Tag Archives: love

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Meditate on These Things

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My mouth shall praise You with joyful lips when I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches.—Psalm 63:5b–6

Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day.—Psalm 119:97

Transcendental Meditation. Yoga. New Age. We hear these terms all the time, and they cause many Christians to avoid any reference to meditation. They’re afraid of the occult or pagan worship. What they don’t realize is how often the Bible urges us to meditate.

We can explain biblical meditation in a number of ways, but the one I find most helpful is to think of it as expressed in the Bible. If we read the verses above (and there are many others), we see three significant things about meditation in the Word.

First, the Scriptures refer to more than a quick reading or pausing for a few brief, reflecting thoughts. The Bible pre¬sents meditation as serious pondering. Whenever the Bible refers to meditation, it speaks to serious, committed followers. This isn’t a word for quick, pick-me-up Bible verses or Precious Promises. I’m not opposed to those, but this is a call to deeper, more serious concentration.

Second, the biblical contexts show meditation as ongoing and habitual. “It is my meditation all the day,” says the verse above. In Joshua 1:8, God told Joshua to meditate on the law day and night. We get the impression that the people who spoke of meditating did so seriously and threw their minds fully into the action. Psalm 1:2 says that the godly person meditates on God’s law day and night.

Third, meditation has a reward. It’s not just to meditate or go through a religious ritual. In most of the biblical passages where the term occurs, the writer goes on to point out the results. Again in Joshua 1:8: “. . . For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.” Psalm 1 describes the godly person who meditates day and night on God’s law (or Word) and says, “. . . and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]” (v. 3).

Despite what I’ve pointed out, we don’t talk or teach much about meditation today. It’s hard work! It demands time. Meditation also demands undivided attention. If you want to win the battle for the mind, meditation is a powerful weapon for you to use. You must focus on portions of God’s Word. You must read them, perhaps repeat them aloud, and keep them before you. Some people repeat a verse again and again until the meaning fills their mind and becomes part of their thinking. The idea is that you won’t put the Word of God in practice physically until you first practice it mentally. Meditation is a life principle because it ministers life to you, and your behavior ministers life to others through you.

I could go on and on about the subject of meditating on God’s Word, because it seems there is no end to what God can show me out of one verse of Scripture. The Word of God is a treasure chest of powerful, life-giving secrets that God wants to reveal to us. I believe these truths are manifested to those who meditate on, ponder, study, think about, practice mentally, and mutter the Word of God. The Lord reveals Himself to us when we diligently meditate on His Word. Throughout the day, as you go about your daily affairs, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of certain scriptures on which you can meditate.

You’ll be amazed at how much power will be released into your life from this practice. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the more you will be able to draw readily upon its strength in times of trouble.

This is how we can stay filled with the Holy Spirit—stay with the Lord through meditation and through singing and praising. As we spend time in His presence and ponder His Word, we grow, we encourage others, and we win the battles against the enemy of our minds.

Holy Spirit of God, help me to spend time every day meditating on the treasures of Your Word. I thank You for showing me that as I fill my mind with pure and holy thoughts, I will become a stronger and better disciple. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Fair in Everything

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“The Lord is fair in everything He does, and full of kindness. He is close to all who call on Him sincerely” (Psalm 145:17,18).

Are you afraid to trust the Lord? I find that many people who have had unfortunate experiences in their youth with their parents, especially their fathers, have a reluctance to trust God.

In my talks with thousands of students, I have found a number of young people who have such an attitude problem.

Even the best of earthly parents, at times, are unfair and fail to demonstrate kindness. Yet how wonderful it is to know that our Lord is fair in everything He does and is full of kindness, and He is always close to all who call upon Him sincerely.

Notice that the Scripture promise quoted above is a categorical statement. The psalmist permits no exceptions, even when we are sure we deserved better than we received. Thus we need to claim the promise in God’s Word by faith and live by it. Some day we will see events from God’s side and recognize the fairness we could not see here.

We often see “as in a glass darkly,” but God has perfect 20/20 vision. That’s why the attitude of trust alone will help us overcome our feelings that God or the world, is unfair. Only then can we live a supernatural life of daily acceptance of what God sends our way.

Bible Reading: Psalm 145:8-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Today I will put my trust in God and His goodness, no matter how I feel. I will move beyond preoccupation with my disappointments and carry out God’s appointments in the certainty that our Lord is fair in everything He does and will enable me to live supernaturally as I continue to trust and obey Him.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Miraculous Prayer

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All of the Gospels share the story of Jesus instructing the disciples to feed a crowd of at least 5,000 people. Yet the disciples saw only five loaves of bread and two fish. Then the miracle of the multiplying of the loaves and fish took place: Christ prayed toward heaven, broke the food…and ultimately each of the apostles picked up a dozen basketfuls of leftover pieces. Amazing!

He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

Luke 9:16

Obviously, the disciples focused on what they lacked, but Jesus saw what they had. The apostles focused on the problem rather than on God. However, this impossible situation was simply an opportunity for the Lord to reveal His character and for Jesus to give the disciples the privilege to help meet the needs of the people.

Luke 1:37 says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Perhaps national events leave you feeling hopeless and helpless. However, your prayers can have a miraculous impact on many people. Faithfully intercede for receptive hearts among this country’s leaders. Be persistent and expectant. God will perform the miracles, but He can use you as a vessel!

Recommended Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Just Our Nature  

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Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. —James 1:14

We all know what it’s like to be tempted. But where does temptation come from? It does not come from God. James 1:13-14 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” We play a key role in our own temptation.

It’s like the scorpion who wanted to cross a pond. Scorpions can’t swim, of course, so he needed a ride. He walked up to a rather unsuspecting turtle and said, “I was wondering if you might give me a lift across this little pond?”

The turtle said, “Are you joking? You will sting me, and we’ll both drown.”

The scorpion said, “My dear turtle, if I were to sting you, I would go down with you. Where would the logic be in that?”

As they made their way across the little pond, however, the scorpion pulled out his stinger and gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle turned to the scorpion and said, “There was no logic in stinging me. Why in the world did you do it?”

The scorpion replied, “It has nothing to do with logic. It’s just my nature.”

This is a good point. When we give in to temptation, it has nothing to do with logic. It’s just our nature. We like to say, “The Devil made me do it” or “Circumstances overwhelmed me” or “I couldn’t control myself.” But in reality, it’s just our sinful nature.

Let’s not give in to the enticement of our own desires. As the Scripture says, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14, NIV).

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The form and spirit of religion

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“Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.” 1 Samuel 4:3

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:13-17

How vain are the hopes that men build upon their good works, and ceremonial observances! How frightful is that delusion which teaches for the gospel a thing which is not “the gospel”, nor “another gospel”; but it is a thing that would pervert the gospel of Christ. Let me ask thee solemnly, what is thy ground of hope? Dost thou rely on baptism? O man, how foolish thou art! What can a few drops of water, put upon an infant’s forehead, do? Some lying hypocrites tell us that children are regenerated by drops of water. What kind of regeneration is that? We have seen people hanged that were regenerated in this fashion. There have been men that have lived all their lives as whoremongers, adulterers, thieves, and murderers, who have been regenerated in their baptism by that kind of regeneration. Oh, be not deceived by a regeneration so absurd, so palpable even to flesh and blood, as one of the lying wonders that have come from hell itself. But maybe thou sayest, “Sir, I rely upon my baptism, in after life.” Ah, my friends, what can washing in water do? As the Lord liveth, if thou trustest in baptism thou trustest in a thing that will fail thee at last. For what is washing in water, unless it is preceded by faith and repentance? We baptize you, not in order to wash away your sins, but because we believe they are washed away beforehand; and if we did not think you believed so, we would not admit you to a participation in that ordinance. But if you will pervert this to your own destruction, by trusting in it, take heed; you are warned this morning. For as “circumcision availeth nothing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature,” so baptism availeth nothing.

For meditation: Baptism is supposed to illustrate the gospel, not to replace it. The command to be baptised follows the new birth, repentance and faith in Christ (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:12,36-38; 9:17-18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15,31-34; 18:8).

Sermon no. 186

4 April (1858)

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Being Poor in Spirit

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John MacArthur

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3).

The Puritan writer Thomas Watson listed seven ways to determine if you are poor in spirit (The Beatitudes [Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1971], pp. 45-48):

1.            You will be weaned from self–Psalm 131:2 says, “Like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.” When you are poor in spirit you will focus not on yourself but on glorifying God and ministering to others.

2.            You will focus on Christ–Second Corinthians 3:18 says that believers are “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, [and] are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” When you are poor in spirit, the wonder of Christ captivates you. To be like Him is your highest goal.

3.            You will never complain–If you are poor in spirit you accept God’s sovereign control over your circumstances, knowing you deserve nothing anyway. Yet the greater your needs, the more abundantly He provides.

4.            You will see good in others–A person who is poor in spirit recognizes his own weaknesses and appreciates the strengths of others.

5.            You will spend time in prayer–It is characteristic of beggars to beg. Therefore you will constantly be in God’s presence seeking His strength and blessing.

6.            You will take Christ on His terms–Those who are poor in spirit will give up anything to please Christ, whereas the proud sinner wants simply to add Christ to his sinful lifestyle.

7.            You will praise and thank God–When you are poor in spirit, you will be filled with praise and thanks for the wonder of God’s grace, which He lavishes on you through Christ (Eph. 1:6).

Do those principles characterize your life? If so, you are poor in spirit and the kingdom of heaven is yours (Matt. 5:3). If not, you must seek God’s forgiveness and begin to live as His humble child.

Suggestions for Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart, revealing any attitudes or motives that displease Him. Seek His grace in changing them.

For Further Study: Read 3 John. Would you characterize Gaius as poor in spirit? Diotrephes? Explain.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Dream Big Dreams

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Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation]. And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. —Proverbs 24:3-4

Do you have a dream or a vision in your heart for something greater than what you have now? Ephesians 3:20 tells us God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all we can hope, ask, or think. If you are not thinking, hoping, or asking—you are cheating yourself. You need to think big thoughts, dream big dreams, and ask for big things.

There is a gold mine of dreams, visions, abilities, and strength hidden in every life, but you have to dig to get to it. You must be willing to dig deep and go beyond how you feel or what is convenient. If you will dig down deep into the spirit, you will do greater things than anyone could ever imagine.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Open Invitation

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In a limited vocabulary, Dr. Seuss dealt with serious issues such as environmentalism (The Lorax), anti-authoritarianism (Yertle the Turtle) and racial quality (The Sneetches). The Sneetches describe prejudice between the plain-bellied and the star-bellied. Sadly, prejudice did not die with the successes of the civil rights movement over 50 years ago. Throughout the United States and the world, racial and cultural groups remain pitted against each other.

The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

John 4:14

When Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for water, she was understandably surprised: Jews never spoke to Samaritans. He told her if she knew who He was, she’d ask for living water. And her sinful life did not prevent Him from speaking to her, either. When she perceived that He was a prophet, she asked Him where people should worship. He told her the Father was looking for genuine worshippers who worship in spirit and truth.

Do you have the same desire as the Father, to see all people come to repentance (II Peter 3:9)? Pray for Christians to lay down every prejudice so they can declare God’s love and salvation. Ask for all races and those in all types of sin to receive the living water found only in Jesus, and worship Him!

Recommended Reading: I Timothy 1:12-17

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Sowing and Reaping       

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He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. —Galatians 6:8

A successful building contractor called in one of his employees, a skilled carpenter, and told him that he was putting him in charge of the next house the company was building. He instructed the carpenter to order all of the materials and oversee the entire process from the ground up. The carpenter excitedly accepted his assignment. It was his first opportunity to actually oversee an entire building project. He studied the blueprints and checked every measurement.

Then he thought, If I’m really in charge, why can’t I cut a few corners, use less expensive materials, and put the extra money in my pocket? Who would know the difference? After we paint the place, no one would be able to tell.

The carpenter set about with his scheme. He used second-grade lumber and ordered inexpensive concrete for the foundation. He put in cheap wiring. He cut every corner he possibly could, but reported the use of higher-quality building materials.

When the home was completed, he asked his boss to come and see it. His boss looked it over and said, “This is incredible. You did a fantastic job. You have been such a good and faithful worker and have been so honest all of these years that I am showing my gratitude by giving you this house.”

We will reap what we sow. Just as we can’t plant weeds and reap flowers, we can’t sin and reap righteousness. There are reactions to our actions. Think about it: every day, we are either sowing to the Spirit or we are sowing to the flesh. What kind of seeds will you sow today?

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Cry of a Sinner

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Max Lucado

What is the fruit of sin? Step into the briar patch of humanity and feel a few thistles. Shame.  Fear.  Disgrace.  Discouragement.  Anxiety! Haven’t our hearts been caught in these brambles?

The heart of Jesus, however, had not.  He had never been cut by the thorns of sin. Anxiety?  He never worried.  Guilt?  He was never guilty. Fear?  He never left the presence God, He never knew the fruits of sin until He became sin for us.

Can’t you hear the emotion in His prayer?  “My God, my God, why have you rejected me?”  These are not the words of a saint.  This is the cry of a sinner.

And these are words we should say, but these are words we don’t have to say because Jesus said them for us.

From He Chose the Nails

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Power of Prayer

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Charles Stanley

Matthew 7:7-11

Jesus knew the importance of prayer and practiced it regularly. He often slipped away from the crowds to commune with God. Then He would receive the guidance and strength necessary to carry on His Father’s work.

In teaching about the power of prayer, Jesus promised us that God will always answer. He used three words to help us pray effectively:

Ask—We are to come to God with our requests. In doing so, we are acknowledging both our need and God’s ability to meet it. Jesus assures us that every request will be granted in accordance with our Father’s best for us and others.

Seek—Sometimes the Lord asks us to get involved in the situation about which we are praying. For example, we may be petitioning for Him to help us find a new job. He wants us not only to seek His wisdom and guidance but also to take practical steps to discover what’s available. When we obey His directions, God promises to provide the answer.

Knock—In carrying out the Father’s plan, we’ll encounter obstacles along the way. For us to overcome them, sustained and persistent praying may be required. Knocking implies a level of force being applied so that a door will open. Once God presents the solution, we need no longer ask. When He opens up a path, we should walk on it.

Prayer accomplishes much (James 5:16). It engages the Lord in people’s personal lives as well as in the affairs of government. It is the way we experience oneness with our Father and receive the essentials needed to carry out His work.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Alternative Stories

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In a very perceptive book called Life: The Movie, author Neal Gabler argues that entertainment has conquered reality. All of life has become a stage, and the way to success is through the pathway of becoming a celebrity. Gabler suggests that we spend our lives buying and shopping according to images and ideals that we hold as we seek to shape ourselves for our own performance. The constant use of significant celebrities to model lines of clothing, sporting goods, and cosmetics tell us subtly that if we own these items, we too can be like our heroes. We are strategically convinced that we don’t simply have to watch the rich and famous; we can become them. The democratization of credit and the availability of easily-accessed goods guarantee our ability to play the part or parts we choose.

The practical aids are many. Credit and finance options bluntly inquire, “Why wait?” In earlier times people had to consider whether they could afford such things, and they might have had to delay while they saved. The time between viewing and having was often considerable, but not anymore. The messages are clear that we can have it if we want it, and we can have it now. It comes, of course, with a huge price tag in terms of increasing debt and anxiety. But even as the social crisis ticks like a time bomb in many homes, the waiting has been taken out of wanting.

It has become the job of the advertising industry to keep us in a state of permanent dissatisfaction and restlessness with who we are or what we have. The answer is always bigger, better, faster, or more like someone else. Words like “enough,” “sufficient,” and “wait” are derided in favor of having what you want now and immediately becoming who you really want to be. We are informed of our lack of something and then told it is ruining the quality of our lives. But the voices of the media then tell us salvation is at hand! The new product or service will liberate you. It will initiate you into a better world, a new life, an alternative salvation.

Is it possible that we are trapped in a web of deception, and that we are being conditioned to blindly follow the pied pipers of fame and fashion as they determine who and what we are and how we should live? Is the bottom line to make money at all costs? Is happiness really being able to get what you want when you want it? Maybe it is time to recognize that life is far more than these trivial yet powerful views. Maybe it is time to call foul, to insist that real life is something far more nuanced, focused, and holistic than what the prophets of materialism have to offer.

The Christian view and alternative is that we are the products of a personal, loving creator, and that our lives, opportunities, and resources are gifts to us. We interact with nature and the material world, we see God within it, but we also have other dimensions to our nature. The psalmist explains it in a way that much of the world rejects: The earth is filled with the glory of God. Because we have been made by God and for God, our ultimate glory—our claim to fame—is found in God.

The pretensions of the world are many, the seductions vast, and the attractions powerful. Yet in a world of invasive desires, intrusive demands, and restless indulgence another voice can be heard: “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The answer is not in a product but in a living person.

Stuart McAllister is regional director for the Americas at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg  – A Humble Confession

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Alistair Begg

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

Here a confession of sin is shared by all the elect people of God. They have all fallen, and therefore, in one voice, from the first who entered heaven to the last who shall arrive they all say, “All we like sheep have gone astray.”

This confession is not only unanimous, it is also special and particular: “We have turned every one to his own way.” All are sinful, but each individual faces his or her own peculiar sinfulness, which is not found in someone else. It is the mark of genuine repentance that while it naturally associates itself with other penitents, it also takes up a position of loneliness. “We have turned every one to his own way” is a confession that each individual had sinned against light peculiar to himself or sinned with an aggravation that he could not perceive in others.

This confession is unreserved; there is not a word to detract from its force, nor a syllable by way of excuse. This confession bids farewell to every plea of self-justification. It is the declaration of those who are consciously guilty—guilty with aggravations, guilty without excuse: they stand with their weapons of rebellion broken in pieces and cry, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.”

Yet we hear no mournful wailings attending this confession of sin; for the next sentence makes it almost a song. “The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” It is the most grievous sentence of the three, but it overflows with comfort. How strange that where misery was concentrated, mercy reigned; where sorrow reached her climax, weary souls find rest. The Savior bruised is the healing of bruised hearts.

Consider how the humble confession gives way to assured confidence by simply gazing at Christ on the cross!

The family reading plan for  April 3, 2014  Proverbs 21 | Colossians 4

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Mr Fearing comforted

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“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:31

Suggested Further Reading: Isaiah 51:9-16

Why did Simon Peter doubt? He doubted for two reasons. First, because he looked too much to second causes, and secondly, because he looked too little at the first cause. The answer will suit you also, my trembling brother. This is the reason why you doubt, because you are looking too much to the things that are seen, and too little to your unseen Friend who is behind your troubles, and who shall come forth for your deliverance. See poor Peter in the ship—his Master bids him come; in a moment he casts himself into the sea, and to his own surprise he finds himself walking the billows. His foot is upon a crested wave, and yet he stands erect; he treads again, and yet his footing is secure. “Oh!” thinks Peter, “this is marvellous.” He begins to wonder within his spirit what manner of man he must be who has enabled him thus to tread the treacherous deep; but just then, there comes howling across the sea a terrible blast of wind; it whistles in the ear of Peter, and he says within himself, “Ah! Here comes an enormous billow driven forward by the blast; now, surely, I must, I shall be overwhelmed.” No sooner does the thought enter his heart than down he goes; and the waves begin to enclose him. So long as he shut his eye to the billow, and to the blast, and kept it only open to the Lord who stood there before him, he did not sink; but the moment he shut his eye on Christ, and looked at the stormy wind and treacherous deep, down he went.

For meditation: The Christian is in a battle against unseen enemies. The shield of faith helps us to fight and, having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:12-16); to put it down for a moment and to rely on sight is to risk falling in battle.

Sermon no. 246

3 April (1859)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Relying on God’s Grace

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John MacArthur

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3).

In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus tells of two men who went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee boasted to God about his self- righteous efforts; the tax collector humbly acknowledged his sin. The Pharisee was proud and went away still in sin; the tax collector was poor in spirit and went away forgiven.

The Greek word translated “poor” in Matthew 5:3 was used in classical Greek to refer to those reduced to cowering in dark corners of the city streets begging for handouts. Because they had no personal resources, they were totally dependent on the gifts of others. That same word is used in Luke 16:20 to describe Lazarus the poor man.

The spiritual parallel pictures those who know they are spiritually helpless and utterly destitute of any human resources that will commend them to God. They rely totally on God’s grace for salvation, and they also rely on His grace for daily living. Jesus called them happy people because they are true believers and the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

The word translated “theirs” in Matthew 5:3 is emphatic in the Greek text: the kingdom of heaven definitely belongs to those who are poor in spirit. They have its grace now and will fully enjoy its glory later (1 John 3:1-2). That’s cause for great joy!

Isaiah 57:15 says, “Thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'” David added, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17).

Like the humble tax collector, recognize your weaknesses and rely totally on God’s resources. Then He will hear your prayers and minister to your needs. That’s where happiness begins!

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank God that when you come to Him in humility and contrition, He hears you and responds.

Prayerfully guard your heart from the subtle influences of pride.

For Further Study:

Read the following verses, noting God’s perspective on pride: Proverbs 6:16-17; 8:13; 11:2; 16:5; 18-19.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Pray before Answering

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For [of course] I will not venture (presume) to speak thus of any work except what Christ has actually done through me [as an instrument in His hands] to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed. —Romans 15:18

The Father has sent to us a Counselor— the Spirit of Truth—who teaches us all things (See John 14:16,17,26). As we stay sensitive to God’s leading, He will direct us. If we pray before speaking, the Lord will keep us from overcommitting our time, and from misleading people.

Jesus took time to listen to the Father before speaking. God will also give us “a word in due season” for somebody (See Proverbs 15:23), if we listen for His input before we give what we may think is a right answer. God will give us the right words to say, if we expectantly listen for His direction before we speak.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Gift of His Spirit

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“This is what God has prepared for us and, as a guarantee, He has given us His Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 5:5).

A dynamic young business man sat across from me in my office. By almost every standard of human measure he was an outstanding success in both his business and his religion.

He was one of the leading men in his field of specialty in the world. A highly moral, religious person, he was very active in his church. And yet, he was not sure that he was a Christian.

He wanted desperately – more than anything else in the world – to have real assurance, but he did not know how to go about obtaining it. Step by step, I explained to him from the Bible how he could receive Christ into his life and be sure of his salvation.

Soon we were on our knees in prayer, after which he went on his way rejoicing in the assurance of his salvation to begin a supernatural walk with God.

Many pastors and other Christian leaders, I have discovered, also have this same gnawing doubt about their salvation. One pastor who had preached the Bible-centered gospel for 40 years told me that he was still unsure of his salvation.

The wife of an evangelist confided, “During the past 30 years, my husband and I have introduced thousands of people to Christ, but I have never been sure of my own salvation. Never before have I had the courage to share this concern with anyone, but now I am so desperate that I have come to seek your help.”

I explained that we receive Christ as our Savior by faith or on act of the will; then, as a guarantee, He gives us His Holy Spirit.

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 5:6-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  With God’s Holy Spirit as my constant witness, I will daily give thanks to Him for assurance of my salvation.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Maximum Impact

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Presidents – and their advisors – are keenly aware of setting. When a big announcement is forthcoming, careful consideration is given to location and the need to leverage publicity. Take, for example, John F. Kennedy. When he accepted the democratic nomination for president in 1960, he gave his acceptance speech at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before 80,000 spectators. A big stage, a big audience, a big city…all calculated for maximum, nationwide impact.

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory.

John 2:11

Now consider the launch of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In the little nondescript town of Cana – archeologists today are uncertain where it even was – He performed his first miracle, and it involved the most frivolous of problems: a shortage of wine at a wedding. Not the greatest setting, it would seem…except that God may manifest His glory in the most unlikely of places, and often through the most unlikely of circumstances.

Are you waiting for some grand stage to share your testimony of God’s love? Don’t make that mistake. The time is right now, the place is right where you are. As you pray for America today, trust that He will use your humble commitment to deliver a maximum impact!

Recommended Reading: I Peter 4:7-11

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Spiritual Battlefield    

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Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. —1 Corinthians 10:12

Someone once asked the great evangelist Charles Finney, “Do you really believe in a literal devil?”

Finney responded, “You try opposing him for a while, and you see if he’s literal or not.” If you want to find out if there is a literal devil, then start walking with Jesus Christ and seeking to be in the will of God. You will find just how real he is.

I think that many people, after they have decided to follow Christ, are surprised to find that the Christian life can be so difficult, so intense sometimes. It isn’t a life of ease, but one of conflict, warfare, and opposition. Our choice is simple: Will we be victorious? Or will we be victims on the spiritual battlefield?

It has been said that you can tell a lot about a man by who his enemies are. The same is true for us. We are no longer opposing God, but we now have a new, very powerful foe, and he is described in the Bible as the Devil. The Devil, of course, is not happy with the fact that he has lost one of his own. He is angry that you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. Now you have become a potential threat to his kingdom as well.

The closer you stay to the Lord, the safer you are, because you stand in the work that Jesus did on the cross. Don’t try to engage the Devil in your own ability because he can chew you up and spit you out. But if you stand in the Lord and in His power and stay as close to Him as you can, then you will be safe.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – We Have a Problem

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Max Lucado

Can you live without sin for one day?  No? How about one hour?  Can you do it?  No?  Nor can I. And if we can’t live without sin, we have a problem.

Proverbs 10:16 says that we are evil and “evil people are paid with punishment.”  What can we do? Observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the Cross.

God speaks through Isaiah 50:6 when he says, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” Mingled with His blood and sweat was the essence of our sin. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away?  They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. The One whose chose the nails also chose the saliva. Why?  The sinless One took on the face of a sinner, so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint!

From He Chose the Nails