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Date Posted: 10:17:20 02/10/23 Fri
Author: c
Subject: Supplementary Teachings 2/2023

From the Pastor's Heart

by Dr. Charles Stanley

February 2023


(edited)

Sometimes it may feel as if the path ahead is uncharted - after all, you've never been alive before. You have your own calling and you're uniquely made in God's image, as all His children are. However, you're not the first person to walk with the Lord. And though the world has changed, the human condition hasn't. Many faithful believers have gone before you, and there's much to learn from their examples (Hebrews 12:1 -2).


God carefully watches over you. "LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways" (Psalms 139:1 - 3). God knows you better than you know yourself, which means He's more qualified than you to guide your life. He understands all your weaknesses, is familiar with every facet of your personality, and takes all those things into account as He directs your steps.

The Lord always chooses the best path for you. We know this in our minds, but sometimes we look around and doubt that the path we're on could possibly be the best. Suffering, illness, loss, trouble, unfairness, and hardship certainly don't seem good to us. That's when we need to remember the words of the psalmist, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, so that I may learn Your statutes" (Psalm 119:71). Even when times are hard, God's plan is still good. He hasn't failed you.

The Lord chooses experiences for us that work for His eternal purpose of making us more like Christ. The question isn't whether His is the right path, but whether you'll trust Him in the midst of dark valleys, dangerous passages, and rough terrain. Wherever you are in life right now, the Lord is right there with you, guiding and strengthening you to walk through it.

God provides everything you'll need as you follow Him. "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). The Lord gives strength when you're weary, hope when you're discouraged, comfort in loneliness, and wisdom when you lack understanding. No other guide can do all this, and you'll find it on no path but His. God's grace is sufficient for every need and situation.

God guides you with His Word. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 100:105). Perhaps the reason we don't sense the Lord's guidance is because we aren't looking for it. Or maybe we're looking for it in the wrong place. The best way to recognize His direction is through consistent reading of His Word. That's where you'll find His voice, as well as exemplary stories of saints who've gone before you. The more familiar you become with the Bible, the better you'll be able to perceive His leading.

....The key to following the Lord is developing a humble, teachable spirit that's willing to submit to Him at every stage of the journey. Remember, He alone knows the trail. And He'll never, ever lead you astray.

---------------------------------=

Turning Points devotional February 2023

Living in the Land of Giants: Bullied, bruised, and beaten

by Dr. David Jeremiah

(edited)


A Proper Place

Most of us were told a version of this axiom by our parents growing up: "A place for everything and everything in its place." And this truth applies to the giants in our life.

You may be wondering: Are the giants in our life the events that occur - trouble, natural disaster, illness, broken relationships, financial reversal - or are they the subsequent emotional and spiritual states that we find ourselves in when such events occur - despair, discouragement, anger, depression, frustration, guilt, and so on? For the purpose of this article, and in the book I've written on defeating our giants, I'm talking about the latter - our responses to the circumstances of life.


Our position in life should be advancing, not retreating.


And here's why: We can't control the vast majority of events that happen in our life. We don't have absolute control over the storms of life in which we find ourselves. But we can control our response to what happens. We have the ability to choose how we respond - maybe not immediately, but in short order.

For example, Paul wrote, "'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). Anger, like most emotions, is usually spontaneous and unbidden in our life. It can serve the purpose of alerting us to the impact of an event, letting us know that anger needs to be kept in its place lest it become sin. The same is true with prolonged despair, guilt, envy, depression, and the like. By keeping giants in their place, we remain the victor.


A Proper Peace

Paul's words in Philippians 4:6 - 7 illustrate the result of keeping giants in their place: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

If anxiety (or any other giant) arises, fine. Turn to God in prayer; commit that giant to Him; ask prayer; commit that giant to Him; ask for wisdom and relief; turn over the outcome of the situation to Him; thank Him for the chance to learn and grow from the event. Then rest in the peace of God which will guard your heart and mind. The giant does not exist that can break through the divine defense called the peace of God.

Be prepared. Stay prayed up. Be vigilant and spiritually alert. Doing so will make you the victor over your giants.

------------------------------------=

Today in the Word

March 2023

Today with Mark Jobe

The Key to Overcoming Anxiety

From the President of Moody Bible Institute

"When you find a quiet place to present with God in a position of surrender, you will find the peace you are seeking"

(edited)


p 2


Have you ever been caught up in a cycle of anxiety? Maybe that describes you today. Life feels overwhelming. Even at night, your mind is occupied. You feel exhausted, depleted, and utterly alone.

...When we are consumed by worry, we are robbed of being present at important moments....

While Martha thinks that the problem is her sister, Jesus points out the reality:"You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

What is that one thing Jesus was speaking about? As God's creation, we are composed of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The physical part we can see in the mirror. The soul is our personality, our thinking, and our will. But our spirit connects us to God. God wants you, the totality of you, to sit in a place that hears Him. Psalm 62:5 says our soul will find "rest in God." Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." When you find a quiet place to be present with God in a position of surrender, you will find the peace you are seeking.

Spending time with the Almighty helps us release our illusion of control. What a comfort it is to realize that He is God, and we are not. First Peter 5 encourages us to humble ourselves before God, to cast all our anxiety on Him. Like Mary, when we take time to sit at the feet of Jesus, we put our life into a God-story perspective. If you are struggling today, sit and rest in the presence of the Almighty.

----------------------------=

Today in the Word

March 2023

Practical Theology

Friend of Sinners

by John Koessler

p 3

(edited)

"The righteousness of Christ is the only righteousness that makes us acceptable in God's sight. We can add nothing to it."


This inability to recognize our own sin was not just a Pharisee problem, we struggle with this today. Our morality does not make us less prone to sin. It only makes us less conscious of it. Jesus once said that "it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 19:23). It is just as hard for the moral person, for the same reason. "Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness," C.S. Lewis observes. "It therefore has nothing (as far as I know) to say to people who do not know they have done anything to repent of and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness." The righteousness of Christ is the only righteousness that makes us acceptable in God's sight. We can add nothing to it.

This means that, before a moral person can be saved, we must let go of our moral accomplishments the same way the notorious sinner has to let go sins. We cannot look to our own efforts, no matter how good, to lay claim to acceptance by God. If, as the saying goes, a man is known by the company he keeps, it is no wonder that Jesus is called a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19). But because Jesus is also a Savior, a sinner is no longer a sinner when they have Jesus as their Friend.

---------------------------------=

Today in the Word

March 2023

Q&A

Questions & Answers

by Dr. Michael Rydelnik, Moody professor of Jewish Studies and host of  Moody Radio's Open Line

p 20 - 21


(edited)


Q: Why do some people claim to be "Jewish followers of Jesus"? Does maintaining ethnic or social distinctions contradict Galatians 3:28?

A: Since I'm Jewish, people have often asked me this question. Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Why do I still say I'm Jewish even though I believe in Jesus?

The Bible does not teach that we become a mass of undifferentiated humanity when we believe in Jesus. In Heaven "every nation, tribe, people and language" will worship before the throne of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). Being Jewish is an ethnic identity, not merely religious practice, and faith in Jesus does not change a person's ethnic identity. Further, the apostle Paul repeatedly identified himself as a Jew (Acts 21:39; 22:3), a dishonest statement if his faith in Jesus meant he was no longer Jewish.

So, what does Paul mean? Paul is saying it doesn't matter whether someone is Jewish or Gentile, a slave or free, a man or a woman - when we trust in Jesus, we are justified by faith in exactly the same way and united in Christ spiritually. Even so, we remain distinctly Jewish, Irish, Italian, or French, or any other ethnicity, as much as we remain men and women.


Q: Why don't Jewish people believe in Jesus?

A: Some Jewish people do believe in Jesus. In fact, Paul uses this as a proof that God hasn't rejected the Jewish people (Romans 11:1). He goes on to say there will always be a remnant of Jewish people who will believe because they are chosen by grace (Romans 11:25).

For Jewish leaders of the first century, Jesus was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting. They wanted a political and military deliverer to liberate them from Rome, not a sacrificial Redeemer. But if you ask your friends today why they don't believe. that's probably not what they would say....

But there is one special reason. It is the antisemetic history of the church. Great Church Fathers and Reformers spoke terrible words about the Jewish people. The Crusaders killed many Jewish people....

Believers need to adopt a loving and caring attitude toward Jewish people. We need to take a strong stand against antisemitism. When we present Jesus, we must demonstrate His love for His own people. And our lives need to be so transformed by knowing the Lord, the Jewish people will be "envious" of our faith (Romans 11:1). This is what Paul meant when he said Gentile followers of Jesus should make the Jewish people envious of the salvation Gentiles found in Jesus, the promised Jewish Messiah.

-------------------------=

Turning Points Daily devotion 2/8/23

Wednesday, February 8

Twelve Laughs

Luke 6:21 Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
 
When William K. Vanderbilt visited Constantinople, he invited the actor Coquelin the Elder to perform on his yacht. Several days later, Coquelin received a check. Vanderbilt paid him $2,400 “for laughter, twelve times.”

Recommended Reading:
Luke 6: 20 – 23

Orison Marden, who told that story in an old book, said, “Laughter begins in the lungs and diaphragm, setting the liver, stomach, and other internal organs into a quick, jelly-like vibration, which gives a pleasant sensation and exercise, almost equal to that of horseback riding.”[1]

Most of us worry more than we laugh. But remember, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). In Luke 6:21, Jesus promised laughter to the weeping. We’ll enjoy many good laughs in the cheerfulness of Heaven, but don’t wait until then. Cultivate a merry heart now. Instead of focusing on what might be, focus on what will be.

Keep your mind regulated by the reality of God’s eternity. When we focus on life eternal, we diminish the worry of temporal things. Cheerfulness is knowing God has us today, and He also has tomorrow under His perfect control.
 
Mirth is God’s medicine. Everybody out to bathe in it. Grim care…anxiety, all this rust of life ought to be scoured off by the oil of mirth.

Henry Ward Beecher

-------------------------------------=

Today in the Word

3/17/23

Mary and Martha: The Better Thing

Luke 10:38 - 42

(edited)


Mary provided the flesh-and-blood example of devoted discipleship that Jesus was asking for....

It's tempting for us, as well, to serve at the expense of being fed. We can unfairly evaluate the focus of others and compare them to ourselves. May we prioritize our own heart and soul nourishment, even over service.

Kelli Worrall

---------------------------------=

PowerPoint Daily devotion 2/9/23 by Pastor Jack Graham

How you can experience long-term spiritual success

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.

--Lamentations 3:22-23

Many years ago when our church began growing in size very quickly, I was asked by a reporter, “Pastor Graham, what’s so different about this place?” I thought for a moment and told her, “There’s really one word that characterizes the people here and makes all the difference: energy.”

When people are excited and enthusiastic about something, it’s very likely going to succeed. And when that excitement is empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit of God, there’s absolutely nothing that can stop it!

But unfortunately, there are many Christians today who attempt to survive on excitement and experience alone. They go from spiritual high to spiritual high and confuse those experiences with the Holy Spirit. This causes them to completely miss out on the real work of Christ in their lives.

Don’t substitute emotion and exhilaration for the authentic work of God in your life. Walk consistently with Him daily, rather than from experience to experience. It’s that sustained energy that will set you up for long-term success in your spiritual life!

EXPERIENCE LONG-TERM SPIRITUAL SUCCESS BY HAVING A CONSISTENT DAILY WALK WITH GOD.

-----------------------------------=

Turning Points Daily devotion

Friday, February 10, 2023

Tune Ups

The oil of joy.

Isaiah 61:3

A woman in South Carolina pulled into an auto shop for an oil change, but on the way home her engine light came on, and the car stopped running. It turned out the shop employee had installed the wrong filter. It fell off, causing the oil to drain from the engine.

Recommended Reading:
Isaiah 61: 1 – 3


The joy of the Holy Spirit is the oil of a healthy heart. Guilt is the wrong filter in our life. When our joy and gladness drain from our mind, we need to pull into the divine repair shop for a tune up. When we recognize and confess our sin, God restores the joy we have in our relationship with Him.

An old hymn says, “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” Ask the Lord to look under the hood of your heart. Is there a bad habit? A hidden sin? Have you neglected His Word? Developed a hardened heart? Damaged a relationship? The Lord knows how to give much needed tune ups to our heart.

May the oil of joy cycle through your spirit today!

The joy of the Lord is your strength, and as your Master was anointed with the oil of gladness in His work, so must you be.

Charles Spurgeon

------------------------------------=

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