by dailyd | Oct 15, 2018 | More
Topic: Trust Him First
Read: Isaiah 46:3–13, Bible in a Year: Isaiah 45–46; 1 Thessalonians 3
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 nlt
“Don’t let go, Dad!”
“I won’t. I’ve got you. I promise.”
I was a little boy terrified of the water, but my dad wanted me to learn to swim. He would purposefully take me away from the side of the pool into a depth that was over my head, where he was my only support. Then he would teach me to relax and float.
It wasn’t just a swimming lesson; it was a lesson in trust. I knew my father loved me and would never let me be harmed intentionally, but I was also afraid. I would cling tightly to his neck until he reassured me all would be well. Eventually his patience and kindness won out, and I began to swim. But I had to trust him first.
When I feel “over my head” in a difficulty, I sometimes think back on those moments. They help me call to mind the Lord’s reassurance to His people: “Even to your old age . . . I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you” (Isaiah 46:4).
We may not always be able to feel God’s arms beneath us, but the Lord has promised that He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). As we rest in His care and promises, He helps us learn to trust in His faithfulness. He lifts us above our worries to discover new peace in Him.
Prayer: Abba, Father, I praise You for carrying me through life. Please give me faith to trust that You are always with me.
God carries us to new places of grace as we trust in Him.
Insight:
For further reading on trust in God during difficult times, see the free booklet Anchors in the Storm at discoveryseries.org/hp073.
This message was written By James Banks [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]
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by dailyd | Oct 15, 2018 | More
Topic: There Is Hope
Text: Ezra 10:1-14 (KJV)
Key Verse: “…We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing” (Ezra 10:2).
MESSAGE:
Most often, it has been discovered that people fail in life not because of the enormity of their problems, but because they give up easily and are not ready to take personal responsibility for their circumstances. Actually quitters never win.
The passage reveals the challenges Ezra and some concerned leaders faced in bringing Israel back to God from their backslidden state. They prayed, wept, confessed, repented and made restitutions. It is clear from their action and attitude that they clearly understood the maxim that “Every cloud has a silver lining”.
The uniform testimony of the Scripture is that as much as God is angry with sin, He loves the sinner and is ready to deliver those who follow the path of repentance and rectitude. A lot of problems with individuals and society will be solved, if we pray aright rather than search for answers where they don’t exist. Going to the mountains, visiting prophets, paying and compensating people to hold vigils on our behalf will amount to nothing if we do not sincerely repent. You can experience positive change, if you simply look inwards, own up to your faults, confess them to God, repent of them, make restitutions where necessary and yield to Christ completely. This will definitely open the door of recovery, revival and renewal in your life. Be courageous to do it because there is still hope for you.
Thought For The Day: The darker your night, the brighter your dawn when you repent.
Bible Reading In One Year: Matthew 8:14; Mark 4-5
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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DCLM Daily Manna 14 October 2018 – Stand And Be Counted
by dailyd | Oct 15, 2018 | More
Topic: Experience Jesus [Billy Graham Devotional 15 October 2018]
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. — John 6:63
To one of the most religious men of His day, Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Nicodemus could not substitute his profound knowledge of religion for spiritual rebirth, and neither can we. I have read a book on water skiing, and it did not take long for me to learn that I could never learn to water ski by reading a book-I would have to experience it.
I have read a number of books on golf, but none of them seems to improve my game; I must get out on the golf course and play. You may study theology and religion, but there comes a time when you must experience Christ for yourself.
Prayer for the day: Lord, You have given me life and I praise You!
Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.
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Billy Graham Devotional 14 October 2018 — Pure in Heart
by dailyd | Oct 15, 2018 | More
Topic: New Revelation Of Love
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.“
Jesus previously stated that all the law and the prophets were dependent on loving God first, and then loving your neighbor as yourself. These truths were already in the law but people missed them. So, this commandment was not new in the sense that it had never been given before, but it was brought to the forefront and given new meaning through the example of Jesus. Jesus not only loved His neighbor as Himself, He loved us more than Himself.
John, the apostle who wrote this gospel, later wrote about the new commandment of love. No doubt, he received his inspiration from this teaching of Jesus. John wrote, “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth” (1 Jn. 2:7-8). He then goes on to speak of loving one another.
This commandment, or the revelation that God gave to man through His Word, wasn’t new, but was never clearly seen by men because of the darkness that separated them from God. In the light of Jesus’ life, the darkness was removed and the old commandment of love became new through the example of Jesus in a way that mere words could never express.
This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).
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by dailyd | Oct 15, 2018 | More
Topic: Nothing But Christ
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. — Matthew 14:23
I’ve tried to imagine what it would have been like to go to Corinth or other Greek cities at the time of Paul and try to speak to those wise, brilliant thinkers. After studying every parchment given to me, and gaining knowledge of all their arguments, I would have prayed for God to help me overcome their objections.
We don’t know what Paul did, but his answer is astounding. Instead of going after them with great reasoning and sharp logic, he went in exactly the opposite direction. He stayed in Corinth a year and a half, and many came to Christ because of him.
Later, when he wrote 1 Corinthians, he said, For I made the decision to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (2:2).
That’s amazing. If any man had the ability to reason with those Greeks and could show them the fallacies of their logic, surely that man was Paul. But, being led by the Holy Spirit, he chose a defenseless presentation—to let God speak through him and touch the hearts of the people.
Now, centuries later, I appreciate his approach—although I didn’t always feel this way. For a long time I wanted to explain and reason out everything, but when that didn’t work, I ended up feeling miserable.
I’ve always been curious, always wanted to know, and always wanted to figure out the answer. Then, God began to work in my life. He showed me that my constant drive to figure it out caused me confusion and prevented me from receiving many of the things He wanted me to have. He said, “You must lay aside carnal reasoning if you expect to have discernment.”
I didn’t like loose ends, so I felt more secure when I figured things out. I wanted to be in control of every detail of every situation. When I didn’t understand or was unable to figure things out, I felt out of control. And that was frightening to me. Something was wrong—I was troubled and had no peace of mind. Sometimes, frustrated and exhausted, I would just give up.
It was a long battle for me because I finally admitted something to myself (God knew it all along): I was addicted to reasoning. It was more than a tendency or desire to figure out things. It was a compulsion. I had to have answers—and had to have them right now. When God was finally able to convince me of my addiction, I was able to give it up.
It wasn’t easy. Like people who withdraw from drugs or alcohol, I had withdrawal symptoms. I felt lost. Frightened. Alone. I had always depended on my ability to figure things out. Now, like Paul, I had to depend on God.
Too many people assume that relying only on God is something we do easily and naturally. It didn’t work that way with me. But God was gracious and patient with me. It was as if He’d whisper, “You’re not there yet, Joyce, but you’re making progress. It’s uncomfortable because you’re learning a new way to live.”
God wants us to be victorious—and I knew that all along. Now I walk in greater victory than ever before—and I no longer try to reason out everything before I act.
Prayer Starter: Heavenly Father, thank You for being so patient with me and people like me who feel we must have all the answers before we can act or trust. In the name of Jesus, help me to simply trust in You, knowing that You will give me what is best for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’
From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.
Joyce Meyer Devotional 13 October 2018 — Solitude
by dailyd | Oct 14, 2018 | More
Topic: Ask the Animals
Read: Job 12:7–10, Bible in a Year: Isaiah 43–44; 1 Thessalonians 2
Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you. Job 12:7
Our grandkids, enraptured, got a close-up look at a rescued bald eagle. They were even allowed to touch him. As the zoo volunteer told about the powerful bird perched on her arm, I was surprised to learn this male had a wingspan of about six and one-half feet, yet because of its hollow bones it weighed only about eight pounds.
This reminded me of the majestic eagle I had seen soaring above a lake, ready to swoop down and snatch its prey in its talons. And I pictured in my mind another big bird—the spindly legged blue heron I had spied standing motionless on the edge of a pond. It was poised to dart its long beak into the water. They’re just two among the nearly 10,000 species of birds that can direct our thoughts to our Creator.
In the book of Job, Job’s friends are debating the reasons for his suffering and ask, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?” (see 11:5–9). In response Job declares, “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you” (Job 12:7). Animals testify to the truth that God designed, cares for, and controls His creation: “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” (v. 10).
Since God cares for birds (Matthew 6:26; 10:29), we can be assured He loves and cares for you and me, even when we don’t understand our circumstances. Look around and learn of Him.
God’s world teaches us about Him.
Insight:
Gaining a good grasp of the book of Job requires us to understand its literary structure. Though the book begins (chs. 1–2) and ends (42:7–16) in narrative format, the bulk of the book is comprised of speeches packaged in poetry (3:1–42:6), including the stunning monologue of the Almighty Himself (38:1–41:34). By the time the reader comes to chapter 12, all three of Job’s friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—have spoken once. Two more series of speeches follow, and in the last series a fourth counselor (Elihu) enters the picture (chs. 32–37). In their well-ordered and reasoned speeches, each friend offers explanations for Job’s calamities and prescriptions for a remedy. Job himself is the speaker in chapter 12, where he indicts the denseness of his first three accusers. He directs them to nature which teaches us about the supremacy and sovereignty of God. In verses 7–8, the language of instruction is quite clear: Animals “will teach”; birds “will tell”; the earth “will teach”; the fish will “inform.” Without a word they witness to the wisdom and greatness of God.
Can you recall a time when you were prompted to reflect on God’s greatness by something in nature?
Arthur Jackson
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