Video Bible Lesson - The Believer's Journey to the Cross by Dr. Charles Stanley

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

4/20/2020

The Believer's Journey to the Cross
Dr. Charles Stanley

John 12:23-27
We all know that Jesus walked the road to Calvary, but did you know that believers also journey to the cross? We've all been positionally crucified with Christ, but those who hunger for Him participate in a deeper experience of this reality. Jesus lovingly takes their hand and leads them to the cross. Even though this is the last place anyone wants to go, it's the only way to partake of God's best for our lives.
The trip to the cross is not one you take with family and friends. It's a lonely journey with just you and Jesus. He strips away everyone and everything you've depended on so that you'll learn to rely only on Him. While we're at the cross, He uncovers layer after layer of self-deception until we begin to see ourselves as He does. Soon our self-centeredness, inadequacy, and failures are laid bare.
The cross is a place of brokenness, but it's necessary because there's no other way we'll ever bear fruit. If we hang onto our lives and refuse to take this journey, we'll be like a grain of wheat that is never planted and never grows. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit. The only way Christ can live His life through us is if we've allowed ourselves to be crucified.
God doesn't want you to be content with just your salvation. There's so much more He desires to give you and accomplish through you. Are you willing to take the road to the cross with Him? Yes, it's painful, but the rewards in this life and in eternity far outweigh any suffering you will experience.

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

Prepared for Betrayal.....Dr. Charles Stanley

Prepared for Betrayal

Dr. Charles Stanley

Luke 22:1-13

We’ve all experienced or witnessed betrayal at some point. And no example in the Bible illustrates the pain, guilt, and shame caused by that sin more clearly than the story of Judas.

Chosen as one of the twelve, Judas was privileged. John 12:6 says that he was even granted the responsibility of maintaining the disciples’ money box. But that same verse reveals an important truth about Judas—he was a thief.

John indicates greed was Judas’ weakness. After Mary had anointed the Lord’s feet, Judas complained, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” (v. 5). The following verse, however, clarifies that he wanted the money only for himself. One can safely assume that if Judas had reached the point of stealing cash from Jesus’ supply, then his greed had gone unchecked for some time. That hidden sin was all Satan needed to interfere with his life. And once the Enemy stepped in, the disciple began “seeking a good opportunity” to betray Jesus (Luke 22:6).

First Peter 5:8 says the Devil is like a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” And in Judas, Satan found a willing victim. If we’re honest with ourselves, each of us has a natural tendency toward sin.

Daily communion with God keeps hidden sins from becoming greater problems. Left unchecked, the “roaring lion” will also come after us, no matter what our  weakness may be. Ask the Lord to reveal any sins you need to confess. Deal with them today—don’t let sin lead you down the path of Judas.

The “Better” Life is Already Yours

The “Better” Life is Already Yours
KAREN EHMAN

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 (CSB)

Recently, I traveled to visit our adult daughter who’d just purchased her first home, an adorable mid-century brick ranch. After a week of unpacking boxes, cleaning cupboards and organizing closets, I packed one more item — my carry-on bag — and headed back to the airport to return home.

After an hour-and-a-half flight, the aircraft touched down. And as always, when opening the overhead compartment to retrieve my carry-on bag, I scrutinized it very carefully to be sure I was grabbing the correct one. Since many travelers have a basic black suitcase on wheels, it is easy to retrieve the wrong one.

I popped open the bin and laughed at what I saw. One savvy traveler had used white paint to write two simple words on the bottom of his suitcase: “Not yours!” And it worked. No one grabbed his luggage mistakenly.

God used that humorous incident to speak to my heart that day. At that time in my life, I was wrestling with feelings of envy toward a few people in my circle of friends. My unique shade of green greed had established an ugly root in my heart, causing me to focus on what I lacked, rather than on the blessings I did have.

Spying the words, “Not yours!” on that suitcase was the wake-up my wandering mind needed. I needed to stop envying the lives God had given others and be satisfied with the one He has given me.

Today’s key verse makes this bold statement about our lives: “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). While we might not have _________ (fill in the blank with your own area of envy), we do have all we need to live a life of godliness.

All humans who turn their lives over to God have equal access to Him. We all can study His Word, connect with Him through prayer, and discover a fulfilling life serving Him on earth. His unfailing love toward each of us is vast, without partiality and never-ending.

Sure … you might not have the financial stability of your friend, but you do have all you need to live a life of godliness as you grow in your knowledge of God.

Perhaps you did not experience an “ideal upbringing” like that woman in your Bible study, but you do have all you need to live a life of godliness as you grow in your knowledge of God. (And odds are, it wasn’t always ideal for her either. But that’s another story.)

You might not be as fit and fabulous-looking as the friend whose post you just saw in your feed, but you do have all you need to live a life of godliness as you grow in your knowledge of God.

Your children may not be as well-behaved, your husband not as attentive or your mother-in-law as sweet as the next gal’s, but you do have all you need to live a life of godliness as you grow in your knowledge of God.

So, the next time you find yourself envious, wanting to grab what someone else has, remind yourself, “Not yours!” Instead, focus your mind on God, thanking Him for the many blessings — no matter how simple — He has gifted to you.

We can choose to be content rather than waste energy wishing we resided in someone else’s circumstances. Let’s spend our time pursuing godliness as we deepen our walk with Jesus. Maybe we don’t have what someone else does, but we do have the Lord, and He is enough.

Father, I want to learn to be content despite my circumstances. Help me keep my eyes on You rather than on others who seem to have a better life than I do. You are all I need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
1 Timothy 6:6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (CSB)

Proverbs 14:30, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

Being Quick to Listen in a World of Talk

Being Quick to Listen in a World of Talk
by Mike Pohlman

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.” –James 1:19-20

We live in a world of talk. Talk, talk, talk. Speak, speak, speak. Ours is the age of talk radio (news talk, sports talk, money talk, self-help talk, car talk, I-just-want-to-talk talk), podcasts and cell phones. Everyone, it seems, wants to be heard.

Speaking of cell phones, the other day I was in line at one of my local Starbucks and the gentleman in front of me was ordering a caramel macchiato while talking to a buddy on his iPhone. The barista was more than gracious as the customer stopped and started his order apparently not able to put his other conversation on hold (I like what one coffee house in Bellingham, Washington has done by posting a sign that says, "We'll serve you once you hang up the phone").

But it's not just at Starbucks. After arriving home recently from a business trip, I left Los Angeles International Airport in one of those shuttle vans. I shared it with seven other passengers that were making the 40 mile trip north. While most of us were quiet, preferring to read or look out the window at the sea of cars that had us moving at a crawl, there were two college-age men who had to talk. They made call after call on their cell phones to chat with friends about all the amazing things that must have happened during their several days away. I got to hear about the party later that night, the car that broke down, the lonely girlfriend and the overbearing parents. Let’s just say they were conversations I didn’t need to be a part of.

We have become a culture full of talking heads regardless of where we find ourselves. And the chatter is deafening.

Into this noise come the words of James: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak. This exhortation is almost unintelligible to a culture intent on talking. We have it backwards: we are quick to speak, slow to hear.

But God would be the primary voice heard in the universe. He is the One who has much to say. He speaks, in the Bible, of the riches of His mercy in Christ. He broadcasts His forgiveness and love. He heralds the wonder of redemption. He calls us to repent and beckons us to draw near.

Am I listening?

Do you remember the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42? Luke offers us a helpful contrast in speaking and listening. Martha was frantically trying to make dinner preparations for Jesus and the disciples. I envision her running around the house uttering things under her breath like, “I can’t believe Jesus is here on such short notice—not to mention all his disciples—and I have to pull this dinner together.” And, “Why doesn’t Mary get in here and help me?” Unlike Martha, Mary "sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching" (10:39).

Not surprisingly, Martha gets a bit frustrated at Mary’s lack of effort with the event. So Martha does what we probably all would do under similar circumstances—she starts talking: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me” (10:40). We are not left to wonder which course of action Jesus commends. We see it in his gentle rebuke: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Mary was quick to listen and slow to speak. She knew when to be quiet. In a culture full of chatter I want to learn the discipline of silence so I can hear what the Lord wants to teach me. He’s speaking; am I listening?

Intersecting Faith & Life: What radical measures can you take to help you listen not only to God but to other people? What things in your life are blocking out the voice of God?

Further Reading

Psalms 46:10

We Can Be Still

We Can Be Still
By: Anne Peterson

Be still and know that I am God. - Psalm 46:10

The hardest thing for us to do is to be still. They say we should have been called human doings instead of human beings. But one of the most valuable things we can do is to learn how to rest in God. How to honestly lean on him with all our weight.

God tells us we just trust in him and not in our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5. And yet, as soon as we start having trials, the first thing we try to do is figure it out. God tells us that his thoughts are higher than our ways, but that doesn’t stop us from thinking we can somehow figure it out.

David was someone called the man after God’s own heart. David would look at the situation at hand, but he’d also look back at the God who was there for his other challenges. As everyone else shivered at the thought of facing the Philistine, not the shepherd boy. Why? Did he have super strength, no. But he knew God almighty. And David knew that the same God who protected him from the lion and the bear would also protect him from whatever he faced. And in this case, it happened to be a giant. 1 Samuel 17: 32- 37.

The giant looked at David and the Bible tells us he despised him. And yet, we see in 1 Samuel 17:45-51, David relied on his God. David came against Goliath in the name of the Lord Almighty God. And David didn’t take the glory for his victory. From the first moment he acknowledged it would be by God’s strength and might that David would be victorious.

God is almighty. No matter what people face God is bigger still. And yet, at times we forget what 1John 4:4 tells us. That Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

Yes, the world around us is moving fast, and people seem to be spinning as well. But God instructs us to be still. Jesus prayed for us in John 17:16, saying we are in this world but we are not of this world. In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. It’s only possible when we saturate ourselves with the Word of God. Taking time to reflect on God’s truth helps us to slow down our racing thoughts and that’s when we can discern the things around us. When bank personnel needed to identify which bills were counterfeit they didn’t do it by studying all the imposters, but instead, they sat and studied the true bill. And in the same way, when we meditate on God’s Word, then we will be able to know when we are listening to lies. God can help us still our minds and hearts and then we’ll know that he indeed is God.

A Prayer for Rejoicing

A Prayer for RejoicingBy Alistair Begg

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! – Philippians 4:4

Can you answer this, believer? Can you find any reason why you are so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy anticipations? Who told you that the night would never end in day? Who told you that the sea of circumstances would ebb out till there should be nothing left but long stretches of the mud of horrible poverty? Who told you that the winter of your discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow and ice and hail to deeper snow and yet more heavy tempest of despair? Don't you know that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter?

Be full of hope! Hope forever! For God does not fail you. Do you not know that God loves you in the midst of all this? Mountains, when in darkness hidden, are as real as in day, and God's love is as true to you now as it was in your brightest moments.

No father chastens always. The Lord hates the rod as much as you do; He only cares to use it for that reason that would make you willing to receive it—namely, it brings about your lasting good. You will yet climb Jacob's ladder with the angels and behold Him who sits at the top of it—your covenant God. You will yet, amidst the splendors of eternity, forget the trials of time or only remember them to bless the God who led you through them and works your lasting good by them. Come, sing in the midst of tribulation.

Rejoice even while passing through the furnace. Make the wilderness blossom like the rose! Cause the desert to ring with your exulting joys, for these light afflictions will soon be over, and then, forever with the Lord, your bliss shall never wane.

Faint not nor fear, His arms are near,
He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe and you shalt see,
 That Christ is all in all to thee.