Tag Archives: Peace

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Be Decisive 

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Give us counsel, render a decision. Isaiah 16:3a

Decisions can be as illusive as your shadow. They can haunt you from behind, or they can lead you from out front. Decisions are not designed to be delayed forever unless, of course, they are related to an evil or wicked act. Decisions are meant to drive you toward God’s purpose and plan for your life. He allows you to make decisions that determine His future for you. He gives you the counsel and the wisdom, but you make the decision. No one else can make the decision for you; God wants you to make it. This is your responsibility and opportunity.

Fear may be delaying your decision. Pride may be prolonging your decision. Lack of trust may be paralyzing your mind with indecision. You may be cautious because a similar experience in the past did not work out so well. But if you delay much longer, you may very well miss this window of opportunity. You have prayed about this, and there is peace. You have sought wise counsel, and there is affirmation. You have exceeded the normal amount of due diligence to make an informed decision. Now is the time to decide.

Say yes or no, but do not procrastinate any longer. It is not fair to those who depend on you, nor is it fair to those who believe in you. The bottom line probably relates to trust. Can God be trusted to lead you through the implications of this decision? Can He handle the “what ifs?” The answer, of course, is yes. God will not lead you into a decision that is detrimental to His plan for your life. There will surely be bumps along the way. The bottom may fall out, but He is still faithful. It is better to be in a storm with Jesus, than on the calm shore without Him.

“What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways” (Job 22:28).

“No decision” is still a decision. If you continue to be indecisive, you have decided not to move forward. But you do not have to stand still. You can take this first step and then trust God with steps two and three. Do not become overwhelmed with what might happen tomorrow. Just remain faithful today. Do your best now and trust the Lord with later.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Mighty in Spirit

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Ephesians 3:14-16

Everyone wants to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit. To become physically fit, we need to exercise our muscles vigorously and regularly. If our goal is to be stable in soul (our thoughts, will, and emotions), then we must apply our minds to learning and train ourselves to be self-controlled. However, to become mighty in spirit requires something more than self-effort.

You see, none of us were born with a spiritual connection to God. Because of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, we were all dead in our sins and separated from the Lord (Eph. 2:1). No amount of personal effort can bring an individual to life spiritually. Although we are unable to change this condition for ourselves, nothing is impossible for God (Matt. 19:26). By accepting Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross as payment for our sins, we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and made alive in our spirit (Eph. 2:5). This is the beginning step of the Christian life.

Once we are born again, the indwelling Holy Spirit teaches us how to view life as Jesus did, embrace His values and priorities, and follow His example. The more we yield to the Spirit’s control, the sooner we’ll be transformed into Christ’s image, equipped to carry out the Lord’s will, and strengthened in our inner spirit to serve Him.

God desires followers who will dedicate themselves to His plan and serve as ambassadors for Christ to a lost and hurting world. He doesn’t expect that we will train ourselves for this task—He has sent His Holy Spirit to prepare us for the work ahead. Have you answered His call to service?

Bible In One Year: Psalm 107-111

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Cleaning House

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Read: 1 Peter 1:22–2:5

Bible in a Year: Job 20–21; Acts 10:24–48

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.—1 Peter 2:1

Recently, I switched rooms in the home I rent. This took longer than expected, because I didn’t want to simply transfer my (extensive) mess to a new room; I wanted a completely fresh and uncluttered start. After hours and hours of cleaning and sorting, bags of stuff sat by the front door to be thrown away, donated, or recycled. But at the end of this exhausting process was a beautiful room I was excited to spend time in.

My housecleaning project gave me a fresh perspective when reading 1 Peter 2:1, as paraphrased in The Message: “So, clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy, and hurtful talk.” Interestingly, it’s after a joyful confession of their new life in Christ (1:1-12) that Peter urges them to throw away destructive habits (1:13-2:3). When our walk with the Lord feels cluttered and our love for others feels strained, this shouldn’t cause us to question our salvation. We don’t change our lives to be saved, but because we are (1:23).

As real as our new life in Christ is, bad habits learned do not disappear overnight. So, on a daily basis, we need to “clean house,” throwing away all that prevents us from fully loving others (1:22) and growing (2:2). Then, in that new, clean space, we can experience the wonder of being freshly built (v. 5) by Christ’s power and life. —Monica Brands

Heavenly Father, thank You for the new life You are building in us through our Lord Jesus. Help us to daily turn to You for cleansing and renewal.

Every day we can reject destructive habits and experience new life in Jesus.

INSIGHT: The Scriptures include both the good and the bad of Peter’s life. After Jesus’s arrest, Peter denied even knowing Jesus, but later proclaimed Him to be the Son of God. Peter struggled to be consistent in his relationship with Christ. Perhaps that is why we can relate to his story.Writing to an audience of Jews and Gentiles, Peter encourages growth in salvation. Once we are saved, our journey has merely begun (1 Peter 2:2-3). Therefore, Peter encourages us to live an examined life, ridding ourselves of things that hinder our growth (v. 1) and keep us from loving each other (1:22). But this is only half the journey; the other half is “craving pure spiritual milk”—desiring and partaking of spiritual food through God’s Word, which results in developing good habits.Are there habits you need to “rid yourself” of? What can you replace them with?

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Do You Like Yourself?

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Let him search for peace…and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]—1 Peter 3:11

Have you ever thought about your relationship with yourself? For years, it never occurred to me that I had a relationship with myself. In fact, I never thought about it until God began to teach me how to improve it. Maybe the idea that you have a relationship with yourself has never entered your mind, either. But the truth is, you spend more time with yourself than with anyone else! So getting along well with yourself is vital to your well-being.

Do you like yourself? Many people don’t. Self-rejection and even self-hatred contribute to many of the struggles we have in life. Think about it: Rejecting or holding hatred toward others causes all kinds of problems in relationships with them, so why wouldn’t rejecting or hating or disliking yourself cause the same kind of problems in your relationship with yourself?

Today’s scripture urges us to pursue and go after peaceful relations with God, others, and ourselves. I encourage you to embrace and accept yourself because God created you just the way He wants you to be and made every unique thing about you. He loves you tremendously, so let that truth empower you to not only like yourself, but also to love yourself. As you grow in this way, you’ll notice that some of your problems will decrease and eventually go away.

Love Yourself Today: Make a list of your good qualities. Take a moment to think about how these positive attributes are a blessing to you and to others. Thank God for making so many good things about you!

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Power for Healing

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“Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him” (James 5:14,15).

Many years ago the principal of a missionary school in Hong Kong asked me to address the student body the following day. He and others involved in the school had prayed for years for revival to come to the student body and faculty. “God has impressed me,” he said, “that you are to be His instrument for that revival.” God encouraged my heart and gave me such a sense of great excitement and anticipation that I could hardly go to sleep that night.

But early in the morning, some kind of serious amoebic illness struck me and I could hardly get out of bed. Believing that God was going to use me in spite of my illness, though, I claimed His supernatural power and was dressed and ready when the principal arrived to take me to the anticipated meeting. A famous Asian evangelist who, for several years, had been ill with a mysterious disease that even the finest medical specialists were unable to diagnose had also gotten out of his sickbed to be my interpreter.

Here we were, two very sick men delivering a message on revival. However, I had hardly spoken more than a sentence or two when I felt the supernatural healing touch of God upon me. The power was reflected in my message and God did send revival, not only to the students and faculty, but also to this speaker.

Later, as we rejoiced together, the principal asked if I would join in praying for my interpreter who was still very ill. We gathered around and laid hands on him – the principal, his wife and I. By faith we claimed his healing and I went on my way. Within days the man was miraculously restored to the fullness of health and within weeks on his first evangelistic speaking tour in several years, proclaiming the good news of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the major denominations have left the emphasis on healing to some who have prostituted this great truth, cheapened it, and made it a laughing matter, not only among evangelical believers, but in the secular world at large. Though many for whom we pray are not healed – else no one would die – we must remember that it is a privilege and power available to believers that we can claim for the glory of our risen Savior.

Bible Reading: James 5:13-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will pray for those who are ill and claim God’s supernatural healing power in their behalf.

 

http://www.cru.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – Walk with Jesus

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1 Peter 4:12-13

Jesus paid a huge price so that you and I could live in heaven with him forever. We can’t even begin to appreciate what he did for us—the suffering he endured, the lives that he changed—but we can be grateful for his love. This love gives us courage and strength to face hard times just like Jesus did as God’s son.

No one likes to suffer, but remember that when you do, Jesus understands all about it, not just because he’s God, but because he himself suffered on earth too. He understands when you’re sad, lonely, angry, and depressed because he experienced every one of those emotions. He felt betrayed when his closest friends handed him over to the Pharisees and pretended not to know him. He felt pain when he suffered under the whip and on the cross. And because he knows what it’s like to suffer on earth, Christ will be with you in your tough times.

Dear Lord, I’m so glad that Jesus knows everything about me. Thank you that he chose to endure the cross. Please help me endure the hard things I face. Amen

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Satisfies His Creation

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“The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:15-16)

As they walked through the aquarium, Maria’s dad helped her read the signs beside each fish tank. Most of the signs told where the fish in that tank would normally be found, what their habits were, and what they ate. Most of the fish ate seaweed, insects, or other types of underwater creatures.

Maria felt a little sad when she learned that some of the big fish liked to eat the smaller fish she had seen in other tanks. “Dad, why does God let the big fish eat the little fish?” she asked. “Doesn’t He care about the little fish?”

“Of course He does. God cares about all of His creatures.” Dad tapped the edge of the tank to point out a large shark circling slowly through the water. “But if He let the little fish have the run of the ocean, pretty soon there would be too many of them. That would cause problems for all the other creatures that share their living space. One reason that the big fish feed on the little fish is to control the number of little fish.”

Maria thought about that, and it made a lot of sense. “We eat some of the fish too,” she said.

“That’s right. In fact, after the Flood, God told Noah that all the creatures of the earth could be food for humans. So…God feeds the little fish, and they become food for the big fish, and sometimes the big fish become food for us. Pretty wise plan, eh?”

Maria nodded.

“After we’re done at the aquarium today, how’d you like to go out for lunch at a seafood place?”

Maria wrinkled her nose. “Only if I can get peanut butter and jelly there.”

Dad laughed. “It’s a deal. PB and J for you, flounder for me.”

God cares so much for His creation that He makes sure every living creature has food to eat. He not only satisfies our desires for food but also our desires for things like friendship, forgiveness, and joy. In God Himself is everything we need to satisfy our hearts.

God satisfies the desires of every living creature.

My Response:

» What are some ways that God has satisfied your desires?

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – ANCESTRY AND GOD

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Read 1 CHRONICLES 1:1-2:2

Because of people’s growing interest in tracing their family history, Ancestry.com has become the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world. Subscribers can use the Internet to access billions of historical records and submit DNA samples to learn about their roots.

This month we will take a deep dive into God’s genealogical database as we study the book of 1 Chronicles. Although genealogical lists play an important role in 1 Chronicles, it is also a book of history that focuses primarily on the dynasty of David. The first chapter describes David’s lineage, beginning with Adam and Abraham’s descendants.

The list is impressive. There are 200 proper names in the first chapter alone! With so many unfamiliar names and so little narrative, we may be tempted to give up and turn to a more familiar passage. We should remember that each name listed in this book represents someone’s story. We will learn some of the details along the way, but only God can know the whole story. We should also take heart because these lists of names show us that the God who made us is also the God who knows us. He knows us by name and is familiar with every detail of our lives. The God whose actions are described along with the names listed in this book is the God of their history and of ours.

This is especially true of Jesus Christ, who “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). As we begin this study, let’s ask God for the patience to persevere in our reading. Our circumstances may not be identical with theirs, but if we know Jesus Christ as Savior, we have become part of this story.

APPLY THE WORD

This list of names in Chronicles is more than a genealogy. It is a kind of faith history. Why not get things started by doing some research into your own family’s faith history? Ask family members about their journey of faith. How does it compare to your own? Look for an opportunity to share your faith story with your family members as well.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Releasing the Holy Spirit’s Power

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Romans 8:26-27

God’s Spirit indwells believers at salvation, which means His power is available from that moment (Eph. 1:13). God created a simple way for us to access that strength every single day.

First, we must accept the truth that in and of ourselves, we are powerless to live out God’s will. No matter how capable we may be, our own strength and wisdom are insufficient. Sometimes Christians become prideful about the good they have done or the number of years they’ve been saved. Imagine how much more we could serve the Lord if we would humbly get out of God’s way and let Him work through us.

Second, we surrender our entire life to the guidance and governing of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we choose to conduct our spiritual walk—as well as our vocation, finances, family, and relationships—as God desires. His Spirit is not going to release supernatural power into a life that is continuing in rebellion.

Third, we exercise faith, which means demonstrating belief and trust in the Lord. Faith is the “switch” that releases the Spirit’s power. It’s like saying, “I believe You’ve got a plan, God, so I’m going to trust You to give me what I need in order to do Your will.” Then He will move heaven and earth to provide for your need, whatever it may be.

Merely memorizing and reviewing the steps isn’t enough. Instead, commit to these principles as a way of life. Get used to thinking, I can’t but God can— I’ll submit to His will because His plans are for my good and His glory. That’s the kind of life that overflows with the Holy Spirit’s power.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 103-106

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Time to Flourish

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Read: Luke 13:1–9

Bible in a Year: Job 17–19; Acts 10:1–23

“Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.”—Luke 13:8

Last spring I decided to cut down the rose bush by our back door. In the three years we’d lived in our home, it hadn’t produced many flowers, and its ugly, fruitless branches were now creeping in all directions.

But life got busy, and my gardening plan got delayed. It was just as well—only a few weeks later that rose bush burst into bloom like I’d never seen before. Hundreds of big white flowers, rich in perfume, hung over the back door, flowed into our yard, and showered the ground with beautiful petals.

My rose bush’s revival reminded me of Jesus’s parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9. In Israel, it was customary to give fig trees three years to produce fruit. If they didn’t, they were cut down so the soil could be better used. In Jesus’s story, a gardener asks his boss to give one particular tree a fourth year to produce. In context (vv. 1-5), the parable implies this: The Israelites hadn’t lived as they should, and God could justly judge them. But God is patient and had given extra time for them to turn to Him, be forgiven, and bloom.

God wants all people to flourish and has given extra time so that they can. Whether we are still journeying toward faith or are praying for unbelieving family and friends, His patience is good news for all of us. —Sheridan Voysey

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5.

God has given the world extra time to respond to His offer of forgiveness.

INSIGHT: Right before the words of today’s passage, Jesus described how His coming causes division between those who accept Jesus and the new reality He brings and those who reject Him (Luke 12:49-56). Words like these could have led some to interpret tragedies like lives lost in a collapsed tower (13:4) as God’s judgment. But Jesus rejected this way of thinking (v. 5), teaching that we should not condemn others, but instead look at ourselves. The parable of the barren fig tree (vv. 6-9) illustrates that although God is merciful and has given the world extra time to turn to Him (v. 9), a choice to live in Him must be made. That’s the only way to live fruitfully. How can you, instead of condemning others, focus more deeply on your response to Christ? Monica Brands

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Shadow and Influence

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Ask an American about the most historically significant event of 1776 and you will most certainly hear about the signing of the declaration, independence from Great Britain, and the birthday of our nation. But 1776 also significantly marks the publication of Adam Smith’s influential Wealth of Nations, widely considered the first modern work in the field of economics and a work that remains widely influential today. Both Wealth of Nations and The Declaration of Independence are publications that have inarguably shaped the world in ways beyond even what the original authors imagined.

All the same, historian Mark Noll suggests there is a third publication of 1776 that may have been even more historically influential than both of these momentous options. In a lecture at Harvard University, he argued: “I say with calculated awareness of what else was going on in Philadelphia [the signing of the Declaration of Independence], and in Scotland, where Adam Smith published his Wealth of Nations, that of all world-historical occurrences in that year, the publication of August Montagu Toplady’s hymn [Rock of Ages] may have been the most consequential.”(1)

This may seem a surprising choice—particularly for those who want to relegate the role of religion to far more primitive histories. Noll’s suggestion asks that we look not only beyond national histories, but beyond the version of history that wants to claim that there has always been a split between the sacred and the secular. Toplady’s hymn is one of the two most reprinted hymns in Christian history, but its words remind us of a history far beyond even this:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Shadow and Influence →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God’s Righteous Friend

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For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by his goodness].—2 Corinthians 5:21

I cannot think of anything more awesome than being a friend of God. There is nothing I would rather hear God say than, “Joyce Meyer is My friend.” I do not want Him to say, “Joyce Meyer—knows all the prayer principles; she can quote dozens of Bible verses; she sounds very eloquent when she prays; but she really doesn’t know Me at all and we are not really friends.” I want to know that God thinks of me as His friend, and I believe you long for Him to think of you that way, too. Through Jesus Christ, we have a right to be comfortable with God, to hear His voice, and to go boldly to the throne of grace to get the help we need in plenty of time to meet our needs and the needs of others (see Hebrews 4:16).

One of the best things you can ever do is to develop your friendship with God. Jesus has made you righteous through the blood He shed at the cross, so there is no reason you cannot approach God as boldly and as naturally as you would your best friend on Earth. Remember, friendship with God takes an investment of time and energy to develop. But also remember that as your friendship deepens, your ability to hear God’s voice increases. A growing, vibrant, increasingly intimate friendship with God will naturally lead to increasingly effective communication with Him.

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Anything Is Possible

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“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23, KJV).

“My doing all depends on thy believing” is what Jesus really said to the desperate father of the demoniac boy. And it is what He says to you and me today.

The Lord sought to bring forth faith in that struggling soul, and – through pain and travail – it came to birth. Realizing that the solution rested not upon God’s power but upon his own faith, the man became conscious of conflicting principles and delivered himself of a noble utterance:

“Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief.”

Mystery of mysteries: even the very faith that we must exercise to bring down the power of God is a gift from God Himself. But some conditions are laid down before we receive that gift of faith.

“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

When I spend time in God’s Word – whether reading, studying, memorizing or meditating – that faith is being built up in me. Not faith in myself, not faith in a routine, but faith in the almighty ruler of heaven and earth.

That physical illness; that unsaved loved one; that financial need; that faltering relationship; that broken home – whatever the need might be – the solution is as close as the Word of God, for our dependence upon it, and upon the God of the Word, brings the faith that unlocks the solution to every need.

Bible Reading: Mark 9:24-29

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall believe God today for every need I face, at the same time building up my faith in Him by feasting on His Word.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – “Thank You!”

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Paul says in Ephesians 5:20, “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You don’t have to name a child after God, but then again, you could. Or you could draft a letter listing all His blessings or write a song in His honor. You could sponsor an orphan, adopt a child just because God adopted you. The surest path out of a slump is marked by the road sign, “Thank you.”

But what of the disastrous days? Can we be grateful then? Jesus was. “On the night He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it.” Not often are the words “betrayed” and “thanks” in the same sentence, much less in the same heart. Anyone can thank God for the light, but Jesus teaches us to thank God for the night!

From You’ll Get Through This

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why was this video seen 5.2 million times?

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Today is Asteroid Day. In case you want to join the celebration, you can watch a program on NASA TV describing how researchers find, track, and characterize Near-Earth Objects.

From the skies to the seas: a video showing tourists in shallow water at a Florida beach has been seen more than 5.2 million times. Not because of the tourists, but because of the seven sharks swimming around them.

From sharks to tragedy: an aspiring YouTube star convinced his girlfriend to shoot a gun into the thick book covering his chest. He was certain that the book would stop the bullet and the video would make them famous. The bullet killed him; his girlfriend has been charged with manslaughter.

From tragedy to celebration: a baby was born on a Spirit Airlines plane traveling from Ft. Lauderdale for Dallas/Ft. Worth. The airline has awarded him free air travel for life.

You’re probably wondering what these stories have to do with you today. Here’s the answer: very little. Your odds of dying from a meteor, asteroid, or comet impact are one in 1,600,000. You are 17,777 times more likely to die in a car crash.

Sharks are not likely to kill you, either—falling coconuts kill fifteen times more people than sharks each year. I would guess that you’re not willing to fire a gun into a book on your chest. And I could find no statistics for the number of babies born on airplanes since this happens so rarely.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why was this video seen 5.2 million times? →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Power Within

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Ephesians 3:14-21

Bertha Smith, a missionary to China, once pronounced some of the most discouraging words I’d ever heard: “Charles, I want to tell you that you’re as good as you’ll ever be. You’re as good as you’ve ever been, and you won’t ever be any better than you are.”

I had grown up believing a falsehood—that believers were to pour effort into turning their flesh around and doing right all the time. Thankfully, Bertha wasn’t finished. “God never intended for you to get better, because you can’t improve flesh,” she said. “But the Holy Spirit, who is living inside you, will enable and live through you.”

She was right. My flesh hasn’t changed one bit. But as the Holy Spirit releases His supernatural power in my life, I find myself going beyond what is inherent to the nature of man. And the indwelling Spirit intends to do the same with every follower of God.

Although the works of the Holy Spirit are many, four are basic to the life of faith: The Spirit illumines the mind, enabling believers to understand the things of God; He energizes physical bodies to serve the Lord; He enables the will to follow through on doing what is right; and He quickens emotions to feel and express the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Bertha Smith passed on an important truth to me: Flesh is insufficient. Only the Holy Spirit living inside us has the strength and wisdom to live out the Christian life victoriously. That’s why God gave us His Spirit, through whom we reap all the benefits of a righteous and godly life.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 95-102

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Faith in Action

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Read: James 2:14–26

Bible in a Year: Job 14–16; Acts 9:22–43

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.—James 2:18

As a friend drove to the grocery store, she noticed a woman walking along the side of the road and felt she should turn the car around and offer her a ride. When she did, she was saddened to hear that the woman didn’t have money for the bus so was walking home many miles in the hot and humid weather. Not only was she making the long journey home, but she had also walked several hours that morning to arrive at work by 4 a.m.

By offering a ride, my friend put into practice in a modern setting James’s instruction for Christians to live out their faith with their deeds: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (v. 17). He was concerned that the church take care of the widows and the orphans (James 1:27), and he also wanted them to rely not on empty words but to act on their faith with deeds of love.

We are saved by faith, not works, but we live out our faith by loving others and caring for their needs. May we, like my friend who offered the ride, keep our eyes open for those who might need our help as we walk together in this journey of life. —Amy Boucher Pye

Lord Jesus Christ, You did the ultimate deed by dying on the cross for me. May I never forget the sacrifice that gives me life.

We live out our faith through our good deeds.

INSIGHT: Good works are the byproduct of our faith. James deals with the evidence essential to show the world that our faith is genuine. He wrote, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds” (2:18). Authentic trust in God will always manifest itself in loving and caring for others.How can you demonstrate your faith in Christ to someone today? Dennis Fisher

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Challenge of Atticus Finch

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Few challenges are as great for novelists as crafting a believably good character. Our native preoccupation with darkness often casts virtue in a light that is less than plausible. Perhaps most damning of all, however, is the deep-seated assumption that goodness itself is boring while the allure of badness remains magnetic. Poets and critics have long pointed to the character of Satan as the runaway hero of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Though this certainly wasn’t Milton’s intent, it is difficult to dispute that Satan stands out in the roster of characters as arguably the most dynamic, compelling, and relatable. A contemporary example would be the late Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. It’s not just that we find darkness more interesting than light, it’s that we find it more believable.

Many have received the details from Harper Lee’s novel Go Set a Watchman as disheartening news once it became clear that the book was going to cast a shadow over the beloved character of Atticus Finch. This man who has stood for many as a champion of truth, justice, and human decency may turn out to be more of a fiction than his readers ever realized. Dramatic as it sounds, America may be losing one of her icons. In the words of Sam Sacks in his Wall Street Journal review, “Go Set a Watchman is a distressing book, one that delivers a startling rebuttal to the shining idealism of To Kill a Mockingbird. This story is of the toppling of idols; its major theme is disillusion.”

Though Harper Lee may force us to reconsider the character of Atticus Finch, I find it deeply encouraging that our sorrow regarding his possible moral compromises shows a clear hunger for genuine goodness. True, disillusion may be an all-too-common theme in our imaginative landscape these days, but if we feel betrayed by Atticus Finch (or his author), that sense of betrayal is surely motivated by a conviction that true men and women of integrity exist, and that their example, strength, and leadership are much-needed. Moreover, that goodness is not only plausible, but foundational to reality. In other word, not only is goodness real, but there is a goodness that sets the clear standard against which we measure all else, including Atticus Finch and his shortcomings.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Challenge of Atticus Finch →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Power from Heaven

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But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. —Acts 1:8

It is possible to fill a glass with water without filling it to full capacity. Likewise, when you are born again you have the Holy Spirit in you, but you may not yet be totally filled with the Spirit. Many Christians are very busy doing things for God but don’t have enough power in their lives to be what God wants us to be.

Going through the motions and following religious formulas is a waste of time. You must have the revelation that Jesus is alive within you and allow Him to change you and make you a new creature in Christ. Don’t tuck God away for emergencies and Sunday mornings. Allow Him to work freely in every area of your life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Inspiration of God

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“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV).

Recently, it was my privilege to be chairman of a national congress on the Bible, which was held in San Diego, California. Thousands of Christian leaders came from across the nation and from other countries. More than fifty leading scholars addressed the various plenary and seminar sessions.

We were there to affirm our confidence that the Word of God is holy, inspired and without error. God’s Word is unlike any other book ever written. It is full of power and transforms the lives of all who read and obey its commandments. Many scholars read it without understanding, while others with little or no formal education comprehend its truths and are transformed in the process because they walk with God in humility and in the fullness and control of the Holy Spirit.

The story is told of a famous actor who attended a party one evening. A minister, who was also present, asked him if he would be kind enough to recite the 23rd Psalm. The actor, a famous and eloquent star of stage and screen, agreed on one condition – that the minister, a man in his eighties who had served God faithfully and humbly for half a century, would also recite the psalm.

The minister agreed, and the actor began. The words came like beautiful music, and everyone was enthralled at his beautiful presentation of the 23rd Psalm. A standing ovation greeted him at the finish.

Then the minister stood. He was not polished or eloquent. But as he began to recite the 23rd Psalm, a holy hush fell over his listeners and tears began to fill their eyes. When he finished, there was no applause – only silence. The actor stood to his feet. “I have reached your eyes and your ears and your emotions,” he said. “But this man of God has reached the very depths of your being.”

Bible Reading: II Peter 1:19-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will seek to become familiar with God’s Word, and obedient to its precepts, that my life will reflect its teachings. I will encourage others to join me in this great adventure of getting to know God and His holy, inspired Word.

 

http://www.cru.org