Tag Archives: relationship with god

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Mighty Weapons

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“I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding Him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God, and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4,5).

Joe came to share with me how his leader in a particular Christian organization had been most unfair to him. He was being relieved of his responsibilities and replaced by another who, in his opinion, was not nearly as well qualified. As we talked it became apparent that Satan easily could sabotage the ministry.

After listening to Joe’s grievances for some time, seeking to know the truth of the matter, I inquired as to his walk with God. “Is there any sin in your life? Do you know for sure that you’re filled with the Holy Spirit?” Then I brought the other party into private conference and inquired as to his relationship with God. “Is there any sin in your life? Do you know for sure that you’re filled with the Holy Spirit?” Both assured me that they were filled with the Spirit and that they genuinely desired to know and do the will of God. I was convinced that they were both sincere.

How then could two men without sin in their lives and who claimed to be filled with the Holy Spirit be at such odds? I sought further truth. In the meantime, we brought to bear the weapons of prayer and the Word of God. God says that when brothers are at odds we should claim in prayer the release of His supernatural wisdom to resolve the matter, and, finally, claim by faith that Satan will be routed, that all of his influence will be overcome.

The counseling required several hours. I talked to one individual, then the other, then both of them together. Finally, we were on our knees praising God and then embracing each other, and the men genuinely felt that their relationship with each other and with the Lord had been fully restored. Satan had lost another battle. Another miracle had happened. Another tragedy had been averted and the Body of Christ had been spared another scandal.

What are those weapons? A holy life, the Holy Spirit, prayer, the Word of God, faith, truth – these are the weapons of God for supernatural warfare. Learn how to use them for His glory.

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:10-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Whenever Satan attacks me, or I observe conflicts in the Body of Christ due to his influence, I will seek to defeat him by using God’s mighty weapons and will teach other Christians how to apply them in times of spiritual battle

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Purpose of Conviction

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Charles Stanley

Hebrews 12:4-11

Have you ever seen a parent firmly grip a naughty child and lead him to where he ought to be? Sometimes our heavenly Father must employ a strong directing hand with us. Even as believers, we’re a wayward people who are prone to wander. But when we go too far, God helps us back to the path of righteousness.

The Father’s guiding hand is always on His children. And when believers fall into sin and rebellion, He holds tighter. We call that pressure on our hearts and minds conviction. By saying, “This action/attitude/thought is not in keeping with who you are in Christ,” the Holy Spirit works to make us aware of wrongdoing. Conviction has the purpose of awakening believers to where they are in their relationship with God. If you’ve gotten off course, don’t you want to know about it so you can get back in the center of His will as fast as possible?

Sometimes the Lord uses discipline to lovingly redirect us toward the path that we abandoned. Discipline can be painful and costly, particularly when we have resisted the pressure of conviction. However, as any wise parent will tell you, living with the consequences of foolish behavior teaches a child valuable lessons about keeping to the straight and narrow.

Left to his own devices, man will destroy himself chasing after fleeting pleasures and egocentric desires. God has a better journey in mind for us: to travel toward perfect freedom in Christ, guided by His loving hand. When we stray, He tightens His grip and draws us back to the way of righteousness.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; G.C. – Prepare

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Do you believe you are living in the last days of human history? Many do, loudly heralding the nightly news as proof of the beginning of tribulations and the imminent return of Christ to Earth. What can you do to manage the precarious days in which we live?

Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Joshua 3:5

After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the nation of Israel was on the brink of entering a new land and a new era in their history. On the eve of their procession, Joshua told them to consecrate themselves in preparation to receive God’s provision. The word “consecrate” means to separate oneself from anything that would hinder a good relationship with God. America’s first president followed that example. After taking the oath of office, George Washington walked directly to St. Paul‘s Chapel to kneel before God, dedicating his service and America’s future.

General George S. Patton said, “Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable.” Today, prepare for whatever lies ahead – first with thanksgiving for God’s past blessings, and then in humble dedication to God’s provision for the future.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 77:1-3, 11-15

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Passion to Know God

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Charles Stanley

Philippians 3:7-12

As Christians, we should desire to be centered on knowing God through His Son Jesus Christ (John 14:9). What does that kind of ardent desire look like?

First, we’ll have an eagerness to know the Savior. Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd, Bread of Life, and True Vine. He invites us to discover who He is in each aspect of His character. Complacency—resting on what we already know—has no place in the Christian life.

Second, we’ll demonstrate a steadfast commitment to the Lord. That dedication will have an enduring influence on our finances, workplace, friendships, and home. Building a close relationship with God is a lifelong pursuit with no shortcuts.

Third, our top priority will be knowing Christ and loving Him (Jer. 31:34; Mark 12:30). When He has first place in your heart, quiet times with the Lord will be sought after and precious. Our days will be structured around receiving and obeying instruction from Him. Prayer will be as much about listening to Him as about speaking.

Finally, any desire that interferes with or supersedes our fervent longing to know the Savior will be laid aside. Turning away from ungodliness and worldly pursuits will appear a small price to pay for the blessings of intimately walking with God. Over time, as we maintain both a strong desire and a firm commitment to know God, keep Him in first place, and replace our desires with His, our passion for Him will grow. Who do you see when you look in your spiritual mirror—an ardent believer or a lukewarm one?

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Walking Together        

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He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. —1 John 2:6

The word walking speaks of regularity, of moving at a certain pace. The Bible tells us in Genesis 5 about Enoch, who walked with God. But what does it mean to “walk with God?” Is it just a religious cliché?

The prophet Amos asked, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). The idea is to be walking in pace or harmony with another.

I have a problem with this when I walk with my wife. I always walk a little faster than she does. Every time, I find myself walking out ahead of her. Then I’ll stop and wait for her to catch up. So I’ll try to walk more slowly, but the next thing I know, I’m walking fast again.

When it comes to walking with God, some of us want to run ahead of Him. Others lag behind. What we need to do is move in harmony with Him. We need to stay close to Him and make a continual commitment to do so. Referring to our daily relationship with God’s Holy Spirit, the New Testament says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, NIV).

But what does this mean in practice? How do we do this? What does it look like to “keep in step with the Spirit”? It means we take time for the things of God. It means that when we get up in the morning, we take time to read the Bible. If we neglect the Word of God, it will show in our lives. Abiding in Jesus also means that we spend time in fellowship with God’s people.

Make time for the things of God. And don’t wait for time to simply materialize; deliberately carve out room in your schedule. If it means an hour less of sleep, fine. If it means skipping a meal, okay. If it means missing a television program, so be it. Do what you need to do because these things are essential to spiritual growth, to abiding with God, and to bearing spiritual fruit.

And this walk with God is a walk—the best of all walks—that will bring indescribable richness to your daily life.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Purpose of Life

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Charles Stanley

John 17:1-3

Believers do many wonderful things in the name of God. Sometimes, though, service becomes more important in the worker’s mind than the Master Himself. Hosea 6:6 makes the Lord’s priorities clear: “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” He wants our attention more than any gifts or works.

Unfortunately, too many Christians never press beyond an occasional good work or Bible reading. They ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudges to spend time in prayer and Scripture meditation because it’s too much work or doesn’t fit their lifestyle. Also, they tend to worship out of duty. Does this sound like your life? If so, you should know that deepening your relationship with God requires time and commitment but is immensely rewarding.

Human beings are created to know God. He instilled a thirst in us that won’t be satisfied until we reach out to Him for companionship and love. Paul said, “I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]” (Phil. 3:8 AMP).

We were created to have an intimate, loving relationship with the Lord and to bring Him glory. Paying homage with our gifts and good works is a natural extension of that design, but our foremost responsibility is to spend time with Him.

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Guarding Your Mind and Emotions

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John MacArthur

“Stand firm therefore . . . having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14).

True righteousness begins with a right relationship with God.

A Roman soldier would often engage his enemy in hand- to-hand combat. At such times, the weapon of choice was the short sword, with which he sought to penetrate his opponent’s vital organs. For his own protection he wore a molded metal breastplate that extended from the base of his neck to the top of his thighs. It helped deflect any attacks aimed at his heart and abdomen.

The Roman breastplate has great symbolism in Paul’s analogy because to the Jewish people, the heart represented man’s mind and thinking processes; the intestinal area or bowels represented the seat of feelings and emotions. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV). Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jesus added, “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts” (Mark 7:21).

During spiritual warfare, Satan’s primary attacks target your thinking and emotions. If he can condition you to think and feel contrary to God’s Word, he has won a significant victory. That’s why he attempts to fill your mind with lies, immorality, false doctrine, and half-truths. He tries to blur the line between righteousness and sin by surrounding you with evil influences that increase your tolerance for sin. He clothes offensive sin in the blinding garment of entertainment. He puts it to music and masks it in humor to confuse you and deaden your spiritual senses. Satan wants to corrupt your emotions and draw you into sinful desires.

Putting on the breastplate of righteousness begins with a right relationship with God, who is the source of true righteousness. From that relationship flows the commitment to cultivate righteousness in your own life by learning and applying His Word. Therein lies the protection you need to safeguard your mind and emotions from satanic deceptions.

Suggestions for Prayer; Focus on strengthening your relationship with God today. Commune with Him in prayer. Meditate on His Word. Seek His grace in responding thoughtfully and righteously to the temptations you face.

For Further Study; Read Proverbs 10, noting Solomon’s description of righteous people.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Clock Is Ticking   

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A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. —Luke 12:21

A watchmaker who built grandfather clocks inscribed these words on every clock he built: “Lo, here I stand by thee upright to give thee warning day and night, for every tick that I do click cuts short the time thou hast to live.”

Jesus told the story of a rich farmer who enjoyed great success. Reflecting on his accomplishments, he said, “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’ ” (Luke 12:18-19, NLT). But God told him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” (verse 20, NLT).

We can find some commendable things about this rich man. He was a hardworking farmer. He probably would have had to work longer and get up earlier and expend more energy than the other farmers of his day to achieve such success. But his mistake wasn’t in being successful in his work. His mistake wasn’t even in acquiring possessions. His mistake was failing to make plans for eternity. He was living large. But he forgot that the clock was ticking, that life was passing by.

And this man who died, leaving all his possessions behind, is like many people today. They just want to enjoy the moment. “Take it easy!” they say. “Eat, drink, and be merry!” Yet God says that is not the way to live.

In Psalm 10, the psalmist describes an arrogant, wicked man. One of the most striking things he says about this man is in verse 4: “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (NIV).

That says it so well, doesn’t it? There was no room for God, no room for the Creator, Lord, and Savior in all this man’s many thoughts about this and that.

Our lives on this earth may be very brief, but when we fill our thoughts with the eternal God and His purposes, we prepare ourselves for an endless life in His presence.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How do I accept Jesus as my Savior?

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Charles Stanley

 

Do you want to know God?

Do you yearn to experience the Lord’s comforting presence, power, and wisdom? That’s good, because God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you forever.

The problem is . . .

. . . one thing separates you from a relationship with God—sin. You and I sin whenever we fail to live by the Lord’s holy standard. In fact, Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Furthermore, Romans 6:23 explains that the penalty for sin is death—separation from God in hell forever. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves or get rid of our sins. We can’t earn our way to heaven by being good, going to church, or being baptized (Eph. 2:8-9).

Understanding how helpless we are because of our sins, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save us.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom. 5:8). Three days later, He rose from the dead—showing that He had triumphed over sin and death once and for all.

So how can you know God?

It all starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ provides a relationship with the Father and eternal life through His death on the cross and resurrection (Rom. 5:10).

Romans 10:9 promises, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He wants you to experience the profound depth of His care.

Therefore, tell God that you are willing to trust Him for salvation. You can tell Him in your own words or use this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations!

You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make—one that will change your life forever! Please let us know by emailing us at decision@intouch.org so we can rejoice with you.We know you will have questions about your new relationship with Jesus, and we want to help. Begin your new journey with God by clicking here to learn more about your new relationship with Him.

 

Related Resources

Related Video

How to accept Jesus as your Savior

How do you accept Jesus as your savior? Romans 10:9 promises, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you have not yet begun your personal relationship with God, understand that the One who created you and loves you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. (Watch How to accept Jesus as your Savior.)

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Beyond ‘If’

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I remember a time when it seemed quite obvious to me that God was what I wanted. I thought I understood what Pascal meant by a God-shaped vacuum in my life and Saint Augustine’s insistence that hearts are restless until they rest in God. But what I was fairly certain I had grasped cognitively, I knew I had not grasped practically. The hole seemed only partially filled and my heart did not seem at all at rest. I wanted to want God. I knew it was God that I ultimately wanted, and yet I was sickened with the suspicion that I had not found God fully because I didn’t want God enough. And so I wrestled: Do I really believe? Fully trust in Christ? Hope in the cross? Am I sorry enough for my sins? Am I seeking with all my heart? How can I make myself want God more?

 

But who can navigate through such a mess of ifs and conditions? If I work harder, if I trust more fully, if I repent more somberly or seek more fervently, then I might find the holy God of faith. Still for others, the conditions we set before a relationship with God are a matter of hiding: if God really knew me, if I stop running, if I sat before God without this mask, God wouldn’t want anything to do with me.

But in our mess of conditions, it is often the simplest thing that escapes us. For at the heart of the Christian pursuit of God is the game-changing promise of God as human.

And I am most confronted about the ‘ifs and thens’ I needlessly carry, when I am sitting before the ‘ifs and thens’ of those who knew him best. The apostle Peter writes: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3). Peter’s words put forth a shining thought: If you don’t want God, then why are you so anxious to want to want God? But if you have indeed tasted that the Lord is good, then why wouldn’t you want more? Could it not be that this longing is in and of itself an assurance of God’s presence? If you have tasted the goodness of God in anyway, then hunger for the one who spoke and walked and died and lives, as if a baby crying for milk; for God is near.

The disciple who knew first hand his own disappointing reactions before God here exhorts us to move beyond ‘ifs’ when it comes to Christ. Let us not prefer our pain, or drag our feet, or self-examine ourselves to sickness. For Christ is one of us, mediating on our behalf. If you have even slightly tasted the goodness of the Lord, then like newborn infants, yearn for this one who nourishes, thirst for God’s living, human Son.

In reality, I believe that my want for God was a real one. And in fact God was nearer than I realized, as life often goes. I believe our longing itself is something of answer to our restlessness, though it is one that will not be fully known until we are fully in his presence. In any case, and perhaps most importantly, God has found us.

 

When Jesus stood at the well beside the woman of Samaria, the conversation was about water but the words were about life, though she didn’t realize it at first.(1) Shocked that he, a Jew without a cup, would request a drink from her, a Samaritan with a past, she asked if he knew what he was doing. For surely, she must have reasoned, if he really knew her, he would not want anything to do with her. Pointedly, Jesus responded not by validating her ‘ifs’ but by replacing the subject of the sentence with himself. “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Putting down her water jar, and her struggle, she ran home with the excitement of a child and told everyone about the one who found her at the well.

We are like children discovered by one of our own.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) See John 4.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Knocking on the Gate

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Jesus both taught and modeled a radical life of prayer for His disciples. He urged them to always pray and keep asking, seeking and knocking with confident assurance of the Father’s loving heart. Jesus knew this would draw them to the true center of prayer, which is not something but Someone. Persistence would deepen their relationship with God through exercising patience and faith.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7

Of course, the most important demonstration of persistence in prayer is for the salvation of others. In Matthew 7, the word “door” is not in the Greek text. During biblical days people also knocked on gates as well as doors to request entrance. So “knock” probably refers to knocking on the gate of His kingdom.

Remember each day to practice persistent prayer, particularly for those who need to discover a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Whether it’s a family member, coworker, neighbor or government leader, never give up praying for them. You can have a positive impact on their eternity!

Recommended Reading: Luke 11:5-13

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Deepest Well

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The Woman of Samaria – a nameless woman who was both an outcast to the Jews and an adulteress – was thirsty. So, as every day, physical thirst brought her to Jacob’s well to fill her water pot.

Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.

John 4:14

However, this Samaritan woman’s life changed forever with an unexpected visit from Jesus. The Lord asked her for a drink. More important, He showed her God’s unconditional love was beyond all religious and racial prejudices. Jesus offered her “living water” – eternal life through a relationship with God, and she gratefully drank of His unconditional deep well of love. With her heart and mind overflowing with this new truth, the Woman of Samaria abandoned her water pot along with her sinful lifestyle and ran to tell others about Jesus Christ.

In the Bible, God is referred to as having the “fountain of life.” Dive in and lavish yourself each day with His Word. Remember also to pray over America’s spiritual condition as you continually evaluate your reflection in the fountain of God’s truth. Thirst after Him with all your heart, mind and soul…and pray that your local and national leaders will do the same.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 36:1-12

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Power Of Simplicity

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Our Daily Bread

Mark 12:28-34

Then one of the scribes came, and . . . asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” —Mark 12:28

Few people take time to study the US Internal Revenue Service income tax regulations—and for good reason. According to Forbes magazine, in 2013 tax codes surpassed the four million-word mark. In fact, the tax laws have become so complex that even the experts have a hard time processing all the regulations. It’s burdensome in its complexity.

The religious leaders in ancient Israel did the same thing in their relationship with God. They made it too complex with laws. The growing burden of religious regulations had increased to the point where even an expert in Moses’ law struggled to understand its core. When one such leader asked Jesus what mattered most in the Commandments, Jesus responded, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

The law of Moses was burdensome, but faith in Christ is simple and His “burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). It’s light because God was willing to forgive us and love us. Now He enables us to love Him and our neighbor. —Bill Crowder

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. —Featherstone

God’s love in our heart gives us a heart for Him and others.

Bible in a year: Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36

Insight

In Christ’s answer to the scribe in Mark 12:29, He quotes the “Shema” from Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.” The title “shema” is from the Hebrew word for hear. One source says this statement of the oneness of God is recited twice each day by observant Jews and is the most important part of Judaism’s prayer services.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How Can I Become a More Obedient Child of God?

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Charles Stanley

Genesis 12:1-4

Obedience is a major characteristic of a person who is mighty in spirit and honors the Lord. Generally speaking, obedience characterized the faith of Abraham from his first encounter with God until his death.

We grow in obedience by having faith in the sovereignty of God. If we fail to believe in the Father’s sovereignty, we will find it difficult to obey Him. Abraham based his relationship with God on his confidence that the Lord would always do as He had promised (Rom. 4:20, 21). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and responding in confident trust (Rom. 10:17). We will learn to trust Him as we study and meditate on His Word.

We grow in obedience by waiting for God’s timing. The Father is very time conscious—not in terms of minutes and seconds, but in regard to our acting in obedience according to His schedule. Throughout Scripture we find Him moving in “the fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4). He is neither early nor late. He is always right on time.

We continue to grow in obedience by refusing to subject God’s plan to “common sense” or the reasoning of the world. Some things the Lord requires may look ridiculous from a human perspective. He told Abraham that he would have a son through whom He would bless the entire world. Yet the Lord allowed Abraham’s obedience to be severely tested—first by requiring him to wait nearly a quarter of a century before providing the promised provision, and later by requiring him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. God knew the motive of Abraham’s heart. It was one of obedience. When it came time to complete the sacrifice, the Lord was the one who provided a ram to be used in Isaac’s place.

We grow in obedience by promptly responding in obedience. If you long to obey God, you will not hesitate when He tells you to do something. Many times we fail to obey the Father because we fear the consequences. Yet He never requires us to do anything outside His will for our lives. Our only responsibility is to obey; His responsibility is to take care of the consequences of our obedience.

Our sensitivity to God’s will increases as we obey Him. Along the way, He provides glimpses of the blessings waiting for us. God always blesses obedience. You can trust Him, obey Him, and be blessed. Or you can disobey Him and spend the rest of your life wondering what He would have done had you obeyed Him. Once you glimpse the blessings of obedience, however, the consequences no longer matter.

Adapted from “The Charles F. Stanley’s Life Principles Bible,” 2008.

 

Resources About Opportunity and Obedience

Related Video

A Passing Opportunity

Too often, we let opportunities pass us by because we don’t realize they’ve been sent from our heavenly Father. In this sermon, Dr. Stanley teaches us how to be sensitive to the opportunities God puts before us. (Watch A Passing Opportunity.)

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Our Firm Foundation

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Charles Stanley

Ephesians 2:1-9

What we believe determines how we will act. To behave in a godly manner, we must embrace biblical truth. So let’s take a look at some basics of the faith:

  • Man’s relationship with God is broken, apart from Jesus Christ. When Adam and Eve rebelled, their nature became corrupt and alienated them from God. That “flesh” nature was then passed down to all subsequent generations, separating man from the Father (Rom. 5:12). On our own, we can neither make amends for our sin nor change our nature.
  • Salvation comes through Jesus alone (Acts 4:12). God’s justice required a penalty for sin, but only a sacrifice without defect would suffice. Jesus, who lived a perfect life on earth, was uniquely qualified. He bore our sins and died in our place so we might be forgiven and adopted into God’s family. When we receive Him as Savior, we’re given a new nature, and Christ’s righteousness is counted as ours (Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:17).
  • The church—Christ’s body—is made up of born-again believers throughout the world (1 Cor. 12:13). All Christians are commanded to worship the Lord, care for one another, and share in the work of spreading the gospel. God’s followers are also given spiritual gifts to use in building up other believers.

If these truths are the basis for our view of life, we will find ourselves growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Forgiving others will become a possibility—and dying to self a more common occurrence. Ungodly traits will fade away and be replaced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie –The Missing Piece  

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The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. —Romans 13:12

Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together, and when you were almost done, you realized that someone had lost the final piece? It can be incredibly frustrating.

Maybe you have tried to put your life together, thinking, If I put this here and that there, it will work. . . But where is that other piece?

God holds the missing piece. You won’t find it in your pursuits. The missing piece is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Have you found that missing piece? Or, do you still have a hole in your heart that you’ve tried to fill with everyone and everything, but nothing satisfies?

I was raised around many of the empty pursuits this world offers. And I pursued enough of them to know they were empty — enough to know they weren’t the answer to what I was looking for. So when I first heard about Jesus Christ, the idea of having a relationship with God held great appeal for me. But the Christians I knew were so nice and loving. I thought, I don’t know if I can become one of these people. But God started working in my life. He changed my heart. And if He can do it for me, then He can do it for you. In fact, when I told people I was a Christian, they didn’t believe it. Then a few years later when they learned I was a pastor, they laughed even harder. It was the last thing anyone ever envisioned for me. But God had a different plan for my life.

Who knows what kind of plan He has for you?

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Ambassadors of Reconciliation

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Ravi Z

Recently on a drive through a small, suburban town, I saw the following message on a church sign: “Afraid of burning?  Apply Son-screen.” I’ve seen similar messages to this one; “How will you spend eternity: Smoking or Non-Smoking?” “Life is Hard. Afterlife is Harder!” “WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning!” While there may be a pithy cleverness to some of these church slogans, I am bothered by the use of fear as a primary motivator for entering into a relationship with God. Why would anyone “scare” people into relationship with God? Can a true relationship be formed on the basis of fear?

Of course, the narratives of the Bible are replete with admonitions to fear the Lord.  Even those unfamiliar with Christianity are likely to have some acquaintance with the familiar Proverb: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (1:7). But the fear of God is quite different from being afraid. Actually, the fear of the Lord is a component of faith; it arises from knowledge of God and from within the context of relationship with God. The fear of the Lord is reverence for God, and it reminds us of our place and our standing before that God. We are finite and fallen. God is infinite and holy. Fear is simply another name for the wonder, reverence, and praise we owe to God our Creator.

Now, perhaps these church billboards have a hint of this understanding in their message, but sadly, the result for those reading these kinds of messages is fear, or revulsion. If the only motivation to turn to God is to avoid punishment, how is that any kind of relationship?  Perhaps this message results when there is confusion between the justice of God and punishment. Often, we want to punish others, or we have misplaced the desire to see others punished for a sense of justice. In contrast, the desire for justice is the desire to see things put right, made right by God. As Jesus prayed, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is a prayer for God’s justice to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Rather than making people fell afraid and focusing on all that is fearfully wrong, there is also the exhortation to proclaim all that God has set right in Jesus Christ: “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

Interestingly enough, more than any other command in Scripture, we are commanded to ‘fear not,’ and ‘do not be afraid.’(1) In fact, there are 366 commands (one for every day of the year and for Leap Year) to not be afraid. In Jesus’s teaching and message, he reserved his warnings of judgment for those who considered themselves in the “right” with God—those who defined their righteousness by their own merits. Jesus never used fear as a motivation for following him. Rather, for those on the outside looking in, Jesus extended hospitality and welcome. Indeed, in his message announcing “the kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and believe the gospel” Jesus extends an invitation, not an ultimatum driven by fear. It is an invitation to enter into the kingdom by following him—his way, his life. Those who follow Jesus today can extend the same invitation to others who are seeking: “We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Perhaps understanding proper fear gives new insight to the words written in John’s first letter. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:16-19). Author Scott Bader-Saye comments that fear twists virtue into vice.(2) Fear motivated by a lack of love pursues punishment. When anyone is detached from love, fear-filled messages are sent. But when the proclamation centers on the God who ‘so loved the world that he gave his only Son’ fear is replaced by love; a love freely offered to others, by the God who has first loved us.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

(1) Lloyd Ogilvie cited in John Ortberg, If You Want To Walk on Water You Have to Get Out of The Boat (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 118.

(2) Scott Bader-Saye, Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2007), 48-49.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Please, Don’t Be Religious

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Joyce meyer

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence. —Matthew 23:25

Jesus frequently chastised the religious leaders of His day because although they did lots of good works, they did them with wrong motives. An abundance of religious works does not always mean the person doing them is close to God. I believe that religious activity can keep us from having an intimate relationship with God and hearing Him speak to us.

Jesus died to open the way for us to have intimacy with God, and that should always come before any good works. It is actually possible to do religious things while our hearts are far from God. We should frequently do “motive checks.” God is more concerned with why we do things than He is with what we do when it comes to religious works. He said true religion is to visit, help, and care for widows and orphans in their affliction (see James 1:27). God wants us to genuinely love and care for hurting people much more than He wants us to try to impress one another with long, eloquent prayers.

Religious people do many things to enhance their reputation rather than to serve God. They may engage in all sorts of good works, but they rarely, if ever, engage in really sharing their hearts with God or allowing Him to share His with them. These people seldom truly hear God’s voice or enjoy deep communion with Him.

God’s word for you today: Focus on your relationship with God, not on being religious.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Big Comeback

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Our Daily Bread

1 John 1

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9

Chad Pennington is a former American football player who has suffered multiple career-threatening injuries. Twice, his injuries forced him to endure surgery, months of physical therapy, and weeks of training to get back onto the field. Yet, both times he not only returned to playing but he also excelled at such a high level that he was named Comeback Player of the Year in the National Football League. For Pennington, his efforts were an expression of his determination to return to football.

Spiritually, when sin and failure break our relationship with God and sideline our service, determination alone is not what restores us to rightness with God and usefulness in His kingdom. When we are sidelined because of sin, the path to a comeback is confession as well. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

For us to be able to recover from our spiritual failings, we are absolutely dependent on the One who gave Himself for us. And that gives us hope. Christ, who died for us, loves us with an everlasting love and will respond with grace as we confess our faults to Him. Through confession, we can find His gracious restoration—the greatest of all comebacks. —Bill Crowder

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come. —Elliott

Confession is the path that leads to restoration.

Bible in a year: Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

Insight

In today’s reading we see how God has provided a gracious means of cleansing us from our personal sins and reestablishing fellowship with God. It comes through confession of sin and redirecting our choices to the path of obedience (1 John 1:9).

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Cleansing From Sin

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dr_bright

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, KJV).

Henry was experiencing difficulty in communicating with God. “It seems as though He is far away from me,” he said, “and no matter what I do I am not able to make contact with Him.”

Henry was weighted down with problems and concerns that robbed him of his joy, his radiance and even his physical strength. He was a Christian and wanted to be a man of God but had become careless in his walk with Christ, and in the process had lost his first love.

If that condition describes you as well, it is quite likely that you have allowed sin to short-circuit your relationship with God. The mighty overflow of His power has been cut off, and you are no longer walking in the light as God is in the light. This is expressed in this great epistle of 1 John.

King David knew that experience because he had disobeyed God and, as recorded in Psalm 32, would not admit that he had sinned. As a result, his dishonesty made him miserable and filled his days with frustration.

If the light has gone out in your life and you are conscious of the same kind of experience to which King David refers, may I encourage you to take a sheet of paper, make a list of everything you know is wrong in your life, as the Holy Spirit directs you, and confess your sins to God.

As you make your list, claim the promise of 1 John 1:9. The word confess means “to agree with,” “to say along with.” Your are saying to God, “I acknowledge that what I am doing is wrong. I know Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for these sins. I repent.” To repent means genuinely to change your mind, which results in a change of action.

As a result of this change, you no longer do those things that grieve or quench the Spirit, and you desire to honor Him every moment of every day of your life through faith and obedience. Then, whenever sin enters your life, you engage in spiritual breathing.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 28:10-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will make a list of everything the Holy Spirit calls to my mind that is short-circuiting His power in my life, and I will genuinely confess them before God.