Daily Hope:God Is Always on Time By Rick Warren — Dec 30, 2017

“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT).

In the waiting room of life, you can choose to trust God instead of panicking. You also need to remember two things: One, God is never in a hurry. And two, God is never late. God’s timing is always perfect.

What happens in those times where it appears that God is late? God is getting you ready for a miracle!

There are so many examples of this in Scripture, including the story of Lazarus (John 11). Mary and Martha had a brother named Lazarus, who was one of Jesus’ best friends. They lived in Bethany, which was just a few miles from where Jesus was on the day Lazarus got sick. They sent word to Jesus that his friend was gravely ill and asked him to come to them.

He could have easily been in Bethany in an hour or two. But it took Jesus three days to go about five miles. When he got there, they told him, “You’re too late! We’ve already buried Lazarus.”

Jesus wasn’t late. Because Jesus already knew what he was going to do. His goal was not to heal Lazarus. His goal was to raise him from the dead. Jesus’ goal was not to just make Lazarus well. His goal was to do a miracle of astronomical proportions.

Jesus walked up to Lazarus’ tomb, told them to roll the stone away, and said, “Lazarus, come forth.” And Lazarus did!

Sometimes God lets a situation get so bad that only a miracle will do. Don’t give up your faith. Hold on. Keep praying and serving and going to small group. Keep sowing. Keep believing. Because you’re getting ready for a miracle.

God already knows what he’s going to do in your life next month, next year, and in the next decade, and his plan for you is good.



Talk It Over

Where do you get the energy to go to small group and church and to keep serving when you’re going through a difficult situation?

God’s plan for you is good. Why do you think bad things still happen to you sometimes?

Take some time to write out a prayer to God that expresses how you want to grow and where you need help the most when you are in a difficult waiting period.

Daily Hope: Problems Prepare You for Eternity By Rick Warren — Dec 14, 2017

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT).

We need more than positive thinking to survive in this world. We need hope.

There are five reasons we can have hope through Christ found in 1 Peter 1. I’ve given you the first four in the last few days’ devotionals.

(1) God chose us before we chose him.
(2) God always treats us with grace and mercy.
(3) God has secured our future.
(4) God’s power will protect us.

Finally, we can have hope because God is preparing us for eternity.

He’s using everything in our lives — the good, the bad and the ugly — to do so. Once you understand this, life begins to make sense. You stop saying, “Lord, why is this happening?” because you know why: He’s preparing you for eternity. s

The Bible says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT).

Those verses describe three truths about problems that are the same today as they were in in Peter’s day.

*Problems are necessary. They are an indispensable part of preparing you for Heaven.

*They are varied. You’ll experience trials of all different shapes, sizes, and levels of intensity.

*They are temporary. They won’t last forever.

*But God is using those trials for his purposes. This passage also describes three results of trials in your life.

*They test your faith. You build muscles by testing them. The same is true with your faith.

*They purify your motives. God is much more interested in your character than your comfort. He’ll use trials to refine your character.They prepare you for your rewards. The trials you’re going through now don’t compare to the rewards of Heaven.

Sure, the troubles you’re experiencing now aren’t fun. But the Bible makes it clear they are good for you. They’ll make your faith stronger and your character godlier, and they’ll get you ready for future rewards.

That’s why you can have hope no matter what’s going on in your life right now.



Talk It Over

How have you seen God use troubles to make your faith stronger?How can understanding the truths from today’s devotional help you live full of hope?With whom can you share the message of this devotional?

The Lion's Mouth By Ray Stedman - November 30, 2017

Read the Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-22

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

Here is a rather sad note. When the apostle was brought up for his hearing, no one stood up for him. This was a very dangerous time in Rome. Emperor Nero was noted for his vindictiveness. If anybody even appeared to be against him, Nero's assassins were all throughout the city, ready to take the person's life. Evidently no Christians were ready to risk their lives by standing up for Paul, so he had to face this preliminary hearing all alone. But notice again Paul's lack of vindictiveness. "May it not be charged against them," he says. Actually, the fact that no one stood up for the apostle could have led to his immediate execution. But that did not happen because, as Paul says, "The Lord stood by me." He is the One on whom you can always count. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God has promised, "I will never, never, ever, under any conditions (there are six Greek negatives thrown in there) leave you nor forsake you." The writer's response is, "What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6). This too is Paul's experience. The presence of Jesus with him accomplished two things.
First, it gave him the strength to proclaim the message. I wish we could all have looked in on that scene as this doughty apostle told the story of his own conversion. Paul is doing what he told Timothy to do in this very letter: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2). The Lord gave him the strength to do that.
Second, Paul says, "I was delivered from the lion's mouth." Some have read that to mean that Paul was afraid he was going to be thrown to the lions in the Roman Coliseum. The problem with that, however, is that the Coliseum was not built until three or four years later. Also, because Paul was a Roman citizen, the law required that he could not be executed by being thrown to the lions. He was facing death by beheading.
The "lion" here is very likely a reference to Satan, the malevolent schemer behind all the false charges that were laid against Paul, the one who had weakened the courage of the Christians so they dared not stand up along with the apostle. All of this was part of Satan's schemes to accomplish Paul's death, or at least to destroy his testimony. Peter's warning, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8), is still true today. Many of the problems and unexplainable difficulties that suddenly complicate all the things we are trying to do for the Lord are only part of the activities of the lion that is seeking to devour our faith, to destroy us and weaken our testimony for Christ.
But Paul was delivered from the lion's mouth. In this beautiful verse, he expresses his feeling that he is safe in the Lord's hands.

Thank You, Lord, that even if everyone deserts me, You will stand with me and beside me.

Life Application: Is our faith and witness limited by dependency on others? Where is the real and unfailing source of power on which we can draw for confidence and safe-keeping?
We hope you were blessed by this daily devotion.

From your friends at www.RayStedman.org

Todays Devotional: WAITING IN READINESS FOR CHRIST’S RETURN November 30, 2017

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In his classic book Waiting on God, Andrew Murray explained the bottom line of godly waiting: “The giver is more than the gift; God is more than the blessing; and our being kept waiting on Him is the only way for our learning to find our life and joy in Himself. Oh, if God’s children only knew what a glorious God they have, and what a privilege it is to be linked in fellowship with Himself, then they would rejoice in Him, even when He keeps them waiting.”

Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.MATTHEW 25:13

Jesus taught in today’s parable the importance of waiting in this spirit or with this attitude. One might say the whole purpose of the Christian life is to be ready for Christ’s return! In the story, the “virgins” were the bride’s friends, or as we might say, bridesmaids (v. 1). The “lamps” were torches and burned olive oil. According to the NIV Study Bible, the oil would have had to be replenished every 15 minutes, suggesting that bringing along enough oil was a rather challenging responsibility.

The parable’s first lesson is vigilance or watchfulness (v. 13). The Bridegroom could come at any time! The second lesson is wisdom through readiness. We’re ready for Christ’s return if we’ve trusted Him for salvation. The third lesson is consequences. Having or not having enough olive oil sounds small, but symbolically it means being in or out of the kingdom of heaven (vv. 10–12).

This parable captures several themes from our month’s study, as the wedding metaphor is a rich one: Something good and joyful will happen, guaranteed. Our waiting centers on the coming of the Bridegroom (see John 3:29). The event itself is largely about promises made and kept, and the theme of consummation is involved. Finally, our waiting is not passive, but requires active watchfulness and preparation.

APPLY THE WORD

Spend time reviewing your study this month, perhaps making notes about what God has taught you through these devotionals. What have you learned about God? What might change in your relationship with Him as a result? “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope” (Ps. 130:5).

PRAY WITH US

Looking back at the lessons from the Bible this month, let’s praise God that He is teaching us to be faithful and patient, drawing us closer to Him with His love and mercy. Pray also for those who don’t know God, for whom He is waiting.

BY BRAD BAURAIN

Sound Words For Slaves By Ray Stedman - November 16, 2017

Read the Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-5

All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of all respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered (1 Timothy 6:1).

Some of you have tyrants for bosses. I have worked for such supervisors myself. They frustrate you; you see them as ignoramuses who do not know the end from the beginning. How they ever got the job in the first place, you cannot comprehend. Yet there they are in charge; they have you in a stranglehold because they control your paycheck. The word of Scripture is that you are not merely to treat them with respect, but that you regard them as "worthy of full respect." Everything is going to rest upon how you feel about them. If you think they are lunatics who are unworthy of your respect, then no matter how polite you may be when they are watching, your attitude toward them will be one of bitterness and resentment; you will be constantly trying to find ways to goof off and justify it because of their attitude toward you. But Scripture says, "consider [them] worthy of full respect"--no matter what they are like, no matter how they treat you. Why? Because they are made in the image of God. Just like you, when God's grace touches them, they are capable of reflecting His glory and beauty; they are the potential bearers of God Himself, so they are to be treated with respect.
The Bible never looks at people as being worthless. The Bible's view is that humans are God's creation made in God's image, and, though they have fallen, they are not worthless. If you regard people as created in God's image, you can see an individual as worthy of respect and honor because of what God has made him or her to be--a man or woman for whom Christ died. This is how Christian slaves were to regard their masters in the first century. If they were unbelieving masters, slaves were still to look upon them as
"worthy of full respect" in order that the name of the God who created them and stamped His image upon them might not be defamed or His teachings scorned by the world.
The satanic view of humans is exactly the opposite. Satan thinks people are worthless; he regards them with scorn and despising. When you think of people as worthless, you treat them that way, and you talk about them that way by cursing them and using language about them that is disparaging and depersonalizing. When you do that, you are reflecting Satan's view of people. Whether slaves or masters, Christians are to treat each other and all other people as "worthy of full respect" and not use language like that, so that the name of God will not be defamed.

Thank You, Lord, that You have placed me where I am for a purpose. Help me to treat those around me as "worthy of all respect".

Life Application: What is the real and basic commonality between masters and slaves, between any socio-differences, that should elicit mutual respect for one another?
We hope you were blessed by this daily devotion.

From your friends at www.RayStedman.org

The Kind of Prayer God Answers By Rick Warren — Nov 16, 2017

“According to your faith let it be done to you”(Matthew 9:29b NIV).

There’s only one kind of prayer that God answers: the prayer of faith. Matthew 9:29b says, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (NIV). We see so little in our lives because we expect so little in our lives.

What is faith? You may say, “I believe God can do it!” But that’s not faith; that’s just a fact. God can do it whether you believe it or not. “I believe God might do it” is not faith either. That’s hope. “I believe God will do it” — that’s faith.

Some people are praying about their spiritual, financial, and health goals, and they think because they’re asking for good things that they want, God will answer their prayer. But desire is not faith. It can lead to faith, but it’s not faith.

If I take a seed and plant it in the ground and in a few months, it sprouts and I get a tomato plant from it, is that a miracle? No. I simply cooperated with the laws of God’s universe, and it happened. When I pray, believing and following the conditions laid out in Scripture, and God answers, is that a miracle? No. It is simply in line with the universal laws of life that God has ordained.

The Bible says, “according to your faith,” not according to your ability, your education, or how good a person you are. If you have met the conditions of Scripture — you have an honest relationship with God, you have forgiven others, you’re willing to share the results with other people, and you’re asking God in faith — you have every right to expect God to answer your prayers.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >

Talk It Over

What would you say to God in a prayer of faith?How can desire lead to faith?Why does God want you to pray in faith?

Open Heavens 15 November 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Time For Consultation

Topic: Time For Consultation — Wednesday 15, November 2017.

Memorise: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. – Genesis 1:26

Read: Genesis 1:26-27(KJV)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Bible in One Year: Job 36-38, Amos 5:1-17, Hymn: Sing Hymn 9 – On The Hill Far Away

MESSAGE:

From the creation story, the fact that man was the last of God’s creation, though he is the most significant, indicates that God can give you the very best at the end. From this we understand that the end of believers is glorious. No wonder Ecclesiastes 7:8 says,

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

You might have started on a shaky note, but I want to assure you that you will end up being well established. Your faith may be very weak now, but it will become great faith at the end. Never judge your future by the limitation of your present! God will help you overcome those obstacles and limitations, and He will safely take you to your glorious end. Indeed, Job 8:7 says you might have started small but you will end with great increase, provided you sustain a blossoming relationship with God.

In addition, we observe from the account of creation in Genesis chapter 1 that when God was making all other things, He did not call a council meeting, but when it came to the creation of man, a council meeting of the Godhead was called. They all had to be in agreement for man to be created. The implication of this is that to get the best from God, man must be in total unity and alignment with Him. Also, we will be wise to follow the pattern demonstrated by the Godhead in all our decisions. Some issues are more sensitive and volatile than others. There is a time to take a unilateral decision on issues, and there is also a time to consult widely and take a joint decision. Lastly, when it comes to the issue of human management, you would need to go to God for help. Why? Human beings are the most difficult resources to handle. They are very diverse in thought, knowledge and understanding, and so their responses to issues are so divergent and vast. Human beings are also unreliable; it’s no wonder, Jesus did not commit Himself to any man. John 2:24-25says,

“24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

If you will succeed in leading men and women, you must involve God to a large extent. How well are you managing fellow men?

Key Point: To effectively lead men, you must be connected to the One who made man.

Hymn 9: On The Hill Far Away

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

Step Two in Crisis: Focus and Seek God By Rick Warren — Nov 8, 2017

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me” (Proverbs 8:17 ISV).

We’ve all had times of crisis that test everything in life, including our trust in God. Daniel gives us a great blueprint for prayer during these difficult times.

We can find six important principles for this in Daniel 9. In the last devotional, we looked at the first of those principles — we let God speak to us before we speak to him.

The second step to praying in a way God will answer during a time of crisis is to focus our attention on God and seek him.

Daniel did this in Daniel 9:3a: “I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him” (ESV).

This is basic relationship advice that works beyond your relationship with God. You’ll improve any relationship in your life if you physically turn yourself toward the other person and focus on them when they talk to you. Whenever my wife talks with me, I turn my face toward her. I’ve been married for more than 40 years. I can tell you this pays great dividends in our relationship. She loves it, because she knows she has my undivided attention.

Turning your face toward someone shows attention. You can do with this God, too. Physically, look up toward the sky. If you can, go outside and look into the heavens as you pray.

Physically turning toward God is the first step in truly focusing on him and seeking him, which is vitally important during a crisis (and every other moment of our lives).

In Amos 5:4b, God says, “Seek me and live.” (NIV). You’re not really living unless you’re truly seeking God.

We’re often in crisis because we’ve stopped seeking the Lord in certain aspects of our lives. To get out of the crisis in life, we have to do things differently.

You’re guaranteed success by God when you seek him. He tells us, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me” (Proverbs 8:17 ISV).



Talk It Over

How focused would you say you are when it comes to seeking God in every area of your life? Take some time to reflect and decide. What are things you can do to be more consistent and faithful?Where do you find yourself frequently distracted when you pray?Where are you most able to focus fully on God when you pray?

Open Heavens 29 October 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Turn Prophecies Into Realities

Topic: Turn Prophecies Into Realities — Sunday 29, October 2017.

Memorise: This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; – 1 Timothy 1:18

Read: James 5:17-18 (KJV)

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Bible in One Year: Hebrews 9-10, Hosea 5-6, Hymn: Sing Hymn 1 – My Faith Looks Up To Thee

MESSAGE:

A prophecy is of little or no good to the one it has been sent if it does not move from the realm of the spirit into the physical realm. Your attitude to a prophecy plays a great role in determining its manifestation in the physical world. Today’s Bible reading tells us how best to relate with prophecies. Through it, we understand that it is important to pray before making a decree and also after you prophesy. At a time when the nation of Israel was in the grip of a serious national backsliding, Elijah stood before King Ahab and decreed that there would be no rain until he reversed that decree (1 Kings 17:1). Immediately after he made this decree, he went into seclusion. The king only heard the decree, but he did not know what went on behind the scenes. Apostle James tells us that Elijah prayed earnestly before he made this decree. After the nation had experienced intense famine for 31 and half years, God asked Elijah to show himself again to the king. Elijah then stood before King Ahab on Mount Carmel and told him to celebrate because he had heard the sound of abundant rain (1 Kings 18:41-46). He said this only after he had successfully turned the backslidden hearts of the children of Israel back to God. After making his declaration to Ahab, he left the presence of the King, fell on his face and prayed earnestly to God until his prophecy came to pass.

Never make a decree or release a prophecy without the backing of prayer. Several people have received certain prophecies that they knew without a doubt was meant for them, and yet they have not witnessed their manifestation in their lives, even while several others are testifying of the fulfilment of the same prophecies in their own lives. What could be wrong? The difference is that some heard, received the prophecy and prayed for its fulfilment, while others heard, received it, but did nothing afterwards. The good thing is that all is not lost; every prophecy that has been spoken into your life or that you have received is still hanging around in the spirit realm, waiting for you to bring it into the realm of the physical through your earnest prayer. A man who had been barren for over 30 years once asked God what he should do, and God said he should wait. When he attended one of our meetings, a prophecy came forth saying “the waiting period is over”. He thanked God, received it and prayed earnestly. That month, his wife conceived. Go ahead and pray for the manifestation of every prophecy God has sent to you that is yet to become reality in your life.

Key Point: Every prophecy can become reality if only you can apply the tool of effective, persistent prayer.

HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

Verse 1:
My faith looks up to thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine;
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine!

Verse 2:
May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

Verse 3:
While life’s dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside.

Verse 4:
When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done,
Be near to me.
Blest Savior, then, in love
Fear and distrust remove.
O bear me safe above,
Redeemed and free!

Daily Hope: Four Types of People You Need in Your Life BY RICK WARREN — OCTOBER 28, 2017

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm”(Proverbs 13:20 NIV).

You and I can never be the kind of people God wants us to be on our own. We were never intended to be. We all need people who are teaching us, sharing their lives with us, investing in us, and encouraging us to grow.

The Bible tells us, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20 NIV).

In fact, to be all that God calls you to be, you need to learn from at least four different kinds of people.

1. Mentors – These are your coaches. I’ve had nine different mentors in my life. No one can teach you everything you need to know. One person will teach you in one area. Another person will teach you about something else.

2. Role models – These are people who are already doing or have already done what you want to do. Many of the skills you’ve learned in your life, you’ve learned by watching others.

3. Partners – You need co-workers and colleagues who are in your profession, people to support and challenge you on what God wants to do through your life.

4. Friends – Friends don’t necessarily help you with your goals. They’re just friends. They love you no matter what you do. You can mess up, and they still love you. A friend walks into your life when everyone else walks out. That’s when you know who your friends are.

Trying to live life solo isn’t just lonely. It works against God’s design for us.

Talk It Over

Of the four types of people Pastor Rick says you need in your life, which do you have the most of?
Which do you have the least of?Why do so many people attempt to live life without the support of others?
Does anyone in your life need your support in one of these roles?

Todays Devotional: ARRESTING JESUS - September 26, 2017

John 18

Fugitive George Wright spent 41 years, as he describes it, “living with a shadow.” Convicted of murder in 1962, Wright was sentenced to thirty years in prison. After escaping in 1970, he hijacked a plane and ran from authorities, hiding on three continents. Even after he was arrested, the FBI was unable to extradite him from Portugal, where the 74-year-old still resides today.

The group who came to arrest Jesus was armed and prepared to arrest Him like a dangerous fugitive. Certainly their “torches, lanterns, and weapons” were unnecessary (v. 3). Jesus knew “all that was going to happen to him” (v. 4). In fact, He willingly went out to meet His captors and identified Himself.

Jesus surrendered without any struggle, asking them only to release the disciples (v. 8). Peter, however, did not surrender easily. The volatile disciple pulled out his sword and cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest (v. 10). Peter’s reaction provides a contrast between the normal human reaction to resist and the willing submission of Jesus. The Lord was ready to receive the cup of suffering God had appointed for Him. Despite Jesus’ submission, He was taken like a common criminal, and “they bound Him” (v. 12).

Perhaps it is shocking then, that Peter—the one most willing to fight on Jesus’ behalf—would deny Him three times. Even when confronted by a relative who had seen him cut off the servant’s ear, Peter denied knowing his Lord. Fear and disappointment changed this bold, impassioned disciple into a cowardly liar. Jesus was not the king he had expected. Rather than fighting to the end, He went like a “lamb to the slaughter” (Isa. 53:7). What type of king had Peter chosen to serve?

APPLY THE WORD

Fear, anger, and disappointment can derail any of us. When confronted by challenges, do you lash out in anger? When God doesn’t seem to be working the way you expected, do you react in frustration? When you feel threatened because someone knows you’re a Christian, do you deny your Savior? Ask for the strength to follow faithfully, no matter the cost.

PRAY WITH US

We have the privilege to pray for Lillie Hill, Louis Ballasch, and Todd Sacco who serve in the Commons, Moody’s cafeteria on our Chicago campus. Express gratitude to God for their faithful service of providing meals and snacks to hundreds of people daily.

BY JAMIE JANOSZ

God Loves Them–You Must Too DAILY DEVOTIONS BY JENTEZEN FRANKLIN - SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

“God…doesn’t think anyone is unclean or unfit.” Ac 10:28 CEV

From a Jewish point of view Cornelius, a Gentile, was a bad guy. He ate the wrong food, hung out with the wrong crowd, and swore allegiance to the wrong leader: Caesar. He didn’t quote the Torah or descend from Abraham. He was uncircumcised, unkosher, and unclean. Yet he did two things that got God’s attention. He prayed for spiritual enlightenment, and he was generous to the poor and needy. The Bible says he was “one who feared God with all his household…gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (v. 2 NKJV). Up until this point the gospel had been preached only to the Jews. But God was about to change that. And to do it He used Peter, one of the most religiously biased people you’ll ever meet. In a vision, God showed Peter a sheet being let down from heaven; it was filled with all kinds of food Jews are forbidden to eat. Peter protested, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean” (v. 14 NKJV). And since Peter was slow to understand, the sheet was let down three times. Finally a voice from heaven said, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (v. 15 NKJV). As a result, Peter went to Cornelius’s house and preached the gospel. And before he could issue an invitation, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were present, confirming that this was God’s will. At that point Peter declared, “God has shown me that he doesn’t think anyone is unclean or unfit.” Let God show you that too!

Our Daily Bread: From Empty to Full - September 26, 2017

Read: 2 Kings 4:1–7 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 1–2; Galatians 5 

When all the jars were full . . . the oil stopped flowing. 2 Kings 4:6

A popular children’s book tells the story of a poor, country boy who took off his cap to honor the king. An identical hat appeared instantly in its place on his head, inciting the king’s anger for what appeared to be disrespect. Bartholomew removed hat after hat while being escorted to the palace for punishment. Each time, a new one appeared in its place. The hats grew increasingly fancy, bearing precious jewels and feather plumes. The 500th hat was the envy of King Derwin, who pardoned Bartholomew and purchased the hat for 500 pieces of gold. At last, Bartholomew’s head was bare; he walked home with freedom and money to support his family.

A widow came to Elisha in financial distress, fearing her children would be sold into slavery to pay her debts (2 Kings 4). She had no assets other than a jar of oil. God multiplied that oil to fill enough borrowed jars to settle the debts plus care for their daily needs (v. 7).

Thank You, Lord, for paying my debt through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

God provided financially for the widow in much the same way He provides salvation for me. I am bankrupted by sin, but Jesus paid my debt—and offers me eternal life as well! Without Jesus, we are each like the poor, country boy with no means to pay our King for our offenses against Him. God miraculously supplies the extravagant ransom for us, and ensures that those who trust in Him will have life abundant forever.

Thank You, Lord, for paying my debt through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I had nothing; You paid it all for me.

Jesus’s sacrifice pays for our spiritual debt.

By Kirsten Holmberg 

INSIGHT

In today’s account of the never-ending oil, the woman and her sons follow the prophet’s instructions without question. They were in need and knew God could provide. Many of us may wish we had that kind of faith—faith that doesn’t doubt or question.

Some background to their inspiring faith helps put this story in context. Verse 1 tells us that the widow’s husband had been a member of “the company of the prophets”—a group of men who had remained faithful to the true God in a time of paganism. They had also seen God do miraculous things through Elisha, so they knew nothing was impossible. Their faith was the logical conclusion of their experience and gave them the confidence to obey.

God often provides in ways we don’t expect. Is there a situation you need to trust God for today?

J.R. Hudberg

Open Heavens 25 September 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – No Skipping Details

Topic: No Skipping Details — Monday 25, September 2017.

Memorise: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: – Isaiah 28:10

Read: 2 Kings 4:1-7 (KJV)

1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 10-11, Ezekiel 46:13-24, Hymn: Sing hymn 14 – Take My Life

MESSAGE:

To avoid financial storms, you need to carefully note all the elements of a divine instruction. God is a God of details. When He gives you a recipe to solve a particular problem, He expects you to leave no detail out. In today’s Bible reading, to solve the serious debt problem of the widow of a late prophet, Elisha asked her to borrow vessels from all her neighbours, shut the door behind her and pour out her remaining pot of oil into all available vessels. If she had altered any element of this instruction, it would definitely have affected the result she got. Some people receive certain divine instructions and thereafter determine which to obey and which to discard. No! All the details must be observed! Do you know that if the widow had borrowed the vessels but refused to shut her door, the oil would not have flowed?
Beloved, always pay close attention to whatever instructions you receive from God. When it comes to sowing for instance, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says,

“6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

From the details of this scripture, it is not just sowing that will get you your expected returns, but rather, sowing bountiful and  cheerfully. Today, many people have chosen to forget these details on sowing, and this accounts for the financial storms in their lives. On tithing, it is not enough to tithe, but to bring in all the tithes. After completing my PhD research, I recalled l still had part of my research grant with the university. So I went to my Head of Department (HoD) asking to draw out of it to bind my thesis. He refused to release it to me, and when I insisted, he sent me out of his office. With no other funds available, I wondered how to get the money l needed. A little past midnight, someone came knocking on my door. He said he could not sleep, and so he came to return the money l had loaned him five years earlier. Although l had forgotten this money, God had not. He paid me the exact amount l needed. After binding the thesis, I was scared, wondering if my HoD would accept it and give me a good score. So on the following Sunday, I paid my tithe, and on Monday, when I submitted my thesis to him, he was impressed and offered to personally take it to the external examiner. He also waited on the examiner until he finished his job in three days instead of six months. After this, my PhD grant was paid, and it became useful pocket money for me. You cannot tell the extent God will go to satisfy those who are totally obedient.

Prayer Point: Ask God to lead our youths aright in the choice of life partners.