Tag Archives: spirituality

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – I Still Believe in Santa, and God Too

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I am thirty-five years old, and I still believe in Santa.

I remember well that dark day when my friends told me that Santa didn’t exist. I was devastated. I felt this heaviness in my gut, and the colors of Christmas seemed to fade. I was made to feel like I was a baby for believing in Santa, and so I quickly gave up the belief. I didn’t want to be the odd one out. I didn’t want to be a fool.

But in the privacy of my own mind I began to think it through. If Santa didn’t exist, where did all of those great gifts under the tree come from year after year? If Santa didn’t exist, how did my letters always disappear from the fireplace? Plus, I had been in Santa’s presence plenty of times! I had frequently bumped into him in the mall and on the streets of New York City, and I had pictures to prove it. One time Santa even showed up at my house on Christmas.

How irrational it would have been for me to conclude that Santa simply didn’t exist! To affirm that Santa was merely a legend that had evolved over many generations, or to accept that the multiple and multiply attested appearances of Santa were cases of me and everyone else hallucinating—only a willful neglect of the evidence could lead to such conclusions.

It turned out that my friends had not been very precise with their thinking or with their words. It wasn’t that Santa didn’t exist; it was that Santa wasn’t who I thought he was.

It turns out he is far greater than I had thought. He is indeed capable of providing gifts and picking up letters, and he is, as suspected, responsible for the disappearance of the mountain of cookies that we would leave out for him on Christmas Eve.

But, thankfully, he doesn’t live as far away as the North Pole. He isn’t someone whom I could only hope to catch a momentary glimpse of once a year. He isn’t someone who likes me only if I am not naughty but nice. The good news is that Santa is with me all year, and he loves and is there for me no matter what. Santa exists; it’s just that when he is fully revealed, he is also Mom and Dad.

Many of us can remember a time when someone told us God doesn’t exist, and perhaps they made us feel foolish for believing such a thing. Did we give up that belief because we had really thought it through, or simply because we didn’t want to be seen as a baby?

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – My Normal Mind

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I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones). —Ephesians 1:16-18

This section in Ephesians is difficult for many of us to understand. What does Paul mean by “the eyes of your heart flooded with light” (v. 18)? I believe he is referring to the mind, because that’s what needs enlightenment. It is with the mind that we grasp God’s truths and hold to them.

Too many of us have difficulty being “flooded with light” because we are distracted with too many other things. The apostle prays for us to have what I call a normal mind—a mind that’s open to the Holy Spirit’s work—so that we may follow God’s plan and live enriched lives.

One way to think about the idea of a normal mind is to look at two of Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha. Most people know the story of the sisters and the visit Jesus made to their home in Bethany. Martha scurried around, making certain that everything in their home was exactly right, while Mary sat down to listen to Jesus. Luke says Martha “was distracted with much serving” (see Luke 10:40), and she complained to Jesus that she needed her sister’s help.

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things (v. 41), Jesus told her, and then He commended Mary for having chosen the “good portion.”

As I thought about that incident, I realized it was more than Martha being distracted. I’m sure her mind jumped around, making certain that everything was exactly right. The implication is that even if there had been nothing more to do, Martha wouldn’t have stopped to sit at Jesus’ feet. She was so caught up in busyness that her mind would have searched for something else to do.

The Marthas seem to be in control of our world, don’t they? They are the ones who get things done. When they’re not accomplishing their own goals, they seem to be telling others what they should do. In today’s world of “multi-tasking,” the Marthas seem to get the awards and the accolades. Some people are busy all the time. They wear their busyness like a badge, as if that makes them more important.

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Learn to Be Patient

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“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to be patient” (Romans 5:3).

A Christian family was struggling with the trials of being parents (they had four young children – two of them in diapers). One day the wife, who was frustrated to her wits’ end, came to me for spiritual counsel. As she phrased it, she was at the point of losing her sanity.

How could she cope with rearing her children? She told how angry she got with the children when they disobeyed her. In fact, she indicated there were times when she feared she might physically harm her children, though she loved them dearly.

How could she cope with rearing her children? She needed the fruit of the Spirit, patience and love. The only way she could obtain such patience was by faith, confessing her sins and appropriating the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This she began to do, continually. Today, she is a women of godly patience, and being a parent has become a joyful privilege for her.

All of us need Christ’s patience, regardless of who we are or in what circumstances we find ourselves. Patience is granted to us by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit. It is produced by faith as a fruit of the Spirit, and it is granted in times of great crises (Luke 21:15-19); in dealing with church situations (2 Corinthians 12:12); in opposing evil (Revelation 2:2), for soundness of faith (Titus 2:2) and in waiting for the return of Jesus Christ (James 5:7,8).

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-8

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will look on trials and problems as a forerunner of great patience in my life, while claiming the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – You Need a Savior

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If we could save ourselves—why would we need a Savior? Jesus didn’t enter the world to help us save ourselves. He entered the world to save us from ourselves.

As a Boy Scout, I earned a lifesaving merit badge. In fact the only people I saved were other Boy Scouts who didn’t need to be saved. During training I would rescue other trainees. We took turns saving each other. But since we weren’t really drowning, we resisted being rescued. “Stop kicking and let me save you,” I’d say. It’s impossible to save those who’re trying to save themselves.

You might save yourself from a broken heart or going broke or running out of gas. But you’re not good enough to save yourself from sin. You aren’t strong enough to save yourself from death. You need a Savior. Because of Bethlehem you have one!

From Because of Bethlehem

 

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What to do when you’re discouraged with America

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Does it seem to you that the gap between Christians and non-Christians is continuing to grow in America?

According to LifeWay Research, two-thirds of Americans now support euthanasia, while nearly two-thirds of evangelical Christians disagree. According to the Pew Research Center, only 25 percent of non-religious Americans believe that abortion is morally wrong, but 75 percent of white evangelical Christians disagree.

When you become discouraged with the direction of our culture, what should you do?

I was reading 1 Chronicles 5 yesterday, frankly a bit bored with the ongoing list of genealogies and tribal members, when a verse stopped me in my tracks: “The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war” (v. 18).

Not surprisingly, these expert warriors waged war against pagan armies and “prevailed over them” (v. 20a). But surprisingly, their victory came because “they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (v. 20b).

Which won the battle, their expertise or their prayers?

For many years I struggled with the relationship between human agency and divine sovereignty. I’d heard the saying, “Let go and let God,” but it seemed to contradict the fact that the Lord gives us minds, abilities, and resources he would seemingly want us to employ in his service. I’d also heard the opposite: “What you are is God’s gift to you—what you make of yourself is your gift to God.” But this seemed to make our Lord a God in the balcony who watches us on the stage but doesn’t interact with us. I knew from Scripture and experience that this wasn’t true.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Feasting on the Word

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Deuteronomy 8:1-6

The Bible should be the main course in our literary diet. If we spent as much time in the Word as we do at the dinner table, our spirit and character would be strong and thriving. And no matter what our circumstances happened to be, we would experience an inner joy. The satisfaction that comes from living an obedient life is not possible apart from Scripture.

It is in God’s Word that we find out how He thinks and what He does. In those pages, we also discover the guiding principles for a successful life. After all, how can we trust our heavenly Father unless we know Him? And how can we become like Jesus unless we practice the habits He displays in Scripture?

Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you … Do not turn to the right nor to the left.” What this means in practical terms is that every time we must make a decision, we’re to sift it through what we know of the Lord from Scripture. When we face a crisis, we dig into the Bible to answer the question, What would the Lord have me do? We do not live by reason, the opinion of others, or our own wisdom. Rather, we conform our mind, heart, and will to the biblical standard.

Bread will keep the stomach full, but life will be empty without a daily meal that includes reading and meditation. Learn to recognize spiritual hunger pains, such as vague discontent or animosity toward the things of God—and quickly begin to feast on the Word.

Bible in One Year: Acts 25-26

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Sacrificial Faith

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Read: Acts 6:8–15; 7:59–60

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 14–15; James 2

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.—Matthew 5:10

It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m sitting in the garden of our home, which is near the church where my husband is the minister. I hear wafts of praise and worship music floating through the air in the Farsi language. Our church in London hosts a vibrant Iranian congregation, and we feel humbled by their passion for Christ as they share some of their stories of persecution and tell of those, such as the senior pastor’s brother, who have been martyred for their faith. These faithful believers are following in the footsteps of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.

Stephen, one of the first appointed leaders in the early church, garnered attention in Jerusalem when he performed “great wonders and signs” (Acts 6:8) and was brought before the Jewish authorities to defend his actions. He gave an impassioned defense of the faith before describing the hard-heartedness of his accusers. But instead of repenting, they were “furious and gnashed their teeth at him” (7:54). They dragged him from the city and stoned him to death—even as he prayed for their forgiveness.

The stories of Stephen and modern martyrs remind us that the message of Christ can be met with brutality. If we have never faced persecution for our faith, let’s pray for the persecuted church around the world. And may we, if and when tested, find grace to be found faithful to the One who suffered so much more for us. —Our Daily Bread

Lord God, we believe You weep at the pain and anguish some of Your children experience because they love You. We pray that You will strengthen them in the midst of their suffering and send them Your grace.

May we find grace to walk in the Master’s steps.

INSIGHT: The name Stephen comes from the Greek word stephanos, which refers to a victor’s crown awarded in the ancient games. Stephen’s final words show how victorious he was. Acts 7:60 reads, “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’” Even in the midst of a painful and unjust death, Stephen displayed a spirit of victory that reflected Jesus’s heart when dying on the cross (Luke 23:34). He also had a proven character. In Acts 6, when Stephen is selected to assist with the widows’ ministry, he is described as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). Stephen lived a life of faith under the control of the Spirit. Bill Crowder

 

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Acting Responsibly

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“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

Every believer is responsible to walk wisely.

I believe the moment an individual becomes saved, God deposits enough wisdom in him to make him absolutely responsible for his behavior. Someone may say, “Wait a minute! How can a brand-new believer walk in wisdom? Doesn’t he grow into that? Haven’t wise Christians been saved for many years?”

Such questions miss the point of Ephesians 5:15. The first word in this verse takes us back to Paul’s invitation to become saved in verse 14: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” In other words, Paul is saying, “Because you are saved, you are to walk in wisdom.” When you received Christ, you simultaneously received wisdom and therefore are responsible to walk wisely. First Corinthians 1:30 says, “By [God’s] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” At the moment of salvation you are made wise, righteous, and sanctified. You don’t get redeemed first and receive those things later. Colossians 2:3 says, “In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” You are in Christ, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him; consequently, “in Him you have been made complete” (v. 10).

If you’re redeemed, you have wisdom. You don’t have to wait till you’ve been saved five, ten, or forty years. You’re no longer a fool— you’re wise. And on that basis Paul says, “Walk as wise. Live according to the wisdom that you possess.”

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for blessing you with His great salvation so that you can walk wisely.

For Further Study

Read Ephesians 1:7-8.

  • What did you receive at the moment of your salvation (v. 7)?
  • In what two ways were the riches of God’s grace lavished on you (v. 8)?
  • According to Titus 2:11-12, what does God’s grace teach you?

 

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Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Heavenly Heroes 

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.    Hebrews 12:1

Dead heroes inspire you to live life to its fullest. Those who have endured hardship and were treated unfairly inspire us through our current tests and temporary trials. Most of us have not suffered to death because of our faith in Christ. But some have. Others have been down the road that denies earthly wealth, only to receive heaven’s riches. Heroes of the faith knew a better way. Theirs was the way of faith in God and obedience to His expectations. No temptation of the world was strong enough to pull them away from the moorings of their walk with God. With some, even on their deathbeds, there was an uncharacteristic unselfishness and generosity.

Heavenly heroes do not languish without hope on the eve of their home going. Instead, they are busy bestowing blessings on those who will be left behind. These heroes of the faith have an eye on heaven in worship, while they quietly wind down for the conclusion of their earthly assignment. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). Look for heavenly heroes who may have lived within your lineage. You may be surprised to discover the faith of former generations was robust and lively. Or, you may need to adopt one of heaven’s saints who can represent one of God’s finest heroes. Let them motivate you to live a life worthy of God’s calling. Let their past faithfulness propel you to do the same in the present.

We all need heroes who have overcome adversity by faith in God, and who knew how to enjoy Him whether in times of difficulty or times of peace. Your heavenly hero may be a godly grandparent who walked faithfully with the Lord and is now peering down from heaven’s portal. You watched your grandmother and/or grandfather persevere through adverse conditions. They kept a relationship with God that flourished and grew, up to the very end of their life on earth. Money was not an issue for them because they learned to be content with home, food, and clothing. Relationships are what mattered the most to them. They always seemed to have time for you. Phone conversations did not seemed rushed and their door was always open. In their presence there was a serenity and stability that had heaven as its origin. You experienced a little bit of heaven each time they graced your presence.

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Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Alone with God

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After He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.—Matthew 14:23

Spending time alone with God in a quiet place is vital to me and I believe it is also vital for you. I have an office in my home where I go each morning to meet with God before I begin my day. In addition to that, about four times a year I like to get away for a few days and be alone. I enjoy and need the extended time of quiet and focusing on God.

Most people take vacations yearly and plan some type of entertainment each week. We want to have fun and relaxation, and there is nothing wrong with that. We need it in order to maintain balanced, healthy lives and emotions. But we actually need the spiritual vacations even more and they should be the first thing we put on the yearly calendar or our weekly schedules.

Just imagine how it would honor God if you booked your time with Him before booking anything else. I conduct conferences in the United States and abroad and I am always impressed by the number of people who travel and take vacation time to be at one of these conferences. I always compliment them and I know that God is proud of their choices. They will grow spiritually because they are sacrificing something in order to spend time with God.

Don’t wait until some difficulty or tragedy demands that you spend time with God in order to find answers to your situation. Seek God first and regularly, and then you will already be strong spiritually and enabled to deal with anything that comes. If Jesus needed to be alone with God the Father, then we certainly need it.

God’s word for you today: Get your calendar out right now and schedule some special time with God.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God Uses Sorrow for Good

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“For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life. We should never regret his sending it. But the sorrow of the man who is not a Christian is not the sorrow of true repentance and does not prevent eternal death.” (II Corinthians 7:10).

Frank often referred to himself proudly as a self-made man. He bragged that in his youth he had been so poor he didn’t have two nickels to rub together. Now his real estate holdings and various business enterprises were worth tens of millions of dollars. He was a pillar in the community, able to give generously to civic and philanthropic causes.  His philosophy was that there was no God, and every man had to make it on his own. He laughed at the weaklings who needed the crutch of church.

Then his world began to fall apart. His only son was sent to prison for pushing drugs. His daughter had an automobile accident that left her partially paralyzed for life; and his wife, whom he had largely ignored for years, announced she was in love with someone else and demanded a divorce. Meanwhile, because he had become lax in his business dealings, one of his partners embezzled several million dollars from him.

By this time, he was devastated, and, therefore, was open to spiritual counsel. After the Holy Spirit showed him his spirit of pride and selfishness, he opened his heart to Christ and the miracle took place. Now, he frequently quotes this passage: “God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life.”

Though his son is still in prison, and his daughter still paralyzed, he and his wife are reconciling, and his heart is filled with joy and thanksgiving to God. He is no longer a proud, “successful” businessman, but a humble child of God, a servant who discovered the hard way that everyone needs God.

For every Frank there are hundreds of others experiencing heartache and tragedy who have not repented. Yet, God offers to all men and women the priceless gift of abundant and supernatural life.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 28:12-14

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall seek to live the full, abundant, supernatural life, walking in faith and obedience, so that God will not find it necessary to discipline me in order to bless me.

 

http://www.cru.org

Ray Stedman

Ray Stedman – Conviction Based on God’s Word

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Read: Romans 14:19-23

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. Romans 14:22

This verse is not saying you are to keep quiet about your liberties, that you do not say anything to anybody, that you keep it between yourself and God. What Paul is saying is, if you have faith, have it between yourself and God. Let God’s Word be the basis for your faith, and nothing else. Be sure that what you are doing is not because of pride on your part, because you want to show off how free you are — you are doing this because God has freed you by his Word. If you have really based it on that, then your action will be one in which your conscience is free. You will not feel guilty and troubled as to whether you are acting beyond what the Word of God really says. You will be happy, free, blessed. But, if you do not, if you really have not settled this based on Scripture, but are acting only because you want to indulge yourself; if you like this thing but you still feel a bit troubled by it; if you act then, you are going to be condemned by your conscience. And if you are condemned by your conscience, you will feel guilty. And if you act because you feel guilty, you are not acting out of faith, and, therefore, you are sinning. This is Paul’s argument.

Without faith, Hebrews says, it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6a). Faith means believing what God has said. You must base your actions in Christian liberty on what the Word of God declares — not about any specific thing, but the great principle of freedom which is set forth. Now, if you understand that, fine, Paul says. But be sure that you yourself are acting not out of pride, not out of mere self-indulgence, but out of a deep conviction that rests upon the Word and revelation of God.

To sum up, what Paul has said to us is: Do not deliberately stumble or shock your brother or sister. Do not deliberately do things that will offend them, or even make them feel uncomfortable. Think about them, not yourself. Second: Give up your right when it threatens the peace or hinders the growth of another individual. Be alert to judge in that area. Third: Never act from doubt. Act only from conviction, by the Word, and by the Spirit of God. If these problems are all settled on that basis, you will be moving gradually toward the great liberty that we have as children of God.

Continue reading Ray Stedman – Conviction Based on God’s Word →

Words of Hope

Words of Hope – Daily Devotional – Power, and a Plan

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Read: Acts 1:8

You will be my witnesses. (v. 8)

The job the Lord gave his disciples was huge–to reach the whole world with the gospel. But he didn’t expect them to do it on their own. Jesus promised a resource more than adequate for the work: the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then he added that they would be his witnesses “in Jerusalem . . . Judea . . . Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v. 8 NIV). In one sense, this is a simple historical description of how the gospel spread throughout the world. It is effectively the table of contents of the book of Acts.

But it is also possible to read this as a plan for us to follow. Witness begins with local outreach; proceeds to those nearby, including people from different cultures; and doesn’t stop until “the ends of the earth.”

Past generations made that last step a priority, and were willing to pay the price it took to do it–not just the cost in dollars, but in prayer, hard work, and sacrifice. The ends of the earth are filled with missionary graves. Samuel Zwemer, the great Reformed Church missionary to the Muslim world, took his young family to the Middle East in the 1890s. Within a few years, Zwemer lost two young daughters to illness. What did he think then of his decision to go to that hard place with the gospel? A clue is given in the phrase from Revelation he in-scribed on their graves: “Worthy is the Lamb to receive riches.”

—David Bast

Prayer:

Pray for a missionary today.

 

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Available

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“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

Imagine that you are in London, England. You are visiting Buckingham Palace. Inside the palace, you see a beautiful painting of a sunrise over the London Bridge. You think it is the most beautiful painting of a sunrise that you have ever seen! You learn from the tour guide that the Queen of England herself painted that picture when she was still just a young princess.

You say to yourself, “Wow! I’d sure like to tell her how much I like her painting!” And the next thing you know, a guard with a really tall furry black hat is escorting you through the palace halls and right up to the Queen, sitting on her royal throne. There you are, standing astonished before the Queen of England herself! What a privilege! What an honor!

Can you imagine how amazing that would be? Unfortunately, that probably wouldn’t happen. And even if you were to go home and write a letter to the Queen to tell her how much you liked her painting of the sunrise, the letter would probably be opened by a secretary or an assistant. The Queen might never even see your letter, and she might not ever take the time to meet you or hear what you have to say to her. She is just too busy and too important.

Three-year-old Erika and her baby sister were going to the bakery with their mother. Erika pointed out the van window and said, “Mommy, look at the beautiful sky!” And there was a beautiful sunrise painted across the whole sky.

“You know, honey, God made that sunrise!” said her mother.

The little girl leaned her forehead against the window and said wistfully, “I wish I could tell Him ‘thank you.’”

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Available →

The Navigators

The Navigators – Jerry Bridges – Holiness Day by Day Devotional – Say No

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Today’s Scripture: Titus 2:11-12

“The grace of God has appeared . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.”

Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness. Ungodliness in its broadest form basically comprises disregarding God, ignoring him, or not taking him into account in one’s life. It’s a lack of fear and reverence for him. The wickedness portrayed by Paul in Romans 1:18-32 all starts with the idea that “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (verse 21, NIV). A person may be highly moral and even benevolent and still be ungodly.

When we trust in Christ as our savior, we bring a habit of ungodliness into our Christian lives. We were accustomed to living without regard for God. As unbelievers, we cared neither for his glory nor his will. Basically, we ignored him. But now that we have been delivered from the dominion of sin and brought under the reign of grace, grace teaches us to renounce this attitude (as well as actions) of ungodliness. Obviously this training does not occur all at once. In fact, God will be rooting out ungodliness from our lives as long as we live on this earth.

Grace also teaches us to say no to worldly passions, the inordinate desire for and preoccupation with the things of this life, such as possessions, prestige, pleasure, or power. “For this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31, NIV).

Saying no to ungodliness and worldly passions basically means a decisive break with those attitudes and practices. In one sense, this decisive break is a divine act that occurred when we died to the dominion of sin in our lives. In another sense, we’re to work out this breach with sin by putting to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13).

 

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The Navigators

The Navigators – Leroy Eims – Daily Discipleship Devotional – Lord of All

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Today’s Scripture: Genesis 1-2

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

The Bible begins with a mystery: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” What’s so mysterious about that, you say? Did you know the Hebrew word for God in this passage is plural? All three persons of the Trinity were involved in the creation of the world.

The Bible says the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God the Father created all things by Jesus Christ. “For by him”–that is, by Jesus Christ–“all things were created” (Colossians 1:16). That means all things spiritual and physical, including your spiritual and physical life, came through Jesus Christ. Is it any wonder that God’s Word reminds us that in all things His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, must be preeminent in our lives. Just as He was Lord at creation, so He is Lord today.

Does Jesus Christ have priority in every area of your life? What about your appointment calendar? How are you spending your time? Is Jesus Christ squeezed out of your schedule because you’re too busy?

Christ is present in all Christians. In some, He is prominent. In only a few is He preeminent. Why not make sure the Lord Jesus Christ dwells supreme in the throne room of your heart.

Prayer

Lord, speak to me about the priorities of my day. Give me the power and wisdom to glorify You in my life today. Amen.

To Ponder

Our seemingly small troubles have eternal value with God, and He is lovingly fitting all things together for our good.

 

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Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – FAITH, CONTENTMENT, AND SPIRITUAL ROOTEDNESS

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Read JEREMIAH 17:7–10

A forest of quaking aspens in Utah is known by the name Pando, meaning, “I spread.” It’s also called “the Trembling Giant.” This is because all the trees in this 106-acre forest are genetically identical and are believed to have a single, combined root system. In essence, this forest is a single tree with 40,000 trunks, each of which appears to be a separate tree from an aboveground perspective

Being firmly rooted is a spiritual necessity. In light of yesterday’s devotional, how can we put down roots that are not deceived by wealth or stressed out by worry over temporal needs? How can we cultivate roots that will help the Word grow and bear fruit in our lives? We want to be “rooted and built up” in Christ (Col. 2:6–7)!

Today’s reading pictures such a person as a “tree planted by the water” (v. 8). The roots take in the life-giving water, and therefore the tree remains green and fruitful even in extreme heat or drought conditions (cf. Ps. 1:3). This person is indeed “blessed,” meaning happy or content.

One key to rootedness is faith. The person who is like this green, well- rooted tree is “one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him” (v. 7). The sins of worry and anxiety fall short in precisely this area. Worry takes over when we do not truly believe that God can or will provide. That sort of person, one who turns away from God to trust in “mere flesh,” is “like a bush in the wastelands” (vv. 5–6).

Another key to rootedness is the heart. Unfortunately, our hearts are “deceitful” and “beyond cure” by any human means (v. 9). Only God, who made our hearts, can comprehend and heal them. Only He can plant us by streams of water and make us fruitful.

APPLY THE WORD

John 15:1–17 is an excellent related passage to read and meditate on today. Just as the fruitful tree is positioned near the stream, so also must we as branches “abide” or “remain” in Jesus Christ the Vine. These words indicate a close relationship in which we’re dependent on Him. As He taught: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

 

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Living in Grace

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2 Corinthians 5:17

Before the apostle Paul’s conversion, if someone had suggested that he would impact the world for Jesus, he’d probably have laughed. In fact, his original goal was to rid the world of Christians (Acts 22:19-20).

God’s grace can impact anyone; no sin is beyond the reach of His forgiveness. This amazing gift of redemption changes lives. Contrary to what many think, being a Christian does not mean adding good deeds to one’s life. Instead, by God’s grace, believers receive forgiveness and a completely new nature. Our inward transformation results in obvious outward changes.

The butterfly’s metamorphosis can serve as an illustration to help us understand this. Once it’s in a chrysalis, a caterpillar doesn’t merely act or appear different from the outside; it truly has changed inwardly as well.

Transformation for believers occurs in many areas. For example, our attitudes change—salvation by God’s grace results in humility and gratitude. Out of thankfulness for this undeserved free gift, compassion for the lost flows, along with a desire to share the gospel with them. Experiencing Christ’s forgiveness also results in a longing to serve Him. This does not need to be in a formal church setting; we serve Him by loving others, helping those in need, and telling them about salvation.

While there are still natural consequences for our sin, God offers us forgiveness and redemption through Jesus. He made a way to restore our broken relationship with Him. What’s more, our Father transforms our lives so we will become more like His Son and reflect His heart to others.

Bible in One Year: Acts 23-24

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Skywatcher

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Read: Isaiah 40:21–31

Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 11–13; James 1

He . . . brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name.—Isaiah 40:26

Unsettled by issues at work and at home, Matt decided to take a walk. The evening spring air beckoned. As the infinite sky deepened from blue to black, a thickening fog spilled slowly over the marsh. Stars began to glimmer, heralding the full moon rising in the east. The moment, for Matt, was deeply spiritual. He’s there, he thought. God is there, and He’s got this.

Some people look at the night sky and see nothing but nature. Others see a god as distant and cold as Jupiter. But the same God who “sits enthroned above the circle of the earth” also “brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name” (Isa. 40:22, 26). He knows His creation intimately.

It is this personal God who asked His people, “Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’?” Aching for them, God reminded them of the wisdom in seeking Him. “Do you not know? Have you not heard? . . . He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (vv. 27-29).

We are easily tempted to forget God. Our problems won’t disappear with an evening stroll, but we can find rest and certainty that God is always working toward His good purposes. “I’m here,” He says. “I’ve got you.” —Tim Gustafson

Thank You, Lord, for a night sky that helps us glimpse eternity. We can’t begin to understand it fully, but we know it is there, and we know You are there. Help us trust You for what we don’t know.

We should give God the same place in our hearts that He holds in the universe.

INSIGHT: Isaiah’s reflections on the greatness of God are as powerful today as when penned centuries ago. Isaiah encourages the hearts of true believers to see the greatness of God in creation and how false, vain, and temporal substitute gods are. We are left with a wonderful awareness of our Creator’s nearness as well as His sustaining power to uphold us in trying circumstances. Dennis Fisher

 

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John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Strength for Today – Being Different from the World

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“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men,  but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

Living wisely will set you apart from the world.

Walking in wisdom is an element of the worthy walk that Paul has been describing since the beginning of Ephesians 4. He says in verse 1, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” and then proceeds to describe this worthy walk with the following characteristics: It’s a humble walk (4:1-3), a united walk (4:4-16), a unique walk (4:17-32), a loving walk (5:1-7), an illuminated walk (5:8-14), and a wise walk (5:15-17). The point that Paul is making in describing the various elements of the worthy walk is that Christians are different from the world. The world can’t be humble because everyone is fighting for his rights. The world can’t be united because it celebrates and exalts differences. The world can’t be unique because it’s trapped in its own self-destruction. The world can’t love because it doesn’t have the life of God—the source of real love. The world can’t know light because it lies in the system of darkness. And the world can’t be wise because the wisdom of God is hidden from the mind of man. As Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Realize that being different from the world is an asset to your Christian witness, not a hindrance. When others see you obeying Scripture—when they see you walking in wisdom—they’ll notice you’re not like them. That difference can create opportunities to tell them about your Savior. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Keep walking in wisdom, and let others be attracted to the light of Christ!

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask God to help you be a witness whose testimony shines brightly for Christ.

For Further Study

How does 1 Peter 2:12 say you are to live? Why?

 

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