God is with Him in the working of miracles. Though men had forsaken and rejected Him, yet God stayed by Him and worked in and through Him.

In the same way, God has made it possible for us to please Him by giving us His Holy Spirit to indwell, enable and empower us for service. With the available enablement, we are without excuse in the matter of doing the “greater things” He has promised for those who love and serve Him.

What better goal for today, tomorrow and all our coming days than to seek to please Him?

Bible Reading: John 8:25-28

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: So that Christ might be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death, I will seek to do only those things today which please Him.

 

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R.- Go with God

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Perhaps you, like many Americans, are invested in the stock market saving and planning for the day when you will retire and, hopefully, live comfortably from investments that have grown over time. Now suppose you are deciding which stock to purchase and the company you are considering issues a press release warning of its “strong belief that there will be no value for the common stockholders…even in the most optimistic of scenarios.” Would you buy?

For where you go I will go…Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

Ruth 1:16

This really happened. In 2011 Blockbuster, the once-ubiquitous movie video rental company, went bankrupt – and then actually took the unusual step of cautioning investors that its stock was worthless after some false reports spurred a surge in interest.

On the face of it, Ruth’s decision to invest her life with Naomi made no more sense than buying Blockbuster stock. Naomi was a widow with no means of support and no prospects for the future. She was a walking economic disaster. But Ruth knew Naomi’s God…and that made all the difference. As you pray for America today, remember that “hopeless” is never hopeless when you go with God!

Recommended Reading: Psalm 20:1-9

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Time in His Presence

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The one thing I ask of the Lord–the thing I seek most–is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.—Psalm 27:4

David loved to be in God’s presence. He just couldn’t get enough. That’s a wonderful thing to realize. He wrote, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4).

Under the old covenant, the Jewish people were represented by the high priest who would go into the temple and offer a sacrifice to God.

The good news for us is that we don’t have to go to a building to have an encounter with God. Because of what Christ did on the cross of Calvary, we have access to the Lord anytime, anywhere. Hebrews 10:11–12 says, “Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time.” We can enter into God’s presence wherever we are.

Did you know that your car or truck can be a sanctuary? Why not use your time on the road to build yourself up spiritually? You could listen to Bible teaching or Christian music. By the time you arrive at your destination, you will have learned something or glorified God through your worship. You can encounter God wherever you are.

When you make the decision to fellowship with other believers, to worship the Lord, and to listen to the Word of God, this is a very good choice.

That was David’s focus. No wonder he was called a man after God’s own heart. The desire to be in God’s presence was at the forefront of his life.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Your “Go-To” for Life

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Glory Days require an ongoing trust in God’s Word! Wilderness people trust scripture just enough to escape Egypt. Canaan dwellers, on the other hand, make the Bible their “go-to” book for life! God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8 to meditate on God’s Word day and night. The literal translation reads, you shall mutter over this Torah document. It is the image of a person reciting, rehearsing, and reconsidering God’s Word over and over again.

Canaan is loud with enemy voices. The devil megaphones doubt and death into our ears. Take heed to the voice you hear. Begin with a prayer, God, please speak to my heart today as I read. Then with an open heart continue until a message hits you. Keep meditating. Great rewards come to those who do. God promised Joshua, “You will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8).

Visit GloryDaysToday.com

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – When the Odds Are Against You

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Judges 7:1-7

Have you ever felt backed into a corner, with the odds stacked against you? In situations like that, Christians too often refuse to acknowledge an important truth. That is, they fail to recognize that God may actually be orchestrating their challenging circumstances.

You may think, No way. God protects me from such things. The world and Satan are doing this to me. Perhaps. Yet maybe, just maybe, God is trying to tell you something—and He first needs to get your attention.

Time and again in Scripture, we see that the Lord uses difficulties to build our faith. It’s easy to trust Him when things go our way. However, God often removes comforts and false securities from our lives to remind us that He is the true source of our strength.

Consider today’s passage, in which Gideon was ready to lead a powerful militia of 32,000 men into battle against the enemy. However, the Lord stepped into the situation two different times, whittling the Israelite army down to less than one percent of its original size. We may have replied, “What? It’s impossible to defeat enemy forces with just 300 men!” That’s probably true; 300 men alone couldn’t do it. But the Lord could.

When the odds are not in your favor, don’t think that God has abandoned you. Your money, your success, and even people you thought were friends may disappear, but those wouldn’t win the battle anyway. Stand your ground and stay focused on the Lord. With everything else stripped away, you’ll be amazed at what your heavenly Father will achieve.

Bible in One Year: Matthew 16-18

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Reckless Words

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Read: 1 Peter 2:13-25

Bible in a Year: Isaiah 30-31; Philippians 4

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate. —1 Peter 2:23

I had been driving for almost half an hour when my daughter suddenly wailed from the backseat. When I asked, “What happened?” she said her brother had grabbed her arm. He claimed he had grabbed her arm because she had pinched him. She said she pinched him because he had said something mean.

Unfortunately, this pattern, which is common between children, can show up in adult relationships too. One person offends another, and the hurt person shoots back a verbal blow. The original offender retaliates with another insult. Before long, anger and cruel words have damaged the relationship.

The Bible says that “the words of the reckless pierce like swords,” and that “a harsh word stirs up anger” but “a gentle answer turns away wrath” (Prov. 12:18; 15:1). And sometimes not answering at all is the best way to deal with mean or cruel words or comments.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion, the religious authorities tried to provoke Him with their words (Matt. 27:41-43). Yet, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate . . . . Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Jesus’ example and the Spirit’s help offer us a way to respond to people who offend us. Trusting the Lord, we don’t need to use words as weapons. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Dear God, please give me self-control through Your Holy Spirit when I am tempted to retaliate with words.

A soft answer has often been the means of breaking a hard heart.

INSIGHT: To “follow in [Christ’s] steps” means we are called to pursue a walk of purity and honesty (vv. 21-22), a walk that is not vengeful or vindictive (v. 23), and a walk of deep trust in God the Father (v. 23). This is not only an example of how to build personal relationships, but it’s also the essence of the gospel of grace—God’s favor to those who do not deserve it. Bill Crowder

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Human Like Us

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The 12th of January 2012 saw an India deeply shocked and embarrassed by a certain footage released by the British Newspaper The Observer, which showed half-clad Jarawa tribal women and children enticed to dance and sing for tourists in exchange for food and trinkets. Who are the Jarawas we may ask? The Jarawas are the tribal inhabitants of the Andaman Islands situated a few miles from southeast India. With an existing population of about 250-400 individuals, they are the descendants of one of the four ancient Negroid tribes who were stranded on the Andamans because of rising sea water. Apparently, this particular community still lives in complete isolation, cut off from any education, health care, or development.

Minutes after this footage from The Observer, a huge public outcry followed as newspapers, TV anchors, and people from various walks of life came forward to express their outrage at human beings treated “like zoo animals made to dance for food.” Television channels were abuzz with debates and discussions on this issue of “human safari,” as it was termed. It was interesting to observe the various reactions and responses sparked off by the issue: some NGOs demanded the immediate closure of Jarawas territory to tourists, others wanted the government to ensure that the Jarawas continue to be cocooned in seclusion and isolated from the mainstream population to protect them from disease and cultural degradation.

What is it about this issue that rankles so, and raises such a storm of protest? I think the answer is succinctly put by Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyar, a noted columnist who responded with an article in the Times of India: “Jarawas are human beings… just like us.”(1) The Jarawa issue was disturbing simply because it is about “human beings just like us.” Pertinent questions may arise: What is so special about being human? What is so great about being “us”? If we believe that mankind is just another species of animal, then why should we worry ourselves when human beings are treated like one? As for those who believe that everything is maya, or illusion, there is absolutely no reason for protest, for if everything is an illusion, then the Jarawas too are an illusion. They are not real; so the question of how they are treated or mistreated does not arise.

The biblical worldview gives a contrasting response to the Jarawas and the question of what it means to be human. The Bible asserts that human beings are created by God and in God’s own image. This fact of being specially created by a personal God gives humanity both worth and purpose. We recognize somewhere in our very beings that a human cannot be treated like an animal simply because he or she is more than this. He is different! She is special!

As King David reflects on the mystery of being human in Psalm 8:

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned them with glory and honor.

In the outcry heard around the nation and indeed, around the world, I believe there are echoes of the knowledge of this reflection. God has made us a little lower than the heavenly beings. God has crowned us with glory and honor.

Tejdor Tiewsoh is a member of the speaking team with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Shillong, India.

(1) Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar, “Jarawas Are Human Beings…Just Like Us,” Times of India, 15 January 2012.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Miraculous Catch of Fish

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Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Luke 5:4

We learn from this narrative the necessity of human activity. The catch of fish was miraculous, but neither the fisherman nor his boat nor his fishing tackle were ignored; they were all were used to take the fish. So in the saving of souls, God works by means; and while the present economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. When God works without instruments, He is glorified; but He has selected this plan of human involvement as being that by which He is most magnified in the earth.

The means themselves can accomplish nothing. “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” What was the reason for this? Were they not experienced fishermen going about their business? They were not novices; they understood the work. Was the problem that they lacked skill? No. Were they lazy? No; they had worked. Did they lack perseverance? No; they had worked all night. Was there a lack of fish in the sea? Certainly not, for as soon as the Master came, they swam to the net in large numbers. What, then, is the reason? It is because there is no power in the means themselves apart from the presence of Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing. But with Christ we can do all things.

Christ’s presence confers success. Jesus sat in Peter’s boat, and His will, by a mysterious influence, drew the fish to the net. When Jesus is lifted up in His Church, His presence is the church’s power-the shout of a king is in the midst of her. “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”1 Let us go out this morning on our work of soul-fishing, looking up in faith, and around us at the great opportunity. Let us work until the night comes, and we will not labor in vain, for He who tells us to let down the net will fill it with fish.

1) John 12:32

 

The Family Bible Reading Plan

  • 1 Kings 11
  • Philippians 2

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The sons of God

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“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:16,17

Suggested Further Reading: Ephesians 1:11-23

The believer is to be the heir, I say, not merely of God’s works, not simply of God’s gifts, but of God himself. Do we not talk of his omnipotence?—his almightiness is ours. Do we not speak of his omniscience?—all his wisdom is engaged in our behalf. Do we not say that he is love?—that love belongs to us. Can we not glory in that he is full of immutability, and changes not?—that eternal unchangeablenesss is engaged for the defence of the people of God. All the attributes of divinity are the property of God’s children—their inheritance is built upon them. He himself is ours. Oh what riches! If we could say this morning, that all the stars belong to us; if we could turn the telescope to the most remote of the fixed stars, and then could say with the pride of possession, so natural to man, “That star, a thousand times bigger than the sun, is mine. I am the king of that inheritance.” If we could then sweep the telescope along the milky way, and see the millions upon millions of stars that lie clustered together, and cry, “All these are mine,” yet these possessions were but a speck compared with that which is in the text. Heir of God! He to whom all these things are but as nothing, gives himself up to be the inheritance of his people. Note yet a little further concerning the special privilege of heirship,—we are joint heirs with Christ. That is, whatever Christ possesses, as heir of all things, belongs to us. Splendid must be the inheritance of Jesus Christ. Is he not very God of very God, Jehovah’s only begotten Son, most high and glorious?

For meditation: The prayers of our glorious joint heir regarding our glorious joint inheritance (John 17:9,10,24).

Sermon no. 339

8 October (Preached 7 October 1860)

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Spirit of Peace

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But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment, for it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. —Matthew 10:19-20

Do you realize how much peace can be ours if we will just stop trying to figure out in advance everything we need to say and do in every situation we face in life? If you are like me, you wear yourself out trying to prepare yourself for every situation you are likely to run into in the future. You try to plan and rehearse every word you are going to speak in every interview and conversation. Jesus is telling us here that we don’t have to do that. He is telling us to trust all that to the Holy Spirit Who will guide us and direct us.

When we do have to make hard decisions or solve complicated problems or confront difficult people, the Holy Spirit will decide the proper time and the best approach. He will give us the right words to say. Until then, we don’t need to bother ourselves with it. If we will listen to what the Lord is telling us here in this passage, not only will we have more peace, but we will also enjoy more success. Because when we do have to speak, what comes out of our mouth will be spiritual wisdom from God and not something that we have come up with out of our own carnal mind.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Trusting Is God’s Gift

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“Because of His kindness you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it.” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

Joe had asked Jesus to come into his life many times but was never sure of his salvation. “How can I be sure I’m a Christian and will go to heaven when I die?” he asked.

I explained that it was not enough to ask Jesus to come to live within us and forgive our sins. We must believe that He will do exactly what He promised to do. By faith, we must be able to say, “I know that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead and that He will come into my life and change me if I ask Him to. I know that He will make me His child and never leave me because all of these are promises from God’s holy, inspired Word. Therefore, I believe the promise of Ephesians 2:8,9 – that I attain salvation through trust in Christ.”

Through the years I have seen thousands of individuals profess faith in Christ after hearing or reading John 1:12, (KJV) “But as many received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,” and Revelation 3:20, where Jesus promised, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (NAS). But not everyone with whom I have prayed has received the assurance of salvation. The reason? It is not enough to ask Christ into our lives; we must believe His promise, “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8, NAS).

Bible Reading: I Peter 1:3-9

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Have I been asking Jesus Christ into my life frequently through the years, but am not sure He is there, not sure of eternal life, or that I would go to heaven if I died today? If so, I will pray, “Right now, Lord Jesus, whatever may have taken place in my life prior to this moment, I want to declare that I believe in You as my Savior and wish to follow You as my Lord. So, for the last time, I invite You to come into my life. Forgive my sins; cleanse me; make me the kind of person You want me to be. By faith in You and in the authority of Your inspired Word, I now acknowledge that You live within me, and I believe Your promise, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’* Therefore, I will never insult You by asking You to into my life again, but will hereafter thank You daily that You indwell me, that I have eternal life and that through the enabling of Your power I can live a supernatural life. *Hebrews 13:5, NAS.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Don’t Ever Doubt

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A penny might seem very small in the grand scheme of things, but if you put it directly in front of your eye, you can block out the entire sun from your sight. This happens in many of life’s situations. People focus on the issues right in front of them instead of God’s light and it causes them to doubt His power.

Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?

Luke 8:25

The disciples did this, too. In today’s verse, they were traveling by boat across a lake when a storm arose. Focusing on the wind and waves around them, they believed they would perish. However, when they remembered Jesus was with them and called on Him, He calmed the storm. His question to the disciples prior to their incredulous response in today’s verse was, “Where’s your faith?”

Are you focusing on the turmoil going on around you? It’s easy to do – but don’t ever doubt that Jesus is with you and can calm whatever storm you may be encountering right now. Pray He will help you and the nation to focus on Him and strengthen your faith.

Recommended Reading: Matthew 14:22-33

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – One Thing

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“But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

—Luke 10:42

Everyone has their one thing in life, whether they are believers or nonbelievers. It’s the one thing that makes their blood pump, the thing that gets them up in the morning, the thing they are passionate about.

David told us about his one thing in Psalm 27: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (verse 4).

When Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha, Martha was understandably whipping up a feast for Jesus while Mary sat at His feet, listening to what He had to say. But Martha got stressed out because Mary wasn’t helping her. Jesus looked at her and said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).

A loose paraphrase might be, “Martha, I appreciate a homecooked meal, but there is a time and a place for everything. The time now is just right for Me to talk to you about what really matters in life—and Mary gets that.”

The apostle Paul said, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

Our greatest danger in life is permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important things. For David and for Mary, that one thing was being in God’s presence. For Paul, it was forgetting the past and pressing toward the future, toward the goal to win the race.

What is your one thing?

Night Light - James & Shirley Dobson

Night Light for Couples – Let’s Make a Deal

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“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap.” 1 Timothy 6:9

Some of you are old enough to remember Monty Hall and the game show Let’s Make a Deal—the one where contestants could keep what they had already won or risk trading it in for the mystery prize behind “door number one, door number two, or door number three.” Believe it or not, I once convinced Jim to go with me to one of the shows.

There we were: I had toy birds fastened everywhere on my head and blouse, and Jim (reluctantly) held a sign that said, “My wife is for the birds.” Our getup was enough to earn us seats in the contestants’ row, and before we knew it, we were in front of the cameras trying to name the correct price of four items to win a brand‐new Camaro. And believe me, we needed that car! Jim had just graduated from USC, and we had invested every available dollar in his tuition and expenses.

We guessed the first three items within the three‐dollar margin of error, but we missed on the last one—a Hoover vacuum cleaner. So we didn’t win the Camaro. Yet we walked away from that show with a new vacuum cleaner and another, much more valuable prize: a greater appreciation for how easily greed could overcome us.

Since that time we have observed that Satan appears to offer whatever a person hungers for in exchange for a spiritual compromise. In our case, a new automobile was the perfect enticement to unleash our greed. If illicit sex is your desire, it will eventually be made available. If your passion is for fame or power, the object of that lust will be promised (even if never delivered). Likewise, if you thirst for great wealth—beware! People who care passionately about money are often suckers for wild‐eyed schemes and shady deals. They are always on the verge of a bonanza that seems to slip through their fingers. Instead of getting rich, they get taken.

This is the threat posed by greed. Material comforts or money in the bank can become our first love—our greatest treasure and passion. And when that happens, God becomes almost irrelevant. But the Lord will not settle for second place (“You shall have no other gods before me”— Exodus 20:3). We encourage you to say, “Let’s make a deal” right now. Agree now that you’ll always keep money in its place and the Lord as the first love of your life.

– Shirley M Dobson

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Responding to God’s Holiness

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Isaiah 6:1-8

A stunning sunset, a rainbow, the first blooms of spring, and many other displays of nature will elicit strong reactions. In a similar way, God’s holiness is so magnificent that it causes people to respond in various ways.

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord’s moral purity and holiness. When he saw God seated on a throne in all His glorious splendor, the prophet cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!” (v. 5). A glimpse of divine perfection caused Isaiah to recognize the depths of his own sinful condition and to acknowledge the holiness of God. Peter had a similar reaction when he was in the presence of the Savior. After the Lord miraculously filled the fishing nets to overflowing, the disciple “fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!’” (Luke 5:8). However, the religious leaders of the day had a different attitude. The more they heard Jesus’ preaching and saw His work, the angrier they became.

We are Christ’s ambassadors to a hurting world, and we must always act with love toward others. But sometimes those who are not abiding in Christ will experience what I call “holy heat.” People who have rejected Jesus may act as if we are trying to force them to believe in Him. And Christians living in rebellion toward God may become uncomfortable around those who abide in Jesus; they may even ignore the advice of believers who have loved and advised them for years.

God wants us to live out our faith in love, regardless of others’ reactions. Has your faith permeated the many areas of your life?

Bible in One Year: Matthew 13-15

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Testing Our Faith

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Why have you dealt ill with your servant? Numbers 11:11

Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to test our faith. If our faith is worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: The imitation gem dreads being touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith that can only trust God when friends are true, the body is healthy, and the business profitable; but it is true faith that rests in the Lord’s faithfulness when friends are gone, the body is ailing, spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father’s face is hidden. A faith that can say, in the deepest trouble, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him”1 is heaven-born faith.

The Lord afflicts His servants to glorify Himself, for He is greatly glorified in the graces of His people, who are His own handiwork. When “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope,”2 the Lord is honored by these growing virtues. We would never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched, nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress, nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten, nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not completely consumed. The wisdom and power of God are discovered by the trials through which His children are permitted to pass.

Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shade in the picture to bring out the beauty of the light. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will peace not be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after labor? Will the recollection of past sufferings not serve to enhance the bliss of the glorified?

There are many other comfortable answers to the question with which we opened our brief meditation; let us think upon it all day long.

1) Job 13:15

2) Romans 5:3-4

The Family Bible Reading Plan

  • 1 Kings 10
  • Philippians 1

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

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Enjoying God’s Blessings

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“Blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it” (Luke 11:28).

Obeying Scripture brings spiritual blessing.

When Scripture speaks of a person’s being blessed, it usually refers to the reception of some temporal or spiritual benefit. It also includes the joy and sense of well-being that comes with knowing that God is at work on your behalf.

The psalmist wrote, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:1-2). Those who know and obey God’s Word will be blessed. The psalmist likened them to a strong, productive, prosperous tree.

James added, “One who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty [God’s Word], and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). Again, the very act of obedience brings blessing.

John opens the book of Revelation with this promise: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it” (Rev. 1:3). Jesus closed the Revelation with the same promise: “Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book” (Rev. 22:7). Obedience and blessing always go hand-in-hand.

As a Christian, you’ve been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Every spiritual resource is yours. Even in times of sorrow and persecution, God’s blessing rests on you (1 Pet. 4:14). But you can forfeit His blessings by neglecting His Word or committing other sinful acts. So guard your heart carefully and continue in the Word. As you do, your joy will be boundless!

Suggestions for Prayer

Make a list of specific ways in which the Lord has blessed you in recent days. Praise Him for each one.

For Further Study

Read James 1:12, 1 Peter 3:14, and 1 Peter 4:14. How does God’s blessing apply when you’re suffering unjustly?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Staying in Peace

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So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.- Acts 3:19

Peace with God is maintained by never attempting to hide sin. Because hiding sin just causes condemnation and guilt, and neither of those are productive in any way. God knows everything anyway, so it is useless to think we can hide anything from Him. When we make mistakes, we shouldn’t withdraw from God, but we should come near to Him, thankful that He promises to restore us.

To repent means to turn away from sin and return to the highest place. God is not surprised by our weaknesses and failures. Actually, He knew about the mistakes we would make before we made them. All we need to do is admit them because He is faithful to forgive us continually from all sin (see 1 John 1:9). God is waiting for you with open and outstretched arms—always run to Him!

Prayer of Thanks: I am grateful, Father, that You forgive my sins and You bring healing and restoration into my life. I choose to reject the condemnation of the enemy and come to You when I sin and fall short. Thank You that You forgive me and love me through it all.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.