Tag Archives: nature

Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Hoping Versus Knowing

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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

Recommended Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:24

A young girl finishes swim practice at 8:00 p.m. on a dark, winter’s night. Standing in front of the swim club building, she waits for her father who has promised to pick her up by 8:15. By the time all other parents, children, and cars have departed, she stands alone, still waiting. An hour later, she sees her father’s car approaching. After explaining he had to change a flat tire, she says, “That’s okay; I knew you’d come.”

That young girl waited without wavering. There is a difference between waiting while hoping a promise will be kept and waiting while knowing a promise will be kept. Waiting while knowing leads to waiting without wavering. A child learns by experience that a parent is trustworthy. And Christians learn about God’s faithfulness the same way. The difference is thousands of years of experience versus a few years. The Bible is a record of God’s faithfulness to His people over millennia.

If you are waiting on God, wait without wavering. He is never late; He always keeps His promises; He is always true to His Word.

The promises of God are nothing more than God’s covenant to be faithful to His people. It is His character that makes these promises valid.

Jerry Bridges

Read-Thru-the-Bible

Mark 12 – 13

 

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Shake It Off

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Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight)…and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us- Hebrews 12:1

One of my favorite stories is about a farmer’s donkey that fell into a dry well. The animal cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do for his poor donkey. Finally, he concluded that the well was too deep, and it really needed to be covered up anyway. Besides, the donkey was old, and it would be a lot of trouble to get him out of the pit. The farmer decided that it was not worth trying to retrieve the animal, so he asked his neighbors to help him fill in the well and bury the donkey.

They all grabbed shovels and began to toss dirt into the well. The donkey immediately realized what was happening, and he began to bray horribly. Crying would be our normal response if somebody was mistreating us this badly, so this donkey was responding the same way we would at first, but then he got real quiet. A few shovel loads of dirt later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit the donkey’s back, the donkey would shake it off and step on top of it.

As the neighbors and the farmer continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon the donkey shook off the last shovel full of dirt, took a step up, and walked right out of the well. We can learn from this story. When trouble comes, if we will get still and listen, God will tell us what to do. By the grace and mercy of God, I was able to shake off a lot of things in my life, a lot of hurt feelings, a lot of mistreatment, a lot of abuse, a lot of unfair, unjust, unkind things. Just like the donkey, in order to keep pressing on and have victory in our lives, we are going to have to learn to shake off the troubles that come our way.

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – His Life in Us

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“Jesus said, ‘I will only reveal Myself to those who love Me and obey Me. The Father will love them too, and We will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn’t obey Me doesn’t love Me” (John 14:23,24).

Millions of Christians throughout the world profess their love for Christ each week by attending church services, singing songs, studying their Bibles, attending prayer meetings, etc. Yet, all the talk in the world will never convince anyone that you or I truly love the Lord unless we obey His commandments.

How can we know His commandments unless we study His word? When we study His Word, how can we comprehend what He is saying unless the Holy Spirit illumines our minds and teaches us? It is God the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing for His holy Word through holy men. He alone can help us understand the true meaning of the Scripture and enable us to obey His commands.

Thus, the reality of Christ abiding in us is made possible through a supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit who came to glorify Christ and through whose indwelling presence the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to us.

Is Jesus Christ a reality in your life? If not, it is quite likely that you are not demonstrating your love for Him by studying His Word and obeying His commandments.

Bible Reading: John 14:15-22

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: With the help of the Holy Spirit who enable me to live the supernatural life, I will endeavor to demonstrate my love for Christ by studying His word and obeying His commandments.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – For Love’s Sake

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Read: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that We all possess knowledge. But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 1 Corinthians 8:1

The best meat in Corinth was found right next to the idol temple. In these pagan temples live animals were sacrificed. Like the Jews, they reserved some of this meat for their priests and for public sale. So, the best meat markets in Corinth were right next to an idol temple. Everyone in town knew that if you ate some of that meat you were eating meat that had been offered to an idol. So, the question arose among the Christians: If a Christian eats meat offered to an idol is he somehow participating in the worship of that idol?

A group within the church was saying, Yes, that’s exactly what happens. When these local pagans see a known Christian sitting in the public restaurant next to the temple, enjoying a steak that had been offered to the idol, they will think that person agrees with with the pagan ideas about that idol. As a consequence, that Christian is giving a false testimony; he is not clearly declaring that Christ has replaced all idols. Furthermore, he is causing weak Christians to stumble, ones who might easily be led back into worship of an idol by their actions.

But there was another party that said, No, that’s not true. An idol is nothing but a piece of wood or stone. How can you worship something that really does not exist? How can we deliver people from their idolatrous ways if we act as if there is something to this? It is better that we act according to the knowledge of reality that God has brought us to in Christ. Let’s enjoy our freedom and eat this meat without any question. It is perfectly good meat, and it would be wrong to not use it. So, there was a division within the church.

Paul’s argument is that such problems cannot be solved merely based on, We know such and such and so and so to be true, therefore, we are free to act. No, Paul says, knowledge or doctrine alone is not enough. You need love. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. Love looks at somebody else’s situation, not always one’s own. Knowledge, in other words, is self-centered, but love reaches out to include someone else in your thinking.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – For Love’s Sake →

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Following the Captain

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For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. . . . So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.—Luke 5:9, 11

Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He knew all about the movement of fish. He knew the best time to fish. He knew the right moment to pull the nets in. He was an expert. But one day Jesus showed up and said, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4).

Peter had been fishing all night without catching anything. Think about it. If you were a sailor and some guy came along who was neither a sailor nor a fisherman and told you what to do, you might think, Do you really know what you are talking about? Peter was the fisherman. Jesus was effectively the landlubber.

I love Peter’s response. He said, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (verse 5). By the way, it is implied in the original language that Peter was using a nautical term with Jesus, as if to say, “You are the captain of the boat. You are the admiral here. At Your word, we will do it.”

You probably know the rest of the story. They pulled in so much fish that the boat began to sink under the weight of them. Peter was blown away. Jesus had just invaded Peter’s world in a way he could understand. Peter fell down before Him and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (verse 8). In other words, “Don’t waste your time on me. I’m going to let You down.”

But Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men” (verse 10).

Will you let Jesus be the captain of your boat? He won’t force His way on board. He’s waiting for you to invite Him.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – Even the Demons Recognized Christ

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“He laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, ‘Thou art Christ the Son of God.’ And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: For they knew that he was Christ.” (Luke 4:40b-41)

Some people think Jesus behaved very mysteriously when He lived on Earth. They think He could have been more clear about Who He was and why exactly He came to Earth. But often, people see only what they want to see. This was true in Bible times, and it is still true today.

Before Jesus died on the cross, He did many supernatural miracles and preached many amazing sermons. People were surprised by Him all the time! The Bible says over and over that the people “marveled” or that they were “astonished” or that they were even speechless! These are all ways of saying that Jesus amazed and surprised crowds of people with His words and His actions.

The Bible also says that many people understood Who Jesus was and believed in Him. But many people did not. They could not seem to understand, or else they did not want to understand. They wanted a glorious king to rescue them from the Roman empire. They wanted a wonderful leader to rule over them and restore them as a nation. They wanted someone around to heal all their diseases and fix all their earthly problems.

Jesus was not here to fix all their earthly problems. If He had come for that reason, He would have fixed all of the sick people and broken situations. Jesus did what He came to do. That is why He told demons not to possess (take hold of) people. If a demon (devil) was bothering someone, and that someone was brought to Jesus, Jesus would tell the demon to get out and go away. Demons are angels who have rebelled against God. So Who created angels? Jesus did. Jesus knew every one of these demons, and they knew exactly Who He was. They were afraid of Him. They wanted Him to leave them alone. And they knew right away that He was GOD.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – Even the Demons Recognized Christ →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – On a Bad Day

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 9:14

“How much more will the blood of Christ . . . purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

What should we do when we’ve had a “bad” day spiritually, when it seems we’ve done everything wrong and are feeling very guilty? We must go back to the cross and see Jesus there bearing our sins in his own body (1 Peter 2:24). We must by faith appropriate for ourselves the blood of Christ that will cleanse our guilty consciences (Hebrews 9:14).

In a bad-day scenario, we might pray something like this: “Father, I’ve sinned against you. I’ve been negligent in the spiritual disciplines that I know are necessary and helpful for my spiritual growth. I’ve been irritable and impatient toward those around me. I’ve allowed resentful and unkind thoughts to lodge in my mind. I repent of these sins and claim your forgiveness..

You have said you justify the wicked (Romans 4:5). Father, in view of my sins today, I acknowledge that in myself I am wicked. In fact, my problem is not merely the sins I’ve committed, some of which I may not even be aware of, but the fact that my heart is sinful. These sins I’m now so painfully conscious of are merely expressions of my sinful heart. But despite my sinfulness, you have said, ‘there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1). Given my acute awareness of my sin, that’s an incredible statement. How can I be without condemnation when I’ve so flagrantly and willfully sinned against you today?

O Father, I know it’s because Jesus bore those sins in his body on the cross. He suffered the punishment I deserve, so I might experience the blessings he deserved. So I come to you, dear Father, in Jesus’ name.” (Excerpt taken from The Discipline of Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – God in You

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 9-11

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. – 2 Corinthians 6:16

The Vietnam War memorial in Washington, D.C., has become one of the most visited and emotional sites in the nation’s capital. What sets it apart from other memorials? Carved into that black granite wall are more than 58,000 names of Americans who gave their lives building a foundation for freedom.

In 1 Kings 9, we find Solomon, having built the temple, now dedicating it to God. Here is God’s response, verse 3: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

Solomon built a physical temple, but only God could hallow it and consecrate it to Himself. In the New Testament, God tells us of living temples–the people of God. And only God can sanctify us to Himself. He promises that those whom He sets apart for Himself have His eye, His heart, His love, and His care upon them.

Sanctification begins with God’s call to us in Christ. It is put in motion when we respond by faith and give our lives to Him. And it continues with God’s work of molding us to be more like the person of Jesus Christ. We must dedicate ourselves to Him and cooperate by obeying His commands, but the sanctifying belongs to Him.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Prayer

Lord, when I get discouraged by my inability to be holy, remind me that I can do nothing unless You do it in me. Amen.

To Ponder

Holiness does not come from observing a list of do’s and don’ts; it comes from God’s supernatural work in me as I obey Him.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – Are We Living in the Matrix? Some Scientists Think So

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Since Rene Descartes formulated his famous dictum, “I think, therefore I am,” philosophers have been wrestling with the question of how we can know that what we think we know is really real. In the last couple of decades, pop culture has wrestled with that question, as well.

Recall the 1999 movie, “The Matrix,” in which a man discovers his whole life has been lived in a virtual prison that simulates the real world. In the movie, he’s given a choice between two pills—a red one and a blue one. The first will awaken him from the simulation, and the second will lull him back into blissful ignorance. Since then, “choosing the red pill” has become synonymous with throwing off comfortable illusions and confronting reality.

But in many ways, the concept of the Matrix has transcended Hollywood. If you can believe it, the idea that the world around us may not be what it appears has become increasingly popular among scientists, philosophers, and even technology tycoons. And some of these folks are now actively searching for the “red pill” that will wake us from our collective illusion.

The Independent reports that two anonymous Silicon Valley billionaires are pouring money into a project to break us free from a real life Matrix—if we’re living in one, that is. Although the details of this project are unclear, we do know it involves a team of scientists and some of the richest, most influential innovators in America.

This shouldn’t surprise us that much. Those who invent cutting edge products and technologies have long embraced some pretty weird ideas. Take, for instance, PayPal co-founder and “transhumanist” Peter Thiel, who hopes to achieve immortality by “uploading” his consciousness into a computer!

Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, thinks we may already be living in a computer. We just don’t know it yet. In a recent interview, he placed the odds that our reality is not the ultimate, “base-level reality” at “billions to one.” In other words, the guy behind today’s top-selling electric cars and best-known private space program is almost certain we’re trapped in the Matrix!

Bizarrely, even the Bank of America has gotten in on the hype, suggesting in a recent report to clients that the chances we’re living in a simulation concocted by highly advanced beings are roughly twenty to fifty percent.

Continue reading BreakPoint – Are We Living in the Matrix? Some Scientists Think So →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – HUMILITY IN CHURCH RELATIONSHIPS

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Read 1 PETER 5:1–5

Stories about clergy abusing power have been all too common in recent years. Leaders across Christian denominations have been charged with sexual abuse of their congregants, including children. Others have used tithes and donations to furnish a lavish lifestyle, with private jets and luxurious mansions. Some develop a cult of personality, requiring church members to follow their every whim and dictate.

These stories are tragic for many reasons, but especially because they illustrate how far we fall from the call of Scripture to be characterized by humility in our relationships with each other. Peter has already described the humility of Jesus as our example for relationships in the home, and now he reminds all of us in the church to embrace humility.

Church leaders are to be “shepherds of God’s flock,” faithfully serving the people entrusted to their spiritual care (v. 2). This was countercultural: leaders of organizations at that time, whether in business or the military or government, were expected to claim the perks of their position and demand subservience from underlings (see Matt. 20:25–27). But leaders in the church should view their position as an opportunity to serve. Rather than pursuing financial gain in this life, their motivation should be pleasing the Lord, “the Chief Shepherd,” to receive “the crown of glory that will never fade away” (v. 4).

Lest members of the church misconstrue this exhortation and conclude that their leaders can be ignored or undermined, Peter also calls them to humility. The church should not be a place where people jockey for power and control. It should be known for love, humility, and hospitality, a place where leaders serve and care for God’s people and where members support and pray for one another.

APPLY THE WORD

Spend time today in prayer for the leaders of your church. They are human, and no doubt flawed. But pray that the Lord will strengthen their focus on the Chief Shepherd and their eternal rewards in order to faithfully care for the church. What are practical ways to encourage them? Can you volunteer to help with a program, or send them a note of appreciation?

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – HOW SHOULD CHURCHES DEAL WITH GAY MEMBERS? 4 FACTS

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How should churches who affirm biblical truth regarding homosexuality handle gay members?

Yesterday I addressed the controversy generated by Watermark Church’s decision to discipline a gay member of its congregation. The continuing debate fostered by this issue shows that it is not limited to one church or to the issue of homosexuality. While I cannot explore this complicated subject fully in a single article, I would like to offer this overview.

One: Church discipline is unpopular.

When the Watermark decision became public, the response was immediate and strongly negative. I heard people ask, “Who do they think they are? What right do they have to judge others?” Such questions are symptomatic of a culture that has defined truth as personal and subjective. Tolerance is the overriding value of our day. As a result, any attempts to hold others accountable for biblical morality will be met with derision.

In his excellent Dallas Morning News column, Watermark Pastor Todd Wagner stated that the church’s decision “has gained much attention online. Some are confused, even hurt and I understand why. The practice of church discipline (which is to say, loving correction) is a process that is unfamiliar to most and because of the harshness of the word ‘discipline’ might even be perceived as unloving, oppressive or archaic.”

Christians who stand for biblical morality can expect opposition to discipline, accountability, or even public statements that conflict with the tolerance ethic of our day.

Two: Church discipline is biblical.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addressed “sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife” (v. 1). The apostle instructed the congregation to remove the man from its fellowship (v. 5).

Continue reading Denison Forum – HOW SHOULD CHURCHES DEAL WITH GAY MEMBERS? 4 FACTS →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Dressed for Battle

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Ephesians 6:10-18

When you wake up in the morning and get ready for the day, you’re probably not thinking about stepping onto a battlefield. But the enemy is all around us, constantly assaulting our heart and mind with temptations, adversities, emotional attacks, and more. And some days, it feels as though we are standing on the front lines of combat with no protection whatsoever.

Therein lies our misunderstanding. You see, we do have protection. The Lord made provision for our nakedness in battle. He hasn’t sent us to war unprotected. Instead, He’s given us a suit of armor that the enemy can’t penetrate—the armor of God.

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul tells us step by step how to prepare for our daily warfare, and yet most Christians don’t pay much attention to the instruction. We may say, “Well, that’s a nice metaphor, but we shouldn’t take it literally. After all, the armor isn’t real.” Yes, it is. It is as real as the clothes on your back.

Do you want to see a dramatic change in your life? Do you want to stand strong in the face of adversity? Do you want to overcome temptation? Then you need to dress for battle.

I challenge you to intentionally put on your spiritual armor every day for the next seven days. Put on one piece at a time—the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. Just try it as you meditate daily on Ephesians 6:10-18, and watch what God will do.

Bible in One Year: Mark 10-12

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Do We Have To?

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Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Bible in a Year: Isaiah 50-52; 1 Thessalonians 5

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.—Luke 5:16

Joie started the children’s program with prayer, then sang with the kids. Six-year-old Emmanuel squirmed in his seat when she prayed again after introducing Aaron, the teacher. Then Aaron began and ended his talk with prayer. Emmanuel complained: “That’s four prayers! I can’t sit still that long!”

If you think Emmanuel’s challenge is difficult, look at 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray continually” or always be in a spirit of prayer. Even some of us adults can find prayer to be boring. Maybe that’s because we don’t know what to say or don’t understand that prayer is a conversation with our Father.

Back in the seventeenth century, François Fénelon wrote some words about prayer that have helped me: “Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them.” He continued, “Talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them: show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them . . . . If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say.”

May we grow in our intimacy with God so that we will want to spend more time with Him. —Anne Cetas

For further study, read about Jesus’s example of prayer in John 17 and Luke 5:16.

Prayer is an intimate conversation with our God.

INSIGHT: Paul ends this letter with a frenzy of instructions. In today’s verses, one small string of phrases is closely linked and includes a key to their significance: “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (vv. 16-18). We often wonder what God’s will is for us in our circumstances. Phrases like these, though couched in a presentation that seem to minimize their importance, help us to clarify what it is that God desires of us. Do you want to follow God’s will? “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” J.R. Hudberg

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Paradigms of Beauty

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Dale Henderson gives cello concerts in New York City subway stations because he fears the day when classical music will be no more. He plays for free, focusing primarily on Bach Solo Cello Suites because their “power and beauty unfailingly inspire great appreciation, joy and deep emotion in those who hear them.”(1) Some commuters stop and stare, curious or captivated, many having never heard a cello or Bach concerto before. For Henderson, the music is an offering of something meaningful, seeds for future generations of classical music admirers who would not otherwise know it, beauty well worth lugging his heavy cello down into the subways to protect.

It is not always easy to talk about beauty without a minefield of objections or at best complicating list of qualifiers. Its modern place in the “eye of the beholder” gives it a tenuous feel at best. It’s ancient place as a perfect and ancient ideal is equally held with abstraction. While Henderson describes a world without classical music as soul-less, others may not miss it so much. And the contrast of beauty in a broken and breaking world makes its distinctive encounters increasingly stand out.

One author describes the common, but individual, effect of our varied encounters of the beautiful this way: “‘Beauty’ seems suited to those experiences that stop us in our tracks. Whether it’s a painting called Broadway Boogie-Woogie or a scherzo by Paganini, the beautiful is conducive to stillness. It doesn’t excite us, or necessarily instill in us the desire to replicate it; it simply makes us exist as though we’re existing for that very experience.”(2) His words are rife with the power of beauty to create longing, a desire to somehow participate. Beauty indeed leaves us with the ache of longing for another taste, another glimpse. And for each of us, this longing can come at unique or unsuspecting times—at the spectacular sight of the giant sequoias or a tiny praying mantis, at a concert or watching a First Nation powwow and taking in the colors, the drums, the survival of a betrayed people.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Paradigms of Beauty →

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Yielding to God

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“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace” (Romans 6:12-14).

Believers are to yield themselves to God, not to sin.

Three key words in Romans 6 define the believer’s relationship to sin: “know” (vv. 3, 6, 9), “consider” (v. 11), and “present” (v. 13). The first two speak of understanding and believing that we are dead to sin. The third demands of us active obedience in our lives based on that truth. Since we are truly dead to sin, we must not allow it to be the dominant force in our lives.

Sin is a dethroned monarch, but it is still present in this fallen world and desires to lure the believer back into its grasp. Knowing that, Paul exhorts Christians, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts.” He says, “Sin has no right to rule; so don’t let it!” Peter echoed that thought in 1 Peter 2:11: “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.”

How does a believer keep sin from reigning? Negatively, believers defeat sin by no longer “presenting the members of [their bodies] to sin as instruments of unrighteousness.” We must make sure that our thoughts, speech, and actions are not used for unrighteous purposes. Positively, we must yield all of our faculties to God as “instruments of righteousness.” To do both requires self-discipline—like that which Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 9:27: “I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

Yield to sin, and experience chastening and sorrow; yield to God, and experience joy and blessing. Which will you choose today?

Suggestions for Prayer

Is there a part of your life (thoughts, speech, actions, habits) where sin still reigns? If so, confess it to God, and ask for His help in breaking sin’s hold in that area.

For Further Study

Memorize Romans 12:1 to help you remember the importance of yielding your body to God.

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Postures of Prayer 

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When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 1 Kings 8:54

The posture of my body is an expression of my intimate prayers, supplications and worship to the Lord God Almighty. In humility and trust I can spiritually dive into the depths of God’s grace and love with an air tank full of faith and hope, or in self reliance I can dart back and forth on a spiritual jet ski across the surface of sound bite Christianity—loud and erratic, distracted by waves, only to end up where I started—exhausted and sunburned. But a body submitted in praise to its Creator experiences the quiet wonder of His love, enamored by the beauty of His holiness.

Solomon, in awe and gratitude, starts by standing up in this sacred moment thanking the Lord for His covenant of love to His people, expressed in His precious promises and exhibited in His faithfulness and favor over multiple generations. The king ends his prayers and supplications to Almighty God kneeling with his hands spread out to heaven, having confessed his sins and the sins of the people—sins resulting in the afflictions they suffered, but as a blessing brought them back to God. A body bowed in reverent worship reflects a heart bowed in reverent worship.

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:6-7).

Is your soul slumped over and exhausted like a marathoner who just crossed the finish line? If you are spiritually fatigued, you may need to start by sitting quietly before the Lord and let His Spirit fill your heart and mind with His reassuring presence and peace. Observe God’s handiwork around you—something as small and simple as a bustling bee gathering life giving nectar from a blossom— illustrates the sweet honey of Scripture infusing energy into your eternal self. A physical pause positions you to enter into the presence of Strength—Who empowers the weak.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Postures of Prayer  →

Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Immeasurable Promises

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Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:37

Recommended Reading

Jeremiah 33:24-26

Astronomers estimate the universe to be at least 93 billion light years in diameter—and a light year is six trillion miles. But the universe is expanding. As for the depths of the earth, the deepest part of the ocean is 6.85 miles—and it is nearly 3,959 miles to the center of the earth. So we have barely scratched the surface.

The prophets knew nothing of these numbers. They used the immensity of the universe and the size of the earth as measures of impossibility. When it came to the probability of God going back on His promises to Abraham, Jeremiah said (paraphrasing), “You could measure the universe and depths of the earth before God would go back on His Word. And we know the heavens and the earth cannot be measured.” It turns out that Jeremiah’s pre-scientific analogy was very accurate. Just as there is no end to the universe, so there is no end to God’s loyalty to Israel.

As a follower of Jesus, you are a spiritual child of Abraham. God’s promises of spiritual blessing to Abraham are promises to you as well.

God promises to keep His people, and He will keep His promises.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Read-Thru-the-Bible

Mark 10 – 11

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Victory Is Worth the Cost

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For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.- Psalm 18:29

Throughout the Bible, we find the commands of God always come with the promise of reward. God is not a taker; He is a giver. He never tells us to do anything unless it is for our ultimate benefit. I assure you: Everything God ever asks you to do, even if it is difficult, He asks because He has something great in mind for you—but in order to experience it, you will need to press through the hard place.

Don’t think or say, “This is just too hard” when you know you need to do something. Be grateful that God never requires you to handle more than you can bear. With every difficulty, He always provides a way to overcome. You never have to say, “There is no way,” because He is the way (see John 14:6) and He makes a way for you. You can do whatever God calls you to do in life! You have what it takes!

Prayer of Thanks: I am grateful, Father, that You won’t ask me to handle more than I can bear. Today, as I press through the difficult areas in my life, I thank You that I am not pressing through alone—You are with me!

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Take What’s Yours

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Today’s Truth

I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

Philippians 3:12

Friend to Friend

Have you stepped out in faith—fully trusting in God, but then began to stumble—errantly depending on yourself? That’s what happened to the children of Israel when it came time to take the Promised Land.

Moses led the people under the bloodstained doorframes of the Passover, across the dry land of the Red Sea, and to the front door of the Promised Land. He guided them with a fire by night and a cloud by day. God took care of their needs and brought victory over every enemy they faced. And yet, when it came time to march into the Promised Land, the land that was theirs for the taking, they cowered in unbelief.

“Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites,” God instructed Moses. So Moses sent twelve spies to scout out the land. When they returned, ten gave the following report:

“We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there…” (Numbers 13:27-28)

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size … We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” (Numbers 13:30-33)

The twelve spies were not sent into the land to access the problematic obstacles. They were sent into the land to take a peek at the promised blessings and bring back a sampling of its richness. This was not meant to be an exploratory mission to case the joint. Their names were already on the title deed. It was supposed to be a trip to get the folks stoked about the promises that waited just beyond the wall.

Continue reading Girlfriends in God – Take What’s Yours →

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – He Brings You Comfort

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Jesus said, “But I will send you the Comforter – the Holy Spirit, the source of all truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about Me” (John 15:26).

For years I was among the more than 95 percent of church members who, according to various surveys, are not knowledgeable concerning the person and ministry of the Holy spirit. Then God, in His gracious love and wisdom, showed me how simple it is to release His power into and through my life by faith, just as years before I had received assurance of my salvation by faith.

If I had only one message to proclaim to the Christian world, it would be this: how to know and experience, moment by moment, day by day, the reality of the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit. Everything that has to do with the Christian life involves God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.

We are born again through the ministry of the Spirit (John 3). The Holy Spirit inspired men of old to record the holy, inspired Word of God (2 Peter 1:21). Only those who are filled, controlled and empowered with His presence can comprehend what He communicated to those writers centuries ago, which is the message that He has for us today (1 Corinthians 2:14).

We cannot live holy lives apart form the Holy Spirit, for He alone can produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23) in our lives. We cannot pray intelligently unless the Holy Spirit enable us, for He makes intercession for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). We have no power to witness for Christ apart form His power (Acts 1:8). Only the Holy Spirit can enable us to live a supernatural life.

Bible Reading: John 14:16-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I determine to learn everything I can about the Holy Spirit. I will refer to the concordance in my Bible and study every reference to Him in the Scriptures, and ask my pastor, or other spiritual leaders in whim I have confidence, to recommend books on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. I will not be satisfied with anything less than the love, joy, peace, victory and power that comes from living daily in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

 

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