Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Monday, September 3

An Eye for Detail

  You comprehend my path... and are acquainted with all my ways.
  Psalm 139:3

    Recommended Reading
Psalm 139:1-18 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20139:1-18&version=NKJV )

The key component to every masterpiece is found in the details. Unforgettable performances, exceptional meals, professional accomplishments all share the distinguishing factor of someone giving scrutiny to the details.

Listen to Today's Radio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

The Bible continually reminds us that God has an eye for detail--even knowing the precise number of hairs on each of our heads (Luke 12:7). David the psalmist credits God with knowing everything about him: "You... are acquainted with all my ways" (Psalm 139:3). At times, we can feel overwhelmed by the details of our lives. It's then that we need to consider the litany of Job's trials and his response--unswerving faith in the One who holds the galaxy in His hands, as well as the intricate details of our lives.

God is not dismayed about the current circumstances in your life. His eyes are on you right now. Above all else, He loves you. And He chose to measure that love, not in words, but in blood--the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. Because He loves you that much, will He not sustain you in the midst of whatever it is you are experiencing? Trust Him for the details.

  God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.
  Andrew Murray

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Hosea 7:1-12:14 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%207:1-12:14&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, September 4

Take the Daniel Dare

  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself...
  Daniel 1:8

    Recommended Reading
Daniel 1:8-20 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%201:8-20&version=NKJV )

Scandalous news has recently surfaced of numerous sports personalities making foolish choices, resulting in their disgrace and ruin. Instead of saying "No" to worldly temptations, they acted immorally, hurting themselves, those who loved them, and the sports world that idolized them. Character is not worn on one's sleeve. It's found buried in the souls of those who choose wisely--before temptation strikes.

Listen to Today's Radio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

Thank God He placed the story of Daniel in the Bible to give us a powerful role model of a man who lived an uncompromising life. Daniel dared to say "No" when asked to do what the Bible forbids. Compromise can be a notoriously life-altering word. One error in judgment can derail your life. But consistent courage to declare your convictions empowers you to live each day to your fullest potential. Like Daniel, you won't look back over your shoulder, fearing for your reputation. You'll know where you stand with God.

There is great reward in living an uncompromising life. Make your decision now to courageously obey the Lord--before temptation strikes. Take the Daniel dare.

  Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known.
  Philip P. Bliss, "Dare to Be a Daniel"

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Hosea 13:1-Joel 3:21 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%2013:1-Joel%203:21&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, September 5

Star-Struck

  Those who seemed to be something--whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man--for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.
  Galatians 2:6

    Recommended Reading
Galatians 2:6-10 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202:6-10&version=NKJV )

When we are given the opportunity to meet someone we admire or who is well-known, it is easy to become enamored of their status--we might even become star-struck. This frequently happens with actors and athletes, and at times, even politicians.

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This phenomenon has probably happened to most of us at one point when we spot someone who is "famous." But as in everything else, we must keep a Christian attitude about it. Often, the greatest people we meet are the humblest servants. The Lord isn't impressed with outward appearance; He sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). The real heroes are the unsung variety, people who serve Christ joyfully, unconcerned about any recognition but the Lord's "Well done."

In Galatians 2, the apostle Paul respected the other apostles, but his head wasn't turned by their position. In God's sight, he knew the important thing is not fame but faithfulness.

  Rewards and recognition on the final great day will not be based on usefulness, but faithfulness.
  Robertson McQuilkin

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Amos 1:1-5:27 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%201:1-5:27&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, September 6

Living Character

  Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary?
  Matthew 13:55

    Recommended Reading
Matthew 13:53-58 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013:53-58&version=NKJV )

On a hillside in rural Pennsylvania, a number of elaborate tombstones sprout from the ground, bearing long inscriptions of curious verse. But a nearby gravestone bears a simpler inscription. It identifies a woman named Margaret Workizer, who passed away February 4, 1805, at age fifty-five, and adds these lines with their mild rebuke:

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Verses on tombstones are but idly spent, The living character is the monument.1

Mrs. Workizer made her point. The flashy and flamboyant are worth little. Its integrity, character, and humble faithfulness that leave a lasting mark. That's why the Lord chose Joseph as the earthly father of Jesus. Joseph was a simple, hard-working carpenter; but he was steady, honest, and blameless. He may have been a quiet man, but he was quite a man.

If you feel disappointed with some aspect of your lot in life, remember that God likes characters with character. The steady is better than the showy, and godliness beats grandstanding.

  Thank Him for His sturdy, steady faithfulness--and ask Him to grow the same in you.
  John MacArthur, Jr.

  John Faris,  Old Roads out of Philadelphia  (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1917), 137.
  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Amos 6:1-Obadiah 1:21 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%206:1-Obadiah%201:21&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Friday, September 7

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.
  Colossians 3:23

    Recommended Reading
Proverbs 31:13-27 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2031:13-27&version=NKJV )

You may have heard this expression: "I'd rather burn out than rust out." Lots of missionaries and full-time Christian workers have that perspective, and it is commendable. They see the Christian life as a full-time, lifelong calling to serve their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Even if they retire from vocational ministry, they want to take their last breath with their hands on the plow and their boots on the ground.

  Listen to Today's Radio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

Both "burning out" and "rusting out" are extreme choices, and balance is usually found in the middle. But in this day of entitlements and benefits, perhaps a commitment to industry and hard work deserves a second look--from a spiritual point of view. There are plenty of examples of hard work in Scripture--especially in the apostolic period when persecution was abundant and resources were scarce. In the Old Testament, the proverbial "Proverbs 31 Woman" is the classic example of using God-given talents and resources to the maximum level, benefitting all around.

Where do you fall on the "burn out/rust out" scale? Is your whole life lived "heartily, as to the Lord"?

  In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work.
  A. W. Tozer

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jonah 1:1–Micah 3:12 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%201:1 )

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, September 8 & 9

   Back to School: Set Your Alarm

  My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.
  Psalm 119:148

    Recommended Reading
Acts 17:10-11 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:10-11&version=NKJV )

September is still the back-to-school month in most people's minds. After sleeping late all summer, students go to bed the night before the first day of school dreading the intrusive BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! of the alarm clock that rouses them out of their slumber. But for many students, the earlier time to rise is only a slight adjustment. They are the students who, even through the summer months, have risen early every day to spend devotional time with the Lord.

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There is no greater challenge for adults who wish to pursue a Master's Degree with the Lord than maintaining the daily discipline of a devotional time. David, the shepherd, spent the "night watches" meditating on God's Word--probably the books of Moses. And while early morning quiet times are a traditional appointment among modern Christians, the goal is the meeting itself, not the time of the day.

Make sure you have set your alarm--or your calendar, or your smartphone reminder, or whatever tool works--to focus your heart and mind upon God's Word in study and prayer every day.

  Surely the experience of all good men confirms the proposition that without a due measure of private devotions the soul will grow lean.
  William Wilberforce

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Micah 4:1–Zephaniah 3:20 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%204:1%E2%80%93Zephaniah%203:20&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Monday, September 10

Living the Influential Life

  ...You must be born again.
  John 3:7

    Recommended Reading
John 3:1-17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:1-17&version=NKJV )

When Chuck Colson was imprisoned in 1973 for his involvement in the Watergate scandal, it appeared his life was over. But while Colson was facing arrest, a friend gave him a copy of C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, and Colson became a born-again Christian. After his release from prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, which has impacted hundreds of thousands of inmates around the globe with the Gospel.

Listen to Today'sBRRadio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

Though we grieve the loss of Colson's influential voice since his death last May, his legacy is an inspiration to those who think they can never be used by God. Colson knew firsthand that radical transformation is possible in a life surrendered to Christ.

Colson wrote in his book Loving God, "...the real legacy of my life was my biggest failure--that I was an ex-convict. My greatest humiliation--being sent to prison--was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life. He chose the one experience in which I could not glory for His glory."1

Learn from Colson's life. When you are directed by the Holy Spirit, God can influence the world through you!

  Except a man be born again, he will wish one day he had never been born at all.
  J. C. Ryle

  1Charles Colson,  Loving God  (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), 24.   Read-Thru-the-Bible
Haggai 1:1-Zechariah 4:14 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Haggai%201:1-Zechariah%204:14&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, September 11

Center Is Safest

  He must increase, but I must decrease.
  John 3:30

    Recommended Reading
John 3:26-36 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:26-36&version=NKJV )

Hurricanes can travel up to 200 miles per hour, often destroying everything in their path. However, inside the center of these tropical storms--described as the eye of the cyclone--is mostly calm weather with minimum barometric pressure. The contrast of raging winds outside the calm center of the storm is an awesome illustration of the safety found in living life in the center of God's will.

Listen to Today'sBRRadio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

Why is it so hard to stay centered in our Christian lives, not climbing the ladder of prominence in God's service? Posturing for position only leads to precarious pinnacles. Our position as believers should always be submission to God's will. John the Baptist understood his position in relation to Christ. When John's disciples saw his popularity being overshadowed by Jesus, they tried to rile him up. But John humbly affirmed, "He must increase, but I  must  decrease" (John 3:30).

When someone looks at your life, do they see you straining for attention? Or do they see Jesus? Do they see  your  ministry? Or God's ministry? Are all eyes looking at you? Or are you directing all eyes to the Savior? There's only one safe place in this life--the center of God's will.

  What Thou wilt, when Thou wilt, how Thou wilt.
  John Newton

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Zechariah 5:1-9:17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%205:1-9:17&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, September 12

God's Peculiar People

  ...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us...and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
  Titus 2:14

    Recommended Reading
1 Peter 2:9-10 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%202:9-10&version=NKJV )

John the Baptist was an odd man in rough garb eating locusts and honey; but He helped launch Jesus into ministry (Mark 1:6). Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were wealthy urbane leaders; but they took care of Christ at the end of His ministry (John 19:38-40). There's an old saying: "It takes all kinds to make a world." Well, God has used all kinds of people for His purposes.

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The  King James Version  of the Bible uses the word "peculiar" to describe us. Titus 2:14 says God wants to "purify unto Himself a peculiar people." In 1 Peter 2:9, we read, "But ye are a... peculiar people." Newer versions update that word to "special" or "treasured." Yet when we study the characters God has used in Christian history, some of them  do  seem a little peculiar (though in a good way, of course).

God has made each of us special, treasured--and maybe a little peculiar. We're all different. Whether you're as rough as John the Baptist or as cultured as Nicodemus, use your individuality for Christ today.

  God has designed it so that when people have seen God's "peculiar" people, they have in a real sense caught a view of God.
  Darrell L. Guder in Missional Church

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Zechariah 10:1-14:21 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%2010:1-14:21&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, September 13

Change Is Good!

  Now when [Jesus] rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
  Mark 16:9

    Recommended Reading
Luke 8:1-3 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208:1-3&version=NKJV )

The apostle Paul went from throwing Christians into prison to leading non-Christians into the kingdom of God. John Newton went from being a slave trader to being a pastor and hymn-writer. Nicky Cruz went from being a New York City gang member to being a street evangelist for Christ. The late Chuck Colson went from White House "Hatchet Man" to prison evangelist and apologist.

  Listen to Today's Radio Message ( http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/radio.aspx?tid=email_listenedevo )

Meeting Christ always results in life-change, but sometimes the change is  radical . Take a woman named Mary, from the Galilee town of Magdala, for example. We know little about her pre-Christian life except that she was possessed by seven demonic spirits, from which Jesus delivered her. We can only assume that being possessed by seven demons created a chaotic life. By comparison, after being freed from them, Mary became a faithful follower of Jesus--attending both His death and resurrection.

Sometimes we don't like change--until we see the changes are for the better! Take a moment to thank God today for the positive changes you've seen in your life since meeting Christ.

  The Scriptures were not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.
  D. L. Moody

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Malachi 1:1-Matthew 1:25 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%201:1-Matthew%201:25&version=NKJV )