Helen Steiner Rice’s poem A Key to Living is Giving compares the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is fresh water and plants thrive. With no outlets, the Dead Sea is full of salt and nothing grows there. The poem teaches that when you let God’s blessing flow through you like the Jordan flows through the Sea of Galilee, you become productive and full of life.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24
“Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.”—1 Samuel 2:3
I was born in the generation known as the Baby Boomers. Our children are now called the Millennials, also dubbed the Me Generation. My generation thought the problem with the world was low self-esteem. Therefore, a lot of emphasis was given to, and a lot of money was spent on, the self-esteem movement. (This was never the problem, by the way, because it never has been a problem for us to learn to love ourselves. The problem is that we love ourselves enough already.)
As a result, a sense of entitlement—the idea that you don’t have to work hard and that everything should be given to you because you’re so wonderful—is now a big problem in our country. If you don’t believe me, then just watch some auditions for American Idol. People with no ability whatsoever are completely oblivious to it. And when a judge has the audacity to tell them that singing is probably not what they should do with their lives, they get upset.
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)
“Pretend I’m there and behave accordingly!”
Those were the words of a note Annie received in sixth grade. Her mom had gone on a long trip and had left that note to remind her that – even though she was gone – she expected Annie to act the same way she would have if her mom were still there.
Pretending her mom was watching her made Annie act differently. Sbe did her homework. She practiced the piano. She obeyed her teacher. She cleaned her room. She knew if Mom found out that she did wrong, she was in big trouble.
Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Omnipresent
Today’s Scripture: Philippians 1:7
“You are all partakers with me of grace.”
All of us need grace, the saint as well as the sinner. The most conscientious, dutiful, hardworking Christian needs God’s grace as much as the most dissolute, hard-living sinner. All of us need the same grace. The sinner doesn’t need more grace than the saint, nor does the immature and undisciplined believer need more than the godly, zealous missionary. We all need the same amount because the “currency” of our good works is debased and worthless before God.
Grace considers all people as totally undeserving and unable to do anything to earn the blessing of God. C. Samuel Storms has aptly written, “Grace ceases to be grace if God is compelled to bestow it in the presence of human merit. Grace ceases to be grace if God is compelled to withdraw it in the presence of human demerit. [Grace] is treating a person . . . solely according to the infinite goodness and sovereign purpose of God.”
Today’s Scripture: 2 Samuel 19-20
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29
In 2 Samuel 19, we see David snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. After his army triumphed over the rebellion of Absalom, David was in tears. His men had won the battle, but he was making them feel as if they’d lost. It’s normal for a father to grieve the death of his son, but there was a problem here. The men in the army who had fought in this battle saw David’s tears and assumed he was angry with them. The Bible says, “The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle” (2 Samuel 19:3).
I wonder how often we do the same thing with our kids. Billy comes home from school with a good grade on a math paper and we greet him with criticism for not making his bed. Susie does a great job in a school play and we’re angry because she hasn’t done anything on her science project. We’re taking a victory and turning it into a defeat for those we love. There’s a time to discuss the dirty room and the science project, but it isn’t on the heels of a victory.
Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Well-Spoken Word
Last week, Eric Metaxas told you about our brand new resource, “21 Days of Prayer for Life,” which will help you pray for all of the victims of abortion and for the protection of innocent life. It’s a free downloadable guide available at BreakPoint.org.
As you might imagine, Eric and I sometimes hear from critics. So, when I tweeted about this beautiful resource, I quickly got this reply from a skeptic: “What is the purpose of this prayer? Is your god not bothered until he gets sufficient prayers clocked up?” It was a snarky way of asking, “Why pray at all?”
Now, I rarely respond to sarcastic questions like this on Twitter. Those who ask rarely want answers, and even if they did, it would require more than 140 characters.
But to be clear, I don’t fault the skeptic for asking this question. Frankly, the whole idea of prayer can sound crazy, especially to skeptics. After all, if God is all-knowing, why am I asking for something? If He’s sovereign, isn’t He just going to do what He wants to do anyway? And if God is all-loving, shouldn’t He do good things without needing to be asked? If we’re honest, many Christians have asked similar—though less snarky—questions about prayer ourselves. I know I have! And my kids do too.
Continue reading BreakPoint – Why We Pray: A Serious Answer for a Serious Question
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” As much as children would like to think this taunt is true, it doesn’t take long to discover just how deep words can wound, especially when they carry a false accusation.
David was being pelted by both stones and words. As he suffered his son’s betrayal and his people’s rejection, another person came to add insult to injury. Shimei, a relative of David’s old nemesis Saul, took advantage of David’s exposed position to retaliate on behalf of his clan. Shimei cursed and hurled rocks, but his most vicious verbal attack landed where David was most vulnerable.
Shimei played on David’s shame, accusing him of wrongdoing and blaming him for the mess he was currently in. It’s all your fault. You deserve this and more—Shimei’s message rang out. He declared that God had rejected David and was punishing him for being a man of blood.
Continue reading Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – DAVID: SHAME IN ACCUSATION
The Golden Globes were presented last night. The Revenant won for Best Motion Picture and Best Actor, Drama. The film tells the story of one man who overcomes enormous odds to avenge his son’s death. (For more on the film, see Ryan Denison’s review.)
The Martian won for Best Motion Picture and Best Actor, Musical or Comedy. It tells the story of one man who overcomes enormous odds to return to life on Earth. Steve Jobs won for Best Screenplay, Motion Picture. It tells the story of one man who overcomes enormous odds to create a company that revolutionized the computer industry. Jennifer Lawrence won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture. She portrayed Joy Mangano, who overcame enormous odds to establish a business empire.
Do you see a pattern here?
Continue reading Denison Forum –What the Golden Globes tell us about us
Stop and ask yourself, What kind of light am I? Is your glow possibly a little dull—a flicker that others can see only if they are really looking? Or do you brighten everything up when you walk into a roomful of people? As Christians, we should shine brilliantly, no matter where we are. Even a small flame brings light to the whole room.
Shortsightedness may dim our radiance, causing us to miss out on blessings. Before agreeing to cooperate with the Lord, we may think we have to understand exactly what He plans to do. But we’re called to be faithful ambassadors who trust His Spirit to work as He wants. God tells us, Don’t give Me a schedule—trust Me. Watch Me do it My way in My time, and see what happens.
As a believer, you’re someone special. And as a member of God’s family, you’re indwelt by His Spirit; His light is the radiance within you. In terms of benefit to the kingdom, your life has potential beyond imagination. You have no idea what amazing things He can do—in the workplace, at school, or with family, neighbors, or friends—through your willingness to shine the light of His powerful love.
Read: Joshua 20:1-9
Bible in a Year: Genesis 25-26; Matthew 8:1-17
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. —Proverbs 18:10
In March 2014 a tribal conflict broke out in my hometown area, forcing my father’s household, along with other refugees, to take cover in the region’s capital city. Throughout history, people who have felt unsafe in their homelands have traveled to other places searching for safety and something better.
As I visited and talked with people from my hometown, I thought of the cities of refuge in Joshua 20:1-9. These were cities designated as places of safety for those fleeing from “relatives seeking revenge” in the case of an accidental killing (v. 3 nlt). They offered peace and protection.
Be happy young man while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart. Ecclesiastes 11:9
Sometimes we are guilty of taking ourselves too seriously. We get caught up in our little world of what we have to do, where we have to go and who we have to please. Joy jettisons from our heart because we are driven by a “have to” attitude. Unfortunately for our health and for those who love us we become consumed by our agenda, our desires, our worries, our ideas, our work, our hobbies and our needs. Sadly, our unmet expectations become joy killers with no heart.
How do you know if you are taking yourselves too seriously? Suddenly others become the object of your fury. They don’t seem to take things seriously enough. You erroneously think, “If they would just do what I want and work as hard as me, both of our worlds would be much better off!” You act like the Lord can’t get by without you, however the reverse is true. You can’t get by without Him. So, shed the world from your shoulders. Perhaps on your next vacation you totally disconnect from technology. No phone or email. Try it. Lighten up and let the Lord work for you.
Read: John 4:1-42
Earlier in this chapter, Jesus is met at Jacob’s well by a Samaritan woman, who has come to draw water. How very beautifully Jesus overleaps the various barriers that separated him from this woman. He was a rabbi, and according to the rabbinical law, rabbis were instructed to never talk to a woman in public—not even to their own wives or sisters. In fact the rabbinical law said, It is better to burn the law than to give it to a woman. In that culture women were regarded as totally unable to understand complicated subjects like theology and religion.
But notice how Jesus treats her. He could judge something about her from the circumstances of her being at this well. Although there was another well in the village, as a moral outcast she was forced to come all the way out to this well, half a mile away. Meeting her, our Lord understood this to be a sign from his Father that here was one of those sinners whom he came to call to repentance. He himself said on one occasion, I did not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners (Mt 9:13). He probably knew more about this woman’s history than this introduction suggests, because later he tells her some facts about herself that he evidently knew. He had been through this small village several times, and had probably heard something about her. Now to have her meet him at the well is to him an indication that God the Father wanted to reach out to her.
Read: Luke 1:26-38
Nothing will be impossible with God. (v. 37)
Some readers might be skeptical about knowing Christ better because of their faith in the scientific method, which says that you can only know what you can test. Since you can’t test an unseen Christ, you can’t really know him. Testing is the only way of knowing.
Is that true? A college freshman meets an attractive girl and wants to know her better. So he tests her scientifically. He talks her into getting a complete physical and taking a battery of psychological tests. He observes her, develops hypotheses, and tests them out to see if they really explain her. He wants to know for sure, so he exercises appropriate scientific skepticism. And she finally tells him to take a hike back to his lab, tired of his testing.
Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – The Possibility of Knowing Christ
Hopefully, no one hates you this much. In the fourteenth century in England, theologian John Wycliffe believed God was calling him to translate the Holy Bible from Latin into English. Until then, parishioners went to church where the Scriptures were interpreted for them by priests. What Wycliffe proposed to do was illegal…and not well received. Wycliffe somehow avoided being burned at the stake – the typical fate of instigators in that age – and died a natural death. But 41 years later, authorities decided a normal burial was too good for Wycliffe. They had his bones dug up, burned, and scattered in a river. The plan was for his name and his work to be forever wiped from history.
The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
Proverbs 10:7
Continue reading Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Eternal Remembrance
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8)
Do you ever need a refuge? A refuge is a place where you go to be safe, a place where you can be free from danger and fear. Everyone is afraid at times. You might feel fearful when you’re alone or when you’re in bed at night with darkness all around. Sometimes you might worry that something bad will happen to your mom or dad. Sometimes you’re afraid because you know you’ve done something wrong – even if you haven’t been caught yet.
God wants to be your refuge at those times. He tells you to pour out your heart to Him. Does that mean you need to use just the right words when you pray? Should you try to pretend you’re a brave, good person who doesn’t really need His help? Pouring out your heart means telling Him exactly how you feel – because He already knows. Tell Him you feel afraid, or tell Him you know you’ve sinned and need His forgiveness. He is greater than anything that you fear. And He cares for you.
Today’s Scripture: Romans 5:2
“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.”
When you set yourself to seriously pursue holiness, you’ll begin realizing what an awful sinner you are. If you aren’t firmly rooted in the Gospel and haven’t learned to preach it to yourself every day, you’ll soon become discouraged and will slack off. In the pursuit of holiness, nothing’s more important than learning to preach the Gospel to yourself every day.
In doing so, we must be careful not to preach a Gospel without a cross. All the wonderful promises of forgiveness in Scripture are based upon Christ’s atoning death. Through it he satisfied God’s justice and averted from us God’s wrath. We must be careful not to rely on the so-called unconditional love of God without realizing his love can flow to us only as a result of Christ’s atoning death.
Today’s Scripture: Genesis 37-40
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. – Proverbs 12:18
The late Paul Little of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship used to tell us that when we speak unwisely or boastfully or pass along some gossip, it is hard to retrieve those words. It’s like trying to get toothpaste back in the tube.
In the story of Joseph, we find a young man who spoke unwisely and suffered the consequences for many years afterwards.
One day Joseph and his brothers were in the field, and Joseph told them his dream: “We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” And his brothers, who were jealous of his favored position with their father, hated him even more. They said, “Will you actually rule us?”
Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Power of Words
Read 2 Samuel 15:13-32
A child runs off the playing field because no one picked him for a team. A teenager frowns after the boy she likes ignores her. A man weeps when the company he faithfully served for decades includes his name in the first round of layoffs.
David also experienced rejection. He was devastated by how swiftly the hearts of his people had turned from him, how craftily his own son had plotted against him, and how thoroughly his life had been turned upside down. Seemingly overnight he had been changed from hero to zero. People who before had risked their lives for him were now acting as if he would be better off dead. Their actions sent the message that he was disgraced, without honor, and unworthy of their loyalty (v. 31; see 2 Sam. 17:1–4).
Continue reading Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – DAVID: SHAME IN REJECTION
Our desire as Christian parents is to help our children mature into godly men and women. We want them to believe the Father has a plan for their lives and they’re accountable to Him.
I remember teaching my children from a young age about these important truths. I wanted biblical principles to shape their thinking, their choices, and their hearts. After explaining about God’s will, I told them they were accountable to the Lord for their behavior—as well as to their mother and me. If kids believe they are accountable only to their parents, then when apart from Mom and Dad, they’re likely to think they don’t have to answer to anyone.
My children didn’t always agree with my decisions, so I taught them to speak to their heavenly Father about it. Over time, they developed the habit of talking with Him. This training became very important in their teenage years. Instead of giving a quick no to some of their requests, I said, “Find out what God wants you to do. Whatever you two agree on, I will accept.” I knew this was risky, but I had to trust the Lord and give my children the opportunity to practice what I’d been teaching them throughout their lives—that they’re accountable to the Father.
Read: Isaiah 12
Bible in a Year: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 7
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. —Isaiah 12:3
When people drill holes deep into the earth, it is normally for pulling up core samples of rock, accessing oil, or finding water.
In Isaiah 12, we learn that God wanted His people, who were living in a spiritual desert as well as a geographical desert, to discover His “wells of salvation.” The prophet Isaiah compared God’s salvation to a well from which the most refreshing of all waters can be drawn. After many years of turning their back on God, the nation of Judah was destined for exile as God allowed foreign invaders to conquer the nation, scattering the people. Yet, said the prophet Isaiah, a remnant would eventually return to their homeland as a sign that God was with them (Isa. 11:11-12).
DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION 