Tag Archives: Peace

Wisdom Hunters – Road Less Traveled 

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13–14

What road do you travel in life? Is it the narrow road of trust in God and others, or is it the wide road of trust in you alone? Do you briskly travel down the road of life with the masses, or is your trip more measured and prayerful with a few companions? The wide road may seem more exciting in the beginning, but it is the narrow road that leads to fulfillment.

You may have been on the road of righteousness with Christ for a long time. Now it seems like your Savior is directing you in a direction that is less familiar. The level of faith required to digest the risk is much higher and more daunting. Even within the family of faith there are not that many who have gone where your heavenly Father is asking you to go. How will you respond? Do not be so cautious that you miss Christ’s new direction.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Road Less Traveled 

Joyce Meyer – The Paraclete

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].—John 16:13

God knew you would need help in understanding His plan for you, so He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inside you. He is your Guide, your Teacher of truth, your Comfort, and your Helper. He is also the Parakletos (Paraclete), which means counselor, advocate, and intercessor.

Jesus was confined to a body and could be only one place at a time. But He knew the Holy Spirit would be with you everywhere you go, all the time, leading and guiding you. Embrace the Holy Spirit in you, resting in the knowledge that in Him you are becoming everything God planned for you to be.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Refuge for the Oppressed

“All who are oppressed may come to Him. He is a refuge for them in their time of trouble” (Psalm 9:9).

The late evangelist Henry Moorehouse once faced a disturbing dilemma. His little paralyzed daughter greeted him as he entered the house bearing a package for his wife.

“Where is Mother?” he asked, after kissing and embracing his daughter.

“Mother is upstairs,” the girl responded.

“Well,” Moorehouse said, “I have a package for her.”

Continue reading Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Refuge for the Oppressed

Ray Stedman – The One Coming

Read: Isaiah 11:1-5

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2)

It is not difficult for us to see that this is a clear prediction of the Lord Jesus. Here in these opening verses is a hint that the Messiah will appear in history in a very obscure way. That is suggested by this word, A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. Like a great tree that has been cut down, the ancestry of Jesus represented in David and his father Jesse has been reduced to obscurity and insignificance. But out of that lowly stump will arise a shoot, a single sprout, a man who will, as the prophet goes on to say, be filled with the Spirit of God and who will do a great work in the land. When our Lord is referred to as the son of David in the gospels, it is always in terms of royal glory, but when he is called the stump of Jesse, it is a reference to his humble beginnings.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The One Coming

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – A Good and Beautiful Life

Read: Colossians 3:1-17

Put off the old self with its practices and . . . put on the new self. (vv. 9-10)

What is the key to living a good life? Marketers spend millions convincing us that they know the answer. But the truth is, we were created to be in fellowship with God. The key to a good life is our collaboration with the Holy Spirit to build it.

What will this life look like? Colossians 3 gives a clear description of a good and beautiful life with directions on how to gain it. First, we take off our old self with its need for self-gratification and control. Then, we put on a new self. We are able to do this because we are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved” (v. 12). Next, we allow God’s Spirit to make us into compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, and loving people.

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – A Good and Beautiful Life

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C. – Invisible

First year spy school includes a course in “How to Hide in Plain Sight.” Could you pass the class? Being unnoticed hinges on common sense ingredients like adjusting your clothing to match those around you, walking slowly in close proximity to a larger group, and avoiding eye contact in a crowd. Thankfully, your life will probably never depend on not being noticed…but it never hurts to be prepared.

In the cover of your presence you hide them…you store them in your shelter.

Psalm 31:20

In today’s verse, David expresses his great confidence in God’s protection. David endured the unrelenting jealously and persecution of a powerful enemy. King Saul used every resource available to seek out and attempt to destroy David. In the midst of such fearful circumstances, David leaned deeply upon the Lord and trusted in His providence for security. David knew Saul couldn’t do anything that God did not allow.

Continue reading Presidential Prayer Team; G.C. – Invisible

Kids 4 Truth International – God Never Makes Mistakes

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” (Psalm 18:30)

Have you ever tried to make it through a whole day without making a mistake, a wrong decision? When I was little I used to try so hard not to do anything wrong – not to sin – all day long. Of course, it didn’t take long before I did something wrong and sinned. Don’t you wish you could just decide to be perfect – and then not mess up? Well, you and I can’t do that, but there’s Someone that never messes up.

God never makes a mistake; He never sins! The verse I quoted above tells us that God’s words can be trusted. What God says has been “tried.” That means His word has been tested and proved. Isn’t it nice to know that we can trust what God says because He never makes a mistake? He has never made a mistake in the past and will never make one in the future. Even though we make mistakes, we know that God never will and that He can help us make fewer mistakes in the future.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Never Makes Mistakes

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – One Blessing After Another

Today’s Scripture: 1 Peter 1:2

“May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

John wrote that Jesus was “full of grace and truth” and that “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:14,16). The idea portrayed is analogous to the ocean waves crashing upon the beach. One wave has hardly disappeared before another arrives. They just keep coming from an inexhaustible supply. So it is with the grace of God through Christ. He’s full of grace and truth, and from his inexhaustible fullness we receive one blessing after another.

Continue reading The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – One Blessing After Another

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – When Your Ministry Changes

Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 13-17

Always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. – 2 Timothy 3:7

George Sheffer died of a heart attack at age seventy. He had been with Young Life since its beginning in the early forties and had invested himself in people all over the world. There were more than a thousand people at his memorial service.

During the last four years of George’s life, he spent a lot of time in Africa, sharing his vision of youth ministry with men and women in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi. He had just returned from Africa the night he went home to be with the Lord. During his final years, George drew experiences from the treasure house of a lifetime of sharing Christ with others. He adapted his ministry and remained useful to the Lord right up to the end.

Continue reading The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – When Your Ministry Changes

Charles Stanley – Walking by Faith

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

In the Christian community, we often hear the term faith. However, when such a word is used frequently, it can become so familiar that we grow immune to its great depth of meaning. Today let’s consider what faith actually entails.

All people have faith. For example, it takes a measure of confidence to sit down in a kitchen chair without first testing its strength. Yet belief in the fact that furniture will hold our weight is quite different from entrusting our life to almighty God. A wrong judgment concerning the first may result in a physical bruise, whereas the latter determines not only our success in this life but also our eternal destination.

Continue reading Charles Stanley – Walking by Faith

Our Daily Bread — What Will Be

Read: Revelation 22:1-5

Bible in a Year: Exodus 39-40; Matthew 23:23-39

No longer will there be any curse. —Revelation 22:3

You and I have something in common. We live in a mixed-up, tarnished world and we have never known anything different. Adam and Eve, however, could remember what life was like before the curse. They could recall the world as God intended it to be—free of death, hardship, and pain (Gen. 3:16-19). In pre-fall Eden, hunger, unemployment, and illness did not exist. No one questioned God’s creative power or His plan for human relationships.

Continue reading Our Daily Bread — What Will Be

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – God Is Holy

“‘There is no one holy like the Lord’” (1 Samuel 2:2).

God’s holiness means He transcends everything else and is completely righteous and separated from evil.

Holiness is arguably God’s most significant attribute. The angels don’t sing, “Eternal, eternal, eternal” or “Faithful, faithful, faithful” or “Mighty, mighty, mighty.” Rather, they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty” (Rev. 4:8; compare Isa. 6:3). His holiness sums up all He is. The psalmist says, “Holy and awesome is His name” (Ps. 111:9). Moses sings, “Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11). And Hannah prays, “There is no one holy like the Lord, indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:2).

What does it mean that God is holy? The words translated “holy” in the Bible have the root meaning of “separation.” God’s being and character transcend everything else. He is not subject to the frailties and limitations of His creation. God is completely without sin. He does not just conform to a holy standard; He is the standard.

Continue reading John MacArthur – Strength for Today – God Is Holy

Wisdom Hunters – How Long? 

My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?     Psalm 6:3

“How long?” is a fair question to ask of the Lord. He does not expect us to suffer in silence. In fact, it’s okay and desirable to pour out our petitions to Him. We need heaven’s healing. When we verbalize our confusion to our loving heavenly Father, we feel relief. Just to know that the Lord listens to our heartfelt cries, no matter how petty or profound, is reassuring. Sometimes we can’t sleep well at night. We wake up in anguish, our mind racing. Our heart needs a touch of grace and peace from Jesus. A troubled heart has a hard time with sweet dreams because there is a dread or disappointment that destroys its quality of rest. However, deep sleep accompanies those who are able rest in Him. Rest is a result of resting in the Lord’s presence (Exodus 33:14).

The pain will linger until you see Jesus face to face, because it is a touch from the Lord that will get you through this difficulty. Therefore, do not let this momentary affliction keep you from experiencing God. Adversity is meant to engage us with eternity (2 Corinthians 4:17). If everything were easy, we would be prone to forget our heavenly Father. So while on earth, it is okay to ask, “How long?”  Questions keep us from being clueless with Christ by driving us to our knees in dependency on Him. How long before you can be married? How long before your parents will be more understanding? How long before your teenager will mature? How long before the doctors can diagnose your ailment? How long before you can change careers or get a promotion? How long before finances are not such big issues?

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – How Long? 

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Demonstrate Your Love

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34

Recommended Reading

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Think about what the following words have in common with “love”: address, report, dream, risk, force, joke, license, tour, plan, whisper, stand, peel, hammer, fly, delay, comb, loan, permit, yawn, shape, and judge. All those words are both nouns and verbs, things and actions. And the digital revolution has given us even more: tweet, google, e-mail, text, and others.

Continue reading Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – Love Languages: Demonstrate Your Love

Joyce Meyer – Waiting on God

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.—Psalm 27:14

When we “wait” on God, we are not being lazy or passive, but we are actually being very active spiritually. We may not be “doing” anything, but we are trusting God to do what needs to be done. In effect, we are saying, “Lord, I will not try to do this in my own strength. I will wait on You to deliver me. And I’m going to enjoy my life while I wait for You.”

Satan wants us to be frustrated from trying to solve our own problems. He hates our joy. He wants to see anything but joy, because the joy of the Lord is our strength (see Nehemiah 8:10). Worry robs us of strength, but joy energizes us.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – Waiting on God

Girlfriends in God – Heart Wide Open

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Luke 10:2

We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our “Friday Friends.” So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our “Friday Friend,” Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Friend To Friend

Continue reading Girlfriends in God – Heart Wide Open

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Children of God

“But to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust Him to save them” (John 1:12).

My wife, Vonette, had been active in the church since she was a little girl, and I assumed that she was a Christian. However, after my proposal and during our engagement, I realized she had never received Christ, though she was a very moral, religious person.

Because of the emotional involvement, I hesitated to press her to receive Christ because I was afraid she would go through the motions of receiving Him to please me, which certainly would not be pleasing to our Lord. So I asked the Lord to send someone who could introduce her to Christ. He clearly led me to call upon a dear friend, the late Dr. Henrietta Mears, who had played such a vital role in my own spiritual growth.

Continue reading Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Children of God

Ray Stedman – The Great Light

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

What a remarkable picture! It hardly needs any exposition. Suddenly, after a great time of trouble, the nation will realize that this glorious King, their Messiah, once came as a little child: to us a child is born. He who was for eternity the Son of God was given to them as a little Baby in Bethlehem. They recognize at last, after centuries of rejection, that this One rightly deserves divine titles. This is Immanuel, God with us.

The four titles Isaiah lists represent that: Wonderful Counselor. Did anyone ever fulfill that more fully than Jesus? He unveils to us secrets about ourselves, counsels us how to avoid the heartaches and problems that otherwise would beset us, showing the way of deliverance from the taint and pollution of sin.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The Great Light

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Making All Things New

Read: John 14:15-19; 16:5-16

A new spirit I will put within you. (Ezek. 36:26)

If you were ever a candidate for cataract surgery, your doctor probably promised that your dull and drab world would be bright and colorful after your surgery. Of course, you couldn’t know that your world was dull and drab until you had the surgery. You had to take that step in order to find a new world. The same is true in our spiritual lives. The Holy Spirit is the one helps us grow spiritually, but we have to open our hearts to him to obtain his help.

Continue reading Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Making All Things New

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – A Winning Cry

Visit any playground and you might find a group of kids playing “Mercy.” This popular children’s game of strength and endurance also goes by other names such as “Peanuts” and “Uncle.” In the game, each player attempts to bend back the fingers of the other player until they can no longer stand the pain or reverse the situation, at which time the “losing” player cries out for mercy. Then the “winning” person releases the fingers to stop the pain.

Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

Psalm 28:6

In the scriptures leading to today’s verse, David expresses his suffering. He anxiously prays to God asking for mercy…and the Lord immediately answers his prayer. The pain stops and he experiences peace that leads him to bless the Lord.

Continue reading Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – A Winning Cry