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Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Do You See Jesus in Your Clouds? by Oswald Chambers
A Courageous Life by Charles Stanley
When we recognize God’s presence with us, courage starts to develop inus. It grows as we draw on His strength. Without God’s power, we’ll find that hardship and stress drain us emotionally and hurt us physically, leaving us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.
After 40 years of wandering, the nation of Israel was in such a state. They should have believed the two spies who trusted in the Lord’s presence and power. But instead, allowing their weakness to hold sway, the people sided with the remaining ten spies, who claimed the Canaanite obstacles were too great (Num. 13:26-32).
In contrast, Paul faced the Roman tribunal after enduring great hardship but was not dismayed, because God stood with him and strengthened him. Times of helplessness and weakness are in reality opportunities to receive an abundance of divine power (Phil. 4:13).
Being yielded to God’s purposes is essential for developing courage. Paul knew God had a plan for every event in his life—even the hardest ones. Instead of seeking a way out of trials, accept God’s way, and you’ll find courage welling up from within. Imagine yourself standing next to God, drawing on His strength.
July 29 / Streams in the Desert
Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the day of trouble?(Job 38:22-23).
Our trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles. It would be a haven of rest and an inspiration of unspeakable power if each of us would henceforth recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and look around for the signals of His glorious manifestations; then, indeed, would every cloud become a rainbow, and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration.
If we will look back upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our Heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us, and given us the richest blessings, has been the time we were strained and shut in on every side.
God's jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love.
--A. B. Simpson
--A. B. Simpson
Trust Him in the dark, honor Him with unwavering confidence even in the midst of mysterious dispensations, and the recompense of such faith will be like the moulting of the eagle's plumes, which was said to give them a new lease of youth and strength.
--J. R. Macduff
--J. R. Macduff
If we could see beyond today
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.
If we could know beyond today
As God doth know,
Why dearest treasures pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.
"If we could see, if we could know,"
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey.
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.
If we could know beyond today
As God doth know,
Why dearest treasures pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.
"If we could see, if we could know,"
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey.
In Jesus You’re Highly Exalted, No Matter How Poor You Are by Adrian Rogers
In Jesus You’re Highly Exalted, No Matter How Poor You Are
Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me, lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9
You may encounter in this life both the tests of poverty and of riches. If so, the Lord has some advice for you.
See poverty in the proper perspective. In the Lord Jesus Christ, you are highly exalted, no matter how poor you are. Having Christ, you are richer than the richest man on earth without the Lord Jesus. As a Christian, you have gone from rags to riches in Him.
It's hard to be poor and even harder to be rich. The rich man may have an easier time in life, but he has a harder time passing the test.
The Lord doesn’t tell the rich to renounce their riches but to properly assess them. It’s not wrong to have money. Some of God’s choicest saints—Abraham for example—were wealthy. But the rich are to see their wealth from a proper perspective.
Many people would do better being poor than rich. Some people can stand almost anything but prosperity.
It’s better to have balance, neither wealth nor poverty, but enough food for our daily bread. If we have too much, we may think we don’t need God. If too little, we might be tempted to steal and dishonor the Lord. Remember to thank the Lord today for His daily provision.
Just Turn It Off by Greg Laurie
Just Turn It Off
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 nlt).
One morning many years ago, our sons Christopher and Jonathan were sitting at the table eating breakfast and watching cartoons. Christopher was around 11 or 12 at the time, and Jonathan was still young enough to be in a high chair.
Christopher was running behind schedule, so my wife, Cathe, said, “Christopher, turn off the TV, go upstairs, make your bed, and get ready for school.”
But he just kept eating cereal and watching the cartoon. So Cathe told him, “Christopher, did you hear what I said? Turn off the TV, go upstairs, make your bed, and get ready for school.”
Christopher ignored her again, so she said it a third time.
But before she could come back for the fourth time, Jonathan climbed out of his high chair, walked over to the TV, turned it off, and then said to his brother, “Go make your bed!”
And amazingly, Christopher got up from the table and walked upstairs.
Sometimes the best thing to do is just turn it off.
Temptation starts in the mind, so be practical. Did you know that if you’re sitting in a movie theater and something comes on that you shouldn’t watch, you can actually get up and walk out?
Or, more likely these days, if you’re watching TV and a scene comes on that you shouldn’t be seeing, don’t watch it anymore. Turn it off.
And if you’re married and considering an adulterous fling, here’s what you need to know: your sin will find you out (see Numbers 32:23). You’re headed down a road that will lead you to a miserable end.
If only we would think these things through and take practical steps to protect ourselves.
We need to keep our spiritual armor on at all times. We need to keep our guard up and be aware that the enemy can hit us at any time.
Faith Pleases God by Billy Graham
Faith Pleases God
Faith pleases God more than anything else. The Christian life is dependent upon faith. We stand on faith; we live on faith. Faith is loved and honored by God more than any other single thing. The Bible teaches that faith is the only approach that we have to God. No man has sins forgiven, no man goes to heaven, no man has assurance of peace and happiness, until he has faith in Jesus Christ. You may be saying, “God, I believe you are a great person, but I do not believe your Word; I do not believe what you say.” In order to please God, you must believe Him. Perhaps your faith is small and weak. It does not matter how big your faith is, but rather, where your faith is. Is it in Christ, the Son of God, who died on the cross for your sins?
Daily Prayer
Lord Jesus, may my faith in You and Your abundant promises be ever increasing each day.
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NLT
Grace Outside the Box by Mike Wittmer
Grace Outside the Box
Tom worked for a law firm that advised Bob’s company. They became friends—until Tom embezzled thousands of dollars from the company. Bob was hurt and angry when he found out, but he received wise counsel from his vice president, a believer in Christ. The VP noticed Tom was deeply ashamed and repentant, and he advised Bob to drop the charges and hire Tom. “Pay him a modest salary so he can make restitution. You’ll never have a more grateful, loyal employee.” Bob did, and Tom was.
Mephibosheth, grandson of King Saul, hadn’t done anything wrong, but he was in a tough spot when David became king. Most kings killed the royal bloodline. But David loved King Saul’s son Jonathan, and treated his surviving son as his own (see 2 Samuel 9:1–13). His grace won a friend for life. Mephibosheth marveled that he “deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place” (19:28). He remained loyal to David, even when David’s son Absalom chased David from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:1–4; 19:24–30).
Do you want a loyal friend for life? Someone so extraordinary may require you to do something extraordinary. When common sense says punish, choose grace. Hold them accountable, but give the undeserving a chance to make things right. You may never find a more grateful, devoted friend. Think outside the box, with grace.
Mephibosheth, grandson of King Saul, hadn’t done anything wrong, but he was in a tough spot when David became king. Most kings killed the royal bloodline. But David loved King Saul’s son Jonathan, and treated his surviving son as his own (see 2 Samuel 9:1–13). His grace won a friend for life. Mephibosheth marveled that he “deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place” (19:28). He remained loyal to David, even when David’s son Absalom chased David from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:1–4; 19:24–30).
Do you want a loyal friend for life? Someone so extraordinary may require you to do something extraordinary. When common sense says punish, choose grace. Hold them accountable, but give the undeserving a chance to make things right. You may never find a more grateful, devoted friend. Think outside the box, with grace.
Who has sinned against you? How might you hold them accountable while also forgiving them?
Father, I’ve received extraordinary grace from You. Help me show that grace to others—especially to those with a repentant spirit.
BRING THE BOOKS / Draw Near Bible App
BRING THE BOOKS
For five hundred years after Christ, the Bible had no name. Derived from the Greek word biblos which means "book," our title for God's Word came in the following way: The religious leaders in charge of the various manuscripts used in the churches referred to them as "the books." Eventually, they dropped the plural and merely called this collection of manuscripts the "Holy Book." The name stuck, and for fifteen hundred years we have called the Scripture, "The Holy Bible."
Believers refer to the Bible also as "Holy Scripture," "God's Word," and "The Law." However, the most popular name by far is "The Holy Bible." The designation "Old and New Testaments" comes from the Bible, from the book of Hebrews. There the writer calls attention to the "Old and New Covenants." The Latin word testamentum means "covenant." The two parts of the Bible indicate how God once dealt with man and how He deals with him today.
Paul referred to the Bible as "Scripture." In writing to young Timothy, he was careful to capture the purpose for God's Word: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Regardless of what title we use when we speak of the Bible, we should remember it is God's Word and that it gives a foundation for faith, reproves us for errors, and offers instructions on becoming the kind of people God desires. For these reasons, the Bible is a vital part of our daily life. We not only read it, we live it; and in so doing begin to grow into the image of God's Son. In our growth toward perfection, prayerful Bible reading provides us the help we need.
For five hundred years after Christ, the Bible had no name. Derived from the Greek word biblos which means "book," our title for God's Word came in the following way: The religious leaders in charge of the various manuscripts used in the churches referred to them as "the books." Eventually, they dropped the plural and merely called this collection of manuscripts the "Holy Book." The name stuck, and for fifteen hundred years we have called the Scripture, "The Holy Bible."
Believers refer to the Bible also as "Holy Scripture," "God's Word," and "The Law." However, the most popular name by far is "The Holy Bible." The designation "Old and New Testaments" comes from the Bible, from the book of Hebrews. There the writer calls attention to the "Old and New Covenants." The Latin word testamentum means "covenant." The two parts of the Bible indicate how God once dealt with man and how He deals with him today.
Paul referred to the Bible as "Scripture." In writing to young Timothy, he was careful to capture the purpose for God's Word: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Regardless of what title we use when we speak of the Bible, we should remember it is God's Word and that it gives a foundation for faith, reproves us for errors, and offers instructions on becoming the kind of people God desires. For these reasons, the Bible is a vital part of our daily life. We not only read it, we live it; and in so doing begin to grow into the image of God's Son. In our growth toward perfection, prayerful Bible reading provides us the help we need.
“God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:17 NLT
Belonging by Alistair Begg
Belonging
All that the Father gives me will come to me.John 6:37
This declaration involves the doctrine of election: There are some whom the Father gave to Christ. It involves the doctrine of effectual calling: These who are given must and shall come; however stoutly they may set themselves against it, yet they shall be brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light. It teaches us the indispensable necessity of faith, for even those who are given to Christ are not saved except they come to Jesus. Even they must come, for there is no other way to heaven but by the door, Christ Jesus. All that the Father gives to our Redeemer must come to Him; therefore none can come to heaven except when they come to Christ.
Oh, the power and majesty that rest in the words "will come." He does not say they have power to come, nor that they may come if they will, but they "will come." The Lord Jesus by His messengers, His Word, and His Spirit sweetly and graciously compels men to come in, that they may eat of His marriage supper; and this He does not by any violation of the free agency of man, but by the power of His grace. I may exercise power over another man's will, and yet that other man's will may be perfectly free, because the constraint is exercised in a manner accordant with the laws of the human mind. Jehovah Jesus knows how by irresistible arguments addressed to the understanding, by mighty reasons appealing to the affections, and by the mysterious influence of His Holy Spirit operating upon all the powers and passions of the soul so to subdue the whole man, whereas he was once rebellious, that he yields cheerfully to His government, subdued by sovereign love. But how shall those be known whom God has chosen? By this result: that they do willingly and joyfully accept Christ and come to Him with simple and unfeigned faith, resting upon Him as all their salvation and all their desire. Reader, have you come to Jesus in this way?
How to share Christ without fear / Senior Living
How to share Christ without fear
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. - >2 Timothy 1:7
Judge John Lowell of Boston had a reputation as a harsh man. One morning at breakfast, Lowell was reading his morning paper when a frightened maid stepped into the room and whispered something into his wife’s ear.
Fearing she would be fired, the maid waited silently while Mrs. Lowell relayed the news that the cook had burned Mr. Lowell’s oatmeal, there was no more in the house, and for the first time in 17 years, Mr. Lowell would have to go without his morning bowl of oats.
Without missing a beat, the old judge responded, “It’s all right, dear. Frankly, I never cared much for it anyhow.”
There’s often a difference between how we think people are going to react to something and how they actually do react. This is especially true when it comes to sharing Christ. Many people struggle to begin talking about spiritual matters because they’re afraid others might be offended and angry, perhaps irreparably damaging their relationship.
But the truth is that even if they don’t accept it, most people are open to discussing such matters and will at least provide a listening ear. So don’t fear sharing Christ. Tell others about His love and grace without fear!
Prayer Challenge
Pray and ask God to give you the words to say to those who need to hear about the Good News of Jesus.
Questions for Thought
What do you think is the real reason behind the attitude that others will reject us if we share Jesus with them?
When we assume we know how someone will react to the gospel, are we relying on our own power to convince them or the Holy Spirit?
July 29 / Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalms 95
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
The children lined up on the steps to the altar. Their fresh-scrubbed faces shone in the morning light. Nervously, they swayed, twitched, and squirmed. The music began, and each child in turn joined in at a point of his or her own choosing. Some sang out boldly, others mouthed the words, while a few ignored the songs altogether and just waved and smiled at Mommy and Daddy. To call the presentation music was stretching the point, but to call it a joyful noise was right on target. This spirit of the children was joy and love, and the hearts of all present was captured quickly. The sound rose to the rafters, and beyond. The Lord heard that special choir, smiled, and said, "It is good!"
Prayer: Let the words of my mouth produce a joyful noise, acceptable to the Lord and glorifying Him in all ways. Amen.
Child Evangelism by David Jeremiah
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Tuesday, July 28, 2020
God’s Purpose or Mine? by Oswald Chambers
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Courage to Face Life’s Trials by Charles Stanley
Scripture details the courageous way Paul handled trials. He was opposed by religious leaders, manhandled by magistrates, and mobbed by crowds. Yet through it all, he stood firm. How did he do this?
Let’s look at Paul’s own testimony. He said he came to the Corinthians in weakness, and he spoke with fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). He claimed that he had been pushed beyond his ability to endure (2 Corinthians 1:8). In fact, once his fear was so strong that an angel exhorted him not to be afraid (Acts 27:24). He was human, just as we are.
What did Paul know that would also help us? Wherever the apostle was, God was personally present. He trusted in the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit, and he also took heart from the Lord’s reassurance of His nearness (Acts 18:9). Although it appeared that Paul stood alone before his accusers, he recognized he was actually in the Lord’s company. With almighty God standing beside him, he didn’t have to be afraid.
Because we belong to Jesus Christ, we can know that God is always with us. We, too, have the Savior’s unending pledge of nearness and the Holy Spirit as our permanent companion. As we embrace these truths, we will discover the courage to face life’s trials. I feel braver already. What about you?
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