Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Monday, August 4

No "Buts" About It

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Luke 23:34

Recommended Reading
Luke 6:32-35 [ http://iz3.me/cK4o1zwXd1A1 ]

You may have heard these words from someone you hurt: "I forgive you, but ...." If there is a pause after "but," what are you thinking? During that moment of silence you are probably wondering if you are truly forgiven or not. The relief you heard in "I forgive you" probably vanished when you heard "but."

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/dK4o1zwXd1A1 ]

"But" usually means there is a condition involved. "You can ride with me, but (I have three stops to make first)." "I'll let you borrow my car, but (you'll need to return it with the gas tank full)." Sometimes conditions are expected (filling the gas tank), but sometimes they seem out of place: "I forgive you, but ...." Doesn't "forgive" mean, well,  forgive  -- as in unconditional forgiveness? When we hear "but," we hear the prelude to conditions on which forgiveness will be extended. When Jesus Christ asked God to forgive those who crucified Him, His request was unconditional: "Father, forgive them." He didn't say, "Forgive them, but don't make it easy on them." He simply asked that they be forgiven.

The next time you are called on to extend the grace of forgiveness, make sure it is unconditional -- that there are no "buts" about it.

Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.
C. S. Lewis

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 4-5 [ http://iz3.me/fK4o1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, August 5

Warning Signs

And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people.
2 Chronicles 36:15

Recommended Reading
Acts 20:18-35 [ http://iz3.me/T9Co1zwXd1A1 ]

If a society doesn't have "warnings," it doesn't care for its citizens. Depending on where we live, we need warning sirens to alert us to the dangers of tornadoes or tsunamis. We need notifications that warn us of severe weather. We need warning labels on products that may be harmful. News outlets have an obligation to warn viewers of local scams or regional epidemics.

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/W9Co1zwXd1A1 ]

A warning is an attempt to prevent another person from running into danger or encountering harm. The Bible is full of warnings. Sin produces sorrow; immorality brings heartache; moral depravity causes despair; and disregard for grace results in judgment. When we ignore God's greatest warnings and continue to live in sin, we miss His grace, His Gospel, and the glory He wants to give us. That's why the apostle Paul told the Ephesians, "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31).

If our Gospel contains no warnings, we're not preaching the "whole counsel of God." If we fail to heed the warnings God sends us, we're endangering our souls.

Benevolent hands reach down from heaven to offer us the most hopeful warning and remedy: "Prepare to meet your God."
Billy Graham, in his book  Storm Warning

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 6-8 [ http://iz3.me/X9Co1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, August 6

Walking This Pilgrim Pathway

For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

Recommended Reading
Hebrews 11:13-16 [ http://iz3.me/fuLo1zwXd1A1 ]

Dr. J. Vernon McGee wrote about California: "I have a ranch out here. It's not what you would call a big ranch -- 72 feet wide and 128 feet deep. But I have my house in the middle of it, and I have ... orange trees, avocado trees, tangerine trees, nectarine trees, and lemons .... The other day I just looked up and thanked the Lord that He gave me that place. It is the first place I have ever owned and paid for, but He gave it to me, and I thank Him for it. However, I told Him, 'Don't let me get in love with this place, or I won't want to leave it and go to a better place.' We are strangers and pilgrims down here, because we are walking by faith, looking to a better place."1

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/guLo1zwXd1A1 ]

Possessions accumulate with time, but it's helpful to echo Dr. McGee's prayer: "Lord, don't let me get in love with this place." Faith is how we receive God's grace, and our greatest possessions are Christ, His Word, and the future He's planned for us. Don't fall in love with the world. Walk by faith on the pilgrim pathway.

Walking by faith will cause all of us to recognize that as children of God we are just pilgrims and strangers down here on this earth.
J. Vernon McGee

1 J. Vernon McGee, Hebrews Chapters 8-13 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 87.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 9-11 [ http://iz3.me/huLo1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, August 7

Extravagant Love

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1

Recommended Reading
Luke 15:11-31 [ http://iz3.me/93Wo1zwXd1A1 ]

God's love for us is like an intricately cut diamond. The longer we examine each facet, the deeper our understanding of it. Jesus uses the father in the story of the prodigal son to describe His heart and affection for the lost. When the prodigal returned home, the father could have cut him off from the family. This was the acceptable course of action against a person who had brought such shame upon his family. It was naive of the son to think he could return home, even as a servant.

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/A3Wo1zwXd1A1 ]

But this father does the unexpected. When he sees his son in the distance, he runs to him, embracing and kissing him. The father is more concerned with having his son return than with hearing why he returned. He is given a robe, a ring, and shoes -- these are visible signs to the community that the son is a part of his family.

We serve a loving God: He searches for us and runs to us. He embraces us and adopts us into His family. When God's love touches our lives, we are inspired to seek and love the lost as Jesus did.

God's mercy and grace give me hope -- for myself, and for our world.
Billy Graham

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 12-14 [ http://iz3.me/B3Wo1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Friday, August 8

Pride Blinds

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Mark 2:17

Recommended Reading
Matthew 18:21-35 [ http://iz3.me/1Kho1zwXd1A1 ]

Children will sometimes fake an illness to get out of school and may even convince themselves they are sick. The Pharisees had the opposite problem. They convinced themselves they were better than others and avoided those they saw as lower than themselves.

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/2Kho1zwXd1A1 ]

Jesus confused them. His authority and healing power could have allowed Him to choose His associates and to gain status in the synagogue. Instead He was moved with compassion toward those who called upon Him: the sick, destitute, and unclean.

Pride makes us blind to the work of God. We forget His sovereignty. Pride also blinds us to our own need for a Savior, and we withhold grace from those we feel do not deserve it. It is important to confess our pride or we will end up like the Pharisees, taking God's grace for granted and missing opportunities to lead others to Christ. If we are not careful, pride will distance us from others and from God.

None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.
Charles Spurgeon

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 15-17 [ http://iz3.me/3Kho1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, August 9 & 10

Five Words to Live By: Blessed

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8, KJV

Recommended Reading
Psalm 1:1-6 [ http://iz3.me/5ono1zwXd1A1 ]

"Back to the basics." We hear that phrase a lot -- so many things in life can be "fixed" when we return to basic principles. That lesson was at the heart of Jesus' Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11). Nine times He said, "Blessed are [ those ] ..." referring to people who put the kingdom of God first.

Watch This Week's TV Broadcast [ http://iz3.me/6ono1zwXd1A1 ]

Blessedness is more than happiness. It is akin to the Hebrew concept of  shalom,  or peace, the contented, stable, peaceful relationship one has with man and God. Blessedness is an Old Testament concept that was picked up by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. In Psalm 1 -- the psalm chosen to introduce Israel's hymnbook -- the psalmist begins just as Jesus did: "Blessed is the man who ...." The psalmist says we are blessed when our "delight is in the law of the LORD." That is, we are blessed when our thoughts and actions are consistent with God's values and priorities as found in Scripture. It's the same message Jesus gave to His audience: Center your heart on God and you will know Him now and forever.

It's good to be happy in this world, but even better to be blessed by God. Blessing comes from getting back to spiritual basics.

Blessedness does not lie in externals.
Thomas Watson

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 18-24 [ http://iz3.me/7ono1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Monday, August 11

The H-Word

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
Romans 2:1

Recommended Reading
Matthew 7:3-5 [ http://iz3.me/Hcpo1zwXd1A1 ]

We are all disappointed when someone we know, or thought we knew, shocks us by being involved in an immoral or illegal activity. Our disappointment is the deepest when the guilty party has previously stood for the very opposite behavior he has been found guilty of. It seems harder to forgive when the H-word "hypocrisy" is involved.

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/Icpo1zwXd1A1 ]

Judging another person for some act while practicing the same thing ourselves is plainly hypocritical. Jesus said it bluntly: "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye ...." So what should we do? Should we never stand and speak for righteousness for fear that we might one day commit the very sin we stand and speak against? Should we never call out sin when necessary? No, we should always stand and speak for righteousness -- but with a serious measure of grace, knowing that, "There, but for the grace of God, go I" (1 Corinthians 15:10; see 1 Corinthians 10:12). And if we do fail or fall, we must repent with equal grace and humility.

When others fail, let us forgive them and pray that God will keep us from the same end.

Grace that cannot be seen, like light, and tasted, like salt, is not grace, but hypocrisy.
J. C. Ryle

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 25-27 [ http://iz3.me/Jcpo1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, August 12

Divine Equality
They, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
2 Corinthians 10:12

Recommended Reading
2 Corinthians 10:12-18 [ http://iz3.me/gRxo1zwXd1A1 ]

The Washington Post ran a column entitled "Do Your Employees Think You Play Favorites?" According to the author, 28 percent of federal employees believe their supervisor has engaged in favoritism, and over half believe favoritism has influenced the decisions of adjacent supervisors. The article suggested supervisors ask themselves: Are you spending more time with some employees than others? Are your decisions clear? Are your employees clear about their standing on the team?

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/hRxo1zwXd1A1 ]

The apostle Paul warned against favoritism and against comparing ourselves to one another. God's plan for each of us is unique and specifically designed for each of us alone. God sees everyone equally and judges impartially. He wants to spend time with all His children; He wants to bless each of us richly; and He loves all of us with infinite love. We're also equally responsible to give Him our hearts and our lives in constant and ever-renewed yieldedness. We are equally sinful, equally loved, equally forgiven, and equally vital to the cause of Christ.

Your calling and gifts are unique ... There's a special blueprint for your life, with no other name on the page.
Robert J. Morgan, in Mastering Life Before It's Too Late

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 28-30 [ http://iz3.me/iRxo1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, August 13

World Class Peace

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace...
Romans 5:1

Recommended Reading
Romans 5:1-5 [ http://iz3.me/bh8p1zwXd1A1 ]

One evening earlier this year, residents of a town in the Philippines made a gallant effort to set a Guinness World Record for the number of sky lanterns illumined in one place. Over 100,000 people created a sea of lights that shimmered like the stars. The slogan for the event was: "World Peace Through Inner Peace." Organizers wanted to advance their belief that meditation could bring about personal peace; and if everyone possessed inner peace, it would lead to global peace.

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/ch8p1zwXd1A1 ]

There was logic to their slogan, but something was missing. Without Christ, there is no inner peace. Perhaps meditation and other psychological techniques can lower our blood pressure or stave off panic attacks; but enduring inner peace is a gift of God's grace, and it comes only from a personal commitment to Christ. When we receive God's grace, we receive His peace.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). He will keep you in perfect peace as your mind is fixed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Know Christ; know peace. No Christ, no peace.
Unknown

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 31-32 [ http://iz3.me/eh8p1zwXd1A1 ]

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, August 14

Feeling Needy Is Normal

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

Recommended Reading
Deuteronomy 1:29-31 [ http://iz3.me/FvIp1zwXd1A1 ]

Emergency medical care for wounded soldiers is amazing. Soldiers who, in a previous era, would have died on the battlefield are now surviving. But they often recover with life-changing, and often debilitating, results. Soldiers who have survived the loss of one or more limbs awake from their surgeries with a new realization: "I'll never be able to do this on my own."

Listen to Today's Radio Message [ http://iz3.me/GvIp1zwXd1A1 ]

Strong, self-sufficient soldiers have to accept the humbling reality that they need others around them to help them adapt to a new life. If there is a silver lining in such an experience, it is learning the lesson afresh that we were not created by God to live life alone -- even the healthiest among us are dependent. Jesus said as much when He told His disciples, "Without Me you can do nothing." That was not a statement of ego on Jesus' part; it was a way of stating the truth that man was created to live in dependence upon God. And God gives the grace needed to live such a life of leaning on Him (James 4:6).

If you feel the need for God in your life, that's exactly how you are supposed to feel. You were never intended to do life on your own.

God made life, and God alone can tell us its meaning.
J. I. Packer, God's Plans for You

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Jeremiah 33-36 [ http://iz3.me/HvIp1zwXd1A1 ]