Into The Unknown

Read: Hebrews 11:8-16

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called....And he went out, not knowing where he was going. --- Hebrews 11:8

The Bible In One Year:
Genesis 1-3
Matthew 1

One of the greatest obstacles we face in following Christ is fear of the unknown. We yearn to know in advance the outcome of our obedience and where He is taking us, yet we are given only the assurance that He is with us and that He is in charge. And with that, we venture into the unknown with Him.

Abraham modeled the response of a person who is willing to walk with God into an uncertain future. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going" [Heb. 11:8].

Abraham knew that God had called him and had given him a promise --- and that was enough. He was willing to entrust his future to the Lord.

We may do the same by trusting our Lord for the future and stepping out in faith. As we stand on the threshold of a new year, may this prayer of faith and anticipation be yours:

O Lord God, who has called us, Your servants,
To ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
By paths as yet untrodden,
And through perils unknown,
Give us faith to go out with good courage,
Not knowing where we go
But only that Your hand is leading us
And Your love is supporting us. Amen.

VENTURE INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH FAITH IN GOD.

You Can Do It!

Read: Romans 7:15-25

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. --- Philippians 4:13

The Bible In One Year:
Malachi
Revelation 22

A young boy was at the barbershop for a haircut. The room was filled with cigar smoke. The lad pinched his nose and exclaimed, "Who's been smoking in here!" The barber sheepishly confessed, "I have." The boy responded, "Don't you know it's not good for you?" "I know," the barber replied. "I've tried to quit a thousand times but I just can't." The boy commented, "I understand. I've tried to stop sucking my thumb, but I can't quit either!"

Those two remind me of the way believers sometimes feel about their struggle with sins of the flesh. Paul summed it up well by crying out, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" [Romans 7:24]. His spiritual battle might have left him in despair if he had not found the solution. Following his agonizing question, he declared with triumph, "I thank God --- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" [v.25].

Are you struggling to break some stubborn habit? Like Paul, you can be an overcomer. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, victory is possible through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Confidently affirm with Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" [Philippians 4:13]. You can do it! --- Richard De Haan

I have tried and I have struggled
From my sin to be set free;
Not by trying but through trusting,
Jesus gives the victory. --- Complin

THINK LESS OF THE POWER OF THINGS OVER YOU AND MORE OF THE POWER OF CHRIST IN YOU.

Getting In Shape

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

We all,... beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image. --- 2 Corinthians 3:18

The Bible In One Year:
Zechariah 13-14
Revelation 21

A woman went to a diet center to lose weight. The director took her to a full-length mirror. On it he outlined a figure and told her, "This is what I want you to look like at the end of the program."

Days of intense dieting and exercise followed, and every week the woman would stand in front of the mirror, discouraged because her bulging outline didn't fit the director's ideal. But she kept at it, and finally one day she conformed to the image she longed for.

Putting ourselves next to Christ's perfect character reveals how "out of shape" we are. To be transformed into His image does not mean we attain sinless perfection; it means that we become complete and mature.

God often works through suffering to bring this about [James 1:2-4]. Sometimes He uses the painful results of our sins. At other times, our difficulties may not be caused by a specific sin, yet we undergo the painful process of learning to obey our Father's will.

Are you hurting? Perhaps a shaping-up process is in progress. Jesus was perfect, yet He had to learn obedience through the things He suffered [Hebrews 5:8].

If you keep on trusting Jesus, you'll increasingly take on the image of His loveliness. --- Dennis De Haan

God has a purpose in our heartache,
The Savior always knows what's best;
We learn so many precious lessons
In each sorrow, trial, and test. --- Jarvis

THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE ARE TO MAKE US BETTER --- NOT BITTER.

Three Needs

Read: 1 John 4:7-21

We have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love. --- 1 John 4:16

The Bible In One Year:
Zechariah 9-12
Revelation 20

I've heard it said that there are three things a person needs to be happy:

1. Something to do --- meaningful work or helping others.

2. Someone to love --- someone to whom we can give of ourselves, such as a spouse, a child, or a friend.

3. Something to look forward to --- a vacation, a visit from a loved one, improved health, the realization of a dream.

Those things may bring some temporary happiness. But for lasting fulfillment, they can all be found in a relationship with Jesus, God's Son.

Something to do. As believers, we have been given gifts from the Holy Spirit to serve our Savior by serving others in God's family [Romans 12:1-16]. We are also called to spread the gospel around the world [Matthew 28:19-20].

Someone to love. We love God because He first loved us [1 John 4:19]. And we love others, "for love is of God" [v.7].

Something to look forward to. One day we'll be welcomed into God's presence forever, where we will enjoy a perfect place prepared especially for us [John 14:2-3; Revelation 21:3-4]. We'll see Jesus and be like Him [1 John 3:2].

For lasting fulfillment, Jesus Christ truly is everything we need. --- Anne Cetas

Please help me, Lord, in everything I do
That all my work may show my love for You;
And as I talk with others on the way,
I'll tell them that You may come back today. --- Hess

WHERE THERE'S HOPE, THERE'S HAPPINESS.

Digging For Treasure

Read: Proverbs 2:1-9

The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. --- Proverbs 2:6

The Bible In One Year:
Zechariah 5-8
Revelation 19

Profitable Bible study involves more than just opening to a chapter and reading what's there. Here are seven guidelines to help you make the most of your study of the Bible.

1. Set aside a regular time. Unless you schedule it, you'll neglect it.

2. Before you start reading, ask God for help and understanding.

3. Carefully think about what you are reading. Not all of the Bible's treasures lie like pebbles on the surface. To mine the gold, you have to dig.

4. Seek to understand what the author was saying to the first people who read the book or letter before you decide how to apply it today.

5. Write down at least one truth or principle you can put into practice.

6. Try different translations of the Bible. If you find yourself skimming over familiar words, a new translation may focus your mind on the passage in a new way.

7. Don't get discouraged. Some parts of the Bible are more interesting than others, and some you may not understand at all. But there's enough that you can understand, and it will revolutionize your life if you apply it.

Now read today's verses again with these principles in mind. Then try it again tomorrow. You will begin to discover the treasures in the Bible --- Haddon Robinson

When reading God's Word, take special care
To find the rich treasures hidden there;
Give thought to each line, each precept clear,
Then practice it well with godly fear. --- Anon.

THE BIBLE TREASURES ARE FOUND BY THOSE WHO DIG FOR THEM.

Unopened Tomorrows

Read: Matthew 6:25-34

We walk by faith, not by sight. --- 2 Corinthians 5:7

The Bible In One Year:
Zechariah 1-4
Revelation 18

We often wish we could see what lies around the corner in life. Then we could prepare for it, control it, or avoid it.

A wise person has said, "Though we can't see around corners, God can." How much better and more reassuring that is!

One day my 10-year-old grand-daughter Emily and I were boiling eggs for breakfast. As we stared into the boiling water and wondered how long it would take to get the eggs just right, Emily said, "Pity we can't open them up to see how they're doing." I agreed. But that would have spoiled them, so we had to rely on guesswork, with no guarantee of results.

We began talking about other things we would like to see but can't --- like tomorrow. Too bad we can't crack tomorrow open, we said, to see if it's the way we would like it. But meddling with tomorrow before its time, like opening a partly cooked egg, would spoil both today and tomorrow.

Because Jesus has promised to care for us every day --- and that includes tomorrow --- we can live by faith one day at a time [Matthew 6:33-34].

Emily and I decided to leave tomorrow safely in God's hands. Have you? --- Joshua Yoder

I know who holds the future,
And I know who holds my hand;
With God things don't just happen ---
Everything by Him is planned. --- A. Smith

YOU'RE ONLY COOKING UP TROUBLE WHEN YOU STEW ABOUT TOMORROW.

Love Needs Expression

Read: Matthew 22:34-40

You shall love your neighbor ar yourself. --- Leviticus 19:18

The Bible In One Year:
Haggai
Revelation 17

Somehow the command to love doesn't get through to us. We may confess that we lack a strong faith, but seldom do we admit that we are deficient in love. Perhaps we feel we're as loving as the next person, and maybe a little bit more.

After all, we're sensitive to the hurts of other people. Our hearts go out to battered wives and abused children when we read about them in the newspaper. We shift uneasily in front of our TVs when we see little children sobbing with hunger or sitting in silent despair beyond crying.

But deep inside we know that genuine caring reaches beyond feelings to action. Caring, like steam or electricity, isn't worth much unless something happens as a result of it. Love without deeds is useless, just as talent not demonstrated in creative ways is wasted. Both must be expressed or they are no better than a myth.

Because we can't do everything, we often don't do anything. If you want to be a loving person, don't start by taking on the needs of the whole world. Start with caring about one person and build from there.

You can't do everything, but you can do something. What you can do, you should do. Today, determine that in the power and grace of God you will do it. --- Haddon Robinson

Let us be Christ's true disciples,
Looking to another's need,
Making stony pathways smoother
By a gentle word or deed. --- Thorson

IN A WORLD THAT COULDN'T CARE LESS, WE ARE TO BE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T CARE MORE.

First Breath

Read: Colossians 1:15-20

All things were created through Him and for Him. --- Colossians 1:16

The Bible In One Year:
Zephaniah
Revelation 16

Russel Nagy's moving choral anthem "The Promise" contains these words:

Silently by night,
in mortal flesh enshrouded
He who framed the mountains
draws first breath.
Far from human sight,
the promise never forgotten
Is in love begotten
to conquer death.

The marvel of Christmas is that the Maker of the mountains took His first breath as a baby. The One who framed the universe assumed human flesh so He could save us. The incarnation is the astounding combination of who descended from heaven to earth, how He arrived, and why He came. "For by Him all things were created....And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist....For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself,....having made peace through the blood of His cross" [Colossians 1:16-20].

When Jesus took His first breath on earth, a loving promise of God the Father was fulfilled. The Christ-child whom the angels announced and the shepherds proclaimed had come to die.

The baby in the manger was "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" [v.15], "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" [v.14].

O come, let us adore Him! --- David McCasland

THE TINY BABY IN THE MANGER IS THE MIGHTY CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.

The Call Of The Present

Read: Luke 1:26-38

Let it be to me according to your word. --- Luke 1:38

The Bible In One Year:
Habakkuk
Revelation 15

The life of the mother of Jesus was simple and plain. She did the tasks that others did at her age, learning how to be a good homemaker for her future husband. There was nothing out of the ordinary about her external life --- at least not revealed in Scripture.

Yet what treasures of grace lie concealed in Mary's attitude! When the angel announced that her child would be called "the Son of God," she responded, "Let it be to me according to your word" [Luke 1:38].

Her answer contained all that our Lord requires --- the pure, simple submission of the soul to His will. This was the secret of Mary's deep spirituality: She abandoned herself to God's will in the present and received the grace to do what God asked of her.

What is God asking you to do? It may be something magnificent, or something ordinary. It may be to respond actively to a command of Scripture, or to submit patiently to present suffering. "What God arranges for us to experience at each moment is the holiest thing that could happen to us," commented the 18th-century writer Jean-Pierre de Caussade.

Are you able to accept each moment with grace and submission? Can you respond to the Lord as Mary said to the angel, "Let it be to me according to your word"? --- David Roper

May we learn the blessed secret
Of delighting in Your will,
Welcoming whate'er You send us,
Joy or sorrows, good or ill. --- Anon.

TO KNOW GOD'S WILL IS A TREASURE; TO DO GOD'S WILL IS A PRIVILEGE.

Knowing God Personally

Read: Exodus 33:7-17

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. --- Psalm 103:7

The Bible In One Year:
Nahum
Revelation 14

Most Christians would prefer to see God perform mighty miracles rather than to have fellowship with Him and learn His ways.

Today's text says that God made known His mighty acts to the people of Israel, but to Moses He "made known His ways." Exodus 33 records a great crisis in which Moses humbly prayed, "If I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way" [v.13]. He wanted to know God and His plans for His people more than to see another mighty miracle. No wonder the Lord conversed with him "as a man speaks to his friend" [v.11].

Commenting on the difference between ways and acts, F.B. Meyer wrote, "Ways, or plans, are only made known to the inner circle of the saints; the ordinary congregation learns only His acts."

A talented friend of mine, Jennifer, learned this difference after spending several years in a wheelchair. One day she tearfully prayed, "Lord, I could have done so much for You, if only I could have been healthy." God's response was inaudible but clear: "Many people work for Me, but very few are willing to be My friend."

If you desire to know God personally more than you long to see His mighty miracles, you'll be satisfied. --- Joanie Yoder

Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted, now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone. --- Simpson

KNOWING GOD IS NOT ONLY SEEING HIS WORKS BUT ALSO LEARNING HIS WAYS.

What To Give God

Read: Romans 12:1-8

Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. --- Romans 12:1

The Bible In One Year:
Micah 6-7
Revelation 13

In Romans 12:1, the apostle Paul applied the truths of what he had already written to the followers of Jesus in Rome. He said, "Present your bodies a living sacrifice." He also urged us to keep our bodies from sinning and to avoid the world's corruption by renewing our minds [v.2].

We are often told to give our hearts or our lives to Christ. So why did Paul call attention to our bodies?

If we are to carry out God's will, it will be with our bodies. Every pastor has members who say, "I won't be in the service next Sunday; we'll be up at the lake. But I'll be there in spirit." Unfortunately, the "spirit" will contribute nothing to the atmosphere of praise and worship.

We also offer God our bodies as a response to His love. The body is a gift worthy of God.
Consider the value of the human hand. The brilliant surgeon Dr. Paul Brand, in describing operations performed on the hand, said, "I don't know of a single operation anyone has devised that has succeeded in improving a normal hand. It's beautiful."

This Christmas, give God something beautiful. Offer Him not just your heart, but your hands, body, spirit, mind --- your entire being! --- Haddon Robinson

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wiseman, I would do my part;
Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my hear. --- Rosetti

JESUS GAVE US ALL HE HAD; WE MUST GIVE HIM ALL WE HAVE.

White Space

Read: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. --- 2 Timothy 4:7

The Bible In One Year:
Micah 4-5
Revelation 12

For nearly 50 years, Ann Landers dispensed advice in a daily column carried by more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide. When she died on June 22, 2002, her daughter Margo Howard wrote a farewell column. She asked the editors to leave a blank space for the last part of the column as a memorial to her mom.

The idea came from a column written years earlier when Ann and her husband divorced after a long marriage. Ann had requested the editors to leave white space at the bottom as a memorial to a once-good marriage "that didn't make it to the finish line."

When somebody writes your last column, how much "blank space" will it include? When you come to life's end, will there be important things left undone? Will that white space bear silent testimony to goals you never reached, good habits [like consistent Bible reading] you never gave, kind things you thought about doing but never did? Will a sizeable empty space say that you intended to develop a deeper relationship with God, but that a close intimacy remained an unfulfilled ideal? Or will others be able to say of you that you "finished the race, [and] kept the faith"? [2 Timothy 4:7].

Let's make sure our white space is small! --- Vernon Grounds

Only the truth that in life we have spoken,
Only the seed that on earth we have sown;
These shall pass onward when we are forgotten,
Fruits of the harvest and what we have done. --- Bonar

TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE, MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT FOR CHRIST.

A Tale Of Two Slaves

Read: Acts 9:1-9, 17-18

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. --- Romans 1:1

The Bible In One Year:
Micah 1-3
Revelation 11

Spartacus is not just a film legend but a historical figure. Historians say that he was likely a Roman soldier who deserted, was recaptured, and then sold into slavery as a gladiator.

While at the gladiatorial school at Capua, Spartacus led a rebellion. This act of defiance attracted massive numbers of slaves, growing to an estimated 70,000. Initially, Spartacus' slave army enjoyed spectacular victories. But they were eventually defeated, and the captured rebels were crucified along the road to Rome.

What a contrast to Spartacus is the apostle Paul. Saul of Tarsus [as Paul was also known] was born a free man and yet was destined to become a slave. Acts 9 records the fateful day when Saul came face to face with the Savior he sought to oppose. From that time on, he served Jesus wholeheartedly.

Spartacus was forced to serve a Roman taskmaster. But Paul, in response to God's grace, voluntarily became a slave to Jesus Christ.

In the believer's heart rages a spiritual war between sin and righteousness. We can obey the slave-master of sin, or we can say yes to the God of grace who has made us free [Romans 6:16; John 8:34]. Our greatest liberty lies in serving the One who created and redeemed us. --- Dennis Fisher

Christ broke the bonds of sin, that I
Might know His strong eternal tie;
This blood-bought liberty I bring
To be Your bond-slave, Master-King. --- F. Hess

TRUE FREEDOM IS FOUND IN SERVING CHRIST.

Respect

Read: 1 Timothy 6:1-6

Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor. --- 1 Timothy 6:1

The Bible In One Year:
Jonah
Revelation 10

As a schoolteacher, my wife has noticed that behavior seems to be deteriorating with each successive class of students. Many children show little respect for older people.

First Timothy 6 reveals that disrespect is not unique to our generation. Paul, who ministered to a culture build on slavery, highlighted this concern. He wrote, "Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren" [v.2]. Paul knew that slaves, whose welfare depended on their master's goodwill, were capable of being disrespectful.

We may say that people need to show themselves worthy of respect before we can respect them. But respecting another person is much more about who we are than about who the other person is.

Paul gave the main reason believers should excel in respect: "So that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed" [v.1].

Sadly, the worst cases of disrespect are sometimes found among those who claim to follow Jesus. But when believers excel in all they do, God's name is lifted up. All of us are to bring honor and glory to the Lord's name.

Excelling in respect for others honors God. --- Albert Lee

O help me, Lord, to show respect,
To always honor You;
And may I bring You highest praise
In everything I do. --- Sper

ONE WHO WOULD BE TRULY RESPECTED MUST FIRST RESPECT OTHERS.

Born In Us

Read: Micah 5:1-5

Bethlehem Ephrathah, ... out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel. --- Micah 5:2

The Bible In One Year:
Obadiah
Revelation 9

During a visit to England's picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon, I was struck by how a town's identity and future can be affected just because someone was born there. Every year, half a million people come to visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare, whom some consider the most influential playwright in the English language.

And what about Bethlehem? With the birth of Jesus, Micah's prophecy of significance was fulfilled: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" [Micah 5:2]. Bethlehem is defined by Jesus' birth.

Isn't the same true for us? When Christ comes to live in us, we are changed. No longer just ordinary human beings, we become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Our identity and destiny are marked by Him, just as surely as a town becomes known for the significant person who was born there.

Christmas is a wonderful time to celebrate the presence of Christ in us, the change He brings to all who invite Him in. --- David McCasland

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in ---
Be born in us today. --- Brooks

GOD CAME TO LIVE WITH US SO WE COULD LIVE WITH HIM.

Unopened Gifts

Read: John 14:12-31

I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. --- John 14:16

The Bible In One Year:
Amos 7-9
Revelation 8

Can you imagine a child on Christmas morning leaving his presents unopened? Yet, millions of people are doing something like that by ignoring or rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior. Everyone has a gift with a tag that reads: TO: [your name] FROM: God. But it can be opened only by repentance and faith.

God hasn't given us just one gift, however, He singled out a second gift-giving occasion. At Christmastime, we celebrate God's gift of His Son to the world. But on the Day of Pentecost, He and His Son together gave to believers another gift --- the Holy Spirit [John 14:16; 16:7].

Again, imagine a child at Christmas who opens just one package but leaves all the others tightly wrapped. Today the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, yet we often fail to make full use of all that He has given to us. If we ask Him, the Holy Spirit will lead us into a better understanding of God's Word, give us the assurance of God's care and keeping power, and transform us into Christ's likeness.

This Christmas, let's consider the significance of the Holy Spirit's coming and ask the Lord to help us experience all of His benefits more fully.

Don't leave any of God's gifts unopened. --- Dennis De Haan

Let the fullness of Your Spirit
Fall upon us here this hour;
How we need a new anointing
Of the Holy Ghost and power. --- Jarvis

THE FATHER GAVE US THE SPIRIT TO MAKE US LIKE HIS SON.

Job Opening

Read: Romans 12:9-16

Rejoicing in hope, ... continuing steadfastly in prayer. --- Romans 12:12

The Bible In One Year:
Amos 4-6
Revelation 7

About this time last year, a job became available in the church my wife and I attend. Just over a week before Christmas, my mother-in-law, Lenore Tuttle, died at the age of 85. When she went home to be with Jesus, she left a void not only in our family but also in our church. We were not without one of our most faithful prayer warriors.

At Mother Tuttle's funeral, the presiding pastor showed the congregation her prayer box. It contained dozens of prayer cards on which she had written the names of people she prayed for every day, including one that mentioned the pastor's gall bladder surgery. On top of that prayer box was this verse: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" [Hebrews 11:6]. She was a true prayer warrior who diligently sought the Lord.

Each day, many older saints, who have continued steadfastly in prayer [Romans 12:12], leave this earth through death and move on to heaven. This creates a "job opening" for people who will commit themselves to praying faithfully. Many of these positions remain unfilled. Will you fill one of them? --- Dave Branon

They labor well who intercede
For others with a pressing need;
It's on their knees they often work
And from its rigor will not shirk. --- D. De Haan

WANTED: PRAYER WARRIORS.

Life Words

Read: Colossians 4:2-6

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. --- Proverbs 18:21

The Bible In One Year:
Amos 1-3
Revelation 6

Words of encouragement can be "life words," bringing new motivation to our lives. Mark Twain said that he could live for a whole month on one good compliment.

Christian encouragement, however, is more than a compliment or a pat on the back, valuable as these can be. One writer described it as "the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough."

As a youth, Larry Crabb had developed a stutter that humiliated him in a school assembly. A short time later, when praying aloud in a church service, his stutter caused him to get both his words and his theology mixed up in his prayer. Expecting stern correction, Larry slipped out of the service, resolving never to speak in public again. On his way out he was stopped by an older man who said, "Larry, there's one thing I want you to know. Whatever you do for the Lord, I'm behind you one thousand percent." Larry's determination never to speak in public again dissolved instantly. Now, many years later, he addresses large crowds with confidence.

Paul told us to season our speech "with grace" [Colossians 4:6]. Then we will speak "life words" that bring encouragement. --- Joanie Yoder

It may seem insignificant
To say a word or two,
But when it is encouragement,
What wonders it can do! --- K. De Haan

CORRECTION MAY MOLD US, BUT ENCOURAGEMENT WILL MOTIVATE US.

Secret Security

Read: Psalm 91

He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. --- Psalm 91:11

The Bible In One Year:
Joel
Revelation 5

Feeling secure is a high priority in this unsafe, volatile world. A private investigation agency in Florida promises to "work diligently to restore the sense of security and safety that you and your family deserve."

The psalmist found a "secret place," where he felt safe [Psalm 91:1]. And we can rest secure in that same place. He described it with these phrases:

Under the shadow of the Almighty [v.1]. Shadows provide protection from the direct heat of the sun. If the heat is severe, the shade reduces what we actually feel. When we're under God's shadow, we do not face the full heat of our difficulties.

A refuge and a fortress [v.2]. God is the strongest protector we could ever have, and we can run to Him for help. Nothing can penetrate Him to get to us unless it's part of His loving plan for our ultimate good.

Under His wings [v.4]. God is soft and tender like a caring mother bird. When troubles rage, He draws us close. We don't need to fear that He will cast us out --- we are His.

A dwelling place [v.9]. Our Father will be our home, our abiding place --- now and forever.

True security can be found only in our Lord, who promises to save us and be near us [vv.15-16]. --- Anne Cetas

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the Spirit there. --- Havergal

NO ONE IS MORE SECURE THAN THOSE WHO ARE IN GOD'S HANDS.

Two Bethlehems

Read: Luke 1:26-35

The power of the Highest will overshadow you. --- Luke 1:35

The Bible In One Year:
Hosea 12-14
Revelation 4

The birth of Jesus Christ was unlike any other. Mary's was an "other world" conception. The angel told her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you" [Luke 1:35]. The child conceived in her was from outside our world. And it had to be so, because the boy born to Mary was Immanuel, "God with us" [Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23].

The baby born in Bethlehem was of heavenly origin. God had entered the earth in the form and nature of Mary's little son. He came into the world from above, and His incarnation made possible our redemption.

Now think about it. Our own new birth --- our regeneration --- comes from outside the world. Jesus said that we are born again "of the Spirit" [John 3:3,7-8]. Our salvation is not from an earthly source, but from God Himself through Jesus by means of His Spirit. In a sense, our heart becomes a "Bethlehem stable," a place where Jesus comes into the world. We open the door to Him by faith, and He is born in us by the blessed Holy Spirit.

We make Him known to others by His power in us. He affects every aspect of our lives. We are a "Bethlehem," His place of entrance into today's world. --- Dave Egner

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. --- Crosby

CHRIST WAS BORN HERE BELOW THAT WE MIGHT BE BORN FROM ABOVE.

"But God..."

Read: Genesis 39

[Joseph] left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. --- Genesis 39:12

The Bible In One Year:
Hosea 9-11
Revelation 3

What if Joseph had succumbed to the advances of Potiphar's wife? [Genesis 39]. Imagine how he could have justified his sin. "But God, You don't want me to be unhappy, and you know how lonely it is here. Besides, I think I really love her."

What if Abram had disobeyed when God told him to leave Ur and head for parts unknown? [Genesis 12]. What if he had said, "But God, I'm established here. I can't afford to risk everything on an uncertain future. I've got to watch out for Sarai. I'm staying."

Praise God that Joseph and Abram did the right thing. Joseph fled temptation; he ran from sin. Abram left Ur; he journeyed in obedience.

In life, we face both of these kinds of choices. Sometimes temptation rises up in front of us. When it does, we can either run and reap God's rewards --- or we can give in, reap the sad consequences, and then make sorry excuses. Sometimes we sense that God is leading us in a particular direction. We can choose either to follow Him and trust His omniscience --- or we can offer flimsy excuses and live a life of disobedience.

The abundant life of godliness is far better than a life of excuses and despair. Let's live so that we won't give in to the desire to say, "But God..." --- Dave Branon

Lead the road be rough and dreary
And its end far out of sight,
Foot it bravely, strong or weary ---
Trust in God and do the right. --- Macleod

GOD DOES NOT DEMAND SUCCESS --- JUST OBEDIENCE.

Confronted By The Cross

Read: Luke 23:33-43

When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified [Jesus]. --- Luke 23:33

The Bible In One Year:
Hosea 5-8
Revelation 2

World-famous Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was sent to a Siberian prison because he criticized communism. Languishing there under intolerable conditions year after year, he decided to end his life. But suicide, he firmly believed, would be against God's will. He thought it would be better for a guard to shoot him.

So at a public assembly of the prisoners, he sat in a front row, planning to get up and walk toward an exit, compelling a guard to kill him. But to his surprise, another prisoner sat down, blocking his exit. That unknown man leaned over and, to Solzhenitsyn's astonishment, drew a cross on the dirt floor.

The cross! Wondering if that fellow prisoner might be a messenger from God, Solzhenitsyn resolved to endure his imprisonment. There in prison he became a Christian and was eventually set free to bear witness to the world.

Are you in the grip of difficult circumstances? Have you wondered if life is worth living? Focus your heart on the cross --- it is the message of God's love, forgiveness, and saving grace for you. Invite the Christ of Calvary with His transforming power into your life. Discover for yourself that the Christ of the cross can change you. --- Vernon Grounds

The cross is my hope for eternity ---
No merit have I of my own;
The shed blood of Christ my only plea ---
My trust is in Jesus alone. --- Christiansen

CALVARY'S CROSS IS THE ONLY BRIDGE TO ETERNAL LIFE.

The Big News

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. --- Isaiah 9:6

The Bible In One Year:
Hosea 1-4
Revelation 1

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas."

Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He totally missed the big news --- man had flown!

Many people today make a similar mistake when they hear the word Christmas. They don't think of Jesus and His miraculous birth. Instead, they think of family gatherings, festive meals, decorations, and gifts. To them, Christmas brings nostalgia and memories of childhood.

Now, all this celebration isn't wrong. But if that's all that Christmas means to us, we are missing its true significance. The real meaning of this special day is summed up in the words of the angel to the shepherds on that night long ago: "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" [Luke 2:10-11].

That's the big news of Christmas! --- Richard De Haan

One day has left its mark in time
For all mankind to see;
It is the day when Christ was born ---
That day made history. --- D. De Haan

DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT INVITING THE GUEST OF HONOR.

Door Of Humility

Read: Philippians 2:5-11

God also has highly exalted Him..., that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. --- Philippians 2:9-10

The Bible In One Year:
Daniel 11-12
Jude

Over the centuries, the entrance to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity has twice been made smaller. The purpose in the last case was to keep marauders from entering the basilica on horseback. It's now referred to as the "Door of Humility," because visitors must bend down to enter.

As we age, bending our knees becomes more and more difficult and painful. In the physical realm, some people courageously undergo knee replacement surgery. To avoid years of increasingly painful joint damage, they endure several weeks of agony.

Like physical knees, spiritual knees can grow stiff over time. Years of stubborn pride and selfishness make us inflexible, and it becomes increasingly difficult and painful for us to humble ourselves. Seduced by false feelings of importance when others submit to us, we never learn that true importance comes from submitting ourselves to God and to others [Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5].

As we celebrate Jesus' birth, it's good to remember the Door of Humility, for it reminds us that we all need new knees --- knees that will bend. Humbly is the only way to enter the presence of God.

What better way to honor the One who bent so low to be with ut. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Christ's humble birth should help us see
What life in Him can bring;
It's not acclaim that we should seek
But service for our King. --- Branon

THE ROAD TO VICTORY IS PAVED WITH HUMBLE SUBMISSION TO GOD.

Use Your Weapons

Read: Ephesians 6:10-20

Above all, [take] the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. --- Ephesians 6:16

The Bible In One Year:
Daniel 8-10
3 John

While visiting a museum, I was intrigued by a small inscription describing a class of Roman gladiators --- the Retiari --- who fought using only a net and a trident. Of all the fearsome and lethal weapons available to those warriors, who often battled to the death, these men were given two items --- a piece of webbing and a three-pronged spear. When they entered the arena, their survival depended on how well they used their weapons.

In the spiritual battle we face as Christians, God has chosen our weapons: "Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" [2 Corinthians 10:3-4].

It's worth pausing to look at ourselves in the mirror of Ephesians 6:10-18 to see if we are properly equipped with "the whole armor of God." From the helmet of salvation to the shoes of the gospel of peace, we are to be protected and armed for a conflict that depends not on human strength but on the power of God.

When we realize the nature of that warfare and the forces against us, it's foolish to enter the fray with anything except our God-given weapons. --- David McCasland

Does all the world seem against you
And you're in the battle alone?
It's often when you are most helpless
That God's mighty power is known. --- Anon.

THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. --- Isaiah 40:31

Forgotten In The Gifts

Read: John 3:13-21

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. --- John 3:16

The Bible In One Year:
Daniel 5-7
2 John

In Western culture, the Christmas season is a time for a revelry of gift-giving. A world-famous department store annually issues a catalog of gifts of value beyond extravagance. One of them was a $10 million zeppelin --- a 230-foot-long, 50-foot-wide airship capable of flying for 24 hours without refueling.

A gift like that seems unbelievably ostentatious --- especially when we compare it to the lowly manger where God sent the gift of His Son. All too often, in the midst of our exchange of presents, God's gift is forgotten.

We can avoid this negligence by remembering to give from our heart. We can be inspired by love and gratitude not only for our loved ones but especially for the Supreme Giver of all good gifts --- our heavenly Father.

Even the smallest, least expensive gifts can take our memories back to Bethlehem, where God gave to the world His love-gift of infinite value. His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ [John 3:16]. With each present we give and receive, we can say from our heart, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" [2 Corinthians 9:15]. --- Vernon Grounds

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costly treasures bring
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King. --- Dix

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF CHRISTMAS IS THE FIRST SIX LETTERS.

Choose Your Alliances Carefully

Read: 2 Chron. 18:28-19:3

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. --- 2 Corinthians 6:14

The Bible In One Year:
Daniel 3-4
1 John 5

The Star Alliance is an affiliation of airlines that seeks to maximize passenger benefits. If you're traveling on a member airline, you can accumulate frequent-flyer miles after transferring flights and enjoy faster check-in. The Alliance's Web site calls in "a more civilized way to fly the world."

But not all alliances are mutually beneficial. In 2 Chronicles, we read that Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, formed an alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, when they joined armies against Syria. Why did Jehoshaphat establish this foolish bond with Ahab?

No reasons are given, but we know why Ahab encouraged Jehoshaphat to put on his kingly robes while Ahab disguised himself for the battle. He knew the Syrians would try to kill the king. The opposing army surrounded Jehoshaphat. He cried to the Lord for help and God diverted the troops. Despite Ahab's treacherous scheme to save his own skin, he was killed by a stray arrow.

Although Jehoshaphat escaped, Jehu the prophet confronted him, saying: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?" [2 Chronicles 19:2].

Helping people in need is godly. But making unwise alliances with those who hate God may prove disastrous.

Be sure to choose your alliances carefully. --- Albert Lee

It is good to join hands with the righteous,
Helping others you meet on your path;
But to make an alliance with evil
Will incur God's displeasure and wrath. --- Hess

RIGHT AND WRONG CAN NEVER BE PARTNERS.

A Glimpse Of Glory

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. --- 2 Corinthians 4:16

The Bible In One Year:
Daniel 1-2
1 John 4

Age has its troubles --- failing hearing and eyesight, forgetfulness, aching backs, arthritic hands. These are intimations that we are wasting away. Yet, Paul insisted, inwardly we are "being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us as far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" [2 Corinthians 4:16-17]. How so?

The way I see it, aging and weakness focus our thoughts on God. We learn to fix our eyes on Him and on unseen realities; we learn to distinguish between the permanent and what is passing away. We are drawn by God's love to set our affection on things above and not on things of earth.

And so we keep our eyes on "the things which are not see" [v.18]. We must look beyond our present frailty to what we will someday be --- glorious creatures, bursting with radiant beauty and boundless energy!

So "we do not lose heart" [v.16]. We can partner with our pain and go on serving, praying, loving, caring to the end of our days. We can know strength of character despite our frail humanity; we can show patient endurance and love for others in the midst of our discomfort. Despite our momentary troubles, we can press on, for we have glimpsed the glory that far outweighs them all. --- David Roper

The future is seen in the Bible ---
This knowledge with us God has shared;
By faith we can see the invisible,
The glory that He has prepared. --- Hess

WITH NOTHING BETWEEN US AND GOD, OUR FACES CAN REFLECT HIS GLORY.

Touched At Christmas

Read: Matthew 18:1-7; 19:13-15

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me." --- Matthew 19:14

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 47-48
1 John 3

In the past I've been annoyed by crowded church services during the Christmas season. I disliked the jam-packed pews and the hard-to-find parking places. I've even grumbled after being shunted to an overflow room when the sanctuary had filled long before the service began. Why don't these people who come once a year just stay home? I thought.

My attitude seemed to mirror that of the disciples, who scolded those who brought children to Jesus for His blessing [Matthew 19:13]. Whatever the reasons, the disciples must have thought they had no right to be there. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" [v.14].

I finally came to realize that it's a good thing whenever a person is drawn to a gathering that celebrates Jesus' birth. Whether it's a children's program, a candlelight service, or a concert by the choir, we never know when someone will encounter Christ the Lord. Broadcast journalist Harry Reasoner once said: "So if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it, and maybe on some given Christmas, some quiet morning, the touch will take."

Christmas seems to bring out the child in all of us. And every child is welcomed by Jesus. --- David McCasland

Give me a heart sympathetic and tender;
Jesus, like Thine, Jesus, like Thine,
Touched by the needs that are surging around me,
And filled with compassion divine. --- Anon.

NOTHING MOVES US LIKE A TOUCH FROM JESUS.

Coming Full Circle

Read: Luke 15:11-32

Your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found. --- Luke 15:32

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 45-46
1 John 2

In his fascinating book Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton tells how he left what he thought was the Christian faith, only to find the real thing later in life. To illustrate his spiritual journey, Chesterton describes the absurd scene of planting the flag of the British Empire on a foreign island, but then discovering it's actually the coast of England.

Raised in a lifeless "Christian" church, Chesterton had left his nominal faith. But later he began to doubt the atheistic assumptions that had led to his unbelief. He discovered the truth he had missed before. The "new country" was really home after all.

Jesus told a story about a young man who left home but later discovered its value. In the parable of the prodigal son, the youngest son asked for his share of his father's estate. Wandering far from home, he set no limits on his continuous partying. But his self-indulgent lifestyle caught up with him, and he became a pauper. Finally he went back home and confessed his sin. Life's painful consequences had forced him to return to a loving father.

At times we all feel the tendency to wander from the One who redeemed us. Our loving Father is watching and waiting for our return. --- Dennis Fisher

THINKING IT OVER
In what ways have you wandered from the truth?
Do you know someone who is wandering from God?
Are you watching and praying for that person?

IT'S NEVER TOO SOON TO COME HOME TO GOD.

Just Imagine!

Read: Ezekiel 1:1-5, 22-28

When I saw [God's glory], I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking. --- Ezekiel 1:28

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 42-44
1 John 1

What will it be like when we see the Lord for the first time? The song "I Can Only Imagine" asks,

Surrounded by Your glory,
what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You, Jesus,
or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence,
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine!

Ezekiel was a priest among the Jewish exiles in Babylon and had visions of the Lord [see chapters 1,8,10-11]. He described God's presence as "the appearance of fire with brightness all around," "the color of amber," and like "a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day." Ezekiel's reaction was to fall on his face before Him and to listen to His instructions [1:27-28].

The apostle John also saw a vision of God's presence. He may have been Jesus' closest friend here on earth. At the Last Supper, prior to the crucifixion, we read that John was "leaning on Jesus' bosom" [John 13:23]. Yet when John saw a vision of the Son of God in all His glory and power, he had the same reaction Ezekiel had, and "fell at His feet as dead" [Revelation 1:10-17].

We cannot comprehend how brilliant and awesome the Lord's glory is, so we can't be sure of how we'll respond when one day we're in His presence. Will we dance or be still? Will we stand in awe or fall to our knees? Will we sing or not be able to speak at all? Just imagine! --- Anne Cetas

NOW WE SEE JESUS IN THE BIBLE, BUT THEN, FACE TO FACE.

When I'm Afraid

Read: Psalm 56

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. --- Psalm 56:3

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 40-41
2 Peter 3

David fled from the home of the priests in Nob with Saul in hot pursuit. He made his way to Gath, the home of his enemies, where he was instantly recognized and brought before King Achish.

David's fame was celebrated everywhere in story and song. He had slain thousands of Philistines [1 Samuel 21:11], a reputation established at the expense of bereaved Philistine women and children. Here was an opportunity to take revenge.

David lost his nerve. In terror, he "pretended madness ...., scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard" [v.13]. Achish dismissed him with contempt: "Shall this fellow come into my house?" [v.15]. Broken and utterly humiliated, David fled to Adullam in Judah. Close by was a hill honeycombed with caves. Into one of those holes he crept --- alone.

As he experienced the solitude of that cave, at the nadir of his life and surrounded by enemies, David began to reflect on God's tender, faithful love. "When I am afraid, I will trust in You," he wrote [Psalm 56:3]. "You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle" [v.8].

Perhaps you're "in a cave" today. You too can say,"In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid" [v.11]. - David Roper

I have no reason to fear,
For Jesus my Savior is near;
I'll trust the Lord and His power
To save and to keep me each hour. --- Hess

LONELINESS IS BEING UNAWARE OF THE ONE WHO IS WITH US EVERYWHERE.

Greater Grace

Read: Romans 3:21-30

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. --- Romans 3:23-24

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 37-39
2 Peter 2

One morning, when our grand-daughter Julia was quite young, she and her Nana were reading the Bible together. They came to the familiar verse, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" [Romans 3:23].

Julia suddenly jumped up off the sofa and ran to get my father's weathered, marked-up King James Bible that I keep on a shelf in my office and that I had showed her that very morning. "It's very old," I told her solemnly.

She took the ancient Bible in her hand and ran back to Nana, excitedly found Romans 3:23, and read to her, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

"Yep," she said triumphantly, "Says the same thing in this one too!"

Sin has been with us from of old and will be with us as long as we live on this earth. But there is something older than sin --- something that outlasts it. According to the hymn-writer Julia Johnston, it is the "marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!" The hymn concludes, "Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin!"

Have you received His grace? --- David Roper

HOW TO RECEIVE GOD'S GRACE
Admit you are a sinner [Romans 3:23].
Believe on Jesus [Romans 10:9-13].
Confess Jesus to others [Matthew 10:32].

GRACE IS INFINITE LOVE EXPRESSING ITSELF IN INFINITE GOODNESS.

Accident Or Design?

Read: Romans 1:18-20

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. --- Psalm 19:1

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 35-36
2 Peter 1

The Bible opens with this magnificent statement: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" [Genesis 1:1]. How simple those words are and yet how fathomless!

Dyson Freeman, one of today's most brilliant scientists, writes that nature's laws are marked by "the greatest mathematical simplicity and beauty."

While I am not a scientist or a mathematician, I am intrigued by this statement. If there is no Designer --- no Creator God --- how is it that our universe can be a law-abiding system marked by beauty and simplicity? I wonder, why isn't our universe in chaos?

The only reasonable explanation to me is the God of the Bible. As it says in Romans 1:20, "Since the creation of the world [God's] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that [we] are without excuse."

If it's only the reality of God's existence that explains the whole universe, that must also be true of our lives. We are not accidents but creatures designed by a Maker of limitless power and wisdom. Look for Him in what He has designed --- you'll see Him there. --- Vernon Grounds

So much about His character
God wanted to impart;
Creation shows His handiwork---
His Son reveals His heart. --- Hess

THE DESIGN OF CREATION POINTS TO THE MASTER DESIGNER.

A Refreshing Change

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! --- 2 Corinthians 9:15

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 33-34
1 Peter 5

Starting each October, catalogs begin to fill up my mailbox advertising clothes, appliances, shoes, candles, books, music --- more than I could ever need or want for myself or for loved ones at Christmas.

But one catalog I received last November was a refreshing change. It was filled with ways people could give to orphans, the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the disabled through an international Christian ministry. The note in the front of the catalog read: "Share the light and love of Jesus Christ with people whose lives are filled with darkness and despair." What a relief to think about something other than buying one more thing for someone who already has so much!

The Macedonian church was an example of generosity [2 Corinthians 8:1-6]. They gave themselves first to the Lord, then to those helping the needy in Jerusalem. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to follow their example and Christ's, who gave Himself and "became poor, that [we] through His poverty might become rich" [v.9].

Do you want a refreshing change this Christmas? Consider new ways to give yourself to the Lord and to those in need. It's a meaningful way to thank God for "His indescribable gift" of salvation through His Son. --- Anne Cetas

The gifts that we may give
And deeds that we may do
Most truly honor Christ
When self is given too. --- D. De Haan

GIVING IS THE TRUE MEASURE OF LOVE.

Amazing Grace

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10

Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. --- Romans 5:20

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 30-32
1 Peter 4

In the 1700s, John Newton went to sea with his father on a merchant ship. Soon after his father retired, Newton was pressed into service on a warship. Facing intolerable conditions, he deserted and later requested a transfer to a slave ship that was soon to set sail for Africa.

Newton hardened himself to the trafficking of human beings, and eventually he became captain of his own slave ship. On May 10, 1748, however, his life was changed forever. His ship encountered a terrifying, violent storm. Just as it seemed that the vessel would sink, Newton cried aloud, "Lord, have mercy upon us!"

That night in his cabin, he began to reflect upon God's mercy. Through faith in Christ's sacrifice for him, John Newton experienced God's amazing grace in a personal way. In time, he left the slave trade and entered Christian ministry. Although he became a preacher of the gospel, he is most remembered for his much-loved hymn "Amazing Grace." It's an amazing testimony of his own experience.

God's Spirit convicts us of sin and gives us the power to forsake it. When we receive Christ as our Savior, He does for us what we are powerless to do in our own strength. That's amazing grace. --- Dennis Fisher

Amazing grace --- how sweet the sound ---
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see. --- Newton

GOD CLAIMS BY GRACE THOSE WHO HAVE NO CLAIM TO GRACE.

Where Will Death Lead?

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-26

The sting of death is sin .... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. --- 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 27-29
1 Peter 3

In AD 410, the Germanic barbarians known as the Goths sacked the city of Rome. During the invasion, many Christians were put to death in hideous and cruel ways.

In the midst of this tragedy, the great theologian Augustine [354-430] wrote his classing The City of God. His reflections, now nearly 16 centuries old, are still fresh today.

Augustine wrote, "The end of life puts the longest life on a par with the shortest .... Death becomes evil only by the retribution which follows it. They, then, who are destined to die need not inquire about what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them."

For those who trust Jesus Christ, death is not a sheriff dragging us off to court, but a servant ushering us into the presence of a loving Lord. The apostle Paul understood this. He looked at life and death from Christ's perspective. Since he knew where death from Christ's perspective. Since he knew where death would take him, he could boldly declare, "Death is swallowed up in victory" [1 Corinthians 15:54].

Every Christian can have that same courage. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we who place our faith in Him can look at death not as a period but a comma that precedes a glorious eternity with our Lord. --- Haddon Robinson

We never have seen, nor heard, nor imagined
The wonderful future the Lord has prepared
For those who will love and trust and receive Him ---
This glorious truth He has plainly declared. --- Hess

DEATH IS NOT A PERIOD --- IT'S ONLY A COMMA.

Love Goes Beyond Liking

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your strength. --- Deuteronomy 6:5

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 24-26
1 Peter 2

From childhood on, we are urged to show love, whether it's for parents or pets or friends, and especially for Jesus. But what is love?

We think of love as an emotion, a tender feeling, a positive reaction. So when Scripture commands us to love God and our neighbor, we may be confused about the meaning of love [Matthew 22:37-40].

Feelings simply cannot be commanded. A mother can order her child to love spinach, but she can't compel him to react positively when faced with a helping of that green vegetable.

So love must be more than an emotion. An old translation of our Lord's command may help us to understand love as an action that we choose: "Thou shall love ...." It's choosing to be patient, kind, self-less, and humble [1 Corinthians 13:4-5]. We can love others even though we may not like them, because it's a matter of making a choice.

Yes, we can respond obediently to what our Savior directs us to do. He knows, though, that we are not capable of doing this on our own. That's why He's given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to a life of loving obedience. With His help, we can learn to love those we don't like. Who knows? We may even begin to like them. --- Vernon Grounds

O Lord, how often selfishness
Will raise its ugly head,
So help us, Lord, to conquer it
And show Your love instead. --- D. De Haan

LOVING OTHERS REQUIRES A HEART OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

A Lost Art

Read: Colossians 1:9-14

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, ... and be thankful. --- Colossians 3:15

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 22-23
1 Peter 1

The apostle Paul had never been to the church in Colosse, but he had heard all about it from Epaphras. He knew it was a church under attack by false teachers, so he prayed fervently for this congregation [Colossians 1:9-14; 2:4-7].

Among his requests, Paul asked that they would give joyful thanks to the Father because He had rescued them, moving them from the kingdom of His Son [1:12-13]. We too need to be thankful for what Christ has done for us.

Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersbe illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

Let's take time often to recall how God has rescued us from eternal death and has given us eternal life through His Son. Let's make certain that we never allow thanking the Father to become a lost art. --- Dave Egner

Give me a spirit of thankfulness, Lord,
For numberless blessings given;
Blessings that daily come to me
Like dewdrops falling from heaven. --- Dawe

WITH PRACTICE, ANYONE CAN MASTER THE ART OF THANKFULNESS.

Good Workers

Read: Exodus 35:30-36:1

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings. --- Proverbs 22:29

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 20-21
James 5

During the early years of our marriage, my wife and I attempted to wallpaper our dingy Chicago apartment. We completed the project, but not without a great deal of difficulty. At one point I even had to remove a poorly-hung section of paper and go to the store to buy more. I learned to appreciate someone who could do a job like wallpapering with skill.

I marvel when I see a carpenter make things fit without measuring and remeasuring again and again. I admire the truck driver who masterfully backs his big rig into a tight space more easily than I do a small trailer on a 16-foot-wide driveway. I take my hat off to the plumber who so easily and good-naturedly installed a water heater in a small, seemingly inaccessible area --- especially when I think of all the frustration I experienced when trying to attach a simple water filter.

We read in today's Scripture about the skilled designers and weavers who helped construct the tabernacle. Proverbs 22:29 says that a person who excels in his work "will stand before kings." And Paul wrote, "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord" [Colossians 3:23].

God is pleased with work done well. He honors good workers, and so should we. --- Herb Vander Lugt

O Lord, I ask for strength to do
The task that You've assigned;
Help me to work with diligence,
Lest Your name be maligned. --- Fasick

WORK DONE WELL WILL RECEIVE GOD'S "WELL DONE!"

Difficult Days

Read: Psalm 23:1-6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. --- Psalm 23:6

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 18-19
James 4

We buried my wife's father 2 days before Thanksgiving, and every year the holiday is tinged with the sorrow of losing him. No doubt your calendar contains some of these difficult days that roll around once a year, bringing fresh reminders of losses that still hurt and people you still miss. A Wall Street Journal article calls these dates "emotional land mines" and says they may be even more difficult to face when they coincide with national holidays or anniversaries of significant events.

Grief counselors point out that taking a positive step can help us deal with grief. One year we planted a tree to mark the anniversary of a parent's death and the birth of a grandson on the same day. A scholarship fund or a memorial gift can benefit others while honoring the memory of a loved one. But a deep healing of spirit is a gift from God.

You may know Psalm 23 by heart, but try reading it with new eyes today. This familiar passage of comfort proclaims: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" [v.6]. Not just some of the days --- all the days.

When we traverse the emotional minefield of painful memories, the Good Shepherd is with us o every difficult day. --- David McCasland

Savior, please stay close beside,
Be my comfort, Lord, and guide,
When I'm troubled, tempted, tried,
May Your love and grace abide. --- Brandt

THE SWEETEST EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S LOVE CAN BE FOUND IN TIMES OF SORROW.

Let Go!

Read: Hebrews 3:7-19

Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. --- Hebrews 3:15

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 16-17
James 3

A 14-year-old North Carolina boy refused to stop playing his Nintendo Game Boy during school hours. The principal was called in and he still refused to stop. When the school liaison officer tried to search him, the teen kicked and punched him. The police were summoned, yet the boy adamantly resisted. Only after the officers gave him two shocks from a Taser gun were they able to remove the toy from him. He was uninjured, but one officer was bitten by the boy.

How can someone be so obstinate! Consider Pharaoh's stubborn refusal to let God's people go despite numerous plagues [Exodus 5-9]. Only after the seventh plague did Pharaoh begin to relent [9:27-28].

Pharaoh was foolish to harden his heart against God. Yet look at who hardened their hearts in the wilderness. Hebrews 3:15-16 says, "If you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?" Even those who had seen God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt rebelled against Him!

Today, let us ponder whether God is speaking to us. Could it be that we are clinging to some "toy" and refusing to let Him be Lord of our lives? --- Albert Lee

Dear Lord, help us when we don't know what to do.
Help us most of all when we know what to do but don't
want to do it. May it never be said that we cling tightly
to what displeases You. Amen.

GOD MUST RULE OUR HEARTS IF OUR FEET ARE TO WALK HIS WAY.

Don't Make News!

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

You should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God. --- 1 Thessalonians 4:1

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 14-15
James 2

A story in our local newspaper reported that a $1.73 billion highway and mass transit project in Denver, Colorado, was nearing completion on schedule and within the budget. But the story wasn't on the front page. In fact, it was tucked into a sidebar of brief summaries in small type on page 3 of the local news section. If the project had been plagued by fraud, delays, and cost overruns, no doubt it would have been headline news.

I've decided that "Don't Make News" might be a good motto in life. If we lie, cheat, and steal, that's news. If we live honestly and morally, we can have an unnoticed yet effective spiritual influence on people around us.

When Paul commended the Christians in Thessalonians for showing love toward each other, he urged them, "Aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands ... that you may walk properly toward those who are outside" [1 Thessalonians 4:11-12].

Since our goal is to please God in everything we do [v.1], it makes no difference whether anyone applauds our actions or not. We are called to be faithful, not famous. Bad behavior sells newspaper. Honesty and integrity honor the Lord. Don't make news! --- David McCasland

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name. --- Miller

THE WORLD'S APPLAUSE CANNOT COMPARE TO THE LORD'S APPROVAL.

Reach Out To The Young

Read: Mark 10:13-16

[Jesus] took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. --- Mark 10:16

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 11-13
James 1

Darmeisha didn't like the neighbor woman Suzanne, but she still knocked at her door frequently. She was an unhappy 8-year-old who seemed to enjoy mocking people. Most of their conversations ended with Suzanne telling her that she needed to go home.

Suzanne didn't like Darmeisha, but she knew the little girl had reasons for her attitude --- living in poverty, having no father in her life, and being neglected by her mother. So Suzanne asked the Lord to help her love Darmeisha. She began greeting her with a smile and showing an interest in her life. Darmeisha gradually warmed up to her and they became friends.

The girl is 13 now, and they are having a Bible study together. They talk about what it means to follow Jesus, because Darmeisha has given her life to Him.

Jesus took time for children. He was "greatly displeased" when the disciples wanted to keep the little ones away from Him, and He said, "Let the children come to Me, and do not forbid them" [Mark 10:13-14]]. He even said that we all must receive His kingdom as children do [v.15].

A 2004 Barna survey showed that 85 percent of Christians began their relationship with Jesus before age 14. So take time for the children. Reach out to the young. --- Anne Cetas

To those who are teaching the gospel,
With love in their hearts for its truth,
Comes the gentle reminder from heaven,
"Forget not the children and youth." --- Anon.

STRONG FAITH IS OFTEN FOUND IN THE HEART OF A CHILD.

A World In Labor

Read: Romans 8:18-25

The whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. --- Romans 8:22

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 8-10
Hebrews 13

Every now and then the earth lets out a moan. Sometimes it's more of a scream, like a mother giving birth.

The apostle Paul said that "the whole creation groans and labors" [Romans 8:22]. These groans often take the form of earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, or tsunamis.

A song by Sarah McLachlan speaks to this instability and the often tragic results of such geologic flailing. Called "World On Fire," one verse describes dealing with tragedy this way:

"I watch the heavens and I find a calling; something I can do to change this moment. Stay close to me while the sky is falling; don't want to be left alone."

We aren't alone in longing for Jesus, our Savior, to return. As we wait, He is our constant companion. Like the earth, we rant and rave for God to make things right. We as His followers are called to wait "with perseverance" [v.25] in spite of our earhtly uncertainties. Someday all of creation "will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" [v.21].

Jesus said that He would be with us always, "even to the end of the age" [Matthew 28:20]. And we can trust Him to keep His word. --- Dale Beaver

When earthquakes and calamities
Increasingly appear,
Look up, trust God, He's in control ---
Redemption's drawing near. --- Hess

JESUS MAKES POSSIBLE OUR NEW BIRTH AND NATURE'S REBIRTH.

Seven "Ones"

Read: Ephesians 4:1-7

[Endeavor] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. --- Ephesians 4:3

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 5-7
Hebrews 12

Have you ever worked at a job where you felt a strong bond with your co-workers? Perhaps you were united by a sense of mission, or by a respect for your boss, or by the belief that a prosperous company will benefit everyone financially. The more points of agreement among members of a group, the more they will be unified, the better they will perform, and the less likely they will be to fight among themselves.

Christians have a built-in list of unifiers that can keep them working together with a oneness of spirit. In Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul listed seven uniting "ones." Think of how helpful they can be to any group of believers working together on the same project:

One body --- we are a single family unified for one purpose
One Spirit --- we all have the Spirit as our power source
One hope --- we all look forward to the same future
One Lord --- we all trust the same Person in charge
One faith --- we all trust Jesus' sacrifice for our salvation
One baptism --- we all have a single identity
One God and Father --- we all share the same source of our existence.

What a difference it would make if we all cold dwell on those seven "ones." --- Dave Branon

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love!
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above. --- Fawcett

FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT UNITES THEM, NOT ON WHAT DIVIDES THEM.

Speak And Do

Read: James 3:13-18

The wisdom that is from above is ... without hypocrisy. --- James 3:17

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 3-4
Hebrews 11:20-40

In ancient Greek dramas, a person behind a curtain spoke the lines while the performer on stage acted out the role. We might refer to the speaker behind the scenes as one who didn't "practice what he preached."

This person behind the curtain reminds me of a problem we as Christians experience today. Many of us are skilled at sounding religious, but we don't put our words into action. This is hypocrisy.

When there is a discrepancy between what we say and what we do, we create confusion in the minds of our "audience." That's why many nonbelievers do not take the gospel message seriously.

A Christian who makes the greatest impact on a watching world, and who furthers the cause of Christ, is one whose actions harmonize with his words. When James spoke of the "wisdom that is from above," he described it as "pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" [James 3:17].

Our role as Christians is vastly different from the ancient Greek actors. They had speakers who didn't do, and doers who didn't speak. We are to be people who speak and do the truth. --- Richard De Haan

You're writing a "gospel," a chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do, by the worlds that you say;
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true ---
Say, what is the "gospel" according to you? --- Gilbert

WHEN WORDS AND ACTIONS AGREE, THE MESSAGE IS LOUD AND CLEAR.

The Right Focus

Read: Psalm 90

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. --- Psalm 90:12

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 1-2
Hebrews 11:1-19

We call life's older years the "sunset years." But are they really that rosy? For some, they are. But for many others, even Christians, the sunset years may become clouded with bitterness or despair.

To minimize this, we must make it our goal early in life to get the right focus. Robert Kastenbaum understood this. He wrote, "I do feel an increased sense of responsibility to this future self and to all those who cross my path. What kind of old man will I be, given the chance? The answer to that question depends largely on the kind of person I am right now."

As I have observed contented older people, I've learned that it is our focus more than our feelings that determines the sort of people we are. I once visited a godly woman in her nineties who was feeling her age in every joint and organ. "Old age ain't for sissies!" she groaned honestly. Then, as always, her groans gave way to praise for God's goodness. A focus of gratitude, begun early in life, parted the clouds and let the sun shine through.

What is your focus today, regardless of your feelings? Is it one of gratitude for Jesus and His gift of eternal life? If so, you'll grow sweeter as you grow older. --- Joanie Yoder

We can be young in heart and mind,
To others we can yet be kind,
Sing songs of praise to God through tears,
And grow in grace through all our years. --- Zimmerman

WHAT YOU WILL BE TOMORROW DEPENDS ON THE CHOICES YOU MAKE TODAY.

A Past Is Gone

Read: Acts 13:36-41

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. --- Romans 8:1

The Bible In One Year:
Lamentations 3-5
Hebrews 10:19-39

According to the English novelist Aldous Huxley, "There are no back moves on the chessboard of life." Yet we remain aware of things we have done and things we have left undone. Our sins worry us. They motivate us to wish fervently that somehow we could undo the past.

That's why those who put their faith in Jesus can be thankful for God's message in both the Old and New Testaments. When Paul preached in Antioch, he said, "By [Jesus], everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses" [Acts 13:39]. The law condemned us [Romans 7:10-11], but Jesus offers deliverance and new life [8:1].

Are you worried about what you've done in the past? Rejoice! God has "cast all our sins into the depths of the sea" [Micah 7:19]. Are you still concerned about your sins? Rejoice! "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember so more" [Hebrews 10:17]. And "I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions" [Isaiah 44:22].

If you have put your faith in Jesus and asked Him to forgive you, the past is truly forgotten. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" [Psalm 103:12]. Trust and rejoice! --- Vernon Grounds

My sin --- O, the bliss of this glorious thought ---
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul. --- Spafford

GOD'S FORGIVENESS FREES US FROM THE CHAINS OF REGRET

Tuned In

Read: Acts 10:1-23

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you." --- Acts 10:19

The Bible In One Year:
Lamentations 1-2
Hebrews 10:1-18

God speaks to us primarily through His Word, the Bible. Sometimes, however, He directs in ways we do not expect.

Gary Dougherty, a co-worker at RBC Ministries, was walking home from church one evening when he saw a young man coming from the opposite direction. A strong urge came over Gary to talk with him about becoming a Christian. He hesitated at first, but then he said to this total stranger, "Pardon me, but I believe God wants me to tell you how to become a Christian."

"I just asked my girlfriend's mother that question," said the man, "but she didn't know." "You mean you want to become a Christian?" Gary asked. "Yes, I do!" he replied. Still incredulous, Gary asked him again and then shared the plan of salvation with him. That night a young man met Jesus as his Savior.

Some might call this a coincidence, but there's a biblical parallel in Acts 10 with Cornelius and Peter, two men who were in touch with God's Spirit.

Not all believers have equally dramatic experiences. But if God's Word, prayer, and obedience are a daily part of our lives, we will be tuned in to the Spirit's leading and be ready to convey God's love to others. --- Dennis De Haan

Father, thank You for Your Spirit,
Fill us with His love and power;
Change us into Christ's own image
Day by day and hour by hour. --- Anon.

WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD, HE OPENS YOUR EYES TO THE LOST.

Our Father's Love

Read: Hosea 11

I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love. --- Hosea 11:4

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 51-52
Hebrews 9

A young Christian dad took his parenting role seriously. When his son was an infant, he protected him. As the boy grew, his dad played ball with him, encouraged him, and tried to teach him about God and life. But in his teen years, the boy went too far and too fast in his move toward independence.

Like the prodigal son in Luke 15, he rejected his father's values. He made foolish decisions and got into trouble. The father was deeply disappointed, but he never gave up on him. "No matter what he's done," he said, "he's still my son. I'll never stop loving him. He'll always be welcome in my house." The joyful day finally came when father and son were reunited.

The people in Hosea's day followed a similar pattern. Although God had rescued them from Egypt and nourished them, they turned their backs on Him. They insulted His name by worshiping the gods of the Canaanites. But still God loved them and longed for their return [Hosea 11:8].

Do you fear that you may have strayed too far from God to be restored? He who saved and cares for you longs for your return. His arms are open in forgiveness and acceptance. He will never drive you away.

How glad we can be for our Father's love! --- Dave Egner

I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him. --- Small

GOD'S LOVE HAS NO LIMITS.

Ordinary People

Read: Acts 4:1-21

When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. --- Acts 4:13

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 50
Hebrews 8

Bestselling novelish Arthur Hailey [1920-2004] once said of his characters, "I don't think I really invented anybody. I have drawn on real life." When readers open a book by the British author, they encounter ordinary people whom the writer has placed in extraordinary situations.

In Acts 4 we find ordinary people, including the fishermen Peter and John, whom God placed in unexpected situations as witnesses to the reality of the risen Christ. These men, who had fled when Jesus was arrested, were now boldly facing threats and punishment for telling others about Him.

Even the authorities who opposed these followers of Jesus were astonished "when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men ... And they realized that they had been with Jesus" [v.13].

Most of us are ordinary people in a real life of work, relationships, and everyday circumstances. Our opportunities to demonstrated the reality of Christ may sometimes come disguised as difficulties, as they did for the disciples in Acts.

As ordinary people, we can have an extraordinary impact for Christ if we will trust the Author of our circumstances and rely on the Holy Spirit's power --- David McCasland

Just what do Christians look like?
What sets their lives apart?
They're ordinary people
Who love God from the heart. --- D. De Haan

GOD IS LOOKING FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE TO DO EXTRAORDINARY WORK.

Golden Gods

Read: Exodus 12:29-42

You shall have no other gods before Me. --- Exodus 20:3

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 48-49
Hebrews 7

God had seized the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a series of plagues. Now they were dying to be rid of their Hebrew slaves. But God didn't want the Israelites to leave Egypt emptyhanded. After all, they had 400 years of wages due them. So they asked their former masters for articles of silver, gold, and clothing, and they got them. Exodus 12:36 says that the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians."

It wasn't long, however, until God's people fell into idolatry. They used their gold to make a golden calf, which they worshiped while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving God's law [32:1-4].

This tragic experience highlights the tension that Christians are required to maintain regarding their possessions. Their is much in our society that we enjoy, but material things also pose grave dangers when we use them thoughtlessly. Os Guinness says that we are "free to utilize" but "forbidden to idolize." We are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" [Hebrews 11:13], and we must not become so enamored with "the riches of Egypt" that we grow complacent and forget our true calling.

Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord? Or have we become slaves to them? --- Haddon Robinson

I have an old nature that noisily clamors
To satisfy empty desire;
But God in His goodness has sent me a Helper
Who whispers, "Your calling is higher." --- Gustafson

GOLD CAN BE A HELPFUL SERVANT BUT A CRUEL MASTER.

Who Then Is Beautiful?

Read: Genesis 24:12-21

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. --- Proverbs 31:30

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 46-47
Hebrews 6

In her book Who Calls Me Beautiful? Regina Franklin observes that in 1951 Miss Sweden was 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 151 pounds. But Miss Sweden of 1983 was 2 inches taller and 45 pounds lighter. What qualifies as beauty for one generation does not seem to apply to the next.

In Genesis 24:16, we are told that Rebekah was "very beautiful to behold." But physical beauty was not the crucial point for Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, who was sent to find a wife for Isaac.

Eliezer's prayer gives us an important clue about the kind of beauty he sought for his master's son: "Let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink.' and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink' --- let her be the one" [v.14].

Common courtesy could have prompted Rebekah to provide drinking water for a stranger, but to water camels was a different matter entirely. Ten thirsty camels could drink up to 210 gallons. Rebekah clearly had a servant's heart.

The Bible tells us that Rebekah was beautiful, but it says much more about the beauty of her character. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised" [Proverbs 31:30]. --- Albert Lee

Think not alone of outward form;
Its beauty will depart;
But cultivate the Spirit's fruits
That grow within the heart. --- D. De Haan

NOTHING CAN DIM THE BEAUTY THAT SHINES FROM WITHIN.

I Will Come Back For You

Read: John 14:1-6

I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. --- John 14:18

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 43-45
Hebrews 5

In 1914 Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to sail to Antarctica, and then walk to the South Pole. The expedition went according to plan until ice trapped the ship and eventually crushed its hull. The men made their way by lifeboat to a small island. Promising to come back for them, Shackleton and a small rescue party set out across 800 miles of perilous seas to South Georgia Island.

With only a sextant to guide them, they made it to the island. Shackleton then led his party over steep mountainous terrain to the whaling port on the other side. Once there, he acquired a ship to rescue his crew. Their leader had kept his word and returned for them. Not one man was left behind.

As Jesus was preparing to leave His disciples, He promised to return. He said, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" [John 14:3]. After enduring the horrors of the cross, Jesus rose from the dead to provide eternal life to all who believe in Him as their Savior. He indwells us today by the Holy Spirit, but one day He will return and gather us into His presence [1 Thessalonians 4:15-18]. Jesus is true to His word.

If you are His, He will come back for you! --- Dennis Fisher

Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary!
See day's approach now crimson the sky;
Night shadows flee, and your Beloved,
Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh. --- Camp

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING IS AS CERTAIN AS HIS FIRST.

The Lord Is My Rock

Read: Psalm 18:1-3

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust. --- Psalm 18:2

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 40-42
Hebrews 4

It turns out that we humans reason largely by means of our hearts and not by our heads. As French mathematician and theologian Blaise Pascal noted long ago, "The heart has reasons that reason does not know."

Poets, singers, storytellers, and artists have always known this. They use symbols and metaphors that speak to our hearts rather than to our minds. That's why their ideas penetrate where everything else has failed. And that's why we say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Images remain in our minds when all else is forgotten.

David wrote, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress, ... my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" [Psalm 18:2]. He was thinking of physical elements that convey spiritual realities. Each picture expresses a deeper thought, linking the visible world to the invisible realm of the Spirit. David doesn't wander into definition and explanation, for explanation can blunt imagination. Each picture is left hanging in our minds --- images that evoke mystery, arouse our imagination, and deeper our understanding.

David wakes up what is hidden deep within us. It's good to think long thoughts about it. What does this mean to you: God is my rock, my fortress, my shield? --- David Roper

O love of God, our shield and stay
Through all the perils of our way;
Eternal love, in Thee we rest,
Forever safe, forever blest. --- Bonar

FAITH BRIDGES CHASMS THAT REASON CANNOT FATHOM.

New Neighbors

Read: Luke 10:29-37

Who is my neighbor? --- Luke 10:29

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 37-39
Hebrews 3

On December 26, 2004, masses of people suddenly became our new neighbors. They were left with broken lives after a monstrous tsunami swept across 12 Asian countries, killing tens of thousands of their friends, relatives, and countrymen. Millions of survivors became destitute. But how did they become our neighbors?

According to Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, a neighbor is one who shows mercy on the needy. A lawyer had asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" [v.29]. Jesus told him about an injured traveler who had been attacked by thieves, ignored by a priest and a Levite, and helped by a Samaritan. Then He asked, "Which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" The lawyer answered correctly, "He who showed mercy on him" [vv.36-37].

Needy people who cross our path become our new neighbors, and we must be a neighbor by helping them. Too often we think of neighbors as related to us by geography. Instead, Jesus indicated that we are to consider anyone in need as a neighbor regardless of who they are or where they live.

Look around. Someone needs your help, mercy, and love. They are your new neighbors. --- Dave Branon

Reach out in Jesus' name
With helping hands of care
To those who are in need
And caught in life's despair. --- Sper

GOOD EXERCISE FOR THE HEART: REACH OUT AND HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR.

No Fast Food In The Bible

Read: Psalm 119:9-24

I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. --- Psalm 119:15

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 34-36
Hebrews 2

I love the sight of cows lying in the field, chewing their cud. But what is cud? And why do they spend so much time chewing it?

Cows first fill their stomachs with grass and other food. Then they settle down for a good long chew. They bring the food back up from their stomachs and rework what they've already eaten, assimilating its goodness and transforming it into rich creamy milk. Time-consuming? Yes. A waste of time? Not if they want to give good milk.

The phrase "chewing the cud" is used to describe the process of meditation. The writer of Psalm 119 obviously did a lot of mental chewing as he read God's Word. No fast food for him! If we follow his example of careful and prayerful Scripture reading we will:

Be strengthended against sin [v.11].

Find delight in learning more about God [vv.15-16].

Discover wonderful spiritual truths [v.18].

Find wise counsel for daily living [v.24].

Meditation is more than reading the Bible and believing it. It's applying Scripture to everyday life.

God's Word is not meant to be fast food. Take time for a good long chew. --- Joanie Yoder

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
As Thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word. --- Lathbury

TO BE A HEALTHY CHRISTIAN, DON'T TREAT THE BIBLE AS SNACK FOOD.

The Servant's Knew

Read: John 2:1-11

[Jesus'] mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." --- John 2:5

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 32-33
Hebrews 1

Few weddings are matters of life and death, but they often feel that way to the people involved. After giving three daughters in marriage, I can appreciate the concern parents have over proper arrangements for their guests. So whenever I read about the wedding in Cana in John 2:1-11, I find myself smiling at every turn.

Although the events strike me as lighthearted, Jesus' miracle of turning water into wine had the serious purpose of revealing Himself as the Son of God to His disciples.

Many people may have seen the large stone jars being filled with water. But it was the servants, who had poured every gallon, to whom the Lord said, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast" [v.8]. The Bible says simply, "And they took it." Their unhesitating obedience is a model for us in our daily God-given tasks.

The master praised the bridegroom, saying, "You have kept the good wine until now!" He didn't know its origin [v.10], "but the servants who had drawn the water knew" [v.9].

Like them, we recognize that whenever God uses our meager efforts to help others, it's a miracle of His power. The servants at Cana who drew the water knew that the praise belonged to Jesus. And so do we. --- David McCasland

I can always count on God, my heavenly Father,
For He changes not; He always is the same ---
Yesterday, today, forever, He is faithful,
And I know He loves me, praise His holy name. --- Felten

GOD'S GREAT POWER DESERVES OUR GRATEFUL PRAISE.