Tag Archives: nature

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Line Upon Line

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Read: Isaiah 28:1-15

Whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little. (Isaiah 28:9-10 RSV)

That is a beautiful description of how the Bible is written. Unlike theological books, there is not a chapter on sin, another on heaven, another on angels, etc. The Bible mixes it all together, interspersing one truth with another, so that a balanced approach to life is given, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little.

This verse sets forth the way to avoid being trapped by the seductive lure of the good life, characterized by Ephraim in verses 1-3. Study your Bible! Read what God says. Look at life as he sees it. See through the allurement of the television commercials! Do you sometimes catch yourself wanting more of the luxuries of life, thinking constantly of a new car, a new house, of climbing the corporate ladder?

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Blessed to Be a Blessing (Part 1)

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Read: Genesis 12:1-9

I will bless you . . . so that you will be a blessing. (v. 2)

So far we have learned that Christian spiritual formation is “the process of being conformed into the image of Christ, through a relationship of intimacy with God, by the power of the Spirit, in order to live a good and beautiful life of faith, hope, love, joy, and peace . . .” (emphasis added). The definition up to this point says that becoming like Jesus through an intimate relationship with God powered by the Holy Spirit leads to a grace-filled life.

However, the biblical story is not only about finding a good and beautiful life for ourselves but also about sharing that life with others. So we add the phrase “a life that will be a blessing to oneself and to others” to our definition. As God blessed Abraham to be a blessing, so our journey of spiritual formation is for the sake of others!

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Sing His Praise

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Fantasia Barrino Taylor sang her way to win the third season of American Idol in 2004. Now Fantasia has a new goal for 2016. She wants to focus on God and use her profession to glorify Him. “Bringing in my New Year with worship was everything to me,” said Fantasia. “When Yahweh, which is God, who sits high and looks low, speaks, I listen. What I’ve come to realize is my ministry is right there on that stage.”

My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

Psalm 51:14

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Trusting God’s Timing

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Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.—Revelation 5:8

Have you ever prayed for something that seemed to take a long time for God to answer? Or, have you ever prayed for something, and the answer came so quickly that it almost scared you? Sometimes we don’t believe our prayers can be answered so quickly.

In chapter 12 of the book of Acts, James the apostle had been beheaded, and Peter had been arrested by Herod. Then we read that “constant prayer was offered to God for [Peter] by the church” (verse 5). God immediately answered that prayer, sent an angel into the prison, and the doors literally opened for Peter to walk out of jail.

Then Peter went to the house where the church was presumably praying for his deliverance. Peter knocked at the door, a girl named Rhoda answered, and seeing it was the answer to their prayers, she went back to the men of God to tell them that Peter was at the door.

“Guys . . .”

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Hates Sin

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“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

What are some things that you hate? Brussels sprouts? Folding laundry? Cleaning your bedroom? We all have things we don’t like to see or do, but did you know that the Bible says that there are certain things God hates?

God hates sin. Proverbs 6 says that God hates a proud look. Whenever you look at someone in a way that shows you think you are better than he is, you are giving a proud look. God also hates a lying tongue. Have you ever told a lie or misled someone? God hates that type of sin. God despises it when we plan wicked things in our minds. Have you ever done that? God hates it when His children are quick to run to mischief. God also hates it when we say or do things that cause our friends to fight. Have you ever started an argument between friends? God hates that.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Experiencing God’s Grace

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Today’s Scripture: John 10:10

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Why do we not experience more of the endless supply of God’s grace? Why do we so often seem to live in spiritual poverty instead of experiencing life to the full as Jesus promised (John 10:10)? There are several reasons that may or may not apply to a particular believer. One that might apply to most of us is our frequent misperception of God as the divine equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge, demanding the last ounce of work out of his people and then paying them poorly. That may sound like an overstatement of our perception of God, but I believe it’s a fairly accurate representation of how many Christians think.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Plum Assignment

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 8-10

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. – Acts 20:24

For many people, being a servant of Jesus Christ sounds romantic and idealistic. But serving Christ is a demanding proposition, as we see in Mark 10:32-34.

And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again.” (KJV)

Before these remarks, Jesus and His disciples had been in Galilee. The people had been friendly and had turned out in large numbers. The ministry had gone well, and the disciples may have begun to think that serving Jesus was a great idea. Friendly people, big crowds. And then one day Jesus dropped the bombshell: “We’re leaving Galilee and going up to Jerusalem!”

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – #BringDatingBack: Relationship Hope for College Students

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For years BreakPoint has reported about the vile “sex week” events that occur annually on college campuses. These noxious events include lectures by fringe so-called experts advocating all manner of indecency and graphic public displays meant to normalize deviancy. But in 2007, a small group of students at Princeton University grew tired of this one-sided, dangerous approach to intimate relationships. So they formed a group called the Anscombe Society to counter the sexual craziness with sound social science and well-reasoned arguments, and to advocate for natural marriage and chastity.

The New York Times found this group so amusing that it ran a feature on these quaint students with their antiquated ideas. The impact, though, was overwhelming, and not how you might think. Students at other colleges took note, liked what they saw, and wanted help forming their own groups. Thus was born the Love & Fidelity Network.

Now in its eighth year, the Love & Fidelity network has chapters at 36 colleges and universities. They’re changing the debate on campus by bringing world-class academics to speak about the harms of the hookup culture and give the truth about marriage and chastity. As you might imagine, this has earned them a lot of enemies. But one of their programs has earned almost universal praise.

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – REST WRECKERS: WORRY

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Read Matthew 6:25-34

Fear and worry are related, with the difference that worry is what happens when fear focuses on the future and things that might happen. Jesus provides a sample of the questions that worry asks in Matthew 6:25: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? For His audience, these were not trivial questions, like which item to select from a menu or which outfit to choose for that day. Many of these people did not know where their next meal was going to come from. Many did not have enough clothing to keep them warm at night.

Some of what we worry about is worthy of concern. Jesus’ words do not imply that food and clothing are insignificant—quite the opposite. But the Savior assures us that we do not need to be anxious even about these vital matters for human survival because we have a heavenly Father who knows what we need (v. 32).

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – AN APP YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

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Forty percent of American’s teenagers are using an app called Kik. Why does this matter?

Kik allows users to text anonymously. All they need is a user name which they can make up. As a result, it is difficult for parents and law enforcement to trace conversations. And that makes Kik popular with predators.

Nicole Madison Lovell was a thirteen-year-old liver transplant and cancer survivor. Two Virginia Tech freshmen communicated with her via Kik and are now charged with her murder. Several other cases involving child abuse are linked to the app. The company does its best to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. However, it does not retain the information sent on its app, so its help is limited.

One expert on child abuse cautions us against “technophobia.” He says the problem has to do with character traits, not technology. Those who are depressed, socially isolated, dealing with parental conflicts, or bullied at school are at higher risk.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Impact of Prayer

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Read | Matthew 7:7-11

Those who ask will receive answers. Those who seek will find. Those who knock will see the door open. The acrostic “A-S-K” will help us remember to “ask, seek, and knock.”

The Lord wants us to pray to Him, not only because it honors Him but also because it helps us to grow deeper in our relationship with Him. Furthermore, prayer taps us into His work in the world. At any given moment, you can pray for anyone anywhere on earth and have confidence that the Lord of the entire universe will hear you and respond in the most effective fashion.

For this reason, prayer is one of the best ways to get involved in God’s mission. What a wonderful privilege it is to be able to participate in the expansion and functioning of God’s kingdom by asking the Lord to help His children and impact His creation.

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Jesus Over Everything

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Read: Colossians 1:15-20

Bible in a Year: Leviticus 8-10; Matthew 25:31-46

He is before all things. —Colossians 1:17

My friend’s son decided to wear a sports jersey over his school clothing one day. He wanted to show support for his favorite team that would be playing an important game later that night. Before leaving home, he put something on over his sports jersey—it was a chain with a pendant that read, “Jesus.” His simple action illustrated a deeper truth: Jesus deserves first place over everything in our lives.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Open Grave

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It was a cold February at Christ of the Desert monastery, high in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Behind the chapel, author William Bryant Logan noticed an open grave, the disturbed red soil waiting in a tall mound beside it.

“Has a brother died?” he asked a monk.

“No,” he answered, “but we cannot dig in winter, so we opened this grave ahead of time, just in case.”

To many of us, an open grave is unnerving, the thought of soil disturbed and waiting entirely unwelcome. “An open grave is an open mouth,” writes Logan. “It exhales all the suggestion of the dark.”(1) In the Western world in particular, we have a complicated relationship with death, dismissing as much of it as we can manage from sight, mind, and society. An open grave is a gaping wound we prefer to turn our eyes from.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Joy of Recollection

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“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (Phil. 1:3).

A key to Christian joy is to recall the goodness of others.

Though Paul was under house arrest in Rome when he wrote to the Philippians, his mind wasn’t bound. Often he reflected on his experiences with the Philippian Christians. As he did, his thoughts turned to prayers of praise and thanksgiving for all that the Lord had done through them.

I’m sure Paul remembered when he preached in Philippi and God opened Lydia’s heart to believe the gospel (Acts 16:13-14). Subsequently everyone in her household was saved (v. 15). Surely her kindness and hospitality were bright spots in an otherwise stormy stay at Philippi.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Reassuring Words 

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You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.  And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:20-21

My stomach was in my throat as I looked down to earth 30 feet away: my mouth was parched, my body sweaty and my heart pounded in fear. Maybe my mid-life crisis was playing out as a 40 something, yet calmly my “seasoned” 20 something rock climbing friend reassured me that everything was ok—I just needed to stay calm and stay focused. It was not just a little intimidating that my daughter and wife had just scampered up the wall ahead of me! So, I resisted glancing at the ground and kept looking up to follow my leader’s reassuring words.

Even still—17 years after being reunited with Joseph, his brothers feared his revenge. So much so, that after their father’s death (afraid Joseph would retaliate) they made up a death bed story saying their dad requested that Joseph forgive his brothers. Fear kept them from believing the truth about why Joseph had forgiven them years ago, and how he understood God’s bigger purpose of saving lives including his own family’s. Sometimes truth needs to be spoken repeatedly with a patient, kind and reassuring tone. Faith can remember facts and tends to forget lies.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – What Marriage Needs

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

Recommended Reading

Galatians 5:16-26

In the book What My Parents Did Right! Bible teacher Jill Briscoe wrote of how her parents maintained their commitment to each other without ever considering divorce an option. “My sister and I knew that Mom and Dad enjoyed being married, would stay married, and hoped we’d do the same. Differences they had were kept between them and worked out in the context of the promises they made to each other and to God on their wedding day. There was no option out!”

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Both Men and Women

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…I will pour out my Spirit upon all people…. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.—Joel 2:28-29 NLT

I believe that most women possess a sixth sense that God did not give to men. It’s often called women’s intuition, and it’s the real deal. Men are usually very logical, while women tend to be more “feeling” orientated. For example, a male manager might look at a job candidate’s résumé, job application, college GPA, and work history and be ready to hire him, based on the “facts.” However, this male manager’s female counterpart might evaluate the same candidate and intuitively pick up on personality quirks or subtle-but-destructive attitudes that don’t show up on paper.

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Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Are You Willing?

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So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’

2 Corinthians 5:20

Friend To Friend

My husband Brad went on a missions trip to Guatemala several years ago. What he saw and experienced changed his life and increased his faith in a dramatic way because he was an eyewitness to the healing power of God. On that trip he prayed harder, believed more, and expected more from God each passing day—and God used their medical missions team as a conduit for miracles.

Do you ever doubt that God wants to move in and through your life?

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God’s Word Gives Joy and Light

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“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light” (Psalm 19:7,8).

Professor William Lyon Phelps, one of Yale University’s most famous scholars, said, “A knowledge of the Bible without a college education is more valuable than a college education without the Bible.”

Why would he say this? Our verse gives us the answer. The Word of God (1) protects us, (2) makes us wise, (3) gives us joy, and (4) gives us light.

There are many other benefits that come from reading the Word of God. With dividends like these, we are indeed robbing ourselves of untold blessings when we neglect His holy, inspired Word for any reason whatever.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Why Do the Nations Rage?

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Read: Isaiah 23:1-18

Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth? The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth. (Isaiah 23:8-9)

Why do the nations rage? That question is answered many times in the Scriptures, but notably in this section of Isaiah, beginning with chapter 13 and ending in chapter 23. In these chapters the prophet is given a vision concerning the great world powers that surrounded Israel in that day. The prophecy begins with a word concerning Babylon; then focuses on Assyria, Moab, Egypt, Edom and other nations; and ends in Chapter 23 with the burden of the city-nation of Tyre.

These messages were wholly predictive when they were uttered. They point out things that are going to happen from Isaiah’s time onward. As we look back on history we can see that much of this prophecy has already been fulfilled. These nations are not only historic but are symbols of forces at work in every age and every generation. What makes this passage so real and valuable to us is that through the experience of these nations we begin to understand our own personal struggles.

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