We’re His Partners In Winning Others . Thursday, April 13th .  Pastor Chris I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:7). In life, many people give attention to things that aren’t so important. They strive to be famous and gain human recognition, but these aren’t what God wants. When you eventually stand before the Master, He won’t ask for the accolades you received from men or the wealth you amassed while on earth. Rather, He’ll be interested in what you did with the Gospel in saving souls. It’s clear from our opening verse what God is after; He wants you to love Him and live for Him as His partner in soul-winning. Daniel 12:3 says, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Living for the Lord and partnering...

REBELLION DOES NOT PAY -EZEKIEL 17:11-24 KEY VERSE: "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?" (Ezekiel 17:15). Change has taken a central place in global lexicon. This age is especially notorious or renown for change, whether for good or for evil. Man is wont to rebel against the order of the day and break the covenant of the Creator by the damning quest for change. Zedekiah’s rebellious action of sending ambassadors into Egypt to form an alliance with its king with the aim of obtaining help from him to break the Babylonian yoke spelt doom for him. How can one, guilty of a breach of covenant, and of perjury, escape the vengeance of God and man? Some children of God are impatient whenever they are in trouble. They are eager for immediate rescue. They cannot wait for God’s time nor exercise ...

Forsaken for Our Sake Amy Peterson Matthew 26:36–46 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5 Does having a friend nearby make pain more bearable? Researchers at the University of Virginia conducted a fascinating study to answer that question. They wanted to see how the brain reacted to the prospect of pain, and whether it behaved differently if a person faced the threat of pain alone, holding a stranger’s hand, or holding the hand of a close friend. Researchers ran the test on dozens of pairs, and found consistent results. When a person was alone or holding a stranger's hand while anticipating a shock, the regions of the brain that process danger lit up. But when holding the hand of a trusted person, the brain relaxed. The comfort of a friend’s presence made the pain seem more bearable. Jesus needed comfort as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew what He was about to face: betrayal, arrest, and death. He asked His ...

Looking for a cause? By Billy Graham   •   April 13   •   Topics: Evangelism HomeDaily Devotion Looking for a cause? young woman praying Brethren . . . present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. —Romans 12:1 In a book called “The Age of Longing” we read that an American girl married a radical revolutionary in Paris. She had lost her faith at an American University—lost all the religious faith she had, and all the things her parents had told her. She was asked why she married him. She said, “He’s the first person I have ever known who believes something strong enough to die for it. Although I don’t believe exactly as he does, I was attracted to this man who had found a cause.” I find that young people today are looking for a cause, and they are not looking for something easy. Some time ago a university student in Moscow told one of my colleagues, “You Christians say that you are going t...

I WILL PAY YOU YOUR WAGES – Thursday April 13th 2017 Memorise: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3 Read: Exodus 2:1-9 (KJV) 1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one...

Let Down Your Hair Julie Ackerman Link John 12:1–8 Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.  John 12:3 Shortly before Jesus was crucified, a woman named Mary poured a bottle of expensive perfume on His feet. Then, in what may have been an even more daring act, she wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Not only did Mary sacrifice what may have been her life’s savings, she also sacrificed her reputation. In first-century Middle Eastern culture, respectable women never let down their hair in public. But true worship is not concerned about what others think of us (2 Sam. 6:21–22). To worship Jesus, Mary was willing to be thought of as immodest, perhaps even immoral. Some of us may feel pressured to be perfect when we go to church so that people will think well of us. Metaphorically speaking, we work hard to make sure we have every hair in place. But a healthy church is a place where we c...

Why Forgive? Amy Boucher Pye Luke 23:32–34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  Luke 23:34 When a friend betrayed me, I knew I would need to forgive her, but I wasn’t sure that I could. Her words pierced deeply inside me, and I felt stunned with pain and anger. Although we talked about it and I told her I forgave her, for a long time whenever I’d see her I felt tinges of hurt, so I knew I still clung to some resentment. One day, however, God answered my prayers and gave me the ability to let go completely. I was finally free. Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith, with our Savior extending forgiveness even when He was dying on the cross. Jesus loved those who had nailed Him there, uttering a prayer asking His Father to forgive them. He didn’t hang on to bitterness or anger, but showed grace and love to those who had wronged Him. T...