Tag Archives: Prayer

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – You Will Be Saved

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“For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord, and believe in your own heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Many years ago, God clearly led me in the preparation, planning and production of a little booklet called the Four Spiritual Laws. Still widely used today, its volume of copies to date might well be second only to the Bible itself. More than a billion copies have been distributed and one can reasonably conclude that many millions have received Christ as a result of reading its message.

In something so succinct, it of course was impossible to include all of the appropriate Scriptures under each of the four laws. This verse for today, Romans 10:9, is one of those that might have been used with the Law Four, for it fits in well with the wording:

“We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.”

The three passages used (John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8,9; Revelation 3:20) clearly direct the seeker after God. And of course this verse in Romans clearly confirms all that the other passages affirm.

Two conditions precede salvation, the apostle Paul is saying to the church in Rome: (1) “Tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord,” and (2) “Believe in your own heart that God has raised Him from the dead.” Simple, yet significant and meaningful, are these two preparatory steps.

As you share your faith with others today and in the days to come, recall with joy these two simple conditions that must be met.

Bible Reading: Romans 10:8-13

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: “Dear Lord, I thank You with all of my heart for the simplicity of the gospel and, with the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will share this good news with all who will listen.”

 

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Value of Prophecy

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Read: 1 Corinthians 14

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:1-3

That ties this back to the love chapter. Love is to be the basic, biblical reason for exercising a spiritual gift. Love is the hunger to reach out for someone else’s benefit. That is to be the controlling theme throughout this whole chapter in the discussion of tongues and prophesying. Love is building up someone else. To that end, desire spiritual gifts, so that they may be a means of helping others and fulfilling love.

Clearly the one spiritual gift that is most effective in that direction is prophesying. The gift of prophesying is not predicting the future. That may be an element occasionally in it, but it is the explanation of the present in the light of the revelation of God. The closest term we would call it by today is biblical preaching that unfolds the mind of God and applies it to the daily struggles of life. That is prophesying. That is the gift for a congregation to desire above all others.

Beginning with Verse 2 and on through Verse 5, Paul compares the gifts of prophesy and tongues. Anyone who speaks in tongues is not understood in a congregation because he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. The reason for that was he was speaking in a language that they did not understand. At Corinth people would stand up and speak in these languages, perhaps recognizable as being languages used somewhere nearby (as on the Day of Pentecost), but the people there did not understand the language, and so they could not know what the speaker was saying.

In contrast, Paul now describes the gift of prophesying, which Paul says has a threefold effect. First, it builds people up. The word is oikodomen in the Greek, oiko means house, and domen means to build. To build a house on a solid foundation is the idea; and the work of prophesying gives people a foundation. One of the major problems among Christians today is the struggle they have with the sense of their true identity. Many people are emotionally torn apart because they do not understand that they are new creatures in Christ; they are no longer what they once were. Because they still get feelings of being what they once were, they believe those feelings, and they react accordingly. There is an up-and-down experience that they can never get away from. Prophesying corrects that. It teaches us who we are in Christ.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – The Value of Prophecy →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – A God of Second Chances

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READ:  Psalm 51:1-17

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (v. 10)

Moses killed an Egyptian, David committed adultery, and Peter denied Christ. Every human being including those whose life stories are included in the Bible has sinned against God. Only Jesus was without sin. I imagine Moses, David, and Peter all felt guilt in the midst of their failures.

What guilt weighs heavy on your heart? What brings feelings of embarrassment and shame? Do you realize that God wants to give you a fresh start? He can forgive your faults and failures. Need evidence? Moses was later used to lead God’s people out of slavery. David confessed his sin (see Psalm 51) and sought to honor God as a king. Peter was restored by Jesus and boldly proclaimed the good news in the early church.

You are not a failure. You are not damaged goods. You are loved by God and he longs to create in you a clean heart and renew a right spirit within you. The person you fault in the mirror is a person in whom God sees great potential. He can restore you and give you a fresh start so you can humbly serve him with gratitude and purpose.

The world is filled with people who feel they can’t possibly be forgiven for the sins they’ve committed. Don’t buy that lie of Satan. Our God can restore the joy of salvation and empower us to do mighty things for him!

PRAYER

Glorious God, as you have enabled me to receive a fresh start, help me to encourage others as they start afresh. Amen.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Be Faithful

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For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.—Romans 14:10

Maybe you are serving the Lord somewhere right now, working hard behind the scenes, and you’re saying, “No one notices what I’m doing. This is a thankless job.”

Be faithful in the little things. God is paying attention. As 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

It may be that God will open up some wonderful new opportunities for you here in this life, possibilities that you never dreamed of. Then again, it may not be until Heaven that you receive full recognition and reward for all that you have done. Jesus said, “Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:4).

As Christians we will one day stand before God. We will give an account for what we have done with our talents, our gifts, our resources, our time, and all that He has given us (see 1 Corinthians 3:11–15). This is described as the judgment seat of Christ, which is not to be confused with the Great White Throne Judgment spoken of in Revelation 20. The judgment seat of Christ is a place where rewards are given.

When we die and go to Heaven, we will be there because of what Christ did for us. But then each of us will stand before Him, and the fire of God’s judgment will go through our lives and determine what we did with them. If we wasted our lives, if we wasted our time, if we wasted our resources, we are still saved because of what Christ has done for us. But we will have nothing to show for our lives.

It is our blessed responsibility to fully utilize all our energies to please our Master by faithfully using what He has given us. Let’s be faithful.

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD’s Word Is Tried and True

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“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. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God. The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” (Psalm 18:30-31,46)

Have you ever gone to the store with your parents and seen little tables where the store workers are giving away free samples? If a store is just beginning to sell a special new dipping sauce, for example, they might have a big bowl of chips out, and they might invite anyone to grab a chip and dip it in the sauce. Or maybe a bakery has a new cookie recipe, so they want everyone to know how good their new cookie is going to taste! Everyone is welcome to stop by the table and try a cookie (or at least a bite). If you go to an ice cream shop, and you cannot decide what flavor of ice cream you want, a worker might dip a little spoon into a flavor you aren’t sure about, pull out the spoon with a bite of ice cream on it, and hand it to you. Then you can see (taste!) for yourself whether you really like that flavor enough to get a whole scoop of it.

What did the psalmist mean when he wrote that God’s Word is “tried”? Does that mean some people have tried it out and decided they liked it? Well, in a way that’s true. The Word has been tried, or tested, and proven to be true. It truly is the Word of God. God Himself says so, the Word itself says so, and many people have come to believe by faith that God’s Word is what He says it is.

But God’s Word does not need the approval of human beings. Even if everyone read the whole Bible through – and even if every human being alive were to decide that the Bible was just another storybook – the Bible would not be any less true, and it would not stop being God’s Word. Truth is always true, no matter what people think of it.

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – The LORD’s Word Is Tried and True →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – What Is Grace?

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 5:20

“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

What, then, is the grace by which we’re saved and under which we live? Grace is God’s free and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve only judgment. It’s the love of God shown to the unlovely. It is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against him.

Grace stands in direct opposition to any supposed worthiness on our part. To say it another way: Grace and works are mutually exclusive. As Paul said in Romans 11:6, “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Our relationship with God is based on either works or grace. There’s never a works-plus-grace relationship with him.

Furthermore, grace doesn’t first rescue us from the penalty of our sins, furnish us with some new spiritual abilities, then leave us on our own to grow in spiritual maturity. Rather, as Paul said, “he who began a good work in you [by his grace] will [also by his grace] carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

Paul asks us today, as he asked the Galatian believers, “after beginning with the spirit, are you now trying to obtain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3, NIV). Although the issue of circumcision was the specific problem Paul was addressing, notice that he didn’t say, “are you trying to attain your goal by circumcision?” He generalized his question and dealt not with the specific issue of circumcision, but with the broader problem of trying to please God by human effort, any effort—even good Christian activities and disciplines performed in a spirit of legalism. (Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace)

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – When God Makes a Promise

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Today’s Scripture: Genesis 25-26

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. – 2 Corinthians 1:20

When God’s Word promises something, and we claim it in prayer, but nothing happens, what are we supposed to believe?

I talked to a pastor who was struggling with this issue. He was preparing a sermon on Proverbs 22:6, which says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The pastor’s struggle was that he’d seen too many children turn away from the Lord, even though they had godly parents and a solid Christian upbringing.

I assured him that I believed the promise in Proverbs 22:6 was true, but that many issues were involved. One is the God-given free will of our children. Another is that we need to keep praying for our children and grandchildren, because all the evidence isn’t in yet.

In today’s passage, we find Isaac, the heir to all of God’s promises, facing a similar issue. The land of Canaan was being plagued by a severe famine that forced Isaac to live in the land of the Philistines. What good is a Promised Land if you can’t live in it?

But God is faithful. And while Isaac was in the land of Gerar, God came to him to buck up his flagging spirits. God said in Genesis 26:3, “I will be with you and will bless you.”

A great fact emerges here that stays with us throughout the rest of the Bible: Just because a person is walking by faith and claiming the promises of God doesn’t mean his life will be easy and free of difficulty. But through it all is the guiding, protecting hand of God. And, in it all, we can find the unfailing promises of God.

Prayer

Lord, give me a grateful heart for Your promises that I have not yet seen fulfilled. Amen.

To Ponder

When it comes to God’s promises, His delays are not His denials.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – A Call to Church Discipline: The Courage of Watermark Church`

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What’s courageous church leadership look like these days? It looks like Todd Wagner, pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas.

Recently, Watermark removed a man caught in sexual sin from its membership rolls. Watermark is one of those rare churches these days that practices church discipline. After the man’s Facebook post titled, “Watermark Church Dismissed Me for Being Gay,” was picked up by the Dallas Morning News, the church is, no surprise, being accused of religious intolerance. A Morning News columnist wrote an opinion piece titled “Watermark megachurch banned a gay man that it didn’t deserve to have as a member.”

What most of the media coverage neglects to tell is that the decision to remove the man was neither arbitrary nor sudden. After the man decided to actively pursue a homosexual relationship over a year ago, friends and church leaders began meeting with him to understand how to better love and help him.

But, as Pastor Wagner wrote, “this friend made clear to us that he no longer believed same-sex sexual activity was inappropriate for a follower of Jesus Christ and no longer desired to turn from it. Like any member whose beliefs move away from the core commitments, biblical convictions, and values of Watermark, it became appropriate to formally acknowledge his desire to not pursue faithfulness to Christ with us.”

And so the church did the only logical thing—it removed him from its membership rolls. But now, they are made the villain of the story for holding members accountable to live by Christian teaching on human sexuality. At the risk of repeating what I said about the recent story about InterVarsity, “News Flash: evangelicals have evangelical beliefs.”

But I also want to say this: the Church needs this kind of countercultural courage that Watermark leadership is demonstrating—not only by this story, but by practicing church discipline in the first place! That’s so rare.

The Protestant Reformers listed three marks of a true church—preaching the gospel, administering the sacraments rightly, and church discipline. Back in the 1800s, according to Jonathan Leeman, author of “Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus,” Baptist churches in America removed about 2 percent of their members per year—and yet they grew faster than the overall growth in the population.

Continue reading BreakPoint – A Call to Church Discipline: The Courage of Watermark Church` →

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE PRIDE OF FALSE TEACHERS

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Read 2 PETER 2:10–16

Recall the story of Balaam (Numbers 22—24). Frightened of the vast nation of Israel moving through the land, King Balak of Moab hired Balaam to curse them. Balaam, a powerful prophet or sorcerer, was eager to accept the assignment—and the payment that came with it—but encountered a problem: the Lord would not allow him to curse His people. Instead, blessings poured from his mouth.

There has been no shortage of those who are willing to lead God’s people into destruction as long as they can make a profit from it. Peter describes the arrogance of these false teachers, who disregard the power of God and spiritual reality. Their pride infects both their blasphemous teaching and their sacrilegious lifestyle, which openly celebrates the pursuit of pleasure (vv. 12–13). They don’t respect God’s authority over either their beliefs or their actions.

These false teachers demonstrate a shocking disregard for others. They will seduce others into adultery, if it suits their whim. They will exploit others for financial gain, if they feel like it. They will profane the gathering of believers for worship and celebrations such as the Lord’s Supper, if they can get away with it (v. 14). The trinity worshiped by these heretics is Me, Myself, and I.

In the midst of this fiery pronouncement of judgment on the pride of these false prophets, don’t miss the note of reassurance for believers. God used a donkey to restrain Balaam, and He is able to protect His people today from the curse of false teachers (v. 16; see Num. 22:21–35). When we are tempted to despair, remember that if God can make a donkey speak, He is able to curtail the power of false prophets and the devastation of their heresy.

APPLY THE WORD

Peter uses the story of Balaam to warn of ungodly teachers and to remind us of the protection of God. Take some extra time to read those chapters in Numbers, noting the ways that Balaam opposed Israel and also the ways that God thwarted his plan. Note especially the prophecy about Jesus, the best promise of all (Num. 24:15–19).

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – CHURCH BELL RINGS IN IRAQ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS

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A church bell rang for the first time in two years as Iraqi Kurdish forces continued their push toward Mosul. Located in Bartella, this primarily Christian town is nine miles from the ISIS stronghold. Kurdish forces secured around thirty-eight square miles and “a significant stretch” of the highway as they sought to retake the city from ISIS. The night was longer than expected, but the joyful ringing of the bell in the morning was sweeter than anticipated.

Around thirty thousand Iraqi security force personnel, assisted by US-led coalition air strikes, launched the long-awaited offensive to retake Mosul over a week ago. But tragically, these great gains accompanied heartbreaking losses.

UN reports indicate that ISIS fighters killed fifteen civilians and threw their bodies into a river to spread terror and send a signal. A Middle Eastern news service noted, “ISIS terrorist gangs executed nine of its members for fleeing the battle against the security forces in Mosul, by throwing them in trenches containing a burning oil.” In 2003, Iraq boasted an estimated 1.3 million Christians. Now, leaders put that number at fewer than four hundred thousand.

Despite their dwindling numbers and dire circumstances, the bell in Bartella rang. For those who have ears to hear, the ringing of the bell sounds like Jesus in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Jesus never promised his followers a comfortable life, but he did assure them he would provide comfort in this life (2 Corinthians 1:2–4).

The situation in Iraq provides perspective when considering the difficulties in the American context. Our circumstances are different, but our mission is the same: his kingdom come, his will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Christians take part in a global movement that seeks to make peace in the chaos and bring hope to the downcast. Peace never comes idly; rather it requires hard work against the status quo. Hope is not found in a political candidate but a resurrected King. Christians are more than a voting bloc; we are people who deeply believe that God is good regardless of what is happening and Jesus is Lord regardless of who is elected.

Continue reading Denison Forum – CHURCH BELL RINGS IN IRAQ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Burden of Sin

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Romans 5:12-21

The burdens we carry come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. Many are weighty, but there’s one load that proves even heavier—and it can be traced back to the garden of Eden.

Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6), all people have been born with sinful hearts. Holiness and sin cannot mix. Therefore, in our natural state, none of us are able to fellowship with God.

What is worse, we continue to do wrong. The Bible says that every one of us has gone astray, like a sheep wandering from his shepherd (Isa. 53:6). So on our own, we have no access to God. And there is nothing that we—fallen humans—can do to rectify the situation. That’s why I see this as the heaviest burden of all.

But our Creator loved us so much that He sent His own Son to live a perfect life on earth. Jesus deserved fellowship with God, yet He took our sin and its punishment by dying on the cross in our place. And then He conquered death by rising to life again.

His atonement for our wrongs is a gift that is available to anyone who believes. The Savior longs for us to accept that He willingly paid the price to redeem us. He desires to relieve the burden of sin from our heart. Only then will we experience true life and freedom.

Have you received God’s free gift of salvation? Jesus loves you so much that He gave His life to have a relationship with you. If you believe in Him and accept His death as your undeserved atonement for sin, He will forgive you for all unrighteousness and welcome you onto the path of true life.

Bible in One Year: Luke 10-11

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — This Gift

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Read: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10

Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 6-8; 1 Timothy 5

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.—2 Corinthians 12:9

A number of years ago I wrote an essay about my collection of canes, staffs, and walking sticks and mused that I might someday graduate to a walker. Well, the day has come. A combination of back issues and peripheral neuropathy has left me pushing a three-wheel walker. I can’t hike; I can’t fish; I can’t do many of the things that used to bring me great joy.

I’m trying to learn, however, that my limitation, whatever it may be, is a gift from God, and it is with this gift that I am to serve Him. This gift and not another. This is true of all of us, whether our limits are emotional, physical, or intellectual. Paul was so bold as to say that he boasted in his weakness for it was in weakness that God’s power was revealed in him (2 Cor. 12:9).

Seeing our so-called liabilities this way enables us to go about our business with confidence and courage. Rather than complain, feel sorry for ourselves, or opt out, we make ourselves available to God for His intended purposes.

I have no idea what He has in mind for you and me, but we shouldn’t worry about that. Our task today is just to accept things as they are and to be content, knowing that in the love, wisdom, and providence of God this moment is as good as it can possibly be. —David Roper

Dear Lord, I know that You are good and You love me. I trust You to give me everything I need for today.

Contentment enables you to grow where God has planted you.

INSIGHT: Paul possessed “a thorn in [his] flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7), which prayer did not eliminate. Whatever it was, it was painful and physical. Some Bible teachers believe it was an eye disease, since elsewhere Paul refers to having eye problems (Gal. 4:15; 6:11) and that others might have treated him “with contempt or scorn” (4:14) because of an illness he had when he “first preached the gospel” to the Galatians (4:13). Paul’s enemies seemed to ride him because of his physical limitations. I imagine them asserting, “God doesn’t even answer his prayers or heal him” (see 2 Cor. 12:8-10). Nevertheless, Paul viewed his limitations as a reflective mirror to magnify God’s greatness. Jim Townsend

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Befriending Lament

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I had dinner with my 84 year-old neighbor last week. Recently widowed, he has been alone and fending for himself. When we ran into him walking, I asked him what he might need. Immediately, he said that he had been eating the same thing for weeks and weeks because that is the only thing he knew how to make, and would we be willing to come and show him how to roast a chicken? So my husband and I showed up with ingredients in hand and set out to prepare a meal he could replicate so that he had some variety in his diet.

Not only was my neighbor recently widowed, but he had also had an orthopedic surgery that has left him in quite a bit of pain and without the strength and use of his bones and muscles in the way he once was able to use them. An avid tennis player all throughout his life, the agility that propelled him back and forth across the court had left him. What remained were brittle bones and fraying tendons. He could barely hobble around the night we made him dinner, and he had to keep sitting down because he was in so much pain. Even with two surgeries to correct the years of tennis playing, he still told me that he hoped he would die on the tennis court playing the game he loved.

While I know intellectually that bodies grow old and die, it is hard not to think of the aging process as a kind of betrayal. Those limbs, muscles, bones, and tendons that support and empower throughout life, now become the very instruments of treason as they tear, break, and decay, being worn down by life itself. While we fight the aging process in every conceivable manner, our bodies stay on automatic pilot and simply follow a course that is inevitable. To be sure, there are always those individuals who live long into their 90’s and 100’s—their bodies seemingly impervious to the ravages of aging. We marvel at their longevity, especially at those centenarians who drank pots of coffee, or ate bacon and eggs every day, ignoring their doctor’s warnings of a shortened life span. And yet, one day their bodies will also give them away to death.

But one doesn’t have to be old to experience bodily betrayal. The young succumb to various illnesses just as the old do. We all know those individuals who have died far too soon, the victims of cells gone awry or bodily system failure. And the mystery of ‘premature’ illness or death surely strikes at the confidence of all who appear healthy. Whether old or young, all go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Befriending Lament →

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – The Heart of the Gospel

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“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Romans 3:28).

Being dead in sin, man is unable to save himself.

As we’ve seen this month, the most serious problem facing the human race is not the destruction of the environment, crime, or the threat of nuclear war; it is sin. The former threaten us with physical death, the latter with spiritual death. Thus it follows that the greatest news ever known is that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Hell may be the destiny of man, but that is not the desire of God’s heart. Peter notes that the Lord “is patient . . . not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Because of His great love for sinners, God sent His Son “to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Since God’s gracious gift of salvation is appropriated by faith, it is not surprising that justification by faith is the theme of Romans (see Rom. 1:16-17). The apostle shows that all men are guilty before God and in need of justification (chaps. 1—2). He then describes justification in chapters 3—4. Then he presents the results of justification in chapters 5—6.

Two key words are associated with justification in Romans: grace and faith. In Romans 3:24 Paul declares that we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,” while in verse 28 he says, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” The promise of justification to Abraham, Paul notes, was “by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace” (Rom. 4:16). Faith and grace are both linked to justification again in Romans 5:1-2: “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.”

In this day of doctrinal vacillation, I pray that you will stand firm in your commitment to the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone.

Suggestions for Prayer

  • Thank God for His mercy and love in saving you when you were dead in sin (Eph. 2:4-5).
  • Ask Him to help you walk worthy of your salvation (Eph. 4:1).

For Further Study

Read Romans 1—6, noting what it teaches about man’s lost state and God’s gracious provision of salvation.

 

 

http://www.gty.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Makin’ It Through Your Messy Middle

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Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5)

I once considered going to see the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But then I learned Aslan, the great lion and main character, is killed in the movie. “Nope,” I thought, “couldn’t stand watching that. Would hurt my heart.” I later learned Aslan comes back to life, so I decided I could handle watching since I knew the story ended well.

Keeping one’s hope fixed on the promise of heaven is like watching a movie with a mess in the middle. With our gaze turned toward eternity, we can endure life’s messy difficulties because we know Christ will return, we will go home to heaven, and our story will end very, very well.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Maybe like me, you have often heard about the heroes in Hebrews 11 whose faith led to great acts and rewards while living. For instance, they shut the mouths of lions, escaped the edge of the sword, and became powerful in battle. But maybe like me, you haven’t heard much about another group mentioned at the very end of the chapter. This group endured messes in the middle of their lives because they steadfastly held on to an eternal perspective (Hebrews 11:16). These folks faced jeers and flogging, were imprisoned, were sawed in two, and were put to death. They were destitute, homeless, and hungry. But they endured because they knew this world was not their home. They also knew their story would end very well.

When I consider the trials of these saints, I have to admit that my faith seems small. I am often more concerned about my own comfort than I am about persevering through a trial. But sometimes keeping my eyes on eternity has helped me hold on to hope in the middle of my own messy story. It has enabled me to endure relational heartbreak, physical fatigue, financial difficulties, and the day-in, day-out challenges of life. I am happy to say that as I get closer to going home, it’s becoming easier to keep my gaze turned upward.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Makin’ It Through Your Messy Middle →

Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – He Is Faithful

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He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Romans 8:32

Recommended Reading

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

At the Rapture, believers will be caught up to meet Christ in the clouds. Then the seven-year Tribulation will begin. Many non-Christians, having just witnessed the Rapture, will put their faith in Christ. The Antichrist will bring peace to the world for the first half of the Tribulation. But then he will become a world dictator who orders all to worship him—or be severely persecuted or killed. So these very young Christians will be faced with a severe test: If I remain faithful to God, will He remain faithful to me?

Every Christian today experiences similar tests with regard to money, health, relationships, and more. And the answer is, Yes, God will remain faithful (even if we are not—2 Timothy 2:13). God has allowed His saints to suffer throughout history, including His own Son, and always remained faithful. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:35-39).

Hopefully you will not be one who is tested in the Tribulation. But you will be tested in other ways. God is faithful! Trust Him in all things.

Christians do not have to live; they have only to be faithful to Jesus Christ, not only until death but unto death if necessary.

Vance Havner

Read-Thru-the-Bible

Luke 9 – 10

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Passive Minds

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Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].- Ephesians 4:27

Perhaps the best way to interpret these words of the apostle Paul is to say it this way: Don’t give the devil an opportu¬nity. There are many ways we actually give the devil an opening to pounce on us. One of those ways involves being passive.

To be passive is the opposite of being active. This can be a dangerous problem because it means you aren’t on guard, you aren’t actively standing up, and you aren’t alert. One of the devil’s most deceiving tricks is to get you to do nothing and to feel content about it.

I have found a wide variety of definitions for the word passive, but I describe it as a lack of feeling, a lack of desire, apathy, laziness, and lukewarmness. It is what John referred to when he wrote to the church at Laodicea: I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! (Revelation 3:15).

It reminds me of something someone told me years ago. “I’ve been a good Christian today,” he said. “I haven’t hurt anyone or done anyone any harm.”

In a moment of insight, I said, “But have you done any good for anyone?”

He stared at me for several seconds before he said, “I guess I never thought of it that way. I was so concerned about not doing anything wrong, that I never thought about doing anything good.”

That’s one of the tricks the devil plays on our minds. All we need to do is read the Bible to find out what God says. Paul wrote to Timothy: That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination]. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-¬control (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Paul told his young disciple to shake himself up and do something—which is good for us to consider, as well. Paul urged us to get moving and start using the gifts God has given us.

The devil knows that inactivity, laziness, or failure to exercise our will for doing good can throw us into ultimate defeat. As long as we move against the devil, we can win the battle. When we do nothing, we become his prime target. It’s when we get stirred into action, and passionate about faith, and zealous to follow God that we can destroy all the devil’s influence.

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Girlfriends in God

Girlfriends in God – Be a Joy-Giver Part 1

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Today’s Truth

The prospect of the righteous is joy.

Proverbs 10:28

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We all want to live a joy-filled life – right? But it seems that everyone has their own definition of joy and their own plan for how to experience joy.

A pastor told the story of a lesson he learned when he casually wished one of his older church members a good day. The man remarked, “They’re all good days, Pastor. It’s what we put in them that determines the amount of joy we experience.”

Joy is the deeply rooted confidence that God is in control. When our life is under the control of God, priorities fall into place, life is simpler, and we can experience true joy.

Proverbs 10:28 tells us, “The prospect of the righteous is joy.” In this verse the word “prospect” means to view or to anticipate. The word “righteous” refers to those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ – fully devoted followers of God. To experience joy, God must be the Lord or the boss of our life. As our Lord, He produces joy in us and funnels that joy through us into the lives of others.

Over the next two days, we will examine the life of Paul and the letter he wrote to the church at Philippi. Paul was a simple man, but one who profoundly understood and experienced joy in its truest sense. Paul wrote his letter to the church in Philippi while he was experiencing brutal circumstances that were anything but joyful. He was in prison, awaiting trial, and facing his own execution. Paul was old, alone, almost blind and in poor health, having suffered severe and constant physical abuse because of his faith in God.

To me, Paul had no earthly reason to be joyful. But here’s the deal. Joy is not an earthly treasure. Joy is a heavenly gift from a loving Father who is committed to the joy of His children. Joy is a “God-thing.”

I love the story of the little girl who misquoted her favorite Bible verse, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have ever-laughing life.” Exactly! Jesus not only came to give us eternal life, but He also came to give us a life saturated with joy here on earth.

If you are like me, there are many times when I look at myself and wonder how God could possibly love me and why my joy is so important to Him. That thought just rocks my world because He does love me and He does want me to live a life filled with His joy. And He loves you the same way. Why?

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Our Great Privilege

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“And don’t you realize that you also will perish unless you leave your evil ways and turn to God?” (Luke 13:3).

Today I sought to share the love and forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ with a taxi driver who reacted impatiently when I handed him a book which I had written, entitled “Jesus and the Intellectual.” He flung it aside in contempt. I have seldom met anyone who appeared to be more angry and resentful of God than he was. I felt impressed to say to him what Jesus said to the Galileans, “It is a matter of life and death what you do with Jesus Christ. There is a heaven and there is a hell. God loves you and cares for you. He wants you to come to Him and receive the gift of His only begotten Son through whom you can have forgiveness, life abundant, and life eternal.” From all appearances he could not have cared less.

That warning to the Galileans many years ago applies equally to the nations and individuals today. If one truth in the Word of God is made abundantly clear, it is this: Repent or perish.

“It is because of this solemn fear of the Lord, which is ever present in our minds, that we work so hard to win others. God knows our hearts, that they are pure in this matter, and I hope that, deep within, you really know it too” (2 Corinthians 5:11).

As Christians we have the same awesome responsibility and great privilege to tell everyone who will listen about Christ. Most of us would take great risk to save the life of a drowning child or to snatch up a toddler from the path of an automobile. Yet, most everyone who is living today will be dead in 100 years or less, but all men will live in heaven or hell for eternity. How much more important it is to tell men and women who are perishing without Christ of the loving Savior who cares and who is waiting to forgive if only they will surrender their lives to Him!

We must warn them and if we do not know how, it behooves us to learn how to share our faith. One method of witnessing is the use of the Four Spiritual Laws booklet. Anyone is capable of sharing this booklet with others – if not vocally, at least by handing it to someone.

If you are hesitant to witness vocally why not begin distributing literature like the Four Spiritual Laws booklet?

Bible Reading: Luke 13:1-5

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I resolve with God’s help, to begin to distribute Christian literature, especially the Word of God and materials that will help individuals to make definite commitments of their lives to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

 

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – The Supreme Priority

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Read: 1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Analyzing those words is like taking a beautiful flower and tearing it apart. But some analysis is necessary to fully grasp what Paul is saying here. We should remember that this chapter on love fits beautifully with what the apostle has been talking about in the previous section. In Chapter 12 Paul talked about the gifts of the Spirit. Here in Chapter 13 we come to the fruit of the Spirit. Paul has introduced it with a hint already that the fruit of the Spirit is far more important than the gifts of the Spirit. That we become loving people is far more important than whether we are active, busy people. Both are necessary, but one is greater than the other. Paul has said so: I will show you a still more excellent way. That is the way of love.

I call this the fruit of the Spirit because in the letter to the Galatians Paul details for us what the fruit of the Spirit is. It is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). All of those qualities really are manifestations of love. This chapter is setting forth that quality of love which is the work of the Spirit of God within us reproducing the character of Christ. Once you have love all these other qualities that are part of the fruit of the Spirit are possible to you. If we have the love of God in our hearts, then we can be patient; we can be peaceful; we can be good, loving, faithful, gentle and kind.

The word love is not the Greek word eros. That word is used to describe erotic love. And the word here is not philia, which means affection or friendship. Paul is talking about agape, which is a commitment of the will to cherish and uphold another person. This is the word that is used to describe the love of God. It is a word addressed to the will. It is a decision that you make and a commitment that you have launched upon to treat another person with concern, with care, with thoughtfulness, and to work for his or her best interests. That is what love is, and this is what Paul is talking about.

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