Tag Archives: nature

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Times of Temptation

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.   Luke 22:46

When is the Christian most liable to sleep? Is it not when his temporal circumstances are prosperous? Have you not found it so? When you had daily troubles to take to the throne of grace, were you not more awake than you are now? Easy roads make sleepy travelers. Another dangerous time is when all goes pleasantly in spiritual matters. A Christian did not fall asleep when lions were in the way or when he was wading through the river or when fighting with Apollyon. But when he had climbed halfway up the Hill Difficulty and came to a delightful spot, he sat down and promptly fell asleep, to his great sorrow and loss.

The enchanted ground is a place of balmy breezes, filled with fragrant odors and soft influences, all of which tend to lull pilgrims to sleep. Remember Bunyan’s description: “Then they came to an arbor, warm, and promising much refreshing to the weary pilgrims; for it was finely wrought above head, beautified with greens, and furnished with benches and settees. It also had in it a soft couch, where the weary might lean.” “The arbor was called the Slothful’s Friend, and was made on purpose to attract, if it might, some of the pilgrims to take their rest there when weary.”

Depend upon it—it is in easy places that men shut their eyes and wander into the dreamy land of forgetfulness. Old Erskine wisely remarked, “I like a roaring devil better than a sleeping devil.” There is no temptation half so dangerous as not being tempted. The distressed soul does not sleep; it is after we enter into peaceful confidence and full assurance that we are in danger of slumbering. The disciples fell asleep after they had seen Jesus transfigured on the mountaintop. Take heed, joyful Christian, easy days are close neighbors to temptations: Be as happy as you will—only be watchful!

________________________________________

The family reading plan for October 23, 2014 * Daniel 8 * Psalm 116

________________________________________

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

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The chaff driven away

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” Psalm 1:4

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Peter 2:11-17

Christian habits are the best business habits, if men would but believe it. When a man mixes his religion with his business and allows every act of his life to be guided by it, he stands the best chance in this world, if I may be allowed such a secular expression, for “Honesty is the best policy” after all, and Christianity is the best honesty. The sharp cutting competition of the times may be called honesty—it is only called so on earth, it is not called so by God, for there is a good deal of cheating in it. Honesty in the highest sense—Christian honesty—will be found after all to be the best policy in everything, and there will ordinarily be a prosperity, even worldly prosperity, attending a good man in the patient industrious pursuit of his calling. But if he does not have that success he craves, still there is one thing he knows, he would have it if it were best for him. I often know Christian men talk in this fashion; “Well I do but very little business,” says one, “but I have enough coming in to live upon comfortably and happy. I never cared much for push and competition; I never felt that I was fit for it, and I sometimes thank God that I never thrust myself out into the rough stream, but that I was content to keep along shore.” And I have marked this one thing, and as a matter of fact I know it cannot be disproved, that many such humble-minded men are the very best of Christians, they live the happiest lives, and whatsoever they do certainly does prosper, for they get what they expected though they did not expect much, and they get what they want though their wants are not very large.

For meditation: Honesty honours God, and God honours those who honour him (1 Samuel 2:30). Dishonesty in the early church was strikingly exposed (Acts 5:1-11).

Sermon no. 280

23 October (1859)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – The Source of Righteousness

1 Comment

John MacArthur

“The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9).

God’s Word is true and produces righteousness in the believer’s life.

The inability of human wisdom to produce right living was reaffirmed in my thinking as I read a contemporary psychiatrist’s book on how to overcome depression. The doctor’s first suggestion was to shout “Cancel!” every time you have a negative thought. She also recommended playing a tape recording of positive messages while you sleep at night, and listening to positive music during the day.

Cultivating a meaningful spiritual philosophy was another of her suggestions. She said any will do—as long as it works for you—but cautioned against those that speak of sin and guilt. Her final point was to find the spiritual light within yourself.

That kind of advice is foolish because it has no basis in truth. The best it can do is mask a few symptoms. It cannot cure the illness.

Jesus illustrated the hopelessness of searching for truth through such means when He said to a group of unbelievers, “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil . . . [who] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. . . . He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God” (John 8:43-47).

Unbelievers don’t see the truth of God’s Word for what it is. But believers hear the truth and receive it. Like David, they acknowledge that “the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9).

“Judgments” in that context speaks of ordinances or divine verdicts from the Supreme Judge. “Righteous altogether” implies that Scripture produces comprehensive righteousness in all who receive it. Together they emphasize that true righteousness originates from God’s Word and flows through His people.

Suggestions for Prayer; Praise God for giving you the truth that produces righteousness.

For Further Study; What do the following verses say about God’s righteous Word: Psalm 119:89, 128, 137-38, and 142?

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Pray without Ceasing

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]. Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus. —1 Thessalonians 5:17–18

If we don’t understand simple, believing prayer, that instruction can come down upon us like a very heavy burden. We may feel that we are doing well to pray thirty minutes a day, so how can we possibly pray without ever stopping? We need to have such confidence about our prayer life that prayer becomes just like breathing, an effortless thing that we do every moment we are alive. We don’t work and struggle at breathing, unless we have a lung disorder, and neither should we work and struggle at praying. I don’t believe we will struggle in this area if we really understand the power of simple, believing prayer.

If we don’t have confidence in our prayers, we will not pray very much, let alone pray without ceasing. Obviously the terminology “without ceasing” does not mean that we must be offering some kind of formal prayer every moment twenty-four hours a day. It means that all throughout the day we should be in a prayerful attitude. As we encounter each situation or as things come to our mind that need attention, we should simply submit them to God in prayer.

Lord, develop a prayerful attitude in me. Help me to make prayer as simple as breathing. Whatever comes my way, let me bring it to You in prayer. Amen.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Can Be Found

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, KJV).

Halfhearted efforts, I have found from personal experience, seldom bring success and victory. The difference between a successful person and a failure is that the successful person is always willing to do more than the unsuccessful person is willing to do.

In spiritual matters, in particular, this is true, as evidenced scores of times in the Word of God. This is one of the most expressive of those passages that major on this theme.

Another is: “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6, KJV).

But one point needs to be made abundantly clear: This promise is not only to the unbeliever, though it is often taken that way. It applies equally to the believer, who may be searching after God for a variety of reasons.

The key word here, of course is heart. “As [a man] thinketh in his heart,so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). “Out of the abundance of the heartthe mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34, KJV).

What do you need from God today? Wisdom? Peace? Courage? Love? To find God in such a real way that you know He is meeting that need for you, you must really mean business with Him. Then He will indeed do business for you.

A doubter, or an unbeliever, reading this has a wonderful assurance: He can find God if he truly seeks Him with his whole heart.

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 29:10-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I’ll begin right at home by personally seeking God for myself with my whole heart,and I will remind others how God can be real to them.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Your Expectation

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

It’s a privilege, the relationship you can have with God. Charles Spurgeon once said that His Word is as a two-edged sword slicing away your pride with one edge and your despair with the other. In the many forms of His mercy, He counteracts the tendencies of evil. God is ready to respond when you call on Him. He will forgive your sins when you truly repent and turn away from them. The Lord of life wishes to be the treasure of your heart – a full portion of all that you need and all that gives you hope.

You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!”

Lamentations 3:57

The writer of Lamentations saw the wickedness of the people of Israel and knew that God had withdrawn His hand from them in judgment. Yet he knew that the prayers of a contrite heart reach the ears of this just God. He understood that the Lord would provide daily help for daily needs.

Let this be your expectation as well. Then pray for this nation – its people and its leaders – that they would set aside their wicked, selfish ways and turn to the Lord who will respond to their call with His presence.

Recommended Reading: Lamentations 3:19-26, 31-32

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – When the Time Is Right  

Leave a comment

greglaurie

You must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. —2 Peter 3:8–10

We live in a culture in which everything happens fast. We don’t have to wait for much of anything anymore. So when we’re told to wait for the Lord’s return, it can be difficult for us. We look around at our world and say, “Lord, come on. Look how bad it’s getting! Have You forgotten? When are You coming back?”

But we must understand that God has His own schedule and is not bound by ours. Jesus came the first time at the appointed hour, and He will come the second time in the same way. The Bible tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4-5, NLT). God watched this little world of ours, and He knew when the right moment in time had come.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, the people were ready. The Romans ruled the known world with their vast system of roads, easing transportation. Taxes were high, morale was low, and morals were even lower. It had been four hundred years since Israel had heard from God . . . since a prophet had come . . . since an angel appeared . . . since a miracle had been performed. Then John the Baptist burst on the scene, announcing that the Messiah had indeed arrived. When the time was just right, God sent His Son. And when the time is just right, the Son will return again to this earth.

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

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Cannot Be Contained

Leave a comment

Max Lucado

Most people have small thoughts about God. In an effort to see God as our friend, we have lost his immensity. In our desire to understand him, we have sought to contain him.

The God of the Bible cannot be contained. With a word he called Adam out of dust and Eve out of a bone. He consulted no committee. He sought no counsel. He has authority over the world and. . .He has authority over your world. He’s never surprised. He has never, ever uttered the phrase, “How did that happen?”

God’s goodness is a major headline in the Bible. If He were only mighty, we would salute Him. But since He is merciful and mighty, we can approach Him. If God is at once Father and Creator, holy—unlike us—and high above us, then we at any point are only a prayer away from help!

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – When Things Seem Impossible

Leave a comment

Charles Stanley

Jeremiah 32:17-22

What is your initial reaction when you encounter a difficult circumstance—one that looks impossible? Some people go into overdrive searching for an answer or a way out. Others curl up in defeat or withdrawal, either declaring the situation hopeless or trying to avoid it altogether. Hopefully, as a Christian, you turn immediately to the Lord, seeking His guidance. But what you ask Him is very important.

  • O Lord, what am I going to do? At first glance, this seems like the right thing to ask, but is it really? The problem with this question is that even though we are seeking the Lord’s guidance, the focus is on our actions. That means the way we think about how to handle the situation is limited to our abilities, resources, and understanding. Often, our minds begin to devise possible plans, and we soon resort to manipulating and maneuvering in an attempt to fix the problem.
  • God, what are You going to do? This is the right question because now the focus has shifted to the omniscience and omnipotence of almighty God. He blows the sides out of any box that confines us and untangles any situation we find baffling. He has the power to carry out His plans, which—unlike our solutions—are perfect and always bring Him glory.

To truly pray the second prayer, you must be willing to surrender all your plans into His hands. Not only does He know what to do and how to accomplish it, but He can also make a way through any impossibility. Your job is simply to trust Him and be obedient by following His directions.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — One Who Understands

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Psalm 139:7-12

The LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. —1 Chronicles 28:9

My friend’s husband was in the last stages of dementia. In his first introduction to the nurse who was assigned to care for him, he reached out for her arm and stopped her. He said he wanted to introduce her to his best friend—one who loved him deeply.

Since no one else was in the hall, the nurse thought he was delusional. But as it turned out he was speaking of Jesus. She was deeply touched but had to hurry on to care for another patient. When she returned, the darkness had closed in again and the man was no longer lucid.

Even though this man had descended into the darkness of dementia, he knew that the Lord was his best Friend. God dwells in the fathomless depth that is our soul. He can pierce the darkest mind and assure us of His tender, loving care. Indeed, the darkness shall not hide us from Him (Ps. 139:12).

We do not know what the future holds for us or those we love. We too may descend into the darkness of mental illness, Alzheimer’s, or dementia as we age. But even there the Lord’s hand will lead us and His right hand will hold us tight (v.10). We cannot get away from His love and personal care. —David Roper

God knows each winding way I take,

And every sorrow, pain, and ache;

And me He never will forsake—

He knows and loves His own. —Bosch

Jesus loves me. This I know.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 65-66; 1 Timothy 2

Insight

Today’s passage, a standard text on the doctrine of God’s omnipresence—God is everywhere all the time—is also one of deep comfort. These verses offer assurance that no matter where we go, even if we are trying to run from God (see v.7), we cannot separate ourselves from Him. This is the same idea that Paul elaborates on in his letter to the church in Rome: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). These verses not only point out that nothing can separate us from His presence, they also beautifully state that nothing can keep us from God’s love.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Face of God

Leave a comment

Ravi Z

Above the massive statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C. is the inscription: “In this Temple, as in the hearts of the people, for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” The seated figure is 19 feet tall, carved from 28 blocks of white marble. To stand in front of the giant sculpture is no doubt to catch a glimpse of the nation’s respect for the man and his important place in American history.

As in many cultures, a statue carved in someone’s image is an honor bestowed upon the one engraved in stone. A portrait painted in someone’s likeness is intended to be a distinguishing tribute to the life captured in color. And yet, in ancient near eastern writ is the repeated warning never to do the same with God. In the ancient words of the Hebrew Bible, the one who would hold our highest esteem, has cautioned against even attempting to make such images because even the best of our imagination will lead us astray. “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isaiah 42:8). Whether in finest metal or costly stone, to create a graven image of God would only reduce this God.

A prayer by C.S. Lewis captures a similar idea in more modern terms, suggesting that not all graven images are of stone and gold. The poem is titled “The Apologist’s Evening Prayer” and is a potent glimpse at what we might call thoughtful idols. Writes Lewis:

Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead

Of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.

From all my thoughts, even from my thoughts of Thee,

O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.

Lord of the narrow gate and the needle’s eye,

Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.

It is not uncommon to hear Christians speak of perpetually finding themselves surprised by again and again with God. Even thoughts of God can easily become idols aligned neatly on theological shelves. Yet God mercifully and repeatedly wakes knowing disciples to new understandings. It is forever surprising for me, for instance, to be reminded that Jesus’s famous words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” were not uttered at angry religious leaders, nor directed at the lost and downtrodden. It can so seem a statement that draws a line in the sand with quickened stroke, separating the faithful from the uninterested, providing infinite comfort to the lost, and infinitely disturbing those who thought themselves found. Certainly, Christ’s words have a way of doing just that. But his potent words that day were spoken not to those who did not know him, but to those who knew him best. And they did not understand.

I wonder if these men and women understood any further, when only days later Jesus’s very life was poured out before them. “I am the way the truth and the life.” Did they remember these words on his lips? Could their minds have gotten around the thought that his life made the way, that the life of vicariously human Son of God poured out for the world is somehow the way to wisdom and life and meaning? Could they understand all that was packed in those words? Can anyone?

We are given minds and imaginations that can freely tread into heavenly matters. The desire to see God seems to be set upon our hearts no matter the culture or creed we are raised with. “Show me your glory,” Moses implored of God. “Show us the Father,” the disciples pled with Jesus. But we cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end anymore than we can fathom God, and for this, God seems to remind us of our limitations. We will be shown the Father; we are shown God’s glory; we are continually given glimpses of a self-revealing God. And yet we are warned not to make any of it into an idol lest we miss God in the midst of it. In a letter to a younger colleague, poet and professor Stanley Wiersma advised, “When you are too sure about God and faith, you are sure of something other than God: of dogma, of the church, of a particular interpretation of the Bible. But God cannot be pigeonholed. We must press toward certainty, but be suspicious when it comes too glibly.”

I believe that God moves us to those places where we discover again that God is fearfully alive, that the human Christ is one of us, that the mere hem of God’s robe fills even our holiest moments. We must repeatedly remind ourselves that even our imaginative limitation is good news: “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?”(1)

“Show us the Father” is a hope our hearts were meant to utter, even as we learn to revel in the mystery of the request. It is also a longing God has promised will be answered for cultures and ages past to our own today: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.(2) A God who takes humanity so seriously that he joins us within it, offering us his own humanity as the way, the truth, and the life, will surely not disappoint.

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

(1) Job 11:7-8.

(2) Isaiah 40:5.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The Spirit’s Applying Work

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

He will take what is mine and declare it to you.   John 16:15

There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no help unless a gracious hand applies them to us. We are thirsty but too faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle, it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can bind up his wounds and medicines to ease all the pains that he now suffers: What he needs is to be carried there and to have the remedies applied. It is the same with our souls, and to meet this need there is one, even the Spirit of truth, who takes the things of Jesus and applies them to us.

Do not think that Christ has placed His joys on heavenly shelves so we may climb up and retrieve them for ourselves; rather He draws near and sheds His peace abroad in our hearts. Christian, if you are tonight struggling under deep distress, your Father does not give you promises and then leave you to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well. The promises He has written in the Word He will write afresh on your heart. He will display His love to you and by His blessed Spirit dispel your cares and troubles.

Let it be known to you, if you mourn, that it is God’s prerogative to wipe every tear from the eyes of His people. The good Samaritan did not say, “Here is the wine, and here is the oil for you”; he actually poured in the oil and the wine. So Jesus not only gives you the sweet wine of His promise, but He holds the golden cup to your lips and pours the lifeblood into your mouth. The poor, sick, worn-out pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is lifted up on eagles’ wings. Glorious Gospel that provides everything for the helpless, that draws near to us when we cannot reach it ourselves—it brings us grace before we seek grace! There is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus to them!

________________________________________

The family reading plan for October 21, 2014 * Daniel 7 * Psalm 114, 115

________________________________________

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

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Fearing God

Leave a comment

John MacArthur

“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever” (Ps. 19:9).

Fearing God leads to reverential attitudes and actions.

In the Old Testament, to fear God was to view Him with reverential awe and bow to His sovereign authority. In Psalm 34 David wrote, “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (vv. 11- 14). His son Solomon added, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. . . . Fear the Lord and turn away from evil” (Prov. 1:7; 3:7).

The concept of fearing God isn’t limited to the Old Testament. Paul said, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1) and, “Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (Eph. 5:21).

Our fear of God compels us to worship Him and conform our lives to His will. If you fear Him, pleasing Him will be your greatest delight and displeasing Him, your greatest disappointment.

In Psalm 19:9 David uses “fear” as a synonym for God’s Word, implying that Scripture is God’s manual on how to worship Him. “Clean” (v. 9) is a comprehensive term that speaks of the absence of sin, corruption, filthiness, defilement, imperfection, and error. The message Scripture conveys is always “flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times” (Ps. 12:6, NIV).

Because it is so perfect, Scripture endures forever (Ps. 19:9). That’s why Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mark 13:31). It never needs to be updated to accommodate contemporary thinking. It stands forever as authoritative and unyielding. Those who judge it, slander it, or ignore it are in grave peril. Far better to fear God and bow to His revealed will.

Suggestions for Prayer; Read Psalm 33 as a prayer of praise to the Lord.

For Further Study; Memorize Proverbs 3:5-7 as a reminder always to seek God’s will and approval.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Spirit of Holiness

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

And [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated the Son of God in power [in a striking, triumphant and miraculous manner] by His resurrection from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord (the Messiah, the Anointed One).—Romans 1:4

Today’s verse refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Holiness. He is called by this name because He is the holiness of God and because it is His job to work that holiness in everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior.

God wants and instructs us to be holy (see 1 Peter 1:15–16). He would never tell us to be holy without giving us the help we need to make us that way. An unholy spirit could never make us holy. So God sends His Spirit into our hearts to do a complete and thorough work in us.

In Philippians 1:6, Paul teaches us that God, Who began a good work in us, is well able to complete that work and bring it to its finish. The Holy Spirit will continue to work in us as long as we are alive on this Earth. God hates sin, and anytime He finds it in us, He quickly works to cleanse us of it.

This fact alone explains why we need the Holy Spirit living inside of us. He is there not only to lead and guide us through this life, but also to immediately work in cooperation with the Father to remove from us anything that is displeasing to Him. He will both speak to us about the things that need to change so we can grow in holiness and empower us to make the changes we need to make.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – No Longer Slaves

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“And you are My friends if you obey Me. I no longer call you slaves, for a master doesn’t confide in slaves; now you are My friends, proved by the fact that I have told you everything the Father told Me” (John 15:14,15).

How many really close friends do you have? Not many, I think you will agree, for a close friend is one in whom you confide regularly. who knows you just as you are and loves you just the same.

So it is with our heavenly Friend, the one who “sticks closer than a brother.” And how do we earn the right to become that kind of intimate friend? Simply by obeying His commands, “which are not grievous,” but really are necessary to keep us in the straight and narrow path and to give us a happy, blessed life.

In a sense, of course, we are still His bondslaves, His servants, but He deigns to call us His friends if we love Him enough to obey His commands. And He proves His friendship by sharing with us all that the Father has shared with Him. What greater friend could we have?

Jesus not only called His disciples friends, but He also treated them as friends. He opened His mind to them, made known His plans and acquainted them with the plan of His coming. His death, His resurrection and ascension. He followed this proof of His friendship with the actual title of friend.

Oh, that you and I might see Him today truly as our friend – one who sticks closer than a brother or sister or mother or father.

Bible Reading: John 15:11-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: As I take inventory of my real friends today, I will especially include the one Friend above all friends, the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of the supernatural life which God has commanded me to live.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W.- The Crown That’s Coming

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

Watch the news and you’ll see stories of Christians persecuted in other countries. But are believers in Jesus persecuted in America? According to the recent study “Undeniable: The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America” produced by the Family Research Council and the Liberty Institute, they definitely are. People are receiving fines or going to jail for holding home Bible studies; students are being banned from praying before sporting events; and Christian ministries are experiencing more-than-normal scrutiny from the IRS. Many believers are fearful it will only get worse.

Don’t fear what you are about to suffer…Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

Today’s scripture was written to the church in Smyrna. Christians there suffered hunger, poverty, imprisonment and sometimes death for their faith. However, Jesus knew this and encouraged them to not be afraid, but look to the “crown of life” they would one day receive.

The same applies to you today. Even in the midst of suffering, testing or persecution, don’t fear. Stay faithful to receive the crown that’s coming. Also pray for the nation and its leaders to recognize the pattern of persecution forming in America and protect religious freedom.

Recommended Reading: Matthew 10:16-23

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – “Oh, Daddy!”

Leave a comment

Max Lucado

When my eldest daughter was 13, she flubbed her piano piece at a recital. The silence in the auditorium was broken only by the pounding of her parents’ hearts. She hurried off the stage, threw her arms around me and buried her face in my shirt. “Oh, Daddy.” That was enough for me. At that moment I’d have given her the moon. All she said was, “Oh Daddy!”

Prayer starts here. Prayer begins with an honest, heartfelt, “Oh Daddy!” Jesus invites us to approach God the way a child approaches his or her daddy.

Here’s my prayer challenge to you! Sign on at BeforeAmen.com for a simple prayer. Then every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes—it’ll change your life forever!

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Passion to Know God

Leave a comment

Charles Stanley

Philippians 3:7-12

As Christians, we should desire to be centered on knowing God through His Son Jesus Christ (John 14:9). What does that kind of ardent desire look like?

First, we’ll have an eagerness to know the Savior. Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd, Bread of Life, and True Vine. He invites us to discover who He is in each aspect of His character. Complacency—resting on what we already know—has no place in the Christian life.

Second, we’ll demonstrate a steadfast commitment to the Lord. That dedication will have an enduring influence on our finances, workplace, friendships, and home. Building a close relationship with God is a lifelong pursuit with no shortcuts.

Third, our top priority will be knowing Christ and loving Him (Jer. 31:34; Mark 12:30). When He has first place in your heart, quiet times with the Lord will be sought after and precious. Our days will be structured around receiving and obeying instruction from Him. Prayer will be as much about listening to Him as about speaking.

Finally, any desire that interferes with or supersedes our fervent longing to know the Savior will be laid aside. Turning away from ungodliness and worldly pursuits will appear a small price to pay for the blessings of intimately walking with God. Over time, as we maintain both a strong desire and a firm commitment to know God, keep Him in first place, and replace our desires with His, our passion for Him will grow. Who do you see when you look in your spiritual mirror—an ardent believer or a lukewarm one?

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Undeserved Praise

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Luke 5:27-32

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. —Luke 5:32

Even before I could afford a self-cleaning oven, I managed to keep my oven clean. Guests even commented on it when we had them over for a meal. “Wow, your oven is so clean. It looks like new.” I accepted the praise even though I knew I didn’t deserve it. The reason my oven was clean had nothing to do with my meticulous scrubbing; it was clean because I so seldom used it.

How often, I wonder, am I guilty of accepting undeserved admiration for my “clean” life? It’s easy to give the impression of being virtuous; simply do nothing difficult, controversial, or upsetting to people. But Jesus said we are to love people who don’t agree with us, who don’t share our values, who don’t even like us. Love requires that we get involved in the messy situations of people’s lives. Jesus was frequently in trouble with religious leaders who were more concerned about keeping their own reputations clean than they were about the spiritual condition of those they were supposed to care for. They considered Jesus and His disciples unclean for mingling with sinners when they were simply trying to rescue people from their destructive way of life (Luke 5:30-31).

True disciples of Jesus are willing to risk their own reputations to help others out of the mire of sin. —Julie Ackerman Link

Dear Lord, give me a heart of compassion for

those who are lost in sin. Help me not to be

concerned about what others think of me but

only that Your holy name will be honored.

Christ sends us out to bring others in.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

Insight

The role of tax collector in first-century Israel was quite different from what we would think today. Ancient Rome operated on the back of the taxes drained from conquered lands like Israel. This was overseen by the local governor (or procurator), but it was actually accomplished by local citizens like Levi (also known as Matthew), who worked for Rome. These tax collectors, however, were not viewed as simple agents or bureaucrats. They were known to charge higher taxes than were due and to pocket the excess. They were despised as collaborators who had aligned themselves with the hated occupying force. The taxes they collected were a continuing symbol of the oppression the Jews felt as a conquered people, and the tax collectors were considered participants in that oppression.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Jesus’ Sweet Voice

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  Luke 24:38

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God?'”1 The Lord cares for everything, and the smallest creatures share in His universal providence, but His particular providence is over His saints. “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him.”2 “Precious is their blood in his sight.”3 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”4 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”5 Let the fact that He is the Savior of all men but is specially the Savior of those who believe cheer and comfort you.

You are His peculiar care, His royal treasure that He guards as the apple of His eye, His vineyard over which He watches day and night. “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.”6 Let the thought of His special love to you be a spiritual painkiller, a soothing balm to your woe: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”7 God says that just as much to you as to any saint of old. “Fear not . . . I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”8 We lose much consolation by the habit of reading His promises for the whole Church instead of taking them directly home for ourselves.

Believer, grasp the divine Word with a personal, appropriating faith. Imagine that you hear Jesus say, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”9 Imagine you see Him walking on the water of your trouble, for He is there, and He is saying, “Do not fear—it is I.” These are sweet words of Christ! May the Holy Spirit make you feel them as if they were spoken to you; forget others for a while—accept the voice of Jesus as addressed to you and say, “Jesus whispers consolation; I cannot refuse it; I will sit under His shadow with great delight.”10

1) Isaiah 40:27   2) Psalm 34:7   3) Psalm 72:14   4) Psalm 116:15   5) Romans 8:28    6) Matthew 10:30   7) Hebrews 13:5   8) Genesis 15:1   9) Luke 22:32   10) Seon Song of Solomn 2:3

________________________________________

The family reading plan for October 21, 2014 * Daniel 6 * Psalm 112, 113

________________________________________

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