VIDEO: The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer
Grace
Now, if it is true that we’re saved by grace, then it’s important to ask ourselves: Can we define it? And if it is true, as I suppose, that no unconverted person can tell me what it is, I think it would be important to you to make sure you can define it.
Think for a moment. Grace is _______. What? Your answer to that question may reveal where you really stand with God.
Did you answer it? Do you know what this marvelous term means?
We may be able to define it some way, but one thing is certain: We can never comprehend it, because it plumbs the profoundest depths of human thought. It scales the dizziest heights of divine revelation. And though we may get a hold of a little corner of it, we can never fully comprehend [ … ]
Greater with Jesus
By leaving and then sending His Spirit to dwell inside His followersordinary people like you and meJesus released a greater power for us to do extraordinary things on an extraordinary scale. The kinds of things the early church saw and did. The kinds of things He still wants to do today through us.
Jesus isn’t calling us to be greater than He is.
He’s calling us to be greater with Him through His Spirit within us.
Excerpted from Greater by Steven Furtick
Daily Reflection:
What is Jesus calling you to do with Him?
The Meaning of Guilt
Guilt says, “I owe you.” Guilt is the result of having done something we perceived as wrong. Every wrong we do can be restated as an act of theft, as we’ll see in a moment. If I steal from you, I owe you. So the message from a heart laden with guilt is, “I owe!”
For example, consider the man who runs off with another woman and abandons his family. Without realizing it at the time, he has stolen something from every member of his family. He has stolen his wife’s first marriage; he has robbed her of her future, her financial security, her reputation as a wife. From his children’s perspective this man has stolen their father and all that a father means to the home. He has robbed them of Christmas, traditions, emotional and financial security, [ … ]
Jesus’ Choice
He could have come back when crosses were out of style.
But his heart wouldn’t let him. If there was hesitation on the part of his humanity, it was overcome by the compassion of his divinity. His divinity heard the voices. His divinity heard the hopeless cries of the poor, the bitter accusations of the abandoned, the dangling despair of those who are trying to save themselves.
And his divinity saw the faces. Some wrinkled. Some weeping. Some hidden behind veils. Some obscured by fear. Some earnest with searching. Some blank with boredom. From the face of Adam to the face of the infant born somewhere in the world as you read these words, he saw them all.
And you can be sure of one thing. Among the voices that found their way into that carpentry shop in Nazareth [ … ]
Understanding Gods Love
God created us to give and receive love, not just with each other but with Him as well. He’s our loving Father, and in many ways He constantly tells us, “You are My child. I was delighted when you were born, and I love you still.” God loves hearing that we love Him, but how His heart must jump when He knows that we really get it, that we understand, receive, and delight in His love.
When we understand the Father-love of God, we naturally desire to spend time talking with Him. Prayer is no longer a duty; it becomes a delight! We recognize God not as an unapproachable entity, but as the loving Father who invites us to come straight to Him and tell Him what our day was like, what we’ll face tomorrow, and how we feel about [ … ]
God Says “Yes”
When I am in a moment of deep prayer, feeling close to God and in tune with his Spirit, I find myself nodding a lot. “Yes, Lord, yes!” We know he can be trusted because what he promises becomes reality.
What a different picture this paints from the “thou shalt not” God that many people imagine him to be. To be sure, those “thou shalt nots” are still in Scripture and still his commands. But the emphasis in the New Testament is on the “thou shalls” and on the fulfillment of his many promises to those who love him.
God has said “Yes!” to you.
How will you answer him today?
Excerpted from Rise and Shine by Liz Curtis Higgs
Daily Reflection:
In what ways has God said “yes” to you?
ENGAGE: Pray Greater for 4 Days
We all have honest moments when we’re gripped by a desire to feel that what we’re doing matters more. That who we are matters more. Are you ready to open your imagination to the possibility that God has a vision for your life that is greater?
Four of the most powerful principles and themes from GREATER were used to create a four-day prayer initiative for anyone looking to take their faith to another level or to help you get back on track. What’s holding you back? GET STARTED.
Read a sample from GREATER, by bestselling author Steven Furtick.
NEWS: FEARLESS Author Eric Blehm Weighs In on No Easy Day Controversy
Eric Blehm, the author of FEARLESS: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown spoke with his local NBC station about the controversy surrounding the forthcoming SEAL book No Easy Day by Mark Owen. Go here to watch Blehm talk about his experience writing Special Operations books while still maintaining the integrity of top-secret information.