Tag Archives: Truth

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Suffering Alone

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Charles Stanley

Psalm 88:8, 18

Have you ever been in the midst of a personal crisis, only to feel that your friends have disappeared? Even if you did forgive them for abandoning you in a time of need, they still may not have come back to offer support. In situations like this, it’s important to remember the One who promises to be there for you all the time.

When Paul was suffering from a “thorn in the flesh,” the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:7-9). In other words, He was telling the apostle, “I’ll take care of you.”

During our most trying moments—when we have nothing left to sustain ourselves—we can find strength in God. He doesn’t set aside a reserve of grace and assistance to help us six months from now. We get exactly what we need when we need it. Our Father has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Heb. 13:5 nlt) and He has no intention of breaking that promise.

We may never know why the Lord allowed friends to forsake us when we needed them, but here’s one possibility: He might have been trying to teach us how to rely on Him. At times the only way we will learn to lean on God is by finding that all other supports are gone.

At some point, we all experience the heartache of abandonment. But one thing is certain—Jesus Christ will be standing by our side to strengthen and deliver

us in our time of need. One day we’ll have the privilege of looking back over our lives and seeing how He proved His faithfulness over and over again.

 

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Wait On The Lord

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 27

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. —Psalm 40:1

With so many instantaneous forms of communication today, our impatience with hearing a reply from others is sometimes laughable. Someone I know sent an e-mail to his wife and then called her by cell phone because he couldn’t wait for a reply!

Sometimes we feel that God has let us down because He does not provide an immediate answer to a prayer. Often our attitude becomes, “Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails!” (Ps. 143:7).

But waiting for the Lord can transform us into a people of growing faith. King David spent many years waiting to be crowned king and fleeing from Saul’s wrath. David wrote, “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps. 27:14). And in another psalm he encourages us with these words, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He . . . set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps” (40:1-2). David grew into “a man after [God’s] own heart” by waiting on the Lord (Acts 13:22; see 1 Sam. 13:14).

When we become frustrated with God’s apparent delay in answering our prayer, it is good to remember that He is interested in developing faith and perseverance in our character (James 1:2-4). Wait on the Lord! —Dennis Fisher

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!

Thy wings shall my petition bear

To Him whose truth and faithfulness

Engage the waiting soul to bless. —Walford

God stretches our patience to enlarge our soul.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 15-17; 2 Timothy 2

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – A Lofty Doctrine

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Alistair Begg

I chose you out of the world.

John 15:19

Here is distinguishing grace and discriminating regard, for some are made the special objects of divine affection. Do not be afraid to dwell upon this lofty doctrine of election. When your mind is heavy and depressed, you will find it to be a spiritual tonic. Those who doubt the doctrines of grace or who throw them into the shadows miss the richest clusters of grapes; they lose the best wines, the choice food.

There is no balm in Gilead comparable to it. If the honey in Jonathan’s wood when simply touched illumined the eyes, this is honey that will illumine your heart as you love and learn the mysteries of the kingdom of God. You must feed on this; live upon this choice provision, and do not be afraid that it will prove too delicate a diet. Meat from the King’s table will hurt none of His servants. Desire to have your mind enlarged, that you may comprehend more and more of the eternal, everlasting, discriminating love of God.

When you have soared as high as election, linger on its twin peak, the covenant of grace. Covenant engagements are the mighty fortresses behind which we lie entrenched; covenant engagements with our Savior, Christ Jesus, are the quiet resting-places of trembling spirits.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the raging flood;

When every earthly prop gives way,

This still is all my strength and stay.

If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that He would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of His soul, then, my soul, until God Himself shall be unfaithful, until Jesus shall cease to be the truth, you are safe. When David danced before the ark, he told Michal that election made him do so. Come, my soul, dance before the God of grace, and let your heart leap for joy!

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Avoiding Spiritual Deception

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John MacArthur

“All Scripture is . . . profitable for . . . reproof” (2 Tim. 3:16).

In November of 1978, United States Representative Leo Ryan of California visited the People’s Temple (a California- based cult) in Guyana. He went to investigate reports that some of the people were being held there against their will. The world was shocked to learn that the congressman and his party had been ambushed and killed.

Even more shocking was the grim discovery that followed a few days later. Authorities who entered the compound at Jonestown, Guyana were horrified to find the bodies of 780 cult members who had been shot or had committed suicide by drinking cyanide-laced punch. Their leader, the Reverend Jim Jones, was found lying near the altar–dead from a single bullet wound to the head.

For many, it was the first time they had witnessed the deadly effect of satanic teaching. Editorials and articles for months attempted to explain how such appalling deception and genocide could occur in this day and age. But as tragic as the Jonestown deaths were, most observers missed the greatest tragedy of all: the spiritual damnation that Jim Jones and all other false teachers lead their followers into.

Spiritual deception is a very serious issue to God. That’s why in Scripture He lays down the truth and reproves anything contrary to it. The Greek word translated “reproof” in 2 Timothy 3:16 means to rebuke or confront someone regarding misconduct or false teaching.

If you have a thorough grasp of Scripture, you have a standard by which to measure all teaching. Then you can easily recognize false doctrine and avoid spiritual deception. That’s what John had in mind when he said, “I have written to you, [spiritual] young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:14).

False religions will always attempt to distort Scripture because they must eliminate God’s truth before they can justify their own lies. Beware of their subtleties, and be strong in God’s Word.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank the Lord for protecting you from spiritual deception.

Pray for anyone you may know who has fallen victim to false teaching. Take every opportunity to impart God’s truth to them.

For Further Study:

Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-4, 13-15. How did Paul describe false teachers?

 

 

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Fill Up Your Love Tank

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Joyce meyer

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.—Ephesians 3:17

Each one of us is born with a “love tank,” and if our tank is empty, we are in trouble. We need to start receiving love from the moment we are born and continue receiving it—and giving it out—until the day we die. Sometimes Satan manages to arrange things so that instead of receiving love, we receive abuse. If that abuse continues, we become love starved and warped, so that we are unable to maintain healthy relationships.

Many people develop addictive behaviors of different types. If they can’t get good feelings from within themselves, they look for them on the outside. One of the things we must understand is that people have to have a certain number of good feelings. We are all created to have good feelings about ourselves. We cannot go around hurting, being wounded, and feeling bad all the time. We are just not designed and equipped to live that way.

To find those good feelings, many people turn to sex, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, money, power, gambling, work, television, sports, and many other addictive things. They are simply trying to get those good feelings they are missing from within themselves and their relationships.

Many Christians are not getting good feelings from their relationships. They just go through the motions, not truly enjoying life because of what has happened to them to deprive them of what they really need and desire—love. The good news is that whatever may have happened to us in the past, whatever we may have been deprived of, we can get it from the Lord. He is our Shepherd, so we shall not want (See Psalm 23:1). He has promised not to withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11).

If we did not get enough love when we were growing up, or if we are not getting enough love now, we don’t have to go through the rest of our lives with an empty “love tank.”

Even if there is not one other human being on this earth who loves us, we are still loved by God, and we can become rooted and grounded in His love.

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – More Than You Need

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dr_bright

“God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more, so that there will not only be enough for your own needs, but plenty left over to give joyfully to others” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

One of the greatest discoveries that I have ever made in the Christian life is the law of sowing and reaping. Paul explains, beginning in his second letter to the Corinthians with the sixth verse of Chapter 9, “If you give little, you’ll get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will harvest only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes” (2 Corinthians 9:6,7).

I have several friends and colleagues who have joined with me in claiming this marvelous promise of God and in every case the blessings are abundant. People with modest incomes are able not only to give large sums of money, but also enjoy a life-style that one could hardly expect even from individuals whose salaries were much more than theirs. It is a “loaves and fishes” kind of demonstration of God’s faithfulness. You cannot outgive God. As someone put it, “I give to God by the spoonsful and He returns to me shovelsful.”

Most believers have never discovered the joy and excitement of Christian stewardship. Always remember that God’s graces are bestowed upon us, not that we may hoard them, but that we may pass them on to others.

The same principle of giving also applies to the giving of our time and our talent to the proclamation of the gospel. The more we give, the more we receive. Was God giving you an extra portion of love today, of joy, of patience, of encouragement, or peace? Pass it on. Has something happened to you? He may have given that extra supply for you to pass it on to others in need. By the same token, if your supply in any of these things is lacking, you need only ask. With your motivation of wanting to share with others, God will not delay in responding to your request.

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 9:6-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: In order to be a faithful steward of that which God has entrusted to me, I shall seek to share with others a generous portion of all that He gives to me, with special emphasis on the good news concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the supernatural life which He gives.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Waiting God

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Joyce meyer

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for his victory]. —Isaiah 30:18

This verse has become one of my favorites, and it has often been a source of encouragement to me when I’ve had hard times. The Living Bible paraphrases the verse like this: “Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to him, so he can show you his love; he will conquer you to bless you, just as he said. For the Lord is faithful to his promises. Blessed are all those who wait for him to help them.” Let’s think of the implication of the promise. God waits for us. As I think of that promise, it staggers my mind. The Creator of the universe and the Giver of all life has chosen to wait for us—waits for us to come to our senses, waits for us to respond to His love, waits for us to turn to Him for help.

That’s a staggering thought. God wants to show us love.

Perhaps as much as anywhere else, Satan attempts to build a mental stronghold right there. When we contemplate God’s love for us, many of us can’t take it in. We can only think of our failures, our shortcomings, and dozens of other reasons why God shouldn’t love us.

That reminds me of a kind man I’ve known for many years. One day he took care of a situation for me that he didn’t have to. I was surprised and deeply touched. “You are probably the kindest man I know,” I told him.

He stared at me in shock. “Me? Kind? Oh, I can be mean-spirited and cruel,” he said. For several minutes, he explained to me that he couldn’t possibly be a kind man. “I live with myself all the time, and I see all my defects.”

“Maybe that’s the trouble,” I told him. “You see your defects so clearly, you don’t see your caring, compassionate qualities. You discount all those things.”

He never could accept that he was kind. I also used the word gentle and that surprised him, too.

Perhaps that’s how it is with many of God’s people. We are so absorbed by our failures and all the wrong things we see about ourselves, it’s hard to believe that God wants to bless us. If we read, “God wants to punish you,” we wouldn’t have trouble saying, “Yes, that’s what I deserve.”

But how would we answer if someone said, “God wants to bless you”? We probably would say, “I don’t deserve that.”

How many of us believe we are entitled to God’s blessings? We want the good things. We want God to love us, encourage us, bless us, and give us victory, but to say we deserve the blessings may be more than we are willing to accept.

Why do we struggle over the concept of deserving? Our tendency is to think that we have to do something to earn the blessings… that we have to be good enough or faithful enough. We miss the point of God’s powerful, gracious love. Our blessings from God are not a result of our goodness. They are the result of God’s goodness.

We are entitled to God’s blessings for only one reason: because we are His children. It’s just that simple. Those of us who are parents grasp that concept with regard to our children. We brought them into the world, and they deserve our love. We freely give them our love before they do anything good or bad. They deserve our protection and all the good things we choose to give them. They don’t deserve those things because they’ve done something to earn them, but simply because they are our children.

Satan loves to trip us up on this one. As soon as we think it is right for us to be blessed, he points to our weaknesses or our failures. God points to our relationship. That’s the difference.

Gracious and loving God, thank You for being willing to bless me. Even though the devil tries to make me feel undeserving, please remind me that I am Your child and You are my Father. My relationship to You makes me deserving, and I thank You for that in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Find Balance

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Joyce meyer

Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.

—Hebrews 2:1

When Satan finds people out of balance, he has an inroad to destroy their lives. There are people who get out of balance in everything: from not sleeping, to sleeping too much; from not cleaning their house, to trying to keep it so clean that nobody can move in it.

Find balance; balance keeps your day going right. Satan doesn’t much care if you don’t do enough of something, or if you do too much of it, as long as you don’t stay balanced. Take time to examine yourself prayerfully, and ask God to show you how to remain balanced.

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Watchman

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greglaurie

“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.”

—Ezekiel 3:17–18

The apostle Paul compared himself to a watchman. A watchman in ancient Israel would stand on a city wall and pay attention to what was going on. If there was an enemy approaching, he would warn the people. His job was to be faithful, not fearful, and consider the people’s safety and security. If he failed to do that, then the blood of those people would be on his hands. In other words, if the watchman did not warn others, then he would be responsible for what happened to them.

Paul told the Ephesian elders, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26–27 NKJV).

It is sort of like what a parent does with a child. The job of a parent is to be a parent; it is not to be a best friend. Be a mom. She needs a mother. Be a dad. He doesn’t need a buddy. Sometimes parents have to sit children down and say, “Don’t do that. It’s wrong. I don’t want you to do that.”

In the same way, as Christians, we need to help each other. We need to be that watchman for someone else. Maybe you are a mature believer who knows some of the dangers out there, and you see a younger believer getting sucked into something harmful. It might be a little awkward, but you say, “Can I just offer a word of advice to you? Be careful in this area. I would hate to see you fall there.”

Maybe they don’t love the fact that you said something like this to them. Or maybe they do. But you are just being a faithful watchman.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Mournful to Hopeful

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Max Lucado

In May of 2008, Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth lost their five-year-old daughter in an automobile accident. They were deluged by messages of kindness. One in particular gave Steven strength.  It was from a pastor friend who’d lost his son in an auto accident. “Remember, your future with your daughter will be greater than your past with her.”

Death seems to take so much. We bury the wedding that never happened, the golden years we never knew. We bury dreams. But in heaven these dreams will come true. Acts 3:21 says that God has promised a “restoration of all things.”

All things includes all relationships. Our final home will hear no good-byes. Gone forever. Let the promise change you. From sagging to seeking, from mournful to hopeful! From dwellers in the land of good-byes to a heaven of hellos!  You’ll get through this!

From You’ll Get Through This

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Unwise Reactions to Criticism

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Charles Stanley

1 Peter 2:23-24

No one likes personal criticism. Sometimes it seems that we go out of our way to help and encourage others, only to be met with a harsh word or accusation. Too often, when that happens, our protective shields immediately go up. But what do we do with the remark that has already been said? What is our normal, human response to criticism?

First, we might respond by repressing the matter. That is, we acknowledge there is a problem but don’t want to do anything about it. In such cases, we may answer, “Thank you for sharing your feelings. I understand what you are saying.” And yet we may not understand. We might feel grievously hurt by the comment but do not want to deal with the hardship of exploring or discussing it further.

Second, we may respond by suppressing the conflict. We may act as if nothing ever happened, completely ignoring the situation to the extent that we actually become unaware that anything is wrong. Far from being a cure, this only delays and exaggerates our eventual reaction to the problem.

Third, we might respond by blaming someone else. We can be quick to point the finger at others, while denying any personal responsibility in the matter.

Selfish tendencies serve only to alienate us further from those who have challenged us in the first place. True, a word of criticism can hurt, but there may be something within the remark that is worth examining. Are you strong enough to face criticism with humility and godly confidence?

 

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – The Source of Righteousness

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John MacArthur

The Source of Righteousness

“The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9).

The inability of human wisdom to produce right living was reaffirmed in my thinking as I read a contemporary psychiatrist’s book on how to overcome depression. The doctor’s first suggestion was to shout “Cancel!” every time you have a negative thought. She also recommended playing a tape recording of positive messages while you sleep at night, and listening to positive music during the day.

Cultivating a meaningful spiritual philosophy was another of her suggestions. She said any will do–as long as it works for you–but cautioned against those that speak of sin and guilt. Her final point was to find the spiritual light within yourself.

That kind of advice is foolish because it has no basis in truth. The best it can do is mask a few symptoms. It cannot cure the illness.

Jesus illustrated the hopelessness of searching for truth through such means when He said to a group of unbelievers, “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil . . . [who] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.

“Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. . . . He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God” (John 8:43-47).

Unbelievers don’t see the truth of God’s Word for what it is. But believers hear the truth and receive it. Like David, they acknowledge that “the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9).

“Judgments” in that context speaks of ordinances or divine verdicts from the Supreme Judge. “Righteous altogether” implies that Scripture produces comprehensive righteousness in all who receive it. Together they emphasize that true righteousness originates from God’s Word and flows through His people.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Praise God for giving you the truth that produces righteousness.

For Further Study:

What do the following verses say about God’s righteous Word: Psalm 119:89, 128, 137-38, 142, and 160?

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Obeying God’s Commands

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John MacArthur

“The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Ps. 19:8).

It isn’t popular these days to speak of God’s Word as a book of commandments. Commands imply law and we’re accustomed to grace. But the fact is, both the Old and New Testaments contain many commandments that all God’s people are to obey.

The apostle John said, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected” (1 John 2:3-5). John equated the commandments of God with the Word of God.

Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father” (v. 21). If you truly love Christ, your life will be characterized by a pattern of obedience to His Word.

Every commandment of God is “pure”, the psalmist said (Ps. 19:8). Its effect is “enlightening the eyes.” God’s Word brings spiritual truth into clear focus. Not every passage of Scripture is easy to understand, but taken as a whole, the message of the Bible is clear to the regenerate mind.

But as clear as the Bible is to believers, unredeemed people can’t understand it. To them it’s foolishness because their minds are unenlightened (1 Cor. 2:14). In their spiritual blindness they choose humanistic philosophical speculations over God’s Word. But as a believer, you are continually being enlightened by the truths of God’s Word as the Holy Spirit enables you to understand and apply them to your life.

Your ability to understand the Word is a priceless gift. Take advantage of it daily by expanding your Bible knowledge and increasing your obedience.

Suggestions for Prayer:

•  Thank the Lord for opening your mind to the truths of His Word.

•  Commit yourself to discovering at least one additional truth from Scripture each day.

For Further Study:

Read 1 Corinthians 2:14-16. What comparison did Paul make between the natural (unregenerate) man and the spiritual (regenerate) man?

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – How do I maintain my hope in the midst of adversity?

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Charles Stanley

Maintaining Hope

Have you ever felt ignored by God? Have you wondered why others are blessed, while the Lord continues to allow suffering, disappointment, and hardship in your life?

Scripture records the stories of faithful believers who were able to maintain their hope in the midst of painful circumstances. The apostle Paul is a perfect example. He experienced persecution, beatings, unfair trials, imprisonment, and sickness, among other frustrations. Let’s explore what he discovered about rising above adversity.

  1. Fulfillment in life does not hinge on our circumstances.
    A. A change in scenery will never bring lasting joy. Some people believe that personal contentment is linked to one’s circumstances. Consequently, when they become frustrated with life, they might quit their job, sell their house, divorce their spouse, or buy a new car. A little while later, they begin to feel unsatisfied again.
    • Have you ever believed a certain circumstance would bring you contentment, and then been disappointed when it arrived and didn’t satisfy? Describe the situation and how you felt.
    • From this experience, what did you learn and how can you apply that to your current circumstances?

B. Paul discovered that the “secret” to contentment was not found in things, but in a Person (Phil. 4:11-12). As believers, we find joy in our relationship with the Lord, not in our circumstances.

    • What hardships did Paul experience, according to 2 Corinthians 11:24-27?
    • Having experienced all that, why did Paul say he was content? Read 2 Corinthians 12:10 and Romans 15:13.

God can show us how to be satisfied, regardless of our circumstances, if we will rely on Him. When we don’t find our joy in the Lord, we’ll spend the majority of our time trying to improve circumstances (or escape trial) rather than serving Christ.

  1. God’s grace is sufficient during adversity.
    A. Paul discovered that God’s power is most evident when we are weak. God did not remove Paul’s thorn. But what the Lord gave him was far better in the long run. God granted Paul the grace he needed to endure his hardship victoriously (2 Corinthians 12:9). Weakness forces us to depend on God’s power.

    • Have you ever experienced God’s power at a time when you had little strength of your own? If so, describe that situation.

B. God’s grace is more than sufficient for anything we will encounter. Paul left his home and family to plant churches in hostile environments, and as a result, he was persecuted, imprisoned, stoned, and left for dead. Yet, somehow he was content.

    • In what area of life do you need God’s strength?
    • Write a prayer, asking God to show you how to depend on His strength to overcome this difficulty or weakness.
  1. The key to advancing through adversity is to view it as suffering for Christ’s sake.
    A. Paul understood his purpose in life—to bring glory to God by preaching the gospel.     Therefore, anything that happened to him in the process of obeying God was really for Christ’s sake. He wrote:

Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10).

    • Think about a recent hardship or disappointment in your life. How does the point above give you a new perspective on that trial?

B. Like Paul’s mission in life, yours is to glorify God through spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily serve God full-time vocationally. But when you become consumed by His call, everything will take on new significance. You will begin to see every facet of your life—including pain—as a means through which God can work to bring others to Him.

    • God may choose to delay your deliverance so He can use your suffering for His sake—either now or in the future. What hardship are you currently experiencing?
    • How can others see Christ in you through that situation?

Closing: God’s grace is sufficient for whatever you’re facing. If you’ll draw near to Him, suffering will ultimately bear spiritual fruit in your life and in the lives of others. As part of the Father’s divine plan, you can experience hope and joy, regardless of your circumstances.

Prayer: Father, how grateful we are that You accept us where we are. You can use every experience of our lives. Teach us to find hope in You. Make us effective vessels through whom others will find You as their Savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

________________________________________ This study was adapted from “How to Handle Adversity” by Charles F. Stanley. 1989. pp. 162,164-168.

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – God’s Word Works

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“As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is My Word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to, and prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

An angry student leader confronted me at the conclusion of my message to a student meeting at UCLA. “You have no right to impose your views on these students,” he exclaimed. “You will confuse them. They are easily influenced and might respond to some of your religious views which I totally reject.”

I learned that he was the Communist leader on the campus and did not believe in God or the Scriptures. I invited him to our home for dinner and as we ate, we talked about many things of a general nature, nothing controversial. After we had finished our dessert, I reached over and picked up my Bible and said that I would like to read something very important to him. He resisted, saying, “I don’t want to hear anything from the Bible. I don’t believe it. It is a ridiculous book filled with all kinds of myths, contradictions and exaggerations.”

I would have made similar statements during my years of agnosticism. Not because I knew such statements to be true, but because I was simply parroting what others had told me – I did not really know the facts.

I said, “If you don’t mind, I would like to read you something anyway,” and I turned to John 1:1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (KJV). I continued through the 14th verse. Then I turned to Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, reading similar portions identifying Christ as the Creator, the visible expression of the invisible God. I concluded with 1 John 2:22,23.

As I read each passage, he asked if he could read for himself. The initial flash of anger soon turned to interest and then to acceptance and finally he was life a repentant child experiencing the love of the Father’s embrace. He surrendered all resistance. As he stood to leave that evening, I asked him to sign our guest book. He wrote his name, address and these words: “The night of decision.”

Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:6-13

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will share a portion of God’s word with someone who does not know our Savior with the prayer that he, too, will come to know Him and experience with me the supernatural life which is our heritage in Christ.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Levels of Faith in the Believer’s Life

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Charles Stanley

Mark 9:14-24

The theme of faith permeated Christ’s ministry. Jesus highly esteemed complete trust like Abraham’s, and He commended strong confidence in God, such as the centurion’s. He also urged those with weak convictions to believe. Many of us fall into this last category—over and over, we wrestle with doubt and worry.

Five times in the book of Matthew, Jesus pointed out examples of little faith. First, He mentioned people who felt that their resources were insufficient (6:30). Like them, we can become anxious when we think we have too little time, energy, or money.

Then there was the terrible storm—Jesus slept through it, but the disciples were afraid (8:23-26). Constant fear shows lack of trust.

Next, Peter allowed doubt to take over. At Jesus’ command, he started to walk on water but then sank when unbelief set in (14:31).

Another incident involved the disciples’ failure to reach a correct conclusion about Jesus’ teachings and actions (16:5-12).

In the fifth example, the disciples—who’d previously cast out demons—were unable to do so in the current situation (17:14-21). Because their faith was so small, they lacked the divine power to carry out a harder task.

In order to grow stronger spiritually, we must take our eyes off our circumstances and look to the Lord. By trusting in His character and believing in His promises, we can overcome anxiety and develop greater faith. On whom or what are your eyes fixed?

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Step of Faith

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Joyce meyer

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

—Proverbs 16:9

There are times in life when you must take a step in order to find out, one way or the other, what you should do. Some doors will never open unless you move toward them. At other times you may take a step and find that God will not open the door. If you trust Him for guidance and the door opens easily, you can trust that He is leading you to enter into the opportunity before you.

Sometimes the only way to discover God’s will is to practice “stepping out and finding out.” If you have prayed about a situation and still don’t know what you should do, take a step of faith. We can stand before an automatic door at a supermarket and look at it all day, but it won’t open until we step forward to trigger the mechanism.

Trust God, take a step, and see if the door opens!

 

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – You Are Indwelt by God Himself!

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dr_bright

“Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that He lives within you? Your own body does not belong to you” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

The Bible teaches that there is one God manifested in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that God lives within everyone who has received Christ.

One of the most important truths I have learned as a Christian is that this omnipotent, holy, righteous, loving, triune God – our heavenly Father, our risen Savior and Holy Spirit, Creator of heaven and earth – comes to dwell within sinful man at the moment he receives Christ! And, through Christ’s blood, sinful man is made righteous at the moment of the new birth!

Meditate with me upon what this means. When you fully grasp that the God of love, grace, wisdom, power and majesty dwells within you waiting to release His matchless love and mighty power is absolutely awesome.

You are His temple, and if you invite Him to, He will actually walk around in your body, think with your mind, love with your heart, speak with your lips and continue to seek and save the lost, for whom He gave His life 2,000 years ago. Incredible! Incomprehensible to our finite minds, this truth is so clearly emphasized in the Word of God and demonstrated in the lives of all who trust and obey Him that there can be no doubt. If you have received Christ, God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – now indwells you and your body has become His temple.

Bible Reading: Acts 2:37-40

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will begin every day by acknowledging that my body is a temple of God. I will invite the Lord Jesus Christ to walk around in my body, think with my mind, love with my heart, speak with my lips and continue to seek and save the lost through me. I will invite the Holy Spirit to empower and enable me to live a holy, supernatural life and be a fruitful witness of God’s love and grace – that my life will bring praise, honor, worship and glory to God the Father.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Who can Endure?

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Alistair Begg

But who can endure the day of his coming . . . ?

Malachi 3:2

Christ’s first coming was without external pomp or display of power, and yet in truth there were few who could endure its test. Herod and all Jerusalem with him were stirred at the news of the wondrous birth. Those who supposed themselves to be waiting for Him showed the fallacy of their professions by rejecting Him when He came. His life on earth was like a winnowing fan that sifted the great heap of religious profession, and only a few could survive the process.

But what will His second coming be? What sinner can endure to think of it? “He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.”1 In Gethsemane when He said to the soldiers, “I am he,” they fell backward. What will happen to His enemies when He will reveal Himself more fully as the “I Am”?

His death shook earth and darkened heaven. What will be the dreadful splendor of that day when as the living Savior He will summon the living and the dead before Him? O that the terrors of the Lord would persuade men to forsake their sins and kiss the Son in case He is angry!

Though a lamb, He is still the lion of the tribe of Judah, tearing the prey in pieces; and though He does not break the bruised reed, yet He will break His enemies with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. None of His foes shall stand before the tempest of His wrath or hide themselves from the sweeping hail of His indignation.

But His beloved blood-washed people look for His appearing with joy; in this living hope they live without fear. To them He sits as a refiner even now, and when He has tested them they shall come forth as gold. Let us examine ourselves this morning and make our calling and election sure, so that the coming of the Lord may not be the cause of fearful expectations. O for grace to discard all hypocrisy, and to be found of Him sincere and without rebuke on the day of His appearing.

1 Isaiah 11:4

 

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Trusting God’s Word

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John MacArthur

The law of the Lord is perfect. . . . The commandment of the Lord is pure. . . . The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:7- 9).

Infallibility refers to the truth of Scripture as a whole, whereas inerrancy focuses on the accuracy of every single word. Like inerrancy, infallibility is grounded in the character of God. God cannot lie and does not change (1 Sam. 15:29). He is thoroughly consistent in everything He does, and His Word reflects those characteristics. The psalmist wrote, “The sum of Thy word is truth, and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting” (Ps. 119:160). Paul said, “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12).

Jesus said He didn’t come to abolish the law or the prophets (sections of the Old Testament) but to fulfill them. He promised that everything in Scripture will be fulfilled (Matt. 5:17-18). John 10:35 declares that the authority of Scripture “cannot be broken.” It is binding and cannot be destroyed, abolished, or done away with. God’s Word is indestructible, authoritative, and infallible.

On a practical level, infallibility means that you can trust the Bible. It will never deceive you or give you counsel that will later prove to be erroneous. That was the confidence of the psalmist when he wrote, “Establish Thy word to Thy servant, as that which produces reverence for Thee. Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Thine ordinances are good.

“Behold, I long for Thy precepts; revive me through Thy righteousness. May Thy lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Thy salvation according to Thy word; so I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Thy word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Thine ordinances. So I will keep Thy law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts. I will also speak of Thy testimonies before kings, and shall not be ashamed. And I shall delight in Thy commandments, which I love” (Ps. 119:38- 47).

May that be your confidence as well. Suggestions for Prayer:

Praise God that His Word is utterly trustworthy.

For Further Study:

Memorize Psalm 119:165 as a reminder of the infallibility of God’s Word.