Tag Archives: Prayer

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Pressing On

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 119:139

“My zeal consumes me.”

If God’s favor comes to us only on the basis of Christ’s merits, is there any place in the Christian life for the spiritual disciplines, obedience to God, and sacrificial service to him?

Absolutely! There’s no doubt Paul was just as diligent and zealous, probably more so, after he trusted Christ as he was before. We have only to read his own words: “one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Note the intense expressions Paul used: “straining forward” and “press on.” The first is a graphic picture of a runner straining nerve and muscle to cross the finish line. The phrase “press on” has the idea of vigorous pursuit.

There’s a direct correlation between faith in the righteousness of Christ and zeal in the cause of Christ. The more a person counts as loss his own righteousness and lays hold by faith of the righteousness of Christ, the more he’ll be motivated to live and work for Christ.

Let me ask you two questions: are you trusting in the righteousness of Christ alone as the basis of your right standing with God, or are you still depending on your religious performance, even to a small degree? And if you’ve clearly trusted in Christ alone for your salvation, are you still clinging to the idea that you must now earn God’s favor in this life by your own performance?

May we clearly see that in the unsearchable riches of Christ and in right standing with God that comes from those riches, we have both the assurance of eternal life and God’s favor in this life.

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Who Will You Follow?

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 18-21

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

When a child rebels against the Lord, the parents often turn the situation inward on themselves. “Where did we go wrong? How did I fail? Why couldn’t I have done better?” While it is true that we have a great influence on our children, there’s another side to the issue.

Hezekiah was a good king who did what was right in the sight of the Lord. Yet in 2 Kings 16, we read that Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, lived according to the abominations of the heathen and sacrificed and burned incense to the pagan gods. In spite of having an evil father, Hezekiah was a good king because he made the right choices.

Now let’s look ahead to Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh. Because Hezekiah was such a godly man, we would expect his children to live in the fear of God. But when Manasseh became king, he did evil in the sight of the Lord. And while Manasseh’s son Amon also did evil, Amon’s son, Josiah, became a godly king.

How do we account for this strange pattern? Did the parents of those who did evil fail, or was it a problem of environment? Why did these children of godly kings turn their backs on God? Because God gives everyone a choice. He opens the way for each of us to follow Him, but He leaves the choice with us.

As Christian parents, we should love our children, set a godly example for them, pray for them, and do all we can to lead them along the path of obedience to the Lord. But if they choose another direction, even though it causes us tremendous grief, we should not spend the rest of our lives condemning ourselves for their choices.

Prayer

Lord, I want to follow You and do Your will for the rest of my life. Amen.

To Ponder

In the grace, mercy, and sovereignty of God, He has made us free to choose.

 

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint –  What Should Christians Do in an Age of Declining Christianity?

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A recent article on Fox News website was entitled “A look at white Evangelical angst over declining clout.”

I don’t know about you, but there were at least three words in that headline that gave me pause, and that was even before I read the article.

The first was “white.” That raises the important question of whether white Evangelicals are reacting to the implications of the cultural moment in ways different from African-American, Latino, and Asian-American Evangelicals.

This is a discussion I think all Evangelicals need to have, and frankly, apart from raising the question, I cannot adequately explore it in this single commentary.

But there are two other words from that headline that I can begin to address in our remaining time today: “angst” and “clout.”

The article, which is in the form of a Q&A, begins by recounting facts that regular BreakPoint listeners are already familiar with: the decline in the percentage of Americans who self-identify as Christians and the increasing willingness of previously nominal Christians, especially in the “Bible Belt,” to say that they have no religious affiliation. It also cites “the fallout from the spread of LGBT rights and the growth of secularism.”

While I obviously share these concerns, as should you, our response should have nothing do with either “angst” or the loss of “clout.”

“Angst” comes from the German word associated with the state of being “afraid, anxious, or alarmed.” In English it’s used to describe a “feeling of acute but vague anxiety or apprehension.”

Continue reading BreakPoint –  What Should Christians Do in an Age of Declining Christianity? →

Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – THE TRICKSTER MEETS HIS MATCH

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Read Genesis 29:15–30

In mythology, legend, and story, the trickster is a character who survives through lying or deceit. Tricksters often violate cultural norms and subvert those who are in power. Every culture has stories in which the trickster is a key player. Some scholars have seen elements of the trickster in Jacob. He was a man who survived by cunning and deceit. But in today’s text Jacob the Trickster meets his match—both in love and war.

Today’s passage is a love story, describing how Jacob fell in love with Rachel but was tricked into marrying Leah by their father, Laban. Why would a father do such a thing to his daughter? Laban’s explanation was that it was not customary for the younger daughter to marry first. This was probably true, but Laban also had another motive. By deceiving the deceiver, Laban tricked Jacob into giving him fourteen years of service instead of seven.

Family drama fills this account. Laban uses his own daughters to barter for Jacob’s services. Rachel is loved more than Leah. Yet once again we will see that God is working out His purposes in the midst of what most of us would call serious family dysfunction.

As for Jacob, this turn of events was part of God’s long process of taming the trickster and turning him into a man of faith. Jacob’s trials were far from over. But by turning the tables on him, God had begun to wean Jacob away from a lifestyle of self-reliance. In time Jacob would learn that God’s promise comes by faith and not by human effort, schemes, or trickery.

Jacob did not learn this lesson easily and neither do we. The overall nature of his life was one of struggle—with his brother, then with his father-in-law, and eventually with God Himself (see Gen. 32:28).

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One of the primary tools God used to reshape Jacob’s character was disappointment, which weans us away from self-reliance and inordinate desire. If you are struggling with disappointment in your life, you may want to read The Surprising Grace of Disappointment: Finding Hope When God Seems to Fail Us (Moody Publishers).

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – THE ORLANDO MASSACRE: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE FEAR

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We woke up yesterday to the horrible tragedy in Orlando. I wrote a Cultural Commentary calling on Christians to pray with passion, honesty, and hope.

But the pain is just as deep today. And the threat of further terrorism is just as real.

Omar Saddiqui Mateen was born in New York and lived in St. Pierce, southeast of Orlando, Florida. He worked for nine years as a security guard and apparently sought a career in law enforcement. He even took a picture of himself wearing a NYPD t-shirt.

Then, somehow, he became radicalized. The FBI investigated him in 2013 and 2014 after he made comments to coworkers in support of the Islamic State. Yesterday he perpetrated the largest mass shooting in American history, the worst terrorist attack since 9/11.

According to authorities, there is no indication that Mateen was in touch with overseas terrorists or that his actions were directed by others. Nor have officials found evidence that others helped or encouraged him.

This is actually bad news.

Mateen seems to be precisely the kind of “lone wolf” terrorist that so worries authorities. If no one overseas contacts a potential terrorist in America, there are no conversations to monitor. If no one at home helps them, there are no networks to track. A person acting alone, attacking a soft target like a nightclub, will always be difficult to stop.

And that is what worries Americans today. With good reason.

Continue reading Denison Forum – THE ORLANDO MASSACRE: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE FEAR →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Reasons to Obey God

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Daniel 9:3-4

Daniel and his friends were in a strange land, prisoners of a king who sought to benefit from their superior skills and intellect. As he grew to manhood, Daniel managed to operate within the foreign system without compromising his belief in the heavenly Father. He did not eat forbidden foods. He did not bow to idols. He valiantly maintained his prayer times, even in the face of persecution and punishment. God honored Daniel’s faithfulness, rescuing him from the lions’ den and blessing him with great favor. At every crossroads, Daniel chose to follow the commands of the Lord. He still had to endure trying situations, but God was ever faithful in His protection and provision.

The biblical principles in effect during the Babylonian captivity still hold true. God promises to make secure those who obey His Word. He doesn’t promise that we will avoid trials and hard times, but He does say that He will accompany and help us every step of the way. Proverbs 12:13 states that the righteous will come through trouble.

If you know there is sin in your life, then fear, doubt, and frustration are certain to follow. The Lord’s comforting security is available to anyone, but the prerequisite is obedience to His Word. Don’t expect God’s blessing if you are living in rebellion.

Conversely, obedience will result in courage and contentment regardless of your circumstances. Throughout his life, Daniel repeatedly refused to change or bend his principles, even in the face of what appeared to be sure doom. God intervened every single time—and He will also act on your behalf.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 8-14

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Tears and Laughter

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Read: Ezra 3:7–13 | Bible in a Year: Ezra 3–5; John 20

No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping. Ezra 3:13

Last year at a retreat I reconnected with some friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. I laughed with them as we enjoyed the reunion, but I also cried because I knew how much I had missed them.

On the last day of our time together we celebrated the Lord’s Supper. More smiles and tears! I rejoiced over the grace of God, who had given me eternal life and these beautiful days with my friends. But again I cried as I was sobered by what it had cost Jesus to deliver me from my sin.

Both tears and smiles bring God praise.

I thought about Ezra and that wonderful day in Jerusalem. The exiles had returned from captivity and had just completed rebuilding the foundation of the Lord’s temple. The people sang for joy, but some of the older priests cried (Ezra 3:10–12). They were likely remembering Solomon’s temple and its former glory. Or were they grieving over their sins that had led to the captivity in the first place?

Sometimes when we see God at work we experience a wide range of emotions, including joy when we see God’s wonders and sorrow as we remember our sins and the need for His sacrifice.

The Israelites were singing and weeping, the noise was heard far away (v. 13). May our emotions be expressions of our love and worship to our Lord, and may they touch those around us.

Lord, You welcome our sorrow and our joy, our tears and our laughter. We bring all of our emotions in their raw honesty to You. May we praise You with our whole being.

Both tears and smiles bring God praise.

INSIGHT:

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah focus on the return of Judah—the southern kingdom of Israel—to their homeland following their years of captivity in Babylon. While Nehemiah concentrates on the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra focuses on the rebuilding and dedication of the temple.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Integrity Worships the True God

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“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up” (Daniel 3:1-3).

People are incurably religious and will worship either the true God or a false substitute.

Scripture teaches that a double-minded man is “unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). That certainly was true of King Nebuchadnezzar, who shortly after declaring that Daniel’s God “is a God of gods and a Lord of kings” (Dan. 2:47), erected a huge image of himself and assembled all his leaders for its dedication.

The image was ninety feet tall and was probably constructed of wood overlaid with gold. Because the plain of Dura was flat, the statue would have been visible for a great distance. The gold idol was a magnificent sight as it reflected the bright sunlight of that region.

The king’s plan was to have all his leaders bow down to the image, thereby bringing glory to himself, verifying their loyalty, and unifying the nation under one religion. But he was soon to learn that three young men with spiritual integrity would never abandon worship of the true God, regardless of the consequences.

Worshiping the true God or a false substitute is the choice that everyone must make. Sadly, millions of people who wouldn’t think of bowing to a tangible image nevertheless worship useless gods of their own imaginations. Even Christians can be lured into self-love and covetousness, which are forms of idolatry (Col. 3:5). That’s why you must always guard your heart diligently.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank the Lord for the privilege of knowing and worshiping the true God.

For Further Study

According to Romans 1:18-32, what are the spiritual and moral consequences of idolatry?

 

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Shepherd and Lead 

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And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.   Psalm 78:72

Leadership requires the gentle touch of a shepherd and the persistent persuasion of a leader. Both traits are needed to lead effectively and efficiently. The wise leader pays attention to how and when to apply each. When the troops are weary and worried there is a need to slow down and love them through their time of challenge. However, as they are licking their personal and/or professional wounds, keep them focused on the mission, and ultimately keep them connected with their heavenly Father. A person freed up and accountable to God has more potential for productivity. Shepherding moves people beyond their own needs, to their ability to serve others.

This is their best therapy. Help people discover a need, and then encourage them to engage in its fulfillment.

Moreover, good shepherding requires awareness. You are aware of people’s limitations in capacity and capabilities. Be careful not to overload them and burn out your best people. You are aware of the training required to get people up to speed in their performance and productivity. You are aware of what motivates certain individuals but not others. You are aware of how to best communicate with, and hold accountable, people according to their style and expectations. You are aware if people around you are happy, sad, discontented, or grateful. You are aware when they hurt and when they cry. You are aware because you care. Shepherding is caring, so take the time to shepherd, and you will increase the probability of retaining your people. If you drive them instead of shepherding them, you will eventually drive them away, so skillfully shepherd and lead the team.

An effective leader must also lead. Leadership is being unafraid to mark a course, then setting the pace, as the team embarks upon the goal. Yes, you collaborate and define a process, but then you move forward prayerfully and productively. Leadership is anticipating the next step and adapting as needed. It understands the big picture and then communicates this grander vision in a compelling and consistent fashion. Leading implies progress toward a destination. It requires right results. Leaders feel a mandate and a calling from God to lead. They are good leaders because they are good followers of Christ.

Leaders also give attention to detail and understand its value. However, detail does not derail them from reaching the goal. The analysis of data is necessary to make the wisest decisions possible. But leaders avoid analysis paralysis, and move forward, testing the waters as they go. Leaders lead, whether they are liked or not. Their motivation is to execute the plan, not to appease the people. Leaders may be branded as insensitive because of their untiring focus on progress, excellence, and execution. But this is the role of the leader. There is no need for leaders to apologize for leading. Leaders shepherd and lead.  If you shepherd with a heart of integrity and lead with your God-given skills, then you are a leader worth following. Aspire to this level of leadership. This is the leadership style of David and Jesus.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me the gentleness of Jesus to shepherd and Your love to lead.

Application: Who do I know who has strayed from the flock of God and needs my encouragement, correction and perhaps rescue?

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Truth About Willpower

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“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts.—Zechariah 4:6 NKJV

Willpower can be a powerful tool in the hands of a determined, disciplined individual. It can help you confront any problem you have and adjust your lifestyle. However, willpower only takes us so far and then we always run out of our own strength.

Now, what happens if, instead of turning first to willpower in your time of need, you turn to God? God releases His power into you and enables you to go all the way through to victory. Now you’re energized for positive change, but willpower does not get the credit for our success, God does.

Jesus said in John 15:5 (NASB), Apart from Me you can do nothing. This is one of the most important and most difficult lessons we must learn if we want to enjoy the life Jesus died to give us. When we turn to anything or anyone before God, He is insulted and is obligated to let us fail so we will realize that except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1 AMPC).

We must learn to let God do the heavy lifting. Let Him supply the ability to energize our choices. We can choose to exercise or stop overeating, but our choice alone is not enough for complete victory. Willpower and determination will get us started, but they’ve been known to quit in the middle and leave us stranded. God never quits in the middle.

There are some people in the world who claim to be a self-made success, but if we follow their lives all the way through, they usually end up falling apart. God has not created us to function well without Him, and the sooner we learn that the better off we will be.

Start by asking God to get involved, to do the heavy lifting. Continue on with God and finish with God. What should we do when the burdens in life seem too heavy? Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 NIV).

Trust in Him: Who/what is the first thing you turn to when you need to overcome a problem? Whatever “that” is, that’s where you’re placing your trust. Choose to put your trust in God in all things and at all times.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – In My name

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Read: John 14:12-17

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14

Whatever … anything … I will do it. We sense immediately that this is too wide. If we take this as absolutely unlimited, a sort of magical Aladdin’s lamp that we can rub and ask for any possible thing in the world, certainly we have missed the true point of this passage. It is too wide to take unreservedly. We sense also that it is too contradictory if taken without limit. We can see problems arising. What if a Christian athlete is praying for clear weather and a Christian farmer is praying for rain? Which one wins?

No, this promise cannot be limitless. There is a condition here. Our Lord means exactly what he says but we must understand what he says. This is a magnificent promise of vast scope, of tremendous encompassment, but what he says is if you ask in my name. This is the condition.

That certainly means a great deal more than a magical formula to tack on to the end of our prayers. There is nothing quite as pagan, or silly, as this meaningless phrase, this we ask in Jesus’ name, added to our prayers without any understanding if the prayer is actually being asked in Jesus’ name. We do this because it is traditionally acceptable, and we do not understand what in his name means. In Christ’s name means in his authority and on the basis of his character.

All of us are familiar with the phrase, In the name of the law. Policemen do their business in the name of the law. Suppose a policeman goes into a cheap slum area of the city at three o’clock in the afternoon. He is called there because of some murderous activity that is going on, and he comes up to the address that has been given him, and knocks at the door, and says, Open in the name of the law. No one opens the door, so after he knocks again and requests that it be opened in the name of the law and there still is no answer, he breaks it down and goes in. But what if that same policeman is drunk? He is out in a residential area and for some reason on his own, in his drunken stupor, he stumbles up the steps of a house, and knocks on the door, and says, Open in the name of the law. Those within hear the thick voice and recognize that it is a drunk and refuse to open. So the policeman breaks down the door, and when he does, he is arrested and taken to jail himself.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – In My name →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – A Light Burden

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Read: Matthew 11:28-30

You will find rest for your souls. (v. 29)

The word “burden” comes up a lot when illness or injury renders someone dependent on the care of others. “I don’t want to be a burden,” some will say, anxious not to cause undue strain on their loved ones’ time or finances. While these are genuine concerns, they also tend to reflect how foreign it can feel to rely so drastically on others. Most of us are used to taking care of our own daily needs, and the prospect of needing someone else to do them on our behalf feels like asking too much. Indeed, caregiving can be challenging emotionally, physically, and financially, but it can also bear unexpected fruit. The often tender opportunities to meet the needs of a parent or spouse can impact us deeply with the bond of that relationship and its changing dynamics over time. Caregiving can be a labor of love that is more of an honor than a burden.

Caregivers in turn need to be surrounded by support as well, so that if they do feel weighed down by the responsibilities they have assumed, others can relieve them from time to time. Those who are in need of bodily care remind us that we all live in various forms of dependence, and that we are equipped with the gifts of love that enable us to meet each other’s needs. Whether you are in a season marked by providing care or receiving care, may you find the rest that Christ offers.

Prayer:

Lift our burdens and strengthen us through love.

Author: Jessica Bratt Carle

https://woh.org/

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Wants Children To Obey Their Parents

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“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1)

I love to ride bikes; and when I was a young girl, I would ride my bike everywhere. I would take a spin around our block, go downtown, or visit my friend. Riding my bike was one of my favorite things to do. But sometimes, I was not allowed to ride. For instance, if my mom was not at home, and I couldn’t get permission, I was not supposed to go out on my bike, because my parents needed to know where I was going and when I would be home.

One summer, my mom had a job at a daycare; and when she left the house in the morning, she told me that I was not allowed to ride my sister’s bike (my bike was broken). That morning, my sister and I were playing outside, and she challenged me to a bike race – my sister would go first and I would time her, and then I would go and she would time me. I knew my mother had told me not to ride my sister’s bike, but I disobeyed. As I was trying to beat my sister’s time, I braked too hard and flew over the handlebars, breaking my left arm. Of course, my mom showed complete compassion, but she also reminded me during that time that if I had obeyed, I would not have broken my arm.

My mom reminded me that it is important to obey her; but more importantly, she reminded me that I should obey God. And when I disobey my parents, I am also disobeying God. God says in Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Because I want to do what is right, I need to follow what the Bible says about obedience. Learning the lesson of obedience to our parents is important because it also teaches us to obey God. God has placed our parents in authority over us for safety. When we obey, we place ourselves under a God-given protection.

Obedience to our parents teaches us obedience to God.

My Response:

» Do I obey my parents in what they tell me to do?

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Selfish Interests

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 15:2

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

Selfishness is so easy to see in someone else but so difficult to recognize in ourselves. Moreover, there are degrees of selfishness as well as degrees of subtlety in expressing it. One person’s selfishness may be crass and obvious, while ours will likely be more delicate and refined.

Several areas of selfishness may be observed in believers. One of them is selfishness with our interests. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:4, “let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” In using the word interests, Paul was undoubtedly referring to the concerns and needs of other people, but I’m going to use it in a narrow sense to mean subjects we’re interested in.

What are our interests? At this stage of our lives, my wife and I are interested in our grandchildren. We like to talk about them and show pictures of them to our friends. The problem is that our friends like to do the same. So when we’re with them, whose grandchildren will we talk about? The answer, of course, is both if we and our friends are sensitive to the interests of each other. But if one or both couples are not sensitive, the conversation is apt to be one-sided, or else we find ourselves waiting for our turn to share instead of showing a genuine interest in the other couple’s grandchildren.

A good test of the degree of selfishness in our interests would be to reflect on the conversation after you’ve been with someone (or with another couple). Ask yourself how much time you spent talking about your interests compared to listening to the other person. (Excerpt taken from Respectable Sins)

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – The Grace in Which We Stand

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 12-16

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy. – Jude 24

The tragedy revealed in 1 Kings 12-16 is that although it took Israel many years to achieve its place of power and grandeur, it took but a little while for them to sink in the mire of sin.

So it is with our spiritual lives. Growth is slow. It takes a long time to get our spiritual roots anchored firmly into the person of Christ. But it doesn’t take long to slide back into a place of rebellion and cold-heartedness.

I have a friend who showed great promise in his Christian growth. Year by year he took steps of faith that led to his becoming an established, mature, dedicated disciple of Christ. He went on to become an equipped spiritual laborer in the harvest fields of the world and was mightily used by God to bring many others to a personal faith in Christ. Then one day it happened. He met a woman to whom he was attracted, and today he is living in sin. Compared to the time required to mature in his faith, his decline was almost overnight.

That’s the warning from today’s passage. One after the other, we learn of the decline and fall of the leaders of the people. We see it in Solomon, in his son Rehoboam, in Jeroboam, Abijah, Nadab, Baasha–the list goes on.

You might be thinking, If I’m going to hit the skids spiritually someday, why not fall into sin today and get it over with? But the warning of Scripture is that while spiritual failure is always possible, it is never inevitable. Our challenge is to stand by the grace of God, recognize that we are vulnerable, and take heed lest we fall.

Prayer

Lord, may I never take for granted the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. Amen.

To Ponder

When was the last time you chose to stand by the grace of God against temptation?

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Moody Global Ministries

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – ISAAC’S BACKHANDED BLESSING

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Read Genesis 27:30–40

A backhanded compliment is often an insult masquerading as a compliment. In today’s passage we have an example of a backhanded blessing. Isaac blessed Esau as requested—but not with the blessing that Esau wanted. The blessing came after Isaac had given Jacob the blessing originally intended for Esau, the firstborn. At the instigation of his mother, Jacob had disguised himself as his brother in order to steal the blessing that God had already promised to him, taking advantage of his father’s failing eyesight.

Isaac discovered the deceit when Esau came to him for the blessing he had already unwittingly bestowed on Jacob. Jacob’s behavior was deceitful, but Esau’s complaint about him was not entirely honest, either. Jacob did not take the birthright; Esau had carelessly sold it to him for a single meal (Gen. 25:29–34). Esau despised his birthright and showed contempt for God (Gen. 25:34; Heb. 12:16–17).

We can see the destructive power of parental favoritism at work in this story, but amazingly we also see God working in the midst of this dysfunctional family to accomplish His plan. He is not yet finished working with Jacob, the deceitful schemer. And despite Esau’s godless attitude, he did receive a genuine blessing. Isaac’s backhanded blessing concludes with the promise that Esau’s descendants would eventually throw off the yoke of subjugation.

Old Testament commentator Derek Kidner describes Esau’s blessing as “the appropriate destiny of the ‘profane person’: the freedom to live unblessed and untamed.” John Calvin similarly noted that the “unbridled liberty of Esau was more wretched than any state of subjection.” For some who have scorned His promises and priorities, God’s worst judgment may be to grant us our heart’s desire.

APPLY THE WORD

Eventually Esau was grieved over the loss of his blessing, but his subsequent behavior showed that God had merely given him what he wanted. Esau was a profane or “godless” man who did not value his spiritual heritage. Has God’s plan for your life disappointed you? Perhaps He has granted you the blessing you needed rather than the one you wanted.

http://www.todayintheword.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – HOW TO RESPOND TO THE ORLANDO TRAGEDY

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I am writing this Cultural Commentary on Sunday morning as reports continue to come in from Orlando. At this point, we know that the Pulse nightclub tragedy is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. We know that the shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen and that authorities are investigating his possible ties to Islamic terrorism.

Tomorrow I will write another Cultural Commentary on this horrific event, perhaps looking at possible ISIS-inspired motivations and future attacks on the West. For now, I feel compelled to write this essay from my heart.

As I have watched the news reports, I have sensed the grief of our Father for his children. While Pulse is one of the best-known gay nightclubs in Orlando, Baptist ethicist Russell Moore was exactly right when he tweeted, “Christian, your gay or lesbian neighbor is probably really scared right now. Whatever our genuine disagreements, let’s love and pray.”

Here’s how you and I can “love and pray” for Orlando right now:

One: With hearts broken as God’s heart is broken. Scripture is clear: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18; see Psalm 147:3).

Our Father wants us to love all our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). If people had to be perfect to deserve our intercession, for whom could we pray? Who could pray for us? We are all broken people who need each other and our Lord.

Two: With honesty as we share the pain of those who grieve. David prayed, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also” (Psalm 31:9).

We can be this honest with God. In fact, it is biblical to pray words of anger and frustration. If Jesus could cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), we can ask our questions and express our pain. The Lord already knows our hearts. He wants us to open them to him and to each other.

Three: With hope as we trust the redemptive power of God. The psalmist proclaimed, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way” (Psalm 46:1–2).

Whatever comes of this tragedy and others that may come in the future, our Father is still our Father. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He loves us as much today as when he died on the cross for us. Our Lord promises, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). No matter how deep the river, his love is deeper still.

As he stood at the grave of Lazarus, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). I am convinced that he weeps today over Orlando. Let us join him now.

Denison Forum

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Holding On to Our Hope

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1 Samuel 1:1-18

Hannah’s situation seemed hopeless. She was heartbroken because she was childless, which was a source of disgrace for a Hebrew woman. But Hannah suffered even more because of the deliberate provocation by her husband’s other wife, who was blessed with children.

Holding on to hope can be difficult when miserable circumstances show no signs of improving. For believers, this can be even more discouraging, because they know God could have fulfilled their hopes but hasn’t.

Hannah was a woman of great faith, even in the midst of disappointment and pain. Year after year she kept going to Shiloh to worship the Lord. Perseverance like hers is a quality the Father highly values in His people. Endurance in trials leads to godly character and hope that does not disappoint (Rom. 5:3-5).

Great pain often drives us to God. Hannah had faithfully worshipped Him with all of Israel, but this time she went by herself to the tabernacle and prayed to the only one who could help her. Weeping bitterly, she poured out her soul before the Lord and offered a sacrifice of the very thing she valued most—a child. She laid her hope at His feet and promised that if He fulfilled her desire, she’d give her son to be God’s servant.

Sometimes what we strive to hold can be kept only by surrendering it to God. This applies to our hopes as well as to our very lives (Luke 9:24). Learn from Hannah’s faith, and pour out your heart and hopes before God—He alone can fulfill your desires or change them to match His will.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 1-7

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread –  Safety Net

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Read: Matthew 5:43–48 | Bible in a Year: Ezra 1–2; John 19:23–42

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

For years I thought of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) as a blueprint for human behavior, a standard no one could possibly meet. How could I have missed the true meaning? Jesus spoke these words not to frustrate us, but to tell us what God is like.

Why should we love our enemies? Because our merciful Father causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good. Why store up treasures in heaven? Because the Father lives there and will lavishly reward us. Why live without fear and worry? Because the same God who clothes the lilies and the grass of the field has promised to take care of us. Why pray? If an earthly father gives his son bread or fish, how much more will the Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask?

Only God can transform a sinful soul into a masterpiece of grace.

Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) not only to explain God’s ideal toward which we should never stop striving but also to show that in this life none of us will ever reach that ideal.

Before God, we all stand on level ground: murderers and tantrum-throwers, adulterers and lusters, thieves and coveters. We are all desperate, and that is the only state appropriate to a human being who wants to know God. Having fallen from the absolute ideal, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.

Dear Lord, I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. You did what I could not do for myself, and in humility I accept Your gift of grace. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You.

Only God can transform a sinful soul into a masterpiece of grace.

INSIGHT:

The final verse in today’s reading is often used as an encouragement to live morally pure lives: “Be perfect . . . as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus’s words in this passage, however, are more than moral instruction. The word translated “perfect” in the original language means “mature,” “complete,” or “grown-up.” Perfection in this context includes loving and praying for those who seek to do us harm—just as Christ did on the cross. When we love our enemies, we mirror the perfection of heaven and the heart of the Father.

 

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Integrity Results in Fruitful Ministry

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“And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king” (Daniel 1:21).

People of integrity are people of significant spiritual influence.

When King Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel as one of his personal servants, it was just the beginning of a ministry that would last for seventy years. Daniel 2:48 records that soon afterward “the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” At Daniel’s request, the king also appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to positions of authority, thereby providing an even stronger voice for righteousness in Babylon.

Years later, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, “clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom” (Dan. 5:29). Following Belshazzar’s death and the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians, Darius the Mede appointed Daniel as one of only three men in the kingdom to have oversight over all his governors (Dan. 6:1-2). As the Lord continued to bless Daniel, and as he distinguished himself among Darius’ leaders, the king appointed him as prime minister over the entire kingdom. Daniel therefore “enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Dan. 6:28).

Daniel’s life was one of enormous influence, which began when he was a youth who chose commitment over compromise. He was faithful with little, and the Lord gave him much. Perhaps few Christians will have the breadth of influence Daniel enjoyed, but every Christian should have his commitment. Remember, the choices you make for Christ today directly impact the influence you will have for Him tomorrow. So live each day to hear the Lord’s “Well done, good and faithful [servant]; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:23).

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