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How to be a Superhero: Step One
“The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a large harvest.” ~ Luke 8:14-15
A superhero might be in a hurry to right the injustices of the world, to cleanse the rot of society. But in all the superhero movies, we see that the biggest struggle a superhero faces is curing the injustices within.
Justice and goodness starts on the inside.
Before we can truly contend for external justice, we have to win our internal fight, constantly choosing the spirit over the flesh. If we start rushing into external battles either to avoid the internal ones or in a false belief that solving the one will inevitably solve the other, we are on the slippery slope of losing our way.
The first step toward becoming a faith superhero is to seek goodness within ourselves. To be willing to discover and address hidden places, where truth and justice are lacking within our own hearts. Only by listening to the Spirit of God can this be achieved.
The best way to test whether we are making good inner choices is an honest evaluation of our behavior. Good soil produces vibrant plants. If we are sowing to the Spirit by choosing the Spirit, we should be reaping the fruits of the Spirit, such as peace and joy.
We change from the inside out. Yet we observe from the outside in. Our circumstances won’t transform our heart. Our heart transcends our circumstances.
_______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Secret Prayer
"Night and day we pray earnestly...” ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:10
The author of an old book about prayer, "The Kneeling Christian", said:
“It is not too much to say that all real growth in the spiritual life — all victory over temptation, all confidence and peace in the presence of difficulties and dangers, all repose of spirit in times of great disappointment or loss, all habitual communion with God — depend upon the practice of secret prayer.”
When we think God doesn’t hear our prayers, it’s not because He’s far away. He is nearer than we can imagine. Perhaps He knows our request isn’t really for our good. Or maybe the timing isn’t right. Sometimes we must “wait on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). Perhaps a sinful habit is hindering our prayers.
Remember - God is always very near and working on our behalf. When we see immediate answers to our prayers, we should rejoice. When He doesn’t answer immediately, we should trust. The time we spend in prayer is precious because we are entering into and recognizing the presence of a God for whom nothing is impossible. Give Him time to work!
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~ by David Jeremiah (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
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The Consequences of Anger
~ Holding on to our anger doesn’t accomplish God’s will; instead, it destroys us and poisons others.
Scripture Reading:
"A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again." ~ Proverbs 19:19
When’s the last time you were angry, and how did you respond? We all get agitated at one point or another — even God Himself feels anger. However, because we’re human, we don’t always respond in the best way. Ephesians 4:26 tells us, “Be angry, and yet do not sin.”
One way we often sin is by holding on to anger. When resentment takes up residence in our heart, it twists our thinking and emotions and robs us of peace. Then that bitterness can spill over into our relationships. We might speak hurtful words, even at those who aren’t the cause of the rage. Or we might pull away in self-protection to avoid future hurts.
While clinging to anger can damage our personal well-being and connection with others, an even more serious outcome is hindered fellowship with the Lord. A negative attitude hardens our heart and affects God’s work in and through us. It also grieves Him. Our Father wants to shower us with joy and peace, but angry hearts interfere with such blessings.
Are you harboring anger?
Unresolved bitterness could be buried so deep within your soul that you might not even realize it’s there. Feeling anger occasionally is normal, but clinging to negativity is destructive. Ask God to reveal any hidden resentment. Release it to Him and take hold of the riches of Christ.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-consequences-of-anger
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Remaining Faithful
~ Those who drift away from God will always find Him ready to forgive.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 11:1-6
God gives wisdom when we ask, but we are responsible for applying that wisdom daily. Let’s consider Solomon again. Despite his great understanding, the later part of his life was marked by a turning away from God. Solomon had clear instruction not to marry foreign women, but he chose to reject God’s wisdom and do it anyway. The influence of those wives eventually led Solomon into the worship of idols.
The unfortunate downfall of the wisest man who ever lived is a helpful warning for us. No matter how strong we think we are, we aren’t above making choices that could cause us to turn away from the Lord. Over time, small decisions to ignore God’s principles can have a devastating cumulative effect: Slight compromises in how we live can put us on a path leading away from God and His perfect plan.
• Is there anything in your life that you know shouldn’t be there?
• Have you been justifying it?
If so, ask the Lord for forgiveness and submit that habit, situation, or tendency to Him. He’s waiting with open arms. Choose to apply the gift of God’s wisdom to your everyday decisions, today and throughout the entirety of your life. Let’s stay faithful to walk in wisdom at all times.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/remaining-faithful
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Put God’s Priorities First
~ If we trust God and seek to honor Him in our decisions, we’ll have the chance to see Him work mightily.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 3:5-14
Imagine if God showed up and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I’ll give it to you.” How would you answer? Most of us would ask for loved ones’ safety, enough money to meet our needs, or a long, healthy life. Solomon may have been tempted to name something similar — but he made a different request. What he wanted was an understanding heart so he could serve God’s people well.
Solomon’s life was full of personal needs and desires not so different from our own. But when given the opportunity to ask God for anything, he prioritized the Lord’s concerns. God was so pleased with the request that He gave Solomon not only wisdom but riches and honor as well (1 Kings 3:13)! This encounter foreshadows Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew:
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” ~ Matthew 6:33
God won’t necessarily give wealth, influence, or long life because we put His priorities first, but He will always be faithful to provide all we need according to His purposes. Solomon’s heart was set on seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness, and the Lord honored that in a multitude of ways — both tangible and intangible. When we make God’s priorities ours, we too will have the chance to see Him work mightily in our life.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/put-god-s-priorities-first
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In Whom
“...so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men or women, but in the power of God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:5
When we think about faith, we often think about an outcome during an event, circumstance, or season. I believe this or that will happen. I believe things will be ok.
The truest and most important aspect of faith is the object of the faith, in whom we place our trust. When we believe in specific circumstances, we disqualify our perspective from trusting God if the circumstance does not work out like we imagine.
Faith in outcomes is really hope. The foundation of faith is not in outcomes but in power. There is a fine, but distinct, line between believing the Who and the what. There is an immense difference between believing in Him who can do all things and believing a specific thing ought to be done.
Faith is the choice to trust God. It is obeying without knowing what the outcome will be. Faith unleashes the power of God’s Spirit.The true height of human capacity.
Faith means trusting in God even when we do not like or understand what He is doing. This, in fact, is the very thing that makes faith so powerful, so advantageous to us. The outcomes we want, even if we get them, don’t always work out how we imagined. Our wisdom is flawed and incomplete, but God’s wisdom is true and boundless.
________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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The Search For an Honest Man
I love this story which reportedly came from Sports Illustrated: The game was played in Wellington, Florida. In it, a seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second base.
The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out, but young Tanner immediately ran to her side and said, "Ma'am, I didn't tag the runner." Umpire Benson reversed herself, sent the runner to second base, and Tanner's coach gave him the game ball for his honesty.
Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire and Tanner was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred. This time Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on a runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe. Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position.
Benson sensed something was wrong. "Did you tag the runner?" She asked Tanner.
His reply: "Yes."
Benson then called the runner out. The opposing coaches protested until she explained what had happened two weeks earlier. "If a kid is that honest," she said, "I have to give it to him."
It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in our society than honesty. It's lacking in the workplace, it's lacking in many of our marriages, it's lacking in our government, and sometimes it's even lacking in our churches. Like Diogenes of ancient Greece, we sometimes feel the urge to take our lantern and begin our search for an honest man.
There is something about Christians that should stand out like a neon sign on a dark night. Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. We should establish a reputation, like Tanner, for speaking the truth even when it would benefit us to do otherwise. Then, and only then, will those around us trust what we say without hesitation, without wondering whether we really mean what we say or not.
"Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.” ~ Ephesians 4:25
________________
~ by Alan Smith
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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The Daily Article — April 1, 2024
The White House became embroiled in controversy over the weekend after issuing a “Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024” for Easter Sunday.
Rev. Greg Laurie called the proclamation “a profound insult to the sincerely held religious beliefs of millions of Americans on our holiest day” and added, “It’s time to turn back to God, not turn our backs on God.” Others joined in criticizing the proclamation as assaulting the Christian faith. Proponents noted that the event falls on March 31 every year and only coincidentally aligned with Easter this year.
If the event had been rescheduled so as not to conflict with Easter, criticism would have risen in precisely the opposite direction: proponents would have supported the move while critics would have labeled it discriminatory and likely blamed Christians for being “transphobic.”
This controversy is nothing new: Easter has been dividing skeptics and believers since Jesus rose from the dead. The authorities who arranged Jesus’ crucifixion, when told by the guard of His resurrection, bribed them to lie (Matthew 28:11–15) and continued to persecute His followers (Acts 5:40). While billions of Christians claimed yesterday that Jesus is “risen indeed,” billions more rejected or ignored our claim.
How can we persuade Americans not to “turn our backs on God” but to “turn back to God”?
Monday can be our most persuasive evidence for Sunday.
Would you die for a lie?
The historical evidence for the resurrection is remarkably strong (see my article, “Why Jesus?” for an extensive overview). For example, we know from ancient non-biblical records that:
• Jesus of Nazareth was a real person of history.
• He was crucified by Pontius Pilate.
• His first followers believed He was raised from the dead.
• They worshiped Him as God.
We can also point to the empirical evidence of the empty tomb. No other explanation makes sense:
• If the disciples stole the body, how did they overpower the Roman guards, convince five hundred people that He was alive (1 Corinthians 15:6), make His body appear through locked doors (John 20:19) and cook a meal for the disciples (John 21:9–12), then cause His body to ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9)?
• Would they then all die for a lie, some in gruesome ways? Would you?
• If the authorities stole the body, wouldn’t they produce it when the disciples began preaching the resurrection?
• If the women went to the wrong tomb, wouldn’t the authorities and Joseph of Arimathea, who owned the correct tomb, correct the error?
• If Jesus didn’t really die on the cross, how did He survive a spear thrust that ruptured the pericardial sac of His heart (John 19:34) and an airtight mummified shroud, overpower the guards in His emaciated condition, make His way through locked doors, and then perform the greatest high jump in history at the ascension?
Of course, a postmodern relativist is likely to dismiss all of this with the rejoinder, “that’s just your truth.” We are objectivists with nearly every dimension of reality, from the laws of physics to laws against murder, theft, and the like. But when we confront reality that clashes with our preferences, we retreat to the shelter of subjectivism, claiming that “all truth is relative” (which is an objective truth claim).
The most compelling argument for Easter
You and I can choose today to become evidence for the most compelling argument for Easter in our relativistic culture: the changed lives of Jesus’ followers.
The apostles are our example. Men who abandoned Jesus when He was arrested, denied Him when He was on trial, forsook Him when He was dying on the cross, and then hid from the authorities behind locked doors soon became catalysts for the mightiest spiritual movement in human history.
Peter is Exhibit A. After boasting that he would never deny his Lord, he denied even knowing Him three times. Even after he saw the empty tomb, he returned to his fishing profession (John 21:3). (Note that he went fishing at night, which was what professional rather than recreational fishermen did so they could sell their catch as “fresh” the next morning; (Luke 5:5).
But when he met the risen Lord, he left his fishing nets behind to “fish for men” (Matthew 4:19). The other apostles joined him, spreading out across the Roman Empire to share the good news of Easter at the eventual cost of their lives. There is no other reasonable explanation for their transformed lives except that they met the risen Christ and were never the same again.
“From this, everything begins anew!”
So it can be with you and me. What we do today can show that what we celebrated yesterday is true. When others see the difference Christ makes in our lives, they will be drawn to seek that difference for their lives.
If you and I truly walk this path with the risen Christ today, our world cannot be the same tomorrow.
_______________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/biden-transgender-day-of-visibility-easter-sunday/
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Good day to you brother plugger! I have a blest day everyday - and I suspect you do too!
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Being a Carrier of Joy
~ May God fill us all with a greater measure of His joy today, and a greater understanding of how to carry that joy into a world in desperate need of it.
As disciples of Jesus, we are to carry the joy of our salvation everywhere we go. You and I have the power to change atmospheres on earth with the joy of the Spirit. We have the power to brighten people’s days, break off heaviness, and lead people to a deeper revelation of the goodness of our Lord when we reflect His joy to others.
God is a joyful God. He is the inventor of happiness and fun.
Luke 15:10 says: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Nehemiah 8:10 tells us: “the joy of the Lord is our strength.”
In order to truly declare to the world who our heavenly Father is, we must be carriers of joy. We must be a people marked by the joy that only comes from restored relationship with an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving God.
It’s taken me a long time to learn and an even longer time to realize the truth that circumstances, people, trials, work, and worldly stress do not have the inherent ability to steal my joy. It’s when I open my heart to outside elements that I allow stresses to come in like robbers and take what is rightfully mine in the Lord. It’s when I allow a fellow driver, a time crunch, a negative comment, or a troublesome problem to take precedence over the joy and hope I have in Jesus that I step outside of my allotted portion of peace.
To be carriers of joy, we have to choose to value the fruit of the Spirit over worldly emotions. We have to choose to only open our hearts to the things of God and shrug off that which is fleeting. If we don’t take control of our thoughts and cast any fear, worry, or doubt on the shoulders of our heavenly Father, the circumstances of this world will rule our emotions rather than the steadfast joy of the Spirit.
Isaiah 55:12 says: “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
The Lord longs to make us a people that go out in joy. He longs to make us children who are overwhelmed by His love to the degree that the cares of this world pale in comparison to His grace and affections.
Ask the Lord for perspective today.
Allow the Spirit to help you focus your attention on the true purpose for which you were created: restored relationship with your heavenly Father. Choose the joy of the Lord over the stress and cares of the world. Choose to “be led forth in peace” rather than led by your flesh. And experience today the lifestyle of carrying the joy of the Lord with you everywhere you go. May others come to know the abundant goodness of your heavenly Father through the way you exude joy.
Our heavenly Father is much more patient than we often believe. He is not in a rush with you. He will not let you miss His perfect will for your life if you are willing to follow Him in obedience.
• Trust in His timing.
• Cast off the burden of paving your own way to an impactful life.
• Take time to become a carrier of joy by resting in His presence and getting to know His heart.
• Allow His perspective of patience to become your perspective.
May you be filled with peace and joy in the knowledge of your God’s great love for you.
_______________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/
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Dying for Encouragement
"Commission Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him.” ~ Deuteronomy 3:28
In Deuteronomy 3, we read that Moses encouraged Joshua as he was about to assume leadership of the Israelites. No doubt Joshua was filled with fear and a feeling of inadequacy to fill Moses's shoes. The Lord therefore told Moses to encourage Joshua.
All of us need a word of encouragement from time to time to spur us on when we are facing a major new challenge. But we also need words of appreciation and commendation as we carry out our daily responsibilities, whether at home or at work.
When a corporate accountant committed suicide, an effort was made to find out why. The company's books were examined, but no shortage was found. Nothing could be uncovered that gave any clue as to why he took his life-that is, until a note was discovered. It simply said: "In thirty years I have never had one word of encouragement. I'm fed up!"
Many people crave some small sign of approval. They need a word of recognition, a caring smile, a warm handshake, and an honest expression of appreciation for the good we see in them or in their work.
Every day let's determine to encourage (not flatter) at least one person. Let's do our part to help those around us who are dying for encouragement.
_______________
~ by Richard DeHaan (Our Daily Bread)
To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Come Alive
~ Stop for a moment to praise the Lord for His faithfulness and endless mercy.
Scripture Reading: Zechariah 10:1
It’s amazing how death and life occur so close together. It’s said that dawn comes just after the darkest hour of night. And just when we suspect we cannot survive another moment of winter’s dormancy and darkness, spring arrives.
It comes as just a hint, a whisper. A tinge of green too small to see — and yet somehow, we perceive that the once barren forest is not entirely lifeless anymore. Soon birdsong wakes us in the morning, and flower buds peek through the ground. Where once there was only last year’s death, suddenly new life bursts through.
It is the Lord who holds the keys to this mystery — the Creator who sings the song that turns the earth toward another year of life. And through it all, we learn to see, to trust, to know that the God whose faithfulness is vividly present in spring has never left us, not even during the darkest moments of winter.
The Creator who planted the first garden in Genesis, who will plant the Tree of Healing in Revelation, delivers showers of spring rain to us today — bringing the earth back to life. Bringing us back to life. As this month ends, let us pray together:
"Giver of Life, You have never left our side. We look to You now with gratitude and worship."
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/come-alive
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The Empty Tomb
"On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed [rolled away] from the tomb. So she ran to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!”
"At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. For they still did not understand the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went home again.”
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
"But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus."
“Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”
"Jesus said, “Mary.”
"Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” — which means “Teacher.”
“Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father — to My God and your God.”
"Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.”
The Disciples Commissioned
"In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
"Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord."
"Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Thomas Sees and Believes
"But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”
"But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!”
"After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!”
"Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.”
"Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
"Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Gospel
"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name."
________________
~ John 20
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By Grace Through Faith
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons and daughters of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
~ Ephesians 2:1-7
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Resurrected for the Present Work
~ By God's grace, we are a new creation — made for good works.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-7
Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” In today’s passage, however, Paul tells the Ephesians (and us) that those wages are fully paid.
“You were dead in your offenses and sins,” the apostle writes (v. 1). We might not have realized it, but in reality, we were dead people walking. Thankfully, like the prodigal son’s father (whom we discussed a few days ago), God doesn’t let us remain that way.
Notice how Ephesians 2:4 begins: The two words “But God” should ring joyously in our ears. Our Father, full of mercy and love, “made us alive together with Christ” (v. 5). He raises people today just as He raised Jesus — only we rise from the walking death of sin to new and eternal life.
That reality shines a bright light on all we’ve experienced. In that light we see differently, finally realizing that sin always leads to death, not freedom. We can also act differently. When Jesus said the kingdom of God was at hand, He wasn’t offering information about our future but transformation for our present life. By grace through faith, we become God’s workmanship, walking not in death but in the life of good works He’s prepared for us.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/resurrected-for-the-present-work
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Join the “Fellowship of the Unashamed”
“He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.” ~ Matthew 28:6
There is no natural explanation for the empty tomb of Christ.
The disciples could not have overpowered the Roman guards, nor could they have convinced more than five hundred eyewitnesses that a dead man was alive (1 Corinthians 15:6). And even if they somehow had, none would have died for a lie.
If the women went to the wrong tomb, the authorities would have corrected their error. If the authorities stole the body, they would have produced it. If Jesus did not die at the cross, that means He survived a spear thrust near His heart and three days in a mummified, air-tight burial shroud.
In His emaciated condition, He would have then had to shove aside the stone, appear through locked doors, and do the greatest high jump in history at the Ascension we see in Acts 1:9.
Easter is the foundation of the Christian faith. Because Jesus rose from the dead as He predicted, He must be divine. If He is divine, His words must be true. If He claimed to be our Savior and Lord, it must be so.
Now the risen King calls you and me to serve in His kingdom.
My favorite confession of faith was written in 1980 by an African Christian before he was martyred for his faith. I have quoted it often and am stirred each time by its words. Let’s celebrate the resurrection of Jesus today by making its commitment our own:
He said….
“I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.”
“I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted or delayed.”
“I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.”
“I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.”
So, as we enter into prayer today, may the same be true of us.
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren noted, “God specializes in giving people a fresh start.” This “fresh start” began with Jesus’ first disciples on Easter Sunday. On this day, they learned that their risen Lord would forgive their failures, abandonment, and betrayals leading up to His death.
Their first impulse was to share with others the transforming grace they had received. This is still the best way you and I can celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Secular people are often more open to spiritual truth at Christmas and Easter than at other times of the year. You have a strategic opportunity to explain the reason for your celebration today.
So, as you go, pray by name for someone who needs the hope of Easter. Then ask God to help you be an answer to your prayer.
______________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
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Blessed weekend to you and yours! It’s Friday - but Sunday’s coming!
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Never Really Alone
~ Solitude provides the space for us to hear our Savior's loving voice.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:7-10; Psalm 23:1-4
Jesus occasionally went off by Himself, leaving even His disciples behind. We might consider this His recharging time — when the Lord regrouped after the intensity of ministry. But Jesus’ purpose was not really to be alone but to find space to meet and be with His Father. For Him (and for us), that’s the real promise of solitude: a quiet that allows us to hear God’s voice.
We live in a world bristling with noise, so finding solitude is essential. However, we shouldn’t assume that we’ll be alone, not if we pursue the kind of solitude Jesus sought. The psalmist writes, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (139:7-8). The answer is, nowhere. And this is a good thing. Anywhere he might try to escape from God — high, low, and everywhere in between — God is there. And He’s not only present but also engaged: “Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will take hold of me” (v. 10).
Plenty of people want time to focus on themselves — in other words, “me time.” But as Christians, we must pursue the kind of solitude that removes distractions and makes space for us to encounter the Lord.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/never-really-alone
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Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
"Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus…
…who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage [to be grasped, or to be held on to]."
"Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men."
"And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross."
"For this reason, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [Yahweh] to the glory of God the Father."
Amen.
~ Philippians 2:5-11
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The Whole Picture
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” ~ Philippians 2:4
When we take a group photograph, our critical eye naturally turns to ourselves. When surveying the result, we are occupied by one question: “do I look good enough in this picture?”
Our perspective gravitates toward self-focus. If we are blinking or our hair is out of place or we are making a weird face, we want the picture retaken. We want to look our best. Evaluating how others look or the overall quality of the photo is usually an afterthought.
Our perspective problem is that we default to believing self-focus is in our self-interest. The Bible offers us a conclusive truth about this: it is not. In fact, self-focus is self-destructive. Our true self-interest lies in including taking the best interest of others into account. The world is bigger than any one of us.
But widening our view to include the interest of others helps us develop a true perspective. The passage immediately following this verse tells us that this attitude of service toward others is what Jesus had when he came to earth. His perspective was that doing what His Father asked was in His true self-interest. He gained the rewards and approval from His Father for His faithful service, which made all the service worthwhile.
Jesus told us that the second greatest command is to love others like we love ourselves. Self-interest is presumed. But by seeking the best for others, we make the world bigger than just ourselves. This leads us to discover our purpose; how we fit in to the entire body. We need the whole picture in order to truly be ourselves. And that begins with shifting our perspective to realize our true self-interest is best served by seeking the best for others.
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~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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The Life-Changing Power of the Cross and the Resurrection
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ~ John 14:6
The cross is empty and so is the tomb.
You can try to bury Power, but it won't stay there.
You can try to bury Truth, but it is not dead.
You can try to bury Love, but it cannot be contained.
Jesus is alive, He won the victory of sin and death. And He's still the same, even in all the days after the Easter weekend. He never changes. He made a way for us to live free.
No other truth in history has the ability to change our lives and affect our future like this. Yet so many still choose to reject Christ's sacrifice and love. He offers us a choice today, and it's the best decision you could ever make.
What Christ's Death on the Cross and the Power of His Resurrection Offers:
1. It provides a bridge, a way, to God.
It gives us an opportunity to have a personal relationship with the very God who made us and loves us more than we could imagine. Without the cross, there is no way to cross over to the other side of relationship with Him. Any attempt will fail. He is the Only Way.
2. It provides opportunity for forgiveness of sin.
Through the price that Jesus paid on Calvary, we have the chance to be forgiven of our own sin. He took our sin and shame upon His very shoulders. He took the blows on our behalf so we wouldn't have to suffer. Such incredible love. Such amazing sacrifice.
3. It provides freedom to all those who believe.
Freedom from the shackles of sin. Freedom from shame. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from hopelessness. Freedom from despair. Freedom from addiction. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from darkness and eternal separation from God.
4. It provides new life.
We are not only forgiven and set free, but we have a whole new life and destiny through Christ. We are changed, from the inside. He renews our minds. He changes our hearts and desires. He gives us fresh purpose for every day set before us.
5. It provides power for us to live today.
When Jesus died on the cross, and was buried, it didn't stop there. The final picture of all that the cross provides lies in the powerful Resurrection of our Lord. He won. He didn't stay dead. His power broke through, and that same power is alive within us today. As believers, God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit, living and moving through us each day.
6. It provides the way to have victory over the enemy (Satan).
We don't have to fear him or his attacks. As we live aware of his traps, the power of Christ over our lives gives us a covering and protection from his evil schemes. We're not left to fend for ourselves. We don't fight in our own strength. We can stand strong in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
7. It provides for us an eternal heavenly home.
We never need to fear about what will happen when we die. In Christ we have been given the gift of eternal life. This earth is only our temporary home. God is preparing a place for us, with Him, to live forever. And you can be assured it will be far greater than we could ever imagine.
Suggested Prayer:
Dear God, thank You for your great gift of love and sacrifice, so that we can live free. Thank You for the power of the cross and the Resurrection. We ask that the truth of it all sinks deeply into our hearts and changes us forever. Fill us fresh with your Spirit today. In Jesus' Name, Amen
_______________
~ by Debbie McDaniel (https://www.debbiemcdaniel.com)
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The Death of Death
"Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ~ John 11:26
When Jesus died on the cross, He conquered sin. But when He rose again from the dead, He defeated death.
Death is not a subject we usually want to discuss. But when you get down to it, that is what Easter is all about. Easter is about the death of death, because Jesus came to conquer death.
We don’t like to discuss this subject of dying. It is a hard subject for us to talk about. Many don’t even want to use the word death. They will use other words, like passed away or expired. We will refer to someone who has died as “the dearly departed.”
Some, in an attempt to avoid its seriousness, will make light of it with expressions like “kicked the bucket” or “cashed in their chips.” We don’t want to deal with death. It is a hard subject to grapple with.
Easter is a day that marks the death of death. Death died when Christ rose. Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” ~ John 11:25–26
You may be thinking, “Greg, are you crazy? What are you talking about—death died? People still die. Don’t you watch the news? Haven’t you heard about all of the horrible things that are happening in our world right now and the deaths of so many people? How can you say that death died?”
I understand that we die. I understand that our bodies go into a grave. But here is what I am saying to you: death is not the end. Sure our bodies go into the ground, but the soul lives on forever. The Bible says that one day our bodies will be resurrected as well.
This is the hope of Easter. Death is not the end of the road; it is only a bend in the road. When Jesus died and rose, He rendered death powerless.
________________
~ by Pastor Greg Laurie (https://www.harvest.org)
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Mother Teresa on Roe v. Wade
“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”
“America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships.”
“It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society.”
“It has portrayed the greatest of gifts — a child — as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered domination over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters.”
“And in granting this unconscionable power, it has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners.”
“Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign.”
~ Mother Teresa (February 1973)
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Sitting at the Feet of God
"Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice.” ~ Luke 11:28
As we spend time in His presence today, I pray that God will speak clearly as we learn to listen to His voice.
• If God would speak audibly to you right now, what would you like Him to say?
• Are there questions you would like Him to answer?
• Directions you wish He would give?
• Wisdom you need from His omniscience?
These questions seem almost facetious, don’t they? Have you ever heard God speak in an audible voice? I haven’t. Does this mean that God does not speak to us? Not at all. He just doesn’t always speak in the way we expect. And we also have to make time to listen.
Today is Wednesday of Holy Week. The Bible doesn’t record a single event of this day. But we do know that Jesus was staying with His disciples at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany (a suburb of Jerusalem).
How did He spend the day?
Probably teaching His followers about tomorrow's trials, preparing them for the shock and pain they would soon face. He likely comforted His close friends on the eve of His arrest. And He prepared Himself to go to the cross for us. As Jesus often prayed early in the morning (Mark 1:35) and late at night (Luke 6:12), so He spent this day in communion with His Father.
When last did you spend time listening to your King?
His Spirit speaks to us rationally through the words of Scripture and the use of our minds. He speaks to us practically through circumstances and people. He speaks to us intuitively as He moves in our emotions and attitudes.
The point is: God wants us to hear His voice and know His will even more than we do. We just need to make time to listen.
Mother Teresa said that when she began her religious life, she spent 90 percent of her prayer time talking to God. At the end of her life, she was spending 90 percent of her prayer time listening to God.
Let’s follow her example today.
Listening to God is a vital part of knowing God as we love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. But it is also a means to the end of helping other people know Him as well.
When we love Jesus by sitting at His feet and listening to His voice, He will usually show us how we are to love someone else in response. Then they will be drawn to love our Lord, hear His voice, and lead someone else to Him. In this way, God’s kingdom multiplies across our world.
Whom will you tell about your Savior today?
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~ published by: Denison Ministries
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Does That Really Hurt?
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” ~ Psalms 23:1-4
Have you ever seen a small child fall down, tripping over their shoe laces or accidentally bumping their head against the wall? There is, in the aftermath, a moment that seems to be frozen in time.
• Is the child going to cry?
• Are they truly injured?
A parent will often preempt the response by making a joke or encouraging their kid that they are ok.
Sometimes we cry because of the fear of pain rather than the experience of pain itself.
Once we get a taste for pain, it is easy to become overly fearful of it. We adopt a confirmation bias. Out of our fear of it, we are looking for pain.
This threat permeates our worldview. Everything could hurt. Everything might offend me. We find what we are looking for. And so many of us are looking for pain, peering for it around every corner.
Our perspective often invents offenses. We want to justify our way of thinking, eager to blame others for our hurt, dissatisfaction, or ineptitude. We act as though things hurt when really we are just trying to massage the circumstances to get our way.
• Does it really hurt?
• Or have I learned that tears get me attention?
Obviously, we can push too far in this direction. Acknowledging what truly hurts is vitally important. We have to be able to honestly name sorrow when it strikes. But we must be equally able to see when it is just the threat of pain that scared us into offense or sadness or anger. We should not cover up true pain. Neither should we adopt imagined pain.
If we want to live a life of truth, we need to be able to ask ourselves, "Does this really hurt?" and have the courage to answer truthfully.
_____________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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Joy in Every Circumstance
~ Today we’re going to make space together to simply open our hearts and minds to receive the joy of the Father. I hope and pray that you find real, life-changing joy in God’s presence today.
The joy of the Lord available to us in the Holy Spirit transcends all circumstances, relationships, and possessions. It is an internal joy fed to our hearts by the wellspring of joy the Father has toward us. God longs to make us a people marked by His joy. He longs to fill us with the knowledge of how thrilled He is to be our Father. He longs to make us a joyful people in every circumstance and season.
1 Peter 1:6-9 says:
"You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
We can have joy in the midst of trial and tribulation because we have a genuine faith that this life is not all there is. Our hope reaches far beyond the confines of this fleeting age of sin and separation from God and looks toward the day when we will live in perfect, face-to-face relationship with our Creator. Every trial and tribulation is an opportunity to cling to the truth that this world is not our home, and to be filled with joy at the thought of what awaits us on the other side of this life.
James 1:2-4 says:
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
While God may not cause the various trials we face, He most certainly uses them to cause our joy to find its source in Him alone. Our heavenly Father knows that if we place our joy in the fleeting and fickle circumstances of this life our lives will be an emotional rollercoaster rather than a reflection of how consistently good He is.
Your heavenly Father has a compassionate heart toward the problems you face. He never desires for you to act, or try and drum up faith that everything will be all right. He longs to meet you at the very core of your trial and fill you with abundant joy that’s rooted in His love alone. He longs to guide you through the tough seasons of life that try and rob you of your allotted portion of joy. He longs to make your faith steadfast and sure, so you can meet the tribulations of this world head-on with joy. Run to your Father today with every weight and problem. Ask Him to guide you to the still waters that your soul might be restored. And receive all the joy He longs to give you today as you encounter His deep and powerful love for you.
May Mother Teresa’s words spur you toward a lifestyle of joy today:
“Joy is prayer – Joy is strength – Joy is love – Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and the people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.”
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/joy-in-every-circumstance-2023/
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Returned from Exile
~ God offers grace, not condemnation, to all who acknowledge their mistakes and ask for help.
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-32
Jesus’ resurrection — the heart of the gospel — promises us resurrection as well. When He comes again, we will rise from physical death (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But the Lord promises more, which is described in the story of the Prodigal Son.
After taking his inheritance, the son assumed he could choose the life he wanted. Instead, he wasted everything — which is the definition of prodigal — and ended up with a life more like death. Penniless and alone, he at last “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17) and realized the full life he longed for was waiting back at home.
Great need motivated the young man to return home, but he didn’t assume that a full life would be restored; he hoped only for a servant’s existence. But the father, feeling that the son’s return warranted gracious extravagance, said, “Bring out the best robe ... let’s eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again” (vv. 22-24).
Whenever we have chosen the way of death and find ourselves in a spiritual “far country,” we can remember the prodigal’s story. Like him, we can respond to the Spirit-given change of heart that draws us home. The Father’s extravagant grace awaits all who return.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/returned-from-exile
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A Perspective On Possession
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” ~ 1 Timothy 6:7
Our materialistic society advises we live our lives a bit like Pac-Man, gobbling up everything around us. To be like a child who shouts “Mine!” as soon as they see any toy in the possession of another. But reality is that everything we ever possess is just passing through our hands, on the way to somewhere else.
Recognizing this reality allows us to adopt a stewardship approach to all we own. The question of a steward is not “How can I continue to possess?” This is because the steward recognizes that they are only managing on behalf of someone else. The proper stewardship question is “What is my proper duty?” while this temporarily passes through our hands.
We are stewards for God in this life. God is the true owner of all. We know this by faith. But even observation tells us this is reality. We are only owners for a time. Someone else will eventually possess all we currently possess.
We may be entrusted for a while with land, money, houses, or investments. We have gifts, imagination, emotion, and skills. But in the end, it all belongs to God. The power of this truth unlocks our freedom, our participation, and our truest perspective. We no longer need to cling. We need not worry about loss. We can free our focus to steward well. Peace and truth are found in this fact: The Lord is The Lord of All.
_____________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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What Seeds are You Sowing?
“Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows that will they also reap.” ~ Galatians 6:7
The Bible has a lot to say about “sowing seeds” – and rightly so. We all sow (plant) seeds on a daily basis, and we will reap a harvest of exactly what we sow – later than we planted and more than we planted. Later than we planted because it takes time for the seed to grow, and more than we planted because a single seed can sprout into an abundance of crop – and it also multiplies the original single seed into many seeds of like kind.
So, the question is: “What seeds are we planting on a daily basis?”
If we’re filling our minds and time with ungodly thoughts, words, actions and deeds – then that is exactly what we will reap – and like seed will be spewed unto our circle of influence of family, friends, and associates.
On the other hand, when we fill our minds and time with the Word (Bible), seek to know and do God’s will – then we are sowing godly seeds, that will reap the fruits of the Spirit springing forth from us onto our circle of influence.
The seeds that we are sowing also have eternal consequences – as pointed out in Galatians 5:
“Now the works of the flesh are obvious: adultery, sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, murders, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (verse 19-22)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (verse 22-25)
I pray that you will continually seek out – and walk in – the paths of righteousness as taught and demonstrated by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Trust me – you will never regret planting the godly seeds in your life.
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Parting Words: Love One Another
~ Leading others to Jesus begins with caring the way He does.
Scripture Reading:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” ~ John 13:34-35
What does it look like to love God and to follow Jesus?
Hundreds of voices around us shout very different answers to such questions. Believe this! Do that! Follow me! It can be confusing, even frightening, to a genuine seeker longing to know God.
But in today’s passage, we learn how Jesus wants believers to act on their faith — during His last dinner with the disciples, He simply encouraged them to “love one another.” This, Jesus says, is how the world will know we are His followers. Love will be the fruit, the sign, the proof.
What does this love look like?
That’s a fair question, and Jesus has that covered, too: “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34 NLT). Turning with compassion to the hungry, sick, fearful, and vulnerable, Jesus spent His life putting aside status in order to serve. He confronted the greedy and those using God’s name to amass power for themselves. In a startling act of humble service, He got down on the floor to wash the feet of His followers. And soon after, He went to the cross in the most stunning display of love in history.
Our marching orders, then, are to love in the ways Jesus loved.
This is how the world will know we are His. This is how the world will know Him.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/parting-words-love-one-another
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The Triumphal Entry
“The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: “Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One — the King of Israel!”
“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: Fear no more, Daughter Zion. “Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt” [Zechariah 9:9].
“His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with Him, continued to testify that He had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.”
“Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look — the world has gone after Him!”
Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion
“Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. So, they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
“Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
“I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. The one who loves their life will lose it, and the one who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, they must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor them.”
“Now My soul is troubled. What should I say — Father, save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!”
“Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!”
“The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.”
“Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for Me, but for you. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself.” He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.”
“Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
“Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where they’re going. While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light.”
“Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.”
Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled
“Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him. But this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, which he said:
“Lord, who has believed our message? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to?” [Isaiah 53:1]
“This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them.” [Isaiah 6:10]
“Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.”
“Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”
A Summary of Jesus’ Mission
“Then Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My words and doesn’t keep them, I do not judge them; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects Me and doesn’t accept My sayings has this as their judge:
“The word I have spoken will judge them on the last day. For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak. I know that His command is eternal life. So, the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
~ John 12:12-50
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Do You Want God’s Best?
~ Surrender everything to the Lord to discover the blessings He longs to pour into your life.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 37:3-8
We previously looked at Psalm 37:4 and read that God promises to give us the desires of our hearts. Today, let’s also look at the surrounding verses. This passage is one many people take out of context, forgetting the role they play.
What is our responsibility when it comes to claiming this promise from God?
We must …
• Delight ourselves in the Lord (v.4): As Christians, we should rejoice in God. He deserves top priority in our life.
• Commit our way to Him (v.5): We must allow God to change any aspect of our ambition that is not aligned with His will. It’s good to remember that when He doesn’t answer prayers as we wish, it’s for a reason.
• Trust in Him (v.5): God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous. We can trust Him with our hopes and dreams.
• Rest in Him (v.7): Resting in the Lord means being at peace with His care and control in your life.
• Wait patiently upon Him (v.7): Jesus waited decades before beginning His ministry. Like Him, we should be patient.
Remember, the Lord longs to give His followers "fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11) and abundant blessings “beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). And when we surrender everything to Him, we’ll experience our Father’s best.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/do-you-want-god-s-best
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The Daily Article — March 22, 2024
More than 1 in 5 Gen Z Americans now identify as LGBTQ+
According to the latest poll from Gallup, more than one in five Gen Z adults in the US — people born between 1997 and 2012 — now identify as LGBTQ+.
But while that number may seem high, it’s right in line with the changes in sexuality from generation to generation. The study found that people in each generation are roughly twice as likely as the one preceding it to identify as LGBTQ+. If the trend continues, then nearly half of those who come after Gen Z will share a non-heterosexual identity.
What is more interesting than the overall statistics, however, is the breakdown of how they got there.
You see, the most common LGBTQ+ status among Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X is bisexual rather than homosexual. That’s a marked change from older generations, where the two identities are roughly equal. Moreover, Gen Z women are nearly three times as likely as men to identify as LGBTQ+, with more than two-thirds of them affiliating with the B part of that acronym.
As such, while 4.4 percent of the adult population identifies as bisexual, it’s a designation claimed by 57.3 percent of the LGBTQ+ population.
A Binary Distinction
I bring all of this up today because when we hear these statistics, it’s easy to forget how much diversity exists within an acronym that encompasses essentially every sexual orientation besides heterosexual individuals. And that kind of binary distinction is intentional.
After all, adults who identify as lesbian (1.2 percent), gay (1.4 percent), or transgender (0.9 percent) remain a distinct minority within the culture. And the same proportions are largely true of Gen Z as well where, despite an LGBTQ+ population nearly three times greater than the national average, only 3 percent, 2.6 percent, and 2.8 percent identify as L, G, and T, respectively.
But when you think about how LGBTQ+ normalization is often portrayed in the culture, how do those statistics compare with the national narrative?
From Tolerance to Acceptance
When the movement to normalize LGBTQ+ activity first began to gain momentum, the stated goal was tolerance. In the decades since, however, it has largely shifted to acceptance and validation.
And understandably so.
After all, very few of us would be all right with just being tolerated. We were created to crave a deeper level of relationship than simple tolerance affords. As such, it was only natural for the goalposts to shift once toleration was achieved. And that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
So how should we respond?
A Choice We All Must Make
The choice each of us must make is ultimately whether we will condemn Scripture or condemn actions that Scripture clearly calls sin.
And we need to understand that choice is one each of us will eventually have to make. The only question is how far down the path toward acceptance we’ll go before making it.
I wish that weren’t the case, and as we stand for a biblical view of sexuality, it’s imperative that we do so in a way that honors God and demonstrates His love to those with whom we disagree. But, ultimately, the least loving thing we can do is encourage people to continue living in a way that God can’t bless.
That doesn’t mean we should go looking for a fight or even that we volunteer our beliefs on this subject. People are more than their sexual identity, and our approach to them should reflect that. But if pressed for an answer, God’s Word is clear what that answer must be, and we shouldn’t apologize for it or be ashamed by it.
So, the next time you’re forced to choose between affirming Scripture or affirming what Scripture calls sin, which path will you take?
Decide now because it will only get more difficult the longer you wait.
NOTE: For more on what the Bible teaches on this subject and why, please see “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” and “What does the Bible say about transgenderism?”
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~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/more-than-1-in-5-gen-z-americans-now-identify-as-lgbtq/
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Willing to Wait for God’s Way
~ Trust the Lord to bring you His best at the right time.
Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3:24-26
Many of us struggle when it comes to disciplining ourselves in the area of instant gratification. There are so many things we want now. And to make matters worse, we usually have the ability to follow through on our desires. That’s what the credit card industry is all about: Have it now; pay later. But finances aren’t the only area where we get into trouble. Being in a hurry to get married can lead to an unwise choice of a spouse. Or being in a rush for career success might tempt us not to consider whether our pursuit aligns with God’s plans.
Why do you think the Lord wants us to wait?
One reason is to protect us from our own self-destructive ways. Those who can’t say no to their own desires end up enslaved to them. God wants us to be mature believers who have the character and self-restraint to wait for Him to provide in His perfect time. Because the heavenly Father is omniscient, He alone knows what’s best. You can trust that if He asks you to wait, He has something more wonderful in mind than you could ever provide for yourself.
Does anything seem to have power over you?
If so, it may be an area that requires the practice of self-restraint. Yield to the Lord and submit your desires to Him. Then, begin saying no to temptations as you wait for God to reveal His perfect plan.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/willing-to-wait-for-god-s-way-2
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What’s Your Thorn in the Flesh?
“Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
The passage above describes a "messenger of Satan" that the Apostle Paul was dealing with. Most Bible scholars understand this to be a physical ailment – but, could it not as easily been a pesky sin that would occasionally rear its ugly head? As a born-again believer, I believe that we all have experienced those times when we are on a peak of our walk with Christ, when all of a sudden, BAM! the “messenger of Satan” – that pesky sin that we can’t seem to shake off no matter how much we plead with the Lord to remove it – rears its ugly head – and there we are: feeling weak, ashamed, defeated and downright unworthy of being called a child of God.
I believe that the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from telling us what his “thorn in the flesh” to be because the Lord knows full well that all of His followers will experience a thorn in our flesh as long as we are alive in this fallen world; whether it be a physical ailment, other certain person(s) or types of persons, sin, etc.
The good news is that the Lord’s grace is sufficient for all that we are going through – we just need to continually ask and receive it.
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Good word brother!
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The Damage of Prayerlessness
~ Discouragement comes when we try to carry our load alone, but help is just a prayer away.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 4:2-6
Jesus often slipped away to spend quiet moments with His Father. If the Son of God needed prayer time, then we surely can’t live well without it. Yesterday we saw that those who “go it alone” become weary from bearing unnecessary burdens. Now let’s see the results of carrying that extra weight throughout life.
When we’re drained spiritually, emotionally, or physically, we become susceptible to discouragement. Loss of confidence is soon followed by doubt. A believer immersed in prayer and Scripture reading will find security in God’s power and presence. Joshua was exhorted to meditate on the Law, because his success was dependent on following God’s will (Joshua 1:8-9). Keeping the Lord at the center of our focus, coupled with regular Bible reading and prayer, builds confidence. But someone who questions His faithfulness will seek refuge everywhere except in those disciplines.
Forsaking prayer causes a downward slide — but the direction can be reversed at any time. It’s simple:
Confess your prayerlessness, and then make a priority of regular quiet time with God. In those moments of communion, He will make burdens light, offer encouragement, and fill you with confidence.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-damage-of-prayerlessness-2
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Does the Bible Say True Christians Never Sin?
Today we dip into the Ask Pastor John podcast inbox:
“Pastor John, my name is Jake from Mexico. What does 1 John 5:18 mean?”
That’s the end of the question. And I’ll go ahead and read the text from the ESV:
“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but He who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
Pastor John what does this text mean?
I am not sure what part of this verse Jake is stumbling over. There are three things he could stumble over.
1. “Everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning” — what does that mean?
2. “He who was born of God protects him” — what does that mean?
3. “The evil one does not touch him” — whoa, really? What does that mean?
So, I am not sure which of those three he is stumbling over, so maybe I better say a word about each one.
Habitual Sin:
And what I am thinking is maybe Jake is reading the King James Version or the New American Standard Version of that first clause, because it is even more perplexing. The King James says, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” That is the King James. The New American Standard says, “We know that no one who is born of God sins.” So, I would join Jake, if I read those, and say, “Huh, really? Christians don’t sin?”
That sounds truly problematical — “Christians never sin.”
I met a woman one time who believed that. She threw 1 John 5:18 and 1 John 3:9 at me. And I asked, “Well, what do you call the bad things you do?” And she had invented a lot of names for her sins, like: mistakes and flaws and shortcomings and imperfections, but she was adamant. I don’t sin.
Tense Help:
Now the ESV is right to translate “we know that everyone who has been born of God” — and then it translates the verb — “does not keep on sinning,” which helps a little bit, maybe. First John 3:9 has the same issue:
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”
Now I could pull rank with Greek here — which I will — and then I will back up and say that is not the key issue.
The idea of the Greek present tense — “hamartanei" in 1 John 5:18 — which is being used is that those who are born again and have the Spirit of God in them cannot ever make peace with sin, settle in with sin, make sin a friend, be okay with sinning — just go on sinning as though no war needs to be made against it, and nothing will come of it if we do. The present tense says: no, you can’t do that, you can’t make a practice of sinning like that.
Context Clues:
But if you don’t know Greek, you don’t have to trust me at this point, because there are a couple of other reasons why non-Greek readers know that this text does not mean that Christians don’t ever do anything wrong.
First John 5:16, two verses earlier:
“If anyone sees his brother [a Christian] committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life.”
So, he can’t mean that Christians don’t sin, because he just gave instruction for how to help Christians who do sin.
The same thing is true in 1 John 1:8–10:
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.”
So, in the meaning of 1 John 5:18, I think here in the context, the first and obvious meaning would be:
The one who is born of God does not sin unto death; that is, we don’t make peace with sin, settle into a pattern of sinning that will destroy us in the end, prove that we are not truly born of God and are not truly Christians. Christians walk in the light, and, according to 1 John 1:8–10, walking in the light is not sinlessness. It is walking in a way that you have eyes to see in the light the ugliness of what you just did, and you are sorry for it. You confess it. You keep short accounts with God, and you move on.
So, I think “does not sin” means (1) doesn’t commit the sin unto death, and (2) doesn’t settle into a pattern of sinning that proves you have no spiritual life in you.
Christ Our Protector:
Second issue: “He who was born of God protects him.” I think that means that Christ — who is called the one born of God, the only begotten of God, the eternally virgin-born Spirit, but born by the Spirit Son of God, Christ — guards us from the devil.
He intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25), and He is with us to the end of the age helping us, (Matthew 28:20), and His blood covers us (Ephesians 2:13) and keeps us safe from Satan’s accusations because none of them can hold because Christ has died for us.
Safe from Satan:
Third issue: “The evil one does not touch him.” The devil’s accusations and temptations and harassments can hurt us terribly, but they can never destroy us. There is no deadly touch. There is no poisonous bite. His fangs were removed at the cross, and his lethal poison is taken away from believers. He cannot destroy us.
So, I take “cannot touch us” to mean that Satan can’t touch us with any deadly touch. He can hurt us terribly. I don’t want to minimize Satan’s realty in this world. He can throw us in prison and he can move others to kill us, according to Revelation 2:10. But he can’t hurt us ultimately. He can’t touch us with the touch of destruction and damnation. That has been taken out of his hand by the blood of Jesus. Jesus did that when He died on the cross according to Colossians 2:15. He disarmed the principalities and powers when He died and shed His blood.
So, the only begotten of God is, indeed, our perfect and everlasting protector.
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~ by Pastor John Piper, Founder & Teacher (desiringGod.org)
https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/does-the-bible-say-true-christians-never-sin
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The Price of Prayerlessness
~ God invites you to bring your burdens to Him every day.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:28-31
God wants us to talk with Him, and Matthew 7:7-8 is an invitation to speak with Him about anything. Jesus said if we have a need, we’re to ask; if we seek answers, we’ll find them; if we want opportunities to open up, He will respond when we knock. Even so, many of us don’t spend as much time in prayer as we should.
Forsaking prayer can be costly. If we don’t spend time with the Lord, we might find ourselves on a slippery slope, sliding through weariness, discouragement, and doubt. Today let’s look at the first of these. Tomorrow we can examine the other two.
Certain situations take an emotional, physical, and/or spiritual toll — we call these burdens. They can wear us out if we attempt to endure them alone. But God doesn’t intend for that weight to fall on our shoulders. In fact, the Bible tells us to cast those loads on the Lord, who sustains us and “daily bears our burden” (Psalm 55:22; Psalm 68:19).
Hauling all our worries and cares around is exhausting because we are not built for such loads. In God’s design, His strength fills the believer to capacity. Picture Jesus’ shoulders just above your own — with Him bearing your problems. The burden may not disappear, but it feels blessedly lighter when you hand it over to the Lord.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-price-of-prayerlessness-2
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