VERSE OF THE DAY
Hebrews 11:1 (New King James Version)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Your Secure Inheritance - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"To obtain an inheritance which is . . . reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet. 1:4-5).
Your eternal inheritance is doubly secure: it is reserved for you, and you are reserved for it.

When Peter wrote his first epistle, attitudes toward Christians in the Roman Empire were not at all favorable. Because they would not worship the emperor as a god, or enter into other sinful pagan practices, Christians were looked upon with suspicion and disdain. In addition, Nero had blamed them for burning Rome (an act he himself perpetrated), so anger and hatred toward them was at its peak.

Peter wrote to encourage them—and all believers—to live out their faith amid persecution, just as Jesus had done when He suffered unjustly (cf. 1 Pet. 2:21-23). He reminded them that despite the sufferings they might endure in this life, God will re

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

The Lord sees beyond who you are to who you can be.

Psalms 139:1-14

Looking at all He had created, God declared that it was very good (Genesis 1:31). We’ve been “awesomely and wonderfully made,” with great potential for service in His kingdom (Ps. 139:14; Ephesians 2:10). However, some of us may doubt that this is true, because we notice so many ways in which we fall short. Let’s look at some biblical examples of people who might have felt the same way.

Moses appeared to have many advantages while he was growing up in Pharaoh’s household. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But God looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.

Paul, prior to salvation, persecuted those who believed in Jesus. Yet through God’s mercy, the apostle became a mighty evangelist and author of almost half of the New Tes

VERSE OF THE DAY
Psalm 119:60 (New King James Version)

I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

Your Incorruptible Inheritance - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away" (1 Pet. 1:4).
Unlike earthly treasures, your eternal inheritance can never be taken away from you.

Despite the benefits of bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and a myriad of other investment opportunities, every earthly inheritance eventually is lost. If someone doesn't steal it, or if it doesn't lose its value in a stock market crash or recession, death will separate it from you. It's inevitable! That's why Jesus said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matt. 6:19-20).

The influence of sin and corruption doesn't apply only to finances—it affects everything. Paul said, "The creation was subjected to futility . . . in hope th

When Faith Wavers - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Spend time in the Word to discover who God is and how He operates.

Matthew 21:21

If we believe God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised, why do so many of us habitually waver in our prayers? Instead of exercising bold faith, we come to God hoping He will hear us and answer our requests.

Perhaps one reason we are so prone to doubt is that we fail to discern God at work in our circumstances. We asked, and it seems as if nothing has happened. But the Lord sees the past, present, and future and knows the right time for every answer. His invisible hand is already at work on our behalf—arranging situations, opening hearts, and preparing us to receive what He wants to give.

Another cause for uncertainty may be that we don’t adequately know God’s ways. Then His response might disappoint us. Our prayers are often accompanied by expectations of how He’ll work. So when He fails to intervene according to the

VERSE OF THE DAY
Psalm 112:5 (New King James Version)

A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.

Inheriting Heaven or Hell - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"[God] caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Pet. 1:3).
Everyone receives an eternal inheritance—either Heaven or Hell.

We have seen several aspects of the believer's inheritance, and will see more in future days. But realize that unbelievers also will receive an inheritance, for Jesus will say to them, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. . . . And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:41, 46).

Only Christians have eternal life and a royal inheritance. When you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you became a new creation in Christ and your life began to center on Him rather than yourself. The Holy Spirit indwelt you and began to transform your attitudes and actions. That's the new birth! It's like starting all over again

Waiting for God to Answer - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

If you feel that sin is hindering your prayers, remember that God is merciful and will always forgive.

Psalms 17:1-6

Yesterday we learned several reasons why a prayer might seem to go unanswered. Today, let’s think about times when our heart is right and our petition is in line with the Lord’s will but He remains silent.

God may be waiting because our longing for Him is in danger of being replaced by our desire for something else. Unless we’re careful, such desires could divert our attention from the Lord. So He could be waiting for our focus to return to Him.

At other times, God uses delays to prepare us for greater blessing or future service. He could be protecting us from consequences, or He may want to strengthen our trust. Strong faith means believing Him even in trials, persevering while awaiting an answer, and being confident that He always keeps His promises.

But keep in mind that unconfessed s

VERSE OF THE DAY
Matthew 19:14 (New King James Version)

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

God's Motive for Your Inheritance - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"According to His great mercy" (1 Pet. 1:3).
Every dimension of life, whether physical or spiritual, is a testimony to God’s mercy.

When God saved you and granted you an eternal inheritance, it wasn't because you were special or more deserving of His love and grace than others. It was because He sovereignly chose to love you and extend His great mercy to you. That's why Paul said, "God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)" (Eph. 2:4-5). He "saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy" (Titus 3:5).

Because of His great mercy, God addresses the pitiful condition of mankind. Unregenerate people are totally depraved, dead in trespasses, enslaved to sin, cursed to eternal damnation, unable to help themselves, and in

Avoiding Obstacles to Effective Prayer - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

God blesses those who earnestly and honestly seek Him through prayer.

Psalms 5:1-3

Some of David’s prayers are recorded in the book of Psalms. He praised the Lord, confessed sin, and cried out about his troubles. To pursue a rich prayer life like David’s, we must avoid certain hindrances, such as:

• Wavering faith (James 1:5-8). Doubts about God’s character or dependability diminish our trust in Him. Therefore, we must not allow feelings to dictate what we believe.

• Wrong motives (James 4:3). We can’t expect an affirmative answer when petitions are motivated by selfish desires. God wants us to pray for His will to be done—not ours.

• Conflict in relationships. Being resentful or argumentative with others will affect communication with the Father.

• Lack of generosity (Proverbs 21:13). God is displeased when we ignore people’s needs or give begrudgingly.

• Indifference (Proverbs 28:9

Wasn't SB 2691/HB 2063 passed into law and effective as of 7/1/2024 in TN? Why am I still seeing chemical trials in our skies [still] throughout the moth of July. Is it because these politicritters use the law and the Constitution as toilet paper? Is it because they don't respect the Governor? Or is it because they're being paid by the DS and their perverted love for money outweighs their responsibilities as PUBLIC SERVANTS? Or is it all of the above?

VERSE OF THE DAY
Matthew 16:15-16 (New King James Version)

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Praising God for Your Eternal Inheritance - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:3).
God has blessed you richly and is worthy of your praise.

The source of your eternal inheritance is God, whom Peter described in several ways. First, He is our blessed God (1 Pet. 1:3). The Greek word translated "blessed" in that verse speaks of that which is worthy of blessing, adoration, praise, or worship. Peter's praise for God is an example for us to follow. Our God is especially worthy of our praise in light of the glorious inheritance He has granted us in His Son (v. 4).

"Father" to the Jewish people of Peter's day was one designation for God. The most common Jewish blessings emphasized God as Creator of all things and Redeemer of His people from Egypt, but not as Father (e.g., Gen. 14:20; 24:27; Ex. 18:10). Yet now through Christ, we "have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! [Daddy!] Father!'" (Ro

Softening Your Heart - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

When you trust God, there's no limit to what He can do through your life.

Psalms 25:1-22

When we continually spend time with God in His Word, His presence will saturate our heart, making us sensitive and teachable. But just as a human relationship can grow cold unless we intentionally nurture it, the heart can gradually harden when we aren’t seeking intimacy with God. For our heart to stay soft and receptive, we must obediently—and promptly—respond to whatever the Lord tells us to do.

If you believe that God might be leading you in a certain direction, take the time to earnestly seek His mind on the matter and intentionally listen for His response. Then avoid getting busy with a substitute for what He originally called you to do. It would be tragic to work hard doing what you and others consider good, only to discover that you accomplished something that was not God’s intention.

Resisting the Lord often amount

VERSE OF THE DAY
Psalm 119:30 (New King James Version)

I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.

Remembering Your Inheritance - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet. 1:3-4).
Victory over present circumstances comes when you focus on your eternal inheritance and praise God for it.

One amazing privilege you have as a Christian is to be the beneficiary of a rich and exciting spiritual inheritance. Jesus gave us a glimpse of its magnitude when He said, "The King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'" (Matt. 25:34). The kingdom itself is part of your inheritance!

This inheritance is shared by every child of God. Hebrews 9:15 says that Christ "is the mediator of a new cov

The Blessings of Godly Friendship - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

We should build up fellow believers and encourage them to be more like Christ.

John 15:12-15

In all of God’s creation, just one thing did not meet with His approval. He beheld Adam and said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The Creator designed us for emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual closeness.

Jesus explained this to His disciples, saying they should love each other as He had loved them. In a God-honoring friendship, two people build each other up and spur one another on toward Christlikeness. Many people, however, fall far short of making and maintaining connections that sharpen their faith (Proverbs 27:17).

In fact, the walls we build to keep people at a distance are often defenses against God as well: Many don’t want Him too close to their most personal business. But in learning to share freely with a brother or sister in Christ, believers will likely develop

VERSE OF THE DAY
1 John 1:7 (New King James Version)

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Proclaiming the Excellencies of God - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9).
You are an ambassador of the living God.

The privilege of proclaiming the excellencies of God takes us back to 1 Peter 2:9, but we consider it here because it summarizes the purpose of all our Christian privileges.

The Greek word translated "proclaim" is an unusual word used only here in the New Testament. It means "to advertise" or "publish," and refers to making something known that would otherwise be unknown. "Excellencies" speak of powerful and heroic deeds. You are an ambassador of Christ, having the great privilege of proclaiming what God has done for His people.

That was an intrinsic part of Hebrew worship. For example, Psalm 103 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life f

The Need for Friendship - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Believers should live in community—giving to and receiving from others.

2 Timothy 4:9-22

Independence is a prized attribute in Western culture, but biblically speaking, it isn’t a worthy aspiration. The very fact that the Lord formed the church—a community of believers—should tell us that He did not create us for self-sufficiency or isolation.

When we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells us so we can have a relationship with Him and satisfying friendships with one another. In God’s design, a committed biblical friendship builds both parties toward Christlikeness. Over and over in Scripture, we find evidence of believers relying upon a close friend or confidante for support. In today’s passage, for example, Paul spoke about his dependence on dear companions. And he encouraged others to form godly relationships too.

The further we drift from the Lord, the more pervasive our self-sufficient attit

VERSE OF THE DAY
Isaiah 41:10 (New King James Version)

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Receiving Compassion - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"You once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Pet. 2:10).
Because of God’s compassion, He withholds the just punishment of your sin.

Hosea had a unique role among the prophets. God used him and his adulterous wife, Gomer, as living illustrations of His love for unfaithful Israel. When Gomer gave birth to a daughter, the Lord told Hosea to name her Lo-ruhamah, which means "No mercy," because His mercy for Israel would soon come to an end. When Gomer later gave birth to a son, the Lord said to call him Lo-ammi, which means "Not mine," for He no longer considered Israel His people. Yet He offered this hope, saying, "It will come about that, in the place where it is said to them, 'You are not My people,' it will be said to them, 'You are the sons of the living God'" (Hos. 1:10).

In our Scripture for today, Peter applied that Old Testament text to

The Grace of God - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Because of Jesus, we live with the favor of God.

Romans 5:1-2

Grace is far more than a mealtime prayer—the word communicates the idea of blessing. As believers, we’re the recipients of grace, which is poured out on us by our heavenly Father. Let’s look at how we experience this amazing benefit of His love.

God’s favor is seen in our salvation (Ephesians 2:8)—a blessing undeserved and unearned. Nothing about us prompted God to save us; He acted purely out of His goodness, sacrificing His Son Jesus in our place. In that way, we could be reconciled to the Father and adopted into His family. Upon salvation, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:12-13). Here, we live out our new identity as God’s children and carry out His purpose of glorifying Him.

The beauty of grace becomes especially clear when we consider who we once were: We were spiritually dead, living according

VERSE OF THE DAY
Psalm 119:7 (New King James Version)

I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.

Illuminated by the Spirit - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9).
God has granted you the ability to understand the truth and live accordingly.

In the natural realm, darkness can be a debilitating and frightening thing. The story is told of a missionary who was on board ship one dark night when suddenly he was awakened by the frantic cry of "Man overboard!" Immediately he arose from his bunk, grabbed the portable lamp from its bracket, and held it at the window of his cabin.

He couldn't see anything, but the next morning he was told that the flash of his lamp through the porthole emitted just enough light to enable those on deck to see the missing man clinging to a rope. They rescued him seconds before his strength would have given out. The light had shone just in time to save the man's life.

In the spiritual realm, darkness is even more devastating because it

Two Types of Listeners - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Trusting God with our hurt and bitterness opens the door to healing.
Luke 10:38-42

In order for the Holy Spirit to be unimpeded in His work, we must make an effort to hear God when He speaks. It is possible, for example, to “listen” to every word of a sermon while not actually hearing a word of it. In fact, there are two types of listeners in practically every church around the world: passive and active.

A passive listener is one who’s present at services but just sits in the pew and lets his mind wander. He watches people, notices how they dress and act, socializes with friends, and makes lunch plans. He doesn’t go to church to hear from the Lord.

An active listener, on the other hand, walks into the sanctuary excited about the sermon and what he’ll learn from it. This Christian is ready to capture the meat of the message. He takes as many notes as he can, trying not to miss anything. Throughout the message,

VERSE OF THE DAY
Romans 1:16 (New King James Version)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Possessed by God - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"You are . . . a people for God's own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9).
Since God paid the price to redeem you, you belong to Him.

When Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me" (John 10:14), He stated a truth that has been especially dear to me since the early years of my theological education. One of the pleasant memories from my seminary days is sitting in chapel and singing the hymn by the nineteenth-century lyricist Wade Robinson "I Am His and He Is Mine." I may never fully comprehend the depths of what it means to belong to Christ, but I will forever glory in it.

The Greek word translated "possession" in 1 Peter 2:9 means "to purchase" or "acquire for a price." Paul used it in Ephesians 1:14 to speak of "the redemption of God's own possession." Everyone is His by creation, but we as Christians are uniquely His because He paid the price to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death.

God's owne