Tag Archives: Prayer

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Mystery of the Jewish People

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Read: Romans 11:25-32

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. Romans 11:25-26

Perhaps the striking thing about this passage is that Paul calls the Jews’ present resistance to the gospel a mystery. He doesn’t mean that it is obscure and difficult to understand. When Paul calls this a mystery he means that it is a supernatural phenomenon that has to be revealed to us. You can’t explain it by the normal reasons for resistance to the gospel. I do not know if you have had any occasion to try to witness to a Jewish person. If you have, perhaps you have run up against what seemed to be a rock wall of indifference and resistance to what you were trying to say. If so, you may well have been experiencing what Paul is talking about here, a strange hardening toward the gospel by Jewish people. It is not because the Jews are inferior in intelligence — they are among the most intelligent of people. It is not because they don’t want God; they are among the most religious of all people. Ordinarily you would think they would be open to hearing the good news of how God, in grace, is ready to reach men and change them and indwell them and enrich their lives. And yet those who go among the Jews often find this strange resistance, this anger that is awakened because of the preaching of the gospel.

Paul says three things about this hardness: First, it is a hardening in part. That is, not all Jews are afflicted this way. We are not told here what portion of Israel is going to be hardened — whether 10% or 90%. All we are told is that there are going to be some Jews who simply will not hear, who will not receive the gospel. I have been to Israel five times, and I am always amazed at how resistant the Jews there seem to be to the claims of the Lord Jesus. And Paul tells us that this hardening is not only in part, but it is also limited in time. It is not going to go on forever. A hardening of the heart has happened until the full number of the Gentiles come in. So this is not something that they are bound to experience forever. What does the full number of the Gentiles mean?

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Christ’s Ambassadors

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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

We are ambassadors for Christ. (v. 20)

Arriving in India in the middle of the night after a long journey, I shuffled zombie like through a huge jam of people in front of the Immigration Control desks, looking with envy at the empty line marked “Diplomatic Passports Only.” Ambassadors enjoy VIP perks because they really are important people. Their job is to speak authoritatively on behalf of the government they represent. In order to do this, ambassadors must be sure they know what their leaders want them to say.

Who are we as servants of Jesus Christ? Here is another answer given by Paul to the church in Corinth: We are Christ’s ambassadors. And we know what our King wants us to say. It’s “the message of reconciliation,” namely, that “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (v. 19 NIV). Notice that God is the subject here, the one doing the work of reconciling. It’s not just that we must be reconciled to God; God also must be reconciled to us. Sin has caused problems on both sides of a broken relationship, and only God can accomplish the great act of reconciliation–Christ’s death on the cross–which clears the way to restored fellowship with him.

But there are some things for us to do: we must first believe the gospel ourselves and accept what God has done for us. “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (v. 20). And then we must proclaim this message as ambassadors to the whole world.

Prayer:

Thank God for the work and message of reconciliation.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Forgiveness Brings Courage

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Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.—John 8:36

Sometimes people have a hard time believing they have been forgiven by God. They walk around with guilt and feel almost as though they will be able to pay some kind of penance by continuing to beat themselves up over their sins. But they need to accept the forgiveness that Christ has given to them and start behaving like a forgiven person, realizing that “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

In Matthew 9, we find the story of a paralyzed man who was carried by his friends into the presence of Jesus. When Jesus saw the faith of his friends, He said to the man, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you” (verse 2). This is the first time we see Jesus’ use of the phrase, “Be of good cheer,” and He used it when He was assuring a man that his sins were forgiven.

Now, it doesn’t seem like they brought him to Jesus to have his sins forgiven; it seems like they brought him to be healed. So Jesus went on to say, “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the man, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” (verses 5–6). And the man did.

Jesus forgave this man of his sins, and in this case, God’s forgiveness brought courage. God does His part, and then we must do ours. You see, God gives His forgiveness to us, and we must accept that forgiveness.

Are you living in God’s forgiveness? Or, are you living in guilt because you are unwilling to accept it?

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Love

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“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“Love” is a hard word to describe. We use it too much. We say we “love” brownies, for instance. And we say we “love” our moms. We might say we “love” the color green or that we “love” rain. So when Romans 8:39 says that nothing can separate us from the love of God, what does that really mean? What does it mean that God loves us?

1 Corinthians 13 explains “love” better than any other chapter in the Bible. Using this chapter, we learn how true love really is defined (what it really means):

God is patient – He is waiting for you to trust Him.

God is kind – He is a Father to His people.

God is not proud – He sent His only Son to die even though He was God.

God is always the same – He never changes. You can trust Him.

God wants the best for you – Read Romans 8:28.

God is happy when you obey.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Love →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – A Biblical View of Grace

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1

“We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”

I once heard a definition of grace as God’s making up the difference between the requirements of his righteous law and what we lack in meeting those requirements. No one is good enough to earn salvation by himself, this definition said, so God’s grace simply makes up what we lack. Some receive more grace than others, but all receive whatever they need to obtain salvation. No one ever need be lost because whatever grace he needs is his for the taking.

This definition of grace sounds very generous of God, doesn’t it, making up whatever we lack? The problem with this definition, though, is that it isn’t true. It represents a grave misunderstanding of the grace of God and a very inadequate view of our plight as sinners before a holy God. We need to be sure we have a biblical view of grace, for grace is at the very heart of the Gospel. It is certainly not necessary for someone to understand all the theology of grace to be saved, but if a person has a false notion of grace, it probably means he or she does not really understand the Gospel.

For living by grace, we need to be sure we first understand saving grace. It would be a fatal injustice if I allowed you to believe that all the wonderful provisions of God’s grace are yours apart from salvation through Jesus Christ.

Grace is always the same, whether God exercises it in saving us or in dealing with us as believers. In whatever way the Bible defines saving grace, that same definition applies in the arena of living the Christian life day by day. (Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Thanks Be to God

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:57

We all have an Achilles’ heel–a weakness that’s difficult to overcome. I remember when I first started an exercise program years ago. For an ex-Marine, you’d think exercise would come naturally, but there were numerous times I had trouble getting down to the gym. And even after I got there it was tough. After all, it was a workout.

In the Bible there are certain teachings that aren’t easy to obey. And different teachings are difficult for different people. For some, witnessing is a scary thing. Getting up early for a devotional time with the Lord can be difficult. My difficulty can be summed up in one short statement by the apostle Paul: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Friend, it’s hard for me to give thanks in every circumstance.

I remember flying home one Saturday night. I was preparing a Sunday school lesson on the subject of thanksgiving. I had the tray down and was using it as a desk. I was deep in thought when the guy in front of me suddenly reclined his seat. The tray was now hugging my chest, and I sat looking at the top of the guy’s head. I began to mutter and then dropped my pen. Now I really began to fume, under my breath, of course. Then it dawned on me. I was preparing to teach others about giving thanks in every situation, and I sat fretting over a pen. I began to laugh, confessed my bad attitude to God, and finished the lesson.

Sound familiar? I thought so. It’s one of those tough teachings of Scripture, but it can be a reality if we walk daily as disciples.

Prayer

Lord, You are so good to me, giving me the power to do those things befitting Your children. Amen.

To Ponder

God delights in giving me His strength to overcome my weaknesses.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – Defend Life: On Election Day and Every Day

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Tomorrow is Election Day. And here’s some advice from Chuck Colson from a few years ago that applies even during this crazy 2016 campaign. “Vote as your conscience informs you. And allow your faith to inform your conscience.”

We must be morally informed and conscientious citizens who see voting as a civic duty. And to do so, we need to distinguish between those issues essential for Christians, and those that are matters of prudential judgment. As I wrote in an article for Decision magazine recently, the sacred value of every life, the essential institution that is marriage and family and the preservation of religious freedom are fundamental, essential issues. Others—such as minimum wage increases, gun control, education policy, health care—they matter, but they’re prudential. In fact, it will be impossible to get those issues right, if we don’t first establish that human value is intrinsic and universal, that no society survives without strong families, and that people are first of all allegiant to God, not the state.

When it comes to these essential issues, there can be no debate for Christians. Here at BreakPoint and the Colson Center, we’ll never tell you for whom to vote. But let me be blunt. The dignity of human life from conception through natural death is non-negotiable. And voting for a candidate or initiative that supports the killing of children in the womb or the early termination of the life of the elderly and the infirmed cannot be reconciled with the Christian faith.

As we say here often, politics isn’t everything, but it isn’t nothing, either. The fact is, one presidential candidate, during a nationally televised debate, defended not only abortion, but partial-birth abortion. And one party not only has forgotten its promise to make abortion “rare,” its current, 2016 platform supports the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which would force taxpayers—you and me—to pay for the abortions of Medicaid recipients.

In a powerful homily in October, the Very Reverend John Lankeit of the Phoenix Diocese told his Roman Catholic parishioners that they sin if they vote for candidates and platforms that support “intrinsic evils” such as abortion—harming their own souls and causing a scandal in the church. “Make no mistake,” he said. “There is no single issue that threatens innocent human life more directly, consistently, imminently, and urgently than the deliberate killing of baby boys and baby girls in their mother’s womb.” We have a “serious obligation to protect human life,” he added. “Whoever fails to do so, when able to do so, commits a serious sin of omission.”

Continue reading BreakPoint – Defend Life: On Election Day and Every Day →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – GREED, ANXIETY, AND THE ESCALATION OF DISCONTENT

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Read 1 KINGS 21:1–19

Recent research tells us that 38 percent, about two out of every five Americans, worry every day. Women worry more than men. Younger people worry more than older people. Top worries include relationships, housing, and finances.

King Ahab wasn’t worried about making ends meet. But even people who have enough can worry about money. Ahab allowed his greed to make him irritated, anxious, and discontent. This illustrates what Ecclesiastes said yesterday—one can work and acquire but remain unsatisfied—as well as the fact that the sin of worry is related to the sin of envy or covetousness.

King Ahab wanted to purchase land to add to his summer estate at Jezreel (vv. 1–3). The owner, Naboth, refused the offer, however, because the land was a family inheritance from the Lord. To sell it would be tantamount to betraying God for money. In other ancient Near Eastern nations, a king could just seize what he wanted; but Israel’s laws, given by God, were different. Ahab didn’t take the news well, pouting and sulking like a small child (vv. 4–6).

Queen Jezebel solved his problem (vv. 7–16). Through bullying and false accusations, she arranged for Naboth to be stoned to death. She even used the Law to accomplish her plan, adding blasphemy to murder, lies, and injustice. Given the charges, Naboth’s sons were probably stoned along with him, so there was no one to stand in the way when Ahab took possession of the vineyard.

Probably no one was fooled by Jeze- bel’s deceptions, but no one had the courage to oppose her until Elijah did so (vv. 17–19). The prophecies against her and Ahab were fulfilled in 2 Kings 9 and 10, executed by Jehu, who had heard them spoken (see 9:25–26)—a perfect example of poetic justice.

APPLY THE WORD

One sin tends to breed others. Ahab’s greed, envy, or covetousness led to discontent, a form of worry. The discontent led to anger, which led to his complicity in his wife’s abuse of power, lies, murder, and blasphemy. Worry might not seem like much, but when we see how it produces a tangle of other sins, we understand better how serious it is.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Two mistakes to avoid on Election Eve

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We are one day from the most chaotic presidential election I can remember, and we still aren’t sure who will win. Hillary Clinton is leading Donald Trump in the polls, but there’s more to the story.

Nate Silver, who correctly predicted forty-nine out of fifty states in 2008 and all fifty states in 2012, told ABC News yesterday that Clinton is one state away from losing the election. Then the FBI announced that their review of newly discovered emails has not changed their decision not to recommend charges against the Democratic candidate. Whether their announcement will change the race is yet to be known.

Then there’s the Senate, which confirms presidential nominations to the Supreme Court. Republicans went into this election defending twenty-four of the thirty-four seats being contested. If Clinton wins and Democrats can capture just four of the current Republican seats, she’ll have a clear pathway for her Court nominations. Many of these seats are too close to call today.

Meanwhile, Fortune reminds us that election polling is anything but infallible. Remember that polling before the Brexit election turned out to be dramatically wrong.

The angst Americans are feeling over tomorrow’s election is understandable, since so many tie their future to their country. If the economy falls back into recession, our incomes go down. If the nation goes to war, many of our children must fight. If the government legalizes unbiblical morality, Christians’ religious liberties become threatened. What our leaders do about abortion affects millions of unborn lives.

But let’s not make the mistake so many other Americans are making. Our nation is not the democracy (“rule of the people”) we think it is. Our future does not lie with tomorrow’s election or the one after that. It does not lie with either party or with any branch of the federal government. It does not lie with state or local leaders, or with multinational corporations, or with any other human enterprise.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Two mistakes to avoid on Election Eve →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A City on a Hill

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Matthew 5:14-16

God’s children are on display to the world like a city on a hill (Matt. 5:14). The light from a thriving metropolis can be seen for miles. Likewise, believers are to “shine” in such a way that others will observe our good works and honor God.

A Christian’s “faith light” is evident through his or her deeds. We want coworkers, friends, and others in our sphere of influence to sit up and take notice of the way we live. The reason? Because once people notice that we are not simply “out for number one,” they’ll want to know why. Then they might gradually begin to connect the dots: Thinking, He helps others even when it’s difficult or She says she does this because she’s a Christian could lead them to conclude, Then their God must be worthy and good. The more we are seen doing good works, the more glory goes to God, who is the Author of our service record.

To balance the command to shine, however, the Lord did give an admonition in Matthew 6:1: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.” In other words, be mindful of the motive. If we’re performing in order to get a pat on the back or the attention of others, we will lose out on a heavenly reward. That fleeting bit of worldly appreciation is all we’ll get for our efforts.

Believers are here to point others to the God they serve. We are a reflection of His light and glory. It is He who not only gives opportunity to shine but also equips us with the strength and gifts to work for the kingdom. As bright as we may seem, we are nothing apart from the Lord.

Bible in One Year: John 14-16

 

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Safe Place

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Read: 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 13:4–7

Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 37–39; Hebrews 3

That is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.—1 Corinthians 6:11

A young Japanese man had a problem—he was afraid of leaving his house. To avoid other people, he slept through the day and stayed up all night watching TV. He was a hikikomori or a modern-day hermit. The problem began when he stopped going to school because of poor grades. The longer he remained apart from society, the more he felt like a social misfit. Eventually he broke off all communication with his friends and family. He was helped on his journey to recovery, though, by visiting a youth club in Tokyo known as an ibasho—a safe place where broken people could start reintroducing themselves to society.

What if we thought of the church as an ibasho—and far more? Without a doubt, we are a community of broken people. When the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth he described their former way of life as anti-social, harmful, and dangerous to themselves and others (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But in Jesus they were being transformed and made whole. And Paul encouraged these rescued people to love one another, to be patient and kind, not to be jealous or proud or rude (13:4-7).

The church is to be an ibasho where all of us, no matter what struggles or brokenness we face, can know and experience God’s love. May the hurting world experience the compassion of Christ from all who follow Him. —Poh Fang Chia

Dear Lord, thank You for paying the penalty for my sins by Your death and resurrection and giving me new life. Help me to live a life that honors Your holy name and to love others as You have loved me.

Only God can transform a sin-stained soul into a masterpiece of grace.

INSIGHT: Without the correct biblical frame of reference, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 could lead us to believe certain kinds of sins are unforgivable. Does today’s Bible reading actually teach that certain sinners are beyond redemption? The answer lies in the contrasting sentence that provides us with a clearer picture of what the apostle is saying: “And that is what some of you were [emphasis mine]. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v. 11). It is not the committing of sins that condemns irrevocably. It is the continuous lifestyle of sin that indicates a person has not experienced regeneration through faith in Christ. Dennis Fisher

 

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Searching for Wisdom

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“‘Where can wisdom be found?’” (Job 28:12).

Wisdom is found in a Person, not a place.

In ancient days men would drill a shaft deep into a mountain or the ground, suspend themselves with a rope, and hang in the shaft while they tried to find some metal or precious stone to mine. In the Old Testament Job described the process this way: “He [man] sinks a shaft far from habitation, forgotten by the foot; they hang and swing to and fro far from men” (Job 28:4). The miner searched far below the earth’s surface for “anything precious” (v. 10).

Man goes to great efforts to search for precious metals. “But,” Job says, “where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. . . . Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can silver be weighed as its price” (vv. 12-13, 15). Nothing in the world can buy wisdom, and it can’t be found in the things of the world.

So where does wisdom come from? Job says, “It is hidden from the eyes of all living. . . . Abaddon [Destruction] and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ God understands its way; and He knows its place” (vv. 2123). If you are searching for wisdom, go to God. He knows where wisdom is because “He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens. . . . And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding’” (vv. 24, 28).

What is true wisdom? To fear God and depart from evil. Wisdom isn’t a question of how much you know, but of whether you love the Lord your God and depart from sin. Only when you pursue God will you know true wisdom.

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask God to help you adorn your life with the ornaments of His true wisdom and have a winsome testimony that attracts others to Christ.

For Further Study

Read the following verses, noting how both the Old and New Testaments tell us that God is the source of true wisdom: Job 9:4; Psalm 104:24; Proverbs 3:19-20; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Timothy 1:17 (NKJV).

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Bear Much Fruit 

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

Much fruit that remains is the goal of a disciple of Christ. This glorifies God and accomplishes His purposes. Fruit- bearing glorifies God because He is the source of life for the fruit. No fruit can be produced without God. The branch is intrinsically dependent on the vine.

Therefore, we as followers of Christ cannot take credit for the fruit because the fruit comes from Jesus. He is the manufacturer of fruit and we are the distributors. The fruit remains luscious as the Father prunes back the unproductive branches. We do not always invite pruning, as it is painful and disfiguring in the beginning. But over time, submission to painful pruning produces beautiful and long-lasting fruit. Trust your heavenly Father with the pruning process, and you will be much better off.

So, what is the nature of this fruit He is creating and nurturing through us? It is the fruit of character and souls. As we abide in Christ, we become more like Christ. This is a natural result of remaining in Him. We become like the ones we hang out with the most. We start to love more unconditionally because God is love. We experience a fullness of joy because the joy of the Lord becomes our strength. A holy contentment flushes our countenance because the peace of Christ reigns over our hearts. An unselfish servant spirit fills our heart because Jesus set the ultimate example of servanthood.

Fruit-bearing is character-driven on behalf of souls for the glory of God. Character is a conduit for the Holy Spirit to draw others to Himself. You are saved for more than goodness. You are saved to bridge others to God. Much fruit that remains is the result of God working through a humble, obedient, and submitted life for His glory.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Bear Much Fruit  →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Will Never Give Up on You

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…Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.—Jeremiah 31:3

What your life amounts to is directly connected to what you think of yourself. We need to learn to think like God thinks. We must learn to identify with Christ and the new person He has made us to be.

In Scripture, God uses words such as “beautiful,” “honored,” “valued,” and “precious” when He is speaking of His children. There is no doubt that we are far less than perfect, that we have faults and weaknesses, but God is God and He views us the way He knows we can be.

He sees us as a finished project while we are making the journey. He sees the end from the beginning and is not worried about what takes place in between. He is not pleased with our sin and bad behavior, but He will never give up on us and He always encourages us to press on. God believes in you!

Prayer of Thanks: I am grateful, Father, that You are a good Father who loves me unconditionally. Help me to see myself as You see me. Thank You that even though I am a work in progress, You already have the finished result in mind.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – How to Obey God’s Laws

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“So now we can obey God’s laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us” (Romans 8:4).

Are you not glad that the Word of God make things so simple? If we really want to obey God’s laws, His resources are available to us. First and foremost, the Holy Spirit abides within to guide us. While it is true that we have all of the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion, we cannot expect the full blessing and power of God until the Holy Spirit has full control of all of us.

As we appropriate the fullness of His Holy Spirit by faith, we are supplied with supernatural power to obey God’s laws. That supernatural power, even, is contingent upon our cooperation in that we must not only commit ourselves to the Holy Spirit but we must also be familiar with the Word of God if we are indeed to obey its commands.

Obedience is a key word in the Christian life. This verse points it out quite clearly, for we either obey God’s laws or we obey the old evil nature. The choice is ours as we are controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Someone has well pointed out that all of life, really, is nothing more nor less than a series of choices. The secret of the successful Christian life is in making the right choices. And even the wisdom to make the right choices is available – as a gift from God.

That leaves us, you and me, without excuse. We can, if we choose, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, obey God’s laws and thus accomplish His purpose for us as believers.

Bible Reading: Galatians 5:16-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Drawing upon the supernatural resources of the Holy Spirit I choose to obey God’s laws rather than yield to the pull of my old evil nature

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Kindness and Sternness

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Read: Romans 11:1-24

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. Romans 11:22

Paul speaks of the kindness and the sternness of God. If you come to God needy and repentant and acknowledging that you need help, you will always find him to be loving, gracious, open-armed, ready to help you, ready to forgive you, ready to give you all that you need. But if you come to God complaining, excusing yourself, justifying what you’ve been doing and trying to make it look good in his sight, you will always find that God is as hard as iron, and as merciless as fire, as stern as a judge. God will always turn that face toward those who come in self-pride and justification in their own strength.

This is the secret of the mystery of Israel and its blindness today. As long as the Jews come to God in that manner, they will always find a hard, iron-willed, stern God. But when they come in repentance, and, as Zechariah the prophet describes, when Jesus appears and they look at him whom they had pierced and they ask him Where did you get these wounds in your hands? he will say, These are those which I received in the house of my friends, (Zechariah 13:6). Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for any only child, and the mourning of Israel that day will be like the mourning for King Joash in the battle of Jezreal. The whole nation will mourn. Then God will take that nation, and they will replenish the earth. This is what Paul looks forward to.

This is a reminder to our own hearts of the faithfulness of God. His promises will not fail. God’s purposes will never be shortchanged. God is going to accomplish all that he says he will do. Though it may be a long way around, and though it may lead through many trials and temptations and hurts and heartaches, what God has said he will do, he will carry through. On that basis we can enter each day with a deep awareness of the faithfulness of our God.

Thank you, Holy Father, for your faithfulness. Thank you that you are the God of glory and the God of mercy. I do stand amazed at both the kindness and the sternness of God. Lord, teach me that you are not someone I can manipulate. Help me to bow before you in humble adoration at the grace that reaches out to me when I am ready to admit my need and come before you trembling and contrite.

Life Application

Kindness and sternness are both integral qualities of God’s character, each necessary to the full expression of His love. What are the appropriate responses to His kindness, and to His needed sternness?

 

http://www.raystedman.org/

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Synergy

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Read: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

We are God’s fellow workers. (v. 9)

A popular term floating around today is the word synergy, which literally means “working together.” That’s the word Paul uses to describe himself and Apollos–and by extension all Christians. We are God’s fellow workers, God’s synergoi.

Does God require co workers? I don’t think so. After all, he created the entire universe all by himself, without any help from us. But then why does he take us on as his partners in mission? If it is not for his sake, then it must be for ours. Have you ever let your young child or grandchild help you out with a household project? You surely didn’t do it for the sake of greater speed or efficiency. You did it because you love the child, because you want him to learn and grow and stretch himself, because you know it will help her to feel important.

No doubt employing us as his partners is a very inefficient way for God to accomplish his work of salvation. After all, God could have used angels to convince everyone of the truth about Jesus. How impressive would angelic preachers be! God could choose some night to rearrange the stars in the heavens so that they spell out “Jesus is Lord!” Then everyone would know the truth. But he chooses instead to use us–our words and actions, our halting, faulty, often awkward witness to Christ–in order to bring life to the world.

In doing that God gives our lives eternal significance.

—David Bast

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to work with you today.

 

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Perfect

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“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” (2 Samuel 22:31)

When Tracy was in elementary school, she decided she was going to be perfect. She decided she would never sin anymore: She would never talk back to her parents or tell a lie. She would never again fight over toys or demand her own way. She was going to be the world’s first-ever perfect kid.

Most people try to “be good” – but Tracy planned to go one step beyond that: “Be perfect!” And her plan even lasted for a little while! Probably for a whole five minutes or so.

It did not take Tracy very long to learn that the only perfect Person anywhere is God. God has never sinned, and He never will sin. God never had to make the decision – as Tracy did – not to sin. God just didn’t sin because God cannot sin. It is impossible for God to make mistakes. God cannot mess up on accident. God cannot mess up on purpose. God is God. He always has been and always will be absolutely perfect.

Part of God’s “being perfect” means that every decision He makes about you and your life is right. Part of God’s “being perfect” means that every decision He makes about your country and its leadership is right. Part of God’s “being perfect” means that every decision He makes about your family and your parents is right.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

God’s will is perfect – which means every plan He has for you is perfect: It is the absolute best plan possible. The word “conform” means “to change shape.” So what is the verse saying? God’s job is to be perfect. Our job is to obey Him and submit to His perfect plans.

God cannot make mistakes any more than man can be perfect.

My Response:

» Am I having a hard time accepting something that God is doing in my life right now?

» How can I change my heart’s responses and my words and actions to show that I am trusting a perfect God Who never makes mistakes?

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Keep Your Eye on the Goal

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Today’s Scripture: Philippians 3:14

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

All of us face the pressure of more to do than we have time for. So we have to set priorities. We have to determine what’s most important in our lives. We have to ask, “do I really want to grow spiritually?”

Get your goal clearly in mind and keep focused on that. Paul used the analogy of the competitive races of his day to challenge the Corinthians to pay the price of growth: “do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26).

In our case, we have an advantage over those Grecian runners. In a given race, only one received the prize, and it was only a wreath that would soon fade. But we’re not in competition with anyone. We can all get the prize, and it will last forever.

What is your spiritual goal? Do you really want to get the prize? Do you want to grow to be the man or woman God wants you to be? Do you want to pay the price of the spiritual disciplines you need to practice in order to grow? Or will you be content to sort of muddle through your Christian life and, at the end, have to sum it all up as no more meaningful than a trip to the corner store for a loaf of bread?

The choice is yours. What will it be?

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Help for the Hurting

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Today’s Scripture: Job 15-17

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. – James 5:16

When we hear about someone who has been brought low, either through his own sin or through no fault of his own, do we weep over it? Or are we quick to condemn–quick to pass on gossip? It’s easy to snicker and to take on a holier-than-thou attitude. But it’s more profitable to pray.

In today’s passage, we find Job’s friends doing everything but comforting him. They try to expose some hidden transgression. They cast doubt on the integrity of his family. They bring his honesty into question and imply that he obtained his wealth by dishonest means.

Finally, Job cries out, “My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor!” (16:20-21, KJV). That’s the need. Rather than punishing people with words that are as sharp as knives, we need to pray for them with words that are directed by the spirit of truth. It is through prayer that we can help hurting people focus their eyes on Christ.

The Bible challenges us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. And during the painful process, the Bible tells us to “consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). Is there a person you know who is suffering right now? Will you take a few minutes and pray for that individual?

Prayer

Lord, just as You have showed mercy to me, give me a heart of compassion for the frailty of others and a passion to pray for them. Amen.

To Ponder

It is through prayer that we can help hurting people focus their eyes on Christ.

 

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