Month: November 2023

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 10 ~ ~ John 1:1~ ~ “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

From Michael Youssef’s book, How to Read the Bible…

Today’s subject:

“God’s New Testament Wrath and Justice”

Many people see “the God of the New Testament” as a God who winks at sin, does not judge wickedness, and makes no moral demands on humanity. In reality, the New Testament is filled with sober warnings about God’s judgment of sin. There are several passages in the gospel accounts where Jesus thunders against sin and rebelliousness in terms that most people associate with the “God of the Old Testament.” Here’s one example, in Matthew 11:20-24:

“Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

In Acts 5, we meet two members of the early church, Ananias and his wife Sapphira. The couple sold a piece of property and gave part of the money to the church. They said they gave all the money to the church, but they held some back. (They were free to give some, all, or none to the church, but it was the lie that was the sin). The apostle Peter said, in 5:3-4:

“But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Then Ananias fell dead. Later, Sapphira also told the apostles the same story. Peter said to her in verse 9:

 “Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

And Sapphira fell dead also.

As a result of God’s judgment against the lies of Ananias and Sapphira, “fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Acts 5:11).

Make no mistake, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are one and the same. He is a God who is patient, tender, compassionate, and loving – BUT He is also a God who judges sin.

The Bible, from Genesis to revelation, is one harmonious story of God’s love for sinners. His nature doesn’t change over time. He is steadfast, faithful, and reliable. We can trust His perfect unchanging character.

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(Jesus spoke of Hell more often than of heaven in the New Testament. He didn’t soften His Words. He made the Wrath of God very clear. While I usually quote His compassionate promises, today we will hear a few of His clear statements of the Justice of the Almighty God.)

John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

John 8:24

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Matthew 8:12

But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Luke 9:62

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Mark 9:45-47

“And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where

‘Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire”

Mark 8:34

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Matthew 3:7

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matthew 23:27

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

(So, the Old Testament isn’t primarily showing the wrath of God, and the New, His compassion, but they both show the true Justice of God, which requires Him to judge every thought, word, deed, and motive, and bring judgment accordingly. Both Old and New are equally as important to tell the entire story of Creation, and to show the true glory of God)

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 9 ~ ~ 2 Peter 3:5 ~ ~ “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,”

From the book, How to Read the Bible as if Your Life Depends on it, (because it does)

By Michael Youssef

In his book, “The God delusion,” atheist Richard Dawkins illustrates a common misunderstanding of the Bible: the notion that there is a “God of the Old Testament” and a different “God of the New Testament.” Dawkins writes, “the God of the Old testament is arguably the most unpleasant character of all fiction” and a “capriciously malevolent bully.”

(by the way, Dawkins might think calling the Bible “fiction” is a clever bit of mockery, but the inaccuracy of the statement only undermines his argument.)

Later in the book, Dawkins contrasts the God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament. He calls Jesus “one of the great ethical innovators of history,” and adds, “The Sermon on the Mount is way ahead of its time. His ‘turn the other cheek’ anticipated Gandhi and Martin Luther King by two thousand years.” (To be accurate, Jesus didn’t “anticipate” the non violent views of Gandhi and King. HE INFLUENCED THEM!)

But are the New Testament teachings of Jesus at odds with the “God of the Old Testament”? Absolutely NOT! In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus INTENSIFIES the demands of the Old Testament Law, and says, in Matthew 5:17-18:

“Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!”

And the love, grace, and mercy of God –which many people associate with God in the New testament – are deeply rooted concepts in the Old Testament. According to the Holman Bible dictionary, the Hebrew word for God’s mercy, “Chesed”, appears 245 times in the Old Testament, including 127 times in the psalms. “Chesed” is also translated, “steadfast love,” “constant love,” and “unfailing love” in various Bible versions.

Why then do so many people have a distorted perception of God? It comes from a superficial understanding of both the Old and New Testaments.

GOD’S OLD TESTAMENT MERCY AND COMPASSION:

If all we know of the Old Testament is a few isolated events, such as the flood or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, we will probably have an incomplete and wildly distorted perspective on God. People who criticize the “God of the Old Testament” as a “bully” ignore such Old Testament passages as these in Psalm 78:38-39 and in Lamentations 3:22-26:

“But He, being compassionate, forgave their wrongdoing and did not destroy them;
And often He restrained His anger and did not stir up all His wrath.
So He remembered that they were only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return.”

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“The Lord’s (acts of mercy indeed do not end,
(For His compassions do not fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I wait for Him.”
The Lord is good to those who await Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.”

God’s wrath is righteous and just, but tempered with compassion. We see God patiently withholding judgment against sin throughout the Old Testament. The God of the Old and New Testaments is consistently merciful. In fact, His justice and anger are really facets of His compassion, because His anger is directed at wickedness, injustice, oppression, and murder. God judges wickedness out of His great compassion for the innocent and the oppressed, as this Old Testament passage in Proverbs 6:16-19 makes clear:

“There are six things that the Lord hates,
Seven that are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who declares lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.”

The book of Psalms describes God as a protector of widows, orphans and the oppressed in Psalm 10:17-18

“Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their heart, You will make Your ear attentive
To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,
So that mankind, which is of the earth, will no longer cause terror.”

Do these verses describe a “capriciously malevolent bully”—or a God who protects the weak and oppressed? The compassionate nature of our loving God drenches the Old Testament.

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Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.

Exodus 33:19

And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.”

Exodus 34:6-7

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Psalm 25:6

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.

Psalm 40:11

You, Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.

Ps 72:13

 He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy.

Psalm 36:7

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 8 ~ ~ Psalm 37:30-31~ ~ “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The Law (Word) of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”

From Michael Youssef’s book, “How to Read the Bible –Like Your Life Depends on it (because it does)

Ephesians 5:25-26 tells us that “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word.” No matter how dirty you feel, the moment you go under the shower of God’s Word, you are 100% clean.

If the Bible were only a mirror to show us our wretched condition, where would we be? We would still be lost in sin. But thank God, His word not only reflects reality but also cleanses completely. The apostle Peter writes: “You have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. (1Peter 1:22). by reading and studying the Word, we not only see the truth about ourselves but are also cleansed and purified. Obedience to God’s Word is like a cleansing shower.

John R.W. Stott from London, in his book, “Issues Facing Christians Today”, said this:

“Our Christian habit is to bewail the world’s deteriorating standards with an air of rather self-righteous dismay. We criticize its violence, dishonesty, immorality, disregard for human life, and materialistic greed. “the world is going down the drain,” we say with a shrug. But whose fault is it? Who is to blame?

Let me put it like this. If the house is dark when nightfall comes, there is no sense in blaming the house; that’s what happens when the sun goes down. The question to ask is:

“Where is the light?”

Similarly, if the meat goes bad and becomes inedible, there is no sense in blaming the meat; this is what happens when bacteria are left alone to breed. The question to ask is:

“Where is the salt?”

Just so, if society deteriorates and its standards decline until it becomes like a dark night or a stinking fish, there is no sense in blaming society; that is what happens when fallen men and women are left to themselves, and human selfishness is unchecked.

The question to ask is:

“Where is the Church?”

Why are the salt and light of Jesus Christ not permeating and changing our society? …The Lord Jesus told us to be the world’s salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-16) If darkness and rottenness abound, it is largely our fault and we must accept the blame.”

Are we sick of the violence, immorality, and depravity of the world around us? Are we tired of being lied to by our political leaders? Have we grown weary of living behind prison bars of security doors and windows while lawless predators roam freely throughout the land? Are we disgusted with the filth and wickedness that passes for entertainment on our TV screens and streaming services? Are we alarmed by the godless indoctrination of our children in public schools?

Do we want to see REVIVAL sweep across our land?

Then we need to confront the mirror that is God’s Word. We need to feed on the nourishment of God’s Word. We need to seek the daily power source that is God’s Word. And we need to be washed and cleansed by God’s Word!

Revival doesn’t begin “out there,” somewhere in society. Revival begins “in here,” in your heart and mine, as we feed on the Word of God. I believe with all my heart that if you and I take God’s word seriously, we can truly reverse the corrosion and suicidal direction of our society. It all begins with you and me – and with the Word of God.

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Psalm 78:1

Give ear, O my people, to my law (Word);

Incline your ears to the words of My mouth.

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. …

(James 1:2)

My brethren, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing this: that the trying [testing] of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

(Psalm 4:1).

“ Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

Hebrews 4:14

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Isaiah 54:10

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that has mercy on you.

Psalm 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flies by day.

Psalm 94:18-19 When I said, My foot slips; thy mercy, O Lord held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me Your comforts delight my soul.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 7 ~ ~ Psalm 19:7 ~ ~ “The law (Word) of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;”

Michael Youssef’s book “How to Read the Bible…”

Looking into the mirror of God’s Word can be an unpleasant experience. We don’t like to be confronted with our hypocrisy. We don’t want to admit to ourselves that we make moral compromises, that we are complacent and spiritually lazy.

Many of us feel guilty about our prayer lives. We tell ourselves, “I’ll start praying daily. I’ll build a habit of prayer.” And we begin praying every morning and every night for a few days. And then we miss a day. Then two or three days. And soon we are back to our old prayerless lifestyle.

Or we feel guilty for neglecting the Bible. We tell ourselves, “I’ll build a habit of meditating on God’s Word.” And we begin with the best of intentions. Then we miss a day, then two or three, and soon the Bible sits on the shelf, neglected.

We keep our commitment for a few days, but the change is temporary. God is looking for permanent change in our lives. Here’s how I achieved that in mine.

In my early days as a pastor, I would run myself ragged trying to meet the demands of my ministry. I scheduled breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings, and appointments all day long. But I neglected to schedule time with God in prayer and Bible meditation.

In 1993, I came down with double pneumonia. I was bedridden for two weeks – and during that time of illness, God convicted me that I should not minister to others until I had ministered to Him and to my own spiritual needs. From then on, I never made breakfast or early morning appointments. Instead, I always offered up the first fruit of my day to the Lord, praying and meditating in my Daily Chronological Bible.

If you struggle to make time for prayer and Scripture meditation, here are some suggestions:

1. PRAY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. In the morning, pray these scriptural prayers back to God: Psalm 5:2-3 Ps 25:5 Ps 90:14 Ps 143:8 Lamentations 3:22-23 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19.

In your intercessory prayers for others, pray through:

Ephesians 1:17-19

Ephesians 3:14-19

Colossians 1:9-12

Copy these verses and say them daily.

2. PRAY ALOUD. There is something empowering and energizing about praying with your voice, not just your silent thoughts. You are truly conversing with the Father. Pray with the door closed and with no one listening but God. You’ll pray freely, without feeling self-conscious. Your “prayer closet” may be your backyard, basement, car, bathroom, or literal closet, but I encourage you to find a place where you can pray aloud to God.

3. BEGIN WITH THE LORD’S PRAYER. I suggest adding three words – “in my life” – to three lines of that prayer: “Our father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name IN MY LIFE. Your Kingdom come IN MY LIFE. Your will be done IN MY LIFE.” You may find that these three simple words will personalize that prayer in a meaningful way. The Lord’s Prayer also reminds us to ask God for our basic needs (“Our daily bread”), for forgiveness and the grace to forgive others (“Our debts”and “our debtors”), and for deliverance from temptation and evil. This is an effective pattern for prayer.
4. MAKE A COMMITMENT.

God’s Word holds up a mirror to show us what our spiritual life looks like. It can be painful to look in the mirror and face our physical imperfections. In the same way, it’s painful to honestly look at ourselves in God’s mirror, the Bible,. We think, “If I don’t look in the mirror, if I don’t read the Bible, I won’t have to acknowledge my flaws. I won’t have to change.”

Mirrors are relentlessly truthful. They take away our excuses. That’s why James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote: (James 1:23-24)

“Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets whet he looks like.”

Do you enjoy looking in the mirror first thing in the morning? Is it pleasant to see your disheveled hair and your smooshed face? For me, facing the mirror is like a horror show. But that mirror gives me an honest reflection of myself. That reflection enables me to do something about that horror show before I go out and face the world. I can scrub my face and comb my hair and make myself presentable.

Now, suppose you look in the mirror and say, “Ugh! I don’t like what I see. But I’m really busy today. I won’t do anything about my appearance right now. Maybe tomorrow or next week.” Then you go out your front door – and now you’re a horror show for everyone who sees you. No rational person would look in the mirror and ignore what the mirror showed him.

But that’s precisely what we do when we look into the mirror of God’s Word, then ignore all the sins, flaws, and bad habits we find there. If we pretend we’re doing just fine when God’s Word says we’re not, we gradually harden our hearts to the conviction of God’s Spirit. The Bible is a mirror that reflects to us the reality of who we really are – not to condemn us, but to lead us to repentance and wholeness with God’s help.

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Hosea 2:19

 And I will betroth you unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth you unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

John 14:21

 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest (reveal) myself to him.

Psalm 42:8 2

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

.

Romans 8:38, 39

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proverbs 3:3-4

Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man.

Psalm 84:11

 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Job 10:12

You have granted me life and goodness; And Your care has guarded my spirit.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 6 ~ ~ 1 John 2:5 ~ ~ “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

From Michael Youssef’s book, How to Read the Bible as if Your Life Depends on it (because it does)

The Word of God is the only mirror that reveals the truth about us.

Reality is hard to face. Many of us – including many Christians – live in a fantasy world. We don’t want to confront the reality of our transgressions, failures, habitual sins, or the times we have let friends and family down.

I was born in Egypt. The doctors told my mother there were complications in the pregnancy and advised her to undergo a therapeutic abortion. But our family pastor visited my mother and said God had told him that the child she carried would serve the Lord. So my mother rejected the doctors’ advice and gave birth to me.

There were many times during my troubled boyhood when my mother must have wondered if our pastor had misheard the message from the Lord!!! I’m grateful to God that my mother lived to see me surrender my life to Him when I was sixteen.

But even after I committed myself to the Lord, I made it clear to my family that I did not want to go into the ministry. I thought I could still be a Christian while rejecting God’s call on my life.

I wanted a successful career in the secular world, so I needed a university education. To enter university, I had to pass the high school certificate examination – a national exam that fewer than 38 percent of applicants passed. As the exam approached, I came down with typhoid. Suffering from a 105-degree fever, I took the exam without any hope of passing. I did pass – but with a score so low that no university would accept me.

I could either repeat a year of high school and try to bring up my score or join the military. I applied to the Egyptian Air Academy, hoping to become a flight navigator. Very few Christians are accepted, but the Academy approved my application. I convinced myself that God was in it and that He wanted me to serve Him in the secular workplace.

Two thousand cadets were accepted, and the Academy sent the letters, ordering the to report. But one of those letters got lost in the mail: MINE. Weeks went by. Finally, I traveled to Cairo to find out when classes were to start. Upon my arrival, school officials told me that classes had started three weeks earlier – and I was held in contempt for showing up late.

By God’s grace, a relative who was highly placed in the military intervened on my behalf. The Academy released me without punishment, but I still had to repeat my final year of high school.

Ironically, our family lived next to the university. Every morning, wearing my high school uniform, I had to walk past my former high school classmates as they were going in the opposite direction to their university classes. And every afternoon, I passed them again on my way home. It was the most embarrassing time of my life.

During those days of humiliation, God’s Word spoke to me again and again. I thought of Jonah, fleeing from God’s will only to face humiliation and despair in the belly of the fish. I thought of King David, forced into humiliating exile by his rebellious son Absalom, and later restored to the throne by God’s grace. I thought of the Apostle Peter, a self-willed disciple who promised to remain faithful to death, then denied Jesus when accused by a lowly servant girl.

I identified with their humiliation. Reading their stories was like looking in a mirror. Throughout that humbling time in my life, I heard God saying to me, “Michael, I need you to obey My call on your life. Hear and obey – and I will honor you.”

So, I began to submit my will to God’s will. Eighteen months later, I miraculously escaped from Egypt. Two years after that, I was enrolled at Moore College in Sydney, Australia, preparing for the ministry. God’s Word rebuked me – but it also encouraged me to persevere in following His will for my life.

Today, I thank God that I lived long enough to look back and say, “Thank You, God for my failures and humiliations.” Why? Because God was preparing me so that I could confront the truth about my life – and the truth of God’s perfect plan for my future.

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Psalm 147:3

He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Nehemiah 8:10

….for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Psalm 127:2……For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Proverbs 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 5 ~ ~ Revelation 22:6 ~ ~ “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.’”

From How to Read the Bible…. by Michael Youssef:

I believe in preaching God’s Word from the pulpit. I believe in the validity and power of teaching God’s Word in Sunday school classes, in Christian books, and on Christian radio and television and internet sites. I preach and teach God’s Word through every one of those mediums

But I must say, on the authority of God’s Word, that the Bible itself is the only food that will spiritually nourish and sustain you, and is the only food that will spiritually encourage you to grow stronger every day.

The Scriptures often draw an analogy between the physical body and the spiritual body, and between physical food and the spiritual food of the Bible. Just as our physical body needs nutritious food in order to be strong, so our spiritual health depends on spiritual food.

In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses said to the people of Israel:

“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

These are the very words from the Old Testament that Jesus quoted in order to defeat satan in the wilderness: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Mt 4:4 also Luke 4:4)

And Job, that faithful saint, said, “I have not departed from the commands of His lips: I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.” (Job 23:12).

Few Americans have had to miss many meals. I’m not saying we should feel guilty for living in a land of plenty. Rather, we should feel grateful to God while keeping the mindset of Job. We should treasure the Word of God more than our daily bread. How can we expect to go month after month without feeding our spirits on the Word of God? As healthy people, we would never starve ourselves to the point of malnutrition. Instead, we work hard to put healthy food on the table for our families – as well we should!

We need food to live and thrive physically. But many of us are spiritual anorexics. We starve ourselves of the Word of God. We think we can survive on a few crumbs of Scripture that we hear at church or on a Christian radio station. By going week after week without feeding on the Word, we are starving our spirits to the point of death.

Listen to what God said through Isaiah 55:2:

“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”

We live in a world of spiritual famine today because we have malnourished ourselves into a spiritual coma. Do not become a spiritual anorexic. Decide today to feed every day on the Word of God.

It is said that, in one of the New Year’s Day rose Parades in Pasadena, California, an elaborately decorated float sputtered to a stop in the middle of Colorado boulevard. The truck that supported the float had run out of gas. The entire parade was stalled while the driver went to buy a can of gas. Even more embarrassing was that the float, sponsored by the Standard Oil Company, advertised Standard Oil’s vast petroleum resources, yet someone had neglected to fill the gas tank.

This scenario could describe Christians who have access to God’s vast resources through His Word but neglect to tap into that power. The Word of God is our only power for living. As Paul writes in Romans 1:16:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew then to the Gentile.”

We are always looking for power. When we feel weak and helpless, we want power over the circumstances and challenges of life. We sometimes look for power in self-help, how-to, or motivational books, and yet forget the one Book that is the source of power for living.

In God’s Word, we find power over sin. We find power over temptation. We find power over our circumstances. We find power over this fallen world. When you need power, turn to God’s Word.

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Ps 145:15 The eyes of all wait upon You; and You give them their meat in due season. You open Your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Ephes. 2:6 He has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

I Samuel 2:9 …He will keep the feet of His saints

Psalms 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me….

Ephesians 3:17-19

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord has appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 4 ~ ~ 1 John 2:14~ ~ “I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”

From Michael Youssef’s book, How to Read the Bible as if Your Life Depended on it, (Because it does)

At least forty human writers wrote the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments across a span of sixteen centuries, yet it is one book telling one story about one person, Jesus the Messiah, and one Kingdom, the Kingdom of God. There is no more tested book than the Bible. It has been scrutinized up, down, and sideways, examined critically by countless authorities through the years – yet there it stands!

In May 1967, Egypt expelled United Nations peacekeepers from the Sinai Peninsula and closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships, blockading Israel from the Red sea – a precursor to war. Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon mobilized their armies and moved to encircle Israel. The leaders of those nations spoke openly of erasing Israel from the map.

On June 4, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan gathered his senior officers, who thought they were being summoned to a council of war. Dayan surprised them by taking out a Bible and opening it to 1 Samuel 17. Without explanation, he began reading to them the account of David and Goliath.

David, a young Hebrew shepherd boy, had defeated a strong, heavily armored Philistine soldier by attacking the enemy’s weak points. David knew Goliath’s heavy armor would slow him down. Despite his armor, Goliath had a vulnerable spot – his unprotected face. So David whirled his sling at the exposed target. The stone struck Goliath in the forehead and he fell dead.

The officers shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Israel was surrounded by enemies and facing annihilation. What was the point of this ancient story from the distant past?

Dayan closed the Bible and told his officers that the story had inspired a plan. Like Goliath, Israel’s modern-day enemies had a vulnerable spot – and that was where Israel would strike.

At 7:10 the next morning, June 5, Israeli fighter jets launched a raid on Egyptian airfields. Within hours, the Egyptian air force was destroyed.

After just 132 hours of fighting – later known as the Six-Day War – the tiny nation of Israel had defeated the combined armed forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. When the dust settled, Israel controlled the Sinai and Gaza Strip (captured from Egypt), the West Bank and East Jerusalem (captured from Jordan), and the Golan Heights (Captured from Syria), enlarging Israel’s territory by an additional 26,000 square miles.

Historians agree that the war was really decided in those first few hours when the Israeli air force struck the enemy’s most vulnerable point and achieved command of the skies. And the plan for victory was inspired by an ancient story from the Bible.

The Word of God is as relevant today as it was when the ink was still wet on its parchment. The same ancient, divinely inspired wisdom that inspired Israel to fight and win is still ready to inspire you and me to live the victorious Christian life. We need to read and understand God’s Word as if our lives depend on it. Once we truly understand the Bible, it will become our sword and shield. It will show us how to defeat our spiritual enemy, satan, so that we can take territory for Christ and His Kingdom.

The Bible is truly a life-changing Book, because its Author is a life-changing God. Throughout history, people have either loved the Word of God or hated it. People have either believed it or rejected it, They have tried to change it, to edit out the parts that offended them, or tried to water down its message. Dictators and despots have sought to burn or banish the Bible – yet they are dead, and God’s Word lives.

Year after year, the Bible is the bestselling book in the world – yet most Bibles end up on a shelf, gathering dust. According to the American Bible Society and the Barna Group, just 18 percent of American adults spend any time reading the Bible. This means that 82 percent of adults allow their Bibles to sit unopened and unused, making the Bible the least-read bestseller of all time. This is undoubtedly one of the chief reasons for the oral and spiritual decline in our culture.

Why do so many Christians claim to love God while ignoring His Word? Why do so many Christians who claim to love Jesus spend hours with the eyes glued to TikTok, Instragram, or Netflix – yet have no time for God’s Word? Again and again, I hear people say, “I would love to read the Bible, but there’s just not enough time in my day.” If you have ever said similar words, then honestly examine your life and your priorities. Ask yourself, “Am I being honest with myself – and with God? Can I say I truly love Jesus if I neglect God’s Word?”

After more than half a century of walking with the Lord, I can confidently say that the Bible is the only spiritual food that will nourish your soul. Daily reading in the Word of God is the only power for living. It’s the only mirror that will reveal the truth about the real you. And it’s the only washing and cleansing agent that can truly purify you.

Tomorrow he’ll show us the four dimensions of God’s Word.

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“Ex. 23:22

…I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

IIChronicles 16:9

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is toward Him.”

Romans 8:32

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

I Cor. 10:13 …God is faithful, who will not let you be tried above what you are able but will….make a way that you will be able to bear it.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

2Corinthians 1:20

For all the promises of God in Him are yeah, and in Him Amen, unto

the Glory of God by us.

Romans 5:8

But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 3 ~ ~ Psalm 18:30 ~ ~ “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

Beginning the book by Michael Youssef entitled: How to Read the Bible (As if Your Life Depends upon it * Because it Does)

Introduction:

We sometimes hear that Christians should defend the Bible against attacks from unbelievers. This is a well-intentioned notion, but as Martin Luther pointed out defending the Bible is like defending a lion. A lion doesn’t need us to defend it, and neither does God’s Word. Any attempt on our part to defend the Bible would be pointless. We are hopelessly inadequate to the task.

Down through the centuries, philosophers have tried to destroy the Bible by argument and criticism. Dictators have tried to destroy it by force. Governments have passed laws to suppress and forbid it. Yet the Word of God still stands.

I pray that the Holy Spirit, the Author of the Bible, would take these poor words of mine and use them to spark a revival in our lives, for revival can begin only in the life of a Christian who feeds daily on the Word of God. If we read and heed the Bible – if we take hold of its mighty power, if we live in it, apply it, and obey it –the Holy Spirit will move in our lives and revive our deadened spirits.

Gideons International is a Christian association known for placing Bibles in hotel and motel rooms, hospitals, colleges, military bases, and prisons. All those Bibles have an introduction that includes these words:

“The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers…..Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy …It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter … Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully.”

These are wise words. There is no other book like the Bible. God used at least forty different human writers over a period of more than 1,600 years to write the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. The writers of the Bible range from kings to shepherds, from a physician to a tax collector. It was composed on three different continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Yet the Bible is truly a single Book with a single Author, focused on a single theme – and that theme is Jesus Christ the Redeemer. It’s the story of the Kingdom of God and its King. The books of the Old Testament tell us that He is coming. The books of the New Testament announce that He has arrived.

The Old Testament anticipates Jesus. The New Testament proclaims Him gladly. And passages in both the Old and New promise that He is coming again in all His might and majesty.

The unity of the Bible confounds human wisdom, baffles its critics, and challenges its enemies. There is no book like this book because there is no author like its Author.

The sixty-six books of the Bible do not tell sixty-six stories; together, they tell one story. It is the story of humanity’s rebellion against God and God’s redemptive love for the human race – a love expressed in salvation for all who repent of their rebellion and sin. It’s a story of a Kingdom and a Covenant, and one Lord who rules eternally.

Come with me on an adventure. Let’s explore the book together and learn to love it as if our lives depend on it.

BECAUSE THEY DO!

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Ps 94:19 When anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comforts delight me.

John 12:46

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

Ps 4:8

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Is 40:29

He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 2 ~ ~ Revelation 5:13-14 ~ ~ “ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

‘Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’

Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

This is the last day in the book, We Shall See God. We’re finishing the chapter entitled: “The Power and Glory of our Redeemer, part two” Tomorrow we start with Michael Youssef’s book, “How to Read the Bible as if Your Life Depends on it – (Because it does)”

RANDY ALCORN:

Spurgeon wrote hymns and published a new collection of worship songs in 1866 called “Our Own Hymn-Book”. It was mostly a compilation of Isaac Watt’s psalms and hymns. Spurgeon paid close attention to the doctrines contained in hymns. He was publicly critical of a particular hymnbook that portrayed God as distant and uninvolved in human affairs. As usual, his criticism gained him a great deal of negative press in return.

It is the hymn of Revelation chapter 5 that Spurgeon chooses as his passage in this sermon, expressing that the entire physical universe was created for God’s glory. Then humanity rebelled, and the universe fell under the weight of our sin. Yet the serpent’s seduction of Adam and Eve did not catch God by surprise. He had in place a plan by which He would redeem mankind – and all of creation – from sin, corruption and death. Just as He promises to make men and women new, He promises to renew the earth itself. How? By the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God. There is no other way.

If, due to the fall, God would have given up on His original purpose for mankind to fill the earth and rule it (Genesis 1:28), He surely wouldn’t have repeated the same command to Noah after the flood: “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1) Still, until sin and the curse are permanently removed, people are incapable of exercising proper stewardship of the earth. Redemption buys back God’s original design.

“God never wearies of the precious blood,” Spurgeon says, “nor will His people who know where their salvation lies.” The gospel is far greater than most of us imagine. It isn’t just good news for us – it’s good news for animals, plants, stars, and planets. It’s good news for the sky above and the earth below. Albert Wolters says, “The redemption in Jesus Christ means the restoration of an original good creation.”

God’s redemptive plan climaxes not at the return of Christ, nor in the millennial Kingdom but on the new earth. Only then will all wrongs be made right. Only then will there be no more death, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:1-4). And only then will we all begin to see the breadth and depth of the universe – piercing power of the blood of God.

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^{1 John 1:9}

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 4:7

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;

Romans 11:27

For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

1 Corinthians 15:17

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

Galatians 1:4

who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Ephesians 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 2:1

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

Colossians 1:14

in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 1:3

who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 1 ~ ~ Revelation 5:9 ~ “ And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.”

From the book, “We Shall See God” —Chapter entitled: “The Power and Glory of Our Redeemer” Part 1

This will be the last chapter used from this book. After today and tomorrow, parts 1 and 2, I will begin a new book entitled, “How to Read the Bible as if Your Life Depends on it—(because it does)” By Michael Youssef of “Leading the Way” ministries.

CHARLES SPURGEON:

This world is far from perfect, and we have reminders of that fact every day. But the brokenness we deal with isn’t too much for God to handle, and it doesn’t take Him by surprise. One day He will fulfill His plan of redemption – for us and for this world.

I pause for a moment to ask whether we are prepared to go to heaven and whether we are like those who are there. Remember that there is but one place for us besides. If we do not enter heaven, to praise with those perfect spirits, we must be driven from the divine presence to suffer with the condemned forever.

You recoil at the idea of “depart from Me, you cursed!” (Matthew 25:41). I invite you to trust in Him and find your sins forgiven, and so doing, you shall be prepared to meet the Lamb who sits upon the throne and there forever to adore His sacrifice while you enjoy the blessings that flow from it,.

May we all meet in heaven! It would be a dreadful thing if we could know the destiny of everybody here and find, among other things, that some here will never see the gates of pearl except from an awful distance, with a great gulf fixed between them.

May we be on the right side of that gulf!!! Get on the right side of it today!

“They sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nations.” (Revelation 5:9)

The first doctrine of this is that Christ is put in the front; His deity is affirmed. They sing, “Worthy are

You” A strong-winged angel speeds his way over earth and heaven and down the deep places of the universe, crying with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” (Revelation 5:2). but no answer comes, for no creature is worthy. Then came One of whom the church cries in its song, “Worthy are You.,”

Yes, He is worthy of all the praise and honor we can bring to Him. He is worthy to be called equal with God; He Himself IS God, very God of very God. And no man can sing this song, or ever will sing it, unless he believes Christ to be true deity and accepts Him as his Lord and God.

Next, is that the whole church (believers) delights in the mediation of Christ. Notice that it was when He had taken the scroll that they said, “Worthy are You to take the scroll” (Revelation 5:9). to have Christ standing between God and man is the joy of every believing heart. We could never reach up to God except that Christ has come to bridge the distance between us. He places one hand on man and the other upon God. He is the mediator who can lay His hand upon both, and the church greatly rejoices in this.

Remember that even the working of Providence is not apart from the mediation of Christ. I rejoice in this, that if the thunders be let loose, if plagues and deaths around us fly, the child of God is still under the mediator’s protection. No harm shall happens to the chosen, for Jesus always guards us. All power is given to Him in heaven and in earth, and the church rejoices in His role as mediator.

But now notice: what is her reason for believing that Christ is worthy to be a mediator? The church says, “Worthy are you…for You were slain” (5:9). AH, when Christ undertook to be her mediator, this was the extreme point to which His pledge to be her substitute could carry Him – to be slain (killed)!

Jesus is never more glorious than in His death. His substitutionary atonement is the culmination of His glory, as it was the very utmost depth of His shame. Beloved, we rejoice in our mediator because He died.

A thing that is redeemed belonged originally to the person who redeems it, and the redeemed of the Lord were always His. “Yours they were,” said Christ, “and You gave them to Me” (speaking to His Father in John 17:6). They always were God’s. You cannot go and redeem a thing that does not belong to you. You may buy it, but you cannot redeem it.

Now that which belonged originally to God became indebted through sin. We having sinned, came under the curse of the law. And though God still held to it that we were His, we were yet under this embargo: sin had a claim upon us.

Christ came and saw His own, and He knew that they were His own. He asked what there was to pay to redeem them, to restore His ownership. It was His heart’s blood, His life, Himself that was required. He paid the price and redeemed them, and we today sing, “By Your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)

He has, by redeeming us, separated us to Himself and made us a holy people, bought with blood in a special sense out of all the rest of mankind. This redemption is the grounds for the distinction of God’s people: “By Your blood you ransomed people for God” (5:9)

God never wearies of the precious blood, nor will His people who know where their salvation lies. They do not, even in heaven, say that it is a dreadful word to mention. I heard a man the other day say of a certain minister, “OH! We want another minister, we are tired of this man always talking about the blood.” In the last great day, God will be tired of the man who made that speech!

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John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, so no man should boast.

Acts 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Acts 4:12

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13

everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Romans 10:9 & 10

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

^{Acts 2:36}

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made the same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.