Tag Archives: Truth

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Fear Leads to Worry

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And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? —Matthew 6:27

Fear and worry are closely related. You might say fear is the parent of every kind of worry because every worry starts as a fear. The Bible clearly teaches that God’s children are not to worry. When we worry, we rotate our minds around and around a problem and come up with no answers. The more we do it, the more anxious we feel. When we worry, we actually torment ourselves with a type of thinking that produces no good fruit. Worry starts with our thoughts, but it affects our moods and even our physical bodies.

A person can worry so much that it makes them feel depressed and sad. Worry places stress on your entire system and causes a lot of physical ailments like headaches, tension in muscles, stomach problems, and many other things. It never helps, and it does not solve our problems.

We can worry about hundreds of different things, from what people think of us to what will happen to us as we age. How long will we be able to work? Who will take care of us when we get old? What happens if the stock market crashes? What if gas prices go up? What if I lose my job? Quite often, worry does not even have a basis or a nugget of truth to it. There is no known reason to even think about the things that worry and then frighten us.

The only answer is to stop worrying by placing your trust in God. He has the future all planned, and He knows the answer to everything. What we worry about frequently never happens anyway, and if it is going to happen, worrying won’t prevent it. God’s Word promises us that He will take care of us if we trust in Him.

Trust in Him: What are you worrying about? Cast your cares on Jesus. He wants you to trust Him with every thought, burden, and worry that you’re carrying because He’s fully capable of taking care of you (see 1 Peter 5:7).

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright –He Protects Worshipers

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“He protects all those who love Him, but destroys the wicked” (Psalm 145:20).

Throughout Scripture one is reminded over and over again that when a person obeys Him, God blesses that person. And when a person – or a nation – disobeys Him, God disciplines, just as a loving father disciplines his disobedient child because he loves him, not because of his wrath or any evil intent.

The Israelites, though warned many times that if they disobeyed God He would destroy them, finally had to be destroyed – after numerous warnings and disciplinings (including grievous plagues) – because of their disobedience (Deuteronomy, chapters 8 and 28; Amos, chapter 4). God still disciplines men and nations. It is a sobering thing to disobey God.

Someone has said, “We do not break God’s laws, but God’s laws break us.” If we obey them, we are blessed. If we disobey them, we must suffer the consequences.

Scripture suggests that what applies to individuals and to nations also applies to Christian movements or organizations such as the one with which I have the privilege of serving our Lord. So long as I and the now more than 16,000 full-time and associate staff members continue to obey God, His hand of blessing will remain upon our worldwide efforts. If we disobey Him, He will not only withhold His blessings, but will discipline us as individuals and as a movement.

I pray daily that each one of us may determine to obey God implicitly.

Bible Reading: Psalm 45:14-17

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Recognizing that the laws of God in the spiritual realm are just as inviolate as the laws of the physical realm, and that God blesses those who obey Him and disciplines those who are disobedient, with the enabling of the Holy Spirit I will seek to express my love for God by living a life of faith and obedience for His glory.

 

http://www.cru.org

Today in the Word

Moody Global Ministries – Today in the Word – PRAY FOR UNBELIEVERS

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Read Acts 4:23-25

On December 25, 1914, during World War I, a remarkable display of kindness happened between opposing armies. The so-called Christmas Truce was an unofficial ceasefire that found German and Allied troops climbing out of their trenches, warily at first, to exchange food, sing carols, and even play a friendly soccer match. The soldiers who shook hands on the battlefield that day demonstrated human compassion and testified to their hope for future peace.

The Christians in today’s passage had also been battered recently by their enemies. Peter and John had just been released from prison, where they had been unjustly detained for preaching the gospel. Receiving them back, the church prayed together. Their prayer is starkly honest, acknowledging to the Lord the frustration of being opposed by raging nations and wicked rulers (vv. 25–26).

But the church does not pray without hope. They began their prayer by addressing the Lord of all creation who created all things and rules over them by His sovereign power. They also confessed that even the wicked forces that fight against them did so only under the power and permission of the Lord (v. 28). They knew that Satan and his angels are subject to One greater than themselves. We can learn from the early church’s prayerful example to be honest before the Lord and to be honest about the Lord.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this prayer is found at its conclusion. We might expect the disciples to pray for the total obliteration of their enemies. Instead, we find them interceding for boldness to proclaim the gospel and power to work miracles among the unconverted. In short, they asked God to make His enemies His friends.

APPLY THE WORD

Jesus instructed us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Though most of us don’t experience persecution the way early Christians did, we still might be surrounded by people who hate our Savior. Spend time praying for unbelievers, asking God to reconcile them to Himself and make them His friends.

 

http://www.todayintheword.org

Kids 4 Truth

Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Always Alive — Everywhere!

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“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: snd as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:2-5)

In Luke 24, Jesus had already been crucified and buried in the tomb. The people who loved Him were heartbroken. Three women went to Jesus’ tomb, only to find it empty. As they wonder what happened, two angels reminded them that Jesus had taught His disciples He would rise up again after three days. The angels told the women that Jesus was not dead anymore–He is now among the living!

When the women told this to the rest of Jesus’ disciples, they did not believe the news. Peter and John ran to the tomb, and they also found it empty. They believed, but they were still very confused about what had really happened and where Jesus was if He was not in His grave!

A couple days later, two other followers of Jesus were walking along on a road with a stranger who had joined them. They did not realize it at first, but it turned out that the stranger was Jesus Himself, and He preached to them a message that showed the Gospel story from the Old Testament until His resurrection. Imagine how it would be if Jesus Himself came and talked over the Gospel with you, with His scarred hands and feet and all His knowledge of the Scriptures!

It was not until later that the men finally realized who had been walking and talking with them. In Luke 24:32, they say, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

Continue reading Kids 4 Truth International – God Is Always Alive — Everywhere! →

Wisdom Hunters

Wisdom Hunters – Divisions Downfall 

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Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25

Division weakens, cripples and eventually causes a downfall. It is internal erosion that cannot stand up to conflicting turmoil from within. The greatest threat to a nation, an organization, a home or an individual comes from the inside out. For example, an implosion of unbelief can bring down a religious person. He or she wants God, but the intellectual conflict cannot be resolved, and outside of faith in Christ it will not be.

The same can be said for a church. The church can become its own worst enemy. If there is a watering down of the basic tenets of the Christian faith, then there is nothing substantial left to believe. If Christ’s deity, miracles, and resurrection are in question, then the church is set up for division and ultimately a slow, but sure death.

Moreover, a business is no less susceptible to internal strife and feuding factions. A company that sells its soul to the almighty dollar will do whatever it takes to bolster the bottom line. Conflicting values begin to divide. What started out as a business built on integrity devolves into one of worldly avarice. Short-term compromise may prop up earnings, but long-term effectiveness will be like a sheep led to the slaughter.

A culture without consistent character is like a ship without a sail. Whoever is the most persuasive, persistent and the loudest gets their way. This is a prescription for disaster. Indeed a nation, organization or individual that fights itself will lose. Yes, there are certainly disagreements, but when all is said and done there must be unity of purpose. It’s like two siblings who tussle against one another—but then unite to defeat the bully. Avoid a civil war within,  then fight the devil and his minions without.

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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Life’s Great Liberator

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Luke 4:16-21

From the appearance of some people, we judge them to be happy. Smiles, makeup, and stylish clothes can create an impression of inner peace. Internally, though, many are in bondage.

In today’s passage, Jesus clarifies His purpose: He has come to set free those in captivity. Christ was referring to two types of bonds that can imprison our soul.

First, Jesus breaks the chains of sin. All people have broken God’s law, and the consequence is to live apart from Him (Rom. 3:23). But Christ’s death and resurrection free us when we accept His gift of forgiveness and place our trust in Him. Then we can have a relationship with the Lord.

Second, God liberates us from persistent sins like jealousy, bitterness, and gluttony. His Spirit resides within each believer and provides the power to overcome wrong choices that seem to own us. He enables us to do what He desires—by bringing immediate healing or by giving guidance and strength in the ongoing battle.

The Creator of mankind made us with a void in our heart for Jesus to fill. Everything we put there—whether it seems like a good thing at the time or an obvious bad choice—will ultimately leave us wanting. And we’ll remain in bondage until God frees us and then provides the only true satisfaction.

Are you one of those people who appear happy and seem to have life figured out, and yet inside feel uneasy and empty? Jesus Christ is the only One who can redeem you, forgive your sins, and fill the vacant place in your soul. Allow Him to liberate you today.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 18-20

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — An Alternative to Anger

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Read: Proverbs 20:1–15 | Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 3–5; Luke 20:1–26

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife. Proverbs 20:3

One morning in Perth, Australia, Fionn Mulholland discovered his car was missing. That’s when he realized he had mistakenly parked in a restricted zone and his car had been towed away. After considering the situation—even the $600 towing and parking fine—Mulholland was frustrated, but he decided not to be angry with the person he would work with to retrieve his car. Instead of venting his feelings, Mulholland wrote a humorous poem about the situation and read it to the worker he met at the tow yard. The worker liked the poem, and a possible ugly confrontation never took place.

The book of Proverbs teaches, “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife” (20:3). Strife is that friction that either simmers under the surface or explodes in the open between people who disagree about something.

Dear God, give me self-control through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

God has given us the resources to live peacefully with other people. His Word assures us that it’s possible to feel anger without letting it boil over into rage (Eph. 4:26). His Spirit enables us to override the sparks of fury that prompt us to do and say things to strike out at people who upset us. And God has given us His example to follow when we feel provoked (1 Peter 2:23). He is compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ps. 86:15).

Dear God, Please help me to manage my anger in a way that does not lead me into sin. Give me self-control through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

Be slow to anger.

INSIGHT:

The Scriptures have a lot to say about controlling our anger. King David knew well enough the potential evil waiting to be unleashed when we don’t master our anger. He warned, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm” (Ps. 4:4; 37:8 nlt). May God help us follow this wise instruction when anger comes calling.

 

Can you think of a situation where you could have better controlled your anger? What should you have done? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond to situations in a way that honors Him.

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Only Human

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The recognition of one’s humanity can be an uncomfortable pill to swallow. Life’s fragility, life’s impermanence, life’s intertwinement with imperfection and disappointment—bitter medicines are easier to accept. The Romantic poets called it “the burden of full consciousness.” To look closely at humanity can indeed be a realization of dread and despair.

For the poet Philip Larkin, to look closely at humanity was to peer into the absurdity of the human existence. Whatever frenetic, cosmic accident that brought about a species so endowed with consciousness, the sting of mortality, incessant fears of failure, and sieges of shame, doubt, and selfishness was, for Larkin, a bitter irony. In a striking poem titled “The Building,” he describes the human condition as it is revealed in the rooms of a hospital. In this vast building of illness and waiting, one finds “Humans, caught/On ground curiously neutral, homes and names/Suddenly in abeyance; some are young,/ Some old, but most at that vague age that claims/The end of choice, the last of hope; and all/ Here to confess that something has gone wrong./ It must be error of a serious sort,/ For see how many floors it needs, how tall…”(1)

With or without Larkin’s sense of dread, this confession that “something has gone wrong” is often synonymous with the acknowledgment of humanity. “I’m only human,” is a plea for leniency with regards shortcoming. In Webster’s dictionary, “human” itself is an adjective for imperfection, weakness, and fragility. There are, nonetheless, many outlooks and religions that stand diametrically opposed to this idea, seeing humanity with limitless potential, humans as pure, the human spirit as divine. In a vein not unlike the agnostic Larkin, the new atheists see the cruel realities of time and chance as reason in and of itself to dismiss the rose-colored lenses of God and religion. Yet quite unlike Larkin’s concluding outlook of meaninglessness and despair, they often (inexplicably) suggest a rose-colored view of humanity.(2) In the other side of this extreme, still other belief-systems emphasize the depravity of humanity to such a leveling degree that no person can stand up under the burden of guilt and disgust.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Only Human →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Acceptable Words

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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer. —Psalm 19:14

It is acceptable to God when we use our mouths to bring joy, love, and good to others. It is not acceptable to God when we use our mouths to bring hurt and destruction. We are still acceptable to Him, but our behavior isn’t because it will not produce the good results in our lives that God desires for us.

Ephesians 4:29 teaches us not to use our words to cause the Holy Spirit any grief and gives clear instructions concerning what grieves Him: Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

Properly chosen words can actually change lives for the better. What you say can tear down or build up, so choose words that are agreeable with God’s will.

Power Thought: My words are wholesome and acceptable to God.

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 – Fullness of Joy

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“Thou wilt show me the path of life; in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11, KJV).

“If you have lost the joy of the Lord in your life,” someone once observed, “who moved, you or God? For in His presence is fullness of joy.”

That saint and prophet of earlier years, A. W. Tozer, suggested several ways for the believer to achieve real joy:

  1. Cultivate a genuine friendship with God. He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.
  2. Take time to exercise yourself daily unto godliness. Vow never to be dishonest about sin in your life, never to defend yourself, never to own anything (or let anything own you), never to pass on anything hurtful about others, never to take any glory to yourself.
  3. No known sin must be allowed to remain in your life. “Keep short accounts with God” – never allow unconfessed sins to pile up in your life.
  4. Set out to build your own value system based on the Word of God. Meditate on the Word; practice the presence of God. Set priorities as you realize what is truly important. It will be reflected in the standard of values you set for yourself.
  5. Share your spiritual discoveries with others.

Bible Reading: John 15:7-11

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Knowing that the best witness in the world is a joyful, radiant Christian, I will try to be that kind of believer, trusting the indwelling Holy Spirit to thus empower me and radiate His love and joy through me. I will share my spiritual discoveries with others.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – God Has a Place for You

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Jericho’s shady lady found God—or better worded…God found Rahab the harlot. He spotted a tender heart in the hard city of Jericho and reached out to save her. He would have saved the entire city, but no one else made the request. Then again, Rahab, the harlot, had an advantage. She had nothing to lose. She was at the bottom of the rung. She had already lost her reputation. She was at the bottom of the pit.

Perhaps that’s where you are as well. You may or may not sell your body, but you’ve sold your allegiance, affection, attention, and talents. You’ve sold out. Glory days? Perhaps for him or for her. But not for me. I’m too soiled, dirty. I’ve sinned too much. No Glory Days for me! God’s one-word reply for such doubt? Rahab! God has a place for the Rahabs of the world! And He has a place for you!

From Glory Days

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Family buys tickets for condemned inmate’s family

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Kenneth Williams was serving a life sentence for killing a cheerleader. He escaped in 1999 and was involved in a traffic wreck which killed a man named Michael Greenwood. Williams then killed another man, Cecil Boren, while on the run. He was executed last night by the state of Arkansas for murdering Boren.

Michael Greenwood’s daughter, Kayla Greenwood, learned a few days ago that Williams had a twenty-one-year-old daughter he had not seen for seventeen years and a three-year-old granddaughter he had never met. Kayla’s mother then bought plane tickets so Williams’s daughter and granddaughter could fly from Washington state to Arkansas to see him a day before his execution.

Kayla Greenwood sent a message to Williams through his attorney: “I told him we forgive him and where I stood on it.” When Williams found out what they were doing, “he was crying to the attorney.”

Here’s the rest of the story.

Williams told an interviewer that he has been “stabilized and sustained by the inner peace and forgiveness I’ve received through a relationship with Jesus Christ.” He chose to appear before a prison review board, not because he expected to receive clemency but “so I could show them I was no longer the person I once was. God has transformed me, and even the worst of us can be reformed and renewed. Revealing these truths meant more to me than being granted clemency. I’m still going to eventually die someday, but to stand up for God in front of man, that’s my victory.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – Family buys tickets for condemned inmate’s family →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –God’s Purpose for Intimacy

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Psalm 103

For most of my life, I believed that the heavenly Father and I shared a relationship for my benefit. However, His primary purpose for creating intimacy with believers is to reveal Himself.

In a truly loving relationship, each person wants to continually know more about the other. As believers, we are sometimes guilty of taking a more self-interested approach and forget that God is the rightful center of attention. When that is the case, we may head to church or into quiet time looking for something to inspire us, motivate us, or help us.

Part of the problem is that we would like to practice our faith in the safest way possible. Bible study, prayer, and church are relatively easy, compared to stepping out in faith or enduring persecution. But to know God intimately is not a purely intellectual pursuit. A truth about the Lord is not really ours until He works it into our daily experience.

Our Father wants His children to understand how He operates. The only way to gain such knowledge is by allowing God to unveil Himself in our life. This means we must be willing to go through difficulty and pain as well as happiness and peace. A man can read that the Holy Spirit is the believer’s Comforter, but he does not know this truth until he has need of solace.

The Christian life is not about feeling good and deriving the greatest personal benefit from our connection to God. Rather, the Lord builds an intimate relationship with each of His followers. In this way, He can reveal more about Himself—truth by truth—as a believer needs that knowledge. What a privilege!

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 16-17

 

http://www.intouch.org/

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Learning the Language

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Read: Acts 17:22–32 | Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 1–2; Luke 19:28–48

As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Acts 17:23

I stood before the gathering at a small Jamaican church and said in my best local dialect, “Wah Gwan, Jamaica?” The reaction was better than I expected, as smiles and applause greeted me.

In reality, all I had said was the standard greeting, “What’s going on?” in Patois [pa-twa], but to their ears I was saying, “I care enough to speak your language.” Of course I did not yet know enough Patois to continue, but a door had been opened.

When the apostle Paul stood before the people of Athens, he let them know that he knew their culture. He told them that he had noticed their altar to “an unknown god,” and he quoted one of their poets. Of course, not everyone believed Paul’s message about Jesus’s resurrection, but some said, “We want to hear you again on this subject” (Acts 17:32).

As we interact with others about Jesus and the salvation He offers, the lessons of Scripture show us to invest ourselves in others—to learn their language, as it were—as a way to open the door to telling them the good news (see also 1 Cor. 9:20–23).

 

As we find out “Wah Gwan?” in others’ lives, it will be easier to share what God has done in ours.

Show us, Lord, what is important to others. Help us to think of their interests first, and allow opportunities to speak about the love of Jesus.

Before you tell others about Christ, let them see how much you care.

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – On Isms and Rabbit Trails

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Among my toughest audiences in apologetics are undoubtedly my two boys. From the time words started forming on their lips, questions of various kinds have been a staple around our home—the most formidable one being, “Why, daddy?” More than any other of our appetites, I strongly suspect that thirst for knowledge and the occasional thrill of discovery have played the greatest role in shaping history. From the vast machinery of the news media to the intricate systems of the educational enterprise, from specialized research institutions to the multifaceted world of religious devotion, human hunger for knowledge is the oil that greases the mill of civilization.

So pervasive is this drive for knowledge that it can become an end in itself, opening up a rudderless detour along even the journey to God. This is true in religious systems that claim knowledge for a select few, with secretly guarded rituals forever hidden from the uninitiated. Gnosticism, from the Greek word gnosis, which means knowledge, was built upon the premise that there exists a category of knowledge privileged to a select few. Most Eastern religions insist that the problem with humanity is not sin but ignorance; hence, their solution to the human predicament is enlightenment, not forgiveness. Similarly, scientific naturalism stakes its fortunes on the bare, cold facts of particles and quarks; to know them is to know ultimate reality—never mind the minor detail that, logically, there is a gaping missing link between knowing how something works and the conclusion that it was not made.

But according to the Bible, at the end of our incessant pursuit of knowledge lies a Person, not an ideology or impersonal reality. God is not only the beginner of all that is; God has also revealed Himself in the earthliest of terms. Jesus was born in circumstances accessible to the lowliest of the shepherds as well as to the most majestic of kings. He spoke to large crowds in public places and was crucified outside the city walls, thereby silencing forever the voices of self-appointed guardians of alleged esoteric knowledge. In biblical terms, no pursuit of knowledge is ever complete without the discovery of him who is the truth; to know him is to know not only ultimate reality but also ourselves.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – On Isms and Rabbit Trails →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Gives the Victory

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You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name….—Psalm 91:13-14

God created each of us with a free will. This gives us the ability to make our own decisions apart from outside influence. Satan tries to force us to do things by placing outside pressure on us, but God attempts to lead us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus is not demanding or harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing. He is humble, gentle, meek, and lowly (see Matthew 11:29-30). We are indeed complex creatures. Our mind can think one thing, while our emotions want something else and our will certainly seems to have a mind of its own.

Once a person’s willpower is renewed by God’s Word and she knows enough to choose good over evil, she becomes very dangerous to Satan and his kingdom of darkness. The renewed person can override all the negative things Satan has planned by exercising her willpower to agree with God and His Word.

I have discovered that doubt is a thought planted in my head by the devil. He uses it to keep me from enjoying my life and making progress in God’s good plan for me.

Lord, thank You for the power of Your Word to renew my mind. I choose to stand with Your truth and overcome the darkness that surrounds 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 – Cleansed From Sin

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“But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from every sin” (1 John 1:7).

A pastor I know had once delighted in studying and preaching the Word of God. In his earlier days, he had been a real soul-winner, but the time came when he no longer spent time reading and studying the Scriptures. He became critical, discouraged and pessimistic. Finally, his personal life and his family fell apart.

At one point, he told me, he was thinking about committing suicide. He could have been spared all of this heartache, tragedy and sorrow if only he had continued to study the Word of God, to meditate on its truths and to obey its commands.

As someone wisely said, “Sin will keep you from God’s Word, or God’s Word will keep you from sin.”

Many of the problems we experience in the Christian life are self-imposed. They are the result of carelessness in the way we walk. The promises of God are true; you can stake your life on them. The way to supernatural living is to walk with God in the light of His presence.

“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are His friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence…then we have wonderful fellowship and joy…” (1 John 1:5-7, LB).

Bible Reading: I John 2:1-6

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Claiming the power of the Holy Spirit, I will continue to live in the light of God’s presence and explain to those who walk in darkness how they too can walk in the light of God’s presence and in joyful fellowship with our risen Savior.

 

http://www.cru.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Deposit of Power

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Many Christians view their conversion something like a car wash. You go in a filthy clunker, and you come out with your sins washed away—a cleansed clunker. But conversion is more than a removal of sin. It is a deposit of power! It is as if a brand-new Ferrari engine was mounted in your frame. God removed the old motor that was caked, cracked, and broken with rebellion and evil; and he replaced it with a humming, roaring version of himself.

The Apostle Paul described it as being “a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are fully equipped. Do you need more energy? You have it. More kindness? It’s yours. Hebrews 13:21 promises that God will equip you with all you need for doing His will. Just press the gas pedal. God has given you everything you need for living a godly life!

From Glory Days

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – JFK’s diary and the ‘disciplined pursuit of less’

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A diary kept by a young John F. Kennedy while he was a journalist after World War II has sold at auction for $718,750. The diary was mostly typed but includes twelve handwritten pages. In it, the twenty-eight-year-old Kennedy reflects on the devastation he saw in Berlin and questions the potential of the fledgling United Nations.

Few knew that fifteen years later he would be president of the United States.

Following his service in World War II, for which he received the Navy and Marine Corp Medal for leadership and courage, Kennedy considered becoming a writer or teacher. After his older brother’s tragic death, however, his father convinced him to run for Congress. His victory in 1946 led to two terms in the Senate and his election in 1960 as the youngest president in our nation’s history. His unwavering focus on his goal explains his political success and his enduring legacy.

Greg McKeown’s bestseller, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, notes: “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” He notes, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

McKeown encourages us to refuse the frustration of doing everything that is popular now, choosing instead to do the right thing for the right reason at the right time. He notes that a Non-essentialist thinks almost everything is essential, while an Essentialist thinks almost everything is nonessential. To this end, he cites Socrates’ warning, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”

Are you struggling with such barrenness today?

Your materialistic culture measures success by activity. The less we sleep and the more we work, the more applause we receive. But God measures our temporal activities by their eternal results. That’s why he calls us to fulfill his unique purpose for our lives at all costs:

“We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

Missionary C. T. Studd prayed,

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Greg McKeown quotes Anna Pavlova, the Russian ballet dancer: “To follow, without halt, one aim: there is the secret to success.” Will you be a success today?

 

Denison Forum

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley –Intimacy With God

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Romans 8:14-17

Suppose I asked you to characterize your relationship with God. Would you say He is like a friend whom you meet occasionally for coffee? Or is He at the opposite end of the spectrum—a valued member of your household who is included in every aspect of daily life? Most likely, the nature of your bond falls somewhere in between.

Whatever the state of your relationship with the Lord, be assured that He wants something closer and more meaningful. God desires a connection so deep and strong that words like friendship and fellowship cannot fully describe it. He created us for intimacy.

Of all the creatures on earth, human beings are the only ones made in God’s image. Like Him, we can think, reason, feel, and make choices, though we do none of these things as fully or perfectly as He does. The attributes that separate people from the rest of creation equip us to relate to the Lord in a unique way.

Jesus called His followers “friends” (John 15:15), and Paul wrote that believers are sons of God (Gal. 4:7). Those are not distant, impersonal relationships! When we spend time with the Lord, we grow as close to Him as a beloved child to a father.

Some believers have the mistaken idea that doing something “Christian” is the way to make God happy. But the way to please our Father is by being Christian. He wants us to live in such a way that others see He is our Father and best friend.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 13-15

 

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