Tag Archives: theology

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Resting in God’s Sovereignty

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“[God] made known the mystery of His will according to His kind intention which He purposed in [Christ] with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth” (Eph. 1:9-10).

God is intimately involved in the flow of human history and is directing its course toward a specific, predetermined climax.

For centuries men of various philosophical schools have debated the cause, course, and climax of human history. Some deny God and therefore deny any divine involvement in history. Others believe that God set everything in motion, then withdrew to let it progress on its own. Still others believe that God is intimately involved in the flow of human history and is directing its course toward a specific, predetermined climax.

In Ephesians 1:9-10 Paul settles that debate by reminding us that Jesus Himself is the goal of human history. In Him all things will be summed up—all human history will be resolved and united to the Father through the work of the Son.

As Paul said elsewhere, “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness [of deity] to dwell in [Christ], and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:19-20). The culmination of Christ’s reconciling work will come during His millennial kingdom (Rev. 20). Following that, He will usher in the eternal state with a new heaven and earth (Rev. 21).

Despite the political uncertainty and military unrest in the world today, be assured that God is in control. He governs the world (Isa. 40:22-24), the nations (Isa. 40:15- 17), and individuals as well (Prov. 16:9). God’s timetable is right on schedule. Nothing takes Him by surprise and nothing thwarts His purposes. Ultimately He will vanquish evil and make everything right in Christ.

Suggestions for Prayer; Thank God for the wisdom and insight He gives you to see beyond your temporal circumstances to His eternal purposes.

Live today with that perspective in mind.

For Further Study; Read Revelation 20.

What happens to Satan prior to the millennial kingdom?

How does Satan meet his final doom?

What happens at the great white throne judgment?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – How to Deal with Disappointment

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Does your happiness depend on everything in your life being just right? If you think you can’t be happy until all your circumstances are right, you will never be happy!

We all experience times in life when we feel down for various reasons, but we can’t allow our circumstances to control our emotions. Satan seeks to fill our minds with negative thoughts that eventually cause us to lose our joy and feel negative. He is a discourager, and he wants to pull us down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way he can.

But Jesus is our Encourager, and He came to lift us up! He came to give us righteousness, peace and joy. He wants us to expect good things for our future and fill us with hope.

Everyone experiences times of frustration and distress over unfulfilled plans or dreams. When things don’t go the way we hope, it is normal to feel disappointment. But we must be careful how we deal with that feeling, because if we remain in a state of disappointment for too long, it can turn into discouragement, despair, and even depression.

I’m not talking here about some depression that can be the result of a chemical imbalance in your physical body. I’m talking about situational depression dealing with our circumstances or disappointments.

Psalm 30:5 tells us that …Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Things may make us feel sad temporarily, but we must not stay sad. If we do, Satan takes advantage of the open door and pushes his way further into our lives, bringing more serious problems. However, with God, when we get disappointed, we can always make a decision to get reappointed. We can choose to look to Him for new hope and renewed strength to go forward.

The Way You Respond Makes All the Difference

I’ve often said emotions can be one of our greatest enemies. It’s easy to be led by how we feel, but we must realize that feelings are fickle—they change from day to day! We shouldn’t follow every thought that comes to our mind because they can often contradict the truth of what God says about us.

For many years of my life, I experienced regular depression. I would awake in the morning with a little voice in my head saying, “I feel depressed.” I believed this was my own thought, not realizing the enemy was attempting to speak lies to my mind.

Later, when God drew me into a closer walk with Him and I began seriously studying His Word, I learned that I didn’t have to follow every feeling and thought that I had. I began to speak aloud and say, “I will not be discouraged or depressed.”

Isaiah 61:3 tells us to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (NKJV). We may not always feel like praising God, but taking a few moments to talk to the Lord and thank Him for His goodness is one of the most powerful weapons we have to fight discouragement. We literally invite God’s presence into our situation, which brings us His strength, peace and joy.

We’ll never be able to completely avoid disappointments in life, but we can choose how we react to them. The next time you encounter a situation that threatens to pull you down, make a decision to turn to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill you with hope. Choose to believe what God says instead of your feelings. As you do, you’ll soon find yourself enjoying life…and looking forward to the good things ahead.

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Your Paths Made Plain

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“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6, KJV).

A young seminary graduate came to see me while he was investigating various possibilities of Christian service. In particular, he had come to discuss the ministry of Campus Crusade.

“In what way do you expect God to reveal His place of service for you?” I asked him.

“I’m following the ‘closed-door policy,'” he replied.” A few months ago I began to investigate several opportunities for Christian service. The Lord has now closed the door on all but two, one of which is Campus Crusade. If the door to accept a call to a particular church closes, I’ll know that God wants me in Campus Crusade.”

Many sincere Christians follow this method – often with most unsatisfactory and frustrating results. God does sometimes use closed doors in the life of a Spirit-controlled Christian, as the apostle Paul experienced on different occasions, but generally one does not discover God’s perfect will through a careless “hit-or-miss” attitude that ignores a careful evaluation of all the issues.

Such an approach is illogical because it allows elements of chance to influence a decision rather than a careful, intelligent, prayerful evaluation of all the factors involved. It is unscriptural in that it fails to employ the God-given faculties of reason that are controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Why not follow the “open-door policy” of Proverbs 3:5,6, trusting God for His clear direction? This is God’s provision for supernatural living.

Bible Reading: Psalm 37:3-7

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: In every decision today, whether small or large matters, joyfully and with anticipation I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, knowing that He will direct my path to supernatural living. I will encourage others also to trust in the Lord.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Never Ending

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The average attention span in the year 2000, according to a recent study, was 12 seconds. In 2013, it was eight seconds. In comparison, the average attention span of a goldfish is nine seconds. Twenty-five percent of teenagers forget major details of close friends and family members.

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act.

Daniel 9:19

Thankfully, the Lord’s level of attentiveness is never ending, and nothing goes without God’s notice. “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Luke 12:7) In today’s passage, Daniel asks God to hear, forgive, pay attention to, and act on behalf of His people. He recognized the sin of the nation of Israel and interceded to beg for God’s mercy.

Be aware of your own sin, as well as that of Americans. Then adopt Daniel’s earnest plea as your own this New Year. Ask God to hear when you pray. Confess your sins and request His pardon. Then invite your Heavenly Father to notice and act on behalf of America. Plead for Him to raise up godly citizens as well as a God-fearing leadership who will pay full attention to Him.

Recommended Reading: Luke 11:5-13

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – How Backsliding Starts

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Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. —Philippians 1:27

Stop and think for a moment about people who backslide spiritually. It doesn’t happen overnight. You don’t call up your mature Christian friend and say, “Hey, dude. Want to backslide? Seriously? Pick you up at 7:00.”

There might be some foolish person out there who has done that, but generally this isn’t the case. Backsliding usually starts with tolerating something that is sinful, something you never would have gone near before, but now you accept. You sort of put up with it and maybe even play around with it, thinking, Oh, it isn’t going to hurt me. I am so strong. I have walked with the Lord all of these years. I have memorized so many Bible verses.

Don’t think you can’t still fall.

Have you ever seen a baby rattlesnake? They have their little fangs and their little tails and their little rattles. It could actually look cute if you are into that sort of thing. But then it bites you. And the venom of a baby rattlesnake is more potent than that of an adult rattlesnake.

In the same way, backsliding starts with accommodating. You sort of turn a blind eye to something. Then you give in to it and legitimize it. And then you start making excuses for it and defending it. The next thing you know, you embrace it as a normal lifestyle. But that is not the behavior of a real saint, of a real follower of Jesus.

If you want to finish well in the race of life and live joyfully, if you want God to complete the work He has begun in you, then you need to press on as a follower of Christ. He will give you the strength to do it. But you need to ask for that strength every day.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Go After the Small Drips

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I wonder what formed the Grand Canyon? Maybe a few drips here and there. Slowly more and more water built up. Thunderstorms and lightning… angry expressions from the sky spilling out in the raging river of the Colorado. A once innocent stream now full of power and purpose. As years go by, the crevasse is dug.

Our anger builds like the Colorado. Slowly, small things drip, drip, drip down, annoying, irritating, finally enraging. That was mine! Drip. Get out of my way! Drip. Don’t tell me what to do! Drip. The pressure and the buildup unleashing a frenzy of anger, pouring out in our words, sweeping away our loved ones, our homes, and our peace.

Don’t wait until you have a gushing fire hydrant. Go after the small drips. Address every little irritant with forgiveness and prayer. Do it before your anger digs a canyon in your life!

From Max on Life

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Principles of Prosperity

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Read | Psalm 24:1-2

Remember the truth that God owns it all? When we have a firm grasp of this concept and apply it to our thinking and handling of money, we will have mastered the first principle of prosperity. If we realize that everything we see in our world is His, then we will begin to realize that we literally own nothing; we are merely stewards handling the wealth of our Master. As money managers, we must understand that we do not have the right to dictate how it is to be spent or invested; only God does. He is still in control, and He wants to have the final word in the matter.

The second principle of prosperity is that God wants His resources used in a way that glorifies Him. Not only does He own it all and have the right to tell us how to manage it, but He also expects us to obey. Our obedience in money matters brings Him glory. The Lord wants us to keep this in mind as we put His resources into circulation to accomplish His work, to meet basic needs, and to provide enjoyment.

So for the New Year, ask God these three questions: How much do You want to be designated for Your work? What proportion should go to meet my basic needs and the needs of others? How much do You want me to utilize to enjoy life?

When we accept that God owns it all, that we are His money managers and our resources are to be used to glorify Him, then we will be satisfied with His choices for how to use the money we have. How satisfied are you?

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — It’s Worth It

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READ: 2 Corinthians 11:24-33

If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. —2 Corinthians 11:30

‘I can’t do it,” Robert said, throwing his pencil down in despair. “It’s just too hard!” Reading, writing, and spelling seemed impossible to our dyslexic 9-year-old. At last, a solution was offered. But it was tough. We had to do reading and spelling practice with him for 20 minutes every evening—without exception. Sometimes we just didn’t feel like doing it, and at times we despaired of seeing progress. But we were committed to getting Robert’s reading age and his chronological age to match, so we battled on.

After 2 1/2 years, all the tears and struggles seemed infinitely worthwhile. Robert learned to read and spell. And we all learned patient endurance.

The apostle Paul suffered all sorts of hardships as he pursued his goal of sharing the good news of Jesus with those who had never heard. Persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, and misunderstood, sometimes he faced death itself (2 Cor. 11:25). But the joy of seeing people respond to his message made it all worthwhile.

If you feel that the task God has called you to is too hard, remember that the spiritual lessons and joy that are wrapped up in the journey may seem hidden at first, but they are certainly there! God will help you find them. —Marion Stroud

Sometimes we learn that hardships
Were blessings in disguise,
That earnest work and faith in God
Were proven to be wise. —Hess

The journey is as important as the destination.

Bible in a year: Genesis 33-35; Matthew 10:1-20

Insight

As Paul recounts some of the things he has endured in the service of Christ, the scene from Damascus (vv.32-33) is of special interest. There, Paul’s aggressive preaching ministry created great tension in the Jewish community, resulting in his novel escape (see Acts 9:22-25).

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Whole Story

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There are stories that emerge from the life of Jesus before he was old enough to tell stories of his own. Some are more familiar than others. Some are always written out of the school plays and pageants. The prophet Isaiah told of a child who would be born for the people, a son given to the world with authority resting on his shoulders. Hundreds of years later, in Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, this story was coming to life. The angel had appeared. A child was born. The magi had come. The ancient story was taking shape in a field in Bethlehem. But when Herod learned from the magi that a king would be born, he gave orders to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under. At this murderous edict, another prophecy, this one spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, was sadly fulfilled:

A voice is heard in Ramah,

mourning and great weeping;

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.(1)

While the escape of Mary and Joseph to Egypt allowed Jesus to be spared, the cost, as Rachel and all the mothers’ who did not escape knew well, was wrenchingly great.

Of the many objections to Christianity, the one that stands out in my mind as troubling is the argument that to be Christian is to withdraw from the world, to follow fairy tales with wishful hearts and myths that insist we stop thinking and believe that all will be right in the end because God says so. In such a vein, Karl Marx depicts Christianity as a kind of drug that anesthetizes people to the suffering in the world and the wretchedness of life. Sigmund Freud’s estimation is similar: Belief in God functions as an infantile dream that helps us evade the pain and helplessness we both feel and see around us. I don’t find these critiques and others like them troubling because I find them accurate of the kingdom Jesus described. I find them troubling because there are times I want to live as if Freud and Marx are quite right in their analyses.

I am thankful that the story itself refuses me from doing so.

The story of Christmas is far from an invitation to live blind and unconcerned with the world of suffering around us, intent to tell feel-good stories while withdrawing from the harder scenes of life. In reality, the Incarnation leaves us with a God who, in taking our embodiment quite seriously, presents quite the opposite of escapism. The story of Rachel weeping for her slaughtered children is one story among many that refuses to let us sweep the suffering of the world under the rug of unimportance. The fact that it is included in the gospel that brings us the hope of Christ is not only what makes that hope endurable, but what proves Freud and Marx entirely wrong. For Christ brings the kind of hope that can reach even the most hopeless among us, within the darkest moment. Jesus has not overlooked the suffering of the world anymore than he has invited his followers to do so; it is a part of the very story he tells.

In a poem called “On the Mystery of the Incarnation,” Denise Levertov gives a description of the Christmas story with room for the darkness and a mystery that reminds us that the light will yet shine:

It’s when we face for a moment

the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know

the taint in our own selves, that awe

cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart:

not to a flower, not to a dolphin,

to no innocent form.

But to this creature vainly sure

it and no other is god-like, God

(out of compassion for our ugly

failure to evolve) entrusts,

as guest, as brother,

the Word.

The story of the Incarnation presents a God who offers the whole Word, who comes near to the whole story, not merely the parts that fit neatly in pageants. This God speaks and acts in the very places that seem so dark that no human insight or power can do anything. God comes to be with us in our weakness, with us in despair and death and sorrow, with us in betrayal and abandonment. There is no part of the human experience that is left untouched by God’s becoming human. And there is no part of human experience that God cannot redeem and heal and save. There are many Rachels who are still weeping—the poor, the demoralized, the suffering, the mourning. With them, we wait and watch, looking toward the God who comes into the very midst of it.

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

(01) Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:16-18.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The Best Proof

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Mighty to save. Isaiah 63:1

 By the words “to save” we understand the whole of the great work of salvation, from the first holy desire onward to complete sanctification. The words are multum in parvo [much in little]: indeed, here is all mercy in a word. Christ is not only “mighty to save” those who repent, but He is able to make men repent. He will carry those to heaven who believe; but He is, moreover, mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of His name to bend the knee before Him. And this is not all the meaning, for the divine power is equally seen in the after-work. The life of a believer is a series of miracles wrought by the Mighty God. The bush burns but is not consumed. He is mighty to keep His people holy after He has made them so, and to preserve them in His fear and love until He consummates their spiritual existence in heaven.

Christ’s power does not lie in making a believer and then leaving him to fend for himself; but He who begins the good work carries it on; He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul prolongs the divine existence and strengthens it until it breaks every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Are you praying for some beloved one? Oh, do not give up praying, for Christ is “mighty to save.” You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but your Lord is Almighty. Lay hold on that mighty arm and rouse it to put forth its strength.

Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for His strength is sufficient for you. Whether to begin with others or to carry on the work in you, Jesus is “mighty to save,” the best proof of which lies in the fact that He has saved you. What a thousand mercies that you have not found Him mighty to destroy!

Today’s Bible Reading

The family reading plan for January 14, 2015
* Genesis 15
* Matthew 14

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The sin of unbelief

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“And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.” 2 Kings 7:19

Suggested Further Reading: John 20:24-29

“Thou shalt shall see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.” It is so often with God’s own saints. When they are unbelieving, they see the mercy with their eyes, but do not eat it. Now, here is corn in this land of Egypt, but there are some of God’s saints who come here on the Sabbath, and say, “I do not know whether the Lord will be with me or not.” Some of them say, “Well, the gospel is preached, but I do not know whether it will be successful.” They are always doubting and fearing. Listen to them when they get out of the chapel. “Well, did you get a good meal this morning?” “Nothing for me.” Of course not. Ye could see it with your eyes, but did not eat it, because you had no faith. If you had come up with faith, you would have had a morsel. I have found Christians, who have grown so very critical, that if the whole portion of the meat they are to have, in due season, is not cut up exactly into square pieces, and put upon some choice dish of porcelain, they cannot eat it. Then they ought to go without, until they are brought to their appetites. They will have some affliction, which will act like quinine upon them: they will be made to eat by means of bitters in their mouths; they will be put in prison for a day or two until their appetite returns, and then they will be glad to eat the most ordinary food, off the most common platter, or no platter at all. But the real reason why God’s people do not feed under a gospel ministry, is because they have not faith. If you believed, if you heard only one promise, that would be enough.

For meditation: The unbeliever needs to hear in order to believe (Romans 10:14); the believer needs to believe in order to hear.

Sermon no. 3

14 January (1855)

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Pursuing God’s Will

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“In all wisdom and insight [God] made known to us the mystery of His will” (Eph. 1:8-9).

Even if you haven’t obtained academic degrees, you have wisdom that far surpasses the most educated unbeliever.

When God redeemed you, He not only forgave your trespasses and removed the guilt and penalty of sin, but He also gave you spiritual wisdom and insight—two essential elements for godly living. Together they speak of the ability to understand God’s will and apply it to your life in practical ways.

As a believer you understand the most sublime truths of all. For example, you know that God created the world and controls the course of history. You know that mankind’s reason for existence is to know and glorify Him. You have goals and priorities that transcend earthly circumstances and limitations.

Such wisdom and insight escapes unbelievers because they tend to view the things of God with disdain (1 Cor. 2:14). But you “have the mind of Christ” (v. 16). His Word reveals His will and His spirit gives you the desire and ability to understand and obey it.

Today is another opportunity to cultivate that desire through diligent prayer and Bible study. Let the psalmist’s commitment be yours: “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies. . . . I have more insight than all my teachers. . . . I understand more than the aged . . . I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word” (Ps. 119:97-101).

Suggestions for Prayer; Thank God for the wisdom and insight He gives you through His Word.

If you have neglected the Word, ask His forgiveness and begin once again to refresh your spirit with its truths.

Ask for wisdom to respond biblically to every situation you face today.

For Further Study; Many Christians think God’s will is vague or hidden from them. But Scripture mentions several specific aspects of His will. Once you align yourself with those specifics, the Spirit will direct you in the other areas of your life.

List six elements of God’s will from these passages: 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 5:17-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Peter 2:13-15; 1 Peter 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Are you following God’s will in those areas? If not, what steps can you take today to do so?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – It Takes a Team

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Two are better than one, because they have a good [more satisfying] reward for their labor; for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow. —Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

In 1867, John Roebling had a vision and a passion to do something experts said couldn’t be done: build a bridge from Manhattan to Brook¬lyn, in New York City. No one believed it could be done, but Roebling and his son Washington, a young engineer, persevered.

The Roeblings hired their crew and finally got to work on John’s dream. Only a few months into the project, a worksite accident took John’s life. But the project continued, with Washington as its leader.

Three years later, Washington was severely injured. He was unable to talk, walk, or even move most of his body. But his mind was sharp, and his dream of building the bridge still burned in his heart.

Washington had two things in his favor: one finger that still worked and a wife who loved him. Roebling and his wife figured out a com¬munication system in which he tapped on her arm. For eleven years, Washington tapped out messages and instructions for the bridge, until it was finally complete.

Washington Roebling needed a dependable team of people to achieve his dream. He needed his father, his crew, and his wife. We need other people too; we can love, support, help, and encourage them, and they can do the same for us.

Love Others Today: Who do you need on your team in life? Who needs you on their team?

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A Blessing So Great

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“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in” (Malachi 3:10).

Tom and Marti were newlyweds. They were just getting started in business and had all the expense of setting up housekeeping. So they found their budget severely strained. In fact, the bills were piling up. Then they were challenged to tithe their gross income. Their first response was, “Impossible! We can’t even pay our present bills, let alone take 10 percent off the top.”

As they prayed together, however, they felt definitely led that this was God’s will. Since they wanted to please Him by obeying His command, they began systematically and faithfully to give priority to their tithe. At first, it was nip and tuck, and some of the other obligations had to wait. But after a few months they were amazed to see how they were able to accomplish more with the nine-tenths than they had previously been able to accomplish with the total amount.

Now they are enthusiastic over the privilege of laying up treasures in heaven, seeking first the kingdom of God. Tithing was only the beginning. Now they are giving 40 percent off the top because God has prospered them so abundantly.

I began to tithe as a new Christian when I was made aware of the scriptural principle that everything belongs to God and we are only stewards during our brief time here on earth. Actually a tithe is the Old Testament concept and according to the New Testament concept every believer has the privilege of laying up treasures in heaven far beyond the amount of the tithe. There is a law of sowing and reaping: The more you sow, the more you reap.

To the Christian, it is not how much we give to God; it is how much we have left after we have given to Him – and to His kingdom.

Bible Reading: Malachi 3:5-9

Today’s Action Point: Today I will take inventory of my giving to the Lord. I will begin at least to tithe, expecting that God, as He promised Malachi, “will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that I won’t have room enough to take it in.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; A.W. – Waiting For a New Start

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When God calls you to a new beginning, it doesn’t always happen right away. Abraham waited 25 years for the birth of Isaac. Joseph waited over 20 years to become a leader and see his brothers after being sold into slavery. Moses waited 40 years before rescuing the children of Israel. The Israelites waited 40 years before they entered the Promised Land.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.

I Samuel 16:13

In the verses leading up to today’s scripture, God instructed Samuel to go the house of Jesse and anoint one of his sons as the new king of Israel. David, Jesse’s youngest son, was a shepherd boy, yet he was the one God chose. Samuel anointed Him, but David did not immediately become king. He had to wait patiently for 13 more years before he was given his new beginning.

Do you feel God’s anointing for a new purpose – but think it’s not happening fast enough? Know God’s timing is perfect. As you pray today, ask for the Holy Spirit to come powerfully on you, and other Christian Americans, as you wait for a renewed direction and new start.

Recommended Reading: James 5:7-12

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Power of Integrity

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That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. —Philippians 1:10–11

In ancient Rome, fine pottery was relatively thin and fragile and often would develop cracks after firing. Rather than remake the piece, unscrupulous shops would fill the cracks with hard, dark wax and then sell it as new.

So you would take your purchase home and put it outside, and in the blazing Mediterranean sun, parts of it would start to melt. Then you would take that pottery back to the shopkeeper and say, “What have you done? This isn’t right. I want one without wax.”

That is what Paul meant when he prayed that the believers in Philippi would be “sincere and without offense.” Sincere is sometimes translated “without wax.” So Paul was essentially saying, “Move forward in your life without moral failure.” He wrote in 1 Corinthians 10, “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (verses 32–33). Another way to translate that is, “Don’t give an unbeliever a reason to not believe.”

Jesus saved his most scathing words not for struggling sinners but for hypocritical believers, those who appeared to be one thing but really were another.

So let’s make sure we are not people who bring reproach to the name of Jesus Christ. Each of us has a sphere of influence. Each of us has a group of people who are watching us carefully. They are scrutinizing every word and hoping we will mess up. When you walk with God, live a godly life, and do what He wants you to do, it drives some of them crazy. And so it should. It is the power of a good testimony.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Romans 8:28 · January 14

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Romans 8:28 reminds us, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those love Him.” This is one of the most helpful, comforting verses of the entire Bible, announcing God’s sovereignty in any painful, tragic situation we face.

God works. Paul’s word for this is sunergeo—the great-great-grandfather of the term synergy. Paul is saying that God can make all things sunergeo for the good. Blending faith with the failings, triumphs with the tears.

James makes the same point in James 1:2 when he says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

So what do we do in the meantime? We trust. We trust totally, and remember God is working for the good!

From Max on Life

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Courage in Troubled Times

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Read | Romans 8:28-34

Some time ago, two Chinese women shared their father’s story with me. He was arrested in a roundup of house church members and given a choice—to deny Christ or go to jail. The man spent 20 years imprisoned for his faith.

I was moved to tears by this brother’s godly testimony. He understood that God was in control of his life, and that realization gave him the courage to please his Father regardless of the repercussions.

Romans 8:28 teaches that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love [Him].” But relying on that guarantee gets tough when we’re in the midst of trials. The first few words of the verse—“And we know” (emphasis added)—provide a hint about how Christians are to trust that the Lord will keep His promise. We can face adversity courageously when we make a habit of finding God’s fingerprints on prior situations in our life.

While God causes good to come from our experiences, He doesn’t necessarily initiate trials. Psalm 103:19 says, “His sovereignty rules over all” (emphasis added). Other forces are at work in the world, but the Father’s power reigns supreme. Satan may touch our life with pain, but only because the Lord allows him to do so. And God gives permission only when a situation fits His ultimate purpose.

Regardless of the tragedies we face, God’s commitment remains the same—He makes good out of bad, just as He has always done. Paul knew the promise was true, and so do I. Examine your life for evidence of the Lord at work, and you will be assured as well.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Out Of The Darkness

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READ: Psalm 77:1-15

I cried out to God . . . . Who is so great a God as our God? —Psalm 77:1,13

I don’t know what desperate situation gripped Asaph, the writer of Psalm 77, but I’ve heard, and made, similar laments. Over the past dozen years since I lost my daughter, many others who have experienced the loss of a loved one have shared with me heartbreaking sentiments like these:

Crying out to God (v.1). Stretching empty arms heavenward (v.2). Experiencing troubling thoughts about God because of horrible circumstances (v.3). Enduring unspeakable trouble (v.4). Cowering under the feeling of being cast aside (v.7). Fearing failed promises (v.8). Fearing a lack of mercy (v.8).

But a turnaround occurs for Asaph in verse 10 through a recollection of God’s great works. Thoughts turn to God’s love. To memories of what He has done. To His marvelous deeds of old. To the comfort of God’s faithfulness and mercy. To reminders of God’s wonders and greatness. To His strength and redemption.

Despair is real in this life, and answers do not come easily. Yet in the darkness—as we remember God’s glory, majesty, power, and love—our despair can slowly subside. Like Asaph, we can rehearse God’s acts, especially the salvation He brought through Jesus, and we can return to where we once were—resting gratefully in His mighty love. —Dave Branon

Lord, we cannot fathom the depth of Your character or
the wisdom of Your actions when trouble visits us. Help
us to inch our way back into Your arms through a rehearsal
of Your goodness and a recollection of Your glorious love.

Remembering the past can bring hope to the present.

Bible in a year: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 9:18-38

Insight

King David enlisted three Levitical choirs and orchestras for the temple worship, led by Asaph, Jeduthun (or Ethan), and Heman (1 Chron. 16:37-41; 25:1-6; 2 Chron. 5:12). Psalm 77 was written by Asaph for Jeduthun. Asaph also composed Psalms 50 and 73-83.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Sign and Signifier

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Harold Camping, former president of Family Radio, declared that the world would end on May 21, 2011.(1) Camping was in good company when he made this kind of prediction. The Mayan prediction of the end of the world, popularized in the film 2012, has brought searching for the signs of the end times into the popular culture. But for Camping, this was not the first time that he made this kind of prediction based on the ‘signs of the times’. On September 6, 1994, dozens of Camping’s followers gathered in Alameda, California to await the return of Christ, an event Camping had been preaching about for two years. Despite Camping’s careful calculations and reading of the signs that pointed to his return, Jesus did not return. Camping later conceded that he misread the signs. Whether through mathematical formulae or symbolic codes contained in Scripture, as in Camping’s case, or watching after political maneuvers, leaders, and geo-political reorganization, many become obsessed with finding signs for the end of the world.

But there are other signs some seek as well. Interestingly enough, the Christian season of Epiphany is also a season of signs. The signs of Epiphany are not for calculating the end of the world, nor are they the signs seemingly marked out in geo-political happenings. Instead, those who enter into this season are asked to seek signs that reveal the identity of Jesus as God’s chosen Messiah for the world. Beginning with the visit of the foreign magi, who found Jesus by seeking signs in the stars, followed by the baptism of Jesus by his cousin John, and the various miracle stories in the earthly ministry of Jesus, the season of Epiphany enjoins all seekers after signs to look again at the ‘sign’ of Jesus.

For this reason, Christian worship often uses the text of John’s Gospel during Epiphany. For in John’s Gospel, seven signs are recorded by the evangelist: the miracle at the wedding of Cana, the healing of the nobleman’s son, the healing of the paralytic, the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus’s walking on water, the healing of the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. All reveal something unique about this man from Galilee.

In John chapter 6, a poignant and theologically rich section of the evangelist’s narrative, the multitudes come seeking a sign from Jesus. Many of these seekers have just been fed by Jesus in what has been called the feeding of the five thousand (see John 6:1-14). Still, they ask him, “What then do you do for a sign that we may see and believe you?” Jesus answers them by saying that he is the bread of heaven. That is, in his very person life and sustenance reside! He is the sign from God! And yet the people do not believe him. They continue to seek for other signs and wonders. Even the most religious among them, specialists in the interpretation of signs, grumble that Jesus claims to be the bread of heaven. Jesus rightly proclaims, “But I said to you, you have seen me, and yet do not believe.”(2)

What are the signs that you seek? Sometimes, we seek the signs and miss the reality towards which they point. Christians and all seekers can wonder together in the season of Epiphany—and in light of John’s sign-filled narrative—what is the point of a sign if it does not inspire belief? That is to say, what is the point of a sign if it does not instill faith as opposed to fear, belief and hope rather than dread or simply amazement, as one would view a magic trick? In this sense, the miracle-signs of Jesus invite sign-seekers further into his unique life. Simply seeing the signs, like only seeing the trees and not the forest, is not the point. The signs reveal the signifier. He is both sign and sustenance, wonder and life itself.

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

(1) Justin Berton, “Biblical scholar calculates the world will end next May,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 4, 2010.

(2) John 6:36.