BIBLE MEDITATION:
Philippians 4:4 - “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Happiness comes from outside circumstances. Joy comes from within. It’s cruel to say to people who are in sorrow, “Smile and be happy.” It’s better to come alongside and mourn with them than to try to force the square peg of happiness into a round hole of sorrow. The human life is a life of tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and pain. Yet in every difficulty, you can find joy. Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job.
ACTION POINT:
There is someone in a nursing home who longs for that joy. Find some time this week to bring the joy of the Lord to them.
Showing posts with label donations.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label donations.. Show all posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
It's just one head....Christ Jesus.
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Romans 12:5 - “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
My left hand is a member of my body. So is my right hand. The right hand cannot direct the left hand and vice versa. But both hands can receive instruction from the head. If one hand is connected to the head and the other hand is connected to the head, then it simply follows that our hands are going to submit one to another. They’re not going to fight one another.
It’s the same way in the Body of Christ — the church. Who is the head of the body? The Lord Jesus Christ. Who are the members of the body? You and I. God put us in the church together that we might have a spirit of submission in the fear of the Lord.
ACTION POINT:
Is there someone in the church with whom you’re having difficulties? Submit yourself to the Lord and allow Him to give you grace to submit one to another.
Romans 12:5 - “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
My left hand is a member of my body. So is my right hand. The right hand cannot direct the left hand and vice versa. But both hands can receive instruction from the head. If one hand is connected to the head and the other hand is connected to the head, then it simply follows that our hands are going to submit one to another. They’re not going to fight one another.
It’s the same way in the Body of Christ — the church. Who is the head of the body? The Lord Jesus Christ. Who are the members of the body? You and I. God put us in the church together that we might have a spirit of submission in the fear of the Lord.
ACTION POINT:
Is there someone in the church with whom you’re having difficulties? Submit yourself to the Lord and allow Him to give you grace to submit one to another.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Because of Love....
BIBLE MEDITATION:
John 10:17b-18 - “...because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The true depth of the Savior’s love becomes apparent when you consider an important truth — Jesus Christ is the only person who ever chose to die. “But what about kamikaze pilots in World War II? What about soldiers who, having heard the ominous 'click' of a land mine, bravely stood still until their buddies could scurry to safety?” They didn’t choose to die in the final sense of the word; they only chose when to die. You and I and everyone yet to be will die eventually, but there was only One who did not have to die. Nails didn’t hold our Savior to the tree. Silver cords of love and golden bonds of redemption held Him there.
ACTION POINT:
Read Psalm 22, 23, and 24 and rejoice in the provision, protection, and providence of the Good Shepherd!
John 10:17b-18 - “...because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The true depth of the Savior’s love becomes apparent when you consider an important truth — Jesus Christ is the only person who ever chose to die. “But what about kamikaze pilots in World War II? What about soldiers who, having heard the ominous 'click' of a land mine, bravely stood still until their buddies could scurry to safety?” They didn’t choose to die in the final sense of the word; they only chose when to die. You and I and everyone yet to be will die eventually, but there was only One who did not have to die. Nails didn’t hold our Savior to the tree. Silver cords of love and golden bonds of redemption held Him there.
ACTION POINT:
Read Psalm 22, 23, and 24 and rejoice in the provision, protection, and providence of the Good Shepherd!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Where do you go when YOU die ???
BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Corinthians 5:8 - “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man named Solomon Peas died. His tombstone in London reads:
“Beneath these clouds and beneath these trees,
Lies the body of Solomon Peas.
But this ain’t Peas - it’s just the pod.
Peas shelled out and went to God.”
I like that. That’s what your body is. It’s just a pod. What happens to a child of God who has trusted Christ as his personal Savior? When he closes his eyes in this life, he opens them in the next. Jesus did not say, “After two or three thousand years, you’ll be with Me in paradise.” Jesus said, “Today, truly, you’ll be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
ACTION POINT:
Are you confident that, if you died today, you’d be with Jesus in paradise? If not, then confess your sins and believe upon His name to save you. Now, go and tell someone!
2 Corinthians 5:8 - “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man named Solomon Peas died. His tombstone in London reads:
“Beneath these clouds and beneath these trees,
Lies the body of Solomon Peas.
But this ain’t Peas - it’s just the pod.
Peas shelled out and went to God.”
I like that. That’s what your body is. It’s just a pod. What happens to a child of God who has trusted Christ as his personal Savior? When he closes his eyes in this life, he opens them in the next. Jesus did not say, “After two or three thousand years, you’ll be with Me in paradise.” Jesus said, “Today, truly, you’ll be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
ACTION POINT:
Are you confident that, if you died today, you’d be with Jesus in paradise? If not, then confess your sins and believe upon His name to save you. Now, go and tell someone!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
How does God reconcile us to Him ?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Ephesians 2:16 - “And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Up in heaven is the holy God; down below is the sinful man. And sin is the dividing rod that separates. Man has an empty void, so man is constantly trying to reach God. But he keeps rebounding off the sin barrier. Then God, moved in mercy by the pitiful plight of sinful man, said, “I will do something.” God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to make a way. And upon the rough hewn timbers of a cross, Jesus gave His life so you and I could live forever and live forgiven. Jesus built a bridge between man and God. It’s a bridge man could never build and a bridge that man can never take away. God made a way that we couldn’t make — for you and for me.
ACTION POINT:
Since Jesus built a bridge of love for you to be reconciled to God, it’s your turn to build a bridge of love to someone who is lost and searching.
Ephesians 2:16 - “And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Up in heaven is the holy God; down below is the sinful man. And sin is the dividing rod that separates. Man has an empty void, so man is constantly trying to reach God. But he keeps rebounding off the sin barrier. Then God, moved in mercy by the pitiful plight of sinful man, said, “I will do something.” God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to make a way. And upon the rough hewn timbers of a cross, Jesus gave His life so you and I could live forever and live forgiven. Jesus built a bridge between man and God. It’s a bridge man could never build and a bridge that man can never take away. God made a way that we couldn’t make — for you and for me.
ACTION POINT:
Since Jesus built a bridge of love for you to be reconciled to God, it’s your turn to build a bridge of love to someone who is lost and searching.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Do you believe in the Promise ?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
John 3:16 - “That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Your soul, made in the image of God, will exist forever. I think Billy Sunday the evangelist said it this way. “Imagine a little bird taking a grain of sand and flying to a distant planet. It would take him a million years to fly to that distant planet. Then he would drop that grain of sand. Then the little bird would fly back to the earth taking him a million years. He gets another grain of sand and flies back to the distant planet. Back and forth, back and forth it goes. When he will have transplanted every speck of earth to that distant planet, it will only be breakfast time in eternity.” Your soul will go on, and on, and on.
ACTION POINT:
Where do you plan on spending eternity? Where do your loved ones plan on spending it? If you don’t know, ask them today and get their salvation on the right side of eternity.
John 3:16 - “That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Your soul, made in the image of God, will exist forever. I think Billy Sunday the evangelist said it this way. “Imagine a little bird taking a grain of sand and flying to a distant planet. It would take him a million years to fly to that distant planet. Then he would drop that grain of sand. Then the little bird would fly back to the earth taking him a million years. He gets another grain of sand and flies back to the distant planet. Back and forth, back and forth it goes. When he will have transplanted every speck of earth to that distant planet, it will only be breakfast time in eternity.” Your soul will go on, and on, and on.
ACTION POINT:
Where do you plan on spending eternity? Where do your loved ones plan on spending it? If you don’t know, ask them today and get their salvation on the right side of eternity.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
How can we show the love of Christ ?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Luke 6:35 - “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I’ve seen bumper stickers that exhort us to “show random acts of kindness.” I think that’s a good thing. And what is kindness? It’s love in the little things. A woman came down the aisle of a church to give her heart to Christ, and the preacher wanted to know what had impacted her life for Christ. She said, “You did.” The pastor said, “Well, I’d be interested to know what it was that I said that brought you to Christ.” She said, “It was nothing you said. It was something you did. I was standing nearby when somebody criticized you very unfairly. I saw the kindness with which you responded, and I knew that your faith was real.”
ACTION POINT:
What random act of kindness can you do today that will demonstrate that your faith is real?
Luke 6:35 - “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I’ve seen bumper stickers that exhort us to “show random acts of kindness.” I think that’s a good thing. And what is kindness? It’s love in the little things. A woman came down the aisle of a church to give her heart to Christ, and the preacher wanted to know what had impacted her life for Christ. She said, “You did.” The pastor said, “Well, I’d be interested to know what it was that I said that brought you to Christ.” She said, “It was nothing you said. It was something you did. I was standing nearby when somebody criticized you very unfairly. I saw the kindness with which you responded, and I knew that your faith was real.”
ACTION POINT:
What random act of kindness can you do today that will demonstrate that your faith is real?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Pray for real preachers...
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Matthew 10:34 - “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A pulpit committee approached me one time and said, “We need a pastor for our church.” I said, “I know just the guy. He is a fantastic preacher and has a fiery evangelistic spirit, but he has health problems and he’s kind of old.” I continued, “He’s also been in jail several times.” They began to shake their heads, and one said, “Well, we don’t know whether he’s the man we want or not.” I said, “Well, don’t worry; you couldn’t get him. He’s already in heaven, and his name is Paul.” You don’t want a guy who can rub shoulders with the people of this world and not rub any salt in their wounds. Where there is no offense, there is no effect.
ACTION POINT:
Pray for the men who occupy the pulpits in our churches that they would not water down the truth of God’s Word, but be strong to proclaim its power.
Matthew 10:34 - “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A pulpit committee approached me one time and said, “We need a pastor for our church.” I said, “I know just the guy. He is a fantastic preacher and has a fiery evangelistic spirit, but he has health problems and he’s kind of old.” I continued, “He’s also been in jail several times.” They began to shake their heads, and one said, “Well, we don’t know whether he’s the man we want or not.” I said, “Well, don’t worry; you couldn’t get him. He’s already in heaven, and his name is Paul.” You don’t want a guy who can rub shoulders with the people of this world and not rub any salt in their wounds. Where there is no offense, there is no effect.
ACTION POINT:
Pray for the men who occupy the pulpits in our churches that they would not water down the truth of God’s Word, but be strong to proclaim its power.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Where do you stand ??
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Isaiah 5:20 - “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
People can become so warped in their thinking that they don’t know the difference between right and wrong. I was listening to the radio one morning, and they were talking about what scientists want to do with the tissue of aborted babies. They said that some women are thinking about having babies, aborting them, then selling the tissue for research. The scientific community is promoting this propaganda because of the good they say the research will have on the whole of humanity! But what about the whole of humanity that begins in the womb? People today will play enough tricks on their minds that they will literally approve evil with a good conscience.
ACTION POINT:
Where do you stand on this issue? What is right and what is wrong? Take some time this morning to read Psalm 139 and ask God to show you His truth.
Isaiah 5:20 - “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
People can become so warped in their thinking that they don’t know the difference between right and wrong. I was listening to the radio one morning, and they were talking about what scientists want to do with the tissue of aborted babies. They said that some women are thinking about having babies, aborting them, then selling the tissue for research. The scientific community is promoting this propaganda because of the good they say the research will have on the whole of humanity! But what about the whole of humanity that begins in the womb? People today will play enough tricks on their minds that they will literally approve evil with a good conscience.
ACTION POINT:
Where do you stand on this issue? What is right and what is wrong? Take some time this morning to read Psalm 139 and ask God to show you His truth.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Does God still do miracles ?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Matthew 14:14 - “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
It is the unbelievable, supernatural replenishment that awakens the world to see the mighty power of God. Jesus demonstrated, once with a crowd of 5,000 and again with a crowd of 4,000, that He is the God who provides (see Matthew 14:14-21, 15:32-38). When the most “responsible” thing to do, in human terms, was to ask the multitudes to find their own food, Jesus turned to the supernatural power of God. Moved with compassion, He confidently told the disciples to begin feeding the multitudes. Jesus never wavered in His complete and utter trust in Jehovah Jireh.
ACTION POINT:
Read the accounts of these miracles in Matthew with your family today, then ask God to fill your family with an utter and complete trust in Jehovah Jireh.
Matthew 14:14 - “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
It is the unbelievable, supernatural replenishment that awakens the world to see the mighty power of God. Jesus demonstrated, once with a crowd of 5,000 and again with a crowd of 4,000, that He is the God who provides (see Matthew 14:14-21, 15:32-38). When the most “responsible” thing to do, in human terms, was to ask the multitudes to find their own food, Jesus turned to the supernatural power of God. Moved with compassion, He confidently told the disciples to begin feeding the multitudes. Jesus never wavered in His complete and utter trust in Jehovah Jireh.
ACTION POINT:
Read the accounts of these miracles in Matthew with your family today, then ask God to fill your family with an utter and complete trust in Jehovah Jireh.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Are you Saved ???
BIBLE MEDITATION:
John 21:12a - “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Is Satan whispering that God is not for you in your daily battles? Is he whispering lies that God is going to erase your name from the Book of Life for something you’ve done, yet repented over? Satan never had it so wrong! And Jesus never had it so right! Salvation in Christ is not a funeral, but a feast! The Bible is a continual feast from Genesis right through to Revelation. Covenant meals and meals of fellowship are frequent occurrences in Scripture. Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, has given many examples of His open invitation to be replenished and restored, to remember, and to rejoice at His table.
ACTION POINT:
Call your family together and celebrate the Lord’s Supper this week as a family...remembering the powerful promise of His resurrection, replenishment, and restoration.
John 21:12a - “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Is Satan whispering that God is not for you in your daily battles? Is he whispering lies that God is going to erase your name from the Book of Life for something you’ve done, yet repented over? Satan never had it so wrong! And Jesus never had it so right! Salvation in Christ is not a funeral, but a feast! The Bible is a continual feast from Genesis right through to Revelation. Covenant meals and meals of fellowship are frequent occurrences in Scripture. Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, has given many examples of His open invitation to be replenished and restored, to remember, and to rejoice at His table.
ACTION POINT:
Call your family together and celebrate the Lord’s Supper this week as a family...remembering the powerful promise of His resurrection, replenishment, and restoration.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Grace
BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Corinthians 9:8 - “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil wants you to live your life from an empty cup. He wants you to think that God’s cup of grace has dried up for you. He wants you to be disenchanted with God. Most especially, he wants you to feel that God is a cosmic killjoy…that God is always thinking of ways to rob you of joy and peace. Satan knows that if you start to feel negatively about God, then he can have his way with you in other areas. Take courage. Be strong. Jesus has won the victory for you! Send those lies back to the pit where they came from and claim the promises of God.
ACTION POINT:
Wish someone the peace and joy of the Lord today.
2 Corinthians 9:8 - “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil wants you to live your life from an empty cup. He wants you to think that God’s cup of grace has dried up for you. He wants you to be disenchanted with God. Most especially, he wants you to feel that God is a cosmic killjoy…that God is always thinking of ways to rob you of joy and peace. Satan knows that if you start to feel negatively about God, then he can have his way with you in other areas. Take courage. Be strong. Jesus has won the victory for you! Send those lies back to the pit where they came from and claim the promises of God.
ACTION POINT:
Wish someone the peace and joy of the Lord today.
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