Video Bible Lesson - A True Servant by Dr. Charles Stanley

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

3/2/2020

A True Servant

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 13:1-15

Do you equate success with wealth, acclaim, and power? If we measured by these standards, then Jesus, who was rejected by His community and didn't even have a house of His own, was a failure. But, of course, we know that's not the case. So God must use something other than these worldly goals to define success. In fact, Scripture is clear that Jesus Christ is our example--we should strive to be like Him.

So, what exactly was our Savior's mission? In today's passage, we see the answer through His actions: He came to serve. The disciples, wanting recognition and reward, were arguing about who'd be the greatest in heaven. In contrast, Jesus took off His outer garment and performed the task of the lowliest servant: He washed the dirty feet of His followers. The next day, Almighty God was crucified by His own creation. In allowing this, He offered salvation to all--even those who nailed Him to a cross.

Jesus deserved glory but chose sacrifice and pain. And He asks that we follow His example of service. With the exception of Judas, His disciples obeyed. In fact, they all faced great difficulty and most died brutal deaths because of their faith. But they willingly walked the path of humility because of what Jesus had taught them: "The last shall be first, and the first last" (Matt. 20:16).

How do you spend your resources and time? And which topics dominate your thoughts and conversation? These are a few indicators of the driving goals in your life. You may long for worldly recognition, but God has a higher calling for His children. Ask Him to foster a servant's attitude in your heart.

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

Be ready in the morning, and come... present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee (Exod. 34:2-3).

The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looked into His. You cannot expect to be victorious, if the day begins only in your own strength.

Face the work of every day with the influence of a few thoughtful, quiet moments with your heart and God. Do not meet other people, even those of your own home, until you have first met the great Guest and honored Companion of your life--Jesus Christ.

Meet Him alone. Meet Him regularly. Meet Him with His open Book of counsel before you; and face the regular and the irregular duties of each day with the influence of His personality definitely controlling your every act.

Begin the day with God!
He is thy Sun and Day!
His is the radiance of thy dawn;
To Him address thy lay.
Sing a new song at morn!
Join the glad woods and hills;
Join the fresh winds and seas and plains,
Join the bright flowers and rills.
Sing thy first song to God!
Not to thy fellow men;
Not to the creatures of His hand,
But to the glorious One.
Take thy first walk with God!
Let Him go forth with thee;
By stream, or sea, or mountain path,
Seek still His company.
Thy first transaction be
With God Himself above;
So shall thy business prosper well,
And all the day be love.
--Horatius Bonar

The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early upon their knees. Matthew Henry used to be in his study at four, and remain there till eight; then, after breakfast and family prayer, he used to be there again till noon; after dinner, he resumed his book or pen till four, and spent the rest of the day in visiting his friends.

Doddridge himself alludes to his "Family Expositor" as an example of the difference of rising between five and seven, which, in forty years, is nearly equivalent to ten years  more of life.

Dr. Adam Clark's "Commentary" was chiefly prepared very early in the morning. Barnes' popular and useful "Commentary" has been also the fruit of "early morning hours."

Simeon's "Sketches" were chiefly worked out between four and eight.

Sowing Spiritual Seeds.................Dr. Charles Stanley

Sowing Spiritual Seeds

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 4:34-38

Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seed into your life knew what the outcome would be.

We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seed or "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do?

Conversely, you might focus on providing your kids with plenty of material security and send them to the best schools and colleges--and yet it would count nothing for eternity. But when you sow into their lives the things of God and the qualities of Jesus, you're feeding their spirits. The seeds that affect their hearts, view of God, and desire to make a difference for Him in the world are what will produce genuine, lasting fruit and a great harvest in their lives. Whether or not you ever see the results, the Lord is using you profoundly when you sow this kind of crop.

God sees all the little things you do; He's interested in more than just "big" things. The fruit of His Spirit--such as kindness, patience, and self-control--often manifests itself in quiet ways that others may never give you credit for. But such spiritual seeds accomplish powerful work in His kingdom.

God’s Plan for Your Potential

God’s Plan for Your Potential 
WENDY POPE 

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)

I’m sure my list would be completely different from yours, or maybe you look at me and assume I don’t have a list. Oh, I have two: one from Child Me and one from Current Me.

Child Me wanted naturally blonde hair, because somehow it seemed like they had more fun and were more popular. Child Me wanted blue eyes to go with the blonde hair. I wanted my jeans to be a certain brand and my shirts to have a certain look. Oh, and to be smart, you know, on the A/B honor roll. These things seem silly now that I’m grown, but grown women have lists, too.

Current Me wants to be 20 pounds lighter and have wrinkles only on clothes (not my face). I’d love to know what she knows about the Bible (whoever she is). And it would be fantabulous if my house could stay clean like hers. This ideal she is further along in ministry than I am, and I started before she did! Current Me still has so much work to do.

That’s what we do, isn’t it? We habitually compare our insides, how we feel about ourselves, to another’s outside, how they look, to determine our value and sum up our potential — appearance, accomplishments and assets.

Out in the world, we have to prove our abilities, demonstrate our intellect, and establish our authority in order to show we are useful and worthwhile. But what about in a safe, supposedly judgment-free zone, like church? Do we think we have to prove ourselves there, too? Do we make assumptions about someone’s worth based on what they do or how they look? Without pause, yes, yes, we do. We look at her outside — appearance, accomplishments and other assets — and assume her faith is just as strong.

May I ask you to answer a few questions honestly? Not necessarily out loud, or even on paper where someone might see your answers, but answer them just for yourself:

• Do I allow the echo of fears and faults to silence God’s voice?
• Do I dwell on failures and let them determine my direction?
• Do I worry my frailties disqualify me from doing any good work for God?

If you answered yes to just one of these questions, then your faith, my friend, is wounded. Fractured. Splintered. Ruptured. No longer in its original design or even what it once was before life happened to you.

God designed our faith to be Christ-centered, Spirit-led and Word-fed. Somehow, so many of us have gotten off track.

We spend our energy trying to conquer our fears, correct our faults, get over our failures and accept our frailties, only to discover we still have fears, faults, failures and frailties. The self-help books haven’t helped. The Bible studies change our perspective for a while. However, when the next crisis arises, we fall right back into wrong patterns.

I want to say something that may sound a little harsh, momentarily make you mad, and quite possibly give you an overwhelming desire to stop reading this devotion. So, I ask you to trust me enough to read the next entire statement below, pause to think through the words, and perhaps even pray: What if God’s plan isn’t to “fix” the things that have fractured your faith but instead to show His power through them, making your faith stronger than ever?

God has such good words for us, friends! “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). He will move in us to accomplish the work He has planned for us. God sees our potential even when we can’t and considers us worthwhile just the way we are.

Lord, I don’t see myself as one with potential. I’ve done too many things unworthy of Your confidence in me. But I want to see differently. I want to believe the impossible. Help me see what You see. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 19:26, “Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.’” (NLT)

A Prayer for Blind Spots

A Prayer for Blind Spots
By Dave Wyrtzen

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2

Greg is the wonder-working carpenter who has salvaged key pieces from our old house, brainstormed with my wife, Mary, and then transformed them into something new to be strategically placed in our new home. One of the major things Mary and Greg did was knock out a wall to open things up to the light. To do this they needed to place a large beam.

One morning, Greg strolled out to the front yard where I was trying to transplant some St. Augustine. “Dave, look at this splinter.” He was using his knife to carefully withdraw a tiny speck, all that was left of about an inch- long splinter that had driven itself into his hand earlier in the week.

Tiny specks and massive beams—Jesus uses the contrast to warn us against hypocritically trying to correct others, but first He presents a word cartoon. Two blind men are struggling. Obviously, neither can see, but the leader insists he knows exactly where they are going.

“And He also shared a parable with them, ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will not both of them fall into a pit? Is a student above his master? Know this –whenever a student is fully trained, he will be like his teacher.

Now tell me, why do you look at the tiny speck in your brother’s eye, but you don’t even notice the wooden beam in your own? How will you be able to say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take that tiny speck out of your eye when you don’t even see the beam protruding from your own?’ Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s.’” Luke 6:41-42

I need to remember that Jesus did tell me that once I did get the beam out of my own eye, I, then, could see clearly to remove the speck from my brother’s. I also remember the red line I could see in Greg’s palm and the pain even that little remaining sliver generated. Big sin or little sin—they both still hurt and threaten us with the pit, the results of wandering down the wrong path.

Lord, please give us the wisdom to recognize our own mistakes, and the courage to acknowledge them. Help us to grow a spirit of humility. Teach us to look first for the plank in our own eye before we turn to judge our neighbors. In Your Name, Amen.

Which Book of the Bible Should You Read Next?...🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Which Book of the Bible Should You Read Next?
By Kristi Woods

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

Sometimes my Bible reading is alive and full – somewhat like a scenic picture bursting with color.

And some days I simply don’t know what to read or where to start. The mountain of words, verses, and books of the Bible bring rise to an overwhelmed stare.

A few books of the Bible rush to the rescue for situations like these. They help us grow. Consider the options below.

1. Calling New and Old Christians Alike!

Twelve disciples + 1 Messiah make for four fabulous Gospels. If you’re new to the Bible, why not start at the beginning of the New Testament? Seasoned Christian? It’s a solid review as well.

Allow the pages to flip to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Start at the beginning, and work your way to the end.

Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:  you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. Mark 12:29-30 WEB

2. No Time to Read?

Sometimes life’s schedule fills with work responsibilities, kids’ activities, workouts, a sick family member, and more. The calendar bursts at its seams. Bible reading becomes somewhat of a lost art in the mix.

In those times, what’s a person to do? Consider a short book of the Bible, one containing six or fewer chapters.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are my go-to when the schedule overflows. They read with ease, packing power and applicable instruction in their short length. James, 1st , 2nd, and 3rd John, the Peters, and Jude read likewise.

In their chapters, armor, unity, and freedom dance to life. God’s love does as well. Encouragement to press on toward the goal cheers for readers. Rules for Christian households opens wide for acceptance. Everyday application awaits.

3. A Plan Sounds Great. Help!

You want a plan. You try to plan. You’re simply out of time to organize a plan. Sounds like the perfect time to consider Proverbs.

Proverbs contains 31 chapters, one for each day of the month. How easy, right? If it’s the 14th of the month, read Proverbs 14, Proverbs 15 on the 15th, and so forth. No bookmark needed!

The bonus? This method helps readers keep track of the date, too!

What book of the Bible are you reading right now? What is your favorite book of the Bible?

Why Jesus Came: He Is Greater Than the Ashes

Why Jesus Came: He Is Greater Than the Ashes
By Debbie McDaniel

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3

Throughout the Bible and ancient practices, ashes have often been the symbol of deep repentance and grief. As the days of Lent are acknowledged each year, we see all around us the visual reminders of ashes on foreheads, and are reminded of this one Truth, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19

Not exactly a nice thought to get your day going. But the reality of it all sinks in deep. Because, as many of us know, life is not always “happy.” Sometimes, it’s difficult. We feel pain, loneliness, even deep grief and despair.

You may understand if…

-  You’ve ever lost a loved one or had to say good-bye too soon, left to journey through dark days of grief, wondering if you’d ever be able to carry on without them at your side…

-  You’ve ever received a hard diagnosis, faced the fear of the unknown, and felt the effects of disease and pain…

-  You’ve ever set at the bedside of a dying friend, and held a hand that once was strong, whose life had been cut short from the ravages of cancer…

-  You’ve ever been to a funeral for a sweet baby, or a precious child, and watched endless tears flow from hurting souls of a Mama and Daddy….

-  You’ve ever been deeply wounded, betrayed, abused, or mistreated…

It’s true, life is not always easy. It deals harshly sometimes, it seems unfair, and we may wonder where God is, or why He didn’t stop that difficult event or illness from happening.

Job was there too. This righteous man who loved and honored God. Yet he lost everything. It crumbled around him, all he held dear. And he knew without God, he was nothing. And we find him in the beginning of the book of Job, “…he sat in the ashes.” Job 2:8

Daniel was there. He and the people had suffered under captivity, he prayed to God on behalf of his people, that God would have mercy. He repented, and confessed his own sin, his deep need for Him. He knew where true strength and help came from, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Daniel 9:3

Tamar was there. She had trusted and yet was betrayed. David’s own daughter had been taken advantage of, then was left on her own, alone, with no hope for her future, to pick up the broken pieces of shattered life. “And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.” 2 Samuel 13:19

And in their times of ashes, they may have wondered too…

Where was God in it all? Deep grief, crime, captivity, illness, death of loved ones, shattered hope, and broken dreams?

His Truth says this: He was there, in the midst of it.

And though we may not always see it, or feel it, or even understand it, we can know beyond a doubt, that He is with us now too. Always.

Jesus came to bring life, freedom, restoration, redemption, healing, favor, goodness, joy, and so much more. He came to trade our brokenness and ashes for hope and beauty. He will never waste our pain, but will bring His greater purposes from it all. We can trust Him even in the most difficult of days and know that the ashes on our lives will fade away, as His beauty within us shines brightly through.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Have you sometimes felt as if your life has been marked by ashes, pain, or difficulty? Choose to thank God today, that even in the hard times, He’s with you and has greater purpose and hope in store. Remember, there’s beauty ahead, straight out of ashes. Christ redeems and is greater than anything we may face in this world.

Further Reading:
Matthew 28:20
1 John 4:4
Jeremiah 29:11

John 16:33  

God’s Easter Promise for You

God’s Easter Promise for You
By Rick Warren

“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14 NIV).

Millions and millions of Christians around the world celebrate Easter every year. But for far too many of us the story has become boring and rote. We have the basic facts down. Jesus was arrested. He was crucified. And three days later, God raised him from the dead.

Yet we miss something very important. We miss what turns Easter from a one-dimensional holiday to a multi-dimensional, life-transforming way of life.

We miss that the story of the Resurrection isn’t just Jesus’ story — it’s our story as well.

You see, you are a part of the Resurrection. Jesus’ death and Resurrection didn’t just prove there was life after death. The Resurrection proves you can have life after death, that there’s life beyond your grave.

Jesus says, if you trust in him, death becomes a transition, not an ending point.

One day your heart will stop. That will be the end of your body. But it will not be the end of you. God made you to last forever. That’s why you often have a feeling there’s more to life than this. Jesus made this amazing promise in John 11: 25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (NIV).

By Rick Warren

“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14 NIV).

Millions and millions of Christians around the world celebrate Easter every year. But for far too many of us the story has become boring and rote. We have the basic facts down. Jesus was arrested. He was crucified. And three days later, God raised him from the dead.

Yet we miss something very important. We miss what turns Easter from a one-dimensional holiday to a multi-dimensional, life-transforming way of life.

We miss that the story of the Resurrection isn’t just Jesus’ story — it’s our story as well.

You see, you are a part of the Resurrection. Jesus’ death and Resurrection didn’t just prove there was life after death. The Resurrection proves you can have life after death, that there’s life beyond your grave.

Jesus says, if you trust in him, death becomes a transition, not an ending point.

One day your heart will stop. That will be the end of your body. But it will not be the end of you. God made you to last forever. That’s why you often have a feeling there’s more to life than this. Jesus made this amazing promise in John 11: 25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (NIV)

That’s quite a promise! Jesus proved he could do it by resurrecting himself. Otherwise, we would have no reason to believe it. If Jesus hadn’t died on the cross and been resurrected more than 2,000 years ago, you would have zero chance of getting to Heaven — no hope of the afterlife and no eternal life.

The Bible says, “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14).

As Easter comes our way this year, that’s a truth to hang our lives upon. It’s great news that Jesus rose from the dead. But what turns that truth from black and white to living color is that one day — if you trust in him — he will raise you from the grave, too.

That’s the promise of Easter.

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