Our calling is not complete until...

Are You Sure?

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted February 28, 2017

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Recommended Reading: Ephesians 2

Sometimes it is easy for us to become frustrated trying to figure out God’s will for our lives. Doubt can plague our thoughts, even to the point of wondering if we missed the call of God. Even Moses responded to God’s call on his life with a question, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11b)

Paul encourages the Philippians to respond to the call of God in Christ Jesus by leaving the past behind. If Paul had allowed his past as a persecutor of Christians to dictate his future, his ministry and witness would have been stunted. Instead, our sinful past should inspire us, like Paul, with an ever greater fervency. God desires to use ordinary men and women so that He might receive the glory. Paul also reminds us that our calling is not complete until we reach heaven.

The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. 
Oswald Chambers

 Read-Thru-the-Bible: Deuteronomy 23 – 25

Be Patient

By Joyce Meyer - Posted February 28, 2017

But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. 
—James 1:4

James teaches us that we can rejoice when we find ourselves involved in difficult situations, knowing that God is trying our faith to bring out patience. I have found that trials did eventually bring out patience in me, but first they brought a lot of other junk to the surface—such as pride, anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining, and many other things. It seems that these ungodly traits, with God’s help, need to be faced and dealt with because they hinder patience as well as other good fruit like kindness, love, humility, and other things. 

The Bible talks about purification, sanctification, and sacrifice. These are not popular words; nevertheless, these are things we go through in order to become like Jesus in our character. God’s desire is to make us perfect, lacking in nothing. He wants us to ultimately be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which usually requires us to go through some difficulties that, although are unpleasant, do eventually help us mature. 

I struggled with the difficulties in my life for a long time until I finally learned that God would work them out for good and use them to help me in many ways. He simply wants you and me to surrender and say, “I trust You, God. I believe when this difficulty is over, I will be a better person than I was before it began!” 

No matter what you are going through, trust God that you are growing closer to Him each day!

  

You Have the Advantage

By Joel Osteen – Posted February 28, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"…His favor is for a lifetime…"
Psalm 30:5, AMP

TODAY'S WORD:

One definition of the word “favor” is an advantage for success. When you put God first, when you obey His commands, you open the door for His favor—you have the advantage for success! Even if someone may have wronged you and it looks like they have the upper hand, even if it looks like things are never going to change, you need to keep reminding yourself, “I have an advantage. God is in control of my destiny. He’s fighting my battles for me. He is my vindicator, and it’s just a matter of time before things change in my favor.”  There’s a scripture in Hebrews that says, “Don’t cast away your confidence.” One translation says, “Payday is coming.” In the difficult times, you have to remind yourself that payday is on its way. God is a faithful God. If you’ll keep doing the right thing, honoring Him and expecting His favor, God has promised He will pay you back. He will restore everything in your life that the enemy has stolen so you can live the abundant life He has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for Your grace, mercy and everlasting favor. I open my heart and mind to You and receive every blessing You have for me. Thank You for favor, the advantage for success, in every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

SURELY!

By Joseph Prince – Posted February 28, 2017

Isaiah 53:4

Surely He has borne our griefs (sickness) and carried our sorrows (pains)…

While waiting for the manifestation of their healing, some people find it hard to believe that Jesus really took their sicknesses and pains, just as He took their sin and shame. If you are one of them, don’t feel condemned. Your Father in heaven understands. That is why He put the word “surely” there when He said, “Surely, My Son has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains.”

Once, my daughter Jessica was crying all night because she was not feeling well. She had been sick for a few days. In my study, I took out my Bible and the Lord led me to Isaiah 53:4 where it says, “Surely He has borne…” Now, I know the original Hebrew here and it says, “Surely He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.” So I said, “Surely, He has borne Jessica’s sickness…”

But it was like the verse was just not real to me. Her cries seemed more real. Then, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to a word in the verse that really revolutionized the way I saw the whole passage.

Notice the first word in the verse? It says, “Surely…” Surely, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Now, look at the next verse: “He was wounded for our transgressions...” Every Christian knows and believes that Jesus was wounded for our sins, yet the word “surely” is not put here but in the earlier verse. I think God knew that we would find it hard to believe that Jesus also bore our sicknesses and carried our pains, so He put the word “surely” there to help us believe!

When I saw that, I put my Bible on the floor, stood on it and said, “Father, you know I don’t mean any irreverence, but I am standing on Your Word. Surely, Jesus bore Jessica’s sickness and carried her pain! I don’t care if I can still hear her crying. Surely, Your Son, Your beloved Son, bore her sickness and carried her pain! Hallelujah!” That night, the breakthrough came. That night, little Jessica was healed.

Are you or your loved ones suffering some sickness or pain right now?

Surely our Lord Jesus has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains. And as you believe this truth, surely, your healing and breakthrough will come!

Thought For The Day

Surely our Lord Jesus has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains.