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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Where to Find Hope

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Read: Romans 5:1–11 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 4–6; 2 Corinthians 12

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Elizabeth struggled for a long time with drug addiction, and when she recovered wanted to help others in return. So she started writing notes and anonymously placing them throughout her city. Elizabeth tucks these notes under car windshield wipers and tacks them on poles in parks. She used to look for signs of hope; now she leaves them for others to find. One of her notes concluded with these words: “Much love. Hope sent.”

Hope with love—that’s what Jesus gives. He brings us His love with each new day and strengthens us with that hope. His love is not rationed out to us drop by drop but flows out of His heart freely and is poured lavishly into ours: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 nlt). He desires to use the hard times to develop perseverance and character and bring us a satisfying, hope-filled life (vv. 3–4). And even when we’re far from Him, He still loves us (vv. 6–8).

Are you looking for signs of hope? The Lord gives hope with love through inviting us to grow in a relationship with Him. Our hope for a fulfilling life is anchored in His unfailing love.

I’m grateful, God, for the love You lavishly pour on me. Please bring me contentment in You and confidence in what You are doing in me.

Read Hope: Choosing Faith Instead of Fear at discoveryseries.org/q0733.

Hope is the anchor of the soul.

 

By Anne Cetas

INSIGHT

Sometimes the truth of the gospel—that Jesus offers a new, guilt-free life for all who believe (Romans 8:1)—might feel a bit too good to be true. If all we’ve ever known is emptiness, hatred, and despair, how is it even possible to learn to live with love and hope?

It’s possible because it doesn’t depend on us. God’s love reaches deeper than our brokenness, loving us completely even when we’re far from Him (5:8). As we surrender to Him, we can experience His love and hope as the Spirit transforms every aspect of our life (vv. 3–5).

Monica Brands

 

 

http://www.odb.org

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Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In a World of Trouble

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My husband and I had the relatively rare occurrence of a long weekend in which we had made no plans—except to stay at home and relax. We decided to revisit The Lord of the Rings film trilogy by watching one film each night of the weekend. As we watched, we were reminded of the powerful themes of good and evil, power and corruption, military conquest and its ecological impact and how hope is found in unexpected or unseen places. I continue to be amazed by the relevance and impact of these fantasy novels, adapted for film and written over sixty years ago.

In one of the climactic scenes of The Fellowship of the Ring, the young hobbit Frodo laments the world he sees around him with all of its tragedy and darkness. Looking at the difficulty in continuing on the path laid out before him, Frodo mourns, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” His ever-wise counselor and friend, Gandalf the Grey, consoles him with these words: “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.”(1)

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. Watching this scene and hearing these words echoes within me as I look out onto the world. There are always crises of one sort or another that might make even the strongest among us pine for different times, crises that make us wish our journey would be a different and far more pleasant trip. The recent shootings in Las Vegas and Texas, the terrorist rampage in New York City, and the almost daily bombings all around the world give us all-too-familiar examples. The seeming randomness of violence upends any sense of security in a world that is far beyond our control. We long for peace and stability. But often such is not the time that is given to us.

With an unstable world and the fear that instability naturally engenders, how does one find hope? What are we to do with the times we’ve been given? For many, flights of fantasy, wishful thinking, or simply burying heads in the sand offers a strategy for coping. Yet, even the desire to escape—through pleasure, distraction, or nostalgia—belies a longing for something more, something different, and something better. These longings speak to us of what could be and can motivate action for good here and now with the time that is given to us. As Gandalf rightly counseled, “[T]here are other forces at work in this world… beside the will of evil.”

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In a World of Trouble →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – No More Same Old Same Old

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“Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing….” — Isaiah 43:18-19 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

In today’s Scripture, God says He is doing a new thing. As you move into the future He has for you, you will encounter all kinds of new opportunities, and challenges. The days ahead will be full of new expe­riences, things you have never done before. You may not know how to do them, but you will learn. Everything you are doing today was new to you at one time—and look, now you can do it.

Continuing to face new challenges and develop new abilities is extremely important to your growth and maturity. As you walk with God into your future, you will hear Him say, “You have not done this before, but don’t be afraid. I’m taking you to a place you have never been before. I’m going to ask you to do something you don’t know how to do!” God has already been where He is leading you, and He has prepared the way. Step out in faith, and you will experience the faith­fulness of God.

We think and say, “It’s time for a change! I need something new,” and then we hesitate to embrace that new thing when it comes. If you are ready for something new and fresh, don’t be afraid to embrace it when it comes.

Don’t stay trapped in the past. Let go of what lies behind and press into the great future God has planned for you. I can promise you: God is with you. He will lead you. He will strengthen you. He will help you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for constantly bringing about change and new beginnings. Help me to embrace every new thing You bring into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Maturity – In His Timing 

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“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control” (Galatians 5:22,23).

One of my dear friends had a 25-year old son who had never grown past the baby stage mentally or physically. He had greeted the birth of his beautiful baby boy with great joy, but his joy turned to heartache and sorrow with the passing years as his son never matured.

Unfortunately and tragically, many Christians never pass the baby or childhood stages. Think of the heartache and sorrow that God experiences when He looks upon those of His children who have never matured, though they have been Christians for many years.

Martha, a new Christian, approached me with this question, “With all my heart I want to be a woman of God, but I do not experience the consistency of Galatians 5:22,23 in my life. What is wrong?”

Maybe you are asking the same question, if so, it will be helpful for you to understand that the Christian life is a life of growth. Just as in our physical lives we begin as babies and progress through childhood into adolescence, young adulthood and mature adulthood, so it is in our spiritual lives.

The Holy Spirit takes up residence within every believer at the moment of new birth. The growth process is greatly accelerated when a believer consciously yields himself to the lordship of Christ and the filling and control of the Holy Spirit. A believer who is empowered by the Holy Spirit and is a faithful student of God’s Word, who has learned to trust and obey God, can pass through the various stages of spiritual growth and become a mature Christian within a brief period of time. Some Spirit-filled Christians demonstrate more of the fruit of the Spirit within one year than others who have been untaught, uncommitted believers for 50 years.

Bible Reading:Romans 5:1-5

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I am determined that I will become a spiritually mature Christian, in whose life the fruit of the Spirit will be demonstrated. Through the enabling of the Holy Spirit I will dedicate myself to prayer, reading the Word and witnessing, and living a life of obedience.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – You May Need a Push

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

Ask a believer to answer the question, “Who is God the Father?” He has a reply. Or “Describe God the Son.” She will not hesitate. But ask, “Who is the Holy Spirit?” and they’re often at a loss for words. Many rely on the Father and the Son but overlook the Holy Spirit. Yet Jesus says more about the Holy Spirit than he does about the church or marriage.

On the eve of his death, as he prepared his followers to face the future without him, he made this great promise, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8). He didn’t promise immediate success, or the absence of disease or struggles. He never guaranteed a level of income. But He promised the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came alongside the disciples, indwelled them, and gave the early church the push they needed to face the challenges ahead. Perhaps you could use a push as well.

Read more Unshakable Hope

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Chelsea Clinton: Ending abortion would be “unchristian”

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America has been focused on the aftermath of Hurricane Florence and Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Meanwhile, you may have missed this in the news: Chelsea Clinton claims it would be “unchristian” to end abortion in America.

During a radio interview, the former first daughter said it would be “unconscionable” for the US to return to the “pre-Roe” era when abortion was illegal: “When I think about all of the statistics that are painful of what women are confronting today in our country, and what even more women confronted pre-Roe and how many women died and how many more women were maimed because of unsafe abortion practices, we just can’t go back to that.”

She added, “Like that’s unconscionable to me. And also, I’m sure this will unleash another wave of hate in my direction, but as a deeply religious person, it’s also unchristian to me.”

Clinton also claimed that the legalization of abortion was a boon to the US economy: “American women entering the labor force from 1970 to 2009 added three and a half trillion dollars to our economy, right? The net, new entrance of women–that is not disconnected from the fact that Roe became the law of the land in January of 1973.”

“Bad philosophy needs to be answered”

Let’s learn from Chelsea Clinton’s defense of a ruling that has cost more than sixty million unborn children their lives. We can respond to unbiblical claims in two ways: we can ignore them, or we can engage them.

Ignoring falsehoods may seem to be a short-term solution. We’re all busy people with multiple demands on our time. When we encounter statements we know to be false, it’s easier to dismiss them and move on.

However, if we will not counter falsehoods by speaking biblical truth to our culture, those who need God’s word will not hear it. “How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

Continue reading Denison Forum – Chelsea Clinton: Ending abortion would be “unchristian” →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Blessings of Brokenness

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Deuteronomy 8:1-14

God’s discipline isn’t easy, but we cannot ignore its wonderful benefits to spiritual growth. It gives us an entirely new perspective on the Lord’s plan for our life. If we enjoyed a steady, uninterrupted stream of blessings, we might think our Father exists solely for our happiness, and we wouldn’t know the truth about who He is.

Think about what we generally request of the Lord. We ask Him for healing, success, or financial security and seek His blessing on our family and relationships. Philippians 4:6 tells us to pray about everything, so there is nothing wrong with coming to God with all our concerns. But we must be careful that we don’t inadvertently begin to think of Him as our personal assistant or some sort of catalog, where we place our order and He delivers.

If that is the case, who is actually at the center of our prayers? It certainly isn’t almighty God, who as our Creator and Savior is worthy of our adoration and worship. When we find ourselves at the center of our prayers, the end result is the subtle deception that the Lord exists for our benefit. This distortion breaks the Lord’s heart and leads us far away from truly knowing His character and majesty.

The antidote for this self-centered idolatry is brokenness. When God says “no”—taking away instead of adding more and then divinely managing what we have, how much we have, and how long we have it—He is helping us keep our eyes on Him. Do not despise such moments. Instead, recognize them as the voice of your Father calling you back into His loving arms.

Bible in One Year: Hosea 10-14

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Fitting Time

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Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1–14 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 1–3; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Yesterday I purchased an airline ticket to send my firstborn child to college. I’m surprised the keyboard on my computer still functions, given the waterworks my eyes unleashed on it during the flight selection process. I have so enjoyed my eighteen years of daily life with her that I am saddened by the prospect of her departure. Yet I wouldn’t rob her of the opportunity that lies ahead simply because I’ll miss her. At this juncture in her life, it is fitting for her to embark on a new journey to discover adulthood and explore another part of the country.

As this season of my parenting draws to a close, another one begins. It will undoubtedly bring both new challenges and new delights. Solomon, Israel’s third king, wrote that God appoints “a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). We humans have little control over the events of our lives—whether we view those events as favorable or not. But God, in His mighty power, makes “everything beautiful in its time” (v. 11).

In seasons of heartache, we can trust God to bring something good from them in time. Our comforts and joys may come and go, but God’s works “will endure forever” (v. 14). We may not relish every season—some are quite painful—yet He can bring beauty to them all.

Father, You have permitted this season in my life. Help me to be content in the midst of it, and to recognize Your power and might are at work.

God brings beauty from all seasons.

By Kirsten Holmberg

INSIGHT

For further study on the book of Ecclesiastes, check out this free online course at christianuniversity.org/OT224.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In Defense of Listening

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“I like to listen,” said Ernest Hemingway. “I have learned a great deal from listening carefully.”

Hemingway speaks of a significant virtue, lamenting accurately, “Most people never listen.”

I wonder if he would feel differently if it were his books to which people were listening.

The popularity of audio books is redefining the notion of reading, and some authors—and readers—are unhappy about it. “Deep reading really demands the inner ear as well as the outer ear,” says literary critic Harold Bloom. “You need the whole cognitive process, that part of you which is open to wisdom. You need the text in front of you.” Others who doggedly defend the entire experience of reading—the feel of a book in their hands, the smell of its pages, the single-minded escape of delving into a story—find listening to a book something akin to cheating. “You didn’t read it,” they contest; “you only listened to it”—as if this somehow means they took in a different story.

For those who love the written word and printed page, for those who are elated at the sight of a bookstore, not only is listening to Hamlet or The Count of Monte Cristo something like picking up the cliff notes, e-books are almost equally offensive. There is no substitute for books, no surrogate for reading.

I mostly agree. I find myself responding to the question, “Have you read such and such?” with a similar admittance of guilt: “Well, I listened to it” (usually accompanied with a comment about Atlanta traffic). And yet, I am becoming more and more convinced that audio books definitely have their place in learning—with or without traffic. Auditory processing is vital to any learning. Hemingway is right; listening carefully is a vital skill to keep sharp.

I find that I pick up different facets when I listen to a paragraph than I might have gleaned from reading that same paragraph. C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity is a book I have read many times. When I bought the book on CD, however, I found listening to the work an entirely different, altogether helpful experience. Interestingly, Mere Christianity began as a series of lectures for the radio, perhaps amplifying its effectiveness as an audio book. And yet some words are simply powerful whether heard internally or aloud.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – In Defense of Listening →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Help Is Here

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And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever. — John 14:16 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Many people have received Jesus as Savior and Lord. They will go to heaven, but never draw on the full capacity of the Holy Spirit that is available to them or experience the true success God wants them to enjoy on Earth. Simply put, many will be on their way to heaven, but they won’t enjoy the trip.

We often look at those who have wealth, position, power and we consider them “successful.” But many people who are considered successful still lack peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings. Such people have never learned to depend completely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

People who are self-sufficient often think depending on God is a sign of weakness. But the truth is that by drawing on the ability of the Holy Spirit, they can accomplish more in their lives than they ever could by working in their own strength.

God created us in such a way that although we do have strengths, we also have weaknesses and we need His help. We know He wants to help us because He sent a Divine Helper, the Holy Spirit, to live inside us.

We often struggle needlessly because we do not receive the help available to us. I encourage you to depend on Him, not on your own strength. Whatever you are facing, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, I invite You into my day. Please strengthen me and help me to accomplish more than I ever could in my own strength. I can’t do it without You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – How to Find Your Life

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“For anyone who keeps his life for himself shall lose it; and anyone who loses his life for Me shall find it again” (Matthew 16:25).

From all outward appearances Tom and Mary were the ideal couple. They lived in a beautiful mansion. They possessed several fine cars – more than they needed. Both of them dressed elegantly and they entertained lavishly. They were the life of the party and everything seemed too good to be true. And it was.

Beneath the facade they were miserable creatures, though outwardly they seemed to be loving and considerate of each other. I soon learned that they had great resentments and deep-seated antagonisms toward each other. Their quarrels had become more frequent, sometimes exploding into temper tantrums, and sometimes resulting in physical abuse. They had tried in a number of ways to find happiness and fulfillment, including several around-the-world trips. But the harder they had tried, the more miserable they had become.

It was in this context that I shared with them the importance of surrendering their lives to Christ and inviting Him to be their Savior. I counseled them to lose themselves, as His representatives, in bringing happiness into the lives of others.

Receiving Christ was not so hard for them to do . They both realized they were sinners and needed as Savior. But they had lived such selfish lives for so long that it was not easy for them to begin to consider others as the Scripture admonishes. After a time they did begin to work with elderly people in convalescent homes and with prisoners through the ministry of the local church. On occasion, they gave their testimony at the skid row mission.

With the passing of time, the miracle happened and that illusive goal of happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction became a reality. In losing their lives they truly found them in service to others in the name of Christ. They found the abundant life which He promised and for which they had sought so long.

God’s loyalty has been proven over and over again. In reviewing my own experiences, and in observing the lives of many others, I have become aware that the individual who seeks happiness never finds it, but the one who is committed to taking happiness to others always finds it. And he also finds meaning, purpose, joy and peace in the process.

Bible Reading:Matthew 16:24-27

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I am determined to experience the reality of this promise by surrendering the control of my life to Him and demonstrating my commitment through serving others

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Greatest News in the World

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

The greatest news in the world is not that God made the world but that God loves the world.  He loves you.  You did not earn this love.  His love for you will not end if you lose your temper.  His love for you will not fade if you lose your way, nor will His love diminish if your discipline does.

Someone told you that God loves good people. Wrong. There are no good people.  Someone told you that God loves you if you love him first. Wrong. He loves people who have never thought of him.  Someone told you that God is ticked off, cranky, and vindictive.  Wrong. We tend to be ticked off, cranky, and vindictive.  But God?  “God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he’s rich in love” (Psalm 103:8).  God loves you!  And because God’s promises are unbreakable our hope is unshakable!

Read more Unshakable Hope

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum – Why is this library loaning neckties?

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The Riverside branch of the New York Public Library has more than books to loan. You can also check out a necktie, bow tie, handbag, or briefcase. They are intended for people with limited resources who are heading for job interviews, auditions, school performances, proms, or other events for which they need to dress up.

In other news, a Chicago schoolteacher on a plane talked about her low-income students. Passengers overheard her and gave her more than $500 in cash to help.

Here’s a similar story: an Alabama man had to walk nearly twenty miles to his new job. When his CEO found out, he gave the man his personal car.

When you read these stories, how did they make you feel?

A surprising survey

There’s something in us that is attracted to that which is selfless, gracious, and joyful. The darker the room, the more we are drawn to the light.

However, it’s a sign of the times that so many of the shows that received Emmys on Monday are so dark and ominous. As I noted yesterday, the world is more unhappy than it has been in a decade. Gallup’s Negative Experience Index found that markers for worry, stress, sadness, and physical pain are all at record highs.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why is this library loaning neckties? →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Path of Brokenness

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John 12:23-28

A seed that is not planted will never produce a crop. So Jesus used a seed to illustrate why He had to die in order to bring many people to glory. He was teaching a principle that’s also true in our lives: If our ambition is to remain isolated, protected, and comfortable, we’ll never bear the fruit God desires. It’s in dying to self and being broken of pride and self-sufficiency that we become fruitful and useful to the Lord.

Brokenness is one of the means God uses to mature His children. In that process, we may find ourselves challenged in:

Circumstances that cripple our self-sufficiency.
Areas in which we are not submissive to Him.
The timing of His plans.

If we refuse to be re-formed and instead cling to whatever God wants us to release, then how can He use us for His kingdom? Just like the single, unbroken grain of wheat, we will remain unproductive.

With so much at stake, why do we still resist His process of breaking us down? The problem is usually our shortsighted desires. It’s difficult to let go of things or relationships or hobbies we enjoy even when we know they are stunting our spiritual growth. We prefer to take the path of least resistance and hope God will bless us anyway.

Don’t be distracted by short-term happiness—that isn’t the road to maturity that God has prepared for you. An abundance of fruitfulness awaits you if you’ll release your grip and let Him do whatever it takes to get you there.

Bible in One Year: Hosea 6-9

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Engraved on His Hands

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Read: Isaiah 49:14–18 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 30–31; 2 Corinthians 11:1–15

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:16

In Charles Spurgeon’s many years at his London church during the 1800s, he loved to preach on the riches of Isaiah 49:16, which says that God engraves us on the palms of His hands. He said, “Such a text as this is to be preached hundreds of times!” This thought is so precious that we can run over it in our minds again and again.

Spurgeon makes the wonderful connection between this promise of the Lord to His people, the Israelites, and God’s Son, Jesus, on the cross as He died for us. Spurgeon asked, “What are these wounds in Your hands? . . . The engraver’s tool was the nail, backed by the hammer. He must be fastened to the Cross, that His people might be truly engraved on the palms of His hands.” As the Lord promised to engrave His people on His palms, so Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, receiving the nails in His hands so we could be free of our sins.

If and when we’re tempted to think that God has forgotten us, we only need to look at our palms and remember God’s promise. He has put indelible marks on His hands for us; He loves us that much.

 Lord God, how vast is Your love for me! You keep me ever before You. I know You’ll never leave me, and I’m grateful.

The Lord engraves us on the palms of His hands.

By Amy Boucher Pye

INSIGHT

Our God remembers us and keeps His promises. A study of the word remember bears this out. Throughout the Old Testament we read passages about how God “remembered” specific people (Genesis 8:1; 19:29; 30:22). Still other passages recall what He has done for us all. “The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” (Psalm 98:2–3). God specifically worked in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses to fulfill His promises, for He remembers His covenant (see Psalm 105.)

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s Old Testament promises. We see this in the words of Zechariah’s song (Luke 1:67–73): “Praise to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” He “remember[ed] his holy covenant” (vv. 68, 72).

God hasn’t forgotten us. He is with us through the Spirit (John 14:26). And one day He will return to establish a new heaven and earth where He will dwell with us forever (Revelation 21:1–3).

In what ways has God shown you He hasn’t forgotten you?

Alyson Kieda

 

http://www.odb.org

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Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Paradoxical Presence

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For many Jewish people living after the Holocaust, God’s absence is an ever-present reality.  It is as tangible as the concentration camps at Auschwitz and Dachau, and as haunting as the empty chair at a table once occupied with a loved one long-silenced by the gas chambers.  In his tragic book about his own experience in the concentration camps at Auschwitz, Elie Wiesel intones the cries of many who experienced God’s absence:  “It is the end.  God is no longer with us….I know that Man is too small, too humble, and inconsiderable to seek to understand the mysterious ways of God.  But what can I do?  Where is the divine Mercy? Where is God?  How can I believe?  How can anyone believe in this merciful God?”(1)

This experience of absence, dramatic in its implications for the victims of the Holocaust, has repeated itself over and over again in the ravaged stories of those who struggle to hold on to faith, or those who have lost faith altogether in the face of personal holocaust.  In a world where tragedy and suffering are daily realities unchecked by divine government, the absence of God seems a cruel abdication.

The words of Job, ancient in origin, speak the same language of absence experienced by many today:

Behold, I go forward, but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;

He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.(2)

The story of Job is at least in part a story of the experience of God’s absence.  While the narrator and the readers of the story know the beginning and the end, Job finds himself in the silent middle struck down by unjust suffering.  His story poignantly explores the silent mystery of a God who seems to go missing in the moments of greatest need.  Job’s cry is our cry, “Oh that I knew where I might find Him that I might come to his seat” (Job 23:3).  Job clings tenaciously to the hope that he will find God, and find a just God in his case.  “I am not silenced by the darkness” Job proclaims, “nor deep gloom which covers me” (23:17).

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Paradoxical Presence →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Only God Can Truly Satisfy

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In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord], indeed my spirit within me seeks You diligently… — Isaiah 26:9 (AMP)

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Nothing can satisfy your longing for God except communion and fellowship with Him. The apostle John wrote, And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever (1 John 2:17 AMPC).

The world makes it easy for you to fill your ears with all kinds of things that drown out the voice of God and push Him far into the background of your life. However, the day comes for every person when only God remains. Everything else in life eventually passes away; when it does, God will still be there. Seek God earnestly today, and He will abide in you.

Prayer Starter: Father, I desire a deeper, closer relationship with You. Help me to make You a priority today and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Are You Bearing Fruit

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“By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8, NAS).

Early in my Christian life, I had little faith as I prayed for one person, who by God’s grace received Christ. The more I understood the attributes of God and experienced His blessing on my witness for Him, the more I could trust Him.

As our Campus Crusade for Christ staff grew in number and we trained more and more students and laymen, we began to pray for millions to receive Christ. God honored our faith and prayers with millions of recorded decisions for our Savior in more than 150 countries of the world.

Now that we are helping to train millions of Christians on every major continent, associated with thousands of churches of all denominations and various other Christian organizations, I have the faith to pray for a billion souls to receive Christ. As I have come to know our Lord Jesus Christ better, I have learned to trust Him more. I now believe that He will do great and mighty things through me and through others as we live by faith the supernatural Christian life. Faith is like a muscle; it grows with exercise. The more we see God do in and through the lives of His children, the more we expect Him to do. Please note God does not change – He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We are the ones who change as we mature in faith.

How do you know that you are a true disciple? That you are glorifying God? By bearing much fruit. But what kind of fruit? The fruit of your holy life and the fruit of your Spirit-anointed lips must be in balance.

Some Christians concentrate on Bible study and prayer, seeking to honor God. Others concentrate on much Christian activity. Every time the church door opens, they are there. Yet neither type of person is experiencing God’s best.

Remember, we glorify God when we bear much fruit. Too many Christians are satisfied with modest efforts and modest results. Yet the better we know God and the more we are acquainted with His Word, the more we have fellowship with Him and grasp His vision and His burden for all people throughout the world.

Bible Reading:John 15:4, 5, 12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I determine through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, that I will glorify God by bearing much fruit through both the witness of my life and the witness of my lips.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Loves You

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

God needs no name tag to jog his memory about you.  He has more thoughts about you than the Pacific coast has grains of sand!

I read a story about a man walking the shores of a lake in silence with his uncle.  The man noticed his uncle was smiling.  “Uncle,” he said, “you look very happy.”  “I am” his uncle agreed.  “How come?” the man asked.  “The Father of Jesus is very fond of me,” his uncle said.

He’s fond of you, too, dear friend.  What’s that?  Do you think I’m talking to someone who is holier, better, or nicer?  Someone who didn’t screw up his marriage or mess up her career.  I’m not.  I’m talking directly to you.  God loves you.  And His love for you will not end or fade if you lose your way.  You have never lived one unloved day.  This is God’s promise.  And because God’s promises are unbreakable our hope is unshakable!

Read more Unshakable Hope

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Emmy Awards ridicule Christians

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The Emmy Awards began last night with a monologue from co-hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che. The Saturday Night Live cast members recited a typical litany of political jabs and sarcastic digs.

Then Che told the audience that his mother would not be watching the show. The reason: “She says she doesn’t like watching white award shows because you guys don’t thank Jesus enough.”

Che continued: “That’s true. The only white people that thank Jesus are Republicans and ex-crackheads.”

It’s hard to imagine such a joke aimed at Muslims, Jews, or Buddhists. But ridiculing Christians is fair game in Hollywood these days.

The latest on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination

As you know, college professor Christine Blasey Ford is alleging that Judge Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party when they were high school students. Judge Kavanaugh calls her accusation “completely false.”

Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh both stated yesterday that they are willing to testify before Congress about this issue. The Senate Judiciary Committee has now scheduled a hearing for next Monday to hear from both.

Republicans are severely criticizing Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for the timing of the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh. Last July, Dr. Ford sent a letter alleging sexual abuse against Judge Kavanaugh to her local congresswoman, Rep. Anna Eshoo, requesting confidentiality.

She forwarded the information to Sen. Feinstein on July 30, who provided the letter to the FBI only last week. The senator states that she wanted to protect Dr. Ford’s identity and forwarded the letter only after a news report surfaced about it. She said nothing about the letter during the weeks-long process of interviews with the judge and the Senate’s confirmation process.

What could happen next

If Dr. Ford’s allegation prevents Judge Kavanaugh from being confirmed to the Supreme Court, it will be difficult for the Senate to confirm another candidate before the midterm elections. If Democrats then win the Senate, they could block President Trump from naming a conservative to the Court.

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