Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

 
Monday, February 13

Resisting by Avoiding

  Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
  Galatians 5:16

  Recommended Reading
Galatians 5:16-18 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:16-18&version=NKJV )

David Robinson is considered the best basketball player in the history of the United States Naval Academy and one of the greatest centers in the history of the National Basketball Association. In a recent book about Christian athletes, David contributed a chapter entitled "Overcoming Temptation." He said that when he got into the NBA, he didn't go to clubs and bars because he figured that wasn't going to be the place to find a wife. He told himself, "I'm not going to listen to this type of music, I'm not going to watch these types of movies on TV, and I'm not going to put myself in certain situations where I'm going to be tempted."

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"Once you expose yourself to evil," he said, "you end up thinking about the wrong things all the time. And it's especially hard to resist temptation when it's all you can think about."

The best way to beat temptation is by avoiding it whenever possible. Don't expose yourself to evil. Clothe yourself with Christ.

  Temptation will come. Be ready by writing some key verses on sticky notes and memorizing one each week.
  David Robinson

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 10:1-12:16 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2010:1-12:16&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, February 14

Watch and Pray

  When He came to the place, [Jesus] said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."
  Luke 22:40

  Recommended Reading
Luke 22:45-46 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2022:45-46&version=NKJV )

The apostle Paul used the armor of a Roman soldier as a metaphor for the believer's spiritual armor: belt, helmet, breastplate, sword, shoes, and shield. But Paul added something to the Christian's preparation for spiritual battle that he did not draw from the Roman military: prayer. After describing the armor, Paul added, "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--" (Ephesians 6:18).

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That prayer language mirrors what Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His arrest and trial. Jesus had just warned Peter about the coming temptation to deny Him (Luke 22:31-34) and the disciples about the opposition they would face (verses 35-38). As the hour of His trial grew near, Jesus admonished the disciples--twice--to pray lest they succumb to the temptations to deny Him and flee from persecution.

Waiting until the battle is joined is waiting too late to fight. Fighting begins on our knees as we call upon God for victory over temptation.

  Christian, seek not yet repose; cast thy dreams of ease away; thou art in the midst of foes: watch and pray.
  Charlotte Elliott

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 13:1–14:45 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2013:1 )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, February 15

Be Angry--or Not

  "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
  Ephesians 4:26-27

  Recommended Reading
John 2:13-17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%202:13-17&version=NKJV )

  The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language  (4th edition) defines anger as "a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility." Anger by itself is an emotion, not a sin. Jesus definitely had "a strong feeling of displeasure" when He saw how the temple had been turned into a "house of merchandise" (John 2:16). Yet Jesus was not sinfully angry because He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

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The apostle Paul allows for anger that is not sin by warning the Ephesians not to allow their anger to cross the line: "Be angry, and do not sin." So when is anger righteous indignation (as in Jesus' case in the temple) and when is it sinful? Perhaps it depends on the purpose and intent of the anger. Sinful anger is self-centered--we are defending ourselves by attacking others. Righteous indignation defends the cause or standing of another. Sinful anger wants to hurt, whereas righteous indignation wants a miscarriage of justice to be set right. Sinful anger broods and is never resolved, but righteous indignation says its piece and is done.

If something arouses your anger today, make sure your anger doesn't cross the line.

  Anger should not be destroyed but sanctified.
  William Jenkyn

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 15:1–16:50 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2015:1 )
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[Judy Harder]

Thursday, February 16

Snappy

  The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
  Proverbs 17:14

  Recommended Reading
2 Timothy 2:24-26 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%202:24-26&version=NKJV )

Snappy, a crocodile in a wildlife park in the state of Victoria in Australia, has become something of a tourist attraction recently because of his color. His normal green is gone, and he's become bright orange. His keepers believe it happened after he chewed the pipes in his tank and ate the filter. The chemicals affected the pH in his body, turning his scales blazing orange. The change of color did nothing to improve his temper. He is known for being aggressive and territorial and for living up to his name--Snappy.

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When we are snappy, angry, and aggressive, it poisons our systems too. When we chew on the pipes of some quarrel, it changes the pH of our personalities. Anger, when nursed and mollycoddled, turns into bitterness. Our unforgiving spirit results in resentment and negativity. We turn orange, as it were.

Be careful not to nurse your anger or allow it to build up against others. Be a quick forgiver. Proverbs 20:3 says, "It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel."

  You choose whether to live in the freedom of forgiveness or in the bitterness of bondage.
  Elmer Towns

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 17:1-20:29 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2017:1-20:29&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Friday, February 17

Economy of the Heart

  Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another.
  Colossians 3:13a

  Recommended Reading
Colossians 3:12-14 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203:12-14&version=NKJV )

In his book,  The Gift of Forgiveness , Charles Stanley wrote, "Forgiveness is something each of us has had to deal with one way or another. What might take you just a short time to work through might be a process that takes someone else time, prayer, and godly counsel. But it is a process we cannot ignore, not if we want to be free to become the persons God created us to be."1

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Stanley went on to say that if we refuse to deal with the bitterness and resentments that put us in bondage, we cannot have the fellowship with our Father we are supposed to have.

It's not easy to forgive another. Some wounds are deep and last for decades. But hatred and bitterness are bars we use to imprison ourselves. When we place the other person in God's hands and release the bitterness to Him, we're set free, just as truly as being released from jail.

  Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.
  From  The Berean Magazine , November 21, 1826

  1Charles Stanley,  The Gift of Forgiveness  (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 105.

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 21:1-23:30 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2021:1-23:30&version=NKJV )

                                                                 

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, February 18

Things Change: Changing Directions

  But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
  Jonah 1:3a

  Recommended Reading
Jonah 1:1-17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%201:1-17&version=NKJV )

Nothing's more terrifying than seeing a car racing toward you going the wrong way on the freeway. At that moment, everyone's life is in danger. According to the most recent figures, over 1700 people die annually in America from crashes caused by drivers traveling the wrong way on a highway. Statistically, two-thirds of those wrong-way drivers were drunk. Others took the wrong ramp onto the highway. Maybe some were fleeing the police.

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It's always dangerous to go the wrong way. It didn't work out very well for Jonah, and it won't work out for us. Is your life headed in the wrong direction? Has Satan gotten the better of your judgment? Do you need to make some changes?

Don't be like the man who said he was making a 360-degree change. Turn exactly 180 degrees. Repent of any and all entrapping sin. Rededicate yourself to Jesus Christ in body, mind, and soul. As Ezekiel 33:11b says: "Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?"

Let the Lord help you get out of the wrong lane today.

  Repentance is one of the most positive words in any language. It tells us we can change direction. It assures us God will help us improve.
  Robert J. Morgan

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 24:1-28:31 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2024:1-28:31&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Monday, February 20

Learning to Forgive

  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
  John 8:32

  Recommended Reading
John 8:31-36 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208:31-36&version=NKJV )
When we forgive someone, we're not minimizing the harm they caused nor condoning the sin they've committed. We're simply choosing to place the offense into the nail-scarred hands of Christ.

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Paul J. Meyer wrote about a woman named Renee who hated her father because of long-term abuse. When Renee became a Christian at age forty-one, she faced a dilemma. She knew she'd been forgiven of all her sins through Christ, but she had no desire to forgive her father. As she studied the Bible, however, she began realizing that forgiveness isn't a feeling but a requirement. One day she prayed to God: "I, Renee, release my father into your loving arms. Please release me from the bondage of unforgiveness." Her attitude toward her dad began to change, and so did his own heart. He eventually confessed Christ as his Savior and was baptized at the age of eighty-four.

Learning to forgive others helps both the forgiven and the forgiver.

  Forgiveness does not mean we have to allow ourselves to be mistreated... (It) does mean that we allow God to work in our lives and in the lives of the people against whom we hold bitterness.
  Paul J. Meyer

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 29:1-31:54 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2029:1-31:54&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, February 21

Seeker or Skeptic?

  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
  John 7:17

  Recommended Reading
Acts 17:10-12 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:10-12&version=NKJV )
A lot can be learned about a person by the way he asks, "Is that really true?" With those words, one person might be saying excitedly, "I didn't know that was true, but I'm so glad to find out!" Another person might use the same words to communicate, "I'm very skeptical. I'm not sure I even want this to be true since it would mean a lot would change."

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The same doubts and questions can mean different things depending on whether the person is a seeker or a skeptic. Jesus said that the answer to the "Is it true?" question depends on the heart of the person who asks: "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know ..." If we approach God and His will and Word with a desire to believe it and obey it, God will reveal His will and Word to us so it can be done. The Jews in the city of Berea seemed to fall in the seeker category: "...they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

If you have questions for God, preface them with a confession: "Lord, I want to know Your will so I can fulfill it in my life."

  There are parts of the Bible which cause me difficulty, but none which cause me doubt.
  John Blanchard

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 32:1-33:56 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2032:1-33:56&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, February 22

Good Questions

  So [Thomas] said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails... and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
  John 20:25b

  Recommended Reading
John 20:24-29 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020:24-29&version=NKJV )

The disciple named Thomas is usually referred to as "Doubting Thomas" because of his insistence on walking by sight, not by faith, regarding the resurrection of Jesus. But let's not be too hard on Thomas. There are many aspects of biblical revelation and experience that stretch the rational mind. The Bible is not irrational, but it can be  trans rational--asking us to believe things that transcend our understanding (the virgin birth, miracles, the resurrection of Christ, and so on).

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Let's give Thomas credit for being honest enough to articulate his doubts in precise language. He wanted to see the resurrected Christ--and evidence that it was really Him--before he committed himself to such a revolutionary event. Thomas would have had a problem if, after seeing Christ (John 20:26-27) he still refused to believe. It's one thing to ask for evidence or understanding; it's another to reject the evidence or understanding and not believe.

God is not threatened by our doubts. He is the One who says, "Come now, and let us reason together..." (Isaiah 1:18).

  Turn your doubts to questions; turn your questions to prayers; turn your prayers to God.
  Mark Littleton

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Numbers 34:1–36:13 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2034:1 )

                                       

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, February 23

What to Do Today?

  ...redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
  Ephesians 5:16

  Recommended Reading
Psalm 90:12-14 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2090:12-14&version=NKJV )

When Katie Davis graduated from high school in America and volunteered to teach kindergarten in Uganda, she didn't know she would one day become mother to 13 orphaned girls and teacher and provider for hundreds more. In her book, Kisses from Katie, she describes what seems at times to be an overwhelming task--and her solution: "I began each day saying, 'Okay, Lord, what would you have me do today?... I was walking through life one moment at a time, blown away by what God could do through me if I simply said yes."1

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The best way to make the most of a life given as a gift from God is to make the most of today. God doesn't expect us to plan for the entire future--just today. Consider how much good can be accomplished in one day in the lives of the people God puts in our path!

When Paul wrote, "...redeeming the time," he was talking about today, tomorrow, the day after--one day at a time. Why the focus on today? Because a day not redeemed is a day gone forever. And because a life is nothing but a collection of todays.

  Procrastination is not only the thief of time, it is also the grave of opportunity.
  Unknown

  1Katie J. Davis and Beth Clark, Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption (Brentwood, TN: Howard Books, 2011), pp. 43-44

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Deuteronomy 1:1-2:37 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%201:1-2:37&version=NKJV )