Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Friday, October 28

Choose Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9

Recommended Reading
Romans 12:14-21

A word. A slight. A look. A forgotten birthday or anniversary. A piece of gossip about us--yes, it was true but no, it didn't need to be spoken. Things happen to us every day, from minor to major, that could serve as an excuse for vengeance. And each time something hurtful happens, we have a choice to make: Will we be a peacemaker or a revenge seeker? Will we inflame the event with the fire of revenge or will we smother it with the blanket of peace?

Let's assume you've been hurt purposefully. What should you do? God said, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). Substitute whatever you're tempted to do in retaliation for the word "death" in that verse and you'll get God's counsel on your contemplated course of action. God said that vengeance is His; He will repay (Romans 12:19). And Paul wrote that we are to do everything possible to "live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). When we choose to forgive instead of fight, we are bringing peace to the world.

If you are faced with the choice of seeking peace or seeking vengeance today, choose peace. Receive the blessing of God in return for spreading the peace of God.

The noblest revenge is to forgive.
Thomas Fuller


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 7:1–8:40

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, October 29 & 30

Day of His Return: God Provides a Future

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13

Recommended Reading
John 14:1-4

Yesterday was the future on the day before yesterday, but today it is the past. The march of time teaches us that tomorrow is an expectation if not a promise. While we do not know what the future will hold, we have no doubt that it will come. And biblically, there are only two ways to look at the future: in fear or by faith.

Fear and faith obey the law of physics that says two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time. If we are consumed with fear of the future, there is no room for faith. But if we have faith that God knows the future then fear shall be absent. Thankfully, our faith is not blind faith--the Bible gives us great details (reasons for faith) about the future. And they all find their culmination and consummation in one event--the return of the Son of God to planet earth: "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power" (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Thank God for such a certain future! Through Christ every promise of God about the future is "Yes, and in Him Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Faith makes the uplook good, the outlook bright, the inlook favourable, and the future glorious.
V. Raymond Edman


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 9:1-13:52

[Judy Harder]

Monday, October 31

No, Never Alone

And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
John 16:32

Recommended Reading
Isaiah 43:1-5

Jesus twice told His listeners that despite the solitary nature of His work, He was not alone. In John 8:16, He said, "I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me." And in John 16:32, He said similarly, "You will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me."

Sometimes our work for Jesus yields a loneliness that can tempt us to self-pity. Yield not. Even if you're the only Christian in your school, office, or apartment complex, you're not alone. Jesus has promised to be with you to the end of the age and to never leave nor forsake you.

Perhaps you're serving the Lord far from home, but by opening the Bible you have Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Peter, and Paul as your companions. You have the Holy Spirit whispering to your heart. You have Jesus standing beside you and the Father listening to every prayer. You are not alone today. The One who sent you is with you.

When darkening shadow 'round me falls and light and hope seem gone, there is one thought my heart upholds. It is, I'm not alone.
Mary B. Peck, hymnist


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 14:1-16:15

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, November 1
The Power of Focus

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
Acts 23:11

Recommended Reading
Jeremiah 1:17-19
We learn about it in seminars and personal counseling sessions. And when we do it and see the results we wonder, "Why don't I do this more often?" Goal setting, writing a mission statement, vision casting--having a target and a direction can keep all sorts of problems at bay. Not the least of which is discouragement when the going gets hard.

What is your goal in life? What does your personal mission statement say? All through Scripture we find ordinary people keeping on because they were focused on their mission. Moses: Get the Hebrew children to Canaan. Joshua: Take the nation into their Promised Land. David: Stay alive until you take the throne. Jeremiah: Preach the warning of God in spite of opposition. Paul: Take the Gospel to the Gentiles. All these saints got discouraged, but they overcame and fulfilled their calling. And so can we if we are clear on the goal.

God's goal for every Christian is Christlikeness (Romans 8:29). And He will use everything in our life to see us reach that goal (Romans 8:28). Our job is never to lose sight of God's calling.

Christ understands loneliness; He's been through it.
Paul S. Rees


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 16:16-18:28

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, November 2
Problems and Perspective

It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learn Your statutes.
Psalm 119:71

Recommended Reading
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
You and your friend have been close for years--never a cross word between you. But suddenly, you find yourself reacting with harsh, impatient words. Where did that come from? And your friend looks at you with a puzzled expression as if asking the same thing. If you will look beneath the problem, you will find a new perspective. Perhaps there's a wound that needs healing, a jealousy that needs confessing, or a resentment in need of repentance.

Problems in life are tools in the Holy Spirit's hands to reveal things to us we might never have otherwise considered--truth about God, about others, and especially about ourselves. If we respond to the perspective God allows us to see, we can come out the other side more mature. Remember the problem Paul had that he asked God to take away--and God said "No"? Paul saw something new: God's grace is sufficient--so much so that he began opening his arms to problems in order to experience more grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

The next time you experience a problem, pray for perspective--and open your heart to embrace what God reveals.

Life can only be enjoyed as one acquires a true perspective of life and death and of the real purpose of life.
Spiros Zodhiates


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 19:1-21:16

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, November 3
Constant Character

But [God] honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change.
Psalm 15:4

Recommended Reading
Psalm 15:1-5
In the 1960s, an Episcopal priest named Joseph Fletcher developed a theory of Christian ethics known as "situational ethics." He said that the highest biblical law was selfless (agape) love and that other lesser laws could be disobeyed if necessary in the pursuit of love. Therefore, the ends can justify the means. And, one's circumstances or situation can determine which of God's laws one keeps.

This unbiblical approach to God's laws can also lead to "circumstantial character"--the willingness to allow one's circumstances to dictate one's character. If God says He does not change (Malachi 3:6), and if it is God who lives in us (Galatians 2:20), it's hard to see how we could be justified in changing who we are--our character--as a response to our circumstances. One of the characteristics of those who dwelt in the presence of God in the Old Testament was a willingness to suffer loss rather than compromise their character (Psalm 15:4).

Character has often been described as what people do when they know no one is looking. Because God's eyes are always open, our character needs to be constant before Him.

A person's character is accurately measured by his reaction to life's inequities.
Unknown


Read-Thru-the-Bible
Acts 21:17-23:35

[Judy Harder]

Have You Been Dis-Appointed?


Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:5   

Recommended Reading

Romans 5:1-5

The word "disappoint" comes from an old French word meaning to remove someone from office - to dis-appoint one who had been previously appointed to a position. Those who are fired or "dis-appointed" suffer crestfallen feelings of discouragement. Hence our English word disappointment. This is one of the most difficult emotions to reconcile. We all know how it feels to lose a game, fail at a task, be rejected in a relationship, miss an opportunity, or lose a job. The Bible says that hope deferred (disappointment) makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).


But we're also told God will never disappoint us and that His love never fails. According to Romans 5, we can glory in tribulation because tribulation produces perseverance, which leads to character, which develops hope - and God's hope never disappointments because the Holy Spirit sheds His love abroad in our hearts.


Someone once said "disappointments" are "His appointments." He has a way of working all to our good. If you're struggling with disappointment today, claim the love of God and the promise of Romans 5:5.

There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.

F. W. Faber



Read-thru-the-Bible
Acts 24:1 -- 26:32

[Judy Harder]

The Thanksgiving Express: Write Now!


I, Paul, am writing with my own hand...

Philemon 1:19   

Recommended Reading

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

It's not easy to write letters now - real letters with pen and ink that arrive in someone's hand in an envelope to be sliced open, scribbled words to be cherished. We have too many "instant" ways of communicating.


We should remember that it wasn't easy to write letters in New Testament times either. Parchment was hard to come by. Ink was primitive and writing instruments were improvised. In Paul's case, writing a letter was especially difficult because he was often traveling or in jail. He may also have battled poor eyesight. And then there was the problem of getting the letter to its recipient.


It was worth all the effort then; and although our letters aren't Pauline epistles, it is worth the effort now. A note of thanksgiving or a letter of gratitude is often kept for years. Maybe there's someone to whom you should pen a note today. Be specific, original, thoughtful, and gracious. Including a verse of Scripture is a good idea.


Why not write one right now?

When we learn to give thanks, we are learning to concentrate not on the bad things, but on the good things.

Amy Vanderbilt



Read-thru-the-Bible
Acts 27:1 -- 28:31

Romans 1 - 3:31

[Judy Harder]

Culture Threat #9: The Attack on the Church


I never thought I'd see the day when the Church of Jesus Christ was perceived as irrelevant. If it's because we preach the message of "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2), or because the Gospel has become a "stumbling stone and rock of offense" (Romans 9:33) to the world, that's one thing. But if we are deemed irrelevant because we're an anemic version of the world's entertainment options or because we aren't playing the world's game nearly as well as the world does, then that's another thing.

That's a tragedy.

Many people view churches as having little to say that is more relevant than what can be found on television talk shows or in Internet advice columns. And so they stay away. The Church doesn't always get it right. Unsavory and regrettable things have happened to people "in church" or in the name of Christ throughout history. But that doesn't negate the good that has been done and will continue to be done. It doesn't make the Church irrelevant.

When we talk about the relevancy of the Church of Jesus Christ, we are talking about people - the followers of Jesus. Buildings and institutions don't set agendas or make decisions: People do. Jesus didn't send a church building into the world to make disciples in every nation, He sent people (Matthew 28:19-20).

If we're going to be attacked or ignored by the world, it might as well be for turning the world upside down as the early Church did (Acts 17:6). We're here to pave the way for the Lord's return by sowing the Gospel, both person-to-person and nation-to-nation. Let's get busy!

What you can do:

Prepare:

Read Ephesians 2:19-21 to understand the relationship between God and the Church.
Serve in your local church.
Read Chapter Seven of I Never Thought I'd See the Day! and examine the cultural trends that question the relevancy of the church. Now a #1 New York Times Bestseller!
Pray:

Pray for your pastor and leaders in your church to faithfully teach and spread the Gospel.
Ask God for specific ways you can fulfill the Great Commission in your life.
Pray for the persecuted church around the world.
Participate:

Join a small group in your church to help foster growth in yourself and others.
Become a mentor to another believer and encourage them to serve in their church.
Listen and watch I Never Thought I'd See the Day! on Turning Point Television and Radio.
I want to help you know what God's Word says about the cultural and spiritual changes impacting America and the Church today and also know how to live faithfully in the midst of them.

Order I Never Thought I'd See the Day! now, and discover the extraordinary opportunity to help reverse the destructive trends and call America back to faith in God, back to the solid foundation of His Word.

God bless you,

David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Healing the Spiritual With the Physical


Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.

Philippians 4:14   

Recommended Reading

Philippians 4:10-19

If you have ever extended yourself on behalf of others and not been thanked for your efforts, then you know how the apostle Paul felt. Though Paul did not serve the early churches in order to be rewarded, it seems strange to us that his work went unacknowledged. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that in the early days of his missionary work "no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving" except the Philippians (Philippians 4:15).


Paul was in spiritually trying circumstances when he wrote that - under house arrest in Rome and witnessing other preachers misappropriating the Gospel for their own benefit. But his spirits were lifted when Epaphroditus brought a gift to him from Philippi - perhaps food, clothes, or funds. Often a physical, tangible act of kindness can lift the spirits of a discouraged brother or sister.


And it doesn't take a lot. A phone call, a note, a meal delivered, an invitation to lunch or dinner, an offer to babysit or help with yardwork - all of those physical actions can restore the brokenhearted.

The faintest whisper of support or encouragement uttered by a Christian in the ears of his fellow believer is heard in heaven.

John J. Murray


Read-thru-the-Bible
Romans 4:1 -- 7:25