Tag Archives: Truth

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Just in Time

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The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. —1 Corinthians 10:13

In her book, The Hiding Place, Nazi concentration camp survivor Corrie ten Boom recalls the story of how, as a young girl, she struggled with the prospect of having loved ones die.

Her father wisely took her aside and asked, “Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam—when do I give you your ticket?”

“Why, just before we get on the train.”

“Exactly,” her father said. “And our wise Father knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need—just in time.”

Sometimes we wonder, What if I am tested above my ability to endure? What if I am tempted above my capacity to resist? You never will be because God knows your breaking point. As far as temptation goes, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” There is always a way out. Sometimes it is as simple as the door.

But what if God sends me a trial that I can’t get through? Often I talk to people who are going through very difficult suffering, and I ask myself, Would I have the attitude they have if I were going through that? Here is my response: If God would ask me to do it, then He would give me the strength to do it.

God will give you the strength to face what you have to face. You will have what you need when you need it. So don’t worry about it. Just trust God. He is in control.

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Simply “Church”

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Max Lucado

The church names we banter about?  They don’t exist in heaven.  Because it’s not the denomination that saves you.  And I wonder, if there’re no denominations in heaven, why do we have denominations on earth?

I know this is a crazy thought—but what would happen if all the churches agreed, on a given day, to change their names simply to “church?”  And then when people chose which church to attend, they wouldn’t do so by the sign outside, they’d do so by the hearts of the people inside.

And then, when people were asked what church they attended, their answer wouldn’t be a label but just a location. And then, we Christians wouldn’t be known for what divides us; instead we’d be known for what unites us—our common Father.

Crazy idea?  Perhaps.   But I think God would like it.  It was His idea to begin with!

from Lucado Inspirational Reader

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Wise Decision Making

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Charles Stanley

Some choices should be based solely on Scripture. We don’t need to pray about whether or not to commit adultery, steal from our employer, or avoid paying the taxes we owe. For each of these, God has clearly laid out instructions for us in His Word. But on areas where Scripture is silent, the Holy Spirit desires to guide our steps along the specific path the Father has chosen for us.

For instance, whom should you marry? Which career should you pursue? What home should you buy? True, the Bible gives a few guidelines on these topics. It tells us to marry only fellow believers, to steer clear of jobs that require unethical behavior, and to avoid overspending. But we also need specific guidance from God in these areas.

The Prompting of the Holy Spirit

After we have received Jesus as our Savior, the His Spirit dwells within us to direct our steps—the choices and decisions we should make, the work we should undertake, and the new attitudes and opinions we should adopt. Jesus said that one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth (John 16:13).

When God wants to clarify the next move He has for us or lead us in a new direction, He often uses what I call a “prompting.” This is like a flash of lightning in a person’s spirit that creates an almost immediate knowing of which way to turn, what to do, or how to respond. It comes with a deep assurance and confidence that the choice or decision is right.

Whenever we sense the Holy Spirit’s prompting, our all-wise God is communicating that He loves us enough to direct our steps in a particular situation. Much of what the Spirit directs us to do involves a potential loss or gain of something we deem important—either for ourselves or for others.

There are things we should avoid, discard, ignore, or put away. There are things we should reach out and receive, pay attention to, or act upon. On occasion, the Spirit also prompts us not to act or speak. At times I have clearly felt the Holy Spirit instructing me, “Sit down and don’t say a word.” Because His guidance differs moment by moment and person to person, it’s vital for each believer to look to Him for guidance.

How do you develop sensitivity to God’s leadership? Ask Him to increase your ability to discern His will in each situation. It’s His work, not yours, to impart sensitivity. When you experience His prompting, act on it immediately. Don’t second-guess what God tells you to do. Those who fail to act on the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudges never learn how to follow His leading.

If you have heard correctly, you will feel a growing peace and confidence regarding your choice. If you have heard incorrectly, you will feel unrest in your spirit. As with most things in life, we learn by trial and error.

An Example of God’s Prompting

I knew a young woman who was facing a decision about which college to attend. She had narrowed the choices to four Christian schools. When she visited the first two, she sensed a clear “no” from the Holy Spirit. After just a few hours on each campus, she felt ill at ease. Although these were good schools with excellent reputations, she knew in her spirit that they were not right for her. It wasn’t anything a specific person did or said; she just felt restless in her heart.

The last two colleges, however, seemed almost equal. She finally decided to attend the college that was closer to her home. Right before bed one night, she announced her choice to her family. She later recounted what happened: “I was awake most of the night. I tossed and turned and felt miserable. I had a nagging sense that I was making a mistake.”

The next morning, the young woman confessed to her mother, “I think I made the wrong choice. I’m changing my decision.” She felt peace all day long, and by evening, she knew she had made the right choice. After one semester at the college, she wrote a letter to her parents, saying how happy she was at the school and expressing gratitude that instead of deciding for her, they had encouraged her to seek God’s direction.

This young woman had experienced a series of promptings that led her to the final decision, which was God’s best for her. Now let me ask you: Do you believe this young woman has a much clearer understanding about how the Holy Spirit speaks in the human heart and prompts a person to move into right actions or decisions? Absolutely. She has learned a tremendous lesson about what it means to hear from God and to walk wisely.

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives inside you to provide step-by-step guidance into God’s personalized plan for your life. Will you sometimes misunderstand His guidance? Yes. But if you seek daily to obey God’s still, small voice, you will experience His very best.

Adapted from “Walking Wisely: Real Guidance for Life’s Journey” (2002).

 

 

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – He Loves to Hear

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Alistair Begg

Behold, he is praying.

Acts 9:11

Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray, the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed but praying soul. When our hearts are broken and we bow in prayer, we are often only able to employ the language of sighs and tears; still our groaning has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music.

That tear has been caught by God and treasured in the receptacle of heaven. “Put my tears in your bottle”1 implies that they are caught as they flow. The petitioner, whose fears prevent his words, will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye; but “prayer is the falling of a tear.”

Tears are the diamonds of heaven; sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah’s court and are numbered with “the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high.” Do not think that your prayer, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded.

Jacob’s ladder is lofty, but our prayers shall lean upon the Angel of the covenant and so climb its starry rounds.

Our God not only hears prayer but also loves to hear it.

He does not forget the cry of the humble. True, He does not regard high looks and lofty words; He does not care for the pomp and pageantry of kings; He does not listen to the drums of war; He does not regard the triumph and pride of man.

But wherever there is a heart enlarged with sorrow or a lip quivering with agony or a deep groan or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open.

He marks it down in the registry of His memory; He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when at last the volume is opened, there will be a precious fragrance springing from it.

Faith asks no signal from the skies,

To show that prayers accepted rise.

Our Priest is in His holy place,

And answers from the throne of grace.

1 Psalm 56:8

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The God of peace

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“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Romans 15:33

Suggested Further Reading: Philippians 4:1-9

Let me briefly show you the appropriateness of this prayer. We indeed ought to have peace amongst ourselves. Joseph said to his brethren when they were going home to his father’s house, “See that ye fall not out by the way.” There was something extremely beautiful in that exhortation. You have all one father, you are of one family. Let men of two nations disagree; but you are of the seed of Israel; you are of one tribe and nation; your home is in one heaven. “See that ye fall not out by the way.” The way is rough; there are enemies to stop you. See that if you fall out when you get home, you do not fall out by the way. Keep together; stand by one another, defend each other’s character; manifest continual affection. The world hates you because you are not of the world. Oh! You must take care that you love one another. You are all going to the same house. You may disagree here, and not speak to one another, and be almost ashamed to sit at the same table, even at the sacrament; but you will all have to sit together in heaven. Therefore do not fall out by the way. Consider, again, the great mercies you have all shared together. You are all pardoned, you are all accepted, elected, justified, sanctified, and adopted. See that you fall not out when you have so many mercies. Joseph has filled your sacks, but if he has put some extra thing into Benjamin’s sack, do not quarrel with Benjamin about that, but rather rejoice because your sacks are full. You have all got enough, you are all secure, you have all been dismissed with a blessing.

For meditation: The God of love and peace will be seen to be present when his people live in peace with one another (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Sermon no. 49

3 November (Preached 4 November 1855)

 

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Seek to Be Humble

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Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself.

—Philippians 2:3

Having pure motives and humility are required if you are to fulfill the command to think more highly of others than yourself. In fact it cannot happen without a willingness to be obedient to the Holy Spirit.

To live in harmony you must recognize and respect the right of others to disagree with you, and you must do so with a good attitude. Humility requires that you forgive quickly and frequently…and that you not be easily offended. You cannot be self seeking, but instead you must be generous in mercy and patience.

Humble yourself and follow God’s instructions and you will enjoy the wonderful benefits of obedience: peace, joy, and a powerful, victorious life.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – His Empowering Presence

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Charles Stanley

Jeremiah 1:6-10

When was the last time you felt God’s presence? I’m not talking about an intellectual understanding that the Lord is with you because He’s everywhere. Instead, what I’m asking is, When was the last time you experienced a heartfelt realization that He personally and intimately abides with you?

If you’re like many believers today, it may have been a while since you really felt His presence. Too many people go about their daily life without a genuine sense of God’s closeness. What a tragedy!

In the Scriptures, when God called someone into service, the first thing He did was to remind that person of His enduring presence. We see examples of this in the stories of Moses (Ex. 3:11-12), Joshua (Josh. 1:1-9), Gideon (Judg. 6:12), and Jeremiah (Jer. 1:6-8), to name just a few. Every time God called one of His servants into action, His message was, “You can be strong and courageous because I am with you. Victory isn’t about your abilities, your strength, your skill, your armor, your gifts, or your dedication; it is completely centered on My presence. You can be strong because I will be strong in and through you.”

God repeatedly assured His followers of His presence so they would remember the reason they could have confidence. And He wants to do the same for you.

The Lord knows how difficult life can be, and He’s aware of the details of each struggle you’ll ever face. As believers in Christ Jesus, we can trust that our heavenly Father will keep His word. He is with us right now, and He always will be (Heb. 13:5-6).

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Who’s Telling The Truth?

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Our Daily Bread

John 8:31-47

Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? —John 8:46

During the 2012 US presidential campaign, television coverage of speeches and debates often included “fact checking” by analysts who compared the candidates’ statements with their actual records. Were they telling the truth or manipulating the facts to their advantage?

The apostle John recorded a debate between Jesus and a group of people who believed He was making false claims about Himself. Jesus told them, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). They told Him that they had never been in bondage to anyone and asked, “How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” (v.33).

As the debate continued, Jesus kept saying that He was telling them the truth (vv.34,40,45-46,51). Some believed Him, but others remained angry at Him and unconvinced.

In a sense, that debate goes on today. Those who oppose Jesus seek to discredit His statements and twist them into lies. Jesus says, “I am telling you the truth,” and promises that He will give us a freedom we can find nowhere else.

The Bible record of Jesus’ life is worth “fact checking” as we determine who we will follow. All of us have a choice to make. —David McCasland

Faith is believing, the promise is true,

Trusting in Jesus your strength to renew;

Resting so sweetly, secure on His Word,

Shielded from danger with Jesus the Lord. —Teasley

God’s truth stands any test.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Unaffected by Change

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Alistair Begg

For I the Lord do not change.

Malachi 3:6

It is just as well for us that in all the variableness of life there is One whom change cannot affect, One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow inconsistency can make no furrows.

All other things have changed-all things are changing. The sun grows dim with age; the world is growing old; the final chapter of the worn-out vesture has begun; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they will perish-they shall grow old like a garment. But there is One who only has immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change.

The delight that the sailor feels when, having been tossed about on the waves, he steps again upon the solid shore is the satisfaction of a Christian when, in all the changes of this distressing life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth-“I the LORD do not change.”

The stability that the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a solid hold is like that which the Christian’s hope provides him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “there is no variation or shadow due to change.”1

Whatever His attributes were in the past, they are now; His power, His wisdom, His justice, His truth are unchanged. He has forever been the refuge of His people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and He is still their sure Helper.

He is unchanged in His love. He has loved His people with “an everlasting love”;2 He loves them now as much as ever He did, and when the creation itself is set free from its bondage to decay, His love will still endure.

Precious is the assurance that He does not change! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.

Death and change are busy ever,

Man decays, and ages move;

But His mercy waneth never;

God is wisdom, God is love.

1 James 1:17 2 Jeremiah 31:3

 

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – The Hope That Assures

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John MacArthur

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Heb. 11:1).

Faith is the solid ground on which we stand as we await the fulfillment of God’s promises.

An elderly man who, on his seventy-fifth birthday, received an invitation to fly over the little West Virginia town in which he had spent his entire life. Although he had never before flown, the man accepted the gracious offer.

After circling the town for about twenty minutes, the pilot safely returned his passenger to the ground. The man’s grandson greeted him excitedly, asking, “Were you scared, Grandpa?” “No,” he replied sheepishly, “but I never did put my full weight down.”

Unlike that hesitant grandfather, true faith trusts fully in its object. For the Christian, that means resting in God and His promises. That’s the primary characteristic of each faithful individual listed in Hebrews 11. They all believed God and responded accordingly.

People often confuse faith with a wistful longing that something, however unlikely, will come to pass in the future. But “assurance” in Hebrews 11:1 speaks of essence and reality– the real thing, as opposed to mere appearance. Faith, then, involves absolute certainty.

For example, the Old Testament saints had the promise of a coming Messiah who would take away sin. They believed God, even though their understanding of Messiah was incomplete and somewhat vague. They knew their hopes would be fulfilled, and that assurance dominated their lives.

It’s the same for New Testament believers. Peter said, “Though you have not seen [Christ], you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:8-9).

Man’s natural tendency is to trust only in the things he can see, hear, touch, or taste. But our physical senses may lie, whereas God cannot (Titus 1:2). Far better to believe God and trust in His promises.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Which promises of God are especially meaningful to you today? Thank Him for them and reaffirm your commitment to living on the basis of His Word.

For Further Study:

Skim Hebrews 11 and note all the divine promises you find there. To gain a fuller understanding of each one, find other Scripture references that mention the same promises.

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Enjoy Your Whole Day

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I WILL praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! —Psalm 9:1

Some Christians feel guilty when they are doing something that isn’t “spiritual.” Somehow or another, they feel the need to hurry through the grocery store, dash through the house cleaning, and rush through all the daily aspects of life that seem irrelevant to their faith. They want to get back to doing something “spiritual” so God will be pleased with them again.

God did not intend for you to hate the secular side of life. You can enjoy holiness and time with God even when you are doing daily chores, running errands, or taking the children somewhere they need to go. Don’t begrudge the routine things of life; see every activity as an opportunity to serve God with your whole heart.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Judging the World

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“For He has set a day for justly judging the world by the man He has appointed, and has pointed Him out by bringing Him back to life again” (Acts 17:31).

Why does God command men and women to repent? And why does He expect you and me to relay His message to them?

The answer is simple: because “He has set a day for justly judging the world.” And if people refuse to be penitent and thus become pardoned, they must be condemned.

“Justly,” of course, can be interpreted: “according to the rules of strict justice.” And who will do the judging? The man God has appointed – His only Son, Jesus Christ; the one He has pointed out to us clearly by bringing Him back to life again.

Jesus, you will remember, declared that He would judge the nations (John 5:25,26 and Matthew 25). God confirmed the truth of those declarations by raising Him from the dead – giving His sanction to what the Lord Jesus has said, for surely God would not work a miracle on behalf of an imposter.

What comfort and help can you and I receive from these truths today? Surely, this is a reminder that God is still on the throne; He is in control; nothing is going on in the world without His knowledge and consent.

Further, we are reminded of God’s justice, which assures us that He will always do right in behalf of His children. That falls right in line with Romans 8:28, of course, which concerns all things working together for our good.

Bible Reading: Psalm 9:7-10

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: World turmoil will not upset me, for I know the God who sits on the throne – and who rules over all

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Mystery Man

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Even to this day, no one really knows why he did it, although millions annually visit the complex of museums bearing his name. When Englishman James Smithson died in 1829, his will provided for his estate of about $500,000 to be gifted to “the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Smithson was an obscure scientist known by few. You may not know much about Smithson, but you certainly know of his deeds.

Give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

I Chronicles 16:8

If the Lord is your Savior, his works and wonders are obvious to you. Yet most of the world knows no more about Jesus than they do about James Smithson. In this month of thanksgiving, how will you “make known his deeds among the peoples?”

Today, pray that your life might be used to draw others to the gift of eternal life offered by God. James Smithson, the mystery man, impacted generations of Americans with his thoughtful generosity. As you follow God’s perfect will for your life, your spiritual legacy shall be even greater!

Recommended Reading: I Timothy 4:4-10

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Why Jesus Had to Die, Part 1

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The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ—next to His arrival in Bethlehem, these are, without question, the most important events in history.

It was here that God and man were reconciled once again. Here at the cross, God’s righteous demands were satisfied. Here, what was lost in the garden was regained again. Here, a crippling and decisive blow was dealt against Satan and his minions. It was here at the cross that our salvation was purchased.

We can never talk about it too much or contemplate it too often. Because of these historical events, we know there is truly life beyond the grave. This is what sets our faith apart from all others—Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and all the rest. You can go to the tombs of their prophets and gurus and pay your respects, but if you go to the tomb of Jesus, you will find it empty! He is alive!

But the question begs to be answered: Why did Jesus have to die? Why did He have to be beaten, and suffer, and die such a cruel death? Because there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God. God plays by His own rules, and He said, “The soul that sins shall surely die,” and “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” In the Old Testament, all those animal sacrifices only foreshadowed something to come—someone to come. That someone was Jesus.

Calvary shows how far men will go in sin and how far God will go for man’s salvation. Jesus knew He was going to die from the very beginning and spoke of it often. In fact, technically, no one took His life from Him. He laid it down of His own accord. He lived in the shadow of the cross from the moment He entered our world.

For some, the cross seems like an aberration, a mistake, a tragic turn of events. That is how it must have seemed for the disciples as Jesus was arrested and murdered. How could this be a part of any plan? How could something so senseless, so cruel, have any purpose?

Answer: It was to have the ultimate purpose and meaning. God was the Master of Ceremonies at the cross: “It was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief” (Isaiah 53:10 ESV). God “did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32 NKJV). God put Christ forward “by His blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:25 ESV).

In the New King James Version, Isaiah 53:10 says, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him.” In what sense was God the Father “pleased” by the death of God the Son? He was pleased by the redemption that was accomplished. He was pleased by the plan of salvation that was fulfilled. He was pleased by the sacrifice of His Son, who died so others might have eternal life.

For all the evil in the crucifixion, it brought about an infinite good. In fact, here was the most evil act ever perpetrated by sinful hearts—the sinless Son of God, tortured, slaughtered, heartlessly murdered in cold blood—and yet, from it came the greatest good of all time: the salvation of countless souls. Your salvation and mine.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – What Keeps Grace from Flowing?

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Charles Stanley

James 4:1-6

We know from the Bible that God continually showers His children with blessings. However, most believers don’t always feel as though He’s pouring His favor upon them. What could be blocking the free flow of divine grace?

Proverbs 6:16-19 provides a list of seven things that God hates. Certain attitudes and behaviors are categorized as detestable to Him, and the first thing mentioned is pride.

Nothing will interfere with spiritual growth as much as a proud spirit. That is why God considers it an abomination. Pride misaligns priorities in such a way that we—and not the Lord—become our own priority.

We can find many examples of pride throughout Scripture. For instance, the serpent convinced the first woman that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would “be like God” (Gen. 3:5). That sounded good to Eve, who apparently thought she deserved this high honor. So she and Adam ate the fruit, thereby bringing all manner of destruction and pain into the world.

If you have been struggling to feel God’s hand of blessing in your life, a wise first step is to humbly pray and ask the Lord to reveal any hidden areas of pride in your life. His arms are full of blessings that He desires to give you. As the preacher D. L. Moody once observed, “God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” Will you choose instead to be full of God? You can start by laying your pride at the foot of the cross. Then your life can overflow with blessings.

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Loved To Love

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Our Daily Bread

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

What does the LORD your God require of you, but . . . to walk in all His ways and to love Him. —Deuteronomy 10:12

“A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” I saw this quotation, attributed to the Wizard of Oz, on a wall plaque in a gift shop.

The Wizard of Oz may be a good story, but it’s not a reliable source of spiritual information. God said something quite different. According to Him, the greatest commandment is to love—to love Him first and then others (Mark 12:29-31). Scripture says nothing about expecting to be loved in return. In fact, Jesus stated the opposite in His most famous sermon: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12).

When it comes to love, the important thing we need to know is this: All love starts with God (1 John 4:19). As Moses told the Israelites, God delighted in them to love them (Deut. 10:15), and because of that they were to love others, even strangers (v.19). God’s intent is that the people who receive His love will become the conduit of His love to others.

Apart from God—who Himself is love—none of us could truly love or be loved (1 John 4:7-8). —Julie Ackerman Link

“Love seeketh not her own,” and so

He did not stay as God above,

But chose a manger and a cross

To show that He was Love. —Wilmshurst

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. —1 John 4:8

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Mere Christianity

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Ravi Z

“I can’t believe how many children there are here,” I leaned and whispered to my husband. We were visitors at a church whose smallest members were helping with the service that morning. A young girl, no more than 8, stood at the front of the altar beside the minister. As she began to speak, her voice echoed the eagerness that her countenance gave away. “Join me in saying the Apostles’ Creed,” she said with a tone that caused me to heed the invitation differently:

I believe God made the world, the sky, the stars, the animals, and all the people in the world. I believe that God’s Son, Jesus, came into the world from heaven. That’s what we remember on Christmas.

Thus began the Apostles’ Creed reworded for children, and in these almost familiar lines were the tenents of the Christian faith, the reminder of all that Christians remember from Christmas to Easter. The little girl’s voice rose above the sounds of a congregation speaking in unison. She was clearly excited by the assignment she had been given. She seemed equally excited by the words of the Creed, the statements of belief shared with the very adults she was leading. It was a creed led in such a way as to remind everyone present that the call of Christ is one a child can answer. The substance to Christian hope is a simple, though profound, reality.

The word creed comes from the Latin word credo, meaning, “I believe.” When asked by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s response was his creed: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(1) The earliest creeds were used as baptismal vows, affirmations of belief in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For persons standing on the precipice of faith, the creed was the statement with which they prepared themselves to jump, and in so doing, found they had been given something on which to stand. As Martin Luther noted of the Apostles’ Creed, the most common of ancient confessions, “Christian truth could not possibly be put into a shorter and clearer statement.”

In dire contrast to this ancient attempt to develop concise affirmations of Christian belief is the call among us for a simplified faith that lessens the significance of Jesus’s birth, life, and death, while focusing more on the responsibility his life imparts. Whether or not he was really born or buried, whether he was fully human and fully divine is thought nonessential; the obligation to respond, the need to build relationships, the call to follow, is considered more important. The creeds say so much more than this. Christmas and Easter say so much more than goodwill and forgiveness.

In the letter to the Hebrews, the affirmation is given that faith gives substance to our hopes and makes certain the realities we do not see. Those who first said “credo” did so with the assurance that their lives were dramatically about to change. They were saying in these vows that their beliefs were worth the chance of persecution, suffering, and even death. In their confession of faith was the conviction that what is true is of greater substance than fear or self. They went to their baptisms knowing that the birth, life, and death of Christ was the hope on which they must live and die and believe.

The lines of the Apostles’ Creed, the mere Christianity that men, women, and children continue to stand on, repeat this stirring hope and sounding joy:

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell, and on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

This is no mere Christianity. This is the story we welcome into a manger and receive from the tomb. This is what we remember on Christmas and every day after.

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

(1) See Matthew 16:15-16.

 

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – A Question to Consider

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Alistair Begg

The church in your house.

Philemon 2

Is there a church in this house? Are parents, children, and friends all members of it, or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round: Am I a member of the church in this house?

The father’s heart would leap for joy, and the mother’s eyes would fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us.

Probably it had been the dearest object of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first fully granted to him. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service.

His master’s prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preach; his heart was touched, and he returned to Philemon not only to be a faithful servant, but a beloved brother, adding another member to the church in Philemon’s house.

Is there an unconverted family member absent this morning? Make special supplication that they may, upon returning to their home, gladden every heart with good news of what grace has done! Is there an unconverted family member still at home? Ask God to save him also.

If there is such a church in our house, let us order it well, and let everyone conduct themselves as in the sight of God. Let us go about our daily routines with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a church than of an ordinary household.

Family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be warmer and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of churches, for the Holy Spirit has enrolled a family-church here in the inspired book of remembrance.

As a church let us now draw near to the great Head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech Him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of His name.

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Christian faith produces righteous deeds.

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John MacArthur

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval” (Heb. 11:1-2).

Hebrews 11 has been called “The Heroes of Faith,” “The Faith Chapter,” “The Saints’ Hall of Fame,” “The Honor Roll of the Old Testament Saints,” and “The Westminster Abbey of Scripture.” Those are appropriate titles because this chapter highlights the virtues of faith as demonstrated in the lives of great Old Testament saints. It also reminds us that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Such a reminder was necessary for the first-century Hebrew people because Judaism had abandoned true faith in God for a legalistic system of works righteousness. Its message is valid today since our devotion to Christ can easily degenerate into a religion of rules and regulations.

While affirming the primacy of faith, the writer of Hebrews doesn’t undermine the importance of righteous works. Quite the contrary. He exhorts us “to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (10:24) and to pursue holiness so others will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him (12:14).

Yet righteous works are the by-product of true salvation, not its means. As the apostle Paul wrote, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). Apart from faith, all attempts to please God through good works alone are as useless and offensive to Him as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). That’s why Paul gladly set all his Jewish legalistic practices aside, counting them as rubbish. He wanted only “the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil. 3:9).

This month we’ll study the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. As we do, remember they weren’t perfect people. But their faith was exemplary and by it they gained God’s approval. I pray that’s true of you as well.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank God for the gift of faith.

Undoubtedly you know people who are trying to please God by their own efforts. Pray for them and take every opportunity to tell them of true salvation through faith in Christ

For Further Study:

Select one of the individuals mentioned in Hebrews 11 and read the Old Testament account of his or her life.

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Open the Door to Christ

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Joyce meyer

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.—Revelation 3:20

Jesus is knocking at the door of many hearts right now, but we must remember that the doorknob is on our side. The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman; He will not force His way into our lives. We must welcome Him.

Open the door of your heart to Him by stretching your faith a little. Be like Peter—the one person in the group who got out of the boat and walked on the water. Peter probably had butterflies in his stomach when he got out of that boat, but as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he did all right (see Matt.14:23–30).

God has a great, big, wonderful life planned for you and me, but if we are stiff-necked, as God called the Israelites (see Exod. 33:3), or hardheaded (as we say today), then we will miss what God has for us. Stubbornness sets us in our ways, and we never stop to ask ourselves if our ways are really God’s ways or not.

In the Old Testament book of Haggai, the people were living in lack and experiencing many problems, so God told them to consider their ways (see Hag. 1:5). Many times when people are not fulfilled in life, they look for the reason in everything and everyone except themselves. If you are not satisfied with your life, do as God told the people of Judah: “Consider your ways.” Like me, you may find that you need to make some changes.

I was stubborn, opinionated, hardheaded, proud, and everything else that kept me from making progress. But, thank God, He has changed me! I pray that He continues to change me until I am just like Him—and that will be a lifelong journey.

Answer that knock at your heart’s door and allow the Holy Spirit to come into your life in all His fullness.

Trust in Him: God will not force His way into your life—you must open the door for Him. Step out in faith and put your trust in Him, so that He can do great things through you and for you.