Charles Stanley Quotes

Helen Keller was blind and deaf when she graduated from college with honors. So what's your problem?

Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.

We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength.

You always have God's undivided attention.

[Prayer] is the link between God's inexhaustible resources and people’s needs...God is the source of power, but we are the instrument He uses to link the two together.

Behavior is the substance of religion. Belief is the substance of relationship.

Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins.

We must remember that the shortest distance between our problems and their solutions is the distance between our knees and the floor.

Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we're waiting for.

our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we're waiting for.

opportunities are always lost when we let fear overrule our faith

Our emotions often stand in direct opposition to our faith in the Lord and what He is achieving for us.

If God has positioned us in a certain place, we must leave all the details to Him.

Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall bdirect your paths.

I’ve learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

None of us has become perfect (Phil. 3:12). None of us does everything right. None of us is so wise that we always speak the right word or so strong that we always do the right thing. Remembering this keeps us humble.

The only never you should focus on is that God will never let you down.

An idol is anything that you value more—either by your attitude or actions—than God.

There is no substitute for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Hear me very carefully on this point. Nobody can take your peace from you. If you have lost your peace, you have lost it for one main reason—you have surrendered it.

As we place our dependence upon God, an incredible freedom and peace will begin to rest in our hearts. And reaching that point in our lives makes every failure worth it.

First priority becomes first action.

Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave to make us holy and acceptable to Him once and for all.

God’s blessing is often dependent on our obedience.

God calls you to delight in Him because nothing will satisfy your soul like being close to Him in intimate fellowship.

The length of time it takes to catch on to this relationship depends on us—not God. The more willing we are to confess our inadequacy, the easier it is for us to fully surrender to His will for our lives.

There is no need to go through life handicapped by past experiences. What others say about you doesn’t matter. How they treated you is inconsequential. The only accurate, eternal, unassailable measure of your worth comes from almighty God, who will one day judge the living and the dead without exception (1 Pet. 4:4–5).

Change your focus from the gift to the Giver—from the blessing to the One who bestows it.

Whenever problems arise, get alone and listen quietly for God.

He allows brokenness in our lives in order to bring about a blessing.

Lord, as my Source and Creator, I will make time for You. Transform me so I may carry out Your wonderful plans for my life, amen.

Victory is possible. Genuine healing can occur if we're willing to allow the Father to set us free.

And it is in times of extreme difficulty that He develops our character and strengthens us spiritually, while helping us to grow deeper in our faith in Him.

We learn more in our mountain experiences than on our mountaintops.

When God calls you to a task or allows a trial, He assumes full responsibility for removing the hindrances that would keep you from succeeding. Therefore, you must respond in faith.

God heard the cries and groans of the enslaved Hebrews and moved to act for their deliverance long before they knew anything about it. God is at work on our behalf even when He appears silent.

It is dangerous for us to allow our difficulties to reside in the forefront of our thinking. Rather, our focus should always remain on our matchless God, who can triumph over any trouble we bring to Him. When God said no to one blessing, it was so I could experience a greater one later on. God speaks to you and me through every situation, but hearing Him is dependent upon our anticipating and paying attention to His instruction. Regardless of the circumstances we experience, we know God is teaching us something, and we will intentionally and eagerly learn and apply whatever it is. There are many days when I cannot wait to get home and be alone with the Father. I am eager to leave behind all the stresses and decisions, change out of my suit and tie, go into my prayer closet, open God’s Word, and relax in His loving arms. Many times I don’t need to say a word. I simply want to hear from the Lord, experiencing His peaceful wisdom and loving presence. There is nothing better in life than just being with Him.

You may feel as though your life is in a vortex of trouble, but if you ask Him to show you how to be still before Him, He will; and in the calm of His presence, you will hear Him speak words of hope and encouragement.

Life Lessons 4:1 — Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The Holy Spirit led Jesus to a barren place where the devil waited to tempt Him. We should never doubt God’s leading just because we run into temptation. That is often God’s way of testing us.

Stanley was right. I never hit another home run. I struck out most of the time. But they always remembered that home run and while they still hated me, it was a better kind of hatred, like they weren’t quite sure why. Football

make amends to those you’ve hurt, and forgive anyone who has wounded you. If He does, then obey Him immediately. But then move on. Don’t continue to beat yourself up over something that God has forgiven. True, you may still have to live with consequences related to your choices. But the Father doesn’t want you to live with unresolved guilt, shame, or regret. Seek Him and be free.

Put your faith, hope, and trust in God. Do not look at your circumstances. Commit yourself to doing what He requires of you. Cling to the promises in His Word. Then when desperation pulls at your heart, you can cry out to Him, knowing that He hears your every word and will answer and provide the encouragement you need to hold out in the face of adversity.

30Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

emotionally

As long as our faith is no deeper than our circumstance, we’re set up for failure.

Pride never admits its failures. Instead, the prideful person continues to push forward, blindly seeking self-gratification.

Blame is easy. Taking responsibility is hard. Anger is easy. Self-control is hard.

Trust God and leave the consequences to him. My mentor, Dr. Charles Stanley

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. —Charles Stanley The

Anybody can throw a basketball toward a hoop. But only a relative few can exercise the athletic prowess of dribbling down the court, account for and surpass a variety of obstacles, and actually get the ball into the hoop consistently and repetitively contributing toward an ultimate win for the team. In the same way, anyone can open an investment account with M1 or Acorns or Robinhood or Cashapp… or even with the big guys like Ameritrade or Fidelity or Charles Schwabb or Morgan Stanley… but only a relative few can navigate an ever-changing economic paradigm, overcome various financial, legal and social obstacles, maintaining alignment with values, and achieve substantial growth and profits - contributing toward an ultimate win for the team. It’s better to hire a professional investor if you expect professional results.

30:20 — This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wickedness.” It’s become a mantra in our society: “But I’m really a good person!” Unbelievers and believers alike often make this claim after they do what God’s Word calls sin. But sin requires repentance, not self-justification or denial.

We fulfill our eternal purpose when our lives honor the Lord and reflect His glory. What pleases a human father more than to hear, “That boy looks just like you; he even acts like you”? God takes pleasure in spiritual sons who reflect His character.

Life Lessons 4:4, 7, 10 — “It is written .… It is written .… it is written .… ” Jesus responded to each of Satan’s three temptations by appealing to the unchanging Word of God: “It is written!” If we want to successfully overcome temptation, we must know what the Word says.

— Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory. When we die, we will immediately be in the presence of Almighty God. As believers, we will no longer remember the struggles and sorrows of this life because our minds and bodies will be absolutely purified in His presence. In fact, everything will be different, because we will stand holy and glorified before the Lord (1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2). If your body is broken, in pain, or you simply do not like it—hold on. One day, you will have a brand new one if you believe in Him (1 Cor. 15:40–54).

Life Lessons 12:32 — “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” Jesus says that He draws all peoples to Himself. We are to represent Him as well as we can and allow Him to live through us, but we can never convert anyone. It is Christ’s responsibility to cause faith to take root in human hearts, not ours.

True unconditional love is sacrificial—it is not easily offended, self-focused, or afraid of rejection. It seeks only the good of the other person.

Oftentimes the root of their marriage problems is found in some hostility they have been hauling around, sometimes since childhood.

This is an important concept as we look into the idea of forgiveness because we see in it God’s desire to have fellowship with sinful, disobedient men and women.

the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chron. 16:9).

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

Inner Strength Study Guide

God calls us to have a forgiving spirit. Knowing that God remains in control of all that happens to us releases us to forgive others.

When you face a mountain in your life, you have a choice: be overwhelmed or be energized because you know the Savior will reveal Himself in a profound way to you.

4but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

the shortest distance between our problems and their solutions is the distance between our knees and the floor.

Obedience always is the first step to discovering God’s plan for your life.

repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons

Obey God and leave the consequences to Him. No matter what He tells you to do, do it and trust Him for the outcome.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. PROVERBS 16:9 NLT

Friend, it is God’s responsibility to supply what you require. Your duty is to trust Him, obey Him, and keep your focus on Him—not on what you perceive is

Friend, be assured that the Lord—the Owner of heaven and earth—supplies all your needs. None is too massive, problematic, or severe for Jesus to meet it

We could all work up a nervous breakdown in thirty seconds, if we really wanted to.

You may be wondering why such difficulty has come into your life. However, the greater question is, “Lord, how do You plan to use this difficulty so I may serve You better?

demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and . . . take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5, NIV).

28And we know that cGod causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

7“The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

Make sure that what you are living for is what you are willing to die for.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5–6).

If any experience in your past is defining you today—other than your salvation experience—then you have serious work to do.

But repentance isn’t supposed to feel good. In fact, if it does, you’re probably doing it wrong.

As long we insist on writing our own stories, he cannot write his living will onto our hearts.

God’s purpose is not to break our spirits but, rather, to breach the stubbornness of our wills in order to carry out His will through us.

The tyranny of the urgent can thwart your intimacy with Christ.

understand the Lord is a jealous God. He wants a relationship with you, and if He sees that you’re relying on another person to do what only He can, He often finds a way to end that relationship as it once was. Only the Savior can provide everything you need to live a peaceful, joyful, fulfilling life. So look to Him first and foremost to satisfy the needs of your heart.

God simply does not run this world by our timetable. What feels like a delay to us is right on schedule by His calendar. He often makes us wait, not to frustrate us, but to deepen our trust in Him.

FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you.

Charles was at the apex of his career, coming off a Lannan Fellowship year and a front-page Times review that had anointed him as the heir of John Barth and Stanley Elkin, but he didn’t know it was the apex.

7You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Psalm 34:18 is clear, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” So when you feel at your most unworthy or defeated is when the Father is closest, tenderly bidding you to return to Him.

Paul declared in Philippians 3:8: “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” (NASB).

10:30 — “I and the Father are one.” In this verse, Jesus proclaimed His unity of nature and equality in the Godhead (Deut. 6:4). Based on His assertion, we must make a decision: either we believe He really is God, or we must reject everything He says—there is no middle ground. As believers, we know that there is only one God and that He is three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also know that everything Jesus said is absolutely true because He is the truth (John 14:6).

consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4). God's

Discernment is the ability to judge a situation accurately—to see the full reality of a situation, relationship, experience, or circumstance. It is the capacity to understand accurately and clearly what is, to see the truth of things as they are from God’s viewpoint.

God knows what you need. He knows what is best for you—including in what quantity. The fact is, we can live with very little, but we can never truly live without God. He is what we need first, foremost, and always. He is the only one whom we truly can’t do without! The

Our tendency today is to assume that we can eliminate the authority of husband over wife and yet retain the authority of husband-wife over the children. The Bible is more realistic about marriage than modern man, for the truth is that in disobeying the one hierarchy we destroy the other.

1:16 — I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. We must never feel ashamed of our connection to Christ or the salvation He freely offers to all. It is a high privilege to represent Him, and we must do so with boldness and enthusiasm.

Though this year ends, He remains sovereign over all that exists. Allow this truth to comfort you as you face the unknowns ahead. No problem is too overwhelming for your heavenly Father. He is your perfect Leader, who guides you wisely to triumph no matter what happens. And His love for you never fails.

There is a basic truth to shifting your life out of reverse and into a forward gear, and it is this: no matter what your circumstances are or what you have done in the past, God loves you with an everlasting love, and He will make your life count for something wonderful, if you will place your trust in Him.

What is a “total” or “real” man? He is one who understands and accepts the responsibility for the development of his mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity and demonstrates this by his maturing attitude and actions in his personal life, his home life, his vocational life, his social life, and his spiritual life.

The Bible admonishes us to live each day fully—not living in the past or the future. But God never intends for us to walk blindly from day to day. He expects us to discern what He is doing and what He desires. He intends for us to have a capacity to see beneath the surface of life and to expose and analyze the unseen.

15:11 — “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” The Word of God, living and growing within us, produces lasting and increasing joy. A lack of joy in a Christian’s life often can be traced to a lack of concentrated devotional time in God’s Word or disobedience.

Friend, don’t be discouraged if you’ve made poor decisions throughout your life. You don’t have to figure out how to make up for your failings, and you don’t have to be afraid that your life is over. The truth is, you can start over fresh because of the Father’s loving grace and mercy, which are new every morning (Lam. 3:22

mean life will always be easy or problem-free. Sometimes the Lord will lead us into the wilderness or into situations that are difficult. In fact, this often happens after times of great spiritual growth or victory. However, if we trust and obey Him, we will surely triumph, and our relationship with Him will grow even deeper and stronger.

One reason so many Christians are not happy in their careers is that they don’t view their occupations as God’s work. They see them as jobs. They love teaching Sunday school. They love working with young people. They wish they were in the ministry full-time. But they hate their jobs. They fail to see that their primary ministry is their jobs.

Maybe you’re stuck being around them, you’ve had as much as you can take, and you really don’t know what to do. But God promises to give you the wisdom and strength you need to deal with them with grace. And the most important step is realizing He allowed those people to be in your life for His purposes. So instead of allowing their actions to become the focus of your thinking, ask the Lord what He is teaching you or providing for you through them.

God knows exactly where you are at this very minute, and He understands your every struggle (Ps. 46:1). He is the one who has all the answers you need, and each one is found within His Word. He may not like where your life is right now, but He is not going to abandon you (John 14:18). If you will trust Him, He will begin to work in your life. Then you will see His plan and will for your life unfold in a mighty way. This is His promise to each one of us.

SCRIPTURE READING: EPHESIANS 4:1–15 KEY VERSES: EPHESIANS 4:14–15 That [you] . . . speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. The pattern Jesus gave us to live by is one of love. Paul wrote, “I . . . implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2 NASB). As a believer, live each day in such a way that your life honors the Lord, who saved you through His mercy and grace. This means to live in a “manner worthy” of your calling. How did Jesus call you? Did He come to you with a list of demands, requiring you to fulfill each one before He would consider caring for you? No. He came to you in love. Redemptive love brought Him to earth so that you might receive eternal salvation. Love was all the motivation He needed to be crucified at Calvary. His love watches over you, protects you, plans your future, and encourages you not to give up in times of sorrow and discouragement. You will spend eternity in the radiant goodness and greatness of His blessings, all because He chooses to love you. Love that is from God is humble and gentle. It loves with the surety of Christ. Someone today is hurting because he thinks God could not possibly love him. You know the truth about His love; will you tell him? Thank You, Lord, that I know the truth about Your love. Help me to share it with others. (SEEKING HIS FACE)

In each case, we find the Holy Spirit came to individuals in the Old Testament to help them with specific works or ministries—and then He departed from them. At that time, the Holy Spirit did not come to stay in the lives of men and women. That was simply not the pattern we find in the stories told in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, as we will discuss further in a later lesson, we find Jesus promising His disciples the Holy Spirit would indwell them and become a continual source of divine assistance in their lives.

Until we are sure, until we settle the issue of forgiveness once and for all, two things will always be true. First, we will never have much confidence when we petition our heavenly Father. We will always feel that God is holding something against us. Second, we will put others on the same scale we put ourselves on. Since we are always trying to do something to ensure our forgiveness, we will subconsciously pressure others to perform to gain our forgiveness. We will have a tendency to remind others of their failures and their need to make up for them in some way.

The Father is uniquely able to give us the victory over the damaged emotions we have. And because we cannot become the healthy, fruitful believers He wants us to be until we learn to control our feelings, we know for certain He is willing to help us. We are confident of this because we are assured the Lord desires for us to experience the fullness of His wonderful plans for our lives. He says, “I know the plans that I have for you . . . plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). Truly, we serve a loving God who will not fail to lead us to freedom if we trust in Him (John 8:32).

12:15 — See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. We are responsible to show the grace of God to everyone we meet, ridding ourselves of unforgiveness, letting go of our feelings of resentment, laying down our “right” to get even, and allowing God to deal with the person who has hurt us. We must choose forgiveness. We don’t want to lead anyone away from God or build a wall of bitterness and regret between our hearts and the Lord. We must always choose to show His mercy to others so we can truly be His representatives in the world.

— Let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. One of the problems in Peter’s day was that the women in the mystery religions were loud and disruptive. Christians, however, were never to imitate the pagans in worship or in daily life. When we serve God, we should not perform flamboyantly for Him. Rather, we need to be humble, submitting ourselves to Him and acknowledging Him for who He is with our whole lives. This doesn’t mean Christians are to be weak, inexpressive, or unattractive, but that our priority is to allow Christ to be glorified in us.

am in him, and that’s all that matters.

creada

No me gustan las circunstancias que Dios usa, pero sí los resultados.

Él hombre sin educación que sabe meditar en el Señor ha aprendido mucho más que aquel con mucha educación que no sabe meditar.

Si estábamos orando, abrir la Biblia en los Salmos y comenzar a leer. Si sentimos pesadez en los ojos y en la mente leyendo las Escrituras, cerremos la Biblia por unos minutos y alabemos conscientemente a Dios.

El Salmo 62.5 dice: «Alma mía, en Dios solamente reposa, porque de él es mi esperanza».

At times, when someone wrongs you or a loved one, you may feel tempted to become an arbiter of justice and take matters into your own hands. However, remember that your charge is always to be a representative of Christ. As believers, our duty isn’t to get revenge or prove a point. Our responsibility is to represent Jesus so that others will be saved. We can do so because God is already a good and faithful Judge, and we don’t have to do His job.

If you are unaware that there is a plan or that you are part of that plan, then you will be unable to recognize His signposts along the way.What

So don’t give up! Proverbs 24:16 instructs: “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again” (NLT). This is the difference between the godly and the lost, those who have faith and those who are faithless, those who have a true relationship with God and those who don’t—the ability to get up and get back on the altar.

So don’t give up! Proverbs 24:16 instructs: “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again” (NLT). This is the difference between the godly and the lost, those who have faith and those who are faithless, those who have a true relationship with God and those who don’t—the ability to get up and get back on the altar. As someone who knows Jesus as your Savior, you always have Someone to help you up after you have fallen. You always have forgiveness. You always have hope for a good future. Therefore, get up and steady yourself on God Himself. Get back on the altar by realizing that Jesus never lets go of you (John 10:28–29). And take heart that His good, acceptable, and perfect will is not just within your reach, but He is working it out in your life as you trust Him.

The person who has built his house upon the Rock and has built his life out of the substance of God’s Word has a peace that sustains him through difficulties, heartaches, and trials. He has the capacity to enjoy the pleasures of life, and he knows the pleasures are genuine. Some things the world offers as pleasure bring only pain. He can discern what is good for him and what is not; what has lasting value and what does not; and what brings true pleasure and what does not.

La lección más importante que los padres pueden enseñarles a sus hijos es la importancia práctica de la oración y la meditación. Al hacerlo les proporcionan una brújula para toda la vida. Cuando los niños aprenden en edad temprana a escuchar a Dios y a obedecerle, y cuando aprenden que Él tiene interés en lo que a ellos les interesa, desarrollan un sentido de seguridad que ningún otro don o regalo puede proporcionarles. Dios está siempre disponible, cualesquiera sean las circunstancias. Estará siempre presente, incluso cuando los padres no lo estén.

Happiness is dependent on our circumstances; Joy is dependent on our relationship.

God will never mislead or abandon you, no matter what decision you must make. He will direct you in the best path possible if you will follow Him. If that doesn’t give you peace, I don’t know what will!

Lord, by faith here’s what I’m doing right now to prepare myself for the coming day. I’m putting on the belt of truth. I ask You to make it very clear to me what I am to accept into my life and what I am to reject. Help me to see clearly the motives of others as they deal with me and converse with me. Let me walk in Your truth, making decisions and choices according to Your plans and purposes for my life. I am putting on the breastplate of righteousness. Guard my emotions today. Protect my heart. Help me to take into my life only the things that are pure, and nothing that is poison or polluting. Help me to live in integrity and to have a reputation based upon doing, saying, believing, thinking, and feeling the right things. Help me to live in right relationship with You every moment of this coming day. I am putting on my spiritual boots. Help me to stand and walk in Your peace and to move forward in ways that bring Your peace and love to others. Help me to have the full confidence and assurance that come from knowing that I am filled with the peace that only You can give to those who are Your children. Help me to be a peacemaker. Show me where to walk and how to walk as You would walk. I am picking up the shield of faith. Help me to trust You to be my Victor in every area of life today. Help me to trust You to defend me, provide for me, and keep me in safety every hour of this day. I am putting on my helmet of salvation. Guard my mind today. Bring to my remembrance all that You have done for me as my Savior. Let me live in the hope and confidence that You are saving me—rescuing me and delivering me—from evil. I am picking up my sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Bring to my remembrance today the verses of the Bible that I have read and memorized, and help me to apply them to the situations and circumstances I will face. Let me use Your Word to bring Your light into the darkness of this world and to defeat the devil when he comes to tempt me. Father, I want to be fully clothed with the identity of Jesus Christ today. I am in Christ. He is in me. Help me to fully realize and accept that He is my Truth, my Righteousness, my Peace, my Savior, the source of my faith, and the ever-present Lord of my life. I want to bring glory to Your name today. I ask all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:7–9

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.… The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:6, 8

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” —Psalm 143:10

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

BOTTOM

His desire is that when people see you, they are reminded of Him (Matthew 5:16).

El único que verdaderamente es capaz de juzgar su valía es el que le creó y pagó el precio para llamarle suyo. En Jesús, usted es eternamente amado (Jeremías 31.3), aceptado (Romanos 15.7), adecuado (2 Corintios 3.5) y victorioso (1 Corintios 15.57). Confíe en lo que Él dice de usted y abrace su identidad verdadera.

is fully invested in His whole plan. If you are seeking God and have a heart to do His will, you are promised that He will show you what to do.

So you’re telling me that the Father can restore and work through anyone? That He can bring joy and meaning back to my life? That He can heal me of all these regrets? Absolutely He can.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” You have that verse on your mind and in your heart as you encounter a coworker who is in a foul mood and very rude to you. Wanting to honor the Lord, you extend kindness to that person and discover his or her terrible attitude is due to difficulties he or she is carrying by him- or herself.

The conscience can be “good” (1 Tim. 1:19), “clean” (2 Tim. 1:3), and “blameless” (Acts 24:16). But it can also be “weak” (1 Cor. 8:7–12), “defiled” (Titus 1:15), “evil” (Heb. 10:22), and even “seared,” which means it is completely insensitive to sin and unresponsive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings (1 Tim. 4:1–2).

Our internal moral filter becomes more trustworthy when the Word of God is the basis for our conduct, we are motivated by a strong desire to obey the Lord, we prayerfully consider our decisions, and we willingly repent as soon as we are aware of sin in our lives.

Part of our confusion over the meaning of love arises from our use of one word for many kinds of love. We can love a passage of Scripture, song, family member, sport, pet, chocolate candy, or success—and use the same word for all of them. If there were different words for all the kinds of love that we speak of, however, the dictionary would be considerably more complicated. According to the Bible, love is a deep, meaningful action that God intends as a unifying factor in our lives. By love we are drawn together and united as one in spirit (Col. 3:14). Have you explained true, unconditional love to your children? They talk about it, but do they know your version—which I hope is God’s version? Do you know how to tell them? Have you modeled it for them? When you say, “Honey, I love you,” do you mean “I like the way you look today” or possibly “You did a great job with that task”? Yes, love has different meanings.

says, “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). Likewise,

God will call you to undertake difficult assignments because He is teaching you not to depend on your own gifts and abilities. Rather, He wants you to learn to rely solely on Him. He wants to strengthen your faith, grow your character, and transform you into the image of Jesus.

But realize that Jesus knows not only why you do what you do but also what it will take to help you walk in His will.

He comprehends why you may cling to unhealthy habits in order to protect yourself. And He has the very best plan—one informed by both heaven and earth—for freeing you and teaching you to walk in His will.

Escuchar abiertamente significa estar dispuestos a oír que Dios nos corrija además de consolarnos, nos acuse además de darnos seguridad.

That harbored sin is clouding your vision, dividing your mind, and distracting from the abundant life your Father desires for you. It is like putting cotton in your ears—dulling your sense of hearing to what God has to say to you.

So when you are tempted by sin, ask yourself, “What will my actions do to my relationship with Jesus?” While the Lord has promised to love you, He also expects you to love Him in return, obeying His commands.

So if you’re struggling because you’ve sinned and wonder if you’ve gone too far for God to love you anymore, take heart. You cannot stop Him from caring for you. He loved you at your worst. Now honor Him with your very best.

Therefore, the wisest thing you can do is pray, “Deal with me, God. Show me what it is in my life that is blinding me to Your will. And give me the strength and wisdom to turn away from the sinful attitudes and behaviors that are preventing me from following You in obedience. In Jesus’ name, amen.” Whatever the Lord reveals to you, agree with Him that it is a problem. Confess your sin and do as He says to turn away from it. And trust your loving heavenly Father to fill your deepest needs in a more profound

That is God’s heart toward you. As your heavenly Father, He wants you to ask, seek, and knock so He can give, reveal, open, and provide what is good for you (Matt. 7:11).

the Holy Spirit Who lives and works within you and His Word to direct you. He is constantly prompting you to remain in the center of His will and is faithful to adjust your path when you begin to drift—even when you don’t realize it.

Always remember that you’re called to serve people and have dominion over evil. So many people get this backward—they’re ruling over people and serving the Enemy by imposing their own wills instead of doing God’s.

Jehová dio, y Jehová quitó; sea el nombre de Jehová bendito. Job 1:21

Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

MAY 24 CHOOSE HIS PEACE “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” JOHN 14:27 When you focus on what you can accomplish instead of God’s power, your life will be characterized by defeat and frustration rather than victory, peace, and joy. Perhaps you are discouraged right now. Maybe you’ve been disillusioned by unmanageable circumstances and delayed dreams. But this is a sure indicator that you’re relying on the wrong foundation for your hope and security. There is only one source of true peace—the Lord God Almighty, who holds the entire universe together. The tranquility of soul He gives is not dependent upon circumstances but upon your personal relationship with Him and your faith in His perfect power, wisdom, and love. So today and every day, you have a choice. You can either dwell on your limited resources and negative circumstances, or you can choose to trust God. Friend, surrender to Him—because with the Father as your focus, you can face every day with His indescribable peace. Lord God, I choose to focus on Your wisdom, power, and love instead of my circumstances. Thank You for being my peace, amen. ​​ In His presence . . . find true peace.

One of Satan’s primary weapons against the believer is discouragement. The Enemy works on our emotions, trying to persuade us that we’re not worthy of God’s love, plan, or blessings. He tells us that the trials we experience are evidence that the Lord has rejected us. He seeks to make us feel defeated because if he can make us give up, he will have neutralized a potential vessel of Christ’s glory.

Ahora soy salvo, pero no estoy seguro de que mi salvación dure. La Biblia nos dice que quienes reciben a Jesús como su Salvador nacen de nuevo en su Espíritu. Lo que es nacido del Espíritu Santo nunca puede ser no nacido de Él. El Espíritu Santo nos sella como hijos de Dios para siempre. Nada hay que podamos hacer para desellar lo que Dios ha sellado.

Aprendió los caminos de Dios y cuál era su definición del éxito. Aprendió que es mejor ser alguien a los ojos de Dios y nadie a los ojos del mundo, que ser alguien a los ojos de

«Estas cosas les he hablado para que en Mí tengan paz. En el mundo tienen tribulación; pero confíen, Yo he vencido al mundo». JUAN 16.33, NBLH

caution believers who speak in tongues to evaluate carefully their motivation. Is it for the glory of God, or is it because of pressure from a group? Do you feel that you would be a lesser saint than others if you did not speak in tongues? The Bible urges you to pursue love, not tongues.

I am still fascinated by all the different ways [Charles Mingus] and Dannie Richmond came up with to play time. I had never heard before (and have rarely heard since) a bassist and a drummer who could so dramatically affect the direction and intensity of the music.

Because God will show you His plan when you seek Him.

If you want to know God’s will, the Father will use your time in communion and communication with Him—through His Word and in prayer—to show how everything you experience relates to His plan for your life.

This is a topic that can haunt even the strongest heart. We think of the things we have done wrong throughout our lives and question if they have disqualified us from experiencing His best for us.

God has always used imperfect people for His awesome purposes. He specializes in taking broken lives and turning them into joyful, productive, and inspiring trophies of His grace.

safeguarded within His protection, enlightened with His wisdom, and empowered by His strength.

The Spirit-controlled believer is to use his or her head

Lord, I will not doubt You. You are leading me to victory and I am so grateful for Your love, amen.

Vamos a los cultos, miramos la televisión, leemos, escuchamos la radio o concurrimos a reuniones de avivamiento, a seminarios o a conferencias con el

James tells us, “Faith without deeds is dead” (Jas 2:26). And he is right. Nothing harms the body of Christ more than a believer who refuses to exercise his or her faith in the absolute, infinite power of God. Verbal faith is not enough, and mental faith is insufficient. Genuine faith inspires and empowers godly action. Throughout his letter, James integrates true faith and everyday, practical experience by stressing that true faith must manifest itself in works of faith. Otherwise, it is not real faith at all.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior. —ISAIAH 43:1–3

You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me. (Psalm 40:11–13)

My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. . . . The nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. —PSALM 73:26, 28

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. —PSALM 62:5–8

The vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. —HABAKKUK 2:3

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. —2 TIMOTHY 2:24–

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. —EPHESIANS 3:14, 16–19

I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation. (Psalm 91:14–16 NLT)

O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. . . . We are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You. —2 CHRONICLES 20:6, 12

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:4–6)

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. —ISAIAH 41:10 NKJV

Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. —PSALM 57:1–3

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished. —2 TIMOTHY 4:16–17

We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. —COLOSSIANS 1:9–12

About ten miles away Third Officer Charles Victor Groves stood on the bridge of the Leyland Liner Californian bound from London to Boston. A plodding 6,000-tonner, she had room for 47 passengers, but none were being carried just now. On this Sunday night she had been stopped since 10:30 P.M., completely blocked by drifting ice. At about 11:10 Groves noticed the lights of another ship, racing up from the east on the starboard side. As the newcomer rapidly overhauled the motionless Californian, a blaze of deck lights showed she was a large passenger liner. Around 11:30 he knocked on the Venetian door of the chart room and told Captain Stanley Lord about it. Lord suggested contacting the new arrival by Morse lamp, and Groves prepared to do this. Then, at about 11:40, he saw the big ship suddenly stop and put out most of her lights. This didn’t surprise Groves very much. He had spent some time in the Far East trade, where they usually put deck lights out at midnight to encourage the passengers to turn in. It never occurred to him that perhaps the lights were still on … that they only seemed to go out because she was no longer broadside but had veered sharply to port.

Friend, choosing to ignore God when you know He is speaking to you is an act of rebellion (James 4:17). It will lead you to failure every time. And the more you allow the enemy to influence you, the less distinct God’s voice will be. You’ll find yourself confused, thinking illogical thoughts, rationalizing, and tolerating attitudes and actions that you know are wrong.

Do you believe there is a need that might be outside God’s ability to meet it?

God has a divine purpose resting behind events in life. Nothing is coincidental.

Dios abraza a una persona no a dos a la vez; abraza uno a la vez. Nos ama individualmente, pero a menos que estemos dispuestos a estar a solas con Él, nuestra mente estará siempre dividida. La meditación privada le permite al Señor Jesucristo estar a solas con cada cual. Su trato con cada uno en privado resulta ser con frecuencia el más preciado. El silencio Hay ocasiones cuando Dios quiere que estemos sentados en su presencia en silencio. No quiere que seamos nosotros los que siempre hablemos. Como lo expresa Isaías 30:15: «En quietud y en confianza será vuestra fortaleza». Para algunas personas la meditación se describe mejor como un monólogo. En realidad, no tienen una verdadera relación con Dios porque son ellas las que hablan todo el tiempo. Escuchar cuando Dios habla al corazón es una experiencia majestuosa, una experiencia que esas personas no podrán conocer si monopolizan la conversación ni se detienen a escuchar las respuestas de Dios. Si nos aquietamos ante Él, Dios puede insertar sus pensamientos dentro de los nuestros. Si guardamos silencio por unos momentos nos puede recordar un pasaje favorito de las Escrituras, revelarnos una verdad deslumbrante o hacer nacer la paz en nuestro ser interior; incluso puede darnos todo esto

La verdad es que las personas a las que más deberíamos escuchar son aquellas con las cuales vivimos todos los días. Esas personas que nos aman más, que oran más que nadie por nosotros, son con frecuencia los instrumentos que Dios utiliza para revelarse ante nosotros.

The Hoke Mosely series by Charles Willeford The Red Right Hand by Joel Townsley Rogers Kill the Boss Goodbye by Peter Rabe The Gravedigger/Coffin Ed series by Chester Himes The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett Interface by Joe Gores The Eighth Circle by Stanley Ellin Sleep and His Brother by Peter Dickinson The Light of Day by Eric Ambler

God has an answer for every need you or I could ever experience.

Prayer and Anxiety SCRIPTURE READING: PSALM 69:1–3 KEY VERSE: 1 PETER 5:7

The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

People who realize they are traveling in reverse usually respond in one of two ways: either they turn and walk toward the Lord, or they ignore His call and continue traveling in misery and sorrow. You do not have to travel away from God any longer. Right now you can turn and walk toward the one Person who loves you just the way you are. The moment you acknowledge that you have taken the wrong route and that you want your life to change, God moves mightily on your behalf (Isa. 30:18–19). In Joel, He tells us, “I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (2:25). You may have drifted in your devotion to the Lord, but He is waiting for you to return to Him. Or perhaps you have never made a commitment to love and obey Him. My prayer is that this book will be used in your life to encourage you to follow the Savior and begin to spend time with Him in prayer and worship. If you will allow God to work, He will restore all that has been lost. It may not be exactly the same, but whatever He gives, it will be more than enough to meet every need you have, to the point of overflowing. Charles F. Stanley

There is always a sense of emptiness within the heart of a person who does not know the Savior. But Jesus tells us in John 8:32 that God’s truth—the knowledge of His expressed will and purpose for our lives—sets us free from the bondage of sin, sorrow, defeat, anger, and anything else that causes us to live life in reverse. The truth He is talking about in this Scripture is not a worldly truth based on a philosophical argument. It is a truth based on the Word of God—written out for us as a reflection of His unconditional love and grace.

I want to be very clear and state emphatically to you that until you have peace with God, you will never experience true peace in this life.This is the most foundational principle in the Scriptures.

In summary then, Jesus is the foundation stone of our peace. He bridges the gap between God and man.The Scriptures say,“He is our peace.” And what wonderful benefits are ours: forgiveness (no more shame or guilt because of the past), the continuous assurance of God’s presence in our lives, and more to the point of this book, His peace—the gift that is given to those who begin to follow the Master.