Tag Archives: religion

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Church Will Prevail

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“You are Peter, a stone; and upon this rock I will build my church: and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

You and I can truly rejoice: no matter how weak and ineffective our church may seem to be at times, the fact remains that “all powers of hell shall not prevail against it.” Remarkably fulfilled to this date, this promise has the Word of God Himself to back it up.

Sometimes, we see the human frailties of one another in the church – which will always be there – and we forget for the moment the great strengths that are present: the Word of God; fellow believers who are fully committed to the Lord; genuine worship of our heavenly Father.

Primarily, we have the promise that the church is God’s instrument for worship and instruction of His children. It is a rallying place for believers; a powerhouse of prayer; a training school for sharing our faith.

A parallel to this promise has to do with the Word of God. Men have tried to destroy it down through the ages, but it remains the all-time best seller and so shall it ever be. Men have tried to count the church down and out many times, never with any degree of success whatsoever. And so shall that ever be, as well.

Rejoice: all the plots, stratagems and machinations of the enemy of the church shall never be able to overcome it. You and I, meanwhile, can do our part to help make the church all that God intends for it to be.

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:21-24

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will praise God for His protecting hand over the church and do all in my power, the Holy Spirit enabling, to keep it strong and triumphant – the center of spiritual revolution.

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Devoted to God

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

The Olympic Games reward the top three winners by positioning them on a platform of honor. But a fourth podium would have to be erected to give praise to King David’s warrior Abishai. His place came beside David’s “mighty three,” but was one earned because of his courage and loyalty to the king.

Now Abishai…wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three.

I Chronicles 11:20

David’s men differed from those who followed his predecessor Saul. Saul’s armies couldn’t be trusted and had to be bribed to do his bidding. Devoted men risked their lives for David because of his honest character and stature in leadership. They understood that the Lord’s hand was upon him and wanted to be a part of what God was doing.

David’s bravery, as well as his humanity, made him worthy of mention in the Bible over 1,000 times. His sinfulness is not hidden, but neither are his confessions and turning back to God.

And so it should be today. Be devoted to God…an example to those around you. Give testimony of the Lord’s goodness – His mercy and grace – in your life. Pray that those in leadership would turn from their sinful ways and look to God for guidance.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 45:18-22

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – No Worries!

Leave a comment

greglaurie

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. —Philippians 4:6

I find it interesting that the word “worry” has its origins in a word that means “to choke.” That is exactly what worry does. It chokes us. It holds us back. Worry doesn’t help at all. It actually makes things worse. Worry adds to our problems.

“Don’t worry about anything,” the Bible says, “but pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

Ephesians 6:18 tells us to “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Notice the use of “all” and “every”: All times . . . every occasion . . . for all believers everywhere. When we pile up these words, we get the idea that God is telling us to do this all the time about all things that concern us. Also, a literal translation of the word “pray” in this verse means “be sleepless to this end.” In other words, keep praying.

The Lord said to Solomon, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Let’s pray to that end, not only for our nation, but also for all things that concern us in life: our physical needs, our financial needs, our needs to be led, our needs for wisdom and protection—all the things we need in life. When we are in need, we need to pray.

What is bothering you right now? What is troubling you? What is concerning you? What is your need? Pray about those things. It is what the Scripture tells us to do.

 

 

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Peace With One Another

1 Comment

Charles Stanley

Romans 14:19

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of peacemakers (Matt. 5:9)—the passage almost sounds as if they are a special breed with unique abilities. Some people do have a way about them that brings peace wherever they go. All of us, however, can become peacemakers because, according to 1 Corinthians 7:15, “God has called us to peace.”

Unfortunately, though, success in this area oftentimes eludes us, and the reason is that we quit too soon. With certain people, it is necessary that we go the extra mile and not only seek peace but also pursue it (Ps. 34:14). Such a pursuit can be very costly at times, but apparently God expects some pretty heroic attempts in this area, because He tells us to “pursue peace with all men” (Heb. 12:14).

In addition to this, Romans 12:18 instructs us, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” Sometimes we try too hard to analyze the words “so far as it depends on you.” We can get bogged down trying to figure out whether we should take the initiative to be reconciled to someone or wait for the other person to approach us.

Jesus made it clear that unity within the church is a top priority. It doesn’t really matter whether we have offended others or they have offended us—in either case, we should take the initiative to be reconciled with our brothers. Even if a brother will not listen, we can still “pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Rom. 14:19).

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Will

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Psalm 37:23-40

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. —Psalm 37:23

We’re often looking for God’s will—especially when we’re in a difficult situation. We wonder, What will happen to me here? Should I stay or does God want me somewhere else? The only way to know for sure is to do what He asks you to do right now—the duty of the present moment—and wait for God to reveal the next step.

As you obey what you know, you will be strengthened to take the next step and the next. Step by step, one step at a time. That’s how we learn to walk with God.

But you say, “Suppose I take the first step. What will happen next?” That’s God’s business. Your task and mine is to obey this day and leave the future to Him. The psalmist says our steps are “ordered by the LORD” (37:23). This day’s direction is all we need. Tomorrow’s instruction is of no use to us at all. George MacDonald said, “We do not understand the next page of God’s lesson book; we see only the one before us. Nor shall we be allowed to turn the leaf until we have learned its lesson.”

If we concern ourselves with God’s will and obey each day the directions and warnings He gives, if we walk by faith and step out in the path of obedience, we will find that God will lead us through this day. As Jesus put it, “Tomorrow will worry about its own things” (Matt. 6:34). —David Roper

God knows each winding way I take,

And every sorrow, pain, and ache;

His children He will not forsake—

He knows and loves His own. —Bosch

Blessed is the person who finds out which way God is moving and then goes in that direction.

Bible in a year: Proverbs 25-26; 2 Corinthians 9

 

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Of Kings and Kingdoms

Leave a comment

Ravi Z

It is interesting to note that narrative is the single most common type of literature found in the Bible. Perhaps as significant as the biblical stories themselves is the reality that we find God who chooses to communicate so much through story. There is much to see and hear if we will sit attentively before the Storyteller.

In the narratives of Daniel, we are introduced to a king in control and a kingdom in order. It is not insignificant that Daniel is introduced within this pleasingly ordered picture. As one of the three presidents serving just below the king, Daniel is a key player in the contented kingdom, and of this, the king is well aware. The narrative imparts, “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” (6:3). Interestingly, the word for “distinguished” here hints of a bright and excelling person with an enduring character, while the word for “excellent” denotes a surpassing and extreme spirit. In light of all that Daniel endures, from exile to injustice to the den of lions, no doubt these words were very clearly and deliberately chosen.

Interestingly, King Darius was not the only king to note in Daniel these distinguishable qualities. Through each chapter of the book of Daniel we see his successful climbing of the political ladder from captive prisoner to sage to chief sage to administrator over the province to the king’s personal adviser to third ruler in the kingdom.(1)

Daniel’s great success may well incite our power-revering, name-making minds to curiosity. What is it that really distinguishes a person among others? And what was it that set Daniel apart in such a way that kings of a kingdom in which he was a mere foreigner desired him close by as they ruled?

No doubt, we find in Daniel a man hopeful in the face of exile, a person of integrity in the midst of conniving injustice, a figure of prayer though Jerusalem lies in ruins, and a creature of endurance—from serving within the royal courts to crouching within the lions’ den. Truly, there is much that readers could presume from his quiet spirit, intense faith, and radical obedience. Daniel was distinguished in character, excellent in spirit, set apart in life and practice.

But the story offers a less speculative insight into the excellent spirit of Daniel. Significantly, everything King Darius says to Daniel throughout the entire narrative is in direct reference to Daniel’s God. The story powerfully points to God as the reason for Daniel’s distinguishable spirit in the eyes of a powerful king. And as Daniel speaks from the darkness of the pit after a night among lions, all agree, having now seen a more powerful crown. Daniel is distinguished because Daniel’s God, the Most High King, is distinguished. In fact the very first words Daniel speaks in the story are a proclamation of what God has done, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.” The living God has accomplished what all others could not.

Though to many the divine throne appeared to be empty, Daniel stirred hopeful confidence in the redemptive plan of a powerful king who lovingly calls us into a bigger story.

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

(1) See D.N. Fewell, Circle of Sovereignty (Sheffield Academic Press, 1988).

 

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – What Does Partake Mean?

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

Partakers of the divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4

To be a partaker of the divine nature is not, of course, to become God. That cannot be. The essence of Deity is not to be participated in by the creature. Between the creature and the Creator there will always be a fixed gulf in terms of essence; but as the first man Adam was made in the image of God, so we, by the renewal of the Holy Spirit, are in a diviner sense made in the image of the Most High and are “partakers of the divine nature.”

We are, by grace, made like God. “God is love”;1 we become love-“whoever loves has been born of God.”2 God is truth; we become true, and we love what is true. God is good, and He makes us good by His grace, so that we become the pure in heart who will see God.

Moreover, we become partakers of the divine nature in an even higher sense than this-in fact, in as lofty a sense as can be conceived, short of our being absolutely divine. Do we not become members of the body of the divine person of Christ? Yes, the same blood that flows in the head flows in the hand: And the same life that quickens Christ quickens His people, for “You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”3 As if this were not enough, we are married to Christ. He has betrothed us to Himself in righteousness and in faithfulness, and he who is joined to the Lord is one with Him.

Marvelous mystery! We look into it, but who will understand it? One with Jesus-so much so that the branch is not more one with the vine than we are a part of the Lord, our Savior and our Redeemer! While we rejoice in this, let us remember that those who are made “partakers of the divine nature” will display this high and holy relationship in their relationships with others and will make it evident in their daily walk and conversation that they have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. O for more divine holiness of life!

1John 4:8

21 John 4:7

3Colossians 3:3

 

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Storming the battlements

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end; take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.” Jeremiah 5:10

Suggested Further Reading: Galatians 5:25-6: 5

We sometimes trust too much in evidences and good works. Ralph Erskine did not say amiss when he remarked, “I have got more hurt by my good works than my bad ones.” That seems something like Antinomianism, but it is true; we find it so by experience. “My bad works,” said Erskine, “Always drove me to the Saviour for mercy; my good works often kept me from him, and I began to trust in myself.” Is it not so with us? We often get a pleasing opinion of ourselves; we are preaching so many times a week; we attend so many prayer meetings; we are doing good in the Sabbath-school; we are valuable deacons; important members of the church; we are giving away so much in charity; and we say, “Surely I am a child of God—I must be. I am an heir of heaven. Look at me! See what robes I wear. Have I not indeed a righteousness about me that proves me to be a child of God?” Then we begin to trust in ourselves, and say, “Surely I cannot be moved; my mountain stands firm and fast.” Do you know what is the usual rule of heaven when we boast? Why the command is given to the foe—“Go up against him; take away his battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.” And what is the consequence? Why, perhaps God suffers us to fall into sin, and down goes self-sufficiency. Many a Christian owes his falls to a presumptuous confidence in his graces. I conceive that outward sin is not more abhorred by our God than this most wicked sin of reliance on ourselves. May none of you ever learn your own weakness by reading a black book of your own backslidings.

For meditation: If pride and boasting are listed as sins of the unbeliever (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2), they are just as much sins when the believer falls into them. Our good works should lead others to glorify God (Matthew 5:16) and should surely have the same effect upon us.

Sermon no. 38

16 September (1855)

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – A Righteousness That Glorifies God

1 Comment

John MacArthur

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

We’ve seen the importance of donning the breastplate of righteousness, but Scripture also discusses the consequences of failing to do so. These consequences serve as warnings to anyone who is prone to neglect righteousness.

If you’re not committed to righteousness, you not only make yourself spiritually vulnerable, but also forfeit some of God’s wonderful blessings. David prayed, “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” (Ps. 51:13). His sin had robbed him of his joy and assurance. That’s true of us as well because joy is directly proportional to obedience. If you’re pursuing greater righteousness, you’ll know greater joy.

You might also forfeit some of your heavenly reward. John said, “Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (1 John 8). I believe that New Testament rewards are various capacities for service in heaven. The greater your reward, the greater your capacity to serve God. Somehow your current righteousness and faithfulness to God affect what you will do for all eternity. Don’t allow sin and negligence to diminish your reward!

Without righteousness you will also suffer loss of opportunity to glorify God. When thinking or behaving unrighteously, you violate your reason for existence, which is to glorify God in everything (1 Cor. 10:31). Instead of exalting Him, you bring reproach on His name. Instead of causing others to see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16), you breed confusion and mockery.

Peter says to us, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that . . . they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:11). When unbelievers scrutinize your life, what do they see? Does your righteousness testify of God’s saving and sanctifying grace?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God to give you an increased hunger and thirst for righteousness as you seek to live to His glory today.

For Further Study:

Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:21 as a reminder of God’s marvelous grace to you.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Pray About Everything

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. —James 5:16

Driving down the road one day, pondering an upcoming change in my life, I found that I was afraid. It really wasn’t a major thing, but it felt like it to me.

God spoke to me that day and simply said, “Pray about everything. Fear nothing.” He showed me He couldn’t work through my fear, but if I would give Him my faith, He would help me in my situation. I needed it that day for something seemingly minor, but I have used it many times since for all types of situations.

Isn’t it good to know that God cares about everything that concerns you—even the little things you’re afraid of? Your part is to pray and have faith, and God’s part is to provide the power to meet your need. What do you need to pray about tonight?

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Defending Your Family against Spiritual Attack

1 Comment

Charles Stanley

God works powerfully through strong Christian families. But the enemy of our souls does not want to see parents and their children loving, supporting, respecting, and enjoying each other. Satan works to destroy healthy families and trap people in habitual sin. He especially targets children and young people. That’s why Christian parents needs to learn how to wage spiritual warfare on behalf of their children.

Spiritual Warfare in the Home

The enemy is constantly working to bring anxiety, frustration, compulsions, and fear into the home. When home life is miserable, kids grow up wounded and often rebellious. A family that is constantly feuding cannot minister to anyone else or actively serve the body of Christ. So if the devil can succeed in destroying a family, he can usually count on weakening the church as well.

Spiritual problems can manifest in your children as rebellion, depression, addictions, and a host of other sins. Our tendency is to address the outward symptoms of the problem, rather than the root. But these battles will not be won by common sense, worldly solutions, or harsh restrictions. Instead, we need to resist the devil’s plans with spiritual tools. Second Corinthians 10:3-4 says, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

Waging spiritual warfare includes living godly lives, discerning what is going on within our families, and praying in the power of the blood of Jesus and with the authority of the Word of God.

How you live as a parent is extremely important to the spiritual success of your kids. When parents are living righteously before the Lord, there is a hedge of protection that surrounds that family. In the spiritual realm, you offer shelter as a parent when you seek after God, are just and fair in your dealings, and lead your family in worshipping God and learning about Him. But when mom or dad is living in willful disobedience to the Lord, the children will suffer. No one can live a worldly life and expect to raise godly kids.

Maybe Satan has trapped one of your children either as a result of your sin or because of outside influences. He might have that child bound in a stronghold, which is an area of a person’s life that is spiritually weak.Because Satan can easily get a victory by attacking there, he will hit that person again and again in the vulnerable spot. He might tempt one person to feel unworthy, another to escape with alcohol, and a third to burst out in anger too easily.

The good news is that as a parent, you are in a position to see the Lord move on behalf of your child and free him or her from strongholds. First John 4:4 says, “You are of God … and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world.” This means the Holy Spirit, Who is in us, is greater than Satan and can lead us to spiritual victory.

How do you limit the activity of the enemy in your child’s life?

First, clean up your own life. Spend some time alone with God and confess all known sin. Come to a point of complete surrender again. If you try to fight a spiritual battle while living in outright rebellion against God—even in a private area of your life—you will fail.

Second, identify the root problem. The symptom may be your child’s rebellion against authority, drug abuse, or some other addiction. But the root of the problem might be your child’s bitterness caused by parental neglect or another issue from the past.

Third, find scriptural authority for confronting the problem. When Satan attacked Jesus, our Lord countered the enemy’s lies with Scripture. We need to do the same. For example, in dealing with a bitter child, we could use Hebrews 12:15, which says, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”

Fourth, pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This means you ask the same thing He would in your place and do it by His powerful authority. Praying in the name of Jesus puts the emphasis on His supernatural power and the authority He has delegated to His followers (John 14:13-14).

Fifth, pray to your Heavenly Father rather than talking to Satan. Keep in mind that you have no power on your own to bind Satan, but are simply declaring what has already happened in the spirit realm through the cross.

Sixth, it’s not enough to restrict Satan from using the stronghold—ask God to release your child from it. Putting this all together, your prayer might be:

Heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by His precious blood, I ask You to bind Satan away from the life of my son/daughter and to remove his/her bitterness. Father, You said we are to see to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness should be allowed to spring up and cause trouble and defile many people. On the authority of Your Word, Lord Jesus Christ, and by Your blood, I want to pronounce Satan defeated—no longer able to hold my son/daughter captive to the sin of bitterness. Father, please release my son/daughter from the stronghold of bitterness. Liberate him/her from the unhealthy patterns that have him/her bound and free him/her to serve and obey You. Thank You, Father for saving and healing him/her. Amen.

Last, if you pray for a while and nothing changes, get some godly friends involved. Confess to them you need help. Admit that you have failed somewhere as a father or mother. Ask them to pray that God would reveal any area of sin in your life that you have previously been blinded to. Confess any sins this process uncovers and take any actions you need to. Then pray again in agreement with those friends that God would cause Satan to release your child from the stronghold and restore him or her to oneness with the family. Even gathering with one or two other friends greatly increases the ultimate success of your prayers (Matt.18:19-20).

You might not see results right away. What I’ve noticed is that the longer people have been bound in sin, the longer it usually takes to free them. But don’t give up. Keep walking in complete surrender to God and continue interceding for your child. The heart of the Father is turned toward your son or daughter, and He desires to bring freedom and restoration.

 

RELATED RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — A Life That Shined

Leave a comment

Our Daily Bread

Matthew 5:3-16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. —Matthew 5:16

According to the International Basketball Federation, basketball is the world’s second-most popular sport, with an estimated 450 million followers in countries around the globe. In the US, the annual NCAA tournament in March often brings mention of legendary coach John Wooden. During his 27 years at UCLA, Wooden’s teams won an unprecedented 10 National Championship titles. Yet, today, John Wooden, who died in 2010, is remembered not just for what he accomplished but for the person he was.

Wooden lived out his Christian faith and his genuine concern for others in an environment often obsessed with winning. In his autobiography, They Call Me Coach, he wrote, “I always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere.”

John Wooden honored God in all he did, and his example challenges us to do the same. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). —David McCasland

Show me the way, Lord, let my light shine

As an example of good to mankind;

Help them to see the patterns of Thee,

Shining in beauty, lived out in me. —Neuer

Let your light shine—whether you’re a candle in a corner or a lighthouse on a hill.

Bible in a year: Proverbs 22-24; 2 Corinthians 8

 

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Adoption

Leave a comment

CharlesSpurgeon

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Ephesians 1:5

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 9:10-24

It is at once a doctrine of Scripture and of common sense, that whatever God does in time he predestined to do in eternity. Some men find fault with divine predestination, and challenge the justice of eternal decrees. Now, if they will please remember that predestination is the counterpart of history, as an architectural plan, the carrying out of which we read in the facts that happen, they may perhaps obtain a slight clue to the unreasonableness of their hostility. I never heard any one among professors wantonly and wilfully find fault with God’s dealings, yet I have heard some who would even dare to call in question the equity of his counsels. If the thing itself be right, it must be right that God intended to do the thing; if you find no fault with facts, as you see them in providence, you have no grounds to complain of decrees, as you find them in predestination, for the decrees and the facts are just the counterpart one of the other. Have you any reason to find fault with God, that he has been pleased to save you, and save me? Then why should you find fault because Scripture says he pre-determined that he would save us? I cannot see, if the fact itself is agreeable, why the decree should be objectionable. I can see no reason why you should find fault with God’s foreordination, if you do not find fault with what does actually happen as the effect of it. Let a man but agree to acknowledge an act of providence, and I want to know how he can, except he runs in the very teeth of providence, find any fault with the predestination or intention that God made concerning that providence.

For meditation: Some talk as if the doctrine of predestination is the enemy of the Christian. Scripture lists it as one of the “all things” that work together for good to them that love God and which prove that God is for us (Romans 8:28-31).

Sermon no. 360

15 September (Undated Sermon)

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Bad News?

Leave a comment

Alistair Begg

He is not afraid of bad news.

Psalms 112:7

Christian, you ought not to be afraid of the arrival of bad news; because if you are distressed by such, you are no different from other men. They do not have your God to run to; they have never proved His faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear. But you profess to be of another spirit; you have been born again to a living hope, and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things. If you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of that grace that you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature that you claim to possess?

Again, if you should be filled with alarm like others, you would no doubt be led into the sins so common to them under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by bad news, rebel against God; they murmur and maintain that God has dealt harshly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord as they do?

Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Your wisest course is to do what Moses did at the Red Sea: “Stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.”1 For if you give way to fear when you hear bad news, you will be unable to meet the trouble with that calm composure that prepares for duty and sustains in adversity.

How can you glorify God if you play the coward? Saints have often sung God’s high praises in the fires, but when you act as if there were no one to help, will your doubting and despondency magnify the Most High? Then take courage and, relying in sure confidence upon the faithfulness of your covenant God, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”2

1Exodus 14:13

2John 14:27

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Developing Practical Righteousness

1 Comment

John MacArthur

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

We’ve seen the importance of putting on the breastplate of righteousness as protection against Satan’s attempts to pervert your thinking and emotions. But Scripture speaks of three kinds of righteousness: self-righteousness, imputed righteousness, and practical righteousness. Which did Paul have in mind in Ephesians 6:14?

Paul wasn’t speaking of self-righteousness because that is what the breastplate of righteousness is designed to protect you from. Self-righteousness deceives a person into thinking, I can please God and reach heaven on my own merit. But Isaiah said, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6). Far from getting you to heaven, self- righteousness will condemn you to eternal hell because it rejects the merits of Christ’s atonement.

Similarly, Paul wasn’t speaking of imputed righteousness–the righteousness of Christ granted to every believer at the moment of salvation. It’s also called “positional righteousness” because it results from your position or standing in Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 says that God made Christ, “who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Every believer is clothed in the garment of Christ’s righteousness. You don’t put that on. It’s already yours in Christ.

Only practical righteousness remains–that which flows from obedience to God’s Word. Although in God’s eyes you are righteous in Christ, you must also pursue righteous behavior. In other words, your practice should match your position. That’s what Paul meant when he said, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:13). John added that “the one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

As you learn to live in obedience to God’s Word, you’ll be protected by the breastplate of righteousness.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask the Spirit to help you search your heart and reveal any self-righteous attitudes that might be making you vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. Confess them, then praise Christ for the true righteousness that is yours in Him.

For Further Study:

Read Romans 3:10-23. What kind of righteousness did Paul pursue?

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Get in Balance

Leave a comment

Joyce meyer

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

—1 Corinthians 13:7

We all get emotional occasionally, or lose our temper once in a while. But if you are out of balance in either one of these areas, it is very important to get back in balance if you want your day to go right.

If your feelings get hurt because someone looks at you crossways, or because friends or family forget your birthday, you need to spend more time with God. He will fill you with so much love and such a sense of self-worth that you won’t feel ill-tempered or touchy toward anyone. Seek God with your whole heart today. Talk to Him about your problems, and then enjoy yourself, knowing that He cares for you.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A New Quality of Life

Leave a comment

dr_bright

“When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, He shall guide you into all truth, for He will not be presenting His own ideas, but will be passing on to you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He shall praise Me and bring Me great honor by showing you My glory. All the Father’s glory is Mine: this is what I mean when I say that He will show you My glory” (John 16:13-15).

Steve asked me the question, “What is my number 1 priority as a Christian? I want to be a man of God, so I need counsel as to what I am to do first.” This is a good question for every Christian to ask.

The answer is simply: to glorify God. Jesus tells us how we can best do this in John 15:8, “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (NASB). Or, as the Living Bible states it, “My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to My Father.”

The Holy Spirit has come to be a witness to our Lord Jesus. When the Spirit controls our lives, we too will be witnesses for Him.

Witnessing for Christ with our lips is not only a natural result of being filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, but also is a necessary act of obedience if we are to continue to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

That which is most on our hearts is most on our lips, so if we truly love Christ, we will want to share Him with others. But God does not want or need the witness of individuals whose carnal lives fail to give credibility to their testimonies.

The greatest experience that has ever happened to any believer is to know Jesus Christ personally as Savior and Lord, to be forgiven of his sins and to have assurance of eternal life.

Therefore, the most important thing we can do to help another person is to introduce him to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can empower us to live holy lives and be fruitful witnesses for Christ.

Bible Reading: John 14:16-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will ask the Holy Spirit to glorify God through the quality of my life and the witness of my words, as a demonstration of the supernatural life that I have received from God.

 

 

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Trust in Tragedy

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

King David and his wife had a gravely ill newborn. In desperation, David did what any God-fearing parent would do: he bombarded Heaven with prayers. He rejected all creature comforts. His advisers urged him to eat, but he wouldn’t even do that. The King’s period of grief began while the baby was still alive. Ultimately, David was informed of the infant’s death. Then he did something not every parent would do: he got up, took a bath, dressed in clean clothes, went to the house of the Lord, and worshipped.

And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not.

II Samuel 12:17

Puzzling reaction? Not when you consider that David was likely comforted by knowing he’d see his son again. He was confident the infant would spend eternity with the Lord – and with his child.

When you have occasion to be beside someone watching their child fight a mortal illness, the only comfort you can offer them is God’s eternal promised love for children. Encourage them to do as David did, and examine their own mortality and relationship with the Lord. Pray, too, for the children and families of your nation’s leaders…that they would find the God in whom David could trust in tragedy.

Recommended Reading: II Samuel 12:15-24

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Stronger Together

Leave a comment

ppt_seal01

“You’ve gotta know someone.” Whether you’re trying to break into the music industry, get a contract for your book, or just want a new job, you may hear this phrase. When friends are willing to vouch for you, doors are more likely to open.

I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. I Samuel 19:3

True friends don’t expect benefits from a relationship, but are certainly willing to help when they can. David and Jonathan had that type of friendship. King Saul was wildly jealous of David and ordered his attendants and even his own son to kill David. But Jonathan willingly stood up for David to Saul, telling his father, “His deeds have brought good to you.” (I Samuel 19:4) As a result, the envious king backed down and allowed David back in his presence.

This nation is in desperate need of people who will stand alongside national leaders who choose to follow Jesus. They are stronger with your help. Pray for the courage to stand beside Christian leaders in political offices. As you speak out to bring them encouragement, reach out to lift each other up as well.

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Revive Us Again!

Leave a comment

greglaurie

O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. —Habakkuk 3:2

From 1857 to 1859 a revival swept New York City that became part of what is called the Third Great Awakening. Jeremiah Lanphier, a forty-eight-year-old businessman, began a prayer meeting on Fulton Street. Not many people attended the prayer meeting at first. But then the stock market crashed. Soon hundreds of New Yorkers were gathering for prayer. Within months, six thousand people were gathering at noon for prayer throughout New York City. It is reported that fifty thousand New Yorkers came to faith and an estimated one million people came to the Lord during this time.

Sometimes we want to pray for a robust, strong economy in our nation. I am not suggesting we pray for a bad economy, but here is what we should pray: “Lord, send a revival to America, no matter what it takes.” Sometimes when there is an economic downturn or a military threat or other events we are concerned about, we will turn to God.

Remember how so many Americans showed up in churches in the aftermath of 9/11? It almost seemed like an awakening of sorts. Remember the members of Congress standing outside on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and spontaneously singing “God Bless America”?

Our country needs a spiritual awakening. The prophet Habakkuk understood the need for a revival in his day when he prayed, “O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

That needs to be our prayer, too, as believers living in the twenty-first century: O Lord, revive Your work. I thank God for what He has done in the past, but here is my prayer: Do it again, Lord. We need another revival.