Tag Archives: nature

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The One She Followed

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Mary Magdalene has been given a lot of publicity since her time, and like the tabloids, not much of it is true. Allegations that she was married to Jesus or founded a community steeped in Gnostic belief are unfounded historical claims when looking at the earliest sources. They have no basis in the New Testament and do not seem to have any foundation in traditions before the second century.

What we do know about Mary is that she was possessed by evil spirits—seven to be exact—before she met Jesus. Much speculation has been assigned to what this possession meant. Some have argued that she was a prostitute and thus was deemed filled with unclean spirits, though this is never stated. Regardless of whatever life she had come from, it is clear that everything changed when she met the one who healed her. Mary joined the ranks as a follower of Jesus, and she never left him, even to the end.

Scholars remind us that this says a great deal about Mary, but even more so about the one she followed. “The most striking thing about the role of women in the life and teaching of Jesus is the simple fact that they are there.”(1) Jesus stepped into a world that largely discriminated against women. Women were forbidden to go beyond a certain point in the Temple; they were excluded from conversations in public and restricted to roles as spectators. Jesus not only rejected this practice, he radically acted in opposition to it. He shocked his disciples by talking to those who typically were rejected—a hemorrhaging woman on the road, a Samaritan drawing water at the well. He brushed aside every discrimination and injustice, and received the courageous women who were a part of every event outlined in the New Testament.

Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which is an unfathomable statement to make about oneself. But it is not the only inconceivable statement he made. To study him, as one might a loose cannon in the crowd, we find one who is entirely countercultural, who affirms those who are rejected and overlooked, who gives women a voice and safe place to be heard, and who calls everyone to transparency, speaking toward a broken world with all its pain and shortfall, sickness and sin. If this is indeed the Son of God, he is a God who not only can handle our unedited stories—but demands them—because he himself did not hold back from standing in the midst of it all.

Mary Magdalene’s is one such story. She left behind the life she knew to follow the one who knew her. To this day, her story of faith and discipleship remains the one God has deemed worth retelling:

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Let God Interrupt You

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…And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion? —Esther 4:14

Have you ever noticed that the men and women we read about in the Bible and consider “great” were all people who allowed God to interrupt their lives and were willing to make tremendous sacrifices for Him?

Joseph saved a nation from starvation, but not before God dramatically removed him from his comfortable home where he was his father’s favorite and allowed him to be imprisoned for many years. Joseph probably wasn’t planning a life of hardship and rejection, but God took him through those things in order to position him to be in the right place at the right time. But Joseph could only know that after the fact.

Esther was a young maiden who undoubtedly had plans for her future when suddenly, without warning, she was asked to enter the king’s harem and gain favor with him so she could reveal the plan of wicked Haman, who intended to slaughter the Jews. She was asked to do things that left her frightened for her life, but her wise uncle knew that God had brought her to this point in her life and allowed everything she had endured in the past to prepare her for a moment of greatness.

These people had plans, but they let God interrupt them and they followed Him instead. If you will decide that you don’t mind having God interrupt your life, He can prepare you too, for moments of greatness and use you in awesome ways.

Love God Today:“Lord, interrupt my life for Your purposes at any time and in any way You see fit.”

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Exalting a Nation

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“Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

God’s Word (1 Timothy 2:2) reminds us that we are to pray for those in authority over us, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord.

We should pray daily for all those in authority over us, from the precinct to the White House, and we should seek through the writing of letters and personal appointments to communicate God’s love to each one of them, so that they may contribute to those qualities of godliness that will cause the blessing of God to continue to be poured out upon this nation.

One day I walked into a senator’s office in Washington, D.C. I had never met the man before, but a mutual friend had suggested that I drop by to see him.

Within a few minutes it seemed as if we had known each other for a lifetime. A natural opportunity arose for me to ask him if he were a Christian, and I was able to share the good news of the gospel with him through the Four Spiritual Laws. Before I left his office, the senator said he would like to receive Christ.

Another time, I spoke at a congressman’s home, to which several other congressmen and their wives had been invited. After the meeting, several individuals requested personal appointments.

I went by the office of one of the congressmen the next day.

“Did what I said last night make sense to you?” I asked him.

“It surely did,” he replied.

“Would you like to receive Christ?” I asked. He said that he would and knelt beside his couch to pray.

Down the hall, I shared Christ with still another congressman who had been present the night before. He too said he would like to receive Christ. All three of these men and many others continue to walk with God, seeking His wisdom to help them lead our nation wisely.

Because “godliness exalts a nation,” we feel it is important for every Christian to pray for and witness to all of our nation’s elected officials. Supernatural enablement of the Holy spirit is available to assist us in our communication.

Bible Reading: Psalm 33:12-16

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will pray today for one or more of our nation’s leaders, and I will seek opportunities to witness to them and other governmental leaders personally or through correspondence.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Stop Talking and Listen

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There are times when silence represents the highest respect. The word for such times is reverence. This was a lesson Job learned—the man in the Bible most touched by tragedy and despair. Calamity had pounced on the man like a lioness on a herd of gazelles, and by the time the rampage passed, there was hardly a wall standing or a loved one living.

His four friends came with the bedside manner of drill sergeants. Each had their own interpretation of why God had done what he had done. When his accusers paused, Job spent six chapters giving his opinions on God. Job Chapter 38 begins with these words, “Then the Lord answered Job.” When the Lord speaks, it’s time to stop talking and listen!

From God is With You Every Day

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Human life begins in ‘bright flash of light’

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Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago have documented an amazing fact. According to The Telegraph, when a human sperm meets an egg, “an explosion of tiny sparks erupts from the egg at the exact moment of conception.” Northwestern professor Teresa Woodruff calls the phenomenon “breathtaking.”

When I read the article, I thought immediately of John 1: “In [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (vv. 4–5).

Light always defeats darkness. It may take longer than we want to wait. It may happen in ways we can neither predict nor understand. But light wins.

Last Thursday, a panel gathered to discuss the topic, “Biology Isn’t Bigotry.” The five women who participated strongly criticized the notion that self-determined “gender identity” is the same as biological sex. One of the participants calls herself a “long-term leftist” and is on the board of Women’s Liberation Front, a feminist group. She and the rest of the panel warned that “gender identity” views amount to the erasure of women, voyeurism, and practicing eugenics on children.

The next day, Norma McCorvey died at the age of sixty-nine. She was better known by the pseudonym “Jane Roe.” The 1973 case that bears her name, Roe v. Wade, legalized abortion in the US. McCorvey later became one of America’s foremost proponents of life. In February 2005, she unsuccessfully petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the legislation that bore her pseudonym. What changed her mind?

In her 1998 book, Won by Love, she explained:

“I was sitting in [Operation Rescue’s] offices when I noticed a fetal development poster. The progression was so obvious, the eyes were so sweet. It hurt my heart, just looking at them. I ran outside and finally, it dawned on me. ‘Norma,’ I said to myself, ‘They’re right.’ I had worked with pregnant women for years. I had been through three pregnancies and deliveries myself. I should have known. Yet something in that poster made me lose my breath. I kept seeing the picture of that tiny, 10-week-old embryo, and I said to myself, that’s a baby! It’s as if blinders just fell off my eyes and I suddenly understood the truth—that’s a baby!

Continue reading Denison Forum – Human life begins in ‘bright flash of light’ →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Responding to Persecution

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1 Peter 3:13-18

Persecution has been a common experience in Christianity ever since the apostles first proclaimed the message of salvation. Even in places that have been blessed with a long period of peace and prosperity, there is no guarantee how long that will continue. And though we may never face severe repercussions like imprisonment or death for our beliefs, we’ve probably all felt the sting of rejection or ridicule. Whatever form the harassment may take, we should all be prepared to suffer for Christ.

Peter wrote to a group of believers who were treated harshly because of their faith. His goal was to offer encouragement and a reminder to follow Christ’s example: Though sinless, He suffered in our place to bring us to God. And while the crowd at the cross mocked Him, He never responded harshly. Instead, He patiently suffered in full submission to His Father, “entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-23).

Without this perspective, we could quickly descend into self-pity or angry resentment when we’re mistreated. But Peter reminds us that we are blessed when we suffer for the sake of righteousness. Not only will we receive a reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12), but we may also have an opportunity to gently and reverently be a witness for Christ.

A wise response to persecution flows from an accurate understanding of God’s ways. Unfair suffering is sometimes a part of His will for us, just as it was for Christ. But we can trust our Father, knowing that He can work every situation for our good and His glory.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 31-32

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Better Than a Piñata

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Read: Ephesians 2:1–10

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 25; Mark 1:23–45

By grace you have been saved.—Ephesians 2:5

There cannot be a Mexican party without a piñata—a carton or clay container filled with candies and treats. Children strike it with a stick and try to break it, hoping to enjoy its contents.

Monks used the piñatas in the sixteenth century to teach lessons to the indigenous people of Mexico. Piñatas were stars with seven points that represented the seven deadly sins. Beating the piñata showed the struggle against evil, and once the treats inside fell to the ground, people could take them home in remembrance of the rewards of keeping the faith.

But we cannot fight evil on our own. God is not waiting for our efforts so that He will show His mercy. Ephesians teaches that “by grace you have been saved through faith, . . . it is the gift of God” (2:8). We don’t beat sin; Christ has done that.

Children fight for the candies from the piñata, but God’s gifts come to all of us when we believe in Jesus. God “has blessed us . . . with every spiritual blessing” (1:3). We have forgiveness of sins, redemption, adoption, new life, joy, love, and much more. We don’t get these spiritual blessings because we have kept the faith and are strong; we get them because we believe in Jesus. Spiritual blessings come only through grace—undeserved grace! —Keila Ochoa

Thank You for Your mercy, Lord, which is great and free!

We have been saved by grace. Now we enjoy the many blessings that come by grace.

INSIGHT: Today’s reading shows the spiritual condition of those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. But it also proclaims that new life is freely offered as a remedy to all who believe. In the King James Version, Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” The Greek word translated “quickened” does not appear in the original. However, it appears in verse 5, and many other passages support this concept of quickening or making alive (Col. 2:13; Rom. 6:11-14; 8:10-11). Every member of the human race is dead spiritually and will someday die physically. But through the extraordinary ministry of Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection, all who believe in Him can be “quickened” from death to life. Dennis Fisher

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Holy Spirit Knows What to Do

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But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth)…. —John 16:13

When God sends His Holy Spirit to work in people’s lives, He condemns sin, not sinners. Throughout His Word, we see clear proof of His love for individuals and His desire to nurture people so they can leave their sin behind and move on in His great plans for their lives. We never need to be afraid to let Him show us and speak to us about what we are doing wrong.

The Holy Spirit lives within us. His job is to lead us, teach us, help us with prayer, comfort us, convict us of sin, and lead us as we fulfill God’s plan for our lives.

We can trust the Holy Spirit because He knows exactly what needs to be done in our lives and the right timing for it. You might say we are broken and He knows how to “fix” us.

I am sure the Holy Spirit is working in and with you on some area of your life just as He is with all of us. I encourage you to submit to Him completely because He knows what He is doing and will do it exactly right. If people try to fix us or we try to fix ourselves, we often only make things worse, but the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. We may not always understand or even like what He is doing, but the end result will be glorious. Relax, enjoy the day, and thank God that He is working in you.

God’s word for you today: Let go, and let God.

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – How to Become the Greatest 

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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

Why is love the greatest out of three worthy contenders? It is the greatest because it is God, for He is love (1 John 4:8). The apex of God’s attributes is love. This is why you go to God first for love. He is the lover of your soul, and the love of God far exceeds earth’s limited love. This is the reason you look to Jesus as the supreme example of how to love. He says the two greatest commands hinge on love (Matthew 22:37-39). Love is God’s gold standard; it rises above other compelling character traits such as faith and hope. Love is the theme that covers your character, seasons your service for Christ, and flavors your faith. It gives off a sweet aroma through trust, and gives gusto to grace.

Love adds heat to hope, potency to patience, and spice to selflessness. It brings brilliant technicolor to life, in contrast to our otherwise bland black-and-white loveless living. You can serve, provide for your families, cook a meal, feed the poor, attend church, and even worship; but if these lack love, you lose. You lose the blessing of God and you lose heaven’s reward because your motivation was not for your Master, Jesus Christ. Love is the greatest because it aligns your heart with Almighty God and is not lacking.

You are the greatest when you love because it draws attention to Jesus. Hands down, heaven is happiest over your unconditional and relentless love. So meditate on love as you rise in the morning, work during the day, and eat dinner with your family at night. Your spouse longs to be loved; this is their greatest need from you. So love them lavishly in ways they want to be loved. Think often on love, and your actions will begin to follow your thoughts. What drives you? Is it love?

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Jesus Sees

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Read: Luke 7:36-50

Do you see this woman? (v. 44)

Jesus had many encounters with people who were profoundly alone. The woman who washed his feet with her tears, as recorded in Luke 7, is such a person. The Bible doesn’t say what sort of sin she had committed, but she was identified as a sinner. To himself Simon the Pharisee said that if Jesus really were a prophet, he’d know what sort of woman she was, but apparently it didn’t actually take a prophet to figure this out.

Jesus asked Simon an arresting question: “Do you see this woman?” On one level, Simon had obviously seen her because he was complaining about her. But Jesus was asking something else. Not just did you notice her, but did you really see her? Have you comprehended her? Have you thought one bit about her life, her problems, and her realities? For gaining such insight, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel says the principle is “to know what we see rather than to see what we know” (The Prophets, xxiv). Jesus’ question is along these lines. Do you actually see this woman?

No matter who you are, no matter what your situation, no matter how alone, lonely, misunderstood, isolated, outcast, or forgotten you feel, Jesus sees and knows you. Yesterday we spoke of how Jesus said, “Get up.” Don’t think for a moment his command is harsh. His voice is filled with compassion, forgiveness, restoration, and healing. He sees you and wants the best for you. —Jeff Munroe

Prayer: We thank you, dear Jesus, for seeing us.

 

https://woh.org/

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – FREEDOM IN CHRIST

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Read GALATIANS 5:1

The lyrics of a popular worship song are rooted in Galatians 5:1: “It was for freedom that Christ has set us free, / No longer to be subject to a yoke of slavery. / So we’re rejoicing in God’s victory, / Our hearts responding to his love. / Jesus, we celebrate your victory. Jesus, we revel in your love. Jesus, we rejoice you’ve set us free. Jesus, your death has brought us life.”

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” This means that freedom is at the heart of the gospel. This is not “freedom” in the contemporary North American sense of self-fulfillment or self-determination, but rather freedom from sin and freedom to obey God. This kind of freedom is the gospel’s purpose! The worst response people can make, then, is to allow themselves to “be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,” be it slavery to sin, legalism, works, false religion, or anything else.

Such teaching is irrational. Why would anyone choose to return to a state of bondage or powerlessness? The idea spits in the face of the gospel.

This verse is the summary and climax to this section of Paul’s argument in Galatians. The gospel must be maintained and defended. To add works or anything else is heretical, because that would mean we’re putting our faith in something other than the person and work of Christ. To do so is to regress from freedom to bondage, from truth to falsehood, from adulthood to childhood, from grace to works, and from salvation to sin.

We have every reason and all power in the Spirit to “stand firm”! This is a key biblical phrase, used throughout Scripture to indicate active faith (see, for example, Ex. 14:13; Isa. 7:9; Matt. 10:22; and 1 Cor. 15:58).

APPLY THE WORD

Paul saw true freedom as being slaves to Christ (Rom. 6:22; 1 Cor. 7:22). An interesting book on this topic is A Better Freedom: Finding Life as Slaves of Christ, by musician and writer Michael Card. He explores biblical passages on this topic and reflects on them in light of the history of slavery in America and contemporary race relations.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Unshakeable Faith

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Daniel 1:1-20

Daniel had unshakeable faith. His trust in the Lord sustained him when he was uprooted from his home, taken into captivity, and sent to a foreign country. It strengthened him as he served under several kings and faced many challenges.

Knowing God and trusting Him are the two key elements of deep faith. Daniel, who was part of the Israelite nobility, apparently learned about the Lord from a young age. While he was in captivity, his words and actions demonstrated that he knew the Scriptures and wanted to obey God. When offered a meal that was incompatible with the dietary laws, he took a great risk by requesting other food. In verse 9 of today’s passage, we see that God caused the official to show favor to him. Like Daniel, we are to spend our lives learning and carrying out what pleases our heavenly Father (Col. 1:10).

Not only did this young man know what the Scriptures said, but he also trusted the Lord to do as He had promised. Every time Daniel took a stand for godliness, he was demonstrating his confidence in the heavenly Father. And his friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—had unwavering faith as well. They did not know for sure that the Lord would rescue them from the fiery furnace, but they believed He could and trusted that He’d do what was right (Dan. 3:16-18).

Barriers to unshakeable faith include pride (I won’t admit I need God’s help), arrogance (I know a better way—I don’t have to ask God), and self-sufficiency (I can do it myself without His help). Which of these is keeping you from becoming a person of strong faith? Confess it and turn toward the Lord.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 28-30

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Lighthouse

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Read: Isaiah 61:1–6

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 23–24; Mark 1:1–22

[The Lord bestows] on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning.—Isaiah 61:3

By its very existence, a ministry center in Rwanda called the “Lighthouse” symbolizes redemption. It sits on land where during the genocide in 1994 the country’s president owned a grand home. This new structure, however, has been erected by Christians as a beacon of light and hope. Housed there is a Bible institute to raise up a new generation of Christian leaders, along with a hotel, restaurant, and other services for the community. Out of the ashes has come new life. Those who built the Lighthouse look to Jesus as their source of hope and redemption.

When Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath, He read from the book of Isaiah and announced that He was the Anointed One to proclaim the Lord’s favor (see Luke 4:14-21). He was the One who came to bind up the brokenhearted and offer redemption and forgiveness. In Jesus we see beauty coming from the ashes (Isa. 61:3).

We find the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide, when intertribal fighting cost more than a half-million lives, mind-boggling and harrowing, and we hardly know what to say about them. And yet we know that the Lord can redeem the atrocities—either here on earth or in heaven. He who bestows the oil of joy instead of mourning gives us hope even in the midst of the darkest of situations. —Amy Boucher Pye

Lord Jesus Christ, our hearts hurt when we hear about the pain and suffering that some endure. Have mercy, we pray.

Jesus came to bring us hope in the darkest of circumstances.

INSIGHT: Jesus announced His mission by reading from this messianic prophecy in Isaiah 61, a text that clearly anticipated His ministry to the marginalized and hurting (Luke 4:18-19). He offers good news, healing, freedom, release, and joy to supplant the heartaches that inevitably come our way. Jesus went to the cross to deal with the root cause of our brokenness—sin—so that one day we could experience an eternity where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Rev. 21:4). Jesus-followers can likewise be involved in important ministries of help and encouragement for the hurting. In what ways has Jesus responded to your own hurts and needs? In what ways can you respond to the needs of those around you who are hurting? Bill Crowder

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Sanctification of the Soul

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So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls. —James 1:21

Once you are born again, your spirit has been reborn and you will go to heaven when you die. But God is not finished—He is just beginning. You need to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12 KJV). In other words, your soul needs to be saved. The 14 soul is often defined as the mind, the will, and the emotions. Each of these areas needs salvation.

The Holy Spirit works relentlessly to transform the whole man into God’s perfect will. This process is called sanctification. When your soul is renewed with His Word, you think His thoughts and not your own. Submit yourself to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to change every thought and motive.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Is Your Faith Worth Sharing?

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“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18, KJV).

I had just finished giving a message, challenging students and young executives to commit their lives to helping to fulfill the Great Commission when Steve approached me with words that shocked me. I had known him for a long time and believed his life to be totally committed to Christ.

“If I were to respond to your challenge to take what I have to the rest of the world,” he said, “I’m afraid not much would be accomplished, because my brand of Christianity -quite frankly – is not that attractive, exciting or fruitful.”

He went on to share how he was not experiencing the joy of the resurrection in his life. The study of the Word of God had no appeal, his prayer life was nil and it had been a long time since he had introduced anyone to Christ. His outward evidence of being a man of God was just a facade, by his own admission.

What about you? Is your brand of Christianity truly the revolutionary, first-century kind that helped turn the world upside down and that changed the course of history? If not, it can be – and that is what this daily devotional guide is all about.

Every Christian needs to echo daily the sentiments of an unknown poet:

My life shall touch a dozen lives
Before this day is done,
Leave countless marks of good or ill,
Ere sets the evening sun.
This, the wish I always wish,
The prayer I always pray;
Lord, may my life help other lives
It touches by the way.

That goal should reign supreme during my waking hours – to touch lives for eternity. For if the all-powerful God, in the Person of His Holy Spirit, truly lives and reigns and triumphs, surely I can tap into that supernatural power and give evidence of it in my life.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:14-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Knowing that this dark world desperately needs light, I will trust God to let His light shine through me today. I pray that my life will be so radiant, joyful, attractive and fruitful for Christ that it will demonstrate the kind of Christianity that can be exported to others, to members of my family, neighbors and friends, as well as to people in other countries.

 

http://www.cru.org

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Surprising Place for Spiritual Growth

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Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.—1 Corinthians 15:58

Sometimes we think the only place to flourish spiritually is in the midst of other Christians. We want to listen to Christian music, watch Christian television, and wear Christian clothes.

I’m not knocking those things. It’s great to be surrounded by Christians and to seek out fellowship with other believers. But you also can flourish spiritually in a difficult situation. Maybe you’re in a school where you’re not surrounded by people who love the Lord. Maybe you’re in a job where they say the name of God, but not the way you like to hear it. Or maybe you’re in some other situation where you’re saying, “I can’t survive here spiritually.”

It may be that He has you there for a reason. Or, you may need to move out of that place, and you will have to ask God to give you wisdom. But you can grow and sometimes even become stronger in an environment like that.

Daniel was a spiritual man in spite of the environment he was in. Carried away captive to Babylon, he could have easily fallen into compromise. There in the palace, he literally lived in the lap of luxury. It was a place of rampant idolatry, incredible cruelty, and sexual immorality. Yet in the midst of it all, Daniel remained a righteous man and flourished spiritually.

Sometimes when we are in an environment around Christians all the time, we can put our lives on spiritual cruise control. On the other hand, when we are in a secular environment, it forces us to do one of two things: either blend into the woodwork or stand up and be counted.

Persecution, which is harassment from nonbelievers, can cause us to draw closer to the Lord. So don’t give up. Take heart. Stand firm. He will see you through.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Love is Slow to Anger 

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It is not easily angered.  1 Corinthians 13:5

Love is slow to anger and it is not easily angered. It is not in a hurry to get angry because it knows God is at work. Love knows God can handle the irregular person and the stressful situation. Most of the time, the best thing love can do is refrain from anger. A calm response diffuses an angry outburst (Proverbs 15:1). Poverty, injustice, and terrorism should work us up much more than traffic, forgetful waiters, and not getting our way.

Indeed, apply anger appropriately and proportionately to the degree of injustice to the underdog. But love overlooks the silly things that really don’t matter that much in the big scheme of things. A friend or family member who is rarely on time is no reason to get angry. Instead, adjust your expectations and build a time buffer into your schedule. Why get angry when a little bit of adjustment remedies the situation? Love adjusts rather than stews in anger; it calms the nerves, while anger wreaks havoc with your blood pressure. Love-filled living is by far a healthier way to live physically and emotionally.

Love is able to keep the big picture in mind. It understands that tomorrow is another day and there is no need to stress over this temporary setback. God will work things out in His timing, for He can be trusted. It is much wiser to trust God with your spouse, instead of attempting to whip him or her into shape with your anger. God’s discipline is much more thorough and precise. He puts His finger on an attitude or action and won’t let up until He is satisfied with the resulting change. Love knows how to trust God.

Therefore, pray to God before you get angry. Ask the Lord to increase your love quotient before you lash out in anger. Love understands there are better ways and a better day ahead. However, there are times love sees the need for anger. Your love needs to rise up in anger over the abuses of drugs and alcohol. These are enemies of the state and deceivers of unsuspecting souls that wreck relationships and take lives. Your love can confidently invite anger to rise up and rebuke these artificial enhancers of hope that logically lead to death. Love doesn’t stick its head in the sand of isolation and detachment, but engages by offering wise choices and compassionate counseling.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Love is Slow to Anger  →

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – HAGAR AND SARAH AND OUR STATUS AS CHILDREN OF GOD

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Read GALATIANS 4:28–31

Swimmer Maya DiRado, a gold medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games, said her athletic pursuits are rooted in her faith: “Knowing that I’m a child of God and that his love for me is determined by nothing I can achieve or do on my own has given me a quiet confidence. . . . Jesus’ love for me and all humanity is something that always helps me better love people around me when things get difficult.”

Being a child of God is an incomparable privilege! In today’s reading, Paul took the parable or analogy from yesterday and applied it to the Galatians’ situation. Their identity as believers in Christ aligned them with Sarah and Isaac and the promise God made to Abraham (v. 28). They should not “switch sides,” as it were. To go back to the Law and try to live by merit would actually work against the gospel in their lives. The legalists were tempting the Galatians to choose the wrong mother, along with slavery and immaturity. No doubt the Judaizers were stunned to find themselves assigned to the line of Ishmael.

Historically, Ishmael had persecuted Isaac, and now history was repeating itself (v. 29). Salvation by works is the enemy of salvation by faith, and confidence in the flesh is utterly opposed to confidence in the Spirit. The solution is the same now as it was then, to “get rid of the slave woman” (v. 30; Gen. 21:9–14). There can be no compromise. Legalism must be rejected!

Followers of Christ are children of the free woman (v. 31). God’s promise to Abraham has been fulfilled in Christ, and as a result we’ve come by grace into our spiritual inheritance of salvation. Only one path leads to freedom and redemption: justification by faith alone in Christ alone.

APPLY THE WORD

Our status as God’s children should be a daily cause for amazement and rejoicing! Memorizing Scripture helps us remember and reflect on this truth. John 1:12–13, 1 John 3:1–2, or 1 John 5:1–2 are all excellent choices to memorize so we can marinate in these blessings. God’s words have the power to transform us to be more like Christ!

 

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –From Emptiness to Fulfillment

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John 4:3-18

As we saw in yesterday’s devotion, countless people go through life feeling empty, which is contrary to God’s design. The account of the Samaritan woman in John 4 teaches several important points about fulfillment.

Filling our emptiness is important to the Lord. As they journeyed, Jewish people bypassed Samaria because of their intense hatred for its inhabitants. Yet Jesus, a Jew, chose to travel there because He knew a hurting Samaritan was ready to hear about the Father’s love.

Our attempts at happiness often leave us feeling hopeless. The woman at the well had been wed five times, but all of her marriages had failed. Whether or not the problems were her fault, she was left without the love she sought. Most likely, each broken relationship left her feeling lonelier than before.

God knows our pain. When the woman admitted she didn’t presently have a husband, Jesus revealed that He already knew she and the man living with her were not married. By demonstrating His awareness of her hurt and pursuit of fulfillment, He helped the woman recognize her need for a Savior.

Jesus can satisfy our yearnings. Once the Samaritan woman realized what was missing, Jesus revealed how to live a full life: “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14).

Do you ever feel like the Samaritan woman—dissatisfied with life and thirsty for love and fulfillment? Surrender to God, and allow His love to flow through you. Only then will you experience abundant life.

Bible in One Year: Numbers 26-27

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Seeing to Tomorrow

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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1–9

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 21–22; Matthew 28

We live by faith, not by sight.—2 Corinthians 5:7

I enjoy gazing up at a cloudless blue sky. The sky is a beautiful part of our great Creator’s masterpiece, given for us to enjoy. Imagine how much pilots must love the view. They use several aeronautical terms to describe a perfect sky for flying, but my favorite is, “You can see to tomorrow.”

“Seeing to tomorrow” is beyond our view. Sometimes we even struggle to see or understand what life is throwing at us today. The Bible tells us, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

But our limited visibility is not cause for despair. Just the opposite. We trust in the God who sees all of our tomorrows perfectly—and who knows what we need as we face the challenges ahead. The apostle Paul knew this. That’s why Paul encourages us with hopeful words, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).

When we trust God with our day as well as our unseen tomorrows, we don’t need to worry about anything life throws at us. We walk with Him and He knows what is ahead; He is strong enough and wise enough to handle it. —Bill Crowder

Lord, I know I can trust You for today and tomorrow because You are kind, good, loving, wise, and powerful. Teach me not to worry.

God sees the beginning to the end.

INSIGHT: Often I muse, “What will happen in my life tomorrow?” Tomorrow could bring me trouble and suffering. Job, the great sufferer of the Old Testament, said, “Man is born to trouble” (Job 5:7). Our days are filled “grief and pain” (Eccl. 2:23). Tomorrow may even see my death. But death holds no terrors for us who are in the Lord. For “if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1). I need not fear even that tomorrow; in fact, I can look forward to being with the Lord (5:8). What fears or worries about tomorrow do you need to bring to God? Sim Kay Tee

 

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