Divine Nature

Sometimes, it seems there is too much to pray for, and not enough people praying. Written by Hope on 08/09/2013 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Prayer, Salvation, Spiritual Discipline “These were [the Lord's] instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields." (Luke 10:2 ) Sometimes, it seems there is too much to pray for, and not enough people praying. As of this writing, tremendous upheaval and civil war are occurring in at least three countries the Middle East. Governments in the West are spying on each other and bullying their own people. Other people around the world are disagreeing over their differences, while those in power persecute those with minority views or looks. How can God work with all this? Does He care about you and the people you are praying for amidst all this turmoil? God Does Care Scripture tells us, "This is real love — no...

Are effective prayers answered? Written by Lois on 25/04/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Prayer, Holy Spirit, Jesus, God Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread His message and explain the mystery of Christ... Please pray I will make the message as clear as possible. Colossians 4:3-4 CEV The Old and New Testaments have many illustrations of strong and effectual prayers. In John 17:24 Jesus prays: “Father, I want everyone You have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that You have given me, because You loved me before the world was created.” In John chapter 17, Jesus prays for Himself, explaining exactly who He is. He continues to pray for His disciples and His followers (us). If we want an answer from God, wouldn’t this be the kind of prayer to send to Him? Ephesians 6:18-19 says, “Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit...Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I m...

To all South Africans, let live the dream. To all human races globally

Five reasons why prayer is the answer when life turns upside down. Written by Janet Perez Eckles on 18/04/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Prayer, Healing, Reassurance, Confidence, Anxiety The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. Psalm 34:18 The doctor’s news crushed me. I squirmed on the examining chair. “There is nothing that can be done for this retinal disease,” he said as he pulled back from examining my eyes. “No one knows how long you’ll have your sight. You need to prepare for the inevitable.” He was right. Despite my frantic search for a cure, a few months later my vision closed in completely. Horrified, anxious and desperate, I trembled at the notion that without sight, I would not be able to care for my three small sons. I tossed awake at night questioning God. Where was He? Why didn’t He hear my prayers as I begged for a miracle? Hope threatened to leave me. But one day God showed up. That day a friend invited me to a C...

In God’s word, the Apostle Paul describes the church not as an Organization, but an Organism – the “Body of Christ.” Written by Hope on 24/11/2013 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Church And Community Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. – 1 Corinthians 12:12 In God’s word, the Apostle Paul describes the church not as an Organization, but an Organism – the “Body of Christ.” He goes on in this passage to explain what this means in practical terms: Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-16) Each member of Christ’s body plays a different yet important role, and is a critical part of the whole. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And th...

The church – your local group of believers – will encourage and guide you as you grow spiritually. Written by GodLife Series: Look to Jesus Tags: Church And Community, Family When you became a follower of Jesus, you were “born again” (John 3:3). Can you imagine being a newborn baby just coming home, and your parents left you alone on the floor, giving you no food, milk, clean diapers, or love? That would be terrible! The Church -- Not a Building, But People As a physical family makes sure you get fed and loved, the church – your local group of believers – will encourage and guide you as you grow spiritually. One of the most important things your church does is remind you often of the main points of the gospel: Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for your sins and rose again to show His power over death, Everyone who has by faith received God’s free gift is forgiven of their sins and becomes God’s child, Jesus lives in each believer today through His Holy Spirit, giving t...

Here are 3 things that happen when God turns you into a masterpiece. Written by Joy on 01/02/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Life Change, New Life, Personal Transformation “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:8-10 The Bible says when we accept Jesus, we are forgiven and given new life. When you start your new life, God crafts you into a masterpiece. Here are 3 things that happen when God turns you into a masterpiece. You are Forgiven Do not let your past mistakes keep you from living the joyful life God wants you to have. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s love and grace is bigger than a...

Discovering Your True Identity Written by Luis Palau Tags: Family, God, Identity, Jesus This article was written by Andrew Palau. From the time I was seven years old, I hung out with the same group of friends. As we grew up, I carved out an identity for myself that fit in among the group. I was “the crazy one.” When I went off to college and left these familiar friends behind, this reputation I had built for myself disappeared. I realized that I didn’t know who I was because my friends weren’t there to define me. I was plagued by the question: “who am I really?” Left without an answer, I felt lost and out of place. But once I became a follower of Jesus, that question took on a new and exciting dynamic. Who am I? The answer fills my heart with joy, confidence and a sense of eternity. When we accept Jesus Christ, our identity no longer relies on anything or anyone in this world. Many of us let things such as our jobs, our talents or the people around us define our perception ...

Do you have children? Written by Hope on 03/11/2013 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Disciples, Life Change "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 Do you have children? If so, you might know that the Bible instructs us to "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Taking a new Christian on a path of discipleship can be compared to teaching or training a child. Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it" (Mark 10:14-15). Faith Like a Child Jesus taught, ...

Moms and dads, don’t underestimate the impact you have upon your children! Written by Luis Palau Tags: Family, Fathers, God, Jesus, Mothers "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). People always say children learn by example. I know that was true in my own life. My dad was a consistent man; the same person at home as he was at church. He rose early on cold winter mornings in Argentina to start a wood fire in the stove. I should have been sleeping, but often I sneaked out of bed just to watch him putter around the house. If I watched long enough, I might see him go into his office—a little study he built on one side of the house—and kneel alone. Wrapped in a blanket or poncho, he would read the Bible and pray before going out to work. Though I was not even eight years old yet, I would steal back to my bed, feeling warm and grateful that I had a good dad. Daily Bible Reading One day Dad told me he r...

Is there anything you think is really wonderful, which you want to tell people about? Written by Hope on 11/08/2013 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Evangelism, Family, Friends, Relationships, Salvation "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) A friend of mine just told me about a television show she likes. She said, "When I find something really good, I get excited, and I want to tell my friends about it." What about you? is there anything you think is really wonderful, which you want to tell people about? Amazing Things One day, in the course of His travels, Jesus stopped at a well in a Samaritan village. He met a woman there and told her amazing things, revealing, "I AM the Messiah!" (John 4:26). She was so excited that she "left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, tellin...

Why does God put His children through such terrible situations? Is there a purpose for our trials? Written by Joy on 06/04/2014 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Family, Friends, Relationships, Trials “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” 2 Corinthians 1:4 “Your baby has a hole in his diaphragm and no lungs, so he cannot breathe on his own without machines. Even with advanced medical treatment, he has only a 5% chance of survival.” Those were the devastating words we heard when our son David was born. Why does God put His children through such terrible situations? Is there a purpose for our trials? Life is Not Always Happy Life does not always turn out the way you expect. After 8 months in the hospital and many surgeries, we approached David’s first Christmas with very little joy or hope. I watched David struggle to breathe, realizing how easy breathing was for me, and how I took it for gr...

Jesus’ Radically Dependent Life Reproduced in His Followers Written by GodLife on 24/01/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Happy, Blessed, Grace, Mercy It is enough for disciples to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. Matthew 10:25 As followers of Jesus, we have to know what He taught in order to know Him and follow Him. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, found in the book of Matthew (Chapters 5-7), is a great start. A religious scholar once said that nothing “…exhorts us more than this Sermon on the Mount to be what we are meant to be, and to live as we are meant to live; to be like Christ by being a complete contrast to everyone who does not belong to Christ.” Do you want your life to stand out in radical contrast to the rest of the world? Let His teachings be your guide. “God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!” (Matthew 5:3) This means we come to understand we have nothing to offer God. Jesus o...

False teaching comes in many forms, but these teachings always deny the identity of God. Written by Joy on 28/09/2014 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Lies, Truth “This is what the Lord says - your Redeemer and Creator: ‘I am the Lord, who made all things. I alone stretched out the heavens. Who was with me when I made the earth? I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune-tellers. I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools.’” Isaiah 44:24-25 False teaching comes in many forms, but these teachings always deny the identity of God. This is how false teaching denies God’s identity: Denial of Creator God False teachings often deny Genesis 1:1, which says “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” 2 Peter 3:3-8 even reminds us that in the last days people will purposely “forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed.” Denying God created the heavens and the earth is a false te...

The way to know a lie is to know the truth. Written by Joy on 05/10/2014 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Lies, Teaching, Truth “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing.” 1 Timothy 6:3-4 We need to know God’s truth so we can recognize false teachers. Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” (Matthew 7:24) There are many signs of false teachers, but here are three common signs: 1. Contradicting Jesus’ Teaching Religious teachers who require certain works in order to earn salvation do not agree with Jesus. Jesus taught that we are saved by grace through faith in his death on the cross. (John 1:12; 3:16) He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through me” (John 14:6). Teachers who say that all religions lead to God, or that everyone is...

Why is the Resurrection so Important? Written by Dan Lee on 11/04/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Jesus, Resurrection, Heaven, Salvation My friends, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don’t, your faith was all for nothing. I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 What makes Easter the most important day in the Christian calendar – bigger even than Christmas? Here are three simple reasons: 1. The Resurrection is a Historical Fact Just days earlier, Jesus had been betrayed and arrested. He was beaten, mocked, tortured and executed. His disciples had scattered, His closest followers denying that they even knew Him. It seemed like total failure. But ...

Hope for a "new world" must rest in God, not man Written by Luis Palau Tags: Death, Easter, Hope, Life, Power, Resurrection We all keep hoping for peace. World War I was "the war to end all wars." Then we found ourselves in the midst of World War II-again sending out sons, husbands, and fathers who may not return. The wars kept coming. Korea. Vietnam. Iraq. Each one pouring out death and destruction to an extent the world hadn’t witnessed previously. If only military victory carried a lifetime guarantee of no more death, no more failure, no more fear. Or better yet, an eternal guarantee. But only one man’s death carries that guarantee. No human effort to build a better world can guarantee lasting peace in the Persian Gulf, or Somalia, or anywhere else for that matter. The freedom that costs the blood of our precious young men and women isn’t permanent. It lasts only until another aggressive power comes along, unjustly claiming supremacy over others. Then t...

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key to the Christian faith Written by Joy on 05/04/2015 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Crucifixion, Easter, Jesus, Life, Resurrection “Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, ” John 11:25 During Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is the key to understanding the Christian faith. Without Easter morning, what Jesus taught and modeled would only bring us condemnation. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” I Corinthians 15:17 Let’s learn more about the special Easter gift God has for you. Love At the time of Jesus’ coming, the Bible already had many detailed predictions about Jesus’ death on the cross. His own words in Matthew 12:40, Mark 8:31 and John 2:19-21 show He knowingly and willingly went to the cross. “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily...” (John 10:18). His ...

The Mystery that Saves Us From Ourselves Written by Susan on 27/03/2016 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Cross, Crucifixion, Easter, Jesus, Resurrection, Salvation For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. I Thessalonians 5:9-10 Easter, an important holiday for Christians, is upon us again. Each year we have the chance to reconsider what it means. Will we ever truly grasp the meaning of Easter? Jesus came to the world to die for us. Why did He have to do that? Why We Need Saving: In Romans 3:10 an Old Testament quote from Psalm 14:1-4 is given to remind us that “no one is righteous, no not one.” Since Jesus is the only person who ever lived a sinless life, He is the only one who is able to perfectly follow God’s will. The rest of us all fall short. Fall short of what? God’s holiness is the standard, so we can do nothing but fall short...

Do we really understand all that Easter encompasses? Written by Luis Palau Tags: Bible, Easter "When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the King of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride." How often do we consider the cross to that extent today? At least once a year we take time to reflect on what Jesus Christ has done for us. Every Easter we think of the cross, the tomb, and the resurrection. But do we really understand all that Easter encompasses? All too often we throw around religious, theological words, but we don’t stop and think about what they really mean. Here are 12 crucial, biblical terms to ponder. As we speak these words this Easter we can appreciate anew the reason we celebrate. SIN Sin is choosing our own will over God’s will. This turning to self instead of God has infected every human since the Garden of Eden—separating us from our God and each other. The devastation of sin is why we so need to have an ...

No one in this life is exempt from struggles, heartaches, and difficulties. Written by Luis Palau Tags: Cancer, Difficulty, Healing, Hope, Sickness Nearly 20 years after Patricia and I were married, we faced the biggest challenge of our lives when she discovered a lump in one breast. We were just finishing a six-city speaking tour in Scotland— and rushed back home to Portland, Oregon. Yes, there was a problem. A biopsy was necessary. Then came the doctor’s verdict. For a moment we sat in stunned silence, trying to block out his awful words. “The tumor is malignant and radical surgery must be performed immediately. We can’t delay.” Surgery was scheduled for the following Monday. Pat had cancer. When we got back to the house, I headed to my office in the basement. Somehow I had to come to grips with this terrible blow, I told myself. But a hundred emotions welled up inside me, and I began to weep. This was the sort of thing that happens to other people, but not to my wife. Not ...

Why did Jesus need to enter Jerusalem in the way he did? Written by GodLife on 04/04/2017 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Prophecy, Promises, Resurrection, Faith, Love At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory, they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as the Scriptures said it would. John 12:16 On Palm Sunday you may be given a palm branch. If you’re a new follower of Jesus, this could be a surprise. Even if you’ve been a Christian for a long time, you may not be clear about why we celebrate this day or why it’s called Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry.” Palm Sunday is a breathtaking picture of the patience, the faithfulness and the loving heart of our Savior. Keep reading for the secret of what Palm Sunday is about. Palm Sunday is about timing Many times, people in the Gospels get excited about Jesus: His teaching, (See Mark 1:21-22; John 7:46) His healing, or miracles. (John 2:23-25) Jesus didn’t let these people make...

God knew what I needed, even if I didn’t know myself. Written by Hope on 12/05/2013 Series: Weekly Devotional Tags: Daily Bread, God, Jesus, Prayer, Service "The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26) More than once, I’ve been too upset or in too much pain to pray with words. However, I’ve never felt like God abandoned me; I never felt out of communion with Him. I felt like something in me was still calling to Him, even though I couldn’t even express what I needed. God knew what I needed, even if I didn’t know myself. Daily Needs One of the sentences Jesus taught His followers to pray was, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) this can be a form of requesting that God meet all our needs. Of course, “bread” was not all Jesus ever asked the Father for; and we need more than just food. It’s so wonderful that the ...