Sharing the gospel can begin with simply being kind to those in your community. To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout. After His resurrection, Jesus asked three times if Peter loved Him. And each time the disciple answered yes, the Lord said to take care of His sheep ( John 21:15-17 ). Like Peter, we are called to tend to one another, loving the church and going out to “the roads and the hedges” to reflect Christ’s love ( Luke 14:23 ). Whether we’re volunteering at an after-school program, befriending unbelievers in our workplace, giving of our time and talents to benefit a charity, or simply having a conversation in the checkout line, we can do good for our communities and bring glory to God. Our mission is to join in Christ’s vision as an outpouring of His love—uplifting, engaging, and supporting the people we encounter. And just as Jesus left His seat next to the Father to go out into a cold world and rescue those who...

  We can build our life upon the sure foundation of God's Word. Isaiah 40:8 Jesus told us that we would face hardship in this life ( John 16:33 ). But in His grace, He gave us amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. He gave us the gift of prayer, not only to communicate and stay connected with Him but also to bring Him our requests.  Today let’s focus on another one of His gifts: the Bible. Scripture is the Word of God Almighty. It is truth. It never changes. Regardless of our circumstances, the Bible provides a sure foundation on which to base our life and decisions. It contains thousands of promises—countless assurances that we can rely on with perfect confidence. And we can turn God’s promises into prayers and make them the cry of our heart.  Here’s an example.  Psalm 32:8  says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My ...

  The Lord wants us to trust Him even when there are things we don't understand. April 28, 2023 Mark 10:13-16 On our own, we can’t choose salvation. God’s Spirit first convicts us of our need for Him by nudging our heart—that is, He lovingly gets our attention and reveals our sin and the need for a Savior.  You might wonder,  How, then, can a child understand the gospel?  Thankfully, God is a gentle Father who meets us right where we are, no matter our age. In even the youngest of hearts, He can place a desire to obey and follow Him. Then, as little ones learn at home or church, God gives them a longing and sense of need for Jesus. It’s a simple longing, without the deep, more complex understanding of an adult. Little ones might not be able to comprehend all that Jesus purchased for us on the cross. But in  Mark 10:14 , Jesus says, “Allow the children to come to Me … for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” In many ways, the unencumbered faith of childr...

  Offering praise to God for who He is and all He’s done leads us to peace and joy. Psalm 150:1-6 Yesterday, we looked at the way God sees us. How are we to respond to that love?  Isaiah 43:21  says, “The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.” An integral part of worshipping the Lord is proclaiming His greatness.  One way we do that is by thanking Him for who He is and what He has done. When we love someone, the most natural response is to speak highly about them. In the same way, we who love Christ find that expressions of appreciation come easily to our lips. Praise lifts our eyes to the Savior and fills our heart with the contentment that eludes us when we focus exclusively on personal needs and problems.  Although praise and worship are usually associated with church services, they ought to characterize us wherever we are. Some of the most intimate and precious experiences of worship can happen during times spent alone with God. Ask the Lo...

  Silence is Golden Truth, by its very nature, divides and offends. Written by  Silas Oriokot  on 25/04/2023 Series:  Weekly Devotional Tags:  Truth ,  Courage ,  Words Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6 To the modern way of thinking, truth does not matter, but intolerance does. If the subject is salvation, Christian truth suggests that there are those who are saved and those who are not. If the truth is about sin, then some things are right and others are wrong. If it is about hell and heaven, it means that one place is hot and the other is not. If it is about forgiveness, then some are forgiven and others are not. Truth feels intolerant—and frankly, when I speak Christian truth, sometimes it feels that way to me. Speak Truth Truth, by its very nature, divides and offends. That is what Jesus meant when he made the startling s...

  Silas, To the modern way of thinking, truth does not matter, but intolerance does. If the subject is salvation, Christian truth suggests that there are those who are saved and those who are not. If the truth is about sin, then some things are right and others are wrong. If it is about hell and heaven, it means that one place is hot and the other is not. If it is about forgiveness, then some are forgiven and others are not. Truth feels intolerant—and frankly, when I speak Christian truth, sometimes it feels that way to me.   How to know when to speak or be silent? » PASSAGE OF THE WEEK “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”   - Matt 7:6  JOIN THE BLOG CONVERSATION Answer this -- Is speaking the truth always the right thing to do? Comment your answer » JOIN US ON WhatsApp! If you aren't in the Rising Point for Christ whatsApp group, change that ...

  Is speaking the truth always the right thing to do? - Read about it in this week's devotional.  https://oriokotsilas.bogspot.com

  Does being in the Lord for a while count for anything? The Bible says that if you have been in the Lord a lot, a lot has been given to you. When much is given, much is required. Have you been given more knowledge, more grace, more time of growing in the Lord and the Word? More is required of you. If you aren't feeling as blessed as you once felt, maybe that's why. You can't expect the same blessing when you are to be at a higher level. If a twelfth grader is only doing a first graders work, it might be an A+ for a first grader, but as a twelfth grader they will fail. A mature saint, living as an infant in the Lord, is not going to be blessed. If you have been given much, much is expected: in service, love, patience, peace, goodness, faith, joy, perseverance, wisdom, maturity, the Spirit-filled life. More blessings will happen when you live in a manner of the high calling you have been given, and in keeping with the much that has been given to you.

  We are loved and cherished by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 1 Peter 2:9-10 Have you ever wondered how God sees you? Perhaps interactions with others have shaped how you believe you’re viewed. But in His Word, God tells us exactly how loved and cherished we are. Today’s passage describes just four of the many ways He sees us:  1. A Chosen People.  God chose you and me to be part of His kingdom and family because He wants and loves us.  2. A Royal Priesthood.  As believers, we are children of God and, therefore, part of a royal family. In other words, we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” ( Rom. 8:17 ).   3. A Holy Nation.  The church, or body of Christ, is a group of people who are holy—which, as we learned a few days ago, means “set apart” for the purposes of God. Our lives are never meaningless, because living for the Lord is the greatest purpose one can have.  4. A People for God’s Own Possession.  You and I are precio...

  From Jesus' Nail-Pierced Hand He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. John 20:20   Petr Jasek, a worker with Voice of the Martyrs, was arrested in Sudan and imprisoned for 445 days, sometimes being housed with ISIS warriors. Other times he was in solitary confinement or crammed into overcrowded cells with convicts. For the first five months he was without his Bible, but he sustained himself on his Bible memory verses and hymns. Occasionally he was able to exchange mail with his family, and in one letter home he wrote, “The longer I’m in prison, the greater my joy grows, and from Jesus’s nail-pierced hand, I am experiencing new touches. All of this we can explain only by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who has loved us. I am living, knowing, and feeling the tremendous protection and intervention from God’s hands, especially when there is danger.” [1] Scripture Reading: John 20: 19 – 23 Whenever you are walking through a diffic...

  You don't have to fear failure when you trust and obey the Lord. Psalm 62:1-5 God speaks to us, and yesterday we learned how important it is to listen to Him. But as we all know, His isn’t the only voice out there. Does this mean we should never listen to those around us? Of course not—especially when the voices belong to godly men and women the Lord places in our path. But with so many competing messages, we should aim to hear scriptural advice and listen for the Holy Spirit’s promptings above all else. And then we should obey Him. To the extent that we do so, our life will look different from others.  Sometimes a fear of failure may discourage us from doing things God’s way. But ultimately, we must ask ourselves whether we’re going to listen to Him or the world. Remember, you never have to fear failure when you obey the Lord. He intervenes in times of hardship, and He promises to act on behalf of the one who waits for Him ( Isa. 64:4 ).  Remaining steadfast takes cour...

  View Online   |   Donate   Dear friend, Have you gotten a chance to send us a prayer request yet? We want to support you in your walk with Christ and treasure every opportunity to intercede for you. You can  submit your prayer request here  or call our 24/7 prayer line at 0787353534. We also have daily devotions to help you with your prayer life. Perhaps you’re looking to pray more effectively as a member of a community. Or maybe you’re looking to develop a regular habit of spending time with the Lord. Whatever your personal needs are, you’ll find insight and helpful tips for personal growth in these  Scripture-filled  daily devotions . But most importantly, we would be honored to pray for you. For things big or small, we’re here for you. So don’t hesitate to reach out. Gratefully, Your Friends at Rising Point for Christ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!   Send us an email at  rising.point4christ.ug@gmail.com   or call us at  0787353...

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  Blessing comes to those who seek the Lord's wisdom and apply it in their life. John 10:2-5 Do you just talk to God, or do you listen to Him too? To train ourselves to listen to God, we must remember that hearing is an active, ongoing process. Our mind and heart should be open to the idea that the Lord has something to communicate throughout our day. We should expect Him to speak to us—and to do so in a way we can understand. To practice hearing from God, we need to spend time focusing on Him, free from distractions. Meditating on Scripture creates an attitude that is conducive to listening. Active listening includes responding to what we hear. As we read, we should ask ourselves questions, such as  What is the Lord trying to say to me through this?  But we should also ask what each passage teaches about God Himself:  What does it reveal about His character?  or  What do these verses indicate about the things He loves?  The Lord speaks to us through H...

  When we include all people, we communicate that God welcomes everyone too. To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout. Coming together to share a meal isn’t something we usually think of as a revolutionary act. Yet in the days of the Old Testament, people who were different from one another weren’t able to enjoy eating together. In fact, Jews weren’t even supposed to enter a non-Jewish family’s home. But then something remarkable happened: As the redeeming message of Jesus’ death and resurrection spread throughout the world, that separation ended. Jesus invited everybody—both Jew and Gentile—to His table ( Eph. 2:14-15 ). As Christians, we have the opportunity to extend this kind of gracious and unifying hospitality to the people around us, using our actions to let them know Jesus’ invitation is for them, too. God’s grace and mercy are for everyone who believes ( Romans 1:16 )—not just people of a particular background, cultu...

  Do you know where the name Jesus came from? Moses, by the power of the Spirit, changed the name of his apprentice to Yehoshua. Yehoshua became Yeshua. In English it became Joshua, and in Greek, Iesus. In Greek/English, Jesus. So who was Joshua? He was the one appointed to take the children of Israel across the Jordan into the promised land. Then the Messiah was born. The angel told his parents to name Him Yeshua, Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. Yeshua means salvation. He's the one who will lead His people into the promised land. If Jesus is your Lord, He's your Joshua, your Yeshua. He is your Salvation. He will lead you. You will be following Him where you've never been before, crossing from an old life into a new life. He takes you into the land of promises, the promised land. That's His ministry. He knows how to get you there. Follow Him. Leave the old behind and move forward with Him into the newness of His promises. Move forward because He i...

  And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32  Scripture  Reading:   John 21:1-8 The Gospel is the Good News. But good news is most impactful in the face of bad news. Never was there a clearer example of good news cancelling out bad news than in the story of the Emmaus road. The disciples in Jerusalem had been overwhelmed with the bad news of Jesus’ death. Many who had been in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover were returning to their homes with heavy hearts. Two such disciples were walking the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus when they met another man they didn't know. This man seemed to be unaware of the events surrounding Jesus in Jerusalem. But as they broke bread together, He gave them good news: Everything that had happened was just as the Old Testament had foretold. And their eyes were opened to see that it was Jesus speaking to them! There is no...