Read: Philippians 4:4-13
The peace of God ... will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. --- Philippians 4:7
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 135-136
1 Corinthians 12
I was scheduled to teach at a Bible conference outside the US and was waiting for my visa to be approved. It had been rejected once, and time was slipping away. Without the visa, I would lose an opportunity for ministry, and my colleagues in that country would have to find another speaker at the last minute.
During those stressful days, a co-worker asked how I felt about it all. I told him I was experiencing "peaceful anxiety." When he looked at me rather quizzically, I explained: "I have had anxiety because I need the visa and there is nothing I can do about it. But I have great peace because I know that, after all, there is nothing I can do about it!"
It's comforting to know that such things are in our Father's hands. My inability to do anything about the problem was more than matched by my confidence in God, for whom all things are possible. As I prayed about the situation, my anxiety was replaced by His peace [Phil. 4:6-7].
The problems of life can be taxing on us --- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Yet, as we learn to trust in the Father's care, we can have the peace that not only surpasses all understanding but also overcomes our anxiety. We can be at rest, for we are in God's hands. --- Bill Crowder
Oh, the peace I find in Jesus,
Peace no power on earth can shake,
Peace that makes the Lord so precious,
Peace that none from me can take. --- Beck
WHEN WE KEEP OUR MINDS ON GOD, GOD CAN KEEP OUR MINDS AT PEACE.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Last Word
Read: John 11:17-27
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life." --- John 11:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 132-134
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
When Walter Bouman, a retired seminary professor, learned that the cancer in his body had spread and that he had perhaps 9 months to live, he pondered many things. One was comedian Johnny Carson's quip: "It is true that for several days after you die, your hair and fingernails keep on growing, but the phone calls taper off." He found that humor to be a wonderful tonic, but it was something far deeper that sustained his soul.
In Bouman's newspaper column, he wrote of his greatest source of encouragement: "The Christian good news is that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised from death, that death no longer has dominion over Him. I have bey my living, and now I am called to be my dying, that Jesus will have the last word."
In John 11, we read what Jesus said to Martha, a close friend who was grieving the death of her brother. He said: "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" [vv. 25-26].
For each "today" we are given, and for the inevitable "tomorrow" that will come, we don't have to be afraid. Jesus Christ is with all who trust Him, and He will have the last word. --- David McCasland
To Him I trust my soul, my dust,
When flesh and spirit sever;
The Christ we sing has plucked the sting
Away from death forever. --- Anon.
BECAUSE JESUS HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, HE HAS THE LAST WORD IN LIFE AND IN DEATH.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life." --- John 11:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 132-134
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
When Walter Bouman, a retired seminary professor, learned that the cancer in his body had spread and that he had perhaps 9 months to live, he pondered many things. One was comedian Johnny Carson's quip: "It is true that for several days after you die, your hair and fingernails keep on growing, but the phone calls taper off." He found that humor to be a wonderful tonic, but it was something far deeper that sustained his soul.
In Bouman's newspaper column, he wrote of his greatest source of encouragement: "The Christian good news is that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised from death, that death no longer has dominion over Him. I have bey my living, and now I am called to be my dying, that Jesus will have the last word."
In John 11, we read what Jesus said to Martha, a close friend who was grieving the death of her brother. He said: "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" [vv. 25-26].
For each "today" we are given, and for the inevitable "tomorrow" that will come, we don't have to be afraid. Jesus Christ is with all who trust Him, and He will have the last word. --- David McCasland
To Him I trust my soul, my dust,
When flesh and spirit sever;
The Christ we sing has plucked the sting
Away from death forever. --- Anon.
BECAUSE JESUS HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, HE HAS THE LAST WORD IN LIFE AND IN DEATH.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Persecution That Backfired
Read: 1 Peter 2:18-25
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. --- 1 Peter 2:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 129-131
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
In AD 64, someone set fire to Rome. A few days later, two-thirds of the city lay in smoldering ruins. A rumor spread that the emperor Nero had set the fire because he wanted to rebuild the city and name it after himself. Needing a scapegoat to get himself off the proverbial hot-seat, he chose to blame a defenseless and unpopular minority --- Christians. He then initiated such intense persecution that he's been referred to as the first Antichrist. It's believed that both Peter and Paul were martyred during this time.
Because Christianity was new and its followers still relatively few, the sadistic treatment that Nero leveled against believers, which included using them as human torches to light his palace garden, continued with little opposition.
His persecution eventually backfired, however. Instead of weakening the new faith, it strengthened it. History tells us that within a few hundred years Christianity became so influential that Emperor Constantine made it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
God always has a purpose in persecution. He will use it for good if we follow the example of Christ, who, "when He suffered, He ... committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" [1 Peter 2:23]. --- Julie Ackerman Link
The purposes of God are right,
Although we may not see
Just how He works all things for good
And transforms tragedy. --- Sper
IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST THAN FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST TO SUFFER.
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. --- 1 Peter 2:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 129-131
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
In AD 64, someone set fire to Rome. A few days later, two-thirds of the city lay in smoldering ruins. A rumor spread that the emperor Nero had set the fire because he wanted to rebuild the city and name it after himself. Needing a scapegoat to get himself off the proverbial hot-seat, he chose to blame a defenseless and unpopular minority --- Christians. He then initiated such intense persecution that he's been referred to as the first Antichrist. It's believed that both Peter and Paul were martyred during this time.
Because Christianity was new and its followers still relatively few, the sadistic treatment that Nero leveled against believers, which included using them as human torches to light his palace garden, continued with little opposition.
His persecution eventually backfired, however. Instead of weakening the new faith, it strengthened it. History tells us that within a few hundred years Christianity became so influential that Emperor Constantine made it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
God always has a purpose in persecution. He will use it for good if we follow the example of Christ, who, "when He suffered, He ... committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" [1 Peter 2:23]. --- Julie Ackerman Link
The purposes of God are right,
Although we may not see
Just how He works all things for good
And transforms tragedy. --- Sper
IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST THAN FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST TO SUFFER.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Refuge Needed
Read: Psalm 17:1-9
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings. --- Psalm 17:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 126-128
1 Corinthians 10:19-33
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the southern United States, displaced families and individuals were often referred to in the media as "refugees." For some, this term was viewed as insulting, so it prompted reporters to scramble for another word that would not be perceived as negative. They decided on the word evacuees.
In actuality, the word refugee is filled with hope. One dictionary defines it as "one who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution." Refugee comes from the word refuge which speaks of safety, protection, and care for the hurting. It speaks of a safe haven in a storm-filled world.
For those who have been battered by the storms, tragedies, and disasters of life, refuge is what they long for most. They may seek shelter in the arms of God, who alone can give us refuge and who longs to cover us and protect us and preserve us.
Jesus said to the broken people of His day, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings" [Matt. 23:37]. He continues to offer refuge to the hurting hearts of our day if we will but seek His care and trust His heart. --- Bill Crowder
O Rock divine, O Refuge dear ---
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near ---
A shelter in the time of storm. --- Charlesworth
WE NEED NOT FEAR LIFE'S DARK SHADOWS WHEN WE REST UNDER THE SHADOW OF GOD'S WINGS.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings. --- Psalm 17:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 126-128
1 Corinthians 10:19-33
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the southern United States, displaced families and individuals were often referred to in the media as "refugees." For some, this term was viewed as insulting, so it prompted reporters to scramble for another word that would not be perceived as negative. They decided on the word evacuees.
In actuality, the word refugee is filled with hope. One dictionary defines it as "one who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution." Refugee comes from the word refuge which speaks of safety, protection, and care for the hurting. It speaks of a safe haven in a storm-filled world.
For those who have been battered by the storms, tragedies, and disasters of life, refuge is what they long for most. They may seek shelter in the arms of God, who alone can give us refuge and who longs to cover us and protect us and preserve us.
Jesus said to the broken people of His day, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings" [Matt. 23:37]. He continues to offer refuge to the hurting hearts of our day if we will but seek His care and trust His heart. --- Bill Crowder
O Rock divine, O Refuge dear ---
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near ---
A shelter in the time of storm. --- Charlesworth
WE NEED NOT FEAR LIFE'S DARK SHADOWS WHEN WE REST UNDER THE SHADOW OF GOD'S WINGS.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Frog And Toad
Read: Isaiah 61:10-11
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness ... to spring forth. --- Isaiah 61:11
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 123-125
1 Corinthians 10:1-18
One of my favorite children's books is Frog And Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. Frog had a garden that Toad admired, and he wanted one too. So Frog told him: "It is very nice, but it was hard work." When he gave Toad some flower seeds, Toad quickly ran home and planted them.
"Now seeds," said Toad, "start growing." He tried very hard to make his garden grow. He shouted at the seeds, read them long stories, and sang songs to them --- but they didn't grow.
"What shall I do?" cried Toad. "Leave them alone," Frog said. "Let the sun shine on them, let the rain fall on them. Soon your seeds will start to grow." Then one day, little green plants appeared. "At last," shouted Toad, "my seeds have stopped being afraid to grow! But you were right, Frog. It was very hard work."
So many people think it's very hard work to grow in righteousness. We must spend time reading the Word, praying, and cultivating our faith by being with other believers. But our progress in holiness is still dependent on God. As He shines His face upon us and rains His love into our lives, we will grow. Then righteousness will begin to "spring forth" [Isa. 61:11]. Don't be discouraged if growth comes slowly. Soon you will have a garden. --- David Roper
Within the seed lies God's creative power ---
He's given us the joy to see it grow;
And when He puts new life within our heart,
His wonder-working power we can know. --- Hess
SPIRITUAL GROWTH DEPENDS ON THE WATER OF GOD'S WORD AND THE SUNSHINE OF HIS LOVE.
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness ... to spring forth. --- Isaiah 61:11
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 123-125
1 Corinthians 10:1-18
One of my favorite children's books is Frog And Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. Frog had a garden that Toad admired, and he wanted one too. So Frog told him: "It is very nice, but it was hard work." When he gave Toad some flower seeds, Toad quickly ran home and planted them.
"Now seeds," said Toad, "start growing." He tried very hard to make his garden grow. He shouted at the seeds, read them long stories, and sang songs to them --- but they didn't grow.
"What shall I do?" cried Toad. "Leave them alone," Frog said. "Let the sun shine on them, let the rain fall on them. Soon your seeds will start to grow." Then one day, little green plants appeared. "At last," shouted Toad, "my seeds have stopped being afraid to grow! But you were right, Frog. It was very hard work."
So many people think it's very hard work to grow in righteousness. We must spend time reading the Word, praying, and cultivating our faith by being with other believers. But our progress in holiness is still dependent on God. As He shines His face upon us and rains His love into our lives, we will grow. Then righteousness will begin to "spring forth" [Isa. 61:11]. Don't be discouraged if growth comes slowly. Soon you will have a garden. --- David Roper
Within the seed lies God's creative power ---
He's given us the joy to see it grow;
And when He puts new life within our heart,
His wonder-working power we can know. --- Hess
SPIRITUAL GROWTH DEPENDS ON THE WATER OF GOD'S WORD AND THE SUNSHINE OF HIS LOVE.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Is He Listening?
Read: Matthew 26:39-42; 27:45-46
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? --- Matthew 27:46
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 120-122
1 Corinthians 9
"Something it feels as if God isn't listening to me." Those words, from a woman who tried to stay strong in her walk with God while coping with an alcoholic husband, echo the heartcry of many believers. For 18 years, she asked God to change her husband. Yet it never happened.
What are we to think when we repeatedly ask God for something good --- something that could easily glorify Him --- but the answer doesn't come? Is He listening or not?
Let's look at the life of the Savior. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He agonized for hours in prayer, pouring out His heart and pleading, "Let this cup pass from Me" [Matt. 26:39]. But the Father's answer was clearly "No."
To provide salvation, God had to send Jesus to die on the cross. Even though Jesus felt as if His Father had forsaken Him, He prayed intensely and passionately because He trusted that God was listening.
When we pray, we may not see how God is working or understand how He will bring good through it all. So we have to trust Him. We relinquish our rights and let God do what is best.
We must leave the unknowable to the all-knowing One. He is listening and working things out His way. --- Dave Branon
Not ours to know the reason why
Unanswered is our prayer,
But ours to wait for God's own time
To lift the cross we bear. --- Anon.
WHEN WE BEND OUR KNEES TO PRAY, GOD BENDS HIS EAR TO LISTEN.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? --- Matthew 27:46
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 120-122
1 Corinthians 9
"Something it feels as if God isn't listening to me." Those words, from a woman who tried to stay strong in her walk with God while coping with an alcoholic husband, echo the heartcry of many believers. For 18 years, she asked God to change her husband. Yet it never happened.
What are we to think when we repeatedly ask God for something good --- something that could easily glorify Him --- but the answer doesn't come? Is He listening or not?
Let's look at the life of the Savior. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He agonized for hours in prayer, pouring out His heart and pleading, "Let this cup pass from Me" [Matt. 26:39]. But the Father's answer was clearly "No."
To provide salvation, God had to send Jesus to die on the cross. Even though Jesus felt as if His Father had forsaken Him, He prayed intensely and passionately because He trusted that God was listening.
When we pray, we may not see how God is working or understand how He will bring good through it all. So we have to trust Him. We relinquish our rights and let God do what is best.
We must leave the unknowable to the all-knowing One. He is listening and working things out His way. --- Dave Branon
Not ours to know the reason why
Unanswered is our prayer,
But ours to wait for God's own time
To lift the cross we bear. --- Anon.
WHEN WE BEND OUR KNEES TO PRAY, GOD BENDS HIS EAR TO LISTEN.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Sacrifice
Read: Psalm 51
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --- these, O God, You will not despise. --- Psalm 51:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:89-176
1 Corinthians 8
In the agony of Psalm 51, David seems to contradict himself. He exclaims, "You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering" [v.16]. Then, two verses later, he says, "You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering" [v.19]. Does God want our sacrifices or not?
Sacrifices resemble the flowers a husband gives to his wife after a heated argument. The wife doesn't need the flowers. They are valuable to her only if they accurately represent her husband's feelings. If she thinks they are merely a ritual and do not symbolize his regret, the flowers make the divide between them worse.
God didn't need the animals offered to Him in sacrifice. Hebrews says, "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" [10:4]. These sacrifices pointed to the once-for-all payment Jesus would make with His own blood when He died for our sins.
What mattered was the attitude of those making the sacrifices. If the offerings were without repentance, the ritual was a mockery. That's why David wrote, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --- these, O God, you will not despise" [Ps. 51:17]/ --- Haddon Robinson
Faithful and just art Thou, forgiving all;
Loving and kind art Thou when poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood,
Blood of the Lamb of God, pass o'er my soul. --- Bonar
REPENTANCE IS SORROW FOR THE DEED, NOT FOR GETTING CAUGHT.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --- these, O God, You will not despise. --- Psalm 51:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:89-176
1 Corinthians 8
In the agony of Psalm 51, David seems to contradict himself. He exclaims, "You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering" [v.16]. Then, two verses later, he says, "You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering" [v.19]. Does God want our sacrifices or not?
Sacrifices resemble the flowers a husband gives to his wife after a heated argument. The wife doesn't need the flowers. They are valuable to her only if they accurately represent her husband's feelings. If she thinks they are merely a ritual and do not symbolize his regret, the flowers make the divide between them worse.
God didn't need the animals offered to Him in sacrifice. Hebrews says, "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" [10:4]. These sacrifices pointed to the once-for-all payment Jesus would make with His own blood when He died for our sins.
What mattered was the attitude of those making the sacrifices. If the offerings were without repentance, the ritual was a mockery. That's why David wrote, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --- these, O God, you will not despise" [Ps. 51:17]/ --- Haddon Robinson
Faithful and just art Thou, forgiving all;
Loving and kind art Thou when poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood,
Blood of the Lamb of God, pass o'er my soul. --- Bonar
REPENTANCE IS SORROW FOR THE DEED, NOT FOR GETTING CAUGHT.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Avoiding The Greener Grass
Read: Ephesians 5:22-33
Let each one of you ... so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. --- Ephesians 5:33
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:1-88
1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Nancy Anderson says she grew lukewarm in her faith and thus believed the word's lie: "I deserve to be happy." This led to an extramarital affair that nearly ended her marriage. She wrote her book Avoiding The Greener Grass Syndrome to help keep her painful story of infidelity from "becoming someone else's story."
In her book, Nancy offers six action suggestions on how to build "hedges" to protect your marriage and to help make "a good marriage great":
Hear - give a listening ear to your spouse.
Encourage - build up your spouse by focusing on positive qualities.
Date - celebrate your marriage by playing and laughing together.
Guard - establish safeguards by setting clear boundaries.
Educate - study your mate to truly understand him or her.
Satisfy - meet each other's needs.
The grass on the other side of the fence may look greener, but faithfulness to God and commitment to your spouse along bring peace of mind and satisfaction.
When you avoid the greener-grass syndrome by loving and respecting your spouse, your marriage will be a picture of Christ and His church to the people around you [Eph. 5:31-32]. --- Anne Cetas
When you look at someone else's life,
Thinking that it's better than your own,
Just remember what God's given you
Was designed for you alone. --- Hess
JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY THIRD PARTY IN A MARRIAGE WHO CAN MAKE IT WORK.
Let each one of you ... so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. --- Ephesians 5:33
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 119:1-88
1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Nancy Anderson says she grew lukewarm in her faith and thus believed the word's lie: "I deserve to be happy." This led to an extramarital affair that nearly ended her marriage. She wrote her book Avoiding The Greener Grass Syndrome to help keep her painful story of infidelity from "becoming someone else's story."
In her book, Nancy offers six action suggestions on how to build "hedges" to protect your marriage and to help make "a good marriage great":
Hear - give a listening ear to your spouse.
Encourage - build up your spouse by focusing on positive qualities.
Date - celebrate your marriage by playing and laughing together.
Guard - establish safeguards by setting clear boundaries.
Educate - study your mate to truly understand him or her.
Satisfy - meet each other's needs.
The grass on the other side of the fence may look greener, but faithfulness to God and commitment to your spouse along bring peace of mind and satisfaction.
When you avoid the greener-grass syndrome by loving and respecting your spouse, your marriage will be a picture of Christ and His church to the people around you [Eph. 5:31-32]. --- Anne Cetas
When you look at someone else's life,
Thinking that it's better than your own,
Just remember what God's given you
Was designed for you alone. --- Hess
JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY THIRD PARTY IN A MARRIAGE WHO CAN MAKE IT WORK.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Remembered
Read: Hebrews 11:32-40
All these ... obtained a good testimony through faith. --- Hebrews 11:39
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 116-118
1 Corinthians 7:1-19
After the South lost the US Civil War, John Wilkes Booth wanted to be remembered as its avenger against the North. Some scholars speculate that because he was an actor, Booth's planned assassination of President Lincoln was, in his mind, his greatest "performance."
Ironically, John Wilkes Booth's place in history is that of a villain. He is remembered for taking the life of an unarmed Lincoln with a gunshot to the back of the head. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln is remembered as the president who preserved the Union, freed the slaves, and exhibited "malice toward none and charity for all" [Second Inaugural Address].
The redeemed sinners listed in Hebrews 11 are all remembered for one common virtue: "All these ... obtained a good testimony through faith" [v.39]. Long after their deaths, the record of their lives of faith and obedience still inspire us today.
Few of us will be recorded in history books after we leave this world. But all of us will leave behind memories with our families and friends. Those closest to us are watching our response to God through times of testing and blessing.
Are you living in faith and obedience to Him? What will be the legacy of your life? --- Dennis Fisher
Even after we have left
This earthly scene below,
The witness of our life can speak
Of Christ, whom all can know. --- D. De Haan
THE MEMORY OF A GODLY LIFE SPEAKS MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN WORDS.
All these ... obtained a good testimony through faith. --- Hebrews 11:39
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 116-118
1 Corinthians 7:1-19
After the South lost the US Civil War, John Wilkes Booth wanted to be remembered as its avenger against the North. Some scholars speculate that because he was an actor, Booth's planned assassination of President Lincoln was, in his mind, his greatest "performance."
Ironically, John Wilkes Booth's place in history is that of a villain. He is remembered for taking the life of an unarmed Lincoln with a gunshot to the back of the head. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln is remembered as the president who preserved the Union, freed the slaves, and exhibited "malice toward none and charity for all" [Second Inaugural Address].
The redeemed sinners listed in Hebrews 11 are all remembered for one common virtue: "All these ... obtained a good testimony through faith" [v.39]. Long after their deaths, the record of their lives of faith and obedience still inspire us today.
Few of us will be recorded in history books after we leave this world. But all of us will leave behind memories with our families and friends. Those closest to us are watching our response to God through times of testing and blessing.
Are you living in faith and obedience to Him? What will be the legacy of your life? --- Dennis Fisher
Even after we have left
This earthly scene below,
The witness of our life can speak
Of Christ, whom all can know. --- D. De Haan
THE MEMORY OF A GODLY LIFE SPEAKS MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN WORDS.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
God Fights Against Us
Read: Joel 2:12-17
Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him? --- Joel 2:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 113-115
1 Corinthians 6
In Joel's book of prophecy, God declared: "I am in the midst of Israel .... My people shall never be put to shame" [2:27]. But earlier in the chapter God promised to fight against His people. A plague of locusts would descend like a ravenous army on the nation [vv. 2-11].
It's hard to fathom that the Lord would fight against His chosen people. But Israel had given their affections to other gods.
In fact, God had fought against them before. "Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity" [Judg. 2:15].
I have learned that if my own heart wanders away from God, I can count on Him to fight to bring me back. If I become proud and self-assured, if reading God's Word and spending time in prayer seem like a waste of time, God will step in and deal with me.
God will fight against us for our good. He permits us to experience defeat so that we will listen to Him when He says, "Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" [Joel 2:13].
Don't wait for God to fight against you before you seek His face. Return to Him today. --- Albert Lee
Because our Father's heart is grieved
Each time we go astray,
He lifts His chastening hand in love
To help us find His way. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S HAND OF DISCIPLINE IS A HAND OF LOVE.
Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him? --- Joel 2:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 113-115
1 Corinthians 6
In Joel's book of prophecy, God declared: "I am in the midst of Israel .... My people shall never be put to shame" [2:27]. But earlier in the chapter God promised to fight against His people. A plague of locusts would descend like a ravenous army on the nation [vv. 2-11].
It's hard to fathom that the Lord would fight against His chosen people. But Israel had given their affections to other gods.
In fact, God had fought against them before. "Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity" [Judg. 2:15].
I have learned that if my own heart wanders away from God, I can count on Him to fight to bring me back. If I become proud and self-assured, if reading God's Word and spending time in prayer seem like a waste of time, God will step in and deal with me.
God will fight against us for our good. He permits us to experience defeat so that we will listen to Him when He says, "Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" [Joel 2:13].
Don't wait for God to fight against you before you seek His face. Return to Him today. --- Albert Lee
Because our Father's heart is grieved
Each time we go astray,
He lifts His chastening hand in love
To help us find His way. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S HAND OF DISCIPLINE IS A HAND OF LOVE.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Laundry Love
Read: 1 John 3:10-24
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. --- 1 John 3:18
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 110-112
1 Corinthians 5
When James Cates was a university student, he worked the night shift as a houseparent in a residential treatment center. One of his responsibilities was the sometimes overwhelming task of doing the laundry for 23 teenage boys.
The laundering process was hard on the clothes, so when a troubled young resident named Jake was given a new shirt from his mother, James offered to wash it separately. Soon other boys began asking him to include a favorite article of clothing in his "special" load. It was a small act of kindness, but it meant a lot to the boys.
Twenty years later, after establishing a successful practice as a therapist, teaching at a university, and being published in scholarly journals, Cates wrote: "With time to look back and reflect, no client I have ever known and no service I have ever performed means more to me than Jake and his shirt, and those special loads of clothes."
A simple act of caring is a powerful expression of God's compassion in our troubled world. The apostle John wrote, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" [1 John 3:18]. Is there some "washing" you can do today? --- David McCasland
When your heart's with compassion filled,
And you God's Word would heed,
Why not in love give help to one
Who has a special need? --- Hess
A LITTLE KINDNESS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. --- 1 John 3:18
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 110-112
1 Corinthians 5
When James Cates was a university student, he worked the night shift as a houseparent in a residential treatment center. One of his responsibilities was the sometimes overwhelming task of doing the laundry for 23 teenage boys.
The laundering process was hard on the clothes, so when a troubled young resident named Jake was given a new shirt from his mother, James offered to wash it separately. Soon other boys began asking him to include a favorite article of clothing in his "special" load. It was a small act of kindness, but it meant a lot to the boys.
Twenty years later, after establishing a successful practice as a therapist, teaching at a university, and being published in scholarly journals, Cates wrote: "With time to look back and reflect, no client I have ever known and no service I have ever performed means more to me than Jake and his shirt, and those special loads of clothes."
A simple act of caring is a powerful expression of God's compassion in our troubled world. The apostle John wrote, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" [1 John 3:18]. Is there some "washing" you can do today? --- David McCasland
When your heart's with compassion filled,
And you God's Word would heed,
Why not in love give help to one
Who has a special need? --- Hess
A LITTLE KINDNESS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Tensile Strength
Read: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. --- 2 Corinthians 12:9
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 107-109
1 Corinthians 4
When a new highway loop was being completed in West Michigan, a real danger was discovered. The bridges had been designed to bear their own weight --- but not the traffic they were intended to carry. Before the highway could be opened, several bridges had to be re-engineered and rebuilt.
Engineers have to be especially concerned with the tensile strength of the material in their construction plans for structures that are required to bear large amounts of stress due to weight. Tensile strength is the maximum amount of stretching a material can withstand before it tears. If the engineer miscalculates, the structure may collapse under the pressure.
When we are under the weight of stress and hardship, we may wonder whether our Lord, who engineered us, has miscalculated our personal "tensile strength." We are certain that we are going to collapse under the weight of the trials, but our Designer knows exactly what we can handle by His grace. He knows our limits and will never permit more than we can bear. As Bible teacher Ron Hutchcraft said, "God may send a load, but He never sends an overload!"
Reinforced by the steel of God's provision, our tensile strength won't fail. --- Bill Crowder
Wait on the Lord from day to day,
Strength He provides in His own way;
There's no need for worry, no need to fear,
He is our God who is always near. --- Fortna
YOUR PROBLEM CAN NEVER EXHAUST GOD'S PROVISIONS.
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. --- 2 Corinthians 12:9
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 107-109
1 Corinthians 4
When a new highway loop was being completed in West Michigan, a real danger was discovered. The bridges had been designed to bear their own weight --- but not the traffic they were intended to carry. Before the highway could be opened, several bridges had to be re-engineered and rebuilt.
Engineers have to be especially concerned with the tensile strength of the material in their construction plans for structures that are required to bear large amounts of stress due to weight. Tensile strength is the maximum amount of stretching a material can withstand before it tears. If the engineer miscalculates, the structure may collapse under the pressure.
When we are under the weight of stress and hardship, we may wonder whether our Lord, who engineered us, has miscalculated our personal "tensile strength." We are certain that we are going to collapse under the weight of the trials, but our Designer knows exactly what we can handle by His grace. He knows our limits and will never permit more than we can bear. As Bible teacher Ron Hutchcraft said, "God may send a load, but He never sends an overload!"
Reinforced by the steel of God's provision, our tensile strength won't fail. --- Bill Crowder
Wait on the Lord from day to day,
Strength He provides in His own way;
There's no need for worry, no need to fear,
He is our God who is always near. --- Fortna
YOUR PROBLEM CAN NEVER EXHAUST GOD'S PROVISIONS.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A Heart For The Homeless
Read: James 2:14-20
They desired only that we should remember the poor. --- Galatians 2:10
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 105-106
1 Corinthians 3
Members of the First Presbyterian Church in Snohomish, Washington, had a large supply of leftovers from the celebration of their 125th anniversary. They decided to give the food to the women and children in a nearby homeless shelter. As a chilling rain poured down outside, volunteers unloaded containers, one of which included a large cake. Someone remarked, "I hope today is somebody's birthday." A homeless woman replied, "Every day inside is a holiday."
Jesus knew the experience of homelessness. He said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" [Matt. 8:20]. Yet no one had more compassion for the poor.
James emphasized the need for believers to help each other materially. He wrote, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" [2:15-16].
We must help the spiritually destitute find a heavenly home by sharing the gospel with them, but we must never neglect those who are poor in this world's goods. A heart for God will also be a heart for the homeless. --- Vernon Grounds
More like the Master I would live and grow,
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be. --- Gabriel
COMPASSION IS LOVE IN ACTION.
They desired only that we should remember the poor. --- Galatians 2:10
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 105-106
1 Corinthians 3
Members of the First Presbyterian Church in Snohomish, Washington, had a large supply of leftovers from the celebration of their 125th anniversary. They decided to give the food to the women and children in a nearby homeless shelter. As a chilling rain poured down outside, volunteers unloaded containers, one of which included a large cake. Someone remarked, "I hope today is somebody's birthday." A homeless woman replied, "Every day inside is a holiday."
Jesus knew the experience of homelessness. He said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" [Matt. 8:20]. Yet no one had more compassion for the poor.
James emphasized the need for believers to help each other materially. He wrote, "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" [2:15-16].
We must help the spiritually destitute find a heavenly home by sharing the gospel with them, but we must never neglect those who are poor in this world's goods. A heart for God will also be a heart for the homeless. --- Vernon Grounds
More like the Master I would live and grow,
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be. --- Gabriel
COMPASSION IS LOVE IN ACTION.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Cricket And Christianity
Read: Romans 3:21-28
The righteousness of God ... is revealed ... through faith in Jesus Christ. --- Romans 3:21-22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 103-104
1 Corinthians 2
While visiting Jamaica on a mission trip with high school students, I discovered how much the people there love the game of cricket.
So I asked a Jamaican teenager to explain it to me. We sat on the ground, and he used rocks and sand drawings to help me understand it. Later, as our group was enjoying delicious jerk chicken, some of us watched a televised cricket match while a coach pointed out what was happening. Yet, after 11 days with Jamaicans, I still didn't understand their favorite game.
I'm sure some Jamaicans feel that way about American football. And millions of people worldwide consider baseball a mystery. One reason we may not like one another's sports is that we don't understand them.
Could that be true of the way you view Christianity? Could it be that you dislike it because it seems too complicated? Maybe it seems to you to be about rules and a big thick book with words you don't understand.
Actually, Christianity is simple: We can be made right with a holy God through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection. Our sins can be forgiven forever [see Rom. 3:24, 28; 10:9-10]. Check it out. You'll discover why believers love Jesus, and you'll learn to love Him too. --- Dave Branon
His precious blood was shed for me,
And in that precious blood I see
The righteous ground, the perfect plea,
For my complete acceptance. --- Anon.
FAITH IS THE HAND THAT SIMPLY RECEIVES GOD'S GIFT OF SALVATION.
The righteousness of God ... is revealed ... through faith in Jesus Christ. --- Romans 3:21-22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 103-104
1 Corinthians 2
While visiting Jamaica on a mission trip with high school students, I discovered how much the people there love the game of cricket.
So I asked a Jamaican teenager to explain it to me. We sat on the ground, and he used rocks and sand drawings to help me understand it. Later, as our group was enjoying delicious jerk chicken, some of us watched a televised cricket match while a coach pointed out what was happening. Yet, after 11 days with Jamaicans, I still didn't understand their favorite game.
I'm sure some Jamaicans feel that way about American football. And millions of people worldwide consider baseball a mystery. One reason we may not like one another's sports is that we don't understand them.
Could that be true of the way you view Christianity? Could it be that you dislike it because it seems too complicated? Maybe it seems to you to be about rules and a big thick book with words you don't understand.
Actually, Christianity is simple: We can be made right with a holy God through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection. Our sins can be forgiven forever [see Rom. 3:24, 28; 10:9-10]. Check it out. You'll discover why believers love Jesus, and you'll learn to love Him too. --- Dave Branon
His precious blood was shed for me,
And in that precious blood I see
The righteous ground, the perfect plea,
For my complete acceptance. --- Anon.
FAITH IS THE HAND THAT SIMPLY RECEIVES GOD'S GIFT OF SALVATION.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Pressing On
Read: Psalm 73:25-28
It is good for me to draw near to God. --- Psalm 73:28
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 100-102
1 Corinthians 1
The psalmist kept things simple: "There is none upon earth that I desire besides You" [Ps. 73:25]. All progress in the spiritual life is marked by our movement toward that conclusion, the conviction that only one thing is necessary: God Himself.
All progress in the spiritual life is progress toward knowing God and loving Him --- moving toward the point at which we say with Israel's poet: "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" [v.26].
That perspective changes the way we look at everything. Suffering and adversity become the means by which we're made hungry and thirsty for God. Disappointments become the tools that wean us away from earthly occupations and move us toward a preoccupation with God alone. Even sin, when repented of, becomes a mechanism to push us closer to Him so that we can experience His love and forgiveness. All things become useful when viewed as the means to the highest good --- drawing near to God.
Like Paul, we may say, "I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" [Phil. 3:12]. How do we press on? With a humble and grateful response to His love. But it all begins with God. He seeks us so that we may seek Him alone. --- David Roper
I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day ---
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground." --- Oatman
GOD LOVES US TOO MUCH TO LET US STAY AS WE ARE.
It is good for me to draw near to God. --- Psalm 73:28
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 100-102
1 Corinthians 1
The psalmist kept things simple: "There is none upon earth that I desire besides You" [Ps. 73:25]. All progress in the spiritual life is marked by our movement toward that conclusion, the conviction that only one thing is necessary: God Himself.
All progress in the spiritual life is progress toward knowing God and loving Him --- moving toward the point at which we say with Israel's poet: "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" [v.26].
That perspective changes the way we look at everything. Suffering and adversity become the means by which we're made hungry and thirsty for God. Disappointments become the tools that wean us away from earthly occupations and move us toward a preoccupation with God alone. Even sin, when repented of, becomes a mechanism to push us closer to Him so that we can experience His love and forgiveness. All things become useful when viewed as the means to the highest good --- drawing near to God.
Like Paul, we may say, "I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" [Phil. 3:12]. How do we press on? With a humble and grateful response to His love. But it all begins with God. He seeks us so that we may seek Him alone. --- David Roper
I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day ---
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground." --- Oatman
GOD LOVES US TOO MUCH TO LET US STAY AS WE ARE.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Whose Prisoner
Read: Ephesians 3:1-9
This grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. --- Ephesians 3:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 97-99
Romans 16
A story is told of Scottish minister Alexander Whyte, who was able to look at the bleakest situation and yet find something to be thankful for. On a dark Sunday morning when the weather was freezing, wet, and stormy, one of his deacons whispered, "I am sure the preacher won't be able to thank God for anything on a day like this. It's absolutely horrible outside!" The pastor began the service by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that the weather is not always like this."
The apostle Paul also saw the best in every situation. Consider his circumstances as he wrote to the church in Ephesus while he awaited trial before the Roman emperor Nero. Most people would have concluded that he was a prisoner of Rome. But Paul saw himself as a prisoner of Christ. He thought of his hardships an an opportunity to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.
These words of Paul should challenge us: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" [Eph. 3:8]. Paul, a prisoner of Christ, saw himself as being given the privilege to serve God and present the "riches of Christ" to many.
Whose prisoner are we? --- Albert Lee
Afflictions may test me,
They cannot destroy;
One glimpse of Thy love
Turns them all into joy. --- Willett
THE TRIALS THAT IMPRISON YOU NEED NOT LIMIT GOD'S WORK IN YOU.
This grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. --- Ephesians 3:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 97-99
Romans 16
A story is told of Scottish minister Alexander Whyte, who was able to look at the bleakest situation and yet find something to be thankful for. On a dark Sunday morning when the weather was freezing, wet, and stormy, one of his deacons whispered, "I am sure the preacher won't be able to thank God for anything on a day like this. It's absolutely horrible outside!" The pastor began the service by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that the weather is not always like this."
The apostle Paul also saw the best in every situation. Consider his circumstances as he wrote to the church in Ephesus while he awaited trial before the Roman emperor Nero. Most people would have concluded that he was a prisoner of Rome. But Paul saw himself as a prisoner of Christ. He thought of his hardships an an opportunity to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.
These words of Paul should challenge us: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" [Eph. 3:8]. Paul, a prisoner of Christ, saw himself as being given the privilege to serve God and present the "riches of Christ" to many.
Whose prisoner are we? --- Albert Lee
Afflictions may test me,
They cannot destroy;
One glimpse of Thy love
Turns them all into joy. --- Willett
THE TRIALS THAT IMPRISON YOU NEED NOT LIMIT GOD'S WORK IN YOU.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Lessons From Mom
Read: Romans 1:8-16
I am ready to preach the gospel to you. --- Romans 1:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 94-96
Romans 15:14-33
Dementia was slowly taking Mom Cetas from us. And there was nothing my husband or I could do to keep her from slipping away.
In those difficult days, Mom taught us many lessons. She forgot how to do a number of things, but one of the things she did not forget was how to pray. Occasionally, someone would mention a problem they were having, and she'd stop right there to pray for the person's need.
She also continued to talk to others about Jesus. Those who took care of her at the nursing home said that she often asked the other residents and workers if they knew Jesus as their Savior. She wanted them to be sure that their sins were forgiven and they were going to heaven.
When I think of these qualities in Mom, I think of Romans 1. The apostle Paul remembered the people in the Roman church "always in [his] prayers" [v.9]. And he was "ready to preach the gospel" because, as he said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" [vv.15-16].
As long as Mom Cetas was able, she kept looking to Jesus in prayer and telling others about Him. We all can learn from her example of boldness and trust in the Lord. --- Anne Cetas
If we with all our heart and soul
Devoutly love the Lord,
We'll talk of Him to those we meet
And share with them His Word. --- Sper
TALKING TO CHRIST ABOUT OTHERS GIVES US THE PASSION TO TALK TO OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST.
I am ready to preach the gospel to you. --- Romans 1:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 94-96
Romans 15:14-33
Dementia was slowly taking Mom Cetas from us. And there was nothing my husband or I could do to keep her from slipping away.
In those difficult days, Mom taught us many lessons. She forgot how to do a number of things, but one of the things she did not forget was how to pray. Occasionally, someone would mention a problem they were having, and she'd stop right there to pray for the person's need.
She also continued to talk to others about Jesus. Those who took care of her at the nursing home said that she often asked the other residents and workers if they knew Jesus as their Savior. She wanted them to be sure that their sins were forgiven and they were going to heaven.
When I think of these qualities in Mom, I think of Romans 1. The apostle Paul remembered the people in the Roman church "always in [his] prayers" [v.9]. And he was "ready to preach the gospel" because, as he said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" [vv.15-16].
As long as Mom Cetas was able, she kept looking to Jesus in prayer and telling others about Him. We all can learn from her example of boldness and trust in the Lord. --- Anne Cetas
If we with all our heart and soul
Devoutly love the Lord,
We'll talk of Him to those we meet
And share with them His Word. --- Sper
TALKING TO CHRIST ABOUT OTHERS GIVES US THE PASSION TO TALK TO OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Behind The Scenes
Read: John 3:22-36
He must increase, but I must decrease. --- John 3:30
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 91-93
Romans 15:1-13
People around the world instantly recognize Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch from the children's TV show Sesame Street. But Caroll Spinney is not a well-known celebrity, even though he has brought both characters to life on the popular program since 1969. A skilled puppeteer, Spinney has been content to work behind the scenes.
I believe God calls every follower of Jesus to take a similar approach in making Him known to the world. John the Baptist told his listeners: "I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' ... He must increase, but I must decrease' [John 3:28, 30]. John acknowledged that he was not the bridegroom, but only His friend [v.29].
Oswald Chambers reminds us: "Goodness and purity ought never to attract attention to themselves, they ought simply to be magnets to draw to Jesus Christ. A beautiful saint may be a hindrance if he does not present Jesus Christ but only what Christ has done for him; he will leave the impression --- 'What a fine character that man is!' --- that is not being a true friend of the Bridegroom; I am increasing all the time, He is not."
Jesus the Savior is onstage. We must be behind the scenes. --- David McCasland
When you share the Lord with others,
See that He is on display;
For the world to see Him clearly,
We must not get in the way. --- Sper
HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD. --- 2 Corinthians 10:17
He must increase, but I must decrease. --- John 3:30
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 91-93
Romans 15:1-13
People around the world instantly recognize Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch from the children's TV show Sesame Street. But Caroll Spinney is not a well-known celebrity, even though he has brought both characters to life on the popular program since 1969. A skilled puppeteer, Spinney has been content to work behind the scenes.
I believe God calls every follower of Jesus to take a similar approach in making Him known to the world. John the Baptist told his listeners: "I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' ... He must increase, but I must decrease' [John 3:28, 30]. John acknowledged that he was not the bridegroom, but only His friend [v.29].
Oswald Chambers reminds us: "Goodness and purity ought never to attract attention to themselves, they ought simply to be magnets to draw to Jesus Christ. A beautiful saint may be a hindrance if he does not present Jesus Christ but only what Christ has done for him; he will leave the impression --- 'What a fine character that man is!' --- that is not being a true friend of the Bridegroom; I am increasing all the time, He is not."
Jesus the Savior is onstage. We must be behind the scenes. --- David McCasland
When you share the Lord with others,
See that He is on display;
For the world to see Him clearly,
We must not get in the way. --- Sper
HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD. --- 2 Corinthians 10:17
Monday, August 13, 2007
Rosebud Potential
Read: Mark 3:13-19
Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him. --- Mark 3:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 89-90
Romans 14
My wife and I adore miniature roses. Recently, we planted several bushes, but one did not survive. We returned it to the nursery and asked for an exchange. It was mid-summer and the mini roses section was limited.
I looked at one that had a picture showing its potential when in full bloom. Bu the rose plant itself looked rather plain. My wife offered some good advice. "Don't look at the full blossoms. Look at how many healthy new rosebuds are starting to form."
Following her advice, we selected, brought home, planted, and tended the plant with the most rosebuds. In only a week, it had blossomed beautifully!
When our Lord chose His apostles, He selected imperfect men [Mark 3:13-19]. One had a history of shady business practices, others had violent tempers. Yet Jesus looked not at their imperfection but at their potential.
Jesus uses the same approach with us. He loves us so much that He chose us despite our imperfections [2 Thess. 2:13]. Through the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, He nurtured and transforms us into His glorious image [2 Cor. 3:18]. Next time you are with family, friends, and co-workers, don't focus on imperfections. Instead, look for rosebud potential. --- Dennis Fisher
God, help us see in those we meet
The likeness of Christ's image there,
And many those traits that are like His
Grow stronger from our love and care. --- D. De Haan
THE SPIRIT DEVELOPS IN US THE CLEAR IMAGE OF CHRIST.
Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him. --- Mark 3:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 89-90
Romans 14
My wife and I adore miniature roses. Recently, we planted several bushes, but one did not survive. We returned it to the nursery and asked for an exchange. It was mid-summer and the mini roses section was limited.
I looked at one that had a picture showing its potential when in full bloom. Bu the rose plant itself looked rather plain. My wife offered some good advice. "Don't look at the full blossoms. Look at how many healthy new rosebuds are starting to form."
Following her advice, we selected, brought home, planted, and tended the plant with the most rosebuds. In only a week, it had blossomed beautifully!
When our Lord chose His apostles, He selected imperfect men [Mark 3:13-19]. One had a history of shady business practices, others had violent tempers. Yet Jesus looked not at their imperfection but at their potential.
Jesus uses the same approach with us. He loves us so much that He chose us despite our imperfections [2 Thess. 2:13]. Through the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, He nurtured and transforms us into His glorious image [2 Cor. 3:18]. Next time you are with family, friends, and co-workers, don't focus on imperfections. Instead, look for rosebud potential. --- Dennis Fisher
God, help us see in those we meet
The likeness of Christ's image there,
And many those traits that are like His
Grow stronger from our love and care. --- D. De Haan
THE SPIRIT DEVELOPS IN US THE CLEAR IMAGE OF CHRIST.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Be Glad!
Read: Psalm 69:29-36
I will praise the name of God with a song .... The humble shall see this and be glad. --- Psalm 69:30,32
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 87-88
Romans 13
For several days after my husband and his brother sang a duet in church of "Be Ye Glad," I was unable to get the lyrics by Michael Blanchard out of my mind. But they're good words to get stuck on:
Oh, be ye glad, oh, be ye glad!
Every debt that you ever had
has been paid up in full
by the grace of the Lord.
Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad!
Ancient Israel's beloved songwriter and king often wrote about gladness. In three consecutive songs, David spoke of being glad: Psalm 68:3; 69:32; 70:4. His lyrics assure us that it's not the rich or the powerful who have reason to be glad but those who are humble and right with God.
David expanded on this theme in another song: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered .... Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" [32:1, 11].
If you are feeling poor and powerless today, you can still be glad. You can have something of far more value: a debt-free relationship with God.
When we stop defending our own sinful ways and humbly acknowledge that God's ways are right, true gladness will spring forth in songs of glorious praise. --- Julie Ackerman Link
We can rejoice, our debt's been paid;
All of our sin on Christ was laid;
He wants us now to live our days
In thankfulness and endless praise. --- Sper
JOY IS THE RESULT OF A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
I will praise the name of God with a song .... The humble shall see this and be glad. --- Psalm 69:30,32
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 87-88
Romans 13
For several days after my husband and his brother sang a duet in church of "Be Ye Glad," I was unable to get the lyrics by Michael Blanchard out of my mind. But they're good words to get stuck on:
Oh, be ye glad, oh, be ye glad!
Every debt that you ever had
has been paid up in full
by the grace of the Lord.
Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad!
Ancient Israel's beloved songwriter and king often wrote about gladness. In three consecutive songs, David spoke of being glad: Psalm 68:3; 69:32; 70:4. His lyrics assure us that it's not the rich or the powerful who have reason to be glad but those who are humble and right with God.
David expanded on this theme in another song: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered .... Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" [32:1, 11].
If you are feeling poor and powerless today, you can still be glad. You can have something of far more value: a debt-free relationship with God.
When we stop defending our own sinful ways and humbly acknowledge that God's ways are right, true gladness will spring forth in songs of glorious praise. --- Julie Ackerman Link
We can rejoice, our debt's been paid;
All of our sin on Christ was laid;
He wants us now to live our days
In thankfulness and endless praise. --- Sper
JOY IS THE RESULT OF A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
All The Facts
Read: Jeremiah 32:6-15
Behold , I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? --- Jeremiah 32:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 84-86
Romans 12
The Babylonian armies had Jerusalem surrounded. Resistance was futile. Jeremiah the prophet had already warned the leaders that the city would fall. Now he languished in prison for prophesying the truth.
Just as invasion was imminent, the Lord informed Jeremiah that one of his cousins was on the way to ask him to buy a piece of family property. God commanded Jeremiah to fulfill his cousin's request [Jer. 32:7-8].
What a time to pay good silver for land that would soon be in the hands of the enemy! All the known facts argued against this purchase. But as Os Guinness reminds us: "All the known facts are not all the facts."
Although puzzled [v.25], Jeremiah trusted God and bought the property [v.9]. The Lord assured him that despite the bleak outlook, the people would again own "houses and fields and vineyards" in the land [v.15].
We often go through trying times. Some believers endure persecution. Others attempt to rebuild their lives after natural disasters. Many live with disabilities and suffering, with little hope of recovery. The known facts are against them.
But God, who came down in the person of Jesus, is on our side. We have a hope that does not disappoint. The known facts are not all the facts. --- Herb Vander Lugt
The Lord above has kept you safe,
Yes, all throughout the night;
Why, then, should you awake to fear
The things beyond your sight? --- Michael
ALL WE'VE SEEN OF GOD'S PROVISION TEACHES US TO TRUST HIM FOR WHAT IS UNSEEN.
Behold , I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? --- Jeremiah 32:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 84-86
Romans 12
The Babylonian armies had Jerusalem surrounded. Resistance was futile. Jeremiah the prophet had already warned the leaders that the city would fall. Now he languished in prison for prophesying the truth.
Just as invasion was imminent, the Lord informed Jeremiah that one of his cousins was on the way to ask him to buy a piece of family property. God commanded Jeremiah to fulfill his cousin's request [Jer. 32:7-8].
What a time to pay good silver for land that would soon be in the hands of the enemy! All the known facts argued against this purchase. But as Os Guinness reminds us: "All the known facts are not all the facts."
Although puzzled [v.25], Jeremiah trusted God and bought the property [v.9]. The Lord assured him that despite the bleak outlook, the people would again own "houses and fields and vineyards" in the land [v.15].
We often go through trying times. Some believers endure persecution. Others attempt to rebuild their lives after natural disasters. Many live with disabilities and suffering, with little hope of recovery. The known facts are against them.
But God, who came down in the person of Jesus, is on our side. We have a hope that does not disappoint. The known facts are not all the facts. --- Herb Vander Lugt
The Lord above has kept you safe,
Yes, all throughout the night;
Why, then, should you awake to fear
The things beyond your sight? --- Michael
ALL WE'VE SEEN OF GOD'S PROVISION TEACHES US TO TRUST HIM FOR WHAT IS UNSEEN.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Sustained In The Silence
Read: Psalm 94:16-23
In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. --- Psalm 94:19
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 81-83
Romans 11:19-36
Hudson Taylor [1832-1905] was the founder of the China Island Mission and a great servant of God. But after the ferocious Boxer Rebellion of 1900, in which hundreds of his fellow missionaries were killed, Taylor was emotionally devastated and his health began to fail. Nearing the end of life's journey, he wrote, "I am so weak that I cannot work. I cannot read my Bible; I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in God's arms like a child and trust."
Have you been passing through a time when you are tired of body and sick of heart? Do you find it difficult to focus your mind on biblical promises? Has it become hard for you to pray? Don't write yourself off as a spiritual castaway. You are joining a host of God's people who have experienced the dark night of the soul.
When we endure such times, all we can do --- indeed, all we need do --- is lie still like a child in the arms of our heavenly Father. Words aren't necessary. A comforting father doesn't expect his child to make speeches. Neither does God. He knows we need His soothing care. In times of trouble, His mercy holds us up [Ps. 94:18]. We may trust Him to carry us through that dark night of the soul and on into the dawning light. --- Vernon Grounds
Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild;
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He had redeemed me, and I am His child. --- Cushing
WHEN WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT GOD, WE'LL FIND THAT GOD IS ENOUGH.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. --- Psalm 94:19
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 81-83
Romans 11:19-36
Hudson Taylor [1832-1905] was the founder of the China Island Mission and a great servant of God. But after the ferocious Boxer Rebellion of 1900, in which hundreds of his fellow missionaries were killed, Taylor was emotionally devastated and his health began to fail. Nearing the end of life's journey, he wrote, "I am so weak that I cannot work. I cannot read my Bible; I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in God's arms like a child and trust."
Have you been passing through a time when you are tired of body and sick of heart? Do you find it difficult to focus your mind on biblical promises? Has it become hard for you to pray? Don't write yourself off as a spiritual castaway. You are joining a host of God's people who have experienced the dark night of the soul.
When we endure such times, all we can do --- indeed, all we need do --- is lie still like a child in the arms of our heavenly Father. Words aren't necessary. A comforting father doesn't expect his child to make speeches. Neither does God. He knows we need His soothing care. In times of trouble, His mercy holds us up [Ps. 94:18]. We may trust Him to carry us through that dark night of the soul and on into the dawning light. --- Vernon Grounds
Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild;
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He had redeemed me, and I am His child. --- Cushing
WHEN WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT GOD, WE'LL FIND THAT GOD IS ENOUGH.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
A Fragile Stone
Read: Matthew 16:13-20
Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." --- Matthew 16:16
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 79-80
Romans 11:1-18
When writing on the life of Simon Peter, songwriter and author Michael Card described the apostle as "a fragile stone." It is a term filled with contrast, yet one that aptly describes Peter.
Throughout Peter's life, we see this contrast lived out as he displayed moments of courage followed by spiritual failure. After his declaration of Christ as the Son of God, Jesus said to him, "I also say to you that yo are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" [Matt. 16:18]. A rock. A stone. Peter, whose name means "a small stone," proved to be fragile when he tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, and when he denied Him three times after His arrest.
Peter, the "fragile stone," reminds us that no amount of personal strength or talent can make us adequate for this life and its challenges. Only as we rest in the strength of Christ will we find His provision. When we acknowledge our frailty and dependence on Him, Christ's strength can empower us for the troubles life throws our way.
Like Peter, we are all "fragile stones." How grateful we can be for His strength that is made perfect in our weakness [2 Cor. 12:9-10]. --- Bill Crowder
God uses weakness to reveal
His great sufficiency;
So if we let Him work through us,
His power we will see. --- Sper
ONLY WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNESS CAN WE BE STRONG IN THE LORD.
Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." --- Matthew 16:16
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 79-80
Romans 11:1-18
When writing on the life of Simon Peter, songwriter and author Michael Card described the apostle as "a fragile stone." It is a term filled with contrast, yet one that aptly describes Peter.
Throughout Peter's life, we see this contrast lived out as he displayed moments of courage followed by spiritual failure. After his declaration of Christ as the Son of God, Jesus said to him, "I also say to you that yo are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" [Matt. 16:18]. A rock. A stone. Peter, whose name means "a small stone," proved to be fragile when he tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross, and when he denied Him three times after His arrest.
Peter, the "fragile stone," reminds us that no amount of personal strength or talent can make us adequate for this life and its challenges. Only as we rest in the strength of Christ will we find His provision. When we acknowledge our frailty and dependence on Him, Christ's strength can empower us for the troubles life throws our way.
Like Peter, we are all "fragile stones." How grateful we can be for His strength that is made perfect in our weakness [2 Cor. 12:9-10]. --- Bill Crowder
God uses weakness to reveal
His great sufficiency;
So if we let Him work through us,
His power we will see. --- Sper
ONLY WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNESS CAN WE BE STRONG IN THE LORD.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Storm Before The Calm
Read: Matthew 6:9-15
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. --- Matthew 6:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 77-78
Romans 10
The small church was struggling, and everyone knew why. Two elderly church members had a conflict, and the people had divided their loyalties between them, which made any kind of progress impossible. They blatantly disregarded Jesus' instructions on forgiving others [Matt. 6:14].
A new pastor came to the church and spent several weeks teaching about forgiveness and trust. For a while, the people stuck to their divided loyalties and continued to slog along in their stagnant pool of distrust.
After much prayer, the pastor felt directed by the Lord to take action. So during a morning service, he called on the two men to stand and then asked them to forgive each other. He knew that if the church were ever to have peace again, a storm of confrontation had to occur. The men faced off, paused, and them embraced. Tears ran down their faces as each begged the other for forgiveness. Forty-five minutes later, the crying and hugging and forgiving throughout the congregation finally stopped. The church was revitalized to serve together as a loving community for the glory of God.
Forgiveness is a powerful thing, bringing a comforting calmness. With it, we can enjoy harmony with God's people; without it, the storm continues. --- Dave Branon
Oh, what joy and peace we forfeit,
When forgiveness we withhold;
Fellowship with God is broken,
And the heart grows hard and cold. --- D. De Haan
FORGIVENESS IS CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION.
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. --- Matthew 6:14
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 77-78
Romans 10
The small church was struggling, and everyone knew why. Two elderly church members had a conflict, and the people had divided their loyalties between them, which made any kind of progress impossible. They blatantly disregarded Jesus' instructions on forgiving others [Matt. 6:14].
A new pastor came to the church and spent several weeks teaching about forgiveness and trust. For a while, the people stuck to their divided loyalties and continued to slog along in their stagnant pool of distrust.
After much prayer, the pastor felt directed by the Lord to take action. So during a morning service, he called on the two men to stand and then asked them to forgive each other. He knew that if the church were ever to have peace again, a storm of confrontation had to occur. The men faced off, paused, and them embraced. Tears ran down their faces as each begged the other for forgiveness. Forty-five minutes later, the crying and hugging and forgiving throughout the congregation finally stopped. The church was revitalized to serve together as a loving community for the glory of God.
Forgiveness is a powerful thing, bringing a comforting calmness. With it, we can enjoy harmony with God's people; without it, the storm continues. --- Dave Branon
Oh, what joy and peace we forfeit,
When forgiveness we withhold;
Fellowship with God is broken,
And the heart grows hard and cold. --- D. De Haan
FORGIVENESS IS CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Wake Up And Live
Read: Revelation 3:1-6
I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. --- Revelation 3:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 74-76
Romans 9:16-33
It happened more than 30 years ago but it still hurts. During a period of spiritual rebellion, I ran into a young man I had introduced to Christ. He was stunned to discover that I had walked away from the Lord and was no longer the person he had known. It is one of my most regretted experiences, and I still pray for an opportunity to make it right with him.
During those wandering years, I would have fit in comfortably as a member of the First Church of Sardis [Rev. 3:1-6]. My dilemma, like theirs, was that people thought I was the person I used to be.
The risen Lord confronted the church in Sardis: "I know your works, that you have have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God" [Rev. 3:1-2].
Their reputation for being alive didn't match reality. They were spiritually dead. But there was still hope. The Lord told them to wake up and fan the spark of spiritual life still in them. "Hold fast and repent," He warned [v.3].
Pretending to be what we aren't is a heavy burden to bear. Our Lord calls us to lay it down, repent, come back to Him, and live. --- David McCasland
O Lord, return to me Your power
That once by grace I knew;
Forgive the sin that grieved Your heart,
And help me to be true. --- Anon.
NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU'VE RUN FROM GOD, HE'S ONLY A PRAYER AWAY.
I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. --- Revelation 3:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 74-76
Romans 9:16-33
It happened more than 30 years ago but it still hurts. During a period of spiritual rebellion, I ran into a young man I had introduced to Christ. He was stunned to discover that I had walked away from the Lord and was no longer the person he had known. It is one of my most regretted experiences, and I still pray for an opportunity to make it right with him.
During those wandering years, I would have fit in comfortably as a member of the First Church of Sardis [Rev. 3:1-6]. My dilemma, like theirs, was that people thought I was the person I used to be.
The risen Lord confronted the church in Sardis: "I know your works, that you have have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God" [Rev. 3:1-2].
Their reputation for being alive didn't match reality. They were spiritually dead. But there was still hope. The Lord told them to wake up and fan the spark of spiritual life still in them. "Hold fast and repent," He warned [v.3].
Pretending to be what we aren't is a heavy burden to bear. Our Lord calls us to lay it down, repent, come back to Him, and live. --- David McCasland
O Lord, return to me Your power
That once by grace I knew;
Forgive the sin that grieved Your heart,
And help me to be true. --- Anon.
NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU'VE RUN FROM GOD, HE'S ONLY A PRAYER AWAY.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Hope For The Blues
Read: Psalm 62
Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. --- Psalm 62:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 72-73
Romans 9:1-15
You've felt it yourself, or at least listened to other people talk about it --- the blues, times of dark discouragement. Lynette Joy, in an article for christianwomentoday.com, tells of several steps we can take during those dark times to turn toward Jesus, the Light of the World:
Light up your heart through prayer.. Pour out your heart to God when you're feeling overwhelmed [Ps. 62:8]. Take your anxieties to Him in prayer [Phil. 4:6-7]. And if you journal or write down your prayers, you can look back later to see how the Lord has answered you. Light up your mind with truth. Read the Word of God every day, at least for a few minutes. Let His truth challenge, permeate, and transform your incorrect thinking that life is hopeless [Ps. 46:1; Rom. 12:2]. Light up your life by doing God's will. His will for you is to worship and serve Him. Stay involved in your church where you can worship and fellowship with others and serve Him [Heb. 10:25]. This will help you grow in your trust of God.
When we feel darkness begin to close in on us, we need to turn to Jesus, the Light. He will be a refuge [Ps. 62:7-8] and will give us the strength to keep going. --- Anne Cetas
Lord, give us strength to trust You when
Life's burdens seems too much to bear;
Dispel the darkness with new hope
And help us rise above despair. --- Sper
YOU WON'T STUMBLE IN THE DARK IF YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD.
Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. --- Psalm 62:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 72-73
Romans 9:1-15
You've felt it yourself, or at least listened to other people talk about it --- the blues, times of dark discouragement. Lynette Joy, in an article for christianwomentoday.com, tells of several steps we can take during those dark times to turn toward Jesus, the Light of the World:
When we feel darkness begin to close in on us, we need to turn to Jesus, the Light. He will be a refuge [Ps. 62:7-8] and will give us the strength to keep going. --- Anne Cetas
Lord, give us strength to trust You when
Life's burdens seems too much to bear;
Dispel the darkness with new hope
And help us rise above despair. --- Sper
YOU WON'T STUMBLE IN THE DARK IF YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Spared From Death
Read: Colossians 1:24-29
You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. --- 1 Corinthians 6:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 70-71
Romans 8:22-39
On August 6, 1945, Kanji Araki, then a toddler, was playing on the floor. Although an air-raid siren had sounded a warning, few paid it any heed since Hiroshima had previously escaped bombing. Then a blinding flash lit up the sky. Superheated air rushed at tremendous speed, knocking down buildings and setting the center of the city ablaze. In the days that followed the nuclear detonation, Kanji's grandmother, brother, and sister died from radiation sickness.
As Kanji grew up, he experienced emotional conflict about those who suffered and died because of the bomb. His parents were Christians, but Kanji adopted a secular view of life. Yet he felt a growing emptiness inside. He began to study the Bible to discover for himself who Jesus is. At a spiritual turning point, Kanji put his trust in Christ, and his empty heart was filled with God's wonderful assurance. When the Lord led him into the ministry, he cited 1 Corinthians 6:20 and said, "I was spared from death so that my life might have a higher purpose in serving God."
The apostle Paul had also been spared to serve God. "I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you," he said [Col. 1:25]. What has God entrusted to you? --- Dennis Fisher
Lord, I thank You for salvation,
For Your mercy, full and free;
Take my all in consecration,
Glorify Yourself in me. --- Codner
KNOWING GOD GIVES MEANING TO LIFE, AND OBEYING GOD GIVES PURPOSE TO LIFE.
You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. --- 1 Corinthians 6:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 70-71
Romans 8:22-39
On August 6, 1945, Kanji Araki, then a toddler, was playing on the floor. Although an air-raid siren had sounded a warning, few paid it any heed since Hiroshima had previously escaped bombing. Then a blinding flash lit up the sky. Superheated air rushed at tremendous speed, knocking down buildings and setting the center of the city ablaze. In the days that followed the nuclear detonation, Kanji's grandmother, brother, and sister died from radiation sickness.
As Kanji grew up, he experienced emotional conflict about those who suffered and died because of the bomb. His parents were Christians, but Kanji adopted a secular view of life. Yet he felt a growing emptiness inside. He began to study the Bible to discover for himself who Jesus is. At a spiritual turning point, Kanji put his trust in Christ, and his empty heart was filled with God's wonderful assurance. When the Lord led him into the ministry, he cited 1 Corinthians 6:20 and said, "I was spared from death so that my life might have a higher purpose in serving God."
The apostle Paul had also been spared to serve God. "I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you," he said [Col. 1:25]. What has God entrusted to you? --- Dennis Fisher
Lord, I thank You for salvation,
For Your mercy, full and free;
Take my all in consecration,
Glorify Yourself in me. --- Codner
KNOWING GOD GIVES MEANING TO LIFE, AND OBEYING GOD GIVES PURPOSE TO LIFE.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Run With Horses
Read: Jeremiah 12
If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? --- Jeremiah 12:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 68-69
Romans 8:1-21
In the Olympic Games, the greatest runners of the world compete for gold medals and laurel wreaths. Long before the final race, competitions are held in countries throughout the world to weed out those who are not fast enough to compete. At the Games, the fastest of the fast qualify for the final competition.
The prophet Jeremiah was also involved in a fierce competition --- but it was with idolaters and wicked priests. He was responding to the Lord's call to condemn Judah and to predict her downfall. He became so discouraged that he asked the Lord, "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are [they] happy?" [12:1].
That's when God said to Jeremiah, in essence, "The competition has just begun. So far you've been dealing with minor issues [running with footmen]. How will you handle it when the really tough stuff comes [contending with horses]?"
Perhaps you've run into some difficulties recently: your boss, an illness, conflicts in your church. You've pleaded with the Lord for relief. But He may have said in response, "Toughen up. Dig in. It may get worse." When He asks you to "run with horses," He will be with you to strengthen and sustain you. That's what God does. --- Dave Egner
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. --- Flint
I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. --- Philippians 3:14
If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? --- Jeremiah 12:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 68-69
Romans 8:1-21
In the Olympic Games, the greatest runners of the world compete for gold medals and laurel wreaths. Long before the final race, competitions are held in countries throughout the world to weed out those who are not fast enough to compete. At the Games, the fastest of the fast qualify for the final competition.
The prophet Jeremiah was also involved in a fierce competition --- but it was with idolaters and wicked priests. He was responding to the Lord's call to condemn Judah and to predict her downfall. He became so discouraged that he asked the Lord, "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are [they] happy?" [12:1].
That's when God said to Jeremiah, in essence, "The competition has just begun. So far you've been dealing with minor issues [running with footmen]. How will you handle it when the really tough stuff comes [contending with horses]?"
Perhaps you've run into some difficulties recently: your boss, an illness, conflicts in your church. You've pleaded with the Lord for relief. But He may have said in response, "Toughen up. Dig in. It may get worse." When He asks you to "run with horses," He will be with you to strengthen and sustain you. That's what God does. --- Dave Egner
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. --- Flint
I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. --- Philippians 3:14
Friday, August 03, 2007
"I Did That Too"
Read: Matthew 18:23-33
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. --- 1 Timothy 1:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 66-67
Romans 7
Our friend Barbara Leavitt loved flowers. Her home was a garden of rare beauty and sweet fragrance, and so was her life. Her presence was like a delightful bouquet.
Barbara went to be with the Lord in 2005, but something happened a few days before she died that I will never forget. My wife and I were sitting at her bedside with other friends telling stories about our childhood when I mentioned that I had once stolen some flowers. There was a park between the elementary school I attended and our home. One day, while walking through the park, I saw a row of irises in bloom and cut several to take to my mother. Some older boys saw me and threatened to call the police. I lived in terror for weeks thinking they would come and take me away.
Barbara placed her hand over mine and murmured softly, "I did that too." I thought, That should be my response when I see the sins of others or hear about them --- "I did that too." Perhaps I've not committed their particular sin, but all sin is blameworthy and requires God's forgiveness.
Awareness of our own depravity is what John Newton called "the root of perpetual tenderness." I don't want to be like the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18. I want to be gracious and show mercy, for "I did that too." --- David Roper
Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see;
The mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me. --- Pope
WE CAN SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS BECAUSE GOD HAS SHOWN MERCY TO US.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. --- 1 Timothy 1:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 66-67
Romans 7
Our friend Barbara Leavitt loved flowers. Her home was a garden of rare beauty and sweet fragrance, and so was her life. Her presence was like a delightful bouquet.
Barbara went to be with the Lord in 2005, but something happened a few days before she died that I will never forget. My wife and I were sitting at her bedside with other friends telling stories about our childhood when I mentioned that I had once stolen some flowers. There was a park between the elementary school I attended and our home. One day, while walking through the park, I saw a row of irises in bloom and cut several to take to my mother. Some older boys saw me and threatened to call the police. I lived in terror for weeks thinking they would come and take me away.
Barbara placed her hand over mine and murmured softly, "I did that too." I thought, That should be my response when I see the sins of others or hear about them --- "I did that too." Perhaps I've not committed their particular sin, but all sin is blameworthy and requires God's forgiveness.
Awareness of our own depravity is what John Newton called "the root of perpetual tenderness." I don't want to be like the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18. I want to be gracious and show mercy, for "I did that too." --- David Roper
Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see;
The mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me. --- Pope
WE CAN SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS BECAUSE GOD HAS SHOWN MERCY TO US.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
What Price For A Book?
Read: John 6:60-69
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have all the words of eternal life. --- John 6:68
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 63-65
Romans 6
A missionary who worked with Underground Evangelism told a story about a believer in Russia before the collapse of communism. Learning that a friend had acquired a Bible, he asked to borrow it. His friend, however, read the precious Book every evening until 10 p.m. So each night for 8 months, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. that dedicated believer laboriously copied his friend's Bible. Eventually, when some fellow Christians visited him with Bibles, he exchanged his hand-written labor of love for several copies.
Imagine not having access to a copy of the Bible. What price would you pay to get one? Let's take this question to a deeper level.
When Jesus' teachings began to "offend" those who were following Him, many chose to leave [John 6:60-66]. So He asked His disciples, "Do you also want to go away?" [v.67]. Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" [v.68]. Peter knew that Jesus was the living Word --- God revealed in the flesh. He was willing to forsake everything in this life to pursue the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Do we have Peter's commitment? Do we have the devotion of that Russian believer? What price would we pay for the Book? For our Lord? --- Vernon Grounds
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to my path alway,
To guide and to keep me from sin,
And show me the heavenly way. --- Sellers
ONE MEASURE OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD IS OUR LOVE FOR THE WRITTEN WORD AND OUR LOVE FOR THE LIVING WORD.
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have all the words of eternal life. --- John 6:68
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 63-65
Romans 6
A missionary who worked with Underground Evangelism told a story about a believer in Russia before the collapse of communism. Learning that a friend had acquired a Bible, he asked to borrow it. His friend, however, read the precious Book every evening until 10 p.m. So each night for 8 months, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. that dedicated believer laboriously copied his friend's Bible. Eventually, when some fellow Christians visited him with Bibles, he exchanged his hand-written labor of love for several copies.
Imagine not having access to a copy of the Bible. What price would you pay to get one? Let's take this question to a deeper level.
When Jesus' teachings began to "offend" those who were following Him, many chose to leave [John 6:60-66]. So He asked His disciples, "Do you also want to go away?" [v.67]. Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" [v.68]. Peter knew that Jesus was the living Word --- God revealed in the flesh. He was willing to forsake everything in this life to pursue the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Do we have Peter's commitment? Do we have the devotion of that Russian believer? What price would we pay for the Book? For our Lord? --- Vernon Grounds
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to my path alway,
To guide and to keep me from sin,
And show me the heavenly way. --- Sellers
ONE MEASURE OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD IS OUR LOVE FOR THE WRITTEN WORD AND OUR LOVE FOR THE LIVING WORD.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Three Friends
Read: Daniel 1:11-21
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. --- Proverbs 17:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 60-62
Romans 5
The Old Testament characters Job and Daniel had much in common. Both went through serious trials and challenges. Both had great success because of the blessing of God's presence in their lives. Both are viewed as giants of the faith, one for his patience in suffering and the other for his purity in an impure culture.
Job and Daniel had something else in common --- each had three significant friends. Here, however, the similarities end. Job's friends became a thorn in his flesh, offering him condemnation when he needed compassion and companionship. As Job struggled with loss and grief, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar seemed bent on intensifying his pain rather than helping him in his adversity.
Daniel's three friends were very different. Taken captive together, Daniel and his companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, supported and strengthened one another in difficult times. They stood together in honoring God [Dan. 1] and in prayer [2:17-18], and in refusing to bow before the king's image [3:16-18]. That's the kind of friend we need.
So what kind of friend am I? Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." Who needs you to be a friend today? --- Bill Crowder
Lord, help me be the kind of friend
That makes my friend secure
So he can find new strength and hope,
His trials to endure. --- D. De Haan
A TRUE FRIEND IS LIKE SUPPORT TO A LEANING WALL.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. --- Proverbs 17:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 60-62
Romans 5
The Old Testament characters Job and Daniel had much in common. Both went through serious trials and challenges. Both had great success because of the blessing of God's presence in their lives. Both are viewed as giants of the faith, one for his patience in suffering and the other for his purity in an impure culture.
Job and Daniel had something else in common --- each had three significant friends. Here, however, the similarities end. Job's friends became a thorn in his flesh, offering him condemnation when he needed compassion and companionship. As Job struggled with loss and grief, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar seemed bent on intensifying his pain rather than helping him in his adversity.
Daniel's three friends were very different. Taken captive together, Daniel and his companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, supported and strengthened one another in difficult times. They stood together in honoring God [Dan. 1] and in prayer [2:17-18], and in refusing to bow before the king's image [3:16-18]. That's the kind of friend we need.
So what kind of friend am I? Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." Who needs you to be a friend today? --- Bill Crowder
Lord, help me be the kind of friend
That makes my friend secure
So he can find new strength and hope,
His trials to endure. --- D. De Haan
A TRUE FRIEND IS LIKE SUPPORT TO A LEANING WALL.
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