LoveFellowship & Outreach Ministries

12/07/2024

11/07/2024

November 7

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted above all. Glory to you!

Meyer, Frederick. 2012. Daily Prayers. WORDsearch.

11/06/2024

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in [positions of] high authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This [kind of praying] is good and acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭AMP‬‬

11/06/2024

Pray, Because God Is Sovereign

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
(Psalm 57:2)

Prayer assumes the sovereignty of God. If God is not sovereign, we have no assurance that He’s able to answer our prayers. Our prayers would become nothing more than wishes. But while God’s sovereignty, along with His wisdom and love, is the foundation of our trust in Him, prayer is the expression of that trust.
The Puritan preacher Thomas Lye wrote, “As prayer without faith is but a beating of the air, so trust without prayer [is] but a presumptuous bravado. He that promises to give, and bids us trust his promises, commands us to pray, and expects obedience to his commands. He will give, but not without our asking.”
While imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote to his friend Philemon, “Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers” (Philemon 22, niv). Paul hoped to be restored but didn’t presume to know God’s secret will. He didn’t say, “I will be restored.” But he did know God in His sovereignty was well able to effect his release, so he asked Philemon to pray. Prayer was the expression of his confidence in the sovereignty of God.
John Flavel, another Puritan preacher, wrote a classic treatise titled The Mystery of Providence, first published in 1678. He began this treatise on God’s sovereign providence with a discourse on Psalm 57:2: “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Flavel was saying that because God is sovereign, we should pray. God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to pray, but rather makes it possible to pray with confidence.

Bridges, Jerry. 2008. Holiness Day by Day: Transformational Thoughts for Your Spiritual Journey. Edited by Thomas Womack. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

11/06/2024

November 6: “If Anyone Wants To Follow In My Footsteps, He Must Give Up All Rights To Himself”

Such as:

The right to revenge: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38, 39)

The right to dignity: “Do not resist an evil person, If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39b)

The right to justice: “If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” (Matthew 5:40b)

The right to freedom: “If someone forces you to go a mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)

The right to control my resources: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you … Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth … But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven … For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 5:42; 6:19a, 20a, 21)

The right to hate my enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you …” (Matthew 5:43–44a)

The right to recognition: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

The right to bear a grudge: “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14b, 15)

The right to judge others: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1, 2)

The right to anything: “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33b)

Because, “The man who wants to save his life will lose it, but the man who loses it for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:24—Phillips Translation)

Hillis, Newell Dwight. 2000. Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. WORDsearch.

11/06/2024

November 6

There are so many mysteries in the world and in life, O Lord. My eyes are tired of straining into the dark. I can only follow on to know you, but I believe that your going forth is as sure as the morning. In the meanwhile, refresh my heart as the rain.

Meyer, Frederick. 2012. Daily Prayers. WORDsearch.

11/05/2024

FEAR OF THE LORD: CANNOT BE INDUCED BY THREATS

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him….
JOHN 6:44

The efforts of liberal and borderline modernists to woo men to God by presenting the soft side of religion is an unqualified evil because it ignores the very reason for our alienation from God in the first place!

It seems to be an obvious fact that until a man has gotten into trouble with his own heart he is not likely to get out of trouble with God.

Cain and Abel are solemn examples of this truth. Cain brought a present to One whom he assumed to be pleased with him. Abel brought a sacrifice to One who he knew could not accept him as he was. His trembling heart told him to find a place to hide. Cain’s heart did not tremble—he was well satisfied with himself.

The fear of God would have served Cain well in that critical moment for it would have changed the whole character of his offering and altered the entire course of his life for the better.

As indispensable as is the terror of the Lord, we must always keep in mind that it cannot be induced by threats made in the name of the Lord. Hell and judgment are realities, and they must be preached in their biblical context as fully as the Bible teaches them, but they cannot induce that mysterious thing we call the fear of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit alone can induce this emotion in the human breast. It is a feeling rather than idea: it is the deep reaction of a fallen creature in the presence of the holy Being the stunned heart knows is God!

Tozer, A. W., and Gerald B. Smith. 2015. Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

11/05/2024

November 5: Conducting A Spiritual Audit

Six questions to keep your personal accounts in order:

1. Am I content with who I am becoming? I must be sure my profession does not consume my person. It’s important that I be more than I do or have. When the time comes for me to leave my title and power, will I have anything to fill the vacuum? As I mature am I moving from power to wisdom; from the offensive to being sought out? “Throw off your old evil nature—the old you that was a partner in your evil ways—rotten through and through, full of lust and sham. Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better. Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature.” (Ephesians 4:22–24 Living) (See Job 22:23; Ezekiel 18:30–32; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 2:11; 3:8, 9; Hebrews 12:1; James 1:21)

2. Do I have a quiet center to my life? For many of us our life motto seems to be, “When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream, and shout.” God’s Word, however, encourages us to “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) There is an important difference between the fast track and the frantic track. By way of contrast, Jesus quietly “went about doing good.” He had a quiet center. A peace which evidenced the presence of God. Do I? (See Psalm 131:2; 23:2; Isaiah 30:15; 32:17)

3. Is my prayer life improving? Do my decisions have prayer as an integral part, or do I make decisions out of my desires and then immerse them in a sanctimonious sauce I call prayer? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer … present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6a, c) (See 1 Kings. 3:5; 2 Chronicles. 7:14; Psalm 37:4; Matthew 6:6–9; 7:7, 8; 21:22; John 14:13, 14; 16:23, 24; James 5:16–18)

4. Is my humility genuine? There is nothing so arrogant as false humility. Humility is not denying the power that I have, but admitting that the power comes through me, not from me. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3) (See Psalm 37:11; 131:1; Proverbs 11:2; 27:2; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2b; Jeremiah 45:5; Micah 6:8; Luke 18:14; 1 Peter 5:5)

5. Is obedience in small matters built into my reflexes? Do I try to bargain with God or rationalize with him? Obedience largely determines my relation with Christ. Good intentions count for little. “Obedience is the test of whether we really live ‘in God’ or not. The life of a man who professes to be living in God must bear the stamp of Christ.” (1 John 2:5, 6—Phillips Translation) (See Proverbs 19:16; 19:17; 1 John 5:3; Luke 6:46)

6. Do I have joy? Joy is perfected in the full belief in the total sovereignty of God. Doubt dilutes joy. Does my joy extend into my suffering; understanding that my suffering is my maturation. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2–4) (See Nehemiah 8:10; Isaiah 12:1–3; 61:10; Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 6:10)

Hillis, Newell Dwight. 2000. Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. WORDsearch.

11/05/2024

November 5

May your Word be increasingly precious to me, O Lord; and in your words may I ever hear the Word. Beholding your face in this mirror, may I become changed.

Meyer, Frederick. 2012. Daily Prayers. WORDsearch.

11/04/2024

WHAT DID OUR REPENTANCE ACTUALLY MEAN TO US?

…The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
ISAIAH 53:5

Have you ever really considered what it meant for Isaiah to report that “the chastisement of our peace was upon him”?
A chastisement fell upon Jesus so that we as individual humans could experience peace with God if we so desired. How few there are who realize that it is this peace—the health and prosperity and welfare and safety of the individual—which restores us to God!
But the chastisement was upon Him. Rebuke, discipline and correction—these are found in chastisement. He was beaten and scourged in public by the decrees of the Romans. They whipped and punished Him in full view of the jeering public, and His bruised and bleeding and swollen person was the answer to the peace of the world and to the peace of the human heart.
We who are forgiven and justified sinners sensed in our own repentance only a token of the wounding and chastisement which fell upon Jesus Christ as He stood in our place and in our behalf. A truly penitent man does not feel that he can actually dare to ask God to let him off—but peace has been established! The blows fell on Him!
Isaiah sums up his message of a substitutionary atonement with the good news that “with his stripes we are healed.”

Tozer, A. W., and Gerald B. Smith. 2015. Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

11/04/2024

November 4: Diminished By Fear

Recently I asked a group of businessmen their greatest concern in life. Their answer? Fear:

Of the future, failure, the past, peers, financial ruin, superiors, bad health, the competition, death, personal inadequacies, parents, the rejection of their children, and the unknown.

Aristotle observed the paralyzing effect of fear upon our lives:
“Elderly men … have often been taken in, and often made mistakes. The result is they are sure about nothing and under-do everything. They ‘think’, but they never ‘know’; and because of their hesitation they always add a ‘possibility’ or a ‘perhaps’, putting everything this way and nothing positively … They are cynical; that is, they tend to put the worst construction on everything.”

“They are small-minded, because they have been humbled by life: their desires are set upon nothing more exalted or unusual than what will help them to keep alive … THEY GUIDE THEIR LIVES TOO MUCH BY CONSIDERATIONS OF WHAT IS USEFUL AND TOO LITTLE BY WHAT IS NOBLE … [They] lack confidence in the future … partly because of their cowardice. They live by memory rather than by hope …”

Obviously, “fear has to do with torment …” (1 John 4:18b). But the good news is that God offers us deliverance from its bo***ge,
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)

If you are struggling with fear, refuse to allow Satan to gain the upper hand. Claim God’s promises. Memorize, meditate, and appropriate His promises for your life. By so doing, you will put yourself in a position where God can, and will, set you free from the bo***ge of fear:

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31, 32) (See John 8:36; Psalm 119:45; Romans 6:14–18, 22; 8:2)

“ ‘… Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.… For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid … for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 41:10, 11, 14) (See Psalm 27:1, 2; 46:2; 56:3; Isaiah 12:2; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 8:15; 1 John 4:18)

QUESTION: How do you and I plan to live the rest of our lives? Paralyzed and diminished by fear? Or liberated by the promises in God’s Word? As always, the choice is ours.

Hillis, Newell Dwight. 2000. Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. WORDsearch.

11/04/2024

November 4

Accept what I have done for your church and glory, great Lord. Though it be little in the eyes of humanity, may it be much to you. Teach me to remember that I am a priest and to realize that every sphere may be a temple to service and each act a sacrament.

Meyer, Frederick. 2012. Daily Prayers. WORDsearch.