Verse of the Day
Luke 2:16-20 (New King James Version)

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

The Restriction of Man's Destiny - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him" (Heb. 2:8).
God’s original destiny for man was restricted by man’s sin.

God gave man dominion over all the earth, and the earth supplied his every need. All he had to do was accept and enjoy the earth as provided for him. But Adam sinned and Satan usurped the crown. A new chain of command was born: the earth now rules man.

To know how true that is, all you need do is look at the amount of effort expended on restoring the ecological balance of the earth. Environmentalism is a popular watchword of our day. Yet with all our modern technology, we are still unable to gain control over the earth.

Look what happened once Adam sinned: no longer could man easily harvest what the earth provided—now he had to toil by the sweat of his brow (Gen. 3:18). Women would experience pain in childbirth (3:16). Murder soon followed in Adam's family. God had to destroy virtu

Conflict at Christmas - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

This Christmas, pray that those who are lost would come to know the hope, peace, and love of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 2:12-18

Look around you. At this time of year, it’s easy to find people who eagerly celebrate the secular aspects of Christmas, such as meeting Santa Claus or watching holiday movies. But some of them might be less accepting of the true cause of “joy to the world.”

This hostility isn’t new. Herod was angry when he realized that the Magi hadn’t returned to share the location of the King of the Jews. Herod’s fury was fueled by his desire for power and control. He didn’t want another king to dethrone him. Perhaps some people today scorn the celebration of Christ’s birth for the same reason—they don’t want anyone else “ruling their life.”

Romans 1:18 says that people who reject Jesus have suppressed the truth. Others won’t come to the Light for fear that their deeds will be exposed (John 3:19-20). Ho

Verse of the Day
Luke 2:11-14 (New King James Version)

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The Revelation of Man's Destiny - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, 'What is man, that Thou rememberest him? Or the son of man, that Thou art concerned about him? Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, and hast appointed him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.' For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him" (Heb. 2:5-8).
Man’s original intended destiny was to be king of the earth.

When we look at the vast, seemingly endless universe and then think about the little dot we call earth in the middle of it all, we cannot help but wonder, "What is man? What right do we have to be so much on God's mind?"

David had an answer: "Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels . . . crowned him with glory and

Indifference to Christmas - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

In the busyness of the holiday season, let's remember to worship Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-6

Each year, there’s a variety of responses to the holiday season. Over the next three days, we will examine different reactions to Christmas. Although more than 2,000 years have passed since Christ was born, His birth still elicits similar attitudes.

One common response is apathy. Even if they are filled with the holiday spirit and celebrate Christmas with gifts, decorations, and parties, some people remain indifferent to Jesus. He doesn’t even register in their minds because they’ve lost sight of the reason for Christmas.

The Bible story about the Magi searching for the newborn King of the Jews reveals a similar indifference on the part of the religious leaders. The entourage from the East caused quite a stir in Jerusalem. It wasn’t every day that impressive visitors arrived with such a shocking and exciting announcement

Verse of the Day
Luke 2:8-11 (New King James Version)

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The Confirmation from God - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will" (Heb. 2:3-4).
God confirmed the truth of the gospel preached through Christ with many miracles.

When Jesus preached the gospel, He performed miracles that made what He said believable. He said, "Though you do not believe Me, believe the works" (John 10:38). Jesus claimed to be from God, then made it obvious He really was from God.

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him" (John 3:2). Jesus confirmed His ministry by His own miracles. Peter reiterated that fact on the day of Pentecost: "Jesus the Nazarene [was] a man attested to you by God with miracles and w

Free to Enjoy God - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Our heavenly Father sees past our faults and mistakes to the precious child He loves.

Psalms 37:3-5

Scripture mentions children coming to Jesus (Matthew 18:2-3; Matthew 19:13-14). Some probably climbed onto His lap, while others perhaps sat at His feet. We can picture them asking Him questions, begging to hear more stories, and whispering secrets in His ear. It isn’t surprising that they would gather around Jesus; children can usually sense when an adult loves them deeply.

Contrast this image of the Savior’s welcoming, loving nature with the picture some Christians have of God—they see Him as a judgmental taskmaster who motivates by intimidation. While it’s true that we are to obey the Lord, we’re also to delight in Him, just as we would enjoy the company of a close friend.

How much better to have a biblically accurate view—that God, while sovereign over the universe, balances authority with love. While He does w

Verse of the Day
Luke 2:6-7 (New King James Version)

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Certainty of Judgment - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"If the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Heb. 2:2-3).
There is certain judgment for everyone who does not receive Christ as Savior and Lord.

Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice. One brief look at Hebrews 2:2-3 ought to convince anyone otherwise. The writer's point is this: Since the Old Testament makes it clear that transgression and disobedience met with severe and just punishment, how much more so will equal or greater punishment be rendered under the New Testament, which was revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that angels were instrumental in bringing the law (Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:38). The law the angels spoke, primarily the Ten Commandments, was steadfast. That meant if someone broke

A Mighty Work - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived without sin, died in our place, and rose again to reconcile us to God.

Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:2-7

God came to earth in the person of Jesus. His humble birth was the beginning of a mighty work the Father accomplished on our behalf—work that included ...

The incarnation. From the moment of His physical birth, Jesus was both fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9). He chose to submit to His Father’s will and live as one of us. Throughout His earthly life, He remained the eternal Son of God but simultaneously possessed a human nature unblemished by sin.

Revelation of God. The Son came into this world so we could understand what the Father is like. Jesus said, “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me” (John 12:45).

Identification with man. By calling Himself the Son of Man (Matthew 8:20; Mark 10:33; Mark 10:45), Jesus was fully identifying Himself with us. He walked among us, exper

Verse of the Day
Luke 2:1, 4-5 (New King James Version)

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

Throwing out the Anchor - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it" (Heb. 2:1).
God’s Word is the anchor that will prevent people from drifting past the harbor of salvation.

While English explorer William Edward Parry and his crew were exploring the Arctic Ocean, they needed to go further north to continue their chartings. So they calculated their location by the stars and began a treacherous march.

After many hours they stopped, exhausted. After taking their bearings, they discovered they were now further south than when they started! They had been walking on an ice floe that was traveling faster south than they were walking north.

That is similar to the situation people who continue rejecting Christ find themselves in. Therefore Hebrews 2:1 says, "We must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."

Why would anyone knowingly reject Christ? He came i

Who We Are in Christ - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

When trials come, there's no need to fear—you are handpicked by God, deeply loved, and safely held.

1 Peter 1:1-7

Peter wrote the first of his two epistles to encourage people who were undergoing persecution. And the disciple decided to begin the letter by reminding Christians who they are in the Lord. Believers are ...

Chosen in Christ. The good news of Jesus Christ is offered to all humanity (John 3:16; Romans 1:20). Salvation is for everyone who receives the Savior through an act of free will. The bottom line is that God wants fellowship with you (2 Peter 3:9).

Blessed to receive mercy. We are saved through the mercy of Christ alone (Titus 3:5). God loved us so much that He made a way for us to be in relationship with Him forever.

Protected. Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” We are so well guarded that the only way our life can be touched by hardship is if God p

Verse of the Day
Luke 1:76-78 (New King James Version)

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

A Warning to the Intellectually Convinced - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard" (Heb. 2:3).
Many people know the facts of the gospel but won’t make a commitment to it.

I will never forget a lady who came to my office, confessing that she was a prostitute and was desperate for help. I presented the claims of Christ to her and asked if she wanted to confess Christ as Lord of her life. She said yes and prayed, seemingly inviting Christ into her life.

Then I suggested that we burn her book of contacts. She looked at me incredulously and said, "What do you mean?" "If you want to live for Jesus Christ," I explained, "and you've truly accepted His forgiveness and embraced Him as Lord, then you need to prove it." "But that book is worth a lot of money," she said. "I don't want to burn it." After putting it back in her purse, she looked me righ

Learning From Adversity - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

In every moment of pain, the Lord provides the grace we need in order to endure.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

What should we do with our pain when God doesn’t remove it? How can He be a God of love and yet not come to our aid?

Today’s passage gives us insight into a painful event in Paul’s life. We don’t know what the “thorn in the flesh” was, but his account of what he learned through that experience is an amazing example of three things God teaches us through adversity:

God is sovereign over the situation. Ultimately, He is the one who allowed the difficulty and the one with the power to end it.

God prioritizes the spiritual. Paul wanted physical relief, but the Lord was working for his spiritual good. Whatever God allows to afflict believers is designed to protect them from sin, produce holiness, and equip them for faithful service.

God’s grace is sufficient. The Lord gave Paul both the grace to endure a

Verse of the Day
Luke 1:68-70 (New King James Version)

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,

Bearing with an Exhortation - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation" (Heb. 13:22).
Invitations to salvation must provide both exhortation and warning.

Hell is undoubtedly full of people who did not actively oppose Jesus Christ, but simply drifted into damnation by neglecting to respond to the gospel. These are the kinds of people the writer challenges in Hebrews 2:1-4. They were aware of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, but weren't willing to commit their lives to Him. As a result, they were drifting past the call of God into eternal disaster.

The Word of God always demands a response. Any effective teacher of it must do more than just dispense facts; he must warn, exhort, and extend an invitation. He may have impressive knowledge of the truth, but if he doesn't have a passionate concern for how people react to it, he is not a worthy representative of Jesus Christ.

Jesus had that kind of compassion. Despite the

Contagious Joy - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Joy naturally flows from knowing Christ, and it draws others to Him.

1 John 1:1-4

Jesus calls us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). On hearing this, some Christians worry that they need special skills or charisma in order to explain the good news to someone else. Yet to bear witness is not merely to share the plan of salvation. The phrase literally means “to know by personal experience” or “testify to.” In today’s passage, John wrote that he was sharing things he’d experienced firsthand. What he was saying is this: “I’m full of joy because of the experience of knowing Jesus, and I want you to share in that joy.”

When you’re in love with someone, you are excited about the relationship and enjoy spending time together. Likewise, when you’re in love with Jesus, you can’t keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him—it just spills over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers. People around you will pick up

Verse of the Day
Matthew 1:20-21 (New King James Version)

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Christ's Superior Destiny - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"To which of the angels has He ever said, 'Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet'? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" (Heb. 1:13-14).
The destiny of Jesus Christ is that ultimately everything in the universe will be subject to Him.

"At the name of Jesus every knee [will] bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). That great promise confirms that Jesus Christ is destined to be the ruler of the universe.

Yet notice this about Christ's rule: "When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28). Christ is subordinate to His Father, but only in His role as the Son. While the eternal Son is equally divine, He is officially in subjection to God.

Eventua

Recognizing God’s Open Doors - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Sometimes God uses trials to shape our character and strengthen our faith.

Acts 16:13-34

One way we tend to judge whether we’re walking in God’s will is by the outcome. The assumption is that when we’re doing what the Lord wants, life will run smoothly. But if all sorts of problems occur, we often assume we have wandered away from His will.

Paul’s writings, however, show this is not always the case. His first letter to the Corinthians says, “For a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). That’s exactly what happened when God closed one door and opened another on the apostle’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:6-10). After Lydia and her household received the gospel, this new opportunity must have seemed hopeful. Yet, a short time later Paul and Silas, having been stripped and beaten with rods, found themselves sitting in a Philippian jail.

Verse of the Day
Luke 1:46-47, 49 (New King James Version)

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Christ's Eternal Existence - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay a foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; and they all will become old as a garment. And as a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end" (Heb. 1:10-12).
Christ existed before the beginning of the world; thus He is without beginning.

Jesus Christ is no creature. To be able to lay the foundation of the earth and create the heavens in the beginning implies that He must have existed before the beginning. The apostle John testified to this when he said, "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). Christ is eternal.

Jesus is also immutable, which means He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever." We need to hang onto this truth as we approach a day when much of what we kno

When God Closes a Door - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

God often uses closed doors to redirect us into His perfect will and timing.

Acts 16:1-12

Have you ever prayed about a situation and felt confident of God’s will, only to discover that what you thought would happen didn’t come to pass?

On Paul’s second missionary journey, he and Silas had an experience like that. After originally intending to visit previous church plants, they instead decided to move into new territory with the gospel. But the Holy Spirit stopped them from going into Asia. So they went to Mysia with the intention of heading east to Bithynia. Yet once again the Holy Spirit closed the door.

At that point, they may have wondered why God would prevent them from preaching the gospel. After all, hadn’t Jesus commissioned all believers to share their faith (Matthew 28:19-20)? The answer came to Paul in a dream as the Lord redirected them to Greece—a nation with great metropolitan cities. From there

Verse of the Day
Luke 1:30-33 (New King James Version)

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

The Lover of Righteousness - Drawing Near - John MacArthur

"'Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions'" (Heb. 1:8-9).
As the eternal God and King, Christ loves righteousness and hates lawlessness.

In these days it's difficult for us as Christians to be totally supportive of our governmental leaders when we see so much of what God calls righteous compromised or ridiculed. But the King of kings—Christ Himself—is the only leader who has a perfectly right attitude toward righteousness.

Christ rules from an eternal throne, and He rules eternity as God and King. The scepter He holds is symbolic of His rule, particularly as a rule of righteousness.

But there's more to it than that: He just doesn't act righteously; He loves righteousness itself. How often have we obeyed without joy, e

Enjoying Life - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Lasting fulfillment comes only when we align ourselves with God's will.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-23

Not only was King Solomon wise (1 Kings 3:12); he was also blessed with wealth beyond imagination and given the privilege of building God’s temple. So we might expect he also experienced a deep sense of contentment.

In searching for that fulfillment, Solomon devoted himself to exploring all kinds of things. Ecclesiastes tells us that he indulged in the pleasures of the world, even dabbling in pursuits he recognized as folly to see if there was anything worthwhile in them. But the satisfaction Solomon sought evaded him, and he concluded that self-indulgence was without value.

To feel content, the king tried another avenue: personal achievement. He undertook great things, such as building houses, gardens, and parks for himself and carrying out an extensive irrigation project (Eccl. 2:4-6). The king had everything he could ever n