Tag Archives: religion

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Questions for the Rich Farmer

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Read: Luke 12:13-21

Be on your guard against all covetousness. (v. 15)

In just three verses, this rich fool refers to himself seven times. Count them. He reminds me of the T-shirt that says, “Enough about me, let’s talk about you. What do you think about me?” This raises several “what if” questions. What if the rich farmer had reflected on God’s blessings, which enabled his bountiful crops? What if he had thought, “I will build bigger so I’ll have storage room for neighboring farmers?” What if the rich farmer had remembered that life is as brief as the morning mist?

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” (Luke 12:20). There is nothing wrong with bountiful crops or having more than one barn could hold. It all is a gift of God, who makes the sun shine and the rain fall, producing the abundant harvest. Farmers work long hours planting, harvesting, and storing into barns. Greed is something else. It’s been called the affliction of the affluent—an abundance of money, property, and material goods. God is not stingy. He created a world with “enough for everyone’s needs, but not for everyone’s greed” (Gandhi).

In Dante’s Inferno of judgment, the greedy are boiled alive in molten gold. It’s their punishment for hoarding or spending their riches selfishly. Mercy gives. Greed grabs. It’s never satisfied. Jesus says to us, “Beware of covetousness”! —Chic Broersma

Prayer: Lord, free me from greed

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – DIVINE SILENCE? OUR FEELING OF BEING PUNISHED

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Isaiah 64:8–12

In centuries past, a “cage of shame” was used for public punishments in many European towns and villages. The offender—who was deemed guilty of anything from adultery to public drunkenness to gossip—was placed inside a large metal cage and put on display in the town square, often during market days or festivals. He or she would often be spit upon or even pelted with rocks and rotten vegetables by the crowds.

Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?ISAIAH 64:12

Divine silence can make us feel as if God is punishing or shaming us like this. In today’s reading, the relationship between God and His people seems broken. At first, the relationship was close and trusting (v. 8). He was the Father, and the Israelites were His children. He was the Potter, they were the clay (cf. Isa. 29:16; 45:9). When they sinned against Him, Isaiah prayed for forgiveness (v. 9). His anger was just, but surely He would forgive, look on them again with favor, and restore the relationship.

Now the Promised Land has become a wasteland (v. 10). Solomon’s great temple has been burned to the ground. The people have been conquered and sent into exile. Will there be no end to God’s judgments? These events and feelings culminate in God’s silence as the most severe of all the punishments (v. 12). In light of all that had happened, would He really continue to hold out or withhold Himself? That is the real misery, the worst affliction, the most painful humiliation of all!

Isaiah’s faith and hope is revealed by the fact that all this is embedded in a prayer. He still cried out to the Lord. He did not believe that the relationship is over or that God will remain silent forever. God’s covenant with Israel is based not on Israel’s merit but on God’s faithful love (Isa. 65:1–3).

APPLY THE WORD

In Scripture and elsewhere, language and silence are often relational metaphors: to speak indicates a strong relationship, presence, and blessing, while to be silent indicates an impaired relationship, absence, and judgment. To explore more, visit the Today in the Word website, todayintheword.com, and check out the October 2012 study.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Dealing With Disappointment

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Habakkuk 3:17-19

After I preached a sermon on disappointment, several men and women approached me with the same reaction: “I desperately needed to hear those words.” Many people feel defeated and let down by their circumstances. But the way a person responds can make all the difference. Frustrations can be either an opportunity for spiritual growth or a destructive blow.

A right response to disappointment begins with resisting the natural tendency toward bitterness. If someone else was involved in the situation, don’t be quick to judge his or her conduct. We can’t fully understand what is going on in others’ lives or what motivates them to act as they do. Our second step should be to ask the Lord, “How am I to respond?” God can guide us to a wise and righteous reaction because He has all the facts.

Third, follow His directions, even if they aren’t what you want to do. Oftentimes the Lord’s way contradicts our own desires and the advice of friends. However, His plan is the one that will bring about growth and result in our greatest good.

And fourth, keep your focus on God and His higher purpose in your life. People are prone to dwell on their hurts and the harm that comes to them, which is what makes disappointment so destructive.

There are many methods for dealing with being let down, but pursuing the Lord’s will is the only one that satisfies. Though human plans can be derailed, nothing alters God’s purpose. No matter how deep your hurt goes, He will shepherd you through setbacks and sorrows while growing your faith.

Bible in One Year: Job 35-38

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — The Perfect Father

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Read: Psalm 27 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 32–33; John 18:19–40

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Psalm 27:10

Standing in the crowded store aisle, I struggled to find the perfect Father’s Day card. Although we had reconciled after years of a strained connection, I had never felt close to my dad.

The woman next to me groaned and shoved the card she’d been reading back into the display. “Why can’t they make cards for people who don’t have good relationships with their fathers, but are trying to do the right thing?”

She stormed off before I could respond, so I prayed for her. Thanking God for affirming only He could be a perfect Father, I asked Him to strengthen my relationship with my dad.

I long for deeper intimacy with my heavenly Father too. I want David’s confidence in God’s constant presence, power, and protection (Psalm 27:1–6).

When David cried out for help, he expected God’s answers (vv. 7–9). Though earthly parents could reject, abandon, or neglect their children, David declared God’s unconditional acceptance (v. 10). He lived with assurance in the Lord’s goodness (vv. 11–13). Like most of us, David sometimes struggled, but the Holy Spirit helped him persevere in trust and dependence on the Lord (v. 14).

We will encounter difficult relationships on this side of eternity. But even when people fall short, fail us, or hurt us, we’re still completely loved and protected by the only Perfect Father.

Lord, thank You for being a Father we can always count on.

God—the Perfect Father—will never let us down, leave us, or stop loving us.

By Xochitl Dixon

 

 

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Focus on Intimacy With God 

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Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life.  Deuteronomy 30:20

The Christian life is a matter of focus. Do I focus on my fears, my problems, and my needs, or do I focus on God? Do I love Him, listen to Him, trust Him, and allow Him to consume my life, or am I wrapped up in myself? These are two very different perspectives. One takes life; the other gives life. One saps energy; the other gives energy. So how can we listen to God, trust God, and make God our life? It starts with love.

When we love God, our affections are heavenward. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1–2). Love means we want to be with Him, understand Him, and please Him. Loving God means our love for others or things pales in comparison to our love for Him.

Others may become jealous because of the time and attention you give God. It may be hard for them to understand, but in reality, if your love of God is pure, those closest to you will be better off. Because the Lord loves you and you love Him, you cannot help but love those around you. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).

Focus on God also means you listen to Him. Quietness and solitude become a part of who you are because God’s voice is clear and crisp during stillness and reflection. Other competing noises are snuffed out when you take time to listen. Listen to Him in soft, contemplative worship music, listen to Him through mediation on His Word, or listen to Him beside a bubbling brook under the canopy of His creation. His voice is constant and soothing; He is everywhere, searching to communicate with and comfort His children.

How well do you listen to the Lord? Does it take a posture of desperation? Do the ears of your soul perk up in the presence of your Holy Creator? How can we not listen to the One who holds the world in His hands and who loves us beyond comprehension? Indeed, listen to Him, and do quickly what He says. Obedience acts on what it hears by faith.

Trust is also a part of our focus on God. He can be trusted because He is trustworthy. Others will let us down, but not God. He is always there to comfort us in our affliction and to convict us in our sin. Trust His flawless character; out of this trust flows peace that this life does not offer. Trust most especially during uncertain times; He will work it out for His glory.

“The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him” (Psalm 32:10).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, grow my heart of intimacy with You, I confess Christ is my life, in His name, amen.

Application: Is my faith focused on receiving the love of my heavenly Father?

Related Readings: Psalm 115:15; Isaiah 65:16; 1 Corinthians 4:12; Romans 12:14

Worship Resource: 4-minute music video- Lacey Strum: The Reason

Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2

 

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Blessed to Be a Blessing

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Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. — Philippians 2:4

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Everyone needs a blessing. We all need to be encouraged, edified, complimented, and appreciated. And you have the ability to bless others. Be thankful that God not only blesses you, but that He has made you a blessing. We all get weary at times and need other people to let us know that we are valuable and appreciated.

I believe God blesses us so we can be a blessing—not only in a few places but everywhere we go. Look for people who are needy and bless them. Share what you have with those who are less fortunate than you are. And remember, everyone needs a blessing—even the successful people who appear to have everything.

When you live to meet needs and encourage those around you, you will find “joy unspeakable” in the process (see 1 Peter 1:8 KJV).

Prayer Starter: Father, I am so grateful for Your blessings in my life, and I am also grateful that You have enabled me to be a blessing. Help me reach out to others every day and focus on adding to their encouragement. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – You Cannot Outgive God

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“For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give – large or small – will be used to measure what is given back to you” (Luke 6:38).

R.G. Le Tourneau was one of God’s great businessmen. He wrote a book, entitled God Runs My Business. Though he had little formal training, he became one of America’s leading industrialists, developing and securing patents for many major improvements in earth-moving equipment. He gave away millions of dollars, and he founded a wonderful Christian college which bears his name. I had known and admired him for many years, but one of my most memorable experiences with him was at his plant in Longview, Texas. As we chatted, I was captivated by this exuberant, joyful layman who was overflowing with the love of God, still creative in his later years, and always proclaiming the truth that you cannot outgive God – the more you give away the more you receive. He had discovered a law of the universe.

The giving of the tithe (ten percent of our increase) is an Old Testament principle. The New Testament principle of giving is expressed in this passage: “The more you give, the more you will receive.” I personally do not believe that that involves indiscriminate giving, but rather that we should prayerfully evaluate all the various opportunities that are available to further the cause of Christ and His kingdom.

New Testament concept makes clear that everything belongs to God. We are custodians, stewards, of that which is entrusted to us for only a brief moment of time. Three-score and ten years (or possibly a little more), and then all that we possess will pass on to another. We are not to hoard, nor are we to pass on large estates to our heirs. That which is entrusted to God’s children is given to them to be used while they are still alive. We are to care for our own, and make provision for their needs, but all that is entrusted to us beyond that amount should be spent while we are still alive, while we can guarantee proper stewardship.

Bible Reading:II Corinthians 8:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Mindful of this spiritual principle, that everything belongs to God and He has entrusted me with the privilege and responsibility of being a good steward, I will seek every opportunity to invest all the time, talent and treasure available to me while I am still alive, for the enhancement of the kingdom of God.

 

 

http://www.cru.org

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – DIVINE SILENCE? OUR FEELING OF DESPAIR

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Psalm 28 DEVOTIONS

Rodrigues, a seventeenth-century missionary in Japan in the novel Silence by Shusaku Endo, wrestled with the silence of God. Where was God, he wondered, when His church was suffering? Where was He when powerful and godless authorities exploited the poor and insulted His name? Where was He when new converts and young believers were tortured and martyred for their faith?

For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.

PSALM 28:1

Despair is a natural feeling in response to the silence of God. As in Psalm 35 yesterday, Psalm 28 cries out to God not to be silent (v. 1). If the Rock turns a deaf ear, David feels he might as well be “like those who go down to the pit” (which is death)—or as it has been translated elsewhere, “I might as well give up and die.”

God’s silence is an absence not only of words but also of actions. So David prayed that the Lord would show mercy and rescue him, as well as repay the hypocritical evildoers what they deserved (vv. 2–4). The main reason they have earned His punishment is their disregard for the Lord (v. 5).

The psalm then turns from despair to joy (vv. 6–9). This shift in David’s emotional journey is raw, heartfelt, anguished—and full of faith. The psalms are emotionally honest, but they never wallow in self-centeredness. Despite his feelings, David still knows God to be his strength, shield, and shepherd. Though He seems silent now, He is a God who hears, speaks, saves, and blesses, and He will be true to His character.

Anticipating this, the psalmist trusts and sings praises to God. In fact, he “leaps for joy” (v. 7)! His knowledge of God goes deeper than his present circumstances, and so the joy of faith overcomes the despair he feels from God’s momentary silence.

APPLY THE WORD

Like the psalmist, we can take our feelings—any feelings—to the Lord. He can handle them. But also like the psalmist, we should not wallow in self-centeredness or turn our emotions into an idol. We should express our feelings in faith. In the end, the arc of faith, however long it takes, leads to the joy of the Lord. He is our Rock!

PRAY WITH US

Please join us in prayer for our Communications faculty, asking the Father that everything our students learn from David Fetzer, Karyn Hecht, Kelli Worrall, and Matthew Moore carry the message of God’s goodness, love, and salvation—to change lives!

Brad Baurain

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert for Kids – Facts vs. Feelings

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Hebrews 10:38

Suppose you were invited to stay in a palace for a week. You could take dips in the swimming pool, eat from a gigantic refrigerator, and sleep in king-sized featherbeds. You could do whatever you wanted in this palace, but for seven days you would be by yourself. “No problem,” you might say. “I’m tired of sharing a room anyway.” The first couple of days you might really enjoy the new place. But by day three or four, you might start to notice the silence. Without anyone to talk to or share with, the loneliness might become the only thing you could think about.

The facts of the situation didn’t change, did they? The palace was the same. The arrangement was the same. Only your feelings changed. The problem when we rely on our feelings about God is that some days we’ll feel secure in his presence and some days we’ll feel like he’s nowhere to be found. But has God changed? The Bible says no. Does God decide the days he’ll be with us and the days he won’t? The Bible says no.

In the face of problems and fears, if it seems like God isn’t there, acknowledge your feelings and then look up the facts. The facts—God’s Word—will bolster your faith and give you something solid to hang on to.

Dear Lord, Help me to walk by faith, not by feelings. Amen.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –The Value of Endurance

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James 1:2-3

There are so many virtues Christians aspire to have. Who doesn’t want to be known as a loving, compassionate, or gracious person? Yet I don’t think there are very many who long to endure. This word brings up images of hardship, because endurance is often how we cope with things we don’t like, such as criticism, conflict, pain, or illness. If we could get through life without ever having to undergo difficulty, we’d rejoice.

Yet James says we are to consider it joy when we encounter trials. He’s not saying that we should be happy about the suffering we face; rather, we should rejoice in what the Lord does in our lives through hardship. All those circumstances we dread are the means God uses to bring us to spiritual maturity, and the only way to get to the good is to endure what seems bad from our perspective.

Think of an athlete who trains for a marathon. He has to hit the streets day after day in all kinds of weather, follow a strict training plan, and push through physical and mental exhaustion. If that was all he ever did, it would be drudgery with no reward, but he does it for the goal set before him.

When our goal is to grow in Christ and become who He wants us to be, we’ll find ourselves willing to endure the pain—because the outcome will be worth it. We can be sure that every situation the Lord allows in our life is intended to develop something we lack spiritually. Knowing that enables us to submit to whatever He chooses for us. And as we see our trials from God’s perspective, we can even rejoice in what He is doing.

Bible in One Year: Job 31-34

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Faces

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Read: Galatians 5:22–26 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 30–31; John 18:1–18

We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18

When our granddaughter Sarah was very young, she explained to me what happens when you die: “Only your face goes to heaven, not your body. You get a new body, but keep the same face.”

Sarah’s concept of our eternal state was a child’s understanding, of course, but she did grasp an essential truth. In a sense, our faces are a visible reflection of the invisible soul.

My mother used to say that an angry look might someday freeze on my face. She was wiser than she knew. A worried brow, an angry set to our mouths, a sly look in our eyes may reveal a miserable soul. On the other hand, kind eyes, a gentle look, a warm and welcoming smile—despite wrinkles, blemishes, and other disfigurements—become the marks of inner transformation.

We can’t do much about the faces we were born with, but we can do something about the kind of person we’re growing into. We can pray for humility, patience, kindness, tolerance, gratefulness, forgiveness, peace, and love (Galatians 5:22–26).

By God’s grace, and in His time, may you and I grow toward an inner resemblance to our Lord, a likeness reflected in a kind, old face. Thus, as English poet John Donne (1572–1631) said, age becomes “loveliest at the latest day.”

Lord Jesus, I want to be more like You each day. Help me to cooperate with the work You want to do in my heart.

There’s nothing like the beauty of a loving heart.

By David H. Roper

INSIGHT

Policemen, firemen, doctors, and nurses put on clothes that distinctively identify them. What about the Christian? What distinguishes us as followers of Jesus? Paul tells us to “clothe [ourselves] with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). Earlier in Romans Paul says, God “predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of his Son” (8:29). It was God’s intention when He saved us that we would become like His Son. Our spiritual transformation is a process, however (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit works in us to increasingly make us more like Christ (1 John 3:2). To be like Jesus is “to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24 nlt). Our transformation will only be fully completed at the second coming of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:49–53).

As you reflect on your spiritual transformation since coming to Jesus, in what areas have you seen growth? Can others say, “I can see Christ in you”?

  1. T. Sim

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Sitting in the Dark

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In a poem titled “Moments of Joy,” Denise Levertov tells the story of an old scholar who takes a room on the next street down from his grown children—”the better to concentrate on his unending work, his word, his world.” And though he comes and goes while they sleep, his children feel bereft. They want him nearer. But at times it happens that a son or daughter wakes in the dark and finds him sitting at the foot of the bed, or in the old rocker—”sleepless in his old coat, gazing into invisible distance, but clearly there to protect as he had always done.” The child springs up and flings her arms about him, pressing a cheek to his temple and taking him by surprise: “Abba!” the child exclaims, and Levertov concludes:

“And the old scholar, the father,

is deeply glad to be found.

That’s how it is, Lord, sometimes;

You seek, and I find.”(1)

Though many would like to say that the majority of our lives have been spent searching for God, perhaps it is more accurate to say that we have been sought. Even so, like the children in Levertov’s poem, time and again I know I find myself bereft of God’s presence. Sometimes it just feels like I am sitting in the dark.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Sitting in the Dark →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Start Your Day Right

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If I say, “My foot has slipped,” Your compassion and lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up. — Psalm 94:18

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Some people seem to start their day on the “wrong foot.” They feel all right when they wake up, but as soon as something goes wrong they lose their footing and walk with a “loser’s limp” the rest of the day. Once they are off to a bad start, it seems they never catch up.

If someone offends us early in the morning, our anger can keep us defensive all day. If we start the day rushing, it seems we never slow down. But today our feet can be firmly planted in God’s Word. There will be no “bad day” when God’s Word supports, strengthens, and directs us.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I lift my day up to You and ask for Your help to get off on the right foot. Help me to go forward with a clean heart and a positive mindset focused on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – In the World to Come

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“And Jesus replied, ‘Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything – home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property – for love of Me and to tell others the Good News, who won’t be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – with persecutions! All these will be his here on earth, and in the world to come he shall have eternal life'” (Mark 10:29,30).

What a wonderful promise. God will return to you and me a hundred times over what we invest for Him and His kingdom.

I believe that millions of Christians like ourselves are awakening to the fact that we must be about our Father’s business. As I observe God’s working in the lives of people around the world through many movements, I am persuaded that the greatest spiritual awakening since Pentecost has already begun.

Jesus said, “Go…and make disciples in all nations.” In order to make disciples, we must be disciples ourselves. Like begets like. We produce after our own kind.

The man who is committed to Christ, who understands how to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, is going to influence others and help to produce the same kind of Christians. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

For some, such a call to discipleship may sound too hard. However, in these verses Jesus tells us that we must be willing to give up everything. That this promise has been fulfilled in the lives of all who seek first Christ and His kingdom has been attested to times without number – not always in material things, of course, but in rewards far more meaningful and enriching.

Bible Reading:Luke 9:23-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Realizing that God has promised manifold gifts, persecutions, eternal life in exchange for faithfulness and commitment to Him, I vow to make that surrender real and meaningful in my life every day.

 

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Sculpted From Nothing Into Something

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

You are more than statistical chance, a marriage of heredity and society. Thanks to God, you have been “sculpted from nothing into something.” (Psalm 139:15). He made you you-nique. Secular thinking, as a whole, doesn’t buy this. Society simply says, “You can be anything you want to be.” But can you?

God never prefabs or mass-produces people. “I make all things new,” he declares! Revelation 21:5). So, you can do something no one else can do in a fashion no one else can do it.  “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Galatians 6:4). When you do the most what you do the best, you put a smile on God’s face. What could be better than that?

Read more Cure for the Common Life

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Man bitten by severed head of rattlesnake

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A man in Texas nearly died when he was bitten by the severed head of a four-foot rattlesnake.

Jennifer Sutcliffe told a Corpus Christi news station that her husband had been clearing their yard over Memorial Day weekend when he saw and decapitated the snake. When he picked up the dead rattlesnake to dispose of it, the head bit him and released an almost fatal amount of venom.

He was flown to a hospital and treated with twenty-six doses of antivenom.

“When poisons become fashionable”

Like the dead rattlesnake, our crucified “old self” can still attack us.

Paul declared, “We know that our old self was crucified with [Christ] in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin” (Romans 6:6–7).

And yet the apostle admitted, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:18–20).

Is his dilemma familiar to you? It is to me.

Some sins in the news are beyond our comprehension. For instance, an Arkansas man admitted in court this week that he intentionally contracted HIV so he could expose others to the virus. He also pled guilty to several other heinous crimes.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Man bitten by severed head of rattlesnake →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Running With Endurance

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Hebrews 12:1-3

A marathon is a taxing race. The runner must overcome muscle cramps, blisters, and the urge to quit. But each step reaffirms his commitment to keep going until he triumphantly crosses the finish line.

In many ways, this is what the Christian life is like. It’s not a fast sprint to heaven but a long, obedient marathon. There are obstacles that could cause us to stumble and burdens we need to lay aside so we can run unencumbered.

The one word that summarizes our earthly race is endurance. This term implies going through something difficult without quitting. It includes the concept of abiding under hardship with patient, sustaining perseverance. Christ hasn’t promised us an easy life. In fact, He told His disciples, “In the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33).

How can we keep going? The answer is to fix our eyes on Jesus, not on the hardships and obstacles in our life. He set the pattern for us by enduring the cross for the joy set before Him. To focus on the Lord, we must read the Scriptures. Then we’ll be able to see what He would have us do, how we’re to respond to various situations in life, which resources He’s provided to help us, and what He has promised us at the finish line.

The joy set before us includes an imperishable, undefiled inheritance reserved for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:4) and an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison to our earthly suffering (2 Corinthians 4:17). But best of all, when we finally cross the finish line, we will enter into Christ’s presence to be with Him forever.

Bible in One Year: Job 26-30

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — And in Truth

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Read: Zephaniah 1:1–6; 2:1–3 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 28–29; John 17

In his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Years ago, I attended a wedding where two people from different countries got married. Such a blending of cultures can be beautiful, but this ceremony included Christian traditions mixed with rituals from a faith that worshiped many gods.

Zephaniah the prophet pointedly condemned the mixing of other religions with faith in the one true God (sometimes called syncretism). Judah had become a people who bowed in worship to the true God but who also relied on the god Molek (Zephaniah 1:5). Zephaniah described their adoption of pagan culture (v. 8) and warned that as a result God would drive the people of Judah from their homeland.

Yet God never stopped loving His people. His judgment was to show them their need to turn to Him. So Zephaniah encouraged Judah to “Seek righteousness, seek humility” (2:3). Then the Lord gave them tender words promising future restoration: “At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home” (3:20).

It’s easy to condemn examples of obvious syncretism like the wedding I attended. But in reality, all of us easily blend God’s truth with the assumptions of our culture. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to test our beliefs against the truth of God’s Word and then to stand for that truth confidently and lovingly. Our Father warmly embraces anyone who worships Him in the Spirit and in truth (see John 4:23–24).

When I am in trouble, where do I turn? A crisis reveals where I put my trust. Is my faith completely in God? What do I need to give over to Him today?

God is always ready to forgive and restore.

By Tim Gustafson

INSIGHT

God’s judgment is the theme of Zephaniah and is predicted because the people “neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him” (1:6). Several groups are targeted: the priests, who thought they could worship God and false gods (v. 6); the royal family, “who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit” (v. 9); “merchants,” who exploit the poor (v. 11); and the “complacent” (v.12), who live comfortably while doing nothing to change their corrupt culture. When we mix God’s truth with error, as the idolatrous priests did, judgment is inevitable.

Tim Gustafson

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Why Isn’t God More Obvious?

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Why is it that God does not seem to approach in a much more obvious way? One answer has been that God’s existence is not a matter of reality and facts. Isn’t it more of a faith position, anyway? Isn’t it more about a leap in the dark than an embrace of evidence?

I would agree that God isn’t “forcefully obvious,” but I don’t think that this confines God to being a “take-it-or-leave-it” matter of faith. I think it makes more sense to see God as clearly visible, whilst not being forcefully obvious.

Did you know that the Bible actually recognizes the validity of this question? First, we see passages that affirm the human perception that God seems hidden. In Job 23:8-9 we read, “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.”

Interestingly, there are also many examples of God appearing as if veiled in darkness, whilst still simultaneously offering his presence.(1) For instance we read that, “The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” Jesus, too, invites people to trust in him and then leaves and hides himself. In John we find the story of a paralytic man who is healed, but then Jesus slips away into the crowd. Luke records that as news about Jesus spread, “he often withdrew to lonely places.” Later, Jesus tells the disciples that, “Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me.” Interestingly in many of these cases, God provides a clear sense of presence, while at the same time veiling the fullness of that presence.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Why Isn’t God More Obvious? →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Realistic Expectations

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Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

— 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

How we treat ourselves is often how we treat others. For example, if you receive God’s mercy, then you will be able to give mercy to others, but if you are demanding and never satisfied with yourself, you will be the same way with others.

We need to learn to be good to ourselves and yet not be self-centered. You should respect and value yourself; you should know what you are good at and what you are not good at and realize God’s strength is perfected in your weaknesses. We stress over our faults and yet everyone has them. If you had no faults, you would not need Jesus, and that is never going to happen!

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to have realistic expectations of myself and others, knowing we all have weaknesses and need Your daily support. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org