The Choice to Rejoice

 Pastor Greg Laurie writes the booklet we use in Kenya called “New Believers Growth Booklet”.  We would like to share a devotion with you written by him.

The Choice To Rejoice

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-5

Focus Verse: Romans 5:3-4  “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.

Everywhere the apostle Paul went, there was either a riot or a revival. Paul never had a boring day in his life that we know of. There was always something going on with him.

Yet Paul didn’t merely endure these experiences but rejoiced in them. He wrote, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (Romans 5:3–4 NLT).

Paul was describing the kind of trials in which there’s nothing we can do to make them go away. But when Paul went through those hardships, he made the choice to rejoice. And we have that same choice before us.

I can’t control what happens around me, try as I may. But I can control how I react. When difficulties come my way, when things that seem unfair happen to me, when I’m going through a time of hardship, I can choose to be better or bitter.

Some people choose the latter. They’re bitter. They’re mad at God, mad at the world, and mad at their family. They’re mad at everything.

However, others say, “Lord, I don’t know why you’ve allowed this, and I wish you wouldn’t allow it. But I want to be better. I want to learn through this.”

Some trials that come into our lives are short-lived. But others don’t go away, and there’s no way around them. So what should we do?

We need to put our hope in God.

Remember, Paul said, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” Maybe you don’t understand it at the moment, but there’s a reason for what you’re going through. God is working through it. And He never will let you down.

Pastor Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries

Be Thankful and Bless God's Name

Read Psalm 100 

"1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
² Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
³ Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

 When I was a young girl, I memorized this Bible passage.  I loved how happy it made me feel.  I rejoiced over how God is good, merciful, truthful, our creator, and our shepherd.  I am thankful and joyful for the benefit of knowing Him.

Take some time to be thankful today for the Lord.  He provides a pasture for you.  Dwell there with Him and SHOUT with joy and thanksgiving.

"What if you wake up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for yesterday." ~unknown

~Page Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

Scripture Reading: Mark 11:27-33

Focus Verse: Mark 11:28  “And they said to Him, By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?”

Our scripture reading is about the religious leaders of Jesus’ day questioning His authority for what He is doing.  We each must decide if we believe what God says in the scriptures is truth.  In the end, the priests and elders were more afraid of what the people would do than what Jesus would do.  Because of this choice, Jesus refused to answer their questions.

 

I learned this week that a man with whom I had shared Jesus many times, died a few months ago.  He was a very religious man, but to the best of my knowledge he never accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord in his life.  On one occasion as I was talking with him I quoted to him John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  He then said to me “Bobby that’s where you and I differ.”  I felt like replying "that’s where you and Jesus differ.”  

 

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not believe He was the only way to God either.  One day when you stand before God He’s not going to ask you what church you belonged to.  He’s not going to ask you how much money you gave to the poor.  (Even though these things are important.)  What if God was going to ask you "who is Jesus to you?"  Well, there is only one answer that will get you into heaven, "Jesus is my Savior and Lord."  There are many people in the world today who believe they are going to get to heaven because of what they are doing, but they are wrong.  They will only get to heaven because of what Jesus did.  He died on that cross for our sin, and until you accept that free gift you will never see heaven.  

 

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Will you accept God’s great gift today, and invite Jesus into your life as Savior and Lord?  If you have done this, you should be telling others about this wonderful gift.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

The Battle is The Lord's

The Battle is The Lord's

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17

Focus verse: 1 Samuel 17:47, "Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands."

The Israelites had a thorn in their flesh and they really didn't know if someday they would get delivered from hands of the oppressing Philistines. Their King, Soul had given up in fighting the Philistines. The Philistine fighter, Goliath, was a gigantic man with great experience in fighting. He was a feared man. Nobody dared face him and he would insult the Israelites each day. Above that he would openly defy the name of the Almighty God. This angered a young boy called David and he asks for the chance to fight Goliath. His brothers and king Saul himself discouraged him and tried to deny him from entering the fight but he didn't listen to their discouragements but decides he would fight Goliath. King Saul gives him his fighting regalia, he tries them and takes them out since he was not used to such fighting regalia. He knew that the same God who had led him to killing a bear and a lion who had attacked his father's flock would give him victory again over the uncircumcised Philistines. He knew that the battle was God's and He would give Goliath into his hands. God answered his prayers and the Israelites were free once again.

There is a lot of fear in the world today. We wake up to bad news of infectious diseases, deaths, political unrest, cyclones, collapsing economy, loss of jobs among other uncertainties. Many people don't understand what life has for them and can't tell when all these will end. Well, we may have lots of challenges but we can still have a hope knowing that the battle is the Lord's and he will bring us victory. It may seem like it's getting late but be sure God already has a solution. His solution may not look wise before men but He is God and he doesn't fight the way men fight. David was discouraged by his own brothers and even the king himself but he listened to God more than those discouraging him. 

 

If you want to win you will need to stop paying attention to the discouraging forces but listen to God's voice who can make a way where there seems to be no way. The battle is the Lord's and not even a pandemic is too hard for him to handle. 

 

Pastor Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries, Kenya

How’s Your Conscience?

Scripture Reading:  1 Timothy 4

Focus Verses:  1 Timothy 4:1-2 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”

Something I have noticed in my 60 years of living on this earth is that some people seem to have no shame when they do something wrong.  Things that used to be shameful are now celebrated. Things that used to be right are now wrong, and things that used to be wrong are now called right.  The Bible has a verse that talks about that in Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.”  

 

God doesn’t change.  God’s Word has not changed.  The Bible still calls sin, sin.  Thousands of years ago the Bible said it is wrong to steal.  Guess what, today it is still wrong to steal, lie, murder and have other gods or idols.   There are people who sin and have no shame.  They will call it another word to make it sound nicer.  Will it be nicer in the eyes of the wife if you call adultery an affair?   Is it easier to accept lust if you call it pornography?  Is it easier to accept killing an unborn child if you call it an abortion or a choice?  Is it easier to accept a bribe if you call it exchanging favors?  We are becoming a society that is loosing its conscience.  Your conscience is the God given ability to discern right from wrong.  Your conscience is the Holy Spirit telling you the right way to go.  But if you continually refuse to listen to your conscience, the Holy Spirit may quit speaking to you.  And that would be a dangerous place to be. 

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Who Are You Connected To?

 Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8

Focus Verse: John 15:5  “I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.”

In America the news is currently dominated with information about the presidential election that will happen on November 3rd.  Each candidate tells you how good they are and what they are going to do for you.  You can be sure that some of what you hear is truth and some are lies.  Some people put all their hopes and dreams into a politician.  They think if their person gets into office all their problems will go away.  I can tell you that no politician can make all your problems go away.  If someone puts all their hopes in a politician, they have connected themselves to the wrong person.  The true hope is placed in the person of Jesus.

Jesus says in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Jesus also said in John 15:5 “without Me you can do nothing.”  Jesus is the person you want to be connected to.  He loves you.  He wants to care for you.  He wants what is good for you.  He wants to take away all your sin.  And He’s prepared a place for you where you can be with Him forever.  No matter what happens in this world, I place my hope in Jesus.  I’m going to stay connected to Jesus.  Who are you connected to?

 

Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

The Power to Say, "No".

Scripture Reading: Esther 1:3-19

Focus Verse: Esther 1:12 "But when they conveyed the king's order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come.  This made the king furious, and he burned with anger."

Vashti was queen of Persia and the wife of King Xerxes.  He reigned the territory from India to Ethiopia.  The king gave a great party with many guests.  As everyone became drunk he ordered his wife, Vashti, to come and dance before the guests.  She sent word back to the king that she would not dance.  Even though it meant she could lose her life or lose every luxury that she enjoyed as queen.  She said, "no.  She would not expose her body and degrade herself. 

One hundred years ago a young man converted to Christ.  He became a pastor and took missions to the poor and oppressed in the slums of London.  Many times he would preach on street corners.  He became an embarrassment to the well known pastors of the city.  When he was called before a conference of the religious leaders, they said.  "William Booth, will you go where we tell you to go?  If not, we will strip you of your pastorate."  His wife, Catherine stood and said, "William, say, 'No, never!'"  His courage to say no that day, changed the history of Great Britain and many other parts of the world.  William Booth was the founder of The Salvation Army that has helped millions of people around the world.

It is right to obey our leaders according to God's Word, but if the obedience will cause you to sin, you must resist.   If you ever feel pressured to conform to others' prideful or sinful plans, it may seem too difficult to resist.  If it is not God's plan, you should resist them. You don't have to resist in your own strength, because with God's help you can have the power to say "No".

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries