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Date Posted: 13:48:52 02/19/25 Wed
Author: c
Subject: Supplementary Teachings old 2

Our Daily Bread

Every Hardship

September 28 2014

Like many towns, Enterprise, Alabama, has a prominent monument. But the monument in Enterprise is unlike any other. …it celebrates the work of a beetle….

the boll weevil…destroyed entire crops of cotton, the primary source of revenue. In desperation, farmers started growing another crop – peanuts. Realizing they had been dependent on one crop for too long, they credited the beetle with forcing them to diversify, which led to increased prosperity.

The boll weevil is like things that come into our lives and destroy what we have worked hard to accomplish. Devastation results – sometimes financial, emotional, or physical – and it is frightening. We witness the end of life as we know it. But as the people of Enterprise learned, the loss of what is old is an opportunity to discover something new. God may use hardship to get us to give up a bad habit or learn a new virtue. He used a thorn in Paul’s flesh to teach him about grace (2 Corinthians 12:7 – 9).

Instead of striving to preserve old habits that are no longer effective, we can view every hardship as an opportunity for God to cultivate a new virtue in us.  –

Julie Ackerman Link 

God often uses bitter experiences to make us better

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Beside the still waters

8/8/21

Samson's Enhakkore

(edited)


We find Samson's life story perplexing as we follow its twists and turns In his failures and besetting sins, Samson turned away from his godly Nazarite upbringing. Yet we get glimpses of what God wanted him to be and what he could have done. Samson's passions often controlled him, but when they got him into trouble, he knew where his help lay. God saw the sincerity of those moments and enabled Samson to begin to deliver Israel (Judges 13:5).

Soon physical thirst overcame Samson, and he cried to the Lord. God's answer came from the very jawbone Samson had cast away....He now called the place Enhakkore, "the well (or fountain) of him that called or cried." God supplies such a fountain of help for every need if we are in His will and seek His aid. If only Samson had discovered this earlier!

Samson failed again where he succumbed to Delilah's wiles. He found himself in dire straits again, but because of disobedience he could not access his well. Samson had much time to think while he was imprisoned by the Philistines. Through repentance and renewal of his relationship with God, Samson turned to his Fountain and found help at the end of his life.

Delmar R. Eby

Penitent seeking will yield a divine fountain of water.

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intouch.org Daily devotion The Thrill of Obedience


Obeying God's will in our lives should not be a burden but a thrilling adventure that we walk through with Him each day.

December 1, 2021

Psalm 40:6-8

Some Christians view obeying God only as a way to avoid the negative consequences of disobedience. But if this is our thinking, then obedience becomes a heavy burden rather than an exciting adventure motivated by love for Jesus Christ and a desire to please Him.


The reason some of us see following the Lord as a burden is because we tend to think of His will in terms of big and potentially costly decisions. But doing God’s will isn’t just about large issues; it’s also daily obedience in small matters of life. Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything. In bringing even fairly mundane concerns to the Lord, we’re being trained to trust and obey Him in more critical matters.

The Christian life is a walk of faith — one step of obedience after another. Though we may think the situations we face are unrelated, the Lord moves us through a variety of circumstances toward His ultimate purpose. If, for the sake of safety, we back off from obeying, we’ll miss the opportunity to experience His awesome power working in and through us. Small choices may seem insignificant, but they lead to a thrilling lifelong journey with God.

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Turning Point devotional 10/2022

The Opportunity of Uncertainty: Your choice in the matter

by Dr. David Jeremiah

(edited)

p 17

Walter Hunt, a Quaker in New York in the 1900s, was in financial distress. He owed fifteen dollars for the month's rent, and the owner was demanding payment. Hunt was an inventor. As he sat and worried about his uncertain future, he began twisting a piece of wire. His attention fixated on the wire, and he kept bending it one way and the other until he...well, he invented the safety pin.

He sold the design for four-hundred dollars, and his invention has kept us in stitches ever since.

From personal experience I've found that great opportunities tend to bubble up from puddles of uncertainty. We can make safety pins out of wires and testimonies out of traumas. In the broad canvas of humanity - and in the individual sketches of our personal lives - peril brings promise within the remarkable parameters of God's providence.

The great thing is this: You have a choice in how things turn out. Because of all we read in God's Word, we have the capacity, through Christ, to thrive rather than survive.

p 18

...When we sink our roots deeply into Christ, we move beyond surviving. We find ourselves, by grace, thriving in these pre-Rapture days.

It's disquieting when we watch brooks dry up. Every day they run a little lower until the trickle disappears. But the Lord has appointments for us in Zarephath if we'll just follow the creek bed.

Opportunities to Trust

You'll start thriving when you view uncertainty as an opportunity to trust God in fresh ways. Faith doesn't have much to do on sunny days. It's not put to the test when everything feels perfect. Tenacious trust happens when things go wrong, uncertainties arise, perils threaten, and disappointments come.


p 19

Opportunities to Move Forward

As you trust the Lord amid trials, you'll find a new impulse to move forward and make progress in life....Ezekiel was a young priest who, just as he was getting ready for service in the glorious temple of Solomon, was seized by the Babylonians and taken into exile...Ezekiel would never be able to serve in the presence of the glory of God.

But wait!

The glory of God came to Ezekiel in his thirtieth year, when, according to the Mosaic Law, he was old enough for temple service. There in Babylon the Lord appeared to Ezekiel in one of the most glorious visions of the Bible and commissioned him as both priest and prophet to the exiles.

For the child of God, there is always a "But wait!" moment when misfortune leads to fresh encounters with God's will. Ephesians 1:10 says, "At the right time He will bring everything together" (NLT). The Lord is always moving forward, and He takes His children with Him - at the right time.

Opportunities to Share Christ

Finally, we thrive amid the difficulties when we learn to find ways of bringing Jesus into the conversations around us.

...Even if all you have left is a piece of wire, bend it into a safety pin! Turn the Last Days into lasting ministries, and make up your mind to be a thriver, not just a survivor.

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intouch.org Daily devotion October 10, 2022

Responding to God’s Discipline

God's discipline is another example of His great love for us.

Hebrews 12:4-13


Do you remember how much you dreaded your parents’ discipline when you were a child? They were doing it for your sake so you’d learn that sin and disobedience have negative consequences. Their goal was to train you to be responsible and good.

Our Heavenly Father also disciplines His children, but His purposes are even higher. He does it to train us in holiness so we’ll reflect His likeness. Divine discipline is corrective; the Lord uses difficult trials and painful circumstances to turn us away from unholy practices and to teach us the way of godliness.

So when experiencing God’s discipline, we should understand that we’ve sinned and take His correction seriously. Instead of fighting the process, we’d be wise to cooperate by strengthening our area of weakness so we don’t fall again. At the same time, we should keep our eyes fixed on the promised harvest of righteousness and peace.

If your troubles are a result of your own ungodly actions, confess them immediately and turn back to the Father in repentance and obedience. Not every hardship is a result of sin, but God will use all of our adversity to build faith and develop Christlike character.

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Grace To You (radio broadcast)

From Glory to Glory, part 2

January 5 2022


(Edited message)


00:18:45

(Romans 2:21) You are not a source of glorifying God, you are a source of blaspheming God - you are a discredit to God. You say you belong to God but look at your life: thievery, adultery, idolatry, transgression of the Law...Jesus addressed this in the Sermon on the Mount - He said in contrast to that kind of living, He said here's how I want you to live: "Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16)


00:20:07

2 Thessalonians 1:11 Paul says to this end we pray for you always," that our God may count you worthy of your calling," and this - "that He would fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with Power." Why? We want goodness in your life and power in your life. Why? In order that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you. That's the whole point. So that God can receive honor and glory because of the way you live.


00:20:52

However, on the other hand, if people can look at your life and see the demonstration of true righteousness, that brings glory to the One Who you claim as your Savior....What do you mean fruit? Two types of fruit: Action fruit and Attitude fruit. Action fruit is what you do: righteous deeds - it could be anything from leading someone to Christ...It could be what Paul calls fruit in Philippians 4:17 which is "fruit which increases to your account" when you give - being generous - giving to those in need. It could be what Paul has in mind in Colossians 1:10 "bearing fruit in every good work" - every kind of righteous deed. It could be what the writer of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 13:15: "the fruit of your lips - praise to God."...


But behind that action fruit there is attitude fruit. What is that? The fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Where you see a life filled with love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control, there is evidence that God is there. If I say that "Christ lives in me" and my life is without love, without joy, without tranquility, then who's going to believe that my God is a transforming God? Right? God doesn't need that kind of press. That's what He got from Israel and the result was they blasphemed His Name.


What God wants first of all is attitude fruit and then action fruit. Listen to this little thought: if you have action fruit in your life without attitude fruit, that's hypocrisy. You're just doing things on the outside that don't come from the heart. What God wants is that you walk in the Spirit, the Spirit produces attitude fruit, attitude fruit results in action fruit. And when your life is characterized with much fruit, then God is glorified.

----------------------------=

Beside the Still Waters

1/15/22

Figurative or Literal


(edited message)

The Bible uses many different symbols, yet the Word of God never contradicts Itself. Counseling with mature brethren is the wisest course to pursue when struggling to understand ambiguous verses. Where there are conflicting opinions, we always need to exercise charity and consider the possibility that we might be wrong. A consistent Christian life is far more important than everyone interpreting all Scripture exactly alike. However, this leaves no room for compromising or rejecting the plain teachings of the Bible.

Pete Lewis

------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotion 2/4/23

Liberated to live

Romans 7:14 - 25

Christ has set believers free from the condemnation of sin, but fighting against it is still a challenge. We can all identify with Paul's struggle in Romans 7 because we too may feel enslaved to sinful acts, habits, or attitudes. So, how can you enjoy the freedom Christ has won for you?

First, recognize that your problem is spiritual. When you were were saved, you received a new nature created in righteousness, holiness, and truth, but you still live in a fleshly, fallen body that's bent toward sin. That's why you're feeling an internal conflict.

Second, examine your motives and desires. Ask yourself, Why do I indulge to the point that I am mastered by this temptation?

Third, cry out to the Lord for help. Fill your mind with biblical truth. Then, believe that the Holy Spirit will enable you to deny your sinful desires and walk in obedience to God.

The Lord is progressively setting you free from the power of sin. Although you will always battle it to some degree in this life, the outcome is certain. After death or when Christ returns, you'll be completely free from sin and won't ever struggle with it again.

------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotion 2/28/23

Sowing to the Spirit

James 3:13 - 18

Yesterday we discussed how, in all of our choices, we either sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8). We plant seeds that affect what kind of person we're growing into and the level of impact our life will have for the Lord.

The "flesh" is the part of us that wants to live and act independently of God. We all must deal with the strong pull of this attitude; it doesn't simply vanish when we're saved. However, the Holy Spirit ensures that we're not enslaved to the flesh. He begins to change us so we can live according to the truth. The choices we make contribute to the process of transformation, and when they're in alignment with the Spirit's work, they plant good seed that results in even more new growth.

When you're sowing to the Spirit, you're accepting God's truth into your mind and heart. The fruit of the Spirit grows naturally from this seed of godly truth and influences every aspect of your life. When you feed your spirit with the things of God, you're going to become stronger, more Christlike, and full of His life in your thoughts and actions.

Are you feeding your spirit or the part of you that wants to act independently of God? Choose to sow seeds that build you up, letting streams of living water flow you to nourish others (John 7:37 - 39).

-------------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotional February 8, 2022


Spiritual Shortsightedness

When we seek the Lord’s counsel in our decision-making, we’ll prioritize eternal concerns over temporal ones.

Genesis 25:19-34

The problem with being nearsighted is the inability to see what’s far away. Though we usually think of this as strictly a physical problem, it’s also possible to be spiritually short-sighted (2 Pet. 1:8-9). That is exactly what happened with Esau in today’s passage. He traded his birthright and all its long-term blessings for the immediate physical gratification of a bowl of soup.

That sounds very foolish to us, yet we too can give up something excellent for temporary satisfaction. This happens when we give higher priority to our desires, appetites, or emotions than to the Lord. If our focus is on the temporal rather than the eternal, we’ll make decisions based on today’s needs and desires without considering tomorrow’s consequences. In doing so, we sacrifice lasting treasure for fleeting satisfaction.

To guard against what happened to Esau, avoid making important decisions in times of physical, emotional, or spiritual weakness. Take time to ask the Lord for guidance, and let biblical principles guide your thinking. Remember, self-control is a virtue God highly values (Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:5-8). So view every temptation to satisfy desires quickly as an opportunity to practice self-restraint and trust God.

-----------------------------=

intouch.org Daily devotional February 25, 2022

The Empowering Emotion of Joy


True joy comes not from circumstances but from our relationship with Jesus.


John 15:9-17

Jesus promised us His joy, but at times it can evade us. There are some important things to understand about this spiritual fruit. As we saw yesterday, the Holy Spirit is its source. And being supernatural in nature, divine joy exists independently of our circumstances. Happiness, on the other hand, comes from external causes, is an earthly in character, and increases or decreases as events change.

Holy Spirit-developed joy comes when we:

• Focus on our relationship with the Lord. Because of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we are forever His. Nothing can separate us from our Savior.

• Observe His transforming work in others. Notice what God is doing around you: rescuing people from bondage to sin and transforming them into His likeness.

• Serve those He sends to us. Our obedient, loving care for others brings spiritual joy.

• Meditate on God’s living Word. Through Scripture, we receive an outpouring of His love and precious truths on which to build our lives.

Take a few minutes to contemplate the wonder of your new birth, share someone’s spiritual joy, obediently serve another person, or receive guidance from God’s Word. Then check your emotional barometer. Are you singing hallelujah yet?

-----------------------=

Today in the Word

6/1/2021

A Vision of God

Roman author Phaedrus once quipped, "Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many." When the author of Psalm 73 looked around him, his first impression was of a world where the wicked flourish. ...


The Psalmist then examined his own life. He had labored to keep his heart pure before God (v. 13). Yet, his labor seemed to be in vain. He experienced only affliction and pain (v. 14). Didn't justice demand that the godly prosper and the wicked be punished? Didn't Scripture teach that truth (see Psalm 1)? This led him to a crisis of faith. He worried about defaming God before others and was deeply troubled in spirit (vv. 15 - 16).

The turning point comes in verse 17: "...till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." His first impression of the world had been deceptive. The reality was that the wicked were on "slippery ground" (v. 18). Their current prosperity only masked the reality that they were under God's judgment (vv 18 - 19). The Psalmist also realized he was not as forsaken as he had thought. God was with him and that was a better gift than any amount of wealth (vv. 23 - 24). Even in his material prosperity and physical health gave way. God was still his most precious possession (v. 26). This change in perspective came from an encounter with God in worship at the sanctuary (v. 17).


One of the reasons regular worship is important is that it helps us see the world properly. When we worship, we are reminded of God's sovereign rule, of the salvation He has achieved for us in Christ, and of our secure hope in His return.

Ryan J. Cook


--------------------------------------------=

A Different Kind of Love - Bishop Jackie McCullough - Pt. 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXDwE-RKr-8





Bishop Jackie McCullough - A Different Kind of Love - Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzMZH58_9Ds


Summarized excerpts from the teachings (only direct quotes when indicated)


In the Spirit man, saints wrestle with yielding to the will of the Heavenly Father.

Then we saints discover if we really love the Heavenly Father through this struggle over yielding to His will. We do have the ability to yield to Jesus Christ even though we are tempted to yield to the world.

Don't become so attached to the world that a saint pines after the world.

"Where your treasure is.."

"The heart will tell every time"

How do you react when what you value is taken away? That shows where your treasure is. A saint shouldn't not be so attached to worldly things that if they are taken away, we can't serve the Heavenly Father due to being too upset.

"The treasure was touched."

Jesus Christ owns us so He comes to affect our treasure if it is not about His Kingdom. Overturn the applecart.

If we feel that what Jesus Christ wants from us is killing us, we saints should recognize that we are supposed to die to self.

"You're supposed to say: 'thank God for the killing'"..."Oh, thank You, Jesus. Glory to God"

For you are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live

"If you don't die you can't live for Him."

A seed has to die to bring forth fruit

"Because what's happening is that I'm beginning to live differently...bring forth a new kind of fruit."

Our spiritual growth is impaired by loving too many worldly things.

Lay aside the weight and sin that easily besets

"Easily beset" means we are too lacking in love for the Heavenly Father to withstand idols making us lose ability to handle tough situations.

"Easily" means it happens too often and happens too quickly.

the enemy distracts saints by using things we idolize to get us saints into the easily beset by sin pattern.

the devil knows how much we give value to various idols that we consider them almost "necessary."

"Don't make anything in the world that important that it competes with your devotion to God."

When the love of God digs deep in our soul, we might still get offended but we won't be so easily overtaken and beset with sinful patterns.

Stop setting your mind on an experience that wraps you up emotionally and even physically in anticipating and longing for the idol type situation or sinful experience.

The love of the Heavenly Father should be the ruling and governing principle of our lives. Rule and navigate us through every situation.

We allow ourselves to be distracted and stray away from the love of God, especially when we are not watching and stressed. Those are the times we have to watch.

the enemy is testing us with what he knows we like.

There is something precious in us that the enemy wants us to trade off.

Saints are saved and have position, 2 Cor 5:17 "we are becoming new." The becoming stage that we're in that we have to be aware of.

----------------------------------=

The Parables of Jesus by William Barclay, p 185

One of the best rules before we embark on any action is to ask ourselves not how this looks at the present moment, but how it will look when time has passed.


The Heavenly Father probably does not answer every whim expressed in a believer's prayer immediately but, in the long run, a believer who persists in prayer, will find life is richer than one could imagine. (Parables of Jesus-book p. 251)

No matter how profitable a believer may seem, no one can put the Heavenly Father in his or her debt. All a believer can claim is that he or she is fulfilling his or her duty (if even that) when he or she seems to be an effective believer. (p. 238)

-----------------------------=

Bishop TD Jakes: Instinct to increase part 2


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8FmBawUlPg

Portion of a message

13:17

Touch somebody, say: "work that thing". Somebody just got a word from the Lord, they're going to work that thing. They're going to work that thing. They're going to work that thing. I'mma work it. If I'm a big woman, I'mma work being a big woman. If I'm a little skinny man, I'mma work that thing. If I'm creative, I'mma work that thing. If I'm intellectual, I'mma work that thing. If I got great personality, I'mma work that thing. If I got suave, I'mma work that thing. If I got swag, I'mma work that thing. Whatever I've been gifted with, it ain't over 'til you work that thing.

I think this might be the perspective you need to take - to take full advantage of the gift you have been given. Stop sitting on that thing and work.....Work that thing, work that thing. Work it on your level. Work that thing. Need a job? Can't find one? Start one. Work that thing. Work that thing, work that thing. Work that thing. Work it

God, I feel like I'm talking to somebody. I can't hardly get off the point. I can't hardly get off the point. Work that thing, work it...See, people don't understand, that you have to work what you've been given. They keep waiting for a finished product to come. Finished products don't come to you - God doesn't give you oak trees, He gives you acorns. If you don't perceive that the oak tree is in the acorn, you will throw away the acorn and keep praying for the oak tree, and God already answered you, the tree is in the acorn but you gotta work that thing.


But because you don't perceive it as valuable, because it doesn't look recognizable, because it doesn't come to you in the form that you imagined it...maybe you hid what you should have worked.


---------------------------=

Les Brown – Bamboo tree growth teaching


The purpose of this story is to share a similar discovery that the power of positive thinking espoused by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and the power of a larger vision taught by Les Brown are as applicable to organizations and communities as they are to individuals.

I first heard the story about the Chinese bamboo tree from Les Brown in 1992 during a Community Unity Celebration we were producing in Gary, Indiana. Les explained that after you plant the seeds of the Chinese bamboo tree, it has to be watered on a regular basis until the seeds sprout, in about five years after planting them. Then when the bamboo tree finally shoots forth, it grows to full maturity of 90 feet tall in about 40 days.


The story of the Chinese bamboo tree helped me understand that everything is always in Divine Order no matter how things may seem to appear. The essence of the story is about rising above the negativity of people telling you you're wasting your time and energy for years pursuing a project when there is no apparent evidence of any result.

I immediately resonated with the message of needing to have patience, to hold the vision, to reestablish your faith.


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