Tag Archives: Truth

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – A Pluralistic Nation United by Faith in God

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Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:7-8

Will we follow the faith of our nation’s founding fathers or will we cower to the smug elites who delight in satirizing our faith in Christ? Better to become like our leaders who made America great by their goodness, great by their gumption and great by their love of country—than be shamed by those who deride religion as a sham. Our pluralistic society can experience a unified spirit with humility, respect for one another and faith in Holy God.

Our nation’s soul is experiencing a crisis of faith in God. Once a God-fearing country, we have traded our faith in the Almighty for faith in ourselves. Once a country of engaging neighbors, we have isolated our homes from human contact and snuggled up by ourselves with our phones. When we do interact with people, we talk about the nasty other people. Can we let go of the need to feel superior and instead respect those different from ourselves? The Lord’s love is long-suffering toward all, so can we give up the self-serving sport of cowardly name calling? Love is patient.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a solution to those who seek our culture’s systemic extermination of faith in God. Consider the outcomes of the lives of the faithful who went before us; faith that took the gospel of Jesus Christ all across this great land, so love of God and love of fellow man became as common as a chicken in every pot. Faith that fought for freedom at home and abroad. Faith that pioneered space exploration, railroads, interstates and air travel. Faith that survived a depression and multiple recessions. Faith that embraced religious liberty and racial equality.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – How America can remain ‘the land of the free’

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Thank a soldier for your freedom. That’s how a highway sign I saw recently encouraged us to celebrate Independence Day. The sign is right: More than 1.2 million Americans have died in defense of the freedoms we cherish today. Every soldier serving our nation is someone to whom we owe more than we can pay.

But the courage America requires began before there was an America.

In preparation for Independence Day, I have been reading John B. Boles’s magnificent biography, Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty. Boles reminds us that the act which created America was high treason against the British. When delegates to the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia 241 years ago to adopt the Declaration of Independence, they knew they could pay for their patriotism with their lives.

According to Boles, “By the second week of June, [the delegates] were aware that a British flotilla of 132 ships was headed for New York City. On July 1––just before beginning to consider the final draft of the declaration––Congress learned that a squadron of fifty-three British ships had arrived off the coast of Charleston.”

When the delegates declared our nation’s independence, Britain had the strongest military in the world. Their navy dominated the world’s oceans. Most Indian tribes sided with the British, who promised to protect their tribal lands.

Continue reading Denison Forum – How America can remain ‘the land of the free’ →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Confidence in Times of Distress

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Psalm 46:1-11

“I’m out of here!” Most of us will feel like crying out this way at some point in life. When a demanding circumstance feels overwhelming, or when the pressure of the daily routine seems unbearable, a common reaction is the desire to escape. Whether the stress is related to a job, relationship, or other situation that seems too hard to handle, we want relief. So we decide we are walking out. Moving on. Heading for anywhere but where we are now.

The Father has a powerful truth for us: The way to handle stressful situations is to cease fighting against them and instead be at rest. To the psalmist, this meant being still and knowing God is truly God (Psalm 46:10 NIV). Jesus promises peace in the midst of trials when we let go of troubles and entrust them to His care. (See Matt. 11:28-30; John 16:33.) So, while human instinct clamors for escape, God calls us to draw near to Him. Then we can discover calmness of spirit as we absorb the truth of His Word.

Most of all, the Lord wants us to know who He is. As we believe the truth of His sovereignty (1 Chronicles 29:11) and accept both the absolute goodness of His plans (Jer. 29:11) and His deep, abiding love for us (Eph. 3:17-19), we will grow in our trust of Him. Then we will find it easier to be still and truly know He is God.

Our stress need not become distress. The better we understand our heavenly Father, the more we’ll be able to walk through circumstances with calmness (Phil. 4:7) and confidence (Jer. 17:7 NIV). This is our privilege as God’s children.

Bible In One Year: Psalm 119

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Destroying the Divides

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Read: Joshua 7:1–12

Bible in a Year: Job 25–27; Acts 12

I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.—Joshua 7:12

A writing deadline loomed over me, while the argument I had with my husband earlier that morning swirled through my mind. I stared at the blinking cursor, fingertips resting on the keyboard. He was wrong too, Lord.

When the computer screen went black, my reflection scowled. My unacknowledged wrongs were doing more than hindering the work before me. They were straining my relationship with my husband and my God.

I grabbed my cell phone, swallowed my pride, and asked for forgiveness. Savoring the peace of reconciliation when my spouse apologized as well, I thanked God and finished my article on time.

The Israelites experienced the pain of personal sin and joy of restoration. Joshua warned God’s people not to enrich themselves in the battle for Jericho (Josh. 6:18), but Achan stole captured items and hid them in his tent (7:1). Only after his sin was exposed and dealt with (vv. 4-12) did the nation enjoy reconciliation with their God.

Like Achan, we don’t always consider how “tucking sin into our tents” turns our hearts from God and impacts those around us. Acknowledging Jesus as Lord, admitting our sin, and seeking forgiveness provides the foundation for healthy and faithful relationships with God and others. By submitting to our loving Creator and Sustainer daily, we can serve Him and enjoy His presence—together. —Xochitl Dixon

Lord, please help us recognize, confess, and turn away from our sin, so that we can nurture loving relationships with You and others.

God can purge our hearts of the sin that destroys our intimacy with Him and others.

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Labor of Sight

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Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev was a nineteenth-century rabbi known for his mastery of an unwieldy Mishnaic teaching. To carry one’s self with the ayin tovah, or the “good eye,” is to see in a certain light the world and everyone in it. One scholar describes it as the choice “to intentionally focus on what is most pure in each person—to see their highest and holiest potential.”(1) Rabbi Yitzchok was beloved for his good eye, utilized even in cases where virtue seemed entirely wanting and holiness altogether deficient. As one author describes, “He’d roust the local drunk from his stupor on High Holy Days, seat him at the head of the table, and respectfully ask for his wisdom… He extended his caring to all, whether powerful or impoverished, scholarly or simple, righteous or reprobate.”(2) In minds often besieged by warring sides, opinions ad nauseam, and defensive or disparaging thoughts, the good eye is indeed a shift of perception.

I appreciate stories that remind me to keep my eyes opened for all that can be seen but can just as easily be missed. How we learn to see the world, how we labor to see and know the world, is profoundly important. Despite the perseverance of goodness, beauty, and truth around us, the collective wisdom of sociologists, philosophers, historians, and artists all indicates that contemporary culture is structurally estranged from the transcendent. Learning to see with the good eye may well be a difficult feat without mindful effort and practice. But could it not be an entirely transformative art for both the seer and the world being seen?

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Labor of Sight →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – His Peace, My Responsibility

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Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] —John 14:27

Perhaps you have never thought about how important it is to manage your emotions. I imagine we all think, I can’t help how I act when I am having a hard time. That is a normal human reaction, but with God on your side helping you, you don’t have to behave the way a “normal” person would.

It is obvious from Jesus’ words in John 14:27 that He desires for you to have wonderful peace, but please notice He is also giving you a responsibility. He wants you to choose to control the negative emotions that can steal your peace. You cannot always control your circumstances, but you can control yourself with God’s help.

Power Thought: God has given me His peace, and I will walk in it.

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

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Mercy and Grace

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“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Though prayer has been a vital, integral part of my life since I became a Christian, I am always discovering new challenges and new facets of prayer. I find one of the most powerful, exciting and fulfilling privileges God has given to man to be that of prayer based on the authority of God’s Word.

Man instinctively prays, even if only to false gods built of sticks and stones. Whenever he is faced with tragedy, heartache, sorrow or danger, he prays.

There is a serious danger in this “ignorant” kind of praying, however. It is a well-established fact of philosophy and history that man always assimilates the moral character of the object he worships. People who have prayed to gods of blood, fire and war have become militaristic, ruthless and sadistic.

This same principle applies to the Christian, who can pray to the one true God. “As we behold His [Christ’s] face, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory.” This explains the scriptural emphasis of praying worshipfully to the only true, righteous, holy and loving God.

In spite of this potential metamorphosis, however, the lives of few Christians today are impotent and fruitless compared to those of the first century. This is because the average Christian spends so little time at the throne of grace, so little time beholding the face of our Lord. And, as a result, he does not really believe that mercy and grace are available to enable him to live a supernatural life.

Bible Reading: Hebrews 3:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Knowing I can come boldly to the throne of grace and receive mercy, cleansing, forgiveness and help for my every need, challenge and opportunity – from my Lord Jesus Himself, our great high priest – I will spend more time in His presence and not be satisfied with an impotent, fruitless life.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Give God Your Whole Heart

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God gives us more by going deeper than we ask. He not only wants your whole heart—He wants your heart whole. Why? Hurt people hurt people. Think about it. Why do you fly off the handle? Why do you avoid conflict? Why do you seek to please everyone? Might your tendencies have something to do with an unhealed hurt in your heart? God wants to help you for your sake.

Your family history has some sad chapters. But your history doesn’t have to be your future. The generational garbage can stop here and now. You don’t have to give your kids what your ancestors gave you. Talk to God about the scandals and scoundrels. Invite Him to relive the betrayal with you. The process may take a long time. It may take a lifetime. It may be difficult, for certain. But let God do His work!

From You’ll Get Through This

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – New mother’s death leads to amazing generosity

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Megan Johnson received a heart transplant at the age of twenty-three. The next year, she married a Christian musician named Nathan Johnson and moved to Nashville.

Last week, she gave birth to a girl named Eilee Kate. She and her husband were ecstatic, posting pictures of their baby online. Later that morning, Megan died. The cause of her death has not yet been determined.

Josh Wilson, leader of the Christian band in which Nathan plays, told reporters: “We have grieved in hope, but we believe Meg is with Jesus and one day we will be too, so that is how we grieve with hope.” He started a GoFundMe account to help Nathan with expenses and give him some time at home.

As of this morning, the fund has raised $401,500.

On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, there are many reasons why I am thankful for the United States of America. Our historic commitment to religious liberty, our passion for individual freedom, and our natural beauty and resources are gifts to Americans and the world.

But I am especially grateful for the benevolence of our people.

Continue reading Denison Forum – New mother’s death leads to amazing generosity →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Mighty Servant of God

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Ephesians 4:17-24

To become God’s mighty servants, we must decide whether we will base our life on His priorities or the world’s. The two are incompatible.

Before salvation, people typically live according to whatever the flesh desires, indulging themselves with food, entertainment, and material goods. Promoting self-gratification, our culture maintains that everyone is the center of his own universe and can decide what is right for himself.

Scripture teaches the opposite: to put God above all else and “regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Matt. 6:33; Phil. 2:3). So how do we give God top priority? Jesus says it means loving Him wholeheartedly, denying ourselves, and following Him (Matt. 16:24; Matt. 22:37-39). That includes generosity. Instead of encouraging us to acquire money and possessions, He teaches that giving brings far more blessings than receiving (Acts 20:35).

How can we know we are becoming spiritually stronger? First, we’ll be less attracted to the ungodly practices of our world and will yearn to be more like Jesus. Next, we will start replacing ungodly habits with activities that please the Lord. Then, we’ll begin to comprehend some of the deeper biblical truths and apply them in our life. Finally, our spiritual discernment will improve. With the Spirit’s help, we will more easily recognize unrighteous ideas and behavior.

Do you want to become mighty in spirit? If so, spend time in the Scriptures learning what is important to God. Then ask Him to transform you into the person He has designed you to be.

Bible In One Year: Psalm 112-118

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Taking Shortcuts

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Read: Luke 9:57–62

Bible in a Year: Job 22–24; Acts 11

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.—Luke 9:23

Sipping her tea, Nancy gazed out her friend’s window and sighed. Spring rains and sunshine had coaxed a riotous expanse of color from a well-groomed flowerbed of lilies, phlox, irises, and evening primrose.

“I want that look,” she said wistfully, “without all the work.”

Some shortcuts are fine—even practical. Others short-circuit our spirit and deaden our lives. We want romance without the difficulties and messiness of committing to someone so different from ourselves. We want “greatness” without the risks and failures necessary in the adventure of real life. We desire to please God, but not when it inconveniences us.

Jesus made clear to His followers that there is no shortcut that avoids the hard choice of surrendering our lives to Him. He warned a prospective disciple, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). To follow Christ requires a radical altering of our loyalties.

When we turn in faith to Jesus, the work just begins. But it is oh-so-worth-it, for He also told us that no one who sacrifices “for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age . . . and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). The work of following Christ is difficult, but He’s given us His Spirit and the reward is a full, joyful life now and forever. —Tim Gustafson

Father, I will find the strength to do the work You have for me to do, only as I rely on Your Holy Spirit. Help me, please, to be sensitive to that today.

Most things worth doing are difficult.

INSIGHT: Although the Holy Spirit is spoken of throughout the Bible, two particular portions of Scripture offer us a wealth of insight about this wonderful Person—John 14-16 and Romans 8. In His Upper Room Discourse with His disciples (John 14-16), Jesus says the Spirit is a gift from the Father who has come to be our Comforter/Advocate (14:16-17). This Helper is also described as the “Spirit of truth” who takes up residence within each of God’s children so that we are never abandoned (vv. 17-18). In John 16, our Lord adds that the Spirit will convict the world and point us to the Savior, while guiding us into truth (vv. 7-14). In Romans 8, Paul reinforces these ideas by saying that the Spirit is the source of our life (vv. 2, 11), the evidence of our new relationship with our Father (vv. 9, 14-16), and One who intercedes for us when we pray so that our prayers line up with the Father’s purposes (vv. 26-27).In what area of your life do you need the Spirit’s presence and guidance? Bill Crowder

 

http://www.odb.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Deserves Praise for His Works

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“My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.” (Psalm 145:21)

As part of their aquarium tour, Maria and her dad had watched a video presentation about deep sea life. Maria loved seeing all the pictures of the colorful fish that swim around coral reefs. She loved seeing the dolphins leap above the waves in pairs and hearing the strange songs that the whales sing deep in the sea.

But she began to notice that the narrator of the presentation never said anything about God. He talked about how amazing the sea creatures were. He talked about how mysterious their habits and lifestyles were. But he never once talked about the God who created them. Instead, he said they had formed all by themselves over billions of years and that “Mother Nature” had given them certain abilities.

When the video was over, Dad looked at Maria. “What did you think of that?” he asked.

“I liked seeing all the animals, but I don’t think that man on the video knew God,” she said.

“You’re right. He didn’t give God any praise for all of the wonderful undersea life He created,” said Dad. “The sad thing is, there are thousands of people in the world today who would agree with him – people who don’t believe that there could be a real God.”

They walked out to the large “touch tank” where people could pick up sea urchins and crabs and hold them in their hands. The lady at the tank asked Maria if she wanted to hold a sea urchin. Maria held out her hand, and the lady placed a round, spiny creature in her palm. The sea urchin moved his spines gently back and forth, and they tickled her fingers. “What do you think of him?” the lady asked.

“He’s wonderful,” said Maria. “God did a great job of creating him!”

God deserves praise from us for all of His works, and for Who He is. Psalm 145 tells us it is right for us to speak to others about our wonderful God and the things He does. When we are careful to praise Him and give Him credit for what He does, we honor His name.

God deserves to be praised by all creatures, especially those who know Him.

My Response:

» Am I careful to give God praise and credit for His works?

» Am I ever ashamed to speak about Him when I’m around unbelievers?

 

http://kids4truth.com/home.aspx

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Freedom of a Child

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Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed.—Matthew 19:13-14

Children seem to be able to make a game out of anything. They quickly adjust, don’t have a problem letting other children be different than they are, and are always exploring something new. They are amazed by everything!

Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest: “The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a child, the things that used to keep the life pinned down are gone.” We definitely need to watch and study children and obey the command of Jesus to be more like them (Matthew 18:3). It is something we have to do on purpose as we get older. We all have to grow up and be responsible, but we don’t have to stop enjoying ourselves and life.

Don’t let the world steal your confidence. Remember that you have been created on purpose by the hand of God. He has a special, unique, wonderful plan for you. Go for it! Don’t shrink back, conform, or live in fear.

Lord, I can’t be a child again, but I can have the freedom and the wonder of a child. I come to You as a child now, and I ask You to renew a childlike faith in me. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Finished with Sin

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“He personally carried the load of our sins in His own body when He died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours!” (1 Peter 2:24).

Following one of my messages a young woman in her early 20’s asked for counsel. She was weighted down with her guilt and sin. In fact, she was so distraught that she would not look me in the eye. All the while I was counseling her she was under such deep conviction that all I could see was the top of her head.

I asked, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?” She nodded in the affirmative. “Do you believe that He died on the cross for your sins?” Again she responded affirmatively. “Would you like to invite Him into your life and ask Him to cleanse you with His precious blood, which He shed on the cross for your sins, and make you a new creature in Christ?” Again, she nodded. Together we knelt in prayer and through her sobs she surrendered to Christ, acknowledging the wickedness and filth of a life of gross immorality. She confessed to God her disobedience of her father and mother whose hearts had been broken by her prodigal ways.

After some time on our knees it was obvious that God had touched her, had forgiven and cleansed her. The sobbing had passed and now she was at peace. The Spirit within me bore witness that she had become a new creature in Christ. As we stood to our feet, she looked at me with her eyes still glistening with tears and her face radiant with joy. She now knew the reality of our promise for today. Jesus had taken the load of her sins on His own body and she was cleansed. With His wounds He had healed her and now she could live a life for the glory of God.

Who, but Jesus, could work such a miracle? Is it any wonder that those who know Him in this way want, like apostle Paul, to tell everyone who will listen about Him? He alone can forgive our sin and liberate us from the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom.

Bible Reading: I Peter 2:21-25

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: With great joy and deep gratitude I will praise the Lord that He has taken upon Himself the load of my sin and through His death on the cross has paid the penalty which I could never have paid through my own effort. As an expression of my gratitude and through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I commit myself to live a good life, a supernatural life that will glorify my God and Savior.

 

http://www.cru.org

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – JUDAH AND HIS OFFSPRING

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Read 1 CHRONICLES 2:3-55

One of the main characters in the popular Chronicles of Narnia series is the lion, Aslan. In this series of fantasy stories, Aslan represents Jesus Christ. Perhaps author C. S. Lewis got the idea for Aslan from the title ascribed to Jesus in Revelation 5:5.

The genealogy in today’s passage narrows the focus to the line of Judah. This reflects the author’s interest in David and his kingdom. David’s ancestor Jacob had predicted: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his” (Gen. 49:10). Jacob’s prophecy describes the future preeminence of the tribe of Judah as well as the advent of the Messiah.

One interesting feature of this list is the theme of redemption, which is evident in the backstory of some of those mentioned. The line of Judah is traced through Perez, a child who was conceived through trickery (Genesis 38). Hezron and Ram were ancestors of Boaz, who married Ruth the Moabite (Ruth 4:18–22). Bezalel was the craftsman who was empowered by the Holy Spirit to build the tabernacle (Ex. 31:2–5). God had “filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” in artistic craftsmanship (Ex. 35:31).

This history of redemption would have been especially significant for the original audience of this book. Chronicles was probably written during the second or third generation after the return from exile in Babylon. Still coping with the consequences of divine discipline and struggling with disappointment over the new normal, no doubt some still wished they could return to an earlier golden age (see Hag. 2:3).

APPLY THE WORD

God can redeem our failures and mistakes. Be encouraged today by the reminder of God’s promise. Review this verse to focus your heart on God’s faithfulness: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11).

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Be Decisive 

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Give us counsel, render a decision. Isaiah 16:3a

Decisions can be as illusive as your shadow. They can haunt you from behind, or they can lead you from out front. Decisions are not designed to be delayed forever unless, of course, they are related to an evil or wicked act. Decisions are meant to drive you toward God’s purpose and plan for your life. He allows you to make decisions that determine His future for you. He gives you the counsel and the wisdom, but you make the decision. No one else can make the decision for you; God wants you to make it. This is your responsibility and opportunity.

Fear may be delaying your decision. Pride may be prolonging your decision. Lack of trust may be paralyzing your mind with indecision. You may be cautious because a similar experience in the past did not work out so well. But if you delay much longer, you may very well miss this window of opportunity. You have prayed about this, and there is peace. You have sought wise counsel, and there is affirmation. You have exceeded the normal amount of due diligence to make an informed decision. Now is the time to decide.

Say yes or no, but do not procrastinate any longer. It is not fair to those who depend on you, nor is it fair to those who believe in you. The bottom line probably relates to trust. Can God be trusted to lead you through the implications of this decision? Can He handle the “what ifs?” The answer, of course, is yes. God will not lead you into a decision that is detrimental to His plan for your life. There will surely be bumps along the way. The bottom may fall out, but He is still faithful. It is better to be in a storm with Jesus, than on the calm shore without Him.

“What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways” (Job 22:28).

“No decision” is still a decision. If you continue to be indecisive, you have decided not to move forward. But you do not have to stand still. You can take this first step and then trust God with steps two and three. Do not become overwhelmed with what might happen tomorrow. Just remain faithful today. Do your best now and trust the Lord with later.

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Be Decisive  →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Mighty in Spirit

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Ephesians 3:14-16

Everyone wants to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit. To become physically fit, we need to exercise our muscles vigorously and regularly. If our goal is to be stable in soul (our thoughts, will, and emotions), then we must apply our minds to learning and train ourselves to be self-controlled. However, to become mighty in spirit requires something more than self-effort.

You see, none of us were born with a spiritual connection to God. Because of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, we were all dead in our sins and separated from the Lord (Eph. 2:1). No amount of personal effort can bring an individual to life spiritually. Although we are unable to change this condition for ourselves, nothing is impossible for God (Matt. 19:26). By accepting Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross as payment for our sins, we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and made alive in our spirit (Eph. 2:5). This is the beginning step of the Christian life.

Once we are born again, the indwelling Holy Spirit teaches us how to view life as Jesus did, embrace His values and priorities, and follow His example. The more we yield to the Spirit’s control, the sooner we’ll be transformed into Christ’s image, equipped to carry out the Lord’s will, and strengthened in our inner spirit to serve Him.

God desires followers who will dedicate themselves to His plan and serve as ambassadors for Christ to a lost and hurting world. He doesn’t expect that we will train ourselves for this task—He has sent His Holy Spirit to prepare us for the work ahead. Have you answered His call to service?

Bible In One Year: Psalm 107-111

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Cleaning House

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Read: 1 Peter 1:22–2:5

Bible in a Year: Job 20–21; Acts 10:24–48

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.—1 Peter 2:1

Recently, I switched rooms in the home I rent. This took longer than expected, because I didn’t want to simply transfer my (extensive) mess to a new room; I wanted a completely fresh and uncluttered start. After hours and hours of cleaning and sorting, bags of stuff sat by the front door to be thrown away, donated, or recycled. But at the end of this exhausting process was a beautiful room I was excited to spend time in.

My housecleaning project gave me a fresh perspective when reading 1 Peter 2:1, as paraphrased in The Message: “So, clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy, and hurtful talk.” Interestingly, it’s after a joyful confession of their new life in Christ (1:1-12) that Peter urges them to throw away destructive habits (1:13-2:3). When our walk with the Lord feels cluttered and our love for others feels strained, this shouldn’t cause us to question our salvation. We don’t change our lives to be saved, but because we are (1:23).

As real as our new life in Christ is, bad habits learned do not disappear overnight. So, on a daily basis, we need to “clean house,” throwing away all that prevents us from fully loving others (1:22) and growing (2:2). Then, in that new, clean space, we can experience the wonder of being freshly built (v. 5) by Christ’s power and life. —Monica Brands

Heavenly Father, thank You for the new life You are building in us through our Lord Jesus. Help us to daily turn to You for cleansing and renewal.

Every day we can reject destructive habits and experience new life in Jesus.

INSIGHT: The Scriptures include both the good and the bad of Peter’s life. After Jesus’s arrest, Peter denied even knowing Jesus, but later proclaimed Him to be the Son of God. Peter struggled to be consistent in his relationship with Christ. Perhaps that is why we can relate to his story.Writing to an audience of Jews and Gentiles, Peter encourages growth in salvation. Once we are saved, our journey has merely begun (1 Peter 2:2-3). Therefore, Peter encourages us to live an examined life, ridding ourselves of things that hinder our growth (v. 1) and keep us from loving each other (1:22). But this is only half the journey; the other half is “craving pure spiritual milk”—desiring and partaking of spiritual food through God’s Word, which results in developing good habits.Are there habits you need to “rid yourself” of? What can you replace them with?

 

http://www.odb.org

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Do You Like Yourself?

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Let him search for peace…and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]—1 Peter 3:11

Have you ever thought about your relationship with yourself? For years, it never occurred to me that I had a relationship with myself. In fact, I never thought about it until God began to teach me how to improve it. Maybe the idea that you have a relationship with yourself has never entered your mind, either. But the truth is, you spend more time with yourself than with anyone else! So getting along well with yourself is vital to your well-being.

Do you like yourself? Many people don’t. Self-rejection and even self-hatred contribute to many of the struggles we have in life. Think about it: Rejecting or holding hatred toward others causes all kinds of problems in relationships with them, so why wouldn’t rejecting or hating or disliking yourself cause the same kind of problems in your relationship with yourself?

Today’s scripture urges us to pursue and go after peaceful relations with God, others, and ourselves. I encourage you to embrace and accept yourself because God created you just the way He wants you to be and made every unique thing about you. He loves you tremendously, so let that truth empower you to not only like yourself, but also to love yourself. As you grow in this way, you’ll notice that some of your problems will decrease and eventually go away.

Love Yourself Today: Make a list of your good qualities. Take a moment to think about how these positive attributes are a blessing to you and to others. Thank God for making so many good things about you!

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Power for Healing

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“Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him” (James 5:14,15).

Many years ago the principal of a missionary school in Hong Kong asked me to address the student body the following day. He and others involved in the school had prayed for years for revival to come to the student body and faculty. “God has impressed me,” he said, “that you are to be His instrument for that revival.” God encouraged my heart and gave me such a sense of great excitement and anticipation that I could hardly go to sleep that night.

But early in the morning, some kind of serious amoebic illness struck me and I could hardly get out of bed. Believing that God was going to use me in spite of my illness, though, I claimed His supernatural power and was dressed and ready when the principal arrived to take me to the anticipated meeting. A famous Asian evangelist who, for several years, had been ill with a mysterious disease that even the finest medical specialists were unable to diagnose had also gotten out of his sickbed to be my interpreter.

Here we were, two very sick men delivering a message on revival. However, I had hardly spoken more than a sentence or two when I felt the supernatural healing touch of God upon me. The power was reflected in my message and God did send revival, not only to the students and faculty, but also to this speaker.

Later, as we rejoiced together, the principal asked if I would join in praying for my interpreter who was still very ill. We gathered around and laid hands on him – the principal, his wife and I. By faith we claimed his healing and I went on my way. Within days the man was miraculously restored to the fullness of health and within weeks on his first evangelistic speaking tour in several years, proclaiming the good news of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the major denominations have left the emphasis on healing to some who have prostituted this great truth, cheapened it, and made it a laughing matter, not only among evangelical believers, but in the secular world at large. Though many for whom we pray are not healed – else no one would die – we must remember that it is a privilege and power available to believers that we can claim for the glory of our risen Savior.

Bible Reading: James 5:13-19

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will pray for those who are ill and claim God’s supernatural healing power in their behalf.

 

http://www.cru.org