Turning Point with David Jeremiah

[Judy Harder]

Monday, June 25

Pot Luck
  For a righteous man may fall seven times, and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.
  Proverbs 24:16

    Recommended Reading
Proverbs 24:13-16 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2024:13-16&version=NKJV )

There's a story about a ceramics teacher who divided his class into two groups. One group would be graded on the  quantity  of their work. They were to make as many pots as possible. The other group would be graded on the  quality  of their work. They were to make as perfect a pot as possible. When the day came to grade the students, the professor was amazed to discover that the group being graded for quantity also had the best quality. The group churning out the most vessels made the finest pieces. The reason? They were learning from their mistakes, so their work was constantly improving. The "quality" group spent all their time working on a single pot, but without the benefit of failures, mistakes, or experience.1

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

Don't be afraid to fail. Proverbs 24:16 (NLT) says, "The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again." If you've made a mistake or encountered a failure, don't stay down. Failure is often the back door to success.

  Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.
  Arnold Glasow

  1David Bayles and Ted Orland,  Art and Fear  (Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1993), 29.

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 119:33-120 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20119:33-120&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, June 26

Make a Lemonade Stand!

  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial...
  James 1:12 (ESV)

    Recommended Reading
James 1:2-4 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201:2-4&version=NKJV )

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" This saying is a humorous reminder of the advantages we gain from adversity. Do you ever wonder how the lemons in your life could ever make lemonade? Look no further than the life of Joseph for encouragement.

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

Joseph obeyed his father by going the extra mile in search of his brothers. The result? His brothers threw him into a pit, and he was sold to a group of traveling slave traders. Joseph maintained his purity when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. The result? He was slandered by the rebuffed woman and thrown into a dungeon. While in prison, Joseph correctly interpreted one of the prisoner's dreams, asking that he promise to remember him to Pharaoh. The result? The butler forgot.

But Joseph allowed God to use his pain to mature him. How else could a young man, favored and sheltered by his father, be hewn into a man of iron and become a powerful prime minister of Egypt, administering food during a worldwide famine to protect the lives of God's chosen nation.

When you wince during a trial, remember the advantages gained in your adversity. When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade stand!

  No trials are wasted in God's economy.
  Derek Prime and Alistair Begg

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 119:121-124:8 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20119:121-124:8&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, June 27

Heavenly Blinders

  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...
  Hebrews 12:2 (NIV 1984)

    Recommended Reading
Hebrews 12:1-2 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012:1-2&version=NKJV )

Legend has it that blinders for horses were invented by a preacher who had a wager with one of his friends. He bet that he could make his horse walk up the stairs in his home--and the horse succeeded. The problem was coaxing the horse back down. The preacher decided to cover the horse's head and lead him down. Eureka! The discovery of blinders for horses has increased safety for the animals and the loads they carry. It also keeps them focused since peripheral vision can distract, leading to disastrous consequences.

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

Blinders are needed in the spiritual world too. Heavenly blinders keep us safely on God's path. But blinders of selfishness remove our focus from God--until an unexpected tragedy or life threatening diagnosis gets our attention. Why do we often wait for a desperate situation to recognize our great need for God?

If you're wearing blinders of selfishness that keep you inattentive to God, don't wait for an emergency to get you back on track. Ask God to fit you with heavenly blinders that safely guide along the peaceful paths, the rocky roads, and through catastrophic circumstances. Fix your eyes on Jesus!

  If we only spent more of our time in looking at Him we should soon forget ourselves.
  Martyn Lloyd-Jones

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 125:1-135:21 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20125:1-135:21&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Thursday, June 28   Growing in Grace

  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  2 Peter 3:18a

    Recommended Reading
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Thessalonians%202:16-17&version=NKJV )

Outside of love, the word most commonly associated with Christianity may be "grace." But like love, grace is harder to define than it is to recognize when we see it in action. Grace has often been described as God's Riches At Christ's Expense, and that is true. Within those riches, the Bible identifies favor, kindness, and good will as examples of grace--especially when it is undeserved by the recipient. In that sense, grace can be described as God's gift of something that  isn't  deserved, in contrast to mercy--God's withholding of judgment that  is  deserved.

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

God doesn't hand us grace as we would hand an apple to a child--a transaction that is quick and complete. Rather, grace is something we grow in. Because grace represents the character of God and His infinite love and resources, His grace is never exhausted. Grace is fully present the day a new Christian first understands it, but that person's appreciation and depth of understanding will be radically different decades later.

Ask God today to open your eyes to the depth of His gift of grace that you might grow more in it.

  They who would grow in grace must be inquisitive.
  Matthew Henry

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 136:1–140:13 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms%20136:1%E2%80%93140:13&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

 
Friday, June 29

Would You Die for You?

  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).
  Ephesians 2:4-5

    Recommended Reading
Romans 5:6-10 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205:6-10&version=NKJV )

The apostle Paul raises an embarrassing matter: "We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But..." (Romans 5:7,  The Message ). "But"--that's the question. Who would die for an enemy? Who would die for a depraved person? Who would die for you? Why would God die for people who rebelled against Him? "But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him" (Romans 5:8,  The Message ).

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

The best illustration of God's grace is found right there: God dying for His enemies. The simple answer for why He did it is because we were helpless. We were dead in our sins. Jesus said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician" (Mark 2:17a). We are the very people who needed God to die for us. But think what kind of love and grace it took for Him to do that!

If you are alive in Christ today, thank Him that it was "by grace you have been saved."

  The Christian is not a good man. He is a vile wretch who has been saved by the grace of God.
  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 141:1-147:20 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20141:1-147:20&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, June 30

   The Father Knows Best: Listening

  And God listened...
  Genesis 30:22

    Recommended Reading
Malachi 3:16-17 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%203:16-17&version=NKJV )

Debra Fine wrote about eight-year-old Nick who told his dad about his day: "Dad, I had a great day at school. We had art class today, and I painted a cool picture of the mountains. We played soccer during gym and I scored a goal. And guess what--they served pizza for lunch." But looking at his dad whose nose was in the newspaper, Nick said, "Dad, you're not listening." His dad replied, "Yes I am, son. You painted a picture of the mountains, scored a goal in soccer, and had pizza for lunch." But Nicolas was unappeased. "No, dad, that's not it. You're not listening to me with your eyes."1

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As parents, we don't always listen to our children as we should (hopefully we're improving), but our Heavenly Father always listens with His ears, His eyes, and His heart. We have His full attention. You can tell Him anything.

  As parents are pleased with the first stammering accents of (their) children, especially when they lisp the words father, mother, so our heavenly Father listens with pleasure to the feeble, imperfect prayers of His children, when, guided by the Spirit of Adoption, they come lisping, Abba, Father.
  Edward Payson, nineteenth-century American Congregational Preacher

  1Debra Fine,  The Fine Art of Small Talk  (NY: Hyperion, 2005), 69-70.

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 148:1-Proverbs 2:22 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%20148:1-Proverbs%202:22&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Weekend, July 1

   Seeing Red: A Look Across the Red Sea

  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
  Matthew 19:26

    Recommended Reading
Hebrews 11:29 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2011:29&version=NKJV )

When Jesus spoke the words (above) to His disciples about what is impossible with man but possible with God, He took the words right out of Moses' mouth. Not literally, of course, but we can well imagine Moses speaking similar words to the Hebrew slaves as they considered their situation--between the rock of the Egyptian army and the hard place of the Red Sea.

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The Hebrew slaves cried out to Moses that it would have been better to stay as Egyptian slaves than to die by Egyptian swords in the desert (Exodus 14:10-12). They had just witnessed God do 10 miracles in Egypt that brought the nation to its knees. But escape the Egyptian army by crossing the Red Sea? Impossible! They had not yet learned that what is impossible for man is possible for God  in every case . But before reaching Canaan, they would see example after example of what is possible with God.

If you are trapped in a place--an impossible place--it is time to call upon the God who specializes in making the impossible possible. The more impossible your situation, the more glory goes to God when He works on your behalf.

  Christ wants not nibblers at the possible but grabbers of the impossible.
  C. T. Studd

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Proverbs 3:1–5:23 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203:1%E2%80%935:23&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Monday, July 2

Perfect Original

  ...He who has seen Me has seen the Father...
  John 14:9

    Recommended Reading
Isaiah 9:6-7 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%209:6-7&version=NKJV )

Do we really understand the surpassing greatness of Jesus? He is better than anything else! He's better than the system of Old Testament Judaism. Better than the prophets. Better than the kings. Better than the priests. And better than the angels.

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

While we do not know what Jesus looked like, we do know about His character. The Book of Hebrews describes Jesus as "the exact representation" of God. This awesome description is the strongest word the New Testament uses to explain an exact duplication of the original. Greek writers employed it to describe the emperor's likeness on Roman coins and seals, which were viewed not as a general likeness but as good as the original. There's no question that God wants us to know Jesus is a true and complete representation of Himself.

Consider the treasure you have as a believer in Christ. Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead--the exact representation of the Father. He deserves our adoration and praise. How do you find God? Worship Jesus.

  The good news is that in the face of Jesus Christ we see the very face of God...
  Kevin Vanhoozer

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Proverbs 6:1-8:36 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%206:1-8:36&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Tuesday, July 3

Worthwhile Waiting

  ...the Father had given all things into His hands...
  John 13:3

    Recommended Reading
John 13:1-5 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2013:1-5&version=NKJV )

According to a new survey of technology experts, today's teens and young adults who have been raised with immediate access to each other and information through the Internet will multitask and approach problems differently than their elders. These technology experts also predicted this generation will exhibit a thirst for instant gratification and a lack of deep-thinking ability due to "fast-twitch wiring."1

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

Now, consider the second century Jews who hadn't heard from God for 400 years--that's about 21,000 weeks or 147,000 days of waiting. No instant gratification in God's plan for the Messiah. After 33 years on earth, Jesus ate the Passover Supper with His disciples, "knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands." Notice the careful language so there's no mistaking Who purged us from our sins. The One who created this world and holds it together paid the penalty we deserve by the shedding of His own blood. Mission accomplished.

Our Savior was worth the wait. His plan for your life is worth the wait. Be patient today, and wire yourself to wait on Him.

  God is never late and never early. He's always right on time.
  Anonymous

  1pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Hyperconnected-lives.aspx?src=prc-newsletter, accessed March 2, 2012.

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Proverbs 9:1-11:31 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%209:1-11:31&version=NKJV )

[Judy Harder]

Wednesday, July 4

Matchless

  For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"?
  Hebrews 1:5a

    Recommended Reading
Colossians 2:18-19 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%202:18-19&version=NKJV )

In the classic Christmas film  It's a Wonderful Life , George Bailey is prevented from committing suicide by his guardian angel Clarence. Shown how his life has impacted others, George grasps the dramatic impact one life can make by this angel's intervention.

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

It is easy to appreciate the entertainment value of Clarence, but it is a reminder too that we should never elevate angels to a place of worship. Angels should be honored for their ministering work among us, but we should reserve our worship for God's holy and righteous Son. In the first chapter of Hebrews, the writer explains that no angel has ever been invited to share God's throne as Jesus has. Jesus is better than the angels. His deeds are unchanging. His dominion never ends. His dignity is unmatched.

Can you identify some areas of distraction in your life that are interrupting your ongoing relationship with God? Take the time to refocus your attention on Jesus, who alone is worthy of our worship and praise.

  Angels--like all other intelligent creatures--were designed to render worship to God, not to receive worship themselves...
  John MacArthur

  Read-Thru-the-Bible
Proverbs 12:1-14:35 ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012:1-14:35&version=NKJV )