Tag Archives: religion

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman -For Those Who Thirst

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Read: John 7:25-52

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (John 7:37-39)

John is writing this gospel after the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was given in great power and came into the hearts of believers. When Jesus was still on earth the Spirit had not yet been given in that way. The Spirit of God is always present everywhere in the world. He was present before the day of Pentecost as well as afterward. But not in this sense. He was not performing this ministry of making Jesus real. So for the first time we have our Lord’s hint of how this is all going to be accomplished. I must leave, I am going back to him who sent me, but when I do so I will send the Spirit. He goes on and teaches what that means by using a beautiful symbol.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Who Is My Mother and My Brothers?

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Read: Mark 3:31-35

Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. (v. 35 NIV)

There are lots of everyday ways to practice the presence of Jesus. Some people find it helpful to journal, noting their experiences, feelings, and thoughts, looking specifically for the presence of Jesus in their lives. Our youth group has a Facebook page called “God Sightings” on which they share with each other where they have seen the Lord at work in their lives. It helps them pay attention to the Christ who is always with them.

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Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Directing the Flow

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Water is a powerful force, but it changes direction very easily. Men can redirect the flow of water by building canals and dams. Even a small beaver can change the direction of a stream by piling up rocks and sticks.

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Proverbs 21:1

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – God’s Thoughts toward Us

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“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes people will ask me to sign their Bibles. And sometimes they will ask me to include my favorite verse. That can be difficult, because I have a lot of favorites. What I choose to write down typically depends on what I’m experiencing at the time.

If I’m going through a stressful situation, I might write down Philippians 4:6–7, which says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Our Perfect Life

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Today’s Scripture: Romans 5:19

“By the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

How can Jesus take our place both in obeying God’s law and in suffering the consequences of our disobeying it? How can the innocent suffer for the guilty?

Because God appointed Adam as the federal head or legal representative of the entire human race (except for Jesus, of course), we all suffered the consequences of Adam’s disobedience. In the same manner, Jesus was appointed as the legal representative of all who would ever trust in him.

This legal representation is the basis on which Christ’s life and death become effective for us. There would be absolutely no benefit to us if Jesus lived and died merely as a private person. His work brings us benefit only because he lived and died as our representative.

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Standing with the Lord

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 20-22

He who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. – 1 Corinthians 6:17

In the record of 1 Kings 22, when King Ahab assembled his four hundred prophets and asked if he should go to war, the prophets all said yes and predicted victory. But Ahab’s ally, King Jehoshaphat, wanted a second opinion, and he called for Micaiah, prophet of the Lord.

The messenger who summoned Micaiah urged him to agree with the other prophets, but Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me” (1 Kings 22:14). When Micaiah prophesied defeat and ruin for Israel, he was beaten and ridiculed by the other prophets, then sent to prison with nothing but bread and water. But his prophecy came true, and King Ahab was killed in battle.

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BreakPoint

BreakPoint – The 2016 Wilberforce Award Weekend: Honoring Chuck, Equipping for Service

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Back in 1987, Chuck Colson established an annual award to honor men and women who make a profound difference in the face of formidable societal problems and injustices. Chuck named the award after his hero William Wilberforce, the eighteenth-century British parliamentarian who stood against the prevailing culture and powerful economic interests in his campaign to abolish the slave trade.

Having written a biography of William Wilberforce myself, I can say without hesitation that winners of the Colson Center’s William Wilberforce Award have indeed embodied the spirit, compassion, and drive of that Christian statesmen. People like Philippine martyr Benigno S. Aquino, the Rev. Canon Andrew White, the vicar of Baghdad, and Professor Robert George of Princeton, a stalwart defender of religious freedom and the sanctity of human life.

One person who always got nominated for the Wilberforce Award was Chuck Colson. But he always refused to accept it. But this year is different. I can say in all love and in a way I hope would give Chuck a laugh, that he has no choice but to accept this year’s William Wilberforce Award.

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – MARY OF BETHANY: PROTECTION FROM SHAME

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Read Luke 10:38-42; Mark 14:3-9

Every church has prominent contributors, like teachers, leaders, organizers, servers, and givers who keep everything afloat. Without them, everyone knows the church just wouldn’t be what it is. But what about those who tend to stand in the shadows, whose contributions are not the sort to get listed in the bulletin?

Martha—outgoing, energetic, and highly gifted—embodied both the Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 woman, rolled into one. Mary was quiet, sensitive, and contemplative. How did that help anyone else? Martha’s complaint to Jesus was really intended to goad Mary into some sort of productive action. This manipulative tactic was probably not her first attempt to get Mary to fit her mold of a godly woman. Despite Martha’s good intentions, Jesus noticed its shaming effect on Mary and came to her defense.

Martha wasn’t the only person who misunderstood Mary and underrated her contribution. Jesus’ disciples scolded her harshly for wasting her expensive perfume in such a rash, unproductive manner. Their shaming response implied that she and her gifts were a waste.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – IS JUDGE JUDY ON THE SUPREME COURT?

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A year from yesterday, a new American president will be sworn in. What will he or she face?

The stock market declined another 249 points yesterday. Militants attacked a university in Pakistan, killing at least nineteen. A car bomb in Kabul killed six. Teacher protests in Detroit closed most public schools there. A new study indicates that “no religion” is now the majority religion in Great Britain.

A new poll tells us that ten percent of college graduates think Judge Judy is on the Supreme Court. Atheist Michael Newdow has again filed a lawsuit seeking to remove “In God We Trust” from our currency. And North Korea claims to have invented hangover-free alcohol.

It gets even worse, apparently: Stephen Hawking, the best-known physicist in the world, is quoted in a Time headline as predicting that disaster on Earth is becoming a “near certainty.” However, it turns out the cosmologist is talking about “the next thousand or ten thousand years.” Within the next 100 years, he believes, we will have learned to colonize space, so our race will survive. We just need to avoid destroying our planet until we learn how to leave it. We all hope the next president is up to the challenge.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Developing Convictions

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Jeremiah 17:5-8

An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall oak tree. Likewise, men and women of conviction develop gradually through committed Bible study and prayer. Ready to get planted firmly in biblical truth? It can help to make a list of issues for which you need to form a conviction. Here are questions to get you started:

  • Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy?
  • Do you think that believing in Jesus is the only way to be saved?
  • What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers?
  • Are we to forgive others in every situation?
  • How should Christians approach finances?
  • What’s your purpose in life?
  • What is your role in the church and at work?
  • How should you think about social issues like abortion and racism?

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Real People, Real God

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Read: Philippians 3:17-21

Bible in a Year: Genesis 49-50; Matthew 13:31-58

Join together in following my example. —Philippians 3:17

Several years ago I received a letter from an Our Daily Bread reader after I had written about a family tragedy. “When you told about your tragedy,” this person wrote, “I realized that the writers were real people with real problems.” How true that is! I look across the list of men and women who pen these articles, and I see cancer and wayward children and unfulfilled dreams and many other kinds of loss. We are indeed just regular, real people writing about a real God who understands our real problems.

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Are You Gentle?

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“Walk . . . with all . . . gentleness” (Ephesians 4:1-2).

To become more gentle, begin by looking closely at your attitudes.

We’ve determined that gentleness is essential for those who want to walk worthy. How can you tell if you’re gentle? I’ll give you some practical questions so you can evaluate yourself honestly.

First of all, are you self-controlled? Do you rule your own spirit (Prov. 16:32), or does your temper often flare up? When someone accuses you of something, do you immediately defend yourself, or are you more inclined to consider whether there’s any truth in what’s being said?

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Spiritual Intimacy 

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“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

Intimacy with God goes hand in hand with your brokenness. Your desire for intimacy with your heavenly Father will be accompanied by brokenness, as it escorts you into intimacy with our eternal God. It is your date with destiny. A broken and contrite heart delivers intimacy with the Almighty so do not despise your broken condition. Rather, delight in its opportunity for intimacy. You long to know Jesus in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10). These prayers were not in vain. Your brokenness is answered prayer. The answer may not be exactly what you expected. You may have anticipated a smoother route, a paved road free of bumps or potholes. But the path of a personal and intimate relationship with Christ is not always easy.

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Turning Point

Today’s Turning Point with David Jeremiah – What God Doesn’t Need

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So [Gideon] said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:15

Recommended Reading

1 Samuel 16:1-7

John and Charles Wesley, the fathers of Methodism, were raised in poverty. The mother of the great evangelist, D. L. Moody, gave her son to others to raise because of her poverty. The British missionary-scholar to India, William Carey, was apprenticed as a cobbler as a young boy. David, Israel’s great king, was the least of all the brothers in his family when he was anointed. And Gideon, the judge who delivered Israel from the Midianites, was a weak member of the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Acknowledge God

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In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. —Proverbs 3:6

It is so easy to start making a plan instead of waiting on God to give us His plan. Sometimes we are so entrenched in our own plans that we don’t even sense the leading of the Holy Spirit. But the proverb says to acknowledge God in all our ways, and that means to care about what He thinks and submit our plans to Him for approval.

Having a plan is not a bad thing, but we can simply say to God each day, “Lord, I have a plan for today, but I acknowledge You in it. And if You don’t approve of any part of it, then I am willing to change and do what You want.” If you truly care about what God desires, He will direct you in the way you should go if any changes need to be made to your plans.

Power Thought: I acknowledge God in all my plans, and He always guides me.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Uncategorized

Girlfriends in God – Three Answers You Need to Know

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“In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth”

Genesis 1:1

Friend to Friend

Who are you?

Where did you come from?

Why are you here?

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright –He Will Tell You

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“I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to” (Galatians 5:16).

Major conflicts in life are resolved when, by an act of the will, one surrenders to the control of the Holy Spirit and faces temptation in His power.

It should be explained that there is a difference between temptation and sin.

Temptation is the initial impression to do something contrary to God’s will. Such impressions come to all people, even as they did to the Lord, and they are not sin in themselves.

Temptation becomes sin when we meditate on the impression and develop a strong desire, which is often followed by the actual act of disobedience.

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Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Is Jesus For Real?

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Read: John 7:1-24

Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (John 7:17)

Do you ever wonder if Jesus actually was what he claimed to be? Do you have trouble at times understanding what he is saying in these tremendous passages, especially in the Gospel of John? Well, if that is the case, he tells you what to do: Practice what he says. Obey his words. Repent of your sins. Come to him. Cast yourself upon his mercy. Believe in his forgiveness, and go out in obedience and treat people the way he says to. Then you will know from an inside knowledge that no one can take away that what he says is true, because his teaching is in line with the reality you are seeing of God at work through you.

This is a principle that runs all through life: You learn by doing. A doctor may learn all that the medical books can teach him, but until he gets his hands into surgery or dispenses medicines to people who are sick he never really learns. The same is true in any field: You learn by doing. When you do what Jesus says, you begin to understand with a deep conviction that he knows what life is all about.

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Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Practicing the Presence of Jesus

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Read: Matthew 28:16-20

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (v. 20 NIV)

How can we be with Jesus when Jesus isn’t with us? He left. He’s gone. Oh yes, he said he would be with us always, but do we believe that? Really? If we truly believe his promise, then here’s what we have to do to grow in our knowledge of him: practice the presence of Jesus.

I’ve borrowed that expression from Brother Lawrence, a humble medieval monk who wrote a series of letters that became a profound little book titled The Practice of the Presence of God. He made a practice of focusing on Christ no matter what he was doing—cooking in the kitchen, slopping the hogs, or mending sandals. He knew Jesus was with him, and he practiced paying attention to him.

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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Good News in a Bad World

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Then the people of Samaria rushed out and plundered the Aramean camp. So it was true that six quarts of choice flour were sold that day for one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain were sold for one piece of silver, just as the Lord had promised.—2 Kings 7:16

It was one of the darkest times in Israel’s history. Everything had gone wrong. The people had sunk to their lowest depths. Not only were they being oppressed by the Arameans, but a massive famine had swept the land. They were starving to death.

Why had this calamity come upon Israel? It was because of their continued disobedience to the Lord and their nonstop worship of false gods.

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