MARCH 15 Subversive for the Savior Devotional by John Piper When Jesus met the man filled with demons at Gadara, the demons cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29) Demons learned a mystery here. They knew they were doomed. They knew the Son of God would be the Victor. But they didn’t know until it happened that Christ was coming before the time of final defeat. Christ is not going to wait until the atom bomb drops to end the war. He has begun to lead a subversive force into the territory of Satan. He has trained a “life-squad” to perform daring rescue operations. Christ has plotted many tactical victories before the time of the final strategic victory. The resulting wartime mentality is this: Since Satan’s doom is sure, and he knows it, we can always remind him of it when he tempts us to follow him. We can laugh and say, “You’re out of your mind. Who wants to join forces with a loser?!” The c...

BETWEEN HEART AND TONGUE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2017 BETWEEN HEART AND TONGUE -PROVERBS 17:15-20 KEY VERSE: "He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief" (Proverbs 17:20). There is a close connection between the heart and the tongue. While the condition of our heart is often hidden to our fellow men, it is the tongue that gives the true picture of what goes on there: "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). The hearth is thus likened to a reservoir of evil or good, and the tongue being the bucket that brings out what is in it. It therefore means that the heart of all the problems of the tongue, is the problem of the heart. Our text reveals that someone with a froward heart cannot see good and one with a perverse tongue will always fall into mischief. One with a froward heart is unregenerate and habitually disposed to disobedience. He is crooked, distorted and ...

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2017 JOY OF ANSWERED PRAYERS TEXT: 1SAMUEL 2:1 BIBLE TEXT: "And Hannah prayed, and said, my heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation" (1Samuel 2:1). Just try to recall how you prayed, even with the support of your parents, to enter a good high school, and how joyful you were when the answer came. The same applies to a Christian youth who works hard and prays for admission into an institution of higher learning. The graduation day is even more joyful. He recalls all his experiences from his first day at school, challenges overcome through prayers and people met on the way to achieving his goal within the past years. It would seem like it happened yesterday, just like a flash! All the prayers and midnight candles burnt are said to be worth it because of the joy of achievement. Looking at our text above, one could therefore imagine the joy of Hannah...

God's Love Letter Post by Victoria Osteen Have you ever sat down to read the Bible and felt like you were trying to force something to happen? I have. I've opened my Bible before and prayed, "God, I need a word from You today." Then, I closed my eyes, twirled my finger around and landed on a scripture hoping it would be exactly what I needed. But then, it ends up being something obscure that has nothing to do with my circumstances! We've all been there, trying to so hard to make a connection with God and sometimes ending up frustrated. God doesn't want His Word to make us feel pressure; He wants His Word to make us feel light and free. He doesn't want us to come to Him feeling stressed; He wants us to come to Him feeling blessed and knowing that His Word is making a difference in our lives beyond what we may feel in the moment. God's Word is more than an instruction manual. It's not just a list of do's and don'ts. His Word is a...

Authority Over the Devil by Joyce Meyer - posted March 15, 2017 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. —Luke 10:19 One of the best ways to defend ourselves against the devil is to know the Word of God and speak it aloud against the lies he bombards our minds with. When the devil tells you God doesn't love you and you will never amount to anything, go to war using the Word of God. Get out your two-edged sword and use it! Talk back to the devil, loud and clear, saying, "I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ" (see 2 Corinthians 5:21); "God has a good plan for my life" (see Jeremiah 29:11); and "Nothing can separate me from the love of God" (see Romans 8:35–39). Trust God—know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ as you confidently declare the tru...

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 15TH MARCH. YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified (Acts 20:32). God’s Word requires your response. Some Christians haven’t realized this; they don’t know what the Word is for. Imagine that when the elders of the church at Ephesus got the message in our opening verse from the Apostle Paul, they went home saying, “O, I love what he said.” That wouldn’t have changed their lives or their situation. Someone could tell you he has a gift for you and you’d be happy at the gesture. Though you haven’t received the gift, you may probably say to the person, “I’m so happy about what you’ve said; it’s a blessing to me.” You were blessed just because of what the person said; that’s because we can be blessed by words. The Word of God, certainly, will bless you, but it doesn’t mean you’ll walk in the l...

Living by faith:Match 15 The just shall live by faith. - Hebrews 10:38 IT is not enough that, by faith, we receive the first impulse of life, but, having passed from death unto life, by the same means, we must continue to receive and appropriate spiritual nourishment, that we may grow thereby: we must walk by faith, following the leading of the Holy Spirit through the Word of truth. The life of faith is an individual matter, as well of the heart as of the head. It is far more than an acceptance of doctrines which we consider Scriptural and therefore true ; it is the assimilation of that which we have proved to be the Truth, so that its principles become our principles, and its promises our inspiration.