Verse of the Day
1 Corinthians 1:4-5 (New King James Version)

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,

Defeating Death - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones" (Heb. 11:20-22).
Faith triumphs over death.

Commentator Matthew Henry said, "Though the grace of faith is of universal use throughout the Christian's life, yet it is especially so when we come to die. Faith has its great work to do at the very last, to help believers to finish well, to die to the Lord so as to honor Him, by patience, hope and joy so as to leave a witness behind them of the truth of God's Word and the excellency of His ways."

God is honored when His people die triumphantly. When we've lived a life to His glory, and joyfully left the world behind to enter into His presence for all eternity, He is pleased, fo

Brokenness: The Process - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Sometimes God's work in us is painful—but the result is always beautiful.

Romans 8:29-31

It’s tempting to think we don’t need much improvement. While many people concede they could probably use a little bit of “maintenance” in some areas, they will usually add, “But I’m a good person.” However, the truth is that the Father refuses to settle for humanity’s meager vision of “good enough.” He wants something so much better for us.

God sees each believer as the person he or she will be when fully yielded to Christ. He then sets about achieving that complete renovation by transforming the present self into the image of His Son (1 Corinthians 15:49). An essential step in God’s remodeling work involves removing whatever is ungodly in our life. This process is often uncomfortable, but it’s worth it! God targets habits, attitudes, and relationships that don’t honor Him. He applies pressure to direct our attention to th

Verse of the Day
Psalm 95:1-2 (New King James Version)

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Passing the Test - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, 'In Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead" (Heb. 11:17-19).
A willingness to sacrifice something precious to you is proof of genuine faith.

John Bunyan had a little blind daughter, for whom he had a special love. When he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel, he was deeply concerned about his family, especially that little girl. He wrote, "I saw in this condition I was a man who was pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children. Yet, thought I, I must do it; I must do it. The dearest idol I have known, what ere that idol be, help me to tear it from Thy throne and worship only Thee."

Despite his personal grief, Bunyan was willing to sacrifice the most precious thing he had, if God so w

Victory Over Unforgiveness - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

When you are hurt, trust God with your pain, and ask for His help to overcome any wrong attitudes that linger.

Matthew 6:9-15

After teaching His followers to pray, Jesus gave a warning about allowing unforgiveness to reside in the heart. He said that those who refuse to forgive others won’t be forgiven by the Father. Be careful not to misunderstand Jesus’ meaning here. We don’t lose our salvation when we refuse to pardon others. Rather, we break fellowship with God because an unrepentant attitude interferes with regular confession and turning away from sin.

Forgiveness is an act of the will more than an act of the heart. We don’t often feel like showing mercy to someone who’s wronged us—but that’s exactly what we’re called to do (Matthew 5:38-40). A resentful spirit grows into a terrible burden. The Lord knows that forgiveness is best, even when it is difficult. Claim the divine mercy He offers, and ask Him

Verse of the Day
Psalm 1:1-2 (New King James Version)

BOOK ONE
Psalms 1–41
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Living a Satisfied Life - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. "And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them" (Heb. 11:13-16).
Resting in God’s promises brings true satisfaction.

I remember watching in horror and disgust as angry mobs swept through Los Angeles, killing people and setting thousands of buildings on fire. Under the cover of chaos, countless people ransacked and looted every store in sight. I saw entire families—moms, dads, and little children—loading their cars and

Overcoming Failure - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Our Father, who wants His children to be victorious, has—through Christ—given us everything we need.

Romans 7:15-20

Victory is God’s will for the life of a believer. But sometimes we can find ourselves repeatedly falling into the same sin. If we want to do what is right, why do we continue to miss the mark?

One reason is incomplete repentance. It is possible for us to experience grief, embarrassment, and shame over sin without being truly repentant. Repentance isn’t a matter of weeping or feeling guilty; rather, it’s a change of mind about sin so that we no longer hold on to our own perspective but instead agree with God’s viewpoint. When we do this, the heart turns in the opposite direction from persistent wrongdoing (Proverbs 28:13).

The second reason for failure is an inadequate view of our identity in the Lord. We, as children of God, have Christ living within us. When we grasp this truth, we will recognize

Verse of the Day
John 17:17 (New King James Version)

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Looking to the Future - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised; therefore, also, there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore" (Heb. 11:11-12).
Your faith in Christ will influence future generations.

I've been blessed with a wonderful Christian heritage. In fact, I'm the fifth generation of preachers in our family. The faith of my predecessors has had an enormous impact on my life—either directly or indirectly. I have the same responsibility they did to influence others for good—as do you.

Hebrews 11:11-12 gives a very personal example of how one man's faith influenced an entire nation. Verse 11 is better rendered: "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father

Our Incomparable Companion - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Because the Holy Spirit lives inside us, we are never truly alone.

John 14:16-18

Loneliness will creep into most lives at some point. However, as believers, we are never truly alone because God has given us an unfailing companion—the Holy Spirit.

None of us can truthfully promise always to be available; the realities of time, distance, and even death can separate people. Thankfully, by sending the Holy Spirit to live inside of us, Jesus keeps His promise to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Human beings were never meant to live alone. God designed us to be complete only when we are indwelt by His Spirit, which occurs upon our salvation. We can, however, choose to ignore the Holy Spirit. For example, some people stubbornly attempt to live the Christian life in their own strength or skip Bible reading when they find meditating on the Word inconvenient. That kind of life is marked by discontent: Pea

Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:105 (New King James Version)

נ NUN
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Focusing on Heaven - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith [Abraham] lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:9-10).
Focusing on Heaven is the best way to endure difficulties on earth.

Following God's call isn't always easy. He expects us to trust Him explicitly, yet doesn't ask our advice on decisions that may impact us dramatically. He doesn't tell us His specific plans at any given point in our lives. He doesn't always shelter us from adversity. He tests our faith to produce endurance and spiritual maturity—tests that are sometimes painful. He makes some promises that we'll never see fulfilled in this life.

If following God's call is a challenge for us, imagine how it was for Abraham, who had no Bible, no pastor, no sermons, no commentaries, and no Christian encouragement or ac

How to Apply God’s Principles - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Living the Word rather than just reading it is how we’re able to see God work.

Psalms 119:17-24

The process for applying scriptural principles is often misunderstood. It’s not simply three steps: hear, believe, apply. We must also explore and discover before we take action.

To explore a biblical principle means studying Scripture to understand what the surrounding context is, what its lesson means for your life, and what it reveals about God. Furthermore, we must consider how all this relates to the rest of the Bible. Digging into the Word softens our hearts and minds so that the new doctrine gets planted deeply.

As we journey further into Scripture to explore, the new concept rises off the page and becomes real to us. We discover how the principle works and how to apply it to our life. As we do, God’s rich truth becomes our own. The more we take into our heart and mind, the better they can impact us

Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:18 (New King James Version)

Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.

Stepping out in Faith - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Heb. 11:8).
The life of faith begins with a willingness to forsake everything that displeases God.

Abraham is the classic example of the life of faith. As the father of the Jewish nation, he was the most strategic example of faith available to the writer of Hebrews. But the people to whom Hebrews was written needed to understand that Abraham was more than the father of their race; he also was, by example, the father of everyone who lives by faith in God (Rom. 4:11).

Contrary to popular first-century Jewish thought, God didn't choose Abraham because he was righteous in himself. When called by God, Abraham was a sinful man living in an idolatrous society. His home was in the Chaldean city of Ur, which was located in ancient Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphr

Wandering From the Word - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

The Bible is our most reliable source of information and inspiration for living.

Psalms 119:9-16

Imagine a man has bought his grandchildren a new toy. After a brief glance at the directions, he sets the booklet aside and gets busy building. A few frustrating hours later, he humbly opens the instructions again and follows the steps to put the toy together. Soon he is done, and the grandkids are playing happily.

The grandfather knew that the manufacturer had a plan for assembling the toy, but he assumed he could figure it out on his own. Many of us approach Scripture the same way. Instead of treating God’s Word like a manual to live by, we’ll glance at it only when we’re at a loss over what to do next.

The Bible teaches believers who God is, what He thinks, and how He acts. Knowing the ways of the Lord ensures that we can make wise decisions that honor Him. The Bible is also God’s instruction book for living

Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:143 (New King James Version)

Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights.

Rebuking the World - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Noah . . . condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb 11:7).
Your actions and words should rebuke our godless society.

Genesis 6:5 says, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Before moving in judgment against the most evil and corrupt society in history, God appointed Noah to build an ark, which became a symbol of life and salvation to all who believed God. For those who disbelieved, it represented impending death and judgment.

Concurrent with constructing the ark, Noah preached about coming judgment. Peter called him "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5), and every board he cut and nail he drove in was a living illustration of the urgency of his message.

God's warning was stern and His message horrifying, but His patience and mercy prevailed for 120 ye

Our Personal Accountability - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Ask the Lord to help you find a godly friend who will love, encourage, and challenge you.

Romans 14:10-12

Being involved in an accountability relationship is one of life’s greatest gifts. Consider some of the excellent examples from Scripture: Jesus is accountable to the Father (John 8:28-29), the church is subject to Christ (Ephesians 5:24), and Paul felt beholden to the church at Antioch (Acts 14:27). When we have someone with whom we can share our failures, weaknesses, successes, and longings, we benefit in several important ways.

For one thing, accountability helps us develop a sense of responsibility. It also promotes integrity and protects us from making poor decisions. What’s more, learning to examine ourselves keeps us honest and humble.

Because an accountability partner can see our weaknesses, he or she is in a good position to offer counsel, encouragement, or a loving rebuke. To choose the rig

Verse of the Day
1 Peter 3:18 (New King James Version)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Building a Picture of Salvation - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household" (Heb. 11:7).
The ark is a beautiful picture of salvation by grace through faith.

God called Noah to a gargantuan task. Conservative figures estimate that the ark was about 438 feet long, 73 feet wide, and 44 feet high. That makes it almost one-and-a-half times the length of a football field and more than four stories high. Its three decks totaled almost 96,000 square feet with a total volume of about 1.3 million cubic feet. Naval engineers concur that its shape and dimensions constitute an incredibly stable ship design.

But beyond the enormity of its size and precision of its measurements, the ark is a wonderful illustration of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. For example, Noah was instructed to cover the ark inside and out with pitch (Gen. 3:14). The Hebrew word for pitch has th

The Power of Prayer - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

When scary challenges come, ask your heavenly Father for help.

2 Chronicles 20:1-15

Yesterday, we looked at how Elijah boldly challenged the prophets of Baal. Today’s passage focuses on King Jehoshaphat, who learned an army was coming, sought God for direction and strength, and then called upon the nation to do likewise. Their examples teach what is required for prayer to be powerful:

Dependence on God. Their petitions showed deep reliance upon the Lord. Knowing that victory was beyond their own abilities, they asked God to intervene.

A focus on His plan. Elijah did things God’s way against tremendous odds and at great personal risk (1 Kings 19:1-2). Jehoshaphat called for the nation to fast as he sought the Lord’s plan. Because they looked to God for a strategy, both men had a clear goal that led them through the difficulties they faced.

Purity of motive. The two leaders had God-centered intentions and a g

Verse of the Day
1 Peter 2:15-16 (New King James Version)

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Obeying Faith - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7).
True faith works.

When James said, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26), he stated a principle that's consistent throughout Scripture: True faith always produces righteous works.

The people described in Hebrews 11 made their genuine faith known in the things they did. The same applies to us today. Paul said, "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12).

Perhaps better than anyone else in history, Noah illustrates the obedience of faith. Scripture characterizes him as "a righteous man, blameless in his time . . . [who] walked with God

Praying With Authority - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

God always listens to His children and responds—with power and wisdom.

1 Kings 18:19-39

God has given us the privilege of calling on Him for all we need— what’s more, He’s promised to respond. He also encourages us to petition Him on behalf of others. And Scripture tells us that the prayers of a righteous person can accomplish much (James 5:16).

To pray powerfully, we must first accept God’s offer of salvation. Before redemption, we were unrighteous people under His judgment. But through faith in Jesus, we are made new and declared holy. Second, we must align our prayers with His will.

Let’s look at Elijah. The Lord sent him to defeat and humiliate the evil king Ahab and the 450 prophets of Baal. This was a spiritual conflict to prove who was the real God—Baal or the Lord of Israel.

Elijah’s weapons were his knowledge of the Father’s plan and the authority he had in prayer as a prophet of God. His request

Verse of the Day
Colossians 1:9 (New King James Version)

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Seeking God's Reward - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).
All who come to God in faith will receive the reward of eternal life.

We've seen that without faith it's impossible to please God. And the first step in faith is believing that God exists. In addition, we must also believe that He answers our prayers—more specifically, that He redeems those who come to Him in faith.

Scripture repeatedly tells us that God not only can be found, but also desires to be found. David said to his son Solomon, "If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever" (1 Chron. 28:9). The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jesus said, "Everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened" (Luke 11:10).

At first glance those verses may seem t

Strength Comes With Waiting - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Access to God's power is achieved not by moving faster but by going slower.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Exhaustion is a by-product of overcommitted schedules and endless responsibilities. That’s not what our Father wants for us. He offers a radically different mode of living and gives His followers renewed strength.

Those who wait on the Lord are promised His supernatural energy. In fact, Scripture says it will surpass the natural strength and endurance of the young (Isa. 40:29-30). Contrary to what we might think, access to this power is achieved not by moving faster but by going slower—taking the time to focus on God, seek His direction, and ask for His strength to accomplish what He’s calling us to do. There is no earthly explanation for what God is willing and able to achieve in and through a yielded human being. His Holy Spirit is like a powerful and refreshing gust of wind that enables us to soar like eagles (Ps