Tag Archives: nature

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Known by Our Fruit

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[Jesus said] Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.—Matthew 12:33-34

A woman I’ll call Dorothy knew more about the church and every member and visitor than anyone else did. She was fairly well-known as the church gossip. “One thing about her,” a friend said, “she’s not prejudiced; she talks about everyone,” and he laughed. He also added, “She’ll probably get into heaven, but God may have to cut off her tongue first.”

One day as I stood near the front door, I heard Dorothy telling several people about one of the deacons, “But it isn’t up to me to judge him,” she said. The venom poured from her mouth, and she went on to mention several others. Of course, she was critical of each one.

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Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Man’s Best Friend

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The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’

Genesis 2:18

Friend to Friend

For thirteen years, our family was blessed with a golden retriever named Ginger. We gave her to our son, Steven, for Christmas when he was five-years-old and she still holds the blue ribbon as the best present ever. I can still remember the look of surprise on Steven’s cherub face when the “stuffed” animal began to move. “It’s a puppy!” he exclaimed. “It’s not a toy!”

And while Ginger was officially Steven’s dog, and I was unofficially her primary caretaker, it was my husband who held a special place in her heart. From the very beginning, Ginger loved my husband the best.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Underneath: Everlasting Arms

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“The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out your enemies before you…” (Deuteronomy 33-27, LB).”…with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8, KJV).

Susan was broken-hearted. She had just lost her first child at birth. The trauma of that experience had affected her relationship with her husband and with everyone else around her. She had become cynical and moody. She blamed God for what had happened and said, “I hate Him. Why would this happen to me? Where was God when I was going through the birth pangs, the excruciating pain of giving birth to a stillborn child? Why didn’t He give me a healthy baby?”

I was reminded of a statement that I had heard in response to a similar anguished plea: “Where was God when I lost my son?”

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Go!

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Read: Isaiah 6:8-13

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me! He said, Go and tell this people: Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. (Isaiah 6:8-9)

When Isaiah hears the call of God his heart is instantly responsive. By now he has believed what God said. He no longer feels undone and defiled. He believed that when God said he was forgiven he really was forgiven. No longer does he feel unworthy or unable to serve. He is eager to go, Here am I, send me.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – In the Likeness of God

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Read: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, Colossians 1:15

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image.” (Gen. 1:26)

When a child is born, someone inevitably will say, “He’s the spitting image of his dad.” In terms of physical appearance the boy is a lookalike. But as a child grows, someone might remark: “He’s a hard worker like his mom” or “She is gentle, just like her dad.”

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – An Eternal Ride

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During a recent visit to New York City, 2016 presidential candidate Rick Santorum and two associates were riding in a cab on Manhattan’s west side. Kenneth, the cab driver, looked at Santorum in the rear-view mirror and said, “I know you. You’re Rick Santorum.” Richard, one of the two men with Santorum, was a pastor. He asked Kenneth, “What do you think of Jesus?” Kenneth responded, “Oh, that’s not for me.”

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

Psalm 16:5

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – A Model of Prayer

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Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.—Luke 18:1

Why should we pray? The simple answer is because Jesus told us to. Jesus himself was a model of prayer. He was always praying.

In the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus contemplated the horrors of the cross, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

On the cross, Jesus prayed for His enemies, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, we read that He lifted up His eyes to heaven and prayed (see John 11:41–42).

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Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Allows Evil for His Reasons

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“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

Thrown into a pit.

Bound with rope and sold into slavery in a far-off land.

Sentenced to life in prison for something you didn’t do.

Forgotten for two years by the man who promised to help you.

You would probably have a hard time rejoicing if these things happened to you. In fact, you would probably wonder why God allowed all these horrible things to take place in your life.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Lost Years Restored

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Today’s Scripture: Zechariah 9:17

“How great is his goodness!”

Joel prophesied God’s judgment upon Judah through a plague of locusts that would devour all the trees and plants, resulting in widespread famine. Then, in the midst of a prophecy of restoration, God made the following promise: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25).

Consider the amazing generosity of God. He did not limit his promise merely to restoring the land to its former productivity. He said he’ll repay them for the years the locusts have eaten, years they themselves forfeited to the judgment of God. God could well have said, “I’ll restore your land to its former productivity, but too bad about those years you lost! They are gone forever. That’s the price you pay for your sin.” He would have been generous just to have restored them—but he went beyond that. He would cause their harvests to be so abundant they would recoup the losses from the years of famine. He said he’ll repay them, though he obviously owed them nothing.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Widening the Fellowship

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Today’s Scripture: Joshua 18-21

“I tell you…there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” – Luke 15:7

I attended a Christian conference where two men gave a testimony on the subject of evangelism. The first man told of a meeting at which the speaker asked everyone to jot down the names of five friends who were nonChristians, and then begin praying for them on a regular basis. He and his wife just stared at each other. They didn’t have five nonChristian friends.

They began to look for ways to meet nonChristians. The husband went to the local gym and met a worldly young lawyer, who was quite skillful in asking argumentative questions. The Christian was quite skillful in answering them from the Scriptures. The lawyer eventually came to Christ, and these two men now were telling their story.

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  Putting Your Christian Worldview to Work with the Colson Fellows Program

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by Eric Metaxas (Editor’s Note: Today’s commentary first aired January 19, 2016).

Imagine having dozens of new friends come into your life this year—friends who are, like you, committed Christians. These friends have the capacity to change your life forever, and help you develop your own ministry, using your own vision and your own God-given gifts. Plus, they’re a lot of fun. Wouldn’t you gladly embrace new friends like these?

Well I think, folks, you’d be crazy not to. Because these new friends are the leaders and participants of the Colson Fellows Program, formerly known as the Centurions Program.

As a Colson Fellow in training, you’ll spend nine months reading the best books, participating in teleconferences with the best thinkers, and attending three residencies with the best teachers of Christian Worldview—people like Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family; Joni Eareckson Tada; Sean McDowell of Biola University, Nabeel Quereshi of the Ravi Zacharias Institute, and our own Colson Fellows National Director, Dr. Bill Brown, former president of Bryan College and Cedarville University. And yes, of course John Stonestreet and I will be speaking to you as well!

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JESUS THE WEARY (PART 2)

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Read John 4:27-38

The lyrics to the song “Sometimes by Step,” written by Rich Mullins and David Strasser, describe what it often feels like to labor for the Lord: Sometimes the day could be so hot / There was so much work left to do / But so much You’d already done. Ministry is work, and work can make us weary. Although Jesus was weary from the journey to Samaria, He was eager to explain the gospel to a woman who came there for water.

Jesus’ disciples had gone to find food. When they returned, they urged Him to eat, perhaps because they saw the people of the town approaching (vv. 30–31). The disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ statement is almost humorous. They interpreted it literally when He replied, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about” (v. 32). Jesus explained that He was sustained by doing the will of the Father. Ministry is hard work—but God is able to sustain us even when we are weary.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – JOEL OSTEEN ON STEPHEN COLBERT’S ‘THE LATE SHOW’

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It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke: “A televangelist and a Catholic Sunday school teacher were talking one day . . .” But Tuesday night it really happened: Pastor Joel Osteen appeared on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show to discuss Osteen’s latest book, The Power of I Am.

Colbert, one of the most biblically literate Hollywood celebrities, noted God’s description of himself as the “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). It turned out, the book is about something else entirely.

Osteen explained to Colbert that he wrote about what follows the words “I am” in a person’s mind. He illustrated: Sometimes we say “I am slow” or “I am unlucky” or “I am not attractive.” Instead, he wants us to say “I am blessed” or “I am strong” or “I am talented.” According to Osteen, “We don’t realize how many times we speak negative things about ourselves.” To which Colbert responded with his typical wit: “I do that all the time. I’m so stupid.”

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Protective Power of Discernment

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2 Peter 3:14-18

Spiritual discernment protects us from deception. Sin is always dressed up to look tempting and appealing; if we think what looks good and feels right must be OK, then we’re in danger of being misled by the enemy. When Satan tempts us, he never mentions consequences or negative impact.

Spiritual discernment is our God-given capacity to judge what’s right and wrong. It protects us from the suffering that accompanies disobedience. Ignoring an agitation in our spirit—which I call “spiritual static”—is a step onto sin’s pathway. When looking for a radio station, we want clear reception. The same is true in our lives. We need a clear connection to the Holy Spirit to have peace and assurance that we’re doing the right thing and aligned with God’s will.

Sometimes an opportunity appears harmless or, more likely, very appealing. But if the Holy Spirit within us sends a signal not to pursue it, then we dare not—for some reason, God doesn’t want us in that situation. And though we can speculate, we may never know what danger we avoided by being obedient.

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Her Father’s Zoo

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Read: 1 Kings 4:29-34

Bible in a Year: Exodus 21-22; Matthew 19

The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. —Proverbs 12:10

June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation.

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Mercy for the Masses

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The room was full of guilt, and I knew this because I was sitting in it. I arrived early and sat in one of benches toward the back of the room, perhaps a small attempt at being inconspicuous. But in a courtroom no one goes unnoticed, and this is particularly true of those who are on trial. Traffic court, I discovered, is an interesting place. At the very least it made for an afternoon of good people-watching. At most it offered a window into realms of justice, faith, and human behavior.

A few months prior to my court appearance, I had been caught speeding less than a mile from my house. True, there were several factors at work, but there was no question of my guilt. I was in a hurry to get home, deep in thought about a sad situation, and driving my husband’s car (which was a bit easier to accelerate). My mind was simply elsewhere, and I was speeding. My initial thought was to simply pay the ticket and be done with it. But the officer said if I showed up in court, he would lower the fine.

I had never been to traffic court before. I had no idea they were going to announce my crime in public and ask me to state my plea before the masses. It was all somewhat humiliating, even if warranted. (I felt sorriest for the teenage offenders in the room; the magistrate was especially hard on them.) After every crime had been publically exposed, our guilt seemed to loom like giant name tags. My entire row was filled with speeders. Others were caught driving with expired tags or licenses, cited for following too closely, or driving recklessly. One by one we were called to stand before the judge—and one by one we were pardoned.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Exalting Christ

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“[God] seated [Christ] at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph.1:20).

Christ occupies the highest place of power, prominence, authority, and honor.

To exalt someone is to elevate that person in status, dignity, power, and honor. As God, Jesus possesses all power and authority and is deserving of all honor and glory. But when He was on earth, most people refused to give Him the glory He deserved. Instead they mocked and eventually murdered Him.

Just prior to His death, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I ever had with Thee before the world was” (John 17:5). The Father answered that prayer by giving Him an exalted name and an exalted position.

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Family Background 

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This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham…Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. Matthew 1:1, 5-6

My wife Rita gave me the best gift for Christmas. No, not a quiet weekend in the mountains or at the beach—though I would have enjoyed either. She surprised me with a three volume set of the Bailey family history from the late 1700’s until the mid 1980’s. As you can imagine it has been surreal to see my Dad’s photo as a young child, and his grandfather who I am named after: a circuit riding Baptist preacher in eastern Kentucky named Reverend Wallace and not surprisingly other more unseemly characters. My family background is very modest, rural and not without drama.

Jesus came to earth from heaven, so those of us on earth could go to heaven. He was born to a virgin whose family background was as diverse as most of our own. Encouragingly, Christ’s genealogy is made up of farmers, soldiers, kings, a prostitute and unbelievers to name but a few. Jesus was sinless, but He came from a long line of sinners. His family background is full of those who needed the Lord and others who loved the Lord. He was born in God’s timing, in a tiny town, to be the Savior of the world. His family background was part of God’s unique story.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Man or God?

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Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 20:7

Recommended Reading

Isaiah 31:1-3

Has there ever been a more turbulent era in American history? The two political parties seem hopelessly divided, our role in the flammable Middle East seems indefinable, the value of the unborn and marriage drift further from God’s ideal, and our fiscal indebtedness grows by the hour. Yet God remains uninvited into our situation. A nation that proclaims “In God We Trust” seems to put trust in everything but Him.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Living Large

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Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. —Isaiah 43:18-19

I truly believe this moment can be life-changing for you—that it will help you step out onto the path of your true life. The life that has been waiting for you since the beginning of time—and the one you may have been missing due to fear and intimidation. Satan is the master of intimidation, but once you realize that he is the one behind all your hesitation, you can take authority over him by simply placing confidence in Jesus Christ and stepping out boldly to be all you can be. God told Joshua, “Fear not, for I am with you.” He is sending you that same message today: FEAR NOT! God is with you, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

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