MATTHEW: Prophecy Fulfilled

Nothing is more important in our Christian experience than understanding who Jesus is.  His life, His character, His ministry, His work on the Cross, and His death and resurrection are the most foundational realities of our faith.  Gracefully, God gave us not one, but four biographies of the most important Person who ever lived.  The first story, the Gospel according to Matthew, gives us the assurance that Jesus is indeed the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.  Matthew reveals Jesus as the Messiah, the One who had been promised to be the forgiveness for our sins.  And Matthew gives us marvelous insight into the incredible way Jesus lived and loved.

From Women of Faith Devotional Bible.  Copyright © 2003 (Thomas Nelson, Inc.)  Used by permission.

HAGGAI: A Matter of Priorities

The word consider is used again and again in this book of only two chapters. The phrases consider your ways, as well as consider now are recurring themes.  They are good reminders for us in our own day and age.  God’s Word challenges us to not be casual about our lives, taking them for granted, doing what comes “naturally.”  His encouragement to us is to live intentionally, make right choices, and be good stewards of all He’s given us.

In the days of Haggai, the task at hand was to rebuild the temple.  The people were busy about their own lives and dwellings. Haggai charges them to reconsider their priorities.  That’s a convicting charge even today.

From Women of Faith Devotional Bible.  Copyright © 2003 (Thomas Nelson, Inc.)  Used by permission.

The most answered prayer has often been called the prayer of the heart. As the Eastern Orthodox church sought to turn the prayer into a way of life, they discovered it is possible to know it by heart—literally. They say it’s possible to pray “Lord, have mercy” with every heartbeat.

Try it.

Tonight, when you lay your head down on your pillow, as the sounds of the day begin to fade and your body begins to settle, you’ll reach a point of quietness in which you can actually hear and feel your heart beating. You can begin to pray the mercy prayer in rhythm with your heart.

Lord, Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Lord, Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Lord, Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.

If you do this, you will find that you will continue praying in your sleep. Throughout the night, your subconscious will still seek God. And when you stir,Kyrie eleisonwill be your first waking thought.

With practice, we can build the mercy prayer into our...

People can be utterly rebellious and profoundly disobedient, yet God keeps coming back with clear warnings to them.  And, meanwhile, He assures the faithful they’ll be protected.  He never ignores the wicked, as we might consider doing.  Quite the contrary, in His great love, He gives them yet another chance to repent of their wickedness.

And through it all He keeps a watchful eye on those who trust Him.  He says to Zephaniah, “I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:12).

He’s both fair and just . . . when it comes to the transgressor, as well as the righteous.  He has grace and a plan for both.

From Women of Faith Devotional Bible.  Copyright © 2003 (Thomas Nelson, Inc.)  Used by permission.

PEOPLE ENGAGING WITH SCRIPTURE THROUGH THE BIBLE APP 

Marriage, Motherhood, and Mentorship: My 3Ms

By Shari Rigby

In the Kendrick Brothers’ new movie OVERCOMER, I play Amy Harrison, wife and partner to Coach John Harrison (played by Alex Kendrick). Amy is a boy mom to two spirited young men and a mentor to Hannah, one of her high-school students and a cross-country runner coached by John.

I love how this film mimics real life. It makes it relatable to audiences of all ages and allows you to see yourself on the screen. When I read the script, I was able to see myself in my character. We had so much in common: I am a mother of two boys, a wife and partner to my husband Matt (who loves to coach soccer), and a mentor to young women.

Oh, and I'm also an actress, writer, producer, and director. As you can see, my time is limited, but my calling is specific. As I tackle motherhood, marriage, and mentoring, my calling is to glorify Jesus. Period. No matter what my job title is.

This truth came to life for me during a scene between John...

Love Mercy

How would your relationships be different if mercy were built into them? If you were a student of God’s mercy—that is, if mercy became a way of life—how would it transform your relationship with your family? Your coworkers? Your neighbors?

I remember reading a story about twin brothers who lived years ago. Together from before birth, they were close, seemingly bonded for life. In childhood they were inseparable; and when they grew up, the townspeople said the reason they never married was because they loved each other so much.

When their father died, they took over the family business and ran it together. One day, one of the brothers was so busy that instead of fully ringing up one customer before he moved on to help the next person in line, he left a dollar bill sitting on top of the cash register. Later he remembered the misplaced bill, but when he went back to the cash register, the money was gone.

He asked his brother, “Did you take the dollar...

Over the course of our lives, each person’s identity is being formed and shaped through individual experiences, relationships, culture, media and the world around us. We are constantly seeking to define who we are in any way that we can.  God created humans to have unique characteristics and purpose. However he designed us also to have a commonality of contentment with our lives through His will. We discover our true identity the more closely we are drawn to Him.

First, we must know how God sees us. One of the richest passages about identity in the Bible is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. In this passage, Paul addresses the church in Ephesus, explaining the new identity given to a person when they are in Christ.

According to Ephesians 1, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, grace-lavished, and unconditionally loved and accepted. We are pure, blameless and forgiven. We have received the hope of spending eternity...

LOVE SACRIFICIALLY

Love comes in many forms. In today's culture we have a tendency to throw the 'love' word around for just about anything. Stephanie and I love Mexican food. We love ice cream. We love date night...and many other things that we do together. Love can have different meanings depending on what your situation is or the people that you are around.

As many of you know there is another kind of love that completely transcends any of the superficial 'loves' that we claim on a daily basis. This kind of love is Agape Love.

God is very clear and He calls us to this different kind of love. We are supposed to love our spouse everyday with this sacrificial love.

Ephesians 5:1-2 states ¹Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. I don't know about you but that seems to be a...

Overcomer Movie

Like you, we loved War Room. That’s why we’re excited to share the trailer for the Kendrick Brothers’ @OvercomerMovie, which opens in theaters nationwide on August 23. 

Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team and state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant shuts down and hundreds of families leave their town, John questions how he and his family will face an uncertain future. After reluctantly agreeing to coach cross-country, John and his wife, Amy, meet an aspiring athlete who’s pushing her limits on a journey toward discovery. Inspired by the words and prayers of a new-found friend, John becomes the least likely coach helping the least likely runner attempt the impossible in the biggest race of the year.

Release date: August 23, 2019 (USA)

Director: Alex Kendrick

Distributed by: Sony Pictures

Producers:

Stephen Kendrick,...