Our Protector

by Charles Stanley
Intouch Ministries

Psalm 121:1-3

Psalm 121 describes the safety that is found in the Lord. Today and tomorrow, let’s look at several verses to better understand our security.

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord” (vv. 1-2). When this psalm was written, robbers dwelled in the mountains, waiting for innocent travelers to become their unsuspecting victims. Not only that, but wild animals also posed a threat. Needless to say, journeying on these remote hilly roads must have caused anxiety and fear.

Our lives can be like mountainous territory. Do you look to the future and wonder what dangers lurk? The Lord is our helper; He alone is able to protect us, regardless of what lies ahead. Friends and relatives can offer limited assistance, but God knows everything and has all the power necessary to rescue us.

“He will not allow your foot to slip” (v. 3). God has provided everything we need in order to avoid sin. The Holy Spirit directs and empowers us; the Word lights our path so we do not slip. Yet at times, we choose to sin. Almighty God could stop us from disobeying, but He doesn’t interfere with our free will. Instead, He upholds us, enabling us to walk in His way.

These opening verses focus on the Lord’s ability to protect us in treacherous times. Whether trouble originates with others, external circumstances, or our own sin, we can find ourselves in danger and afraid. Thankfully, we have a loving Father who leads us to safety.

Intouch Ministries Devotions

What I Like About Jesus

It doesn't take too long for a baby christian to understand that they are loved by God. He surrounds them with His presence and reassures them through His Word and with the Holy Spirit, who makes His presence known in their hearts by the changes in their behavior and the transformation that evolves in their lives over time.

He is always encouraging them, and He is delighted when they try new things, when they continue to pray and worship Him, when they take the time to be alone with Him, when they open their hearts to Him. He loves to call them His friends, and deep friendship requires time, effort and compassion. When you have a good friendship, that friendship is tested by trials and tribulations; you know who your true friends are, they are the ones that dont abandon you at the first sign of trouble, and they give you support when you need it the most. You will never abandon a friend like that, and you will always believe in them.

He cares for all His children, and with time, He will give them deep access into His thoughts and feelings; you know the ones that seem to have a deep relationship with the Lord, they are the ones who seek His fellowship every day of their lives. They can pray to God and be reassured that they will get an answer, and whatever that answer is, they will follow Him to that solution whatever form that it takes. When you depend on His resources instead of your own, you will find peace and joy in your heart, and you will see amazing miracles and the perfert solution for your circumstances.

Leave all your issues and burdens at His feet, for He knows what is best for you. Jesus Christ will always be your anchor and your guiding star if you let Him live in your heart. Make the decision today to let Him have first place in your heart and when you live for His purposes, you will find your true destiny. Keep you heart open to accept Him and let His light shine within you!

The Process Of Sanctification

by Charles Stanley
Intouch Ministries

Hebrews 5:11-14

Many modern-day inventions are designed to help us accomplish tasks more quickly. The microwave, for example, shortens cooking time drastically, while washing machines and computers speed up other chores. New technology has the added effect of increasing life’s already fast pace as well as our desire for instant solutions.

Not every process, however, lends itself to acceleration. Consider our growth in Christ, which is known as sanctification. Being a Christian is neither an event nor a quick fix. Rather, it is a journey. There are things for us to learn along the way, and while we may unwisely choose a longer path than necessary, there really are no shortcuts.

Sadly, some people grow little after salvation. They are not encouraged in their faith or discipled well. Others fail to pursue maturity through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and fellowship. God is not pleased when His children opt for complacency. That’s why His Word tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Consider how spiritual development benefits believers. By learning God’s ways, we can walk in obedience and live contented, purposeful lives for His glory. We also gain the ability to discern truth from distortion.

Do you notice any change in your life and character since the day you were saved? Are you able to detect spiritual growth over the last year? Your heavenly Father wants to mature you. So make a continuous effort to cooperate with Him by reading Scripture, praying, fellowshipping, and repenting of all known sin in your life.The

Intouch Ministries Devotions

God's "Great Expectations"

by Toni Babcock

Does God judge us because he thinks less of who we are when we fall short of who we ought to be? No, you can leave that kind of condemnation to the devil. God only points out sin in our lives because he expects more of us - and that is a matter of faith. So the next time you fail to please God in some area of life, don't listen to the condemnation of the devil, or wallow in the depths of your despair. Strive by faith to become the kind of person God expects you to be, because of who you are in Jesus.

How to go about it? Well, make certain you have submitted to God in the first place. Jesus calls us to "Repent and believe the gospel," (Mark 1:15 KJV). This is a call to a new life, and a new power. It is more than "turning over a new leaf" and resolving to do better. (We are famously impotent when it comes to keeping our intentions.) It is more than simply acquiescing to please God - or someone else. (How many times have we done that?)

No, to repent and believe the gospel is to experience a fundamental change of mind and heart through the direct influence of God and His Word; it is to believe Christ died and rose again to save us from the penalty and power of sin. Herein we allow God to do the saving, not us, as He channels His grace through Christ, who comes to dwell in the heart by faith. This change of heart and mind is demonstrated by a change of will, and an open heart to receive Him.

God has great expectations for us because of His Son Jesus Christ. Do we?

Toni Babcock is author of The Stone Writer, Christian Fiction for Young Readers and Teens

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

King Of Kings

by Charles Stanley
Intouch Ministries

Revelation 19:11-16

In today’s passage from Revelation 19, we see Jesus exalted as the King of Kings. He is shown returning to earth to rescue His people, judge the wicked, and set up His kingdom. As heaven opens, Christ rides out on a white horse in power and great glory. This appearance is nothing like His quiet arrival in Bethlehem as a helpless baby. This time, “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7), as He comes to bring inescapable judgment.

The exalted King is not coming alone. The armies of heaven—who are clothed in the fine linen of the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7-8)—are following Him on white horses. If you are a Christian, you will be in this army of saints and angels. This describes the fulfillment of the promise that says believers are going to rule and reign with Him (Revelation 5:10).

One day, Jesus will literally reign on this earth as King. But even before that time, He comes to rule in the heart of every believer. Sometimes Christians try to keep Him exclusively in the role of Savior, but salvation is just the beginning of all the blessings the Lord has in store for us. Only in submission and obedience to Christ’s authority will we be transformed into His image and live a life worthy of His rewards (Revelation 22:12).

In all practicality, who is the king of your life? Who is it that guides your decisions and directs your path? The Creator has a plan and purpose for your life, which can be discovered only by living under the authority of Jesus Christ. May His kingdom come and His will be done—on earth and in your heart.

Intouch Ministries Devotions

How To Be Righteous In God's Eyes

We came from the valleys and the low places, we traveled long distances, carrying only our fears and our griefs and our heart's deepest desires, to see Him, the One who could heal us, to lay ourselves and our burdens at the thone of His Grace, where mercy, love, and peace abound.

We had no assurances within our hearts that He would accept us, only the words of past pilgrims who had come this way before us; they said that there is peace, wonderful peace in Zion; we have nothing left to lose, for we have tried every solution, concept, and remedy known to man. We heard the Lamb Of God has everything that we need to be healed, to be whole.

At last, we come to the mountaintop, to Zion and we kneel before Him, and what does He ask of us? Nothing that we expected, we would have done mighty deeds, or given all of our money to the poor. We would have worked in His temple for thousands of years as a lowly janitor, sweeping away the dirt and the tears from before His Presence, but He asked nothing from us, expect that we believe in Him, that we accept His gift of love and sacrifice, that we accept Him as Our Lord and Savior.

There we were, at His feet, broken and confused, depressed and lonely, helpless and needy like newborn babies; as we acccepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we became renewed in our hearts and minds, with new found peace, smiles on our faces, with unspeakable joy. It was that simple, I thought, truly the worse is over? How can that be?

The One who saved me looked at me, with love and compassion and said, "Yes, my child, the worse is over, you will live with me forever and ever in my presence, and no one will be able to take you from me. I will protect you and guide you, I will fight your battles; keep your focus on me and not on your problems, and you will have victory in Me".

I was overcome with delight, and I knew I could never repay Him for what He had done. I could not understand why He would love me, a sinner, so much; He never condemned me, He just lifted His hands toward me and gave me a hug, and then I knew I would never leave from His side ever again.

Then He looked upon us and smiled, and said, "Now is the time for peace and for celebration, for you, our children, were lost and now are found, you were blinded by your selfish pride, but now you can see the truth with a heart of love and compassion. Because of this, I now declare you citizens of the Kingdom of God, and you are righteous in our eyes." He said this as we stood before the Throne of God, as Father God looked down upon us with pleasure and approval, and the Holy Spirit whispered love and affection into our hearsts.

Our God Of Comfort

by Charles Stanley
Intouch Ministries

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

God’s care for us extends even to the details of our lives. He knows when His children hurt, and He longs to offer comfort (Isa. 49:13).

The Lord’s compassion is personal, continuous, and always available. We receive His comfort through the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. There is no situation or time when He is inaccessible to the believer—we can be consoled and reassured at any moment, day or night.

Consider how the compassion of God was demonstrated through Jesus’ life. He interacted even with the “untouchables”—people whose bodies were infected with a contagious disease (Luke 17:11-14). And no sickness of ours will prevent Him from caring for us.

When Jesus saw people with medical conditions, in compassion He not only healed them physically but also gave an even greater comfort—new life through the forgiveness of sins. And while our infirmities may remain, the Lord lovingly strengthens us to persevere (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

As for the messes we get into, notice how Peter’s betrayal of Christ was met with forgiveness and reinstatement (John 21:15-17), and Thomas’s doubts were answered by Jesus Himself (John 20:27). Our mistakes won’t stop Him from loving us. Even to His enemies, Jesus left the way open for repentance.

God’s comfort and care are adequate for anything we face, whether it’s poor health, insufficient finances, or family trouble. Then, once we’ve experienced His consolation, we’re to become bearers of comfort to others (2 Corinthians 1:4). Remember, people everywhere are in great need of His compassion.

Intouch Ministries Devotions

What You Will Need To Come Home

My favorite superhero show, the flash, just had its season finale last night, and I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed by its conclusion, yet it also taught me some real life lessons that we all need to adhere to our lives. All through this 3rd season, it has been a struggle for our hero, the flash. You see, he was given 'by accident' incredible speed powers, and he chose to use those powers for good. It was a bumpy ride for barry allen, as he tried to learn how to become a hero, to be selfless and giving, even to the point of death, while also trying to maintain some type of a 'normal' life, trying to find peace and love in a very chaotic world. Does this premise sound familiar to you? Have you been trying to live peacefully in a chaotic world without God in your life?

Anyway, He succeeded in becoming a hero, despite the many times he had to deal with pain, loss, and betrayal. He learned to hold on to the people around him that loved and cared for him, but as the saying goes, he was only human just like the rest of us, and he made many mistakes. This season, he tried to fix all of his problems by doing a reset of time; he tried to have the perfect life on earth without all of the pain and suffering he endured that set him upon the path to becoming a superhero. He found out fairly quickly that trying to have the 'perfect' life in an imperfect world was not the solution he needed after all. You see, all the trials and tribulations may not have given him a 'perfect' life, but it did help him to become the best version of himself that he could possibly be.

In our own lives, this is the real truth: we are living so that we may come to the realization of the love and providence of the One who created us, Jesus Christ. He wants us to come to Him to be cleansed, saved, and restored from our sins, so that we may live with Him forever, in the presence of God, in peace, security, and happiness forever and ever. We must have the revelation within our hearts that we need the One who created us, and that true happiness comes from Him; this life is the way we find out how to come back home to Him.

What would you do if you had the powers of a God? Do you believe that you could do any better than the mythical characters that we conceive in our own minds, the heroes that the world looks up to? This season of the flash was about redeeming the hero, barry allen, from his own tragic mistakes, and the solution was not an easy one. He had to face up to his mistake and try to find a way to fix it while maintaining the relationships that he built into his life with his family and friends; he had to come to grips with the sad truth of his selfishness, that his decisions not only affected his life, but also the lives of everyone in his circle. It is never easy to live with your own mistakes, but it seems almost impossible to deal with the concept of destroying other people's lives in the process; that is why we need the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we tend to gloss over the true consequences of our actions, that is why it is so hard for many people to see that their lives apart from God is fruitless. Many people live in a state of perpetual denial that gives them the freedom to live as they see fit; it is only when too many problems or issues arise as a result of those selfish decisions that the delusion begins to disappear. They start to realise they need a solution to the problem, but from their perspective, there is no real answer to what ails them because they have been unwilling to acknowledge that they are weak and that they need God's help.

Without God's love and providence, you will never heal, and your heart will never be restored. In the flash, we learn that barry's mistake caused a part of him to go deep into the dark side, and his solution to correct this mistake made everything else a lot worse. At the end of the season, he finally realizes that he needs to face the consequences of his actions and allow himself to be taken into the speed force, the very source of his power to fix what he has broken, and to restore a better life, better health, and happiness to himself and to his loved ones who stuck by him all this time, even when he made such poor choices in his arc to becoming a hero.

My friends, the Lord knows everything about us, he knows our weaknesses and our strengths, and He looks at us and still loves us with all of His heart. He is waiting for you to come to the realization that you cannot live this life peacefully and victoriously without Him. Once you begin your journey to true happiness and fullfillment, you will come to realise that all our your problems, your tribulations were destined to bring you to the point of surrender at His feet, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Just when you thought you couldn't live another minute of life without His love and restoration, you found Him, and you realised the solution was always there just waiting for you to take it within your heart; you were humbled by the enormous weight of living this life without His love, power, and authority.

When you became of believer in Jesus Christ, you were granted power and authority to live peacefully and victoriously in this world. Yes, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we have been granted 'super powers', and we are all 'super friends' in Christ! His Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts, to guide us, transform us, and give us the power to live in this world with peace, joy, and hope, courageously living our lives in a world that fears and hates Jesus Christ and the overwhelming power of His Word, for when unbelievers are touched by His word, they can no longer live in that delusional state of rebellion in their hearts that keeps them running from the face and the presence of the Lord.

That power is necessary to transform our hearts and minds, and to give selflessly and patiently to the world, to proclaim His word and His love to the people all around us. Without this power we would perish, for the evil one, satan and his demons, would quickly wipe us from the face of the planet with a hatred that is so deep that is it truly incomprehensible to conceive. That is why 'the prince of the air' tries so hard to break us and to destroy our hearts and minds, and he works through unbelievers because he has a firm grip on their hearts and minds; he is the one that gives them the strong delusions that they believe in and they are truly unaware that these ideas are not their own. That is why we need to deal with them through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we need to love them with the love of the Lord; without His power and authority flowing through us, we would be crushed by the issues of our lives.

If you feel crushed by life, I am here to tell you the truth about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the solution for your problems, for what ails you, and you will never find a better solution anywhere else. You thought you had everything that you needed, and you thought what you had was the best life that anyone could ever possibly live, and there lies your true problem; your best solution is flawed, dangerous, and confusing to your heart and mind. It is the reason why you can't seem to get out the rut that you are in. You have been self medicating yourself with all types of things (food, drugs, alcohol, money, sex, 'power', etc...) but nothing is working for you anymore, and these things will never bring you the peace that you have been searching for and true happiness; since you have nothing else to lose, why don't you try the best and only solution for your troubles, Jesus Christ. Ask Him to come into your heart right now!

Our Bridge To God

by Charles Stanley
Intouch Ministries

John 14:1-6

The last verse in today’s passage makes a powerful and unequivocal statement. Jesus clearly says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

People have taken exception to that statement for 2,000 years. Some say the Lord didn’t mean for it to be taken literally. Others categorically reject His authority to make the claim at all. However, as believers in the lordship of Jesus Christ, we must take what He says as truth. So let’s think for a moment about the word picture in that verse.

When Jesus calls Himself “the way,” many people imagine a one-way street. They take this to mean that there are lots of roads, but He is the only one that leads to the Father. That’s a good image, but I think we can do even better.

I like to think of Jesus not as a road but as a bridge—our bridge to God. Consider the apostle Paul’s warning in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (emphasis added). The picture here is of a great chasm between us and God, and we cannot make it across. Unable to bridge the gap, we fall.

So, what is the only way across a chasm? A bridge, of course. And that’s what Jesus is for us. He stands in the gap, providing safe passage across the void and into the loving arms of the Father.

Meditate on this mental image. When we imagine ourselves helpless and lost—with heaven just out of reach, beyond a great divide—we can begin to appreciate the true power of the cross.

Intouch Ministries Devotions

It's Not A Regimen, It's A Relationship

God desires to live in your heart, to experience everything that you do, to comfort your heart when you go through pain and suffering, to inspire you to great feats of love and compassion. He wants you to be just like Him, and the only way that can happen is if you can experience who He is on a level that is realistic and impressive. You must learn to see your connection with Him as a relationship, and not as a daily 'regimen' or exercise.

It can happen very easily; when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there was a feeling of His presence in your heart, you felt a profound change in your heart and mind, your behavior may have changed, you may have been physically or emotionally healed, and you were filled with a sense of love and gratitude. Over time these feelings could change, as your christian lifestyle becomes a daily routine; you go to church every sunday, hear a sermon, go home and relax and get yourself ready for work for the next day. If you are more conscientious than many christians, you participate in church ministries every week, and you tithe. All of these things are good things to do, but they can put you into a mindset that hampers your spiritual development. After everything that you do as a christian, do you know if God approves of what you are doing with your life?

Prayer is so essential to every christian's life, but many christians are not aware that prayer is not just about talking to God when they need something, or asking for help when they are in tough situations; God wants to be a crucial part of our daily lives, and He wants us to fellowship with Him. Taking time to praise Him for all He has done for us, and to show our gratitude by spending time during the day to read the bible, and listen to worship music, and sing songs of thanksgiving and praise; my God yearns for your praise and for your love. He is love, and so it is natural that He would appreciate our efforts to show how much we love Him. He is a tender and sweet God, a faithful, compassionate friend who will give you everything that you need to survive in this world if you make Him a priority in your life.

He wants to you know who He is, and you can't really know who He is if the only time you actually interact with Him during the week is only on Sunday. Every christian needs the Lord in their lives every day. My sweet Jesus paid a high price to save us, not just because He wanted to prevent us from dying in our sins and going to hell as our eternal punishment, but because He wants us to be with Him always, as His children and His family, to commune with Him, with our Father God, and with The Holy Spirit, in the unity of love, peace, and joy forever and ever. It is the greatest gift God has ever given to man and the greatest choice we will ever make; that thought should prompt us all to come into His presence every day with awe for this wonderful gift He has given us, and fill our hearts with thanksgiving and praise. We serve a wonderful God!

I often try to be mindful to spend that time with Him everyday, and sometimes I get anxious if I am not able to do so in the time I planned for because life happens and you don't always get to do things you planned to do in a given day, but the Lord reminds me that I don't have to feel like I have let Him down, He just wants me to be willing to be with Him sometime during the day, whether it be in the morning before I start my day, or in evening after the day is done, or at lunch reading the bible.....whenever you have the time, He will be there, and He is always ready to commune with you, because He always enjoys His time with you. I make sure that I speak with Him every day, even if my schedule doesn't allow me to do everything I wanted to do with Him; a few minutes in your prayer closet or your space in your home you set aside for Him may be all that you can do, but believe me it will make a difference in your life and it pleases the Lord!