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.

DCLM Daily Manna 25 September, 2017 by Pastor Kumuyi - Leave Vengeance To God

Topic: Leave Vengeance To God — Monday September 25, 2017.

Text: Jeremiah 18:18-23

Key Verse: "Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me" (Jeremiah 18:19).

From the text, Jeremiah pleaded his cause before God. The people who hated him had formed an alliance and vowed to publicly discredit him. When Jeremiah heard of it, he prayed to God for justice. He asked God to judge his enemies since his ministry was for their good and profit but they repaid him with evil. He asked God to destroy them in His wrath. Some so-called Pentecostals shout ‘die! die!’ in prayers in our neighborhoods today.

Some take references like our text from the Old Testament to justify their requests for their enemies to die. Others insist the death they meant in their prayers was intended for the spirits behind the problems – but spirits don’t die because they are not mortal. Under the New Testament economy, the believer is commanded to love all and hate none, including those who despitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:44). When we consider God’s vengeance, it’s also important for us to remember Romans 12:19; "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord".

There will be times in our lives when people mistreat us and we’re tempted to seek revenge. Or, as we see the gross injustice done to millions throughout the world today, we may want to treat the perpetrators with the same measure of evil they have doled out to their victims. The desire for revenge is natural, but it is something we must offer to God, Vengeance is His job, not ours. Yes, we are to "act justly," and "love mercy".

When we consider people who are being abused throughout the world today, and the victims of violence and injustice, with those trapped in human trafficking and slavery, we should ask God to bring to justice those who are hurting others for their own advantage and set free those who are oppressed.

Thought for the day: Vengeance is God’s.

Bible Reading in one Year: Hebrews 10-13

Intouch Ministries: The Source of Guilt - SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

I once read a survey that asked 500 people what emotions they felt when experiencing guilt. The answers were heartbreaking. Respondents reported feeling punished, depressed, worthless, rejected, and isolated. Many were overwhelmed by a general sense of low self-esteem. There was no joy, no hope, and no vitality. In a sense, it was as though the feelings of guilt had completely blotted out everything else in their life.

This seems like such a sad way to exist, and yet it’s safe to assume that we all—even those of us who are believers—have experienced these exact same emotions. In fact, you may be dealing with intense guilt right now. If so, let’s consider one simple question: Where does it come from?

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we see two forms of guilt. One is a sorrow that comes from God. This call to repentance is a tool the Lord uses to draw unbelievers to Himself through salvation in Christ. It also motivates believers to confess any wrongs causing “interference” in their fellowship with Him.

A second form of guilt is the dark emotion that plagues people with remorse and the reactions mentioned on the survey. Such sorrow isn’t from God at all, but from the world.

If you’ve received Jesus’ free gift of salvation but still struggle under the assault of guilt, let Scripture assure you: These feelings didn’t come from God. He is not attacking you. Rather, He holds the keys to your freedom. Don’t fall victim to the enemy’s lies. In Christ, you are forgiven and free. Lay down your chains today.

Bible in One Year: Micah 5-7

Practice Humility DAILY DEVOTIONS BY JENTEZEN FRANKLIN - SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

“Clothe yourselves with humility.” 1Pe 5:5 NAS

The Bible says: “Clothe yourselves with humility…for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble…humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (vv. 5-7 NAS). Let’s break this Scripture down into four parts: 

(1) “Clothe yourselves with humility.” In this context the word clothe refers to a white scarf or apron that was typically worn by servants. Does that mean you have to conform to everybody’s wishes? No; if you do that everybody else may like you but you won’t like yourself. Just be who God called you to be, and be willing to serve others as the opportunity arises. (2) “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less and putting others first. 

(3) “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” Throughout Scripture “the mighty hand of God” symbolizes two things: God’s hand of discipline and His hand of deliverance, and you need both. So submit to His discipline and you’ll experience His deliverance. 

(4) “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Here Peter addresses one of our core human concerns: that if we don’t look out for ourselves nobody else will. But if we really believe God “cares” for us we needn’t worry about serving our own interest. We’re free to focus on the needs of others, confident that God will spare nothing when it comes to meeting our needs.

Todays Devotional: PRAYING TO THE FATHER September 25, 2017

John 17

The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 has been a beloved part of Christian faith and worship for millennia. Many believers pray weekly or even daily, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

John 17 recounts another prayer by Jesus to His Father, this time anticipating His death on the cross, and asking that God’s will be done. Jesus first appealed to His Father directly on His own behalf. He asked that His death would bring glory and honor to God. He was completing the job that the Father had given Him: “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). Now He prayed to be rightfully returned to His former glory.

Next, Jesus turned His attention away from Himself and prayed on behalf of the disciples, whom He loved (vv. 6–11). He asked that God would keep and protect them, even after He was gone from the earth. He commended them for their belief in both Himself and the Father who sent Him. Jesus knew that since they must remain in the world, they would need God’s protection from Satan (v. 15). He asked that God would continue to sanctify them and keep them close (v. 19).

Finally, Jesus extended His prayer to include future Christians. Through Jesus, we too can have unity with God. Jesus looked forward to the day when Christians would be reunited with Him in glory (v. 24).

This is a sobering prayer; Jesus was just moments from His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Yet His concern was not for Himself but for those for whom He would soon die.

APPLY THE WORD

Today, follow the example of Jesus and spend time in intercessory prayer on behalf of others. You might have a list of requests from your church or small group. You can mention friends and family members by name, and ask the Lord’s blessing on both your church and political leaders. Finally, pray for those who are sick or in need of salvation.

PRAY WITH US

Dr. John Jelinek, VP and dean of Moody Theological Seminary, will appreciate your intercession for the seminary’s new academic year, its professors and staff, and new programs to serve our students. Pray for God’s guidance in every decision.

BY JAMIE JANOSZ

Our Daily Bread: Apart but Not Abandoned - September 25, 2017

Read: Acts 20:17–20, 35–38 | Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 6–8; Galatians 4

Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up. Acts 20:32

I had a lump in my throat as I said good-bye to my niece on the eve of her move to Massachusetts to attend graduate school at Boston University. Though she had been away four years as an undergraduate, she hadn’t left our state. A two and a one-half-hour drive easily reunited us. Now she would be more than 800 miles away. No longer would we meet regularly to talk. I had to trust that God would take care of her.

Paul likely felt the same way as he said good-bye to the elders of the church in Ephesus. Having established the church and taught them for three years, Paul concluded these elders to be as close as family to him. Now that Paul was headed to Jerusalem, he would not see them again.

Lord, help us to trust that Your watchful care extends over all.

But Paul had parting advice for the Ephesians. Though they would no longer have Paul as their teacher, the Ephesians did not have to feel abandoned. God would continue to train them through “the word of his grace” (Acts 20:32) to lead the church. Unlike Paul, God would always be with them.

Whether it’s children we launch from the nest or other family and friends who move away—saying good-bye can be very difficult. They move beyond our influence and into their new lives. When we let go of their hands, we can trust that God has them in His. He can continue to shape their lives and meet their real needs—more than we ever could.

Lord, help us to trust that Your watchful care extends over those we hold dear who are far away from us.

Though we’re far away from those we love, they are never far from God.

By Linda Washington 

INSIGHT

In today’s reading we see Paul’s painful good-bye to the church at Ephesus. It was Paul’s deep conviction that his departure would eventually lead to his martyrdom, not his return (v. 25).  But other Bible texts add the encouragement that even death cannot cut the spiritual tie that binds us to other believers (John 14:1–5; Rom. 8:31–39). In this life on Earth, saying good-bye to those we love is difficult. But for followers of Christ, we can trust that God has us in His care and even death will not keep us apart.

How does knowing God cares for your loved ones comfort you? 

For further study on the book of Acts check out this free course at christianuniversity.org/apostles.

Dennis Fisher

Open Heavens September 22, 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – When You Are Blessed

Topic: When You Are Blessed — Friday 22, September 2017.

Memorise: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. – Hebrews 11:20

Read: Genesis 27:20-29 (KJV)

20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 4-6, Ezekiel 44:28-45:9, Hymn: Sing hymn 14 – Take My Life

MESSAGE:

A blessing is an invitation to all the forces in Heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to cooperate with an individual and assist him or her to succeed. When Isaac pronounced a blessing on Jacob in today’s Bible reading, he summoned the dew of heaven, the land, and all the forces on earth to be of assistance to Jacob. As a result of this blessing, Jacob became exceedingly great. Hear what Genesis 30:43 says about his greatness:

“And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.”

How about his brother Esau? Genesis 27:38-40 says after Jacob had stolen the cream of the blessing from him, Esau came to ask for the remnant. What was the result of this “remnant”? From Genesis 32:3-6, we understand that this remnant got him so blessed that he could afford to retain the services of 400 personal bodyguards. If you become so rich that you require 400 men to go with you wherever you go, that is something remarkable. I can recall the first time a president visited us at the Redemption Camp; he came with an entourage of 250 people. So imagine how blessed Esau was for him to have had 400 people in his entourage! I believe he was really blessed.

Moreover, let me add here that after a blessing is pronounced on you, it may not be obvious how the blessing will be fulfilled. Most times, it may not even make sense. You may not even be able to afford a bicycle now, and a blessing may be pronounced on you that a time will come when you will need a Boeing 747 to airlift those who will accompany you whenever you are travelling. It may not make sense to you, but that is what a blessing can do. I often say that I am where I am today by the grace of God and by the blessings of my mother. Any time I did something that pleased her, she would bless me. She would say, “You this boy, you will call one person, and two hundred people will respond.” l didn’t know what she meant back then, and I didn’t know how it would happen, but I always said Amen”. Today, by the grace of God, I can say this has become reality. Have you provoked the blessing of your biological parents? Have you provoked the blessing of your spiritual parents? Most importantly, have you provoked a blessing from God?

Action Point: When a blessing is pronounced on you, simply sustain a conducive atmosphere for its fulfilment, and it will surely come to pass.

Todays Devotional: STAY CONNECTED - Friday September 22, 2017

John 15:1–17

In 2003, a widespread power outage hit states from Massachusetts to Michigan, affecting some 45 million Americans. Attributed in part to a software glitch, the blackout lasted for up to a week in some places. New York City alone had sixty fires in the first 24 hours of the blackout, largely caused by the use of candles.

Being disconnected from electricity is stressful, but being disconnected spiritually has even more devastating results. In our passage today, Jesus reminded His disciples to remain deeply connected to Him and to one another.

Jesus is the “true vine,” and His Father is the gardener. (v. 1). The Father prunes each branch to ensure that those that remain will be fruitful. Here we see the divine providence of God as He shapes and directs us. When we remain connected to Him, we thrive and bear fruit. Without Him, we accomplish nothing (v. 5). Notice that we are not the gardeners—we are not commanded to prune but rather to abide in Christ. The minute we disconnect from Him, we become disabled. Whatever we accomplish is for God’s glory alone; He is our source of life (v. 8).

Staying connected to Jesus means following His command to love one another. This was not the first time Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another (see 13:34). The true test of followers of God is whether they practice sacrificial love, following the example of Jesus (v. 13).

Finally, Jesus elevates our status from servants to friends (vv. 14–15). We are now involved in His business, we share His concerns, and we have a special mission on His behalf. The fruit of love in our lives is evidence of God’s work to prune and shape us into branches that bring Him glory.

APPLY THE WORD

How do you stay connected to Jesus? Perhaps reading this devotional and God’s Word each day strengthens your commitment to Him. Time in prayer, even short prayers as we go about our day, keeps our attention on the Lord. Listening to worship music and taking time to serve others are ways we can abide and rest in Jesus.

PRAY WITH US

Ken Heulitt, chief financial officer, requests your prayer support for Moody’s resources, a sound fiscal year ahead of us, and the continuous fellowship and communication with our donors. He will be grateful for the prayers of God’s people!

BY JAMIE JANOSZ

In touch Ministries Daily Devotions: God’s Response to Sinful Behavior - SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

Genesis 20:1-16

Despite appearances, evil men are not in control of our world; God is. How does our sovereign Lord respond to sin?

At times He allows sin to run its full course. After the exodus, He promised Israel abundant blessings if they were obedient (Psalm 81:10). When they persistently disobeyed, He “gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart” (Psalm 81:12). God remained in control but chose to let the nation experience the consequences of continued rebellion. He deals with individuals the same way (Rom. 1:24, Rom. 1:28). Apart from Jesus Christ, the end result of sin is eternal death (Rom. 3:23).

At other times, God stops the sinful behavior completely. When Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife, the king of Gerar brought her into his household for himself. Abraham’s lie—“she is my sister”—put the king at risk. God intervened and prevented any further sinful action from taking place. For believers, God limits the intensity, scope, and time we have to deal with a particular temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). For those who have rejected Jesus Christ, there is no such promise.

To believe the heavenly Father is sovereign, we must embrace certain truths: His thoughts and ways are superior to ours (Isa. 55:8-9); He always keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20); His perfect character is unchanging (James 1:17); and He has control over everything, including times of blessing and disaster (Isa. 45:7).

The next time you are confronted with the effects of sin, remember these important truths, and look to God with trusting faith.

Bible in One Year: Amos 5-9

Confessions Of A Secret Sinner (5) DAILY DEVOTIONS BY JENTEZEN FRANKLIN - SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

“The Lord looks at the heart.” 1Sa 16:7 NLT

Pastor and author John MacArthur says: “Jesus’ exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything. Secret sin is especially abhorrent because: 

(1) God sees the heart. In fact, if we realized He’s the only audience we’d be less inclined to write it off. It’s folly to mitigate sin by keeping it private…it’s double-folly to think you’re better than others because you sin privately…and it’s the height of folly to conceal it. ‘He who covers his sins will not prosper’ (Pr 28:13 NKJV). 

(2) Sinful thoughts originate from the same source as sinful deeds. When Jesus said hatred carries the same guilt as murder, and that lust is the essence of adultery, He wasn’t saying there’s no difference in degree…He was saying that a lustful person has no right to feel superior to a fornicator. The fact that somebody thinks such thoughts proves they’re capable of immoral acts, and someone who hates his brother already has murder lurking in his heart. 

(3) Hypocrisy compounds hidden sin. Why? Because it means covering it up. Jesus called hypocrisy ‘the leaven of the Pharisees’ (Lk 12:1) because it compounds itself like leaven. It sears your conscience and paves the way for other character-damaging sins…When somebody tries to tell you appearances are everything—don’t buy it! Your secret life is a litmus test of your character: ‘As he thinks within himself, so he is’ (Pr 23:7 NAS). If you want to know who you really are, look at your private life. Then gaze into the mirror of God’s Word and let Him disclose and correct the thoughts and intents of your heart.”

Our Daily Bread: Sweet and Sour - Friday September 22, 2017

Read: Job 2:1–10 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 10–12; Galatians 13

  

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job 2:10

When our toddler first bit into a lemon wedge, he wrinkled his nose, stuck out his tongue, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Sow-wah,” he said (sour).

I chuckled as I reached for the piece of fruit, intending to toss it into the trash.

The Lord uses trials to teach us how to trust Him

“No!” Xavier scampered across the kitchen to get away from me. “Moe-wah!” (more). His lips puckered with every juice-squirting bite. I winced when he finally handed me the rind and walked away.

My taste buds accurately reflect my partiality to the sweet moments in life. My preference for avoiding all things bitter reminds me of Job’s wife, who seems to have shared my aversion to the sourness of suffering.

Job surely didn’t delight in hardship or trouble, yet he honored God through heart-wrenching circumstances (Job 1:1–22). When painful sores afflicted Job’s body, he endured the agony (2:7–8). His wife told him to give up on God (v. 9), but Job responded by trusting the Lord through suffering and afflictions (v. 10).

It’s natural to prefer avoiding the bitter bites in life. We can even be tempted to lash out at God when we’re hurting. But the Lord uses trials, teaching us how to trust Him, depend on Him, and surrender to Him as He enables us to persevere through difficult times. And like Job, we don’t have to enjoy suffering to learn to savor the unexpected sweetness of sour moments—the divine strengthening of our faith.

Thank You for assuring us that suffering is never wasted when we place our confidence in who You are, what You’ve done, and what You’re capable of doing.

God uses suffering to strengthen our faith.

By Xochitl Dixon 

INSIGHT

In the ancient story of Job, we see a devout follower of God whose life has been laid bare by financial, family, and physical suffering. The book of Job asks the perennial question, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Job’s ordeals test his devotion to his Redeemer and Provider. Clearly the book shows how God uses suffering to strengthen believers’ faith and refine their character. Job declares, “But [God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). 

Has God used a trial in your life to refine your character and strengthen your faith?

Dennis Fisher