Read: Psalm 73:23-28
There is none upon earth that I desire besides You. --- Psalm 73:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 135-136
1 Corinthians 12
Health experts tell us we should drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. It may reduce the risk of heart attack, give our skin a healthy glow, and help us lose weight. We should drink even more water during exercise or if we live in a hot or dry climate. Even if we're not thirsty, we ought to drink water anyway.
Our thirst for God is even more beneficial. When we're spiritually dry, we long to hear from Him through His Word, and we search for even a drop of knowledge about Him. When we're exercising our faith in a new way, we want to be close to Him and receive His strength. Our thirst for God may increase when we see the sinfulness of people around us or when we gain a new awareness of our own sin and need for Him.
Spiritual thirst is a metaphor used throughout Scripture. Asaph thirsted for answers in his questioning psalm. When he saw the wicked prospering, he cried out to God to understand why [Psalm 73:16]. He found the Lord to be his strength and realized that he desired nothing but Him [vv.25-26].
If we're spiritually thirsty, we can follow Asaph's example and draw near to God [v.28]. He will satisfy us, yet give us a deeper thirst for Himself. We'll learn to desire Him above all else. --- Anne Cetas
O sinner, won't you come today to Calvary?
A fountain there is flowing deep and wide;
The Savior now invites you to the water free,
Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied. --- Peterson
A THIRST FOR GOD CAN BE SATISFIED ONLY BY CHRIST, THE LIVING WATER.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
The Only One
Read: Psalm 34
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. --- 1 Peter 3:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 132-134
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
As a teacher with many years of experience in high school and college classrooms, I have observed many kinds of students. One in particular is what I call the "just me and the teacher" student. This pupil has a kind of one-on-one conversation with the teacher --- almost as if no one else were in the class. The teacher's rhetorical questions, for instance, result in verbal answers from this student --- oblivious to anyone else's reaction. While the class is filled with other pupils, this one seems to think it's "just me and the teacher."
As I watched one of these students recently and saw him command the teacher's attention, I thought, He's on to something. He has the focus we all need to have when we pray.
The thought that millions of other Christians are talking to God as we pray should never cause us to feel that we are less important. No, as we talk to our everywhere-present, all-knowing, all-powerful God, we can be confident that He is giving us His full attention. David said, "This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him" [Psalm 34:6]. God directs single-minded attention toward our praise, our requests, and our concerns.
When you pray, to Him you are the only one. --- Dave Branon
So lift up your heart to the heavens;
There's a loving and kind Father there
Who offers release --- comfort and peace ---
In the silent communion of prayer. --- Anon.
THOUGH MILLIONS ARE BENDING GOD'S EAR IN PRAYER, HE LISTENS TO EACH INDIVIDUALLY.
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. --- 1 Peter 3:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 132-134
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
As a teacher with many years of experience in high school and college classrooms, I have observed many kinds of students. One in particular is what I call the "just me and the teacher" student. This pupil has a kind of one-on-one conversation with the teacher --- almost as if no one else were in the class. The teacher's rhetorical questions, for instance, result in verbal answers from this student --- oblivious to anyone else's reaction. While the class is filled with other pupils, this one seems to think it's "just me and the teacher."
As I watched one of these students recently and saw him command the teacher's attention, I thought, He's on to something. He has the focus we all need to have when we pray.
The thought that millions of other Christians are talking to God as we pray should never cause us to feel that we are less important. No, as we talk to our everywhere-present, all-knowing, all-powerful God, we can be confident that He is giving us His full attention. David said, "This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him" [Psalm 34:6]. God directs single-minded attention toward our praise, our requests, and our concerns.
When you pray, to Him you are the only one. --- Dave Branon
So lift up your heart to the heavens;
There's a loving and kind Father there
Who offers release --- comfort and peace ---
In the silent communion of prayer. --- Anon.
THOUGH MILLIONS ARE BENDING GOD'S EAR IN PRAYER, HE LISTENS TO EACH INDIVIDUALLY.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Getting Personal
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
The virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." --- Matthew 1:23
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 129-131
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
You may have received a letter recently and stared in surprise at the stamp. Instead of seeing the face of a famous person or historical figure, it was your brother and his dog.
In a test case, the US Postal Service licensed a private company to sell official stamps. For twice the value of the postage, customers could upload a digital photo of their choosing to a Web site, and in about a week they could stick first-class pictures of their wedding on their thank-you notes. Many people hope that technology will revive the lost art of sending a personal message by mail.
It's good to recall that the birth of Jesus was the most personal message possible from God. An angel told Joseph that this miracle baby would be a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy: "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" [Matthew 1:23].
Paul confirmed Jesus' identity when he wrote: "[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God," and that all of God's fullness dwells in Him [Colossians 1:15,19].
God Himself came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Could it be any more personal than that? --- David McCasland
Once from the realms of infinite glory,
Down to the depths of our ruin and loss,
Jesus came, seeking --- O Love's sweet story ---
Came to the manger, the shame, and the cross. --- Strickland
GOD REACHED OUT TO MANKIND WITH THE ARMS OF JESUS.
The virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." --- Matthew 1:23
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 129-131
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
You may have received a letter recently and stared in surprise at the stamp. Instead of seeing the face of a famous person or historical figure, it was your brother and his dog.
In a test case, the US Postal Service licensed a private company to sell official stamps. For twice the value of the postage, customers could upload a digital photo of their choosing to a Web site, and in about a week they could stick first-class pictures of their wedding on their thank-you notes. Many people hope that technology will revive the lost art of sending a personal message by mail.
It's good to recall that the birth of Jesus was the most personal message possible from God. An angel told Joseph that this miracle baby would be a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy: "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" [Matthew 1:23].
Paul confirmed Jesus' identity when he wrote: "[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God," and that all of God's fullness dwells in Him [Colossians 1:15,19].
God Himself came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Could it be any more personal than that? --- David McCasland
Once from the realms of infinite glory,
Down to the depths of our ruin and loss,
Jesus came, seeking --- O Love's sweet story ---
Came to the manger, the shame, and the cross. --- Strickland
GOD REACHED OUT TO MANKIND WITH THE ARMS OF JESUS.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Sweet Company
Read: John 14:15-26
The Spirit of truth ... dwells with you and will be in you. --- John 14:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 126-128
1 Corinthians 10:19-33
The elderly woman in the nursing home didn't speak to anyone or request anything. It seemed she merely existed, rocking in her creaky old chair. She didn't have many visitors, so one young nurse would often go into her room on her breaks. Without asking the woman questions to try to get her to talk, she simply pulled up another chair and rocked with her. After several months, the elderly woman said to her, "Thank you for rocking with me." She was grateful for the companionship.
Before He went back to heaven, Jesus promised to send a constant companion to His disciples. He told them He would not leave them alone but would send the Holy Spirit to be in them [John 14:17]. That promise is still true for believers in Jesus today. Jesus said that the triune God makes His "home" in us [v.23].
The Lord is our close and faithful companion throughout our entire life. Recording artist Scott Krippayne expresses this truth in song: "In my deepest night He is the guiding star; in my sinfulness He is the forgiving heart; a willing ear for each silent prayer, a shoulder for burdens I cannot bear. Sweet company from not through all eternity."
We can enjoy His sweet company today. --- Anne Cetas
In my bed of thorns, He is the fragrant rose;
In my wilderness, He's the stream that flows;
A shelter built with loving grace,
His refuge shall be my dwelling place. --- Krippayne
THE CHRISTIAN'S HEART IS THE HOLY SPIRIT'S HOME.
The Spirit of truth ... dwells with you and will be in you. --- John 14:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 126-128
1 Corinthians 10:19-33
The elderly woman in the nursing home didn't speak to anyone or request anything. It seemed she merely existed, rocking in her creaky old chair. She didn't have many visitors, so one young nurse would often go into her room on her breaks. Without asking the woman questions to try to get her to talk, she simply pulled up another chair and rocked with her. After several months, the elderly woman said to her, "Thank you for rocking with me." She was grateful for the companionship.
Before He went back to heaven, Jesus promised to send a constant companion to His disciples. He told them He would not leave them alone but would send the Holy Spirit to be in them [John 14:17]. That promise is still true for believers in Jesus today. Jesus said that the triune God makes His "home" in us [v.23].
The Lord is our close and faithful companion throughout our entire life. Recording artist Scott Krippayne expresses this truth in song: "In my deepest night He is the guiding star; in my sinfulness He is the forgiving heart; a willing ear for each silent prayer, a shoulder for burdens I cannot bear. Sweet company from not through all eternity."
We can enjoy His sweet company today. --- Anne Cetas
In my bed of thorns, He is the fragrant rose;
In my wilderness, He's the stream that flows;
A shelter built with loving grace,
His refuge shall be my dwelling place. --- Krippayne
THE CHRISTIAN'S HEART IS THE HOLY SPIRIT'S HOME.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
The Beauty Of Silence
Read: Psalm 62:1-8
Truly my soul silently waits for God. --- Psalm 62:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 123-125
1 Corinthians 10:1-18
Written on the wall behind the pulpit of the church we attended in my teens were these words: "The LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him" [Habakkuk 2:20]. And keep silence we did! All eight of us boys said nothing to one another as we sat waiting for the service to begin.
I loved this quiet time and often succeeded in pushing thoughts about girls and the Detroit Tigers out of my mind. The best I could, I tried to reflect on the wonder of God and His salvation. And in the silence I often sensed His presence.
Today we live in a noisy world. Many people can't even drive without music blaring from their car, or the beat of the bass vibrating their vehicle. Even many church services are marked more by noise than by quiet reflection.
In ancient times the pagans cried out in a noisy frenzy to their idols [1 Kings 18:25-29]. In sharp contrast, the psalmist saw the wisdom of silence, because in quiet reverence God can be heard. In the stillness of the night under a starry sky, in a hushed sanctuary, or in a quiet room at home, we can meet the living God and hear Him speak.
The psalmist's words are relevant today: "Wait silently for God aloen" [Psalm 62:5]. --- Herb Vander Lugt
Speak, Lord, in the stillness,
While I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen
In expectancy. --- Grimes
TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE, TURN DOWN THE WORLD'S VOLUME.
Truly my soul silently waits for God. --- Psalm 62:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 123-125
1 Corinthians 10:1-18
Written on the wall behind the pulpit of the church we attended in my teens were these words: "The LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him" [Habakkuk 2:20]. And keep silence we did! All eight of us boys said nothing to one another as we sat waiting for the service to begin.
I loved this quiet time and often succeeded in pushing thoughts about girls and the Detroit Tigers out of my mind. The best I could, I tried to reflect on the wonder of God and His salvation. And in the silence I often sensed His presence.
Today we live in a noisy world. Many people can't even drive without music blaring from their car, or the beat of the bass vibrating their vehicle. Even many church services are marked more by noise than by quiet reflection.
In ancient times the pagans cried out in a noisy frenzy to their idols [1 Kings 18:25-29]. In sharp contrast, the psalmist saw the wisdom of silence, because in quiet reverence God can be heard. In the stillness of the night under a starry sky, in a hushed sanctuary, or in a quiet room at home, we can meet the living God and hear Him speak.
The psalmist's words are relevant today: "Wait silently for God aloen" [Psalm 62:5]. --- Herb Vander Lugt
Speak, Lord, in the stillness,
While I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen
In expectancy. --- Grimes
TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE, TURN DOWN THE WORLD'S VOLUME.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Roughed Up To Grow Up
Read: Hebrews 12:1-11
Do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction. --- Proverbs 3:11
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 120-122
1 Corinthians 9
Many Christians have to be lovingly roughed up before they will grow up. Although the heavenly Father never allows His children to suffer needlessly, sometimes He lets them experience hard knocks so they'll become mature believers.
The need for "bad weather" to stimulate growth can be seen in nature. Scientists say that the seeds of some desert bushes must be damaged by a storm before they will germinate. They are covered with hard shells that keep out water. This allows them to lie dormant on the sand for several seasons until conditions are right for growth.
When heavy rains finally come, the little seeds are carried away in a flash flood. They are banged against sand, gravel, and rocks as they rush down the slopes. Eventually they settle in a depression where the soil has become damp to a depth of several feet. Only then do they begin to grow, for moisture is absorbed through the nicks and scratches they picked up on their downhill plunge.
Similarly, difficulties may be needed to wake up a sleeping saint. This may hurt for a while, but if we yield to the Lord we will find that life's bruises can mark the beginning of spiritual advances. We may prefer to remain "seeds," but He wants us to become "fruitful trees." --- Mart De Haan
Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil, and woe,
Or should pain attend me on my path below,
Grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see,
Grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee. --- Montgomery
THERE ARE NO GAINS WITHOUT PAINS.
Do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction. --- Proverbs 3:11
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 120-122
1 Corinthians 9
Many Christians have to be lovingly roughed up before they will grow up. Although the heavenly Father never allows His children to suffer needlessly, sometimes He lets them experience hard knocks so they'll become mature believers.
The need for "bad weather" to stimulate growth can be seen in nature. Scientists say that the seeds of some desert bushes must be damaged by a storm before they will germinate. They are covered with hard shells that keep out water. This allows them to lie dormant on the sand for several seasons until conditions are right for growth.
When heavy rains finally come, the little seeds are carried away in a flash flood. They are banged against sand, gravel, and rocks as they rush down the slopes. Eventually they settle in a depression where the soil has become damp to a depth of several feet. Only then do they begin to grow, for moisture is absorbed through the nicks and scratches they picked up on their downhill plunge.
Similarly, difficulties may be needed to wake up a sleeping saint. This may hurt for a while, but if we yield to the Lord we will find that life's bruises can mark the beginning of spiritual advances. We may prefer to remain "seeds," but He wants us to become "fruitful trees." --- Mart De Haan
Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil, and woe,
Or should pain attend me on my path below,
Grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see,
Grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee. --- Montgomery
THERE ARE NO GAINS WITHOUT PAINS.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Flee Temptation
Read: 2 Timothy 2:14-26
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace. --- 2 Timothy 2:22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:89-176
1 Corinthians 8
According to Greek mythology, sirens [sea nymphs] inhabited certain Mediterranean coastal areas. As ships passed by, the sirens sang such enchanting songs that the sailors, drawn by the music, would jump overboard and drown.
Odysseus was on a ship that had to pass that way. Aware of the powerful allurement of those songs, he ordered that he be bound with ropes to the mast and that the crewmen's ears be sealed with wax to block out the tantalizing music of the sirens. Having taken such precautions, Odysseus and the rest of the crew were able to sail past without yielding to the lure of the sea nymphs.
As Christians, we should be prepared to resist any temptations to evil. We must hate sin and be so serious about not giving in to its allurements that we are determined to deny our desire to participate in it.
Are there recurring sins in your life that have been defeating you? Drastic measures must be taken. You must keep away from any enticements that you know would play into your weakness. The best protection against temptation is to heed the warning Paul gave to Timothy: "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness" [2 Timothy 2:22]. That was good counsel then; it's still good today. --- Richard De Haan
It's wise to flee when tempted ---
A fool is one who'd stay;
For those who toy with evil
Soon learn it doesn't pay. --- D. De Haan
THE BEST WAY TO ESCAPE TEMPTATION IS TO FLEE TO GOD.
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace. --- 2 Timothy 2:22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:89-176
1 Corinthians 8
According to Greek mythology, sirens [sea nymphs] inhabited certain Mediterranean coastal areas. As ships passed by, the sirens sang such enchanting songs that the sailors, drawn by the music, would jump overboard and drown.
Odysseus was on a ship that had to pass that way. Aware of the powerful allurement of those songs, he ordered that he be bound with ropes to the mast and that the crewmen's ears be sealed with wax to block out the tantalizing music of the sirens. Having taken such precautions, Odysseus and the rest of the crew were able to sail past without yielding to the lure of the sea nymphs.
As Christians, we should be prepared to resist any temptations to evil. We must hate sin and be so serious about not giving in to its allurements that we are determined to deny our desire to participate in it.
Are there recurring sins in your life that have been defeating you? Drastic measures must be taken. You must keep away from any enticements that you know would play into your weakness. The best protection against temptation is to heed the warning Paul gave to Timothy: "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness" [2 Timothy 2:22]. That was good counsel then; it's still good today. --- Richard De Haan
It's wise to flee when tempted ---
A fool is one who'd stay;
For those who toy with evil
Soon learn it doesn't pay. --- D. De Haan
THE BEST WAY TO ESCAPE TEMPTATION IS TO FLEE TO GOD.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Broken Cisterns
Read: John 4:9-14
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns --- broken cisterns that can hold no water. --- Jeremiah 2:13
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:1-88
1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Picture yourself swinging a pick, digging from dawn to dusk, chiseling a cistern out of a hard, unyielding stone. You stay on the job, working through the biting cold of winter and the blazing heat of summer.
After years of strenuous effort you finally complete the task. Then you step back and wait for your cistern to fill --- and it leaks. You discover --- too late --- that all cisterns, no matter how well constructed, will leak.
The story is a picture of the futility of our attempts to find satisfaction in life. It's an age-old problem.
God told the prophet Jeremiah that His people "have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters." Instead, they had expanded their efforts on "broken cisterns that can hold no water" [Jeremiah 2:13].
Are you driven by soul-thirst, yearning for satisfaction? There is a spring of living wtaer, rising from hidden depts, pouring into our hearts, satisfying us even as it makes us thirst for more. Stoop down and drink.
Only God can satisfy your heart. Everything else will deceive and disappoint. "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst," said Jesus. "But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" [John 4:14]. --- David Roper
I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound. --- Peterson
ONLY LIVING WATER CAN QUENCH THE DRIVING THIRST OF THE SOUL.
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns --- broken cisterns that can hold no water. --- Jeremiah 2:13
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:1-88
1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Picture yourself swinging a pick, digging from dawn to dusk, chiseling a cistern out of a hard, unyielding stone. You stay on the job, working through the biting cold of winter and the blazing heat of summer.
After years of strenuous effort you finally complete the task. Then you step back and wait for your cistern to fill --- and it leaks. You discover --- too late --- that all cisterns, no matter how well constructed, will leak.
The story is a picture of the futility of our attempts to find satisfaction in life. It's an age-old problem.
God told the prophet Jeremiah that His people "have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters." Instead, they had expanded their efforts on "broken cisterns that can hold no water" [Jeremiah 2:13].
Are you driven by soul-thirst, yearning for satisfaction? There is a spring of living wtaer, rising from hidden depts, pouring into our hearts, satisfying us even as it makes us thirst for more. Stoop down and drink.
Only God can satisfy your heart. Everything else will deceive and disappoint. "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst," said Jesus. "But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" [John 4:14]. --- David Roper
I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound. --- Peterson
ONLY LIVING WATER CAN QUENCH THE DRIVING THIRST OF THE SOUL.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Our Main Calling
Read: Exodus 19:1-8
I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself. --- Exodus 19:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 116-118
1 Corinthians 7:1-19
In our performance-driven world, Christians often assume that God's main calling on their lives is to work for Him. But working for Christ should be secondary to our devotion to Him. As Oswald Chambers warned: "The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him."
I encountered this subtle "competitor" soon after the Lord led our family to start a ministry among street addicts. We loved these searching youths, and I devoted my entire attention and energy to helping them experience Christ's saving power.
Then Derek, one of our seekers, ran back to London and to drugs. This loss shocked me into realizing that I had become so absorbed in our work that my devotion to Jesus had lost its importance. God used my distresses as "eagles' wings" to carry me away from my worship of work and back to my first love --- Jesus!
God did the same for Israel in Moses' day. He delivered the Hebrews from an impossible taskmaster and brought them on "eagles' wings" back to Himself [Exodus 19:4].
Praise God, Derek soon returned. Meanwhile, I had learned a lesson that's vital for all followers of Jesus. Our God-given work must never compete with our main calling: devotion to Christ. --- Joanie Yoder
Striving for souls, I loved the work too well;
Then disappointments came; I could not tell
The reason, till He said, "I am thine all;
Unto Myself I call." --- Cowman
MANY CHRISTIANS ARE STRONG ON SERVICE BUT WEAK ON WORSHIP.
I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself. --- Exodus 19:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 116-118
1 Corinthians 7:1-19
In our performance-driven world, Christians often assume that God's main calling on their lives is to work for Him. But working for Christ should be secondary to our devotion to Him. As Oswald Chambers warned: "The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him."
I encountered this subtle "competitor" soon after the Lord led our family to start a ministry among street addicts. We loved these searching youths, and I devoted my entire attention and energy to helping them experience Christ's saving power.
Then Derek, one of our seekers, ran back to London and to drugs. This loss shocked me into realizing that I had become so absorbed in our work that my devotion to Jesus had lost its importance. God used my distresses as "eagles' wings" to carry me away from my worship of work and back to my first love --- Jesus!
God did the same for Israel in Moses' day. He delivered the Hebrews from an impossible taskmaster and brought them on "eagles' wings" back to Himself [Exodus 19:4].
Praise God, Derek soon returned. Meanwhile, I had learned a lesson that's vital for all followers of Jesus. Our God-given work must never compete with our main calling: devotion to Christ. --- Joanie Yoder
Striving for souls, I loved the work too well;
Then disappointments came; I could not tell
The reason, till He said, "I am thine all;
Unto Myself I call." --- Cowman
MANY CHRISTIANS ARE STRONG ON SERVICE BUT WEAK ON WORSHIP.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Spiritual Reupholstering
Read: Ephesians 4:17-24
Put on the new man which was created according to God. --- Ephesians 4:24
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 113-115
1 Corinthians 6
When we moved into our home 5 years ago, we discovered that the former owner had left us six dining room chairs. They were covered with fabric of beautiful African art --- tasteful zebra stripes. We appreciated the unexpected gifts and used them frequently when entertaining guests.
When we recently moved again, those chairs needed a makeover to match our new decor. So I alled an upholsterer and asked, "Shouldn't we just put the new material over the existing fabric?" He responded, "No, you'll ruin the shape of the chair if you just put new material over the old."
The work of God in our lives is similar. He's not interested in merely changing our spiritual appearance. Instead, He intends to replace our character with what is called "the new man," made in the image of Christ [Ephesians 4:24]. The flesh has a tendency to perform religious activity, but this is not the work of the Holy Spirit. He will completely transform us on the inside.
But the process is a partnership [Philippians 2:12-13]. As we daily lay aside our old behaviors and replace them with godly ones, the God of grace works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God wants to reupholster us. --- Dennis Fisher
Dear Lord, You've given new life to me ---
A great and full salvation;
And may the life that others see
Display the transformation. --- Hess
WHEN YOU RECEIVE CHRIST, GOD'S WORK IN YOU HAS JUST BEGUN.
Put on the new man which was created according to God. --- Ephesians 4:24
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 113-115
1 Corinthians 6
When we moved into our home 5 years ago, we discovered that the former owner had left us six dining room chairs. They were covered with fabric of beautiful African art --- tasteful zebra stripes. We appreciated the unexpected gifts and used them frequently when entertaining guests.
When we recently moved again, those chairs needed a makeover to match our new decor. So I alled an upholsterer and asked, "Shouldn't we just put the new material over the existing fabric?" He responded, "No, you'll ruin the shape of the chair if you just put new material over the old."
The work of God in our lives is similar. He's not interested in merely changing our spiritual appearance. Instead, He intends to replace our character with what is called "the new man," made in the image of Christ [Ephesians 4:24]. The flesh has a tendency to perform religious activity, but this is not the work of the Holy Spirit. He will completely transform us on the inside.
But the process is a partnership [Philippians 2:12-13]. As we daily lay aside our old behaviors and replace them with godly ones, the God of grace works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God wants to reupholster us. --- Dennis Fisher
Dear Lord, You've given new life to me ---
A great and full salvation;
And may the life that others see
Display the transformation. --- Hess
WHEN YOU RECEIVE CHRIST, GOD'S WORK IN YOU HAS JUST BEGUN.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Keep The Goal In View
Read: 1 Timothy 4:1-11
Reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. --- 1 Timothy 4:7
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 110-112
1 Corinthians 5
Bible scholar William Barclay tells of his walks through the meadow with his bull terrier Rusty. Whenever his dog came to a shallow creek, he jumped in and started removing stones, one by one, dropping them haphazardly on the shore. This pointless activity would go on for hours.
Barclay says that Rusty's strange behavior reminds him of some self-proclaimed experts on the Bible. They expend enormous energy and countless hours trying to interpret obscure passages, but all their effort does nothing to edify themselves or others.
Through the years I hvae received long letters form people like that. Some show me how to know exactly who the Antichrist will be. Others claim to have found the key to certain Bible mysteries by studying the meaning of names in the lists of genealogies.
Apparently there were some teachers in Ephesus who were trying to impress the believers by weaving myths and fables into their interpretation of the Bible. But what they taught did nothing to promote godliness. It was therefore as pointless as Rusty's stone removal project.
Paul said to Timothy, "Exercise yourself toward godliness." That's the most important goal to keep in view as we study the Bible. --- Herb Vander Lugt
Oh, grant us grace, Almighty Lord!
To read and mark Thy holy Word,
Its truths with meekness to receive,
And by its holy precepts live. --- Boddome
DON'T STUDY THE BIBLE TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE IT; STUDY IT TO OBEY IT.
Reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. --- 1 Timothy 4:7
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 110-112
1 Corinthians 5
Bible scholar William Barclay tells of his walks through the meadow with his bull terrier Rusty. Whenever his dog came to a shallow creek, he jumped in and started removing stones, one by one, dropping them haphazardly on the shore. This pointless activity would go on for hours.
Barclay says that Rusty's strange behavior reminds him of some self-proclaimed experts on the Bible. They expend enormous energy and countless hours trying to interpret obscure passages, but all their effort does nothing to edify themselves or others.
Through the years I hvae received long letters form people like that. Some show me how to know exactly who the Antichrist will be. Others claim to have found the key to certain Bible mysteries by studying the meaning of names in the lists of genealogies.
Apparently there were some teachers in Ephesus who were trying to impress the believers by weaving myths and fables into their interpretation of the Bible. But what they taught did nothing to promote godliness. It was therefore as pointless as Rusty's stone removal project.
Paul said to Timothy, "Exercise yourself toward godliness." That's the most important goal to keep in view as we study the Bible. --- Herb Vander Lugt
Oh, grant us grace, Almighty Lord!
To read and mark Thy holy Word,
Its truths with meekness to receive,
And by its holy precepts live. --- Boddome
DON'T STUDY THE BIBLE TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE IT; STUDY IT TO OBEY IT.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
The Prospect Of Heaven
Read: Revelation 22:1-5
Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. --- 1 Corinthians 13:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 107-109
1 Corinthians 4
As I approached my 90th birthday, two emotions surged through my heart. One was certainty, the positive assurance of life to come. And why not? Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also" [John 14:19].
That assurance, however, is often accompanied by another emotion --- curiosity. What will the next world really be like? Even the inspired descriptions of the celestial dwelling that we have in the Bible's last book are inadequate to convey what awaits us. Yet they do intensify our desire to leave this dark earthly existence and to enter that heavenly reality. We read about "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God," "the tree of life," and "no more curse" [Revelation 22:1-3].
What are your own reactions as you think about the life beyond this life? Perhaps you are not especially curious. But are you blessed with the certainty of heaven, which you can have by faith in Jesus? Think of the words He spoke at the grave of Lazarus: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" [John 11:25].
Is that promise the foundation of your certainty? You can make it so by believing in Jesus. --- Vernon Grounds
HOW CAN WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF HEAVEN?
Recognize our sinfulness [Romans 6:23];
believe Jesus died for us [Acts 16:31];
receive Him as Savior [John 1:12];
trust His promise [John 20:31].
WHAT YOU DO WITH JESUS NOW DETERMINES WHAT HE WILL DO WITH YOU LATER.
Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. --- 1 Corinthians 13:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 107-109
1 Corinthians 4
As I approached my 90th birthday, two emotions surged through my heart. One was certainty, the positive assurance of life to come. And why not? Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also" [John 14:19].
That assurance, however, is often accompanied by another emotion --- curiosity. What will the next world really be like? Even the inspired descriptions of the celestial dwelling that we have in the Bible's last book are inadequate to convey what awaits us. Yet they do intensify our desire to leave this dark earthly existence and to enter that heavenly reality. We read about "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God," "the tree of life," and "no more curse" [Revelation 22:1-3].
What are your own reactions as you think about the life beyond this life? Perhaps you are not especially curious. But are you blessed with the certainty of heaven, which you can have by faith in Jesus? Think of the words He spoke at the grave of Lazarus: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" [John 11:25].
Is that promise the foundation of your certainty? You can make it so by believing in Jesus. --- Vernon Grounds
HOW CAN WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF HEAVEN?
Recognize our sinfulness [Romans 6:23];
believe Jesus died for us [Acts 16:31];
receive Him as Savior [John 1:12];
trust His promise [John 20:31].
WHAT YOU DO WITH JESUS NOW DETERMINES WHAT HE WILL DO WITH YOU LATER.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Don't Forget
Read: 2 Peter 1:12-21
I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. --- 2 Peter 1:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 105-106
1 Corinthians 3
How can people who experienced the same event have radically different recollections of what happened? An Associated Press article summarized the results of dozens of studies on human memory: "Far from being an indelible recording, human memory is fragile, incomplete, malleable and highly subject to suggestion."
Memories can change with time. In some cases, people may slightly alter their version of an event with each retelling, much like a fisherman's exaggerated account of "the one that got away." But an objective, factual record can correct the mental wanderings to which we're all susceptible.
Peter wrote two letters to give us an accurate, enduring record of God's truth. "I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth .... Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things" [2 Peter 1:12,15].
Our fragile memories need constant refreshing through the unchanging record of God's Word, the Bible. Through this reliable reminder, we can guard our thinking against the subtle drift toward a merely human perspective on life.
Throughout the Bible, the Lord's purpose is to stir up our minds so that we don't forget His truth. --- David McCasland
God's Word must verify the truth
Of what is wrong or right,
And test what seems so real to me
Of feelings, sense, and sight. --- D. De Haan
THE BEST WAY TO RENEW OUR MINDS IS TO READ GOD'S WORD DAILY.
I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. --- 2 Peter 1:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 105-106
1 Corinthians 3
How can people who experienced the same event have radically different recollections of what happened? An Associated Press article summarized the results of dozens of studies on human memory: "Far from being an indelible recording, human memory is fragile, incomplete, malleable and highly subject to suggestion."
Memories can change with time. In some cases, people may slightly alter their version of an event with each retelling, much like a fisherman's exaggerated account of "the one that got away." But an objective, factual record can correct the mental wanderings to which we're all susceptible.
Peter wrote two letters to give us an accurate, enduring record of God's truth. "I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth .... Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things" [2 Peter 1:12,15].
Our fragile memories need constant refreshing through the unchanging record of God's Word, the Bible. Through this reliable reminder, we can guard our thinking against the subtle drift toward a merely human perspective on life.
Throughout the Bible, the Lord's purpose is to stir up our minds so that we don't forget His truth. --- David McCasland
God's Word must verify the truth
Of what is wrong or right,
And test what seems so real to me
Of feelings, sense, and sight. --- D. De Haan
THE BEST WAY TO RENEW OUR MINDS IS TO READ GOD'S WORD DAILY.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Rock Bottom
Read: Psalm 119:65-72
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. --- Psalm 119:71
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 103-104
1 Corinthians 2
I was in my early thirties, a dedicated wife and mother, a Christian worker at my husband's side. Yet inwardly I found myself on a trip nobody wants to take --- the trip downward. I was heading for that certain sort of breakdown of my stubborn self-sufficiency.
Finally I experienced the odd relief of hitting rock bottom, where I made an unexpected discovery: The rock on which I had been thrown was none other than Christ Himself. Cast on Him alone, I was in a position to rebuild the rest of my life, this time as a God-dependent person I had been. My rock-bottom experience became a turning point and one of the most vital spiritual developments of my life.
Most people feel anything but spiritual when they hit bottom. Their misery is often reinforced by Christians who take a very shortsighted view of what the sufferer is going through, and why. But our heavenly Father is well-pleased with what He intends to bring out of such a painful process.
A person who knows the secret of the God-dependent life can say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes" [Psalm 119:71] --- Joanie Yoder
Lift up your eyes, discouraged one,
The Lord your help will be;
New strength will come from Him who said,
"For rest, come unto Me." --- Anon.
WHEN A CHRISTIAN HITS ROCK BOTTOM, HE FINDS THAT CHRIST IS A FIRM FOUNDATION.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. --- Psalm 119:71
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 103-104
1 Corinthians 2
I was in my early thirties, a dedicated wife and mother, a Christian worker at my husband's side. Yet inwardly I found myself on a trip nobody wants to take --- the trip downward. I was heading for that certain sort of breakdown of my stubborn self-sufficiency.
Finally I experienced the odd relief of hitting rock bottom, where I made an unexpected discovery: The rock on which I had been thrown was none other than Christ Himself. Cast on Him alone, I was in a position to rebuild the rest of my life, this time as a God-dependent person I had been. My rock-bottom experience became a turning point and one of the most vital spiritual developments of my life.
Most people feel anything but spiritual when they hit bottom. Their misery is often reinforced by Christians who take a very shortsighted view of what the sufferer is going through, and why. But our heavenly Father is well-pleased with what He intends to bring out of such a painful process.
A person who knows the secret of the God-dependent life can say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes" [Psalm 119:71] --- Joanie Yoder
Lift up your eyes, discouraged one,
The Lord your help will be;
New strength will come from Him who said,
"For rest, come unto Me." --- Anon.
WHEN A CHRISTIAN HITS ROCK BOTTOM, HE FINDS THAT CHRIST IS A FIRM FOUNDATION.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Why Love Begets Hate
Read: John 15:18-27
[Jesus said], "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." --- John 15:18
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 100-102
1 Corinthians 1
If there is one thing believers in Jesus should be known for, it is love. The word love appears in Scripture more than 500 times. The essence of the gospel is love, as we see in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world ...." The epistle of 1 John 3:16 elaborates: "By this we know love, became He laid down His life for us."
Christians are to serve one another in love [Galatians 5:13], love their neighbors as themselves [Galatians 5:14], live a life of love [Ephesians 5:2], and love with actions and in truth [1 John 3:18].
So, if Jesus and His followers are all about love, why do some people love to hate us? Why are there, according to one estimate, 200 million persecuted believers in the world today?
Jesus told us why. He said to His disciples, "Everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed? [John 3:20]. Jesus is the Light. When He walked this earth, people hated Him because He exposed the darkness of their sin. We are now. His light in this world [Matthew 5:14]; therefore, the world will also hate us [John 15:19].
Our task is to be channels of God's love and light, even if we are hated in return. --- Dave Branon
Some will hate you, some will love you;
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above you,
Trust in God and do the right. --- Macleod
LOVE IN RETURN FOR LOVE IS NATURAL, BUT LOVE IN RETURN FOR HATE IS SUPERNATURAL.
[Jesus said], "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." --- John 15:18
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 100-102
1 Corinthians 1
If there is one thing believers in Jesus should be known for, it is love. The word love appears in Scripture more than 500 times. The essence of the gospel is love, as we see in John 3:16. "For God so loved the world ...." The epistle of 1 John 3:16 elaborates: "By this we know love, became He laid down His life for us."
Christians are to serve one another in love [Galatians 5:13], love their neighbors as themselves [Galatians 5:14], live a life of love [Ephesians 5:2], and love with actions and in truth [1 John 3:18].
So, if Jesus and His followers are all about love, why do some people love to hate us? Why are there, according to one estimate, 200 million persecuted believers in the world today?
Jesus told us why. He said to His disciples, "Everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed? [John 3:20]. Jesus is the Light. When He walked this earth, people hated Him because He exposed the darkness of their sin. We are now. His light in this world [Matthew 5:14]; therefore, the world will also hate us [John 15:19].
Our task is to be channels of God's love and light, even if we are hated in return. --- Dave Branon
Some will hate you, some will love you;
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above you,
Trust in God and do the right. --- Macleod
LOVE IN RETURN FOR LOVE IS NATURAL, BUT LOVE IN RETURN FOR HATE IS SUPERNATURAL.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Facing Your Enemies
Read: Psalm 27
Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. --- Psalm 27:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 97-99
Romans 16
During the US Civil War, fierce fighting was taking place near Moorefield, West Virginia. Because the town was close to enemy lines, it would be controlled one day by Union troops, and the next by Confederates.
In the heart of the town lived an old woman. According to the testimony of a Presbyterian minister, one morning several enemy soldiers knocked on her door and demanded breakfast. She asked them in and said she would prepare something for them.
When the food was ready, she said, "It's my custom to read the Bible and pray before breakfast. I hope you won't mind." They consented, so she took her Bible, opened it at random, and began to read Psalm 27. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I be fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" [v.1]. She read on through the last verse: "Wait on the LORD; be a good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart" [v.14]. When she finished reading, she said, "Let us pray." While she was praying, she heard sounds of the men moving around in the room. When she said "amen" and looked up, the soldiers were gone.
Meditate on Psalm 27. If you are facing enemies, God will use His Word to help you. --- Haddon Robinson
When you know the Lord is near,
Face the enemy without fear;
Though an army may surround you,
You are safe --- God's arms around you. --- Hess
LET YOUR FEARS DRIVE YOU TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. --- Psalm 27:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 97-99
Romans 16
During the US Civil War, fierce fighting was taking place near Moorefield, West Virginia. Because the town was close to enemy lines, it would be controlled one day by Union troops, and the next by Confederates.
In the heart of the town lived an old woman. According to the testimony of a Presbyterian minister, one morning several enemy soldiers knocked on her door and demanded breakfast. She asked them in and said she would prepare something for them.
When the food was ready, she said, "It's my custom to read the Bible and pray before breakfast. I hope you won't mind." They consented, so she took her Bible, opened it at random, and began to read Psalm 27. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I be fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" [v.1]. She read on through the last verse: "Wait on the LORD; be a good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart" [v.14]. When she finished reading, she said, "Let us pray." While she was praying, she heard sounds of the men moving around in the room. When she said "amen" and looked up, the soldiers were gone.
Meditate on Psalm 27. If you are facing enemies, God will use His Word to help you. --- Haddon Robinson
When you know the Lord is near,
Face the enemy without fear;
Though an army may surround you,
You are safe --- God's arms around you. --- Hess
LET YOUR FEARS DRIVE YOU TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Handyman Genius
Read: Ephesians 4:11-16
He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, ... for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry. --- Ephesians 4:11-12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 94-96
Romans 15:14-33
My father-in-law Pete is a genius. No, he didn't develop any scientific theories like Einstein did. His genius is that of a handyman. Just ask him about an ailing furnace or a clogged garbage disposal. He can intuitively diagnose the problem and come up with a solution. When my inlaws visit, it looks like a home repair TV show. I often take notes. In many ways, as I watch Pete, I am equipped to do the repairs on my own.
In the church, there are spiritual leaders whose job it is to equip us for ministry. In Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, he wrote about equipping the people for service [Ephesians 4:11-12]. The word used here for "equip" is the same one used to describe the disciples' mending of their nets when Jesus called them into service [Mark 1:16-20]. For 3 years, Jesus "mended holes" in their "ministry nets" so they could be effective fishers of men [v.17].
If you don't know how to get started in finding and participating in a ministry, watch for people who can show you how it's done. Observe the way they use the Bible, pray, and work with people. Soon you will find that the Lord is using you more effectively in the lives of others. All you need is to be equipped. --- Dennis Fisher
By God's design, there lies in wait for you
Important work tht no one else can do,
Just as the planets find their paths through space,
You too must grow to fill your proper place. --- Thayer
ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE RIGHT LEADER?
He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, ... for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry. --- Ephesians 4:11-12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 94-96
Romans 15:14-33
My father-in-law Pete is a genius. No, he didn't develop any scientific theories like Einstein did. His genius is that of a handyman. Just ask him about an ailing furnace or a clogged garbage disposal. He can intuitively diagnose the problem and come up with a solution. When my inlaws visit, it looks like a home repair TV show. I often take notes. In many ways, as I watch Pete, I am equipped to do the repairs on my own.
In the church, there are spiritual leaders whose job it is to equip us for ministry. In Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, he wrote about equipping the people for service [Ephesians 4:11-12]. The word used here for "equip" is the same one used to describe the disciples' mending of their nets when Jesus called them into service [Mark 1:16-20]. For 3 years, Jesus "mended holes" in their "ministry nets" so they could be effective fishers of men [v.17].
If you don't know how to get started in finding and participating in a ministry, watch for people who can show you how it's done. Observe the way they use the Bible, pray, and work with people. Soon you will find that the Lord is using you more effectively in the lives of others. All you need is to be equipped. --- Dennis Fisher
By God's design, there lies in wait for you
Important work tht no one else can do,
Just as the planets find their paths through space,
You too must grow to fill your proper place. --- Thayer
ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE RIGHT LEADER?
Monday, August 14, 2006
It's Beautiful!
Read: Mark 14:3-9
Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me." --- Mark 14:6
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 91-93
Romans 15:1-13
After being away on business, Terry wanted to pick up some small gifts for his children. The clerk at the airport gift shop recommended a number of costly items. "I don't have that much money with me," he said. "I need something less expensive." The clerk tried to make him feel that he was being cheap. But Terry knew his children would be happy with whatever he gave them, because it come from a heart of love. And he was right --- they loved the gifts he bought.
During Jesus' last visit to the town of Bethany, Mary wanted to show her love for Him [Mark 14:3-9]. So she brought "an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard" and anointed Him [v.3]. The disciples asked angrily, "Why this waste?" [Matthew 26:8]. Jesus told them to stop troubling her, for "she has done a good work for Me" [Mark 14:6]. Another translation reads, "She has done a beautiful thing to Me." Jesus delighted in her gift, for it came from a heart of love. Even anointing Him for burial was beautiful!
What would you like to give to Jesus to show your love? Your time, talent, treasure? It doesn't matter if it's costly or inexpensive, whether others understand or criticize. Whatever is given from a heart of love is beautiful to Him. --- Anne Cetas
With thankful hearts give praise to Jesus
For His blessings without end;
Let's give to Him our full devotion ---
He's our Savior and our Friend. --- D. De Haan
A HEALTHY HEART BEATS WITH LOVE FOR JESUS.
Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me." --- Mark 14:6
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 91-93
Romans 15:1-13
After being away on business, Terry wanted to pick up some small gifts for his children. The clerk at the airport gift shop recommended a number of costly items. "I don't have that much money with me," he said. "I need something less expensive." The clerk tried to make him feel that he was being cheap. But Terry knew his children would be happy with whatever he gave them, because it come from a heart of love. And he was right --- they loved the gifts he bought.
During Jesus' last visit to the town of Bethany, Mary wanted to show her love for Him [Mark 14:3-9]. So she brought "an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard" and anointed Him [v.3]. The disciples asked angrily, "Why this waste?" [Matthew 26:8]. Jesus told them to stop troubling her, for "she has done a good work for Me" [Mark 14:6]. Another translation reads, "She has done a beautiful thing to Me." Jesus delighted in her gift, for it came from a heart of love. Even anointing Him for burial was beautiful!
What would you like to give to Jesus to show your love? Your time, talent, treasure? It doesn't matter if it's costly or inexpensive, whether others understand or criticize. Whatever is given from a heart of love is beautiful to Him. --- Anne Cetas
With thankful hearts give praise to Jesus
For His blessings without end;
Let's give to Him our full devotion ---
He's our Savior and our Friend. --- D. De Haan
A HEALTHY HEART BEATS WITH LOVE FOR JESUS.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Bellyaching And Its Cure
Read: Matthew 20:1-16
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up. --- 1 Corinthians 13:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 89-90
Romans 14
A mentally impaired man always shook hands with his pastor after each service. But he often made critical comments like these: "You preach too long." "Your sermons are boring." "You talk about yourself too much." Distressed, the pastor mentioned this to a deacon, who replied,"Oh, don't worry about him. All he does is parrot what he hears others say."
Grumbling is an all-too-common sin among Christians, and some are chronic complainers. They are skilled at finding something wrong with anyone who is actively trying to serve the Lord. And undoubtedly all of us have done some bellyaching.
The best cure for this sinful habit is Christian love --- something easy to talk about but difficult to practice. First, we must consciously desire God's best for everyond. This love "suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; ... love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil" [1 Corinthians 13:4-5]. Then, as we depend on the Lord, we must put these attitudes into practice.
The next time you feel like finding fault with someone, resist that impulse and look for a way to do good to that person [Galatians 6:10]. Do this diligently, and in time you will be cured of your bellyaching. --- Herb Vander Lugt
I would not criticize the one who works,
The one who listens to God's Word and heeds;
But I would criticize myself, dear Lord,
Confess to You my faithless words and deeds. --- Hess
DON'T FIND A FAULT --- FIND A REMEDY.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up. --- 1 Corinthians 13:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 89-90
Romans 14
A mentally impaired man always shook hands with his pastor after each service. But he often made critical comments like these: "You preach too long." "Your sermons are boring." "You talk about yourself too much." Distressed, the pastor mentioned this to a deacon, who replied,"Oh, don't worry about him. All he does is parrot what he hears others say."
Grumbling is an all-too-common sin among Christians, and some are chronic complainers. They are skilled at finding something wrong with anyone who is actively trying to serve the Lord. And undoubtedly all of us have done some bellyaching.
The best cure for this sinful habit is Christian love --- something easy to talk about but difficult to practice. First, we must consciously desire God's best for everyond. This love "suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; ... love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil" [1 Corinthians 13:4-5]. Then, as we depend on the Lord, we must put these attitudes into practice.
The next time you feel like finding fault with someone, resist that impulse and look for a way to do good to that person [Galatians 6:10]. Do this diligently, and in time you will be cured of your bellyaching. --- Herb Vander Lugt
I would not criticize the one who works,
The one who listens to God's Word and heeds;
But I would criticize myself, dear Lord,
Confess to You my faithless words and deeds. --- Hess
DON'T FIND A FAULT --- FIND A REMEDY.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
A Walk With Whitaker
Read: Genesis 1:20-25
Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. --- Genesis 1:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 87-88
Romans 13
When my dog Whitaker and I take our morning walk through the deep woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the air is filled with sound. Birds of many species break the early morning silence with their songs.
Sometimes it's a steady chirp-chirp-chirp---probably a sparrow. It could be the lilting melody of a robin or the happy trill of a proud cardinal. At times it's a sustained, single-note call from some unfamiliar bird. Then a little group of chickadees wil flit their way through the trees, repeating their "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" sounds.
"Isn't God great!" I say to Whit, who seems to have chipmunks on his mind. I thank God for the great gift of hearing and the wonderful variety of sounds with which He fills His woods. He created hundreds of varieties of birds, each with its own color and habits and call [Genesis 1:20-21]. "God saw that it was good. And God blessed them" [vv.21-22].
As I continue my walk with Whitaker, my heart is filled with thankfulness to God for the multitude of sights and sounds and colors and species that enrich our world. I praise Him for His creativity in not only forming our world but making it so beautiful --- and good. --- Dave Egner
This is my Father's world ---
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise. --- Babcock
IN NATURE WE HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD.
Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. --- Genesis 1:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 87-88
Romans 13
When my dog Whitaker and I take our morning walk through the deep woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the air is filled with sound. Birds of many species break the early morning silence with their songs.
Sometimes it's a steady chirp-chirp-chirp---probably a sparrow. It could be the lilting melody of a robin or the happy trill of a proud cardinal. At times it's a sustained, single-note call from some unfamiliar bird. Then a little group of chickadees wil flit their way through the trees, repeating their "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" sounds.
"Isn't God great!" I say to Whit, who seems to have chipmunks on his mind. I thank God for the great gift of hearing and the wonderful variety of sounds with which He fills His woods. He created hundreds of varieties of birds, each with its own color and habits and call [Genesis 1:20-21]. "God saw that it was good. And God blessed them" [vv.21-22].
As I continue my walk with Whitaker, my heart is filled with thankfulness to God for the multitude of sights and sounds and colors and species that enrich our world. I praise Him for His creativity in not only forming our world but making it so beautiful --- and good. --- Dave Egner
This is my Father's world ---
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise. --- Babcock
IN NATURE WE HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD.
Friday, August 11, 2006
No Regrets
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19
The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. --- Matthew 16:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 84-86
Romans 12
A little girl who needed surgery was terrified. As an encouragement, her parents promised to give her something she had wanted for a long time --- a kitten. The operation went well, but as the anesthesia was wearing off the youngster was heard mumbling to herself, "This sure is a lousy way to get a cat!"
Christians who endure hardship in serving the Lord will never fell that way when they look back on their trials. It's true that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" [2 Timothy 3:12]. Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" [Matthew 16:24]. He also assured them that when He returns to earth, "He will reward each according to his works" [v.27].
Paul said our suffering for Christ isn't worthy "to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" [Romans 8:18]. And Peter told us, "Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" [1 Peter 4:13].
Believers who endure hardship for Christ count it a privilege to be identified with their Savior. Suffering for Him brings a sure reward --- with no regrets. --- Richard De Haan
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ. --- Rusthoi
SERVING THE LORD IS AN INVESTMENT WITH ETERNAL DIVIDENDS.
The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. --- Matthew 16:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 84-86
Romans 12
A little girl who needed surgery was terrified. As an encouragement, her parents promised to give her something she had wanted for a long time --- a kitten. The operation went well, but as the anesthesia was wearing off the youngster was heard mumbling to herself, "This sure is a lousy way to get a cat!"
Christians who endure hardship in serving the Lord will never fell that way when they look back on their trials. It's true that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" [2 Timothy 3:12]. Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" [Matthew 16:24]. He also assured them that when He returns to earth, "He will reward each according to his works" [v.27].
Paul said our suffering for Christ isn't worthy "to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" [Romans 8:18]. And Peter told us, "Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" [1 Peter 4:13].
Believers who endure hardship for Christ count it a privilege to be identified with their Savior. Suffering for Him brings a sure reward --- with no regrets. --- Richard De Haan
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ. --- Rusthoi
SERVING THE LORD IS AN INVESTMENT WITH ETERNAL DIVIDENDS.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Why Do I Sigh?
Read: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. --- Ecclesiastes 2:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 81-83
Romans 11:19-36
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, a 15-year-old girl yawned continually for 5 weeks in 1888. No details were given as to the reason for the girl's plight.
It made me wonder why we yawn. Why does a person suddenly stretch his mouth wide open, take a deep breath, and give forth a sigh? The answer is that shallow breathing, warm stuffy air, or nervousness can deplete the oxygen in the body. So our Creator-Designer equipped us with a deep-breath reflex that sends a rush of oxygen to the rescue. Aside from this technical explanation, a yawn or a sigh usually signals nervousness, tiredness, or boredom.
Then there's the "sigh" of the soul. Reading Ecclesiastes, we can almost hear Solomon sigh as he tried one thing after another in an effort to find meaning. Time after time his spirit reacted to various situations, only to cry, "All is vanity." Everything he touched produced emptiness [1:2; 2:11]. He finally realized that nothing satisfies except to fear God and keep His commandments [12:13].
Lord, help us see that our sighs of disappointment with the pleasures and things of this life are meant to bring us to You. You alone give eternal significance to everything we pursue. --- Mart De Haan
Christian, are you disappointed
With the world and all around?
Turn your eyes from earth to heaven,
Where true joys may all be found. --- Anon.
ONCE WE'VE FEASTED ON THE GOODNESS OF GOD, NOTHING ELSE WILL SATISFY.
I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun. --- Ecclesiastes 2:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 81-83
Romans 11:19-36
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, a 15-year-old girl yawned continually for 5 weeks in 1888. No details were given as to the reason for the girl's plight.
It made me wonder why we yawn. Why does a person suddenly stretch his mouth wide open, take a deep breath, and give forth a sigh? The answer is that shallow breathing, warm stuffy air, or nervousness can deplete the oxygen in the body. So our Creator-Designer equipped us with a deep-breath reflex that sends a rush of oxygen to the rescue. Aside from this technical explanation, a yawn or a sigh usually signals nervousness, tiredness, or boredom.
Then there's the "sigh" of the soul. Reading Ecclesiastes, we can almost hear Solomon sigh as he tried one thing after another in an effort to find meaning. Time after time his spirit reacted to various situations, only to cry, "All is vanity." Everything he touched produced emptiness [1:2; 2:11]. He finally realized that nothing satisfies except to fear God and keep His commandments [12:13].
Lord, help us see that our sighs of disappointment with the pleasures and things of this life are meant to bring us to You. You alone give eternal significance to everything we pursue. --- Mart De Haan
Christian, are you disappointed
With the world and all around?
Turn your eyes from earth to heaven,
Where true joys may all be found. --- Anon.
ONCE WE'VE FEASTED ON THE GOODNESS OF GOD, NOTHING ELSE WILL SATISFY.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Walking Away
Read: Exodus 33:12-23
My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. --- Exodus 33:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 79-80
Romans 11:1-18
After winning a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, wrestler Rulon Gardner took off his shoes, placed them in the center of the mat, and walked away in tears. Through that symbolic act, Gardner announced his retirement from the sport which had defined his life for many years.
Times of walking away come to all of us, and they can be emotionally wrenching. A loved one "walks away" in death. A child moves away from home. We leave a job or a community and it feels as if we've left everything behind. But when we know the Lord, we never have to walk into an unknown future alone.
It's worth pausing to reflect on how much the children of Israel walked away from when Moses led them out of Egypt. They left the heavy burden of slavery, but they also left everything stable and predictable they had ever known. Later, when the Lord told Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" [Exodus 33:14], Moses replied, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here" [v.15].
During our most difficult times, our stability comes from the presence and peace of God. Because He goes with us, we can walk into the future with confidence. --- David McCasland
I never walk alone, Christ walks beside me,
He is the dearest Friend I've ever known;
With such a Friend to comfort and to guide me,
I never, no, I never walk alone. --- Ackley
EVERY LOSS LEAVES A SPACE THAT ONLY GOD'S PRESENCE CAN FILL.
My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. --- Exodus 33:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 79-80
Romans 11:1-18
After winning a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, wrestler Rulon Gardner took off his shoes, placed them in the center of the mat, and walked away in tears. Through that symbolic act, Gardner announced his retirement from the sport which had defined his life for many years.
Times of walking away come to all of us, and they can be emotionally wrenching. A loved one "walks away" in death. A child moves away from home. We leave a job or a community and it feels as if we've left everything behind. But when we know the Lord, we never have to walk into an unknown future alone.
It's worth pausing to reflect on how much the children of Israel walked away from when Moses led them out of Egypt. They left the heavy burden of slavery, but they also left everything stable and predictable they had ever known. Later, when the Lord told Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" [Exodus 33:14], Moses replied, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here" [v.15].
During our most difficult times, our stability comes from the presence and peace of God. Because He goes with us, we can walk into the future with confidence. --- David McCasland
I never walk alone, Christ walks beside me,
He is the dearest Friend I've ever known;
With such a Friend to comfort and to guide me,
I never, no, I never walk alone. --- Ackley
EVERY LOSS LEAVES A SPACE THAT ONLY GOD'S PRESENCE CAN FILL.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Count It All Joy
Read: James 1:2-12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life. --- James 1:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 77-78
Romans 10
A pastor placed this sign on his door: "If you have problems, come in and tell me all about them. If you don't have any problems, come in and tell me how you avoid them."
What do we do when problems come unannounced and with great intensity? James told us to "count it all joy," because trials do not happen without a reason. He said, "The testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete" [James 1:3-4]. Armed with this understanding, our prayer changes from asking God "why" to thanking Him for what He is doing.
Having endured many trials and facing a new struggle with cancer, Our Daily Bread author Joanie Yoder shared her thoughts in a letter: "I have relinquished my destiny to God's will. Nothing, praise God, not even cancer, can thwart His will. I may have cancer, but cancer doesn't have me --- God alone has me. So in this light, I would value your prayers that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."
Trials are unavoidable and unpredictable, and they come in an unimaginable variety. Knowing that our sovereign God will walk with us nd use trials to deepen our maturity, we can count them "all joy." --- Albert Lee
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whatever befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well. --- Crosby
WE CAN ENDURE TRIALS IN THIS LIFE BECAUSE OF THE JOYS IN THE LIFE TO COME.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life. --- James 1:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 77-78
Romans 10
A pastor placed this sign on his door: "If you have problems, come in and tell me all about them. If you don't have any problems, come in and tell me how you avoid them."
What do we do when problems come unannounced and with great intensity? James told us to "count it all joy," because trials do not happen without a reason. He said, "The testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete" [James 1:3-4]. Armed with this understanding, our prayer changes from asking God "why" to thanking Him for what He is doing.
Having endured many trials and facing a new struggle with cancer, Our Daily Bread author Joanie Yoder shared her thoughts in a letter: "I have relinquished my destiny to God's will. Nothing, praise God, not even cancer, can thwart His will. I may have cancer, but cancer doesn't have me --- God alone has me. So in this light, I would value your prayers that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death."
Trials are unavoidable and unpredictable, and they come in an unimaginable variety. Knowing that our sovereign God will walk with us nd use trials to deepen our maturity, we can count them "all joy." --- Albert Lee
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whatever befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well. --- Crosby
WE CAN ENDURE TRIALS IN THIS LIFE BECAUSE OF THE JOYS IN THE LIFE TO COME.
Monday, August 07, 2006
What We Cannot Lose
Read: Psalm 92:12-15
Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. --- Isaiah 46:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 74-76
Romans 9:16-33
Years ago I heard about an elderly gentleman who was suffering from the first stages of dementia. He lamented the fact that he often forgot about God. "Don't you worry," said a good friend, "He will never forget you."
Growing old is perhaps the hardest task we hve to face in this life. As the saying goes, "Getting old is not for sissies."
Mainly, growing old is about losses. We devote most of our early life to acquiring things, but they are merely things we will lose as we age. We lose our strength, our looks, our friends, our job. We may lose our wealth, our home, our health, our spouse, our independence, and perhaps the greatest loss of all, our sense of dignity and self-worth.
But there is one thing that you and I will never lose --- the love of God. "Even to your old age, I am He," God said to the prophet, "and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" [Isaiah 46:4].
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree," wrote the songwriter [Psalm 92:12]. "Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age" [vv.13-14]. --- David Roper
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow;
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him. --- Warner
GOD'S LOVE NEVER GROWS OLD.
Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. --- Isaiah 46:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 74-76
Romans 9:16-33
Years ago I heard about an elderly gentleman who was suffering from the first stages of dementia. He lamented the fact that he often forgot about God. "Don't you worry," said a good friend, "He will never forget you."
Growing old is perhaps the hardest task we hve to face in this life. As the saying goes, "Getting old is not for sissies."
Mainly, growing old is about losses. We devote most of our early life to acquiring things, but they are merely things we will lose as we age. We lose our strength, our looks, our friends, our job. We may lose our wealth, our home, our health, our spouse, our independence, and perhaps the greatest loss of all, our sense of dignity and self-worth.
But there is one thing that you and I will never lose --- the love of God. "Even to your old age, I am He," God said to the prophet, "and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you" [Isaiah 46:4].
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree," wrote the songwriter [Psalm 92:12]. "Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age" [vv.13-14]. --- David Roper
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow;
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him. --- Warner
GOD'S LOVE NEVER GROWS OLD.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
No Change
Read: Romans 4:1-12
Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. --- Romans 5:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 72-73
Romans 9:1-15
All around us, life is changing at a dizzying pace. Even in the church, change is happening so fast that it can be tough to keep up.
For example, to communicate more effectively with people, Christians have changed the way "church" is done. Many believers have become accustomed to churches without pews, sanctuaries without hymn-books, and message outlines and songs projected onto large screens.
Christians have also recognized the need to change their methods of reaching out to non-Christians with the gospel of Jesus. Churches use sports leagues to bring the gospel to people in their neighborhood. They open up food pantries to reach out to the disadvantaged. They hold special group meetings for people dealing with grief or addictions.
Not everything is changing, however, Dr. M.R. De Haan wrote in the first edition of Our Daily Bread in 1956: "If there is one thing Paul insisted upon, it is that works have nothing to do with obtaining or retaining our salvation. We are justified by faith, and faith alone" [Romans 4:5; 5:1].
Modes and methods of worship may change. But salvation is through faith in Jesus alone. That will never change --- ever. --- Dave Branon
Unchanging is the Word of God ---
Salvation is by grace
Through faith alone in Christ who died
In every sinner's place. --- Hess
IN A WORLD OF CONSTANT CHANGE, YOU CAN TRUST GOD'S UNCHANGING WORD.
Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. --- Romans 5:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 72-73
Romans 9:1-15
All around us, life is changing at a dizzying pace. Even in the church, change is happening so fast that it can be tough to keep up.
For example, to communicate more effectively with people, Christians have changed the way "church" is done. Many believers have become accustomed to churches without pews, sanctuaries without hymn-books, and message outlines and songs projected onto large screens.
Christians have also recognized the need to change their methods of reaching out to non-Christians with the gospel of Jesus. Churches use sports leagues to bring the gospel to people in their neighborhood. They open up food pantries to reach out to the disadvantaged. They hold special group meetings for people dealing with grief or addictions.
Not everything is changing, however, Dr. M.R. De Haan wrote in the first edition of Our Daily Bread in 1956: "If there is one thing Paul insisted upon, it is that works have nothing to do with obtaining or retaining our salvation. We are justified by faith, and faith alone" [Romans 4:5; 5:1].
Modes and methods of worship may change. But salvation is through faith in Jesus alone. That will never change --- ever. --- Dave Branon
Unchanging is the Word of God ---
Salvation is by grace
Through faith alone in Christ who died
In every sinner's place. --- Hess
IN A WORLD OF CONSTANT CHANGE, YOU CAN TRUST GOD'S UNCHANGING WORD.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The Worry Box
Read: Philippians 4:1-9
Do not worry about your life. --- Matthew 6:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 70-71
Romans 8:22-39
I heard about a woman who kept a box in her kitchen that she called her "Worry Box." Every time something troubled her, she would write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. She resolved not to think about her problems as long as they were in the box. This enabled the woman to put her troubles completely out of mind. She knew they could be dealt with later.
Occasionally she would take out a slip of paper and review the concern written on it. Because she had not been drained by anxiety, she was relaxed and better able to find the solution to her problem. Many times she discovered that a specific worry no longer existed.
Writing your worries on paper and putting them in a box may be helpful, but how much better it is to place them in the hands of God. Worry robs us of joy, drains us of energy, stunts our spiritual growth, and dishonors God. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" [Matthew 6:34].
Let's believe the Lord's promises and trust Him to meet our needs. Placing our problems in His hands is far better than putting them in a worry box. --- Richard De Haan
Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He does not bear;
Never a sorrow that He does not share ---
Moment by moment, I'm under His care. --- Whittle
WHEN WE PUT OUR CARES IN GOD'S HANDS, HE PUTS HIS PEACE IN OUR HEART.
Do not worry about your life. --- Matthew 6:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 70-71
Romans 8:22-39
I heard about a woman who kept a box in her kitchen that she called her "Worry Box." Every time something troubled her, she would write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. She resolved not to think about her problems as long as they were in the box. This enabled the woman to put her troubles completely out of mind. She knew they could be dealt with later.
Occasionally she would take out a slip of paper and review the concern written on it. Because she had not been drained by anxiety, she was relaxed and better able to find the solution to her problem. Many times she discovered that a specific worry no longer existed.
Writing your worries on paper and putting them in a box may be helpful, but how much better it is to place them in the hands of God. Worry robs us of joy, drains us of energy, stunts our spiritual growth, and dishonors God. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" [Matthew 6:34].
Let's believe the Lord's promises and trust Him to meet our needs. Placing our problems in His hands is far better than putting them in a worry box. --- Richard De Haan
Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He does not bear;
Never a sorrow that He does not share ---
Moment by moment, I'm under His care. --- Whittle
WHEN WE PUT OUR CARES IN GOD'S HANDS, HE PUTS HIS PEACE IN OUR HEART.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Wholesome Humor
Read: Ephesians 5:1-10
All uncleanness or covetousness, let it not eve benamed among you, ... neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting. --- Ephesians 5:3-4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 68-69
Romans 8:1-21
Abraham Lincoln faced enormous pressures as president during the US Civil War. Without humor, it's doubtful he would have been able to bear the strain. When emotions ran high in cabinet meetings, he often told a funny story to break the tension. Laughing at himself kept him from becoming defensive. And a good story with a strong point sometimes won over an opponent.
The spontaneity of humor reflects the way God created man. It is both physically and emotionally beneficial. Laughter can keep a tense situation from ending in bitter words or hard feelings.
Although Jesus was a "Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" [Isaiah 53:3], I believe He laughed often. Sometimes Jesus used humor to make a point. Imagine a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle! [Matthew 19:24].
But there's also a dark side to humor. Paul called it "coarse jesting" and said that it should have no place in the believer's life [Ephesians 5:4]. It demeans, degrades, and defiles those who use it and those who hear it.
So what do we laugh at? What kinds of stories do we tell each other? Would Jesus laugh with us? I believe He would --- if it were wholesome humor. --- Dennis De Haan
Give us a sense of humor, Lord,
Give us the grace to laugh and smile;
But check our lips from needles jest
That what we speak may be worthwhile. --- Anon.
TO LAUGH IS TO BE FULLY HUMAN.
All uncleanness or covetousness, let it not eve benamed among you, ... neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting. --- Ephesians 5:3-4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 68-69
Romans 8:1-21
Abraham Lincoln faced enormous pressures as president during the US Civil War. Without humor, it's doubtful he would have been able to bear the strain. When emotions ran high in cabinet meetings, he often told a funny story to break the tension. Laughing at himself kept him from becoming defensive. And a good story with a strong point sometimes won over an opponent.
The spontaneity of humor reflects the way God created man. It is both physically and emotionally beneficial. Laughter can keep a tense situation from ending in bitter words or hard feelings.
Although Jesus was a "Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" [Isaiah 53:3], I believe He laughed often. Sometimes Jesus used humor to make a point. Imagine a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle! [Matthew 19:24].
But there's also a dark side to humor. Paul called it "coarse jesting" and said that it should have no place in the believer's life [Ephesians 5:4]. It demeans, degrades, and defiles those who use it and those who hear it.
So what do we laugh at? What kinds of stories do we tell each other? Would Jesus laugh with us? I believe He would --- if it were wholesome humor. --- Dennis De Haan
Give us a sense of humor, Lord,
Give us the grace to laugh and smile;
But check our lips from needles jest
That what we speak may be worthwhile. --- Anon.
TO LAUGH IS TO BE FULLY HUMAN.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Is Evolution A Fact?
Read: Genesis 2:1-7; Hebrews 11:1-3
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. --- Hebrews 11:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 66-67
Romans 7
The theory of evolution is not without its problems. One scientist says this about life starting on its own: "Amino acids would have to be arranged in an exact sequence to form a protein ... just like the letters in a sentence. Mere laws of chemistry and physics cannot do that. The probability of a protein forming by chance would be 10 with 64 zeros after it to 1!"
Many people assume the theory of evolution to be true. But can it be scientifically proven? Something is considered scientifically true only if it can be repeatedly verified under laboratory conditions. The claim that life sprang up on its own out of a long impersonal process cannot pass this test of truth. That is why evolution remains only a theory.
So if you're ever tempted to doubt the Genesis account of the creation story, consider the alternative. The odds against even a simple protein creating itself are astronomical. How much more reasonable to believe God and His Word: "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" [Hebrews 11:3].
Isn't it more reasonable to believe that God designed and created the universe? [Genesis 1:1]. --- Dennis Fisher
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful ---
The Lord God made them all. --- Alexander
ALL CREATION POINTS TO THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. --- Hebrews 11:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 66-67
Romans 7
The theory of evolution is not without its problems. One scientist says this about life starting on its own: "Amino acids would have to be arranged in an exact sequence to form a protein ... just like the letters in a sentence. Mere laws of chemistry and physics cannot do that. The probability of a protein forming by chance would be 10 with 64 zeros after it to 1!"
Many people assume the theory of evolution to be true. But can it be scientifically proven? Something is considered scientifically true only if it can be repeatedly verified under laboratory conditions. The claim that life sprang up on its own out of a long impersonal process cannot pass this test of truth. That is why evolution remains only a theory.
So if you're ever tempted to doubt the Genesis account of the creation story, consider the alternative. The odds against even a simple protein creating itself are astronomical. How much more reasonable to believe God and His Word: "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" [Hebrews 11:3].
Isn't it more reasonable to believe that God designed and created the universe? [Genesis 1:1]. --- Dennis Fisher
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful ---
The Lord God made them all. --- Alexander
ALL CREATION POINTS TO THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
We Don't Need You
Read: Jeremiah 2:5-13
What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters? --- Jeremiah 2:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 63-65
Romans 6
There's a story about a group of scientists who decided that humans could do without God. So one of them looked up to God and said, "We've decided that we no longer need You. We have enough wisdom to clone people and do many miraculous things."
God listened patiently and then said, "Very well, let's have a man-making contest. We'll do it just like I did back in the old days with Adam." The scientists agreed, and one of them bent down and picked up a handful of dirt. God looked at him and said, "No! You have to make your own dirt!"
In Jeremiah's day, the Israelites were living as if they no longer needed the Lord. They had entrusted themselves to other gods, even though their gods could not respond to their needs. Jeremiah confronted them about their rebellion, for they had forsaken the true God and shown disrespect for Him [Jeremiah 2:13-19].
Are we guilty of living as if we don't need God? We may know Him as our Savior but be worshiping the idol of our own wisdom or self-sufficiency. Could the Lord be saying of us, "They have gone far from Me"? [2:5].
Living far from God dishonors and displeases Him, and it will never meet our deepest needs. But we can return to Him today [3:7]. --- Anne Cetas
Unless we worship only God
Our lives cannot be truly free;
For we were made for Him alone ---
All else is but idolatry. --- D. De Haan
THE IDOL OF SELF IS A SORRY SUBSTITUTE FOR GOD.
What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters? --- Jeremiah 2:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 63-65
Romans 6
There's a story about a group of scientists who decided that humans could do without God. So one of them looked up to God and said, "We've decided that we no longer need You. We have enough wisdom to clone people and do many miraculous things."
God listened patiently and then said, "Very well, let's have a man-making contest. We'll do it just like I did back in the old days with Adam." The scientists agreed, and one of them bent down and picked up a handful of dirt. God looked at him and said, "No! You have to make your own dirt!"
In Jeremiah's day, the Israelites were living as if they no longer needed the Lord. They had entrusted themselves to other gods, even though their gods could not respond to their needs. Jeremiah confronted them about their rebellion, for they had forsaken the true God and shown disrespect for Him [Jeremiah 2:13-19].
Are we guilty of living as if we don't need God? We may know Him as our Savior but be worshiping the idol of our own wisdom or self-sufficiency. Could the Lord be saying of us, "They have gone far from Me"? [2:5].
Living far from God dishonors and displeases Him, and it will never meet our deepest needs. But we can return to Him today [3:7]. --- Anne Cetas
Unless we worship only God
Our lives cannot be truly free;
For we were made for Him alone ---
All else is but idolatry. --- D. De Haan
THE IDOL OF SELF IS A SORRY SUBSTITUTE FOR GOD.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
I'm Sorry
Read: Luke 15:11-24
Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. --- Luke 15:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 60-62
Romans 5
A meaningful apology can be the first step toward forgiveness. Colleen O'Connor writes in The Denver Post: "The successful apology dissolves anger and humiliation. It shows respect, builds trust, and helps prevent further misunderstanding. A sincere apology makes it much easier to forgive."
And author Barbara Engel says that a true apology depends on the three Rs: regret, responsibility, and remedy.
In Jesus' story of the prodigal son, the headstrong young man who returned home after squandering his inheritance approached his father with humility and remorse: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son" [Luke 15:21]. He expressed regret for the pain he had caused, took responsibility for what he had done, and was prepared to work as a hired servant [v.19].
As followers of Jesus, we are instructed to forgive others when they repent and are sorry [Luke 17:3-4]. In the same spirit of humility and love, we must help those who need to forgive us by offering a genuine apology.
A sincere apology doesn't compel others to forgive, but it's the right thing to do. We must take the first step ont he pathway toward the freedom of forgiveness. --- David McCasland
Have you hurt a friend or brother?
Go at once and make things right;
From your heart say, "I am sorry."
How these words bring God delight! --- D. De Haan
A HEARTFELT APOLOGY CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT IT CAN BRIGHTEN THE FUTURE.
Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. --- Luke 15:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 60-62
Romans 5
A meaningful apology can be the first step toward forgiveness. Colleen O'Connor writes in The Denver Post: "The successful apology dissolves anger and humiliation. It shows respect, builds trust, and helps prevent further misunderstanding. A sincere apology makes it much easier to forgive."
And author Barbara Engel says that a true apology depends on the three Rs: regret, responsibility, and remedy.
In Jesus' story of the prodigal son, the headstrong young man who returned home after squandering his inheritance approached his father with humility and remorse: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son" [Luke 15:21]. He expressed regret for the pain he had caused, took responsibility for what he had done, and was prepared to work as a hired servant [v.19].
As followers of Jesus, we are instructed to forgive others when they repent and are sorry [Luke 17:3-4]. In the same spirit of humility and love, we must help those who need to forgive us by offering a genuine apology.
A sincere apology doesn't compel others to forgive, but it's the right thing to do. We must take the first step ont he pathway toward the freedom of forgiveness. --- David McCasland
Have you hurt a friend or brother?
Go at once and make things right;
From your heart say, "I am sorry."
How these words bring God delight! --- D. De Haan
A HEARTFELT APOLOGY CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT IT CAN BRIGHTEN THE FUTURE.
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