Read: Matthew 20:1-16
The last will be first, and the first last. --- Matthew 20:16
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 8-9
Luke 21:1-19
Eddie, an outspoken atheist, spent his entire life of 50 years denying the existence of God. Then he contracted a debilitating disease, and his health slowly deteriorated. As the lay in a hospice house awaiting death, Eddie was visited almost every day by some Christian friends he had known in high school. They told him again of Christ's love. But the closer Eddie came to dying, the more it appeared he was not interested in God.
One Sunday, a pastor stopped by to visit. To everyone's surprise, Eddie prayed with him and asked Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. A few weeks later, he died.
Eddie denied Christ for 50 years and spent just 2 weeks loving and trusting Him. But because of his faith, he will experience forever God's presence, glory, love, majesty, and perfection. Some may argue that this isn't fair. But according to Jesus' parable in Matthew 20, it's not about fairness. It's about God's goodness and grace [vv. 11-15].
Have you waited such a long time to trust Jesus for salvation that you think it might be too late? Consider the thief on the cross, who put his faith in Jesus just before he died [Luke 23:39-43]. Trust Jesus now, and receive His gift of eternal life. It's not too late! --- Dave Branon
If God is calling you today,
Then trust in Christ without delay;
Tomorrow it will be too late
If death occurs and seals your fate. --- Sper
IT IS A DANGEROUS PRESUMPTION TO SAY, "TOMORROW," WHEN GOD SAYS, "TODAY!"
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Space Junk
Read: 2 Samuel 12:1-13
Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. --- Galatians 6:7
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 6-7
Luke 20:27-47
Orbiting our planet at speeds more than 4.5 miles per second is a growing collection of space junk. Nuts, bolts, and other discarded debris from space flights are presenting a real hazard to future spacecraft. Their sheer speed makes the tiniest object strike with the impact of a bullet. During one of the shuttle missions, a speck of paint created a pit of quarter-inch wide in a window of the craft.
One study revealed that there are 110,000 objects larger than 1 centimeter in orbit. Their combined weight is 4 million pounds! To avoid a space junk disaster, the US Space Command monitors orbiting debris for NASA.
Sinful choices create their own kind of junk --- unintended consequences. When Achan stole and hid forbidden booty, it cost him his life [Josh. 7]. After King David committed adultery and murder, family discord followed [2 Sam. 15-18].
Do you have any "junk" in your life? Sin's consequences have a way of accumulating. When we confess our sins to God, He promises to forgive and cleanse us [1 John 1:9]. For those we have hurt, we can seek ways of righting wrongs through restitution [Luke 19:1-8]. The God of grace will give us wisdom in dealing with bad decisions from our past and help us to make good ones in the future. --- Dennis Fisher
What shame can overwhelm the soul
Because we've chosen paths of sin!
But if we humbly call on God,
He'll grant anew His peace within. --- D. De Haan
THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING HAS NEVER BEEN REPEALED.
Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. --- Galatians 6:7
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 6-7
Luke 20:27-47
Orbiting our planet at speeds more than 4.5 miles per second is a growing collection of space junk. Nuts, bolts, and other discarded debris from space flights are presenting a real hazard to future spacecraft. Their sheer speed makes the tiniest object strike with the impact of a bullet. During one of the shuttle missions, a speck of paint created a pit of quarter-inch wide in a window of the craft.
One study revealed that there are 110,000 objects larger than 1 centimeter in orbit. Their combined weight is 4 million pounds! To avoid a space junk disaster, the US Space Command monitors orbiting debris for NASA.
Sinful choices create their own kind of junk --- unintended consequences. When Achan stole and hid forbidden booty, it cost him his life [Josh. 7]. After King David committed adultery and murder, family discord followed [2 Sam. 15-18].
Do you have any "junk" in your life? Sin's consequences have a way of accumulating. When we confess our sins to God, He promises to forgive and cleanse us [1 John 1:9]. For those we have hurt, we can seek ways of righting wrongs through restitution [Luke 19:1-8]. The God of grace will give us wisdom in dealing with bad decisions from our past and help us to make good ones in the future. --- Dennis Fisher
What shame can overwhelm the soul
Because we've chosen paths of sin!
But if we humbly call on God,
He'll grant anew His peace within. --- D. De Haan
THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING HAS NEVER BEEN REPEALED.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Newsroom Mix-Up
Read: 1 Kings 22:1-8
Please inquire for the word of the LORD today. --- 1 Kings 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 3-5
Luke 20:1-26
A Congolese man went to the BBC's News 24 for a job interview. But a time-conscious producer mistook the man for a scheduled guest authority. He led the baffled but compliant applicant into the newsroom studio and fitted him with a microphone.
When the "on air" signal was given, the interviewer missed the look of panic on the man's face, and the flustered job-seeker awkwardly bluffed his way through the questions. When the mistake itself became news, the network apologized for the error.
That hapless man wasn't pretending to be an authority --- he was mistaken for one. In contrast, Ahab, the king of Israel, chose to ignore the truth by seeking answers from the false prophets who were posing as religious authorities. Ahab didn't want to inquire of the Lord through the godly prophet Micaiah "because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" [1 Kings 22:8]. The king had an aversion to the truth.
Sometimes we would rather hear the comfort for a life than words of truth. But we need to get our counsel from advisers who believe that "all Scripture ... is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" [2 Tim. 3:16]. We can't afford to let our desires cause us to exchange God's truth for a lie. --- Mart De Haan
When sin entices and allures
Its lies must be ignored;
The strength to gain the victory
Comes when we trust the Lord. --- Sper
BETTER TO HEAR THE HARD TRUTH THAN A SOFT LIE.
Please inquire for the word of the LORD today. --- 1 Kings 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 3-5
Luke 20:1-26
A Congolese man went to the BBC's News 24 for a job interview. But a time-conscious producer mistook the man for a scheduled guest authority. He led the baffled but compliant applicant into the newsroom studio and fitted him with a microphone.
When the "on air" signal was given, the interviewer missed the look of panic on the man's face, and the flustered job-seeker awkwardly bluffed his way through the questions. When the mistake itself became news, the network apologized for the error.
That hapless man wasn't pretending to be an authority --- he was mistaken for one. In contrast, Ahab, the king of Israel, chose to ignore the truth by seeking answers from the false prophets who were posing as religious authorities. Ahab didn't want to inquire of the Lord through the godly prophet Micaiah "because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" [1 Kings 22:8]. The king had an aversion to the truth.
Sometimes we would rather hear the comfort for a life than words of truth. But we need to get our counsel from advisers who believe that "all Scripture ... is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" [2 Tim. 3:16]. We can't afford to let our desires cause us to exchange God's truth for a lie. --- Mart De Haan
When sin entices and allures
Its lies must be ignored;
The strength to gain the victory
Comes when we trust the Lord. --- Sper
BETTER TO HEAR THE HARD TRUTH THAN A SOFT LIE.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
A Fire To Be Kindled
Read: Luke 24:13-32
Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? --- Luke 24:32
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 1-2
Luke 19:28-48
In Acts 17, Paul went to Mars Hill to declare the truth of the resurrection. Many listeners gathered there were not spiritual seekers. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, records that they spent their days simply wanting to discuss the latest new ideas, with little interest in acting on what they learned [v.21].
Too much information can be dangerous. All the ideas can blur together and become incoherent, leaving us unchanged by what we know.
Centuries ago, the historian Plutarch warned of the danger of living on a purely informational level. He wisely said, "The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
The Christ-followers on the road to Emmaus would have agreed [Luke 24]. As they grieved the death of Jesus, the risen Christ Himself joined them but hid His identity. He began instructing them on the ancient prophecies of those events found throughout the Old Testament. Later that day, Christ revealed Himself to them and then departed.
After Jesus' departure, they marveled at what they had heard. The things He taught were not sterile facts but a fire that kindled their hearts with devotion for Him. May we likewise trust the Shepherd of our souls to kindle our hearts as we grow in His Word. --- Bill Crowder
As we walk along the road of life,
We can sense that Jesus is there too;
As we read His Word and hear His voice
We will find He kindles fire anew. --- Hess
YOU CANNOT START A FIRE IN ANOTHER'S HEART TILL IT IS BURNING IN YOUR OWN.
Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? --- Luke 24:32
The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 1-2
Luke 19:28-48
In Acts 17, Paul went to Mars Hill to declare the truth of the resurrection. Many listeners gathered there were not spiritual seekers. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, records that they spent their days simply wanting to discuss the latest new ideas, with little interest in acting on what they learned [v.21].
Too much information can be dangerous. All the ideas can blur together and become incoherent, leaving us unchanged by what we know.
Centuries ago, the historian Plutarch warned of the danger of living on a purely informational level. He wisely said, "The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
The Christ-followers on the road to Emmaus would have agreed [Luke 24]. As they grieved the death of Jesus, the risen Christ Himself joined them but hid His identity. He began instructing them on the ancient prophecies of those events found throughout the Old Testament. Later that day, Christ revealed Himself to them and then departed.
After Jesus' departure, they marveled at what they had heard. The things He taught were not sterile facts but a fire that kindled their hearts with devotion for Him. May we likewise trust the Shepherd of our souls to kindle our hearts as we grow in His Word. --- Bill Crowder
As we walk along the road of life,
We can sense that Jesus is there too;
As we read His Word and hear His voice
We will find He kindles fire anew. --- Hess
YOU CANNOT START A FIRE IN ANOTHER'S HEART TILL IT IS BURNING IN YOUR OWN.
Friday, April 25, 2008
What Money Can't Buy
Read: Isaiah 55:1-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. --- Isaiah 55:6
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 23-24
Luke 19:1-27
Money is necessary part of living. Without it, we couldn't secure the necessities or luxuries of life. But there are things money can't buy. As preacher W.A. Criswell said, "Money will buy luxuries, but it will not buy spiritual power. Money will buy advancement and preferment, but it will not buy the recognition of God. Money will buy ... favor and accolades, but it will not buy soul respect."
The greatest good --- so great that it is in a category all by itself --- cannot be bought. If the entire human race were to bankrupt its resources in an effort to buy forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Jesus, it would be infinitely insufficient. All the wealth of the whole world cannot purchase the supreme blessing of forgiveness and heaven.
We'll never accumulate enough riches to purchase a place in the paradise of God. But there's good news! Salvation can be ours "without money and without price," according to Isaiah 55:1.
Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? You need only to stretch out your empty hands in childlike faith to the Lord [John 1:12]. Cry out to Him and confess your sin. "He will abundantly pardon" [Isa. 55:7]. --- Vernon Grounds
I am redeemed, but not with silver;
I am bought, but not with gold;
Bought with a price --- the blood of Jesus,
Precious price of love untold. --- Gray
THE FAINTEST KNOCK OF FAITH OPENS WIDE THE DOOR TO FORGIVENESS.
Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. --- Isaiah 55:6
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 23-24
Luke 19:1-27
Money is necessary part of living. Without it, we couldn't secure the necessities or luxuries of life. But there are things money can't buy. As preacher W.A. Criswell said, "Money will buy luxuries, but it will not buy spiritual power. Money will buy advancement and preferment, but it will not buy the recognition of God. Money will buy ... favor and accolades, but it will not buy soul respect."
The greatest good --- so great that it is in a category all by itself --- cannot be bought. If the entire human race were to bankrupt its resources in an effort to buy forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Jesus, it would be infinitely insufficient. All the wealth of the whole world cannot purchase the supreme blessing of forgiveness and heaven.
We'll never accumulate enough riches to purchase a place in the paradise of God. But there's good news! Salvation can be ours "without money and without price," according to Isaiah 55:1.
Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? You need only to stretch out your empty hands in childlike faith to the Lord [John 1:12]. Cry out to Him and confess your sin. "He will abundantly pardon" [Isa. 55:7]. --- Vernon Grounds
I am redeemed, but not with silver;
I am bought, but not with gold;
Bought with a price --- the blood of Jesus,
Precious price of love untold. --- Gray
THE FAINTEST KNOCK OF FAITH OPENS WIDE THE DOOR TO FORGIVENESS.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Quarter In Your Pocket
Read: James 5:13-18
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. --- James 5:16
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 21-22
Luke 18:24-43
Some things are irresistible. For me, it's bubble-gum machines. I can hardly resist the urge to watch one of those colorful gumballs roll down the tunnel so I can pop it into my mouth. But without a quarter, those gumballs are locked up inside. You can be sure that as long as I have the right coin, I won't pass up an opportunity to enjoy the mouth-watering treat.
Prayer is the quarter in your pocket when it comes to releasing the vast resources of God's character and blessings in your life. The "muchness" of God stands in sharp contrast to the leanness of our souls, and without prayer we cannot begin to tap into the reservoir of all that He is waiting to bestow on us. When we long for a satisfying taste of His resources, prayer is essential.
James makes it clear that our prayer needs to be "fervent" and "effective" [5:16]. God is not into ritual but reality. He wants us to avoid formulaic prayers in exchange for a persistent passion. We are to approach His throne of grace with a keen awareness of our need for Him.
As James stated earlier in his book, "You do not have because you do not ask" [4:2]. The more we pray, the more we receive, and before long our lives will demonstrate the life-changing reality of the muchness of God. --- Joe Stowell
The more we go to God in prayer
Intent to seek His face,
The more we'll want to be with Him
Before His throne of grace. --- Sper
MUCH PRAYER, MUCH POWER; LITTLE PRAYER, LITTLE POWER; NO PRAYER, NO POWER!
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. --- James 5:16
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 21-22
Luke 18:24-43
Some things are irresistible. For me, it's bubble-gum machines. I can hardly resist the urge to watch one of those colorful gumballs roll down the tunnel so I can pop it into my mouth. But without a quarter, those gumballs are locked up inside. You can be sure that as long as I have the right coin, I won't pass up an opportunity to enjoy the mouth-watering treat.
Prayer is the quarter in your pocket when it comes to releasing the vast resources of God's character and blessings in your life. The "muchness" of God stands in sharp contrast to the leanness of our souls, and without prayer we cannot begin to tap into the reservoir of all that He is waiting to bestow on us. When we long for a satisfying taste of His resources, prayer is essential.
James makes it clear that our prayer needs to be "fervent" and "effective" [5:16]. God is not into ritual but reality. He wants us to avoid formulaic prayers in exchange for a persistent passion. We are to approach His throne of grace with a keen awareness of our need for Him.
As James stated earlier in his book, "You do not have because you do not ask" [4:2]. The more we pray, the more we receive, and before long our lives will demonstrate the life-changing reality of the muchness of God. --- Joe Stowell
The more we go to God in prayer
Intent to seek His face,
The more we'll want to be with Him
Before His throne of grace. --- Sper
MUCH PRAYER, MUCH POWER; LITTLE PRAYER, LITTLE POWER; NO PRAYER, NO POWER!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Care Of The Heart
Read: Proverbs 24:30-34
When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction. --- Proverbs 24:32
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 19-20
Luke 18:1-23
My father-in-law took a rocky, barren hilltop in Texas and transformed it into a beautiful homesite with a shaded green lawn. After removing thousands of rocks, he added topsoil, planted trees and grass, and kept it watered. Since his death, it has lacked his consistent care. Today when I visit and work around that house, battling the invading thistles, thorns, and weeds, I ponder the state of my own heart.
Am I like that neglected yard, or perhaps the field and vineyard described in Proverbs 24 --- overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, its stone wall broken down? [v.31]. The owner is lazy and lacks understanding [v.30], perhaps putting off today's tasks for a more convenient time.
Along with the practical instruction about diligence in work, I find an application for the care of my soul. The thistles of self-interest grow naturally within me, while the fruit that pleases God requires constant weeding and watering through prayer, confession, and obedience to the Lord. Without these, the soil of my heart will become choked with the thorns of trivial pursuits and greed.
"Keep your heart with all diligence," Solomon wrote, "for out of it spring the issues of life" [Prov. 4:23]. That requires constant care. --- David McCasland
One little sin, what harm can it do?
Give it free reign and soon there are two.
Then sinful deeds and habits ensue ---
Guard well your thoughts, lest they control you. --- DJD
THE GARDEN OF OUR HEART NEEDS CONSTANT WEEDING AND CARE.
When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction. --- Proverbs 24:32
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 19-20
Luke 18:1-23
My father-in-law took a rocky, barren hilltop in Texas and transformed it into a beautiful homesite with a shaded green lawn. After removing thousands of rocks, he added topsoil, planted trees and grass, and kept it watered. Since his death, it has lacked his consistent care. Today when I visit and work around that house, battling the invading thistles, thorns, and weeds, I ponder the state of my own heart.
Am I like that neglected yard, or perhaps the field and vineyard described in Proverbs 24 --- overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, its stone wall broken down? [v.31]. The owner is lazy and lacks understanding [v.30], perhaps putting off today's tasks for a more convenient time.
Along with the practical instruction about diligence in work, I find an application for the care of my soul. The thistles of self-interest grow naturally within me, while the fruit that pleases God requires constant weeding and watering through prayer, confession, and obedience to the Lord. Without these, the soil of my heart will become choked with the thorns of trivial pursuits and greed.
"Keep your heart with all diligence," Solomon wrote, "for out of it spring the issues of life" [Prov. 4:23]. That requires constant care. --- David McCasland
One little sin, what harm can it do?
Give it free reign and soon there are two.
Then sinful deeds and habits ensue ---
Guard well your thoughts, lest they control you. --- DJD
THE GARDEN OF OUR HEART NEEDS CONSTANT WEEDING AND CARE.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Giving Kind
Read: Ruth 2
Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead! --- Ruth 2:20
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 16-18
Luke 17:20-37
At one end of the truck terminal where H.H. Lee worked years ago was a coal company. Nearby was a railroad, and each day several freight trains passed by. Lee often noticed that the owner of the company, who was a Christian, threw chunks of coal over the fence at various places among the track. One day he asked the man why he did this.
The man replied, "An elderly woman lives across the street, and I know that her pension is inadequate to buy enough coal. After the trains go by, she walks along and picks up the pieces she thinks have fallen from the coal car behind the engine. She doesn't realize that diesels have replaced steam locomotives. I don't want to disappoint her, so I just throw some pieces over the fence."
That's Christianity in action! The book of Ruth vividly portrays this principle of giving. When Boaz saw Ruth gathering grain behind the reapers in his field, he commanded them to leave some handfuls of grain for her. To her, this was a blessing from the Lord.
In the same way, the people whose lives we touch need to experience God's love through our compassion and generosity. That's why we should ask God to make us aware of opportunities to show kindness. --- Henry Bosch
Do a deed of simple kindness;
Though its end you may not see,
It will reach like widening ripples
Down a long eternity. --- Anon.
KINDNESS IS THE OIL THAT TAKES THE FRICTION OUT OF LIFE.
Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead! --- Ruth 2:20
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 16-18
Luke 17:20-37
At one end of the truck terminal where H.H. Lee worked years ago was a coal company. Nearby was a railroad, and each day several freight trains passed by. Lee often noticed that the owner of the company, who was a Christian, threw chunks of coal over the fence at various places among the track. One day he asked the man why he did this.
The man replied, "An elderly woman lives across the street, and I know that her pension is inadequate to buy enough coal. After the trains go by, she walks along and picks up the pieces she thinks have fallen from the coal car behind the engine. She doesn't realize that diesels have replaced steam locomotives. I don't want to disappoint her, so I just throw some pieces over the fence."
That's Christianity in action! The book of Ruth vividly portrays this principle of giving. When Boaz saw Ruth gathering grain behind the reapers in his field, he commanded them to leave some handfuls of grain for her. To her, this was a blessing from the Lord.
In the same way, the people whose lives we touch need to experience God's love through our compassion and generosity. That's why we should ask God to make us aware of opportunities to show kindness. --- Henry Bosch
Do a deed of simple kindness;
Though its end you may not see,
It will reach like widening ripples
Down a long eternity. --- Anon.
KINDNESS IS THE OIL THAT TAKES THE FRICTION OUT OF LIFE.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Fellowship Of The Cross
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. --- 2 Corinthians 1:9
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 14-15
Luke 17:1-19
In J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional The Lord of the Rings, a simple, good-hearted hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins is entrusted with a dangerous mission. Together with a group called the Fellowship of the Ring, he must defeat the forces of evil by returning a magic gold ring to the fires of Mount Doom from which it was forged.
Along the way, evil stalks Frodo. Battles are lost. Friends die. Reflecting on such tragedies, Frodo confides in his wise friend Gandalf, "I wish that this had never happened." Gandalf replies, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you must decide is how to use the time that is given to you."
In the "fellowship of the cross," a servant of Christ is also tested. Like Paul, we may feel crushed under the weight of circumstances [2 Cor. 1:3-11]. The path seems too steep to climb. We wonder if there is a dawn beyond the darkness.
Though we may not choose our circumstances, we do choose whether to trust God [2 Cor. 1:9]. Through the fellowship of the Son and the enablement of the Spirit, we can carry out our mission for God [1 Cor. 1:9; John 16:13].
Trust Him to guide you along the way. He offers wise counsel. --- Mart De Haan
Then in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet
Or we'll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go ---
Never fear, only trust and obey. --- Sammis
YOU CAN TRUST GOD IN THE DARK AS WELL AS IN THE LIGHT.
We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. --- 2 Corinthians 1:9
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 14-15
Luke 17:1-19
In J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional The Lord of the Rings, a simple, good-hearted hobbit by the name of Frodo Baggins is entrusted with a dangerous mission. Together with a group called the Fellowship of the Ring, he must defeat the forces of evil by returning a magic gold ring to the fires of Mount Doom from which it was forged.
Along the way, evil stalks Frodo. Battles are lost. Friends die. Reflecting on such tragedies, Frodo confides in his wise friend Gandalf, "I wish that this had never happened." Gandalf replies, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you must decide is how to use the time that is given to you."
In the "fellowship of the cross," a servant of Christ is also tested. Like Paul, we may feel crushed under the weight of circumstances [2 Cor. 1:3-11]. The path seems too steep to climb. We wonder if there is a dawn beyond the darkness.
Though we may not choose our circumstances, we do choose whether to trust God [2 Cor. 1:9]. Through the fellowship of the Son and the enablement of the Spirit, we can carry out our mission for God [1 Cor. 1:9; John 16:13].
Trust Him to guide you along the way. He offers wise counsel. --- Mart De Haan
Then in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet
Or we'll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go ---
Never fear, only trust and obey. --- Sammis
YOU CAN TRUST GOD IN THE DARK AS WELL AS IN THE LIGHT.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunset Boulevard
Read: Deuteronomy 34
[Moses'] eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. --- Deuteronomy 34:7
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 12-13
Luke 16
Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Norma Desmond, a former silent film star. When the talking movies came into fashion, she lost her audience. As an older woman, she longed for the glory of her past. In her mind, silent facial expressions alone made a good movie --- not dialogue. In the song "With One Look" Norma sings:
With one look I can break your heart;
With one look I play every part ...
With one look I'll ignite a blaze;
I'll return to my glory days.
Because Norma lived in the past, her life ended in tragedy.
It's been said that each life is like a book, lived one chapter at a time. If you think your most fruitful years are behind you, remember you're writing a new chapter now. Learn to live each day with contentment in the present.
Near the end of Moses' life, God showed him the Promised Land. Clearly, he had accomplished his mission in life. But he didn't long for the miracles of his "glory days." Instead, Moses was content to obey God in the present. In his sunset years, he mentored Joshua to be his successor [Deut. 31:1-8].
Living contentedly in the present has a way of making us productive for a lifetime --- for God's glory. --- Dennis Fisher
I give my life to You, O Lord,
And live for You each day;
Grant me contentment as I strive
To follow and obey. --- Sper
LIVING IN THE PAST PARALYZES THE PRESENT AND BANKRUPTS THE FUTURE.
[Moses'] eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. --- Deuteronomy 34:7
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 12-13
Luke 16
Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Norma Desmond, a former silent film star. When the talking movies came into fashion, she lost her audience. As an older woman, she longed for the glory of her past. In her mind, silent facial expressions alone made a good movie --- not dialogue. In the song "With One Look" Norma sings:
With one look I can break your heart;
With one look I play every part ...
With one look I'll ignite a blaze;
I'll return to my glory days.
Because Norma lived in the past, her life ended in tragedy.
It's been said that each life is like a book, lived one chapter at a time. If you think your most fruitful years are behind you, remember you're writing a new chapter now. Learn to live each day with contentment in the present.
Near the end of Moses' life, God showed him the Promised Land. Clearly, he had accomplished his mission in life. But he didn't long for the miracles of his "glory days." Instead, Moses was content to obey God in the present. In his sunset years, he mentored Joshua to be his successor [Deut. 31:1-8].
Living contentedly in the present has a way of making us productive for a lifetime --- for God's glory. --- Dennis Fisher
I give my life to You, O Lord,
And live for You each day;
Grant me contentment as I strive
To follow and obey. --- Sper
LIVING IN THE PAST PARALYZES THE PRESENT AND BANKRUPTS THE FUTURE.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Patience Needed
Read: 1 Corinthians 13
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. --- 1 Corinthians 13:4
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 9-11
Luke 15:11-32
Our flight to Singapore was delayed because of mechanical problems. The 15-minute delay turned into 30 minutes, then 60 --- and then 3 hours. The ground staff was scrambling to calm the crowd, but people were tired and soon became angry. As the night stretched on, the crowd began to turn into a mob --- screaming at the staff with harsh language. The pilot even came to offer encouragement, but the crowd turned on him as well.
As I watched the scene unfold, a Singaporean man standing beside me softly said, "Patience will be a much-needed virtue tonight."
Life can be frustrating, even exasperating. Yet, many times impatience is just a reflection of our own self-centeredness in response to life's disappointments. Real love is pictured in the Bible as self-sacrifice [John 15:13], and one demonstration of that love is patience toward others. "Love suffers long and is kind; love ... does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked" [1 Cor. 13:4-5]. It sets aside our personal agenda and seeks to model Christ.
Sound impossible? It is, if we attempt it in our own strength. But as we pray for help, God provides us with patience that reflects His love --- even during frustrating circumstances. --- Bill Crowder
When irritated and upset
Do you complain and gripe and fret?
Or is your life controlled inside
Because in Jesus you confide? --- Branon
WHEN TEMPTED TO LOSE PATIENCE WITH OTHERS, REMEMBER GOD'S PATIENCE WITH YOU.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. --- 1 Corinthians 13:4
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 9-11
Luke 15:11-32
Our flight to Singapore was delayed because of mechanical problems. The 15-minute delay turned into 30 minutes, then 60 --- and then 3 hours. The ground staff was scrambling to calm the crowd, but people were tired and soon became angry. As the night stretched on, the crowd began to turn into a mob --- screaming at the staff with harsh language. The pilot even came to offer encouragement, but the crowd turned on him as well.
As I watched the scene unfold, a Singaporean man standing beside me softly said, "Patience will be a much-needed virtue tonight."
Life can be frustrating, even exasperating. Yet, many times impatience is just a reflection of our own self-centeredness in response to life's disappointments. Real love is pictured in the Bible as self-sacrifice [John 15:13], and one demonstration of that love is patience toward others. "Love suffers long and is kind; love ... does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked" [1 Cor. 13:4-5]. It sets aside our personal agenda and seeks to model Christ.
Sound impossible? It is, if we attempt it in our own strength. But as we pray for help, God provides us with patience that reflects His love --- even during frustrating circumstances. --- Bill Crowder
When irritated and upset
Do you complain and gripe and fret?
Or is your life controlled inside
Because in Jesus you confide? --- Branon
WHEN TEMPTED TO LOSE PATIENCE WITH OTHERS, REMEMBER GOD'S PATIENCE WITH YOU.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Peace-Of-Mind Game
Read: Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. --- Psalm 23:1
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 6-8
Luke 15:1-10
In her down-to-earth book More Than Sparrows, Mary Welch tells of her discussion about worry with a group of teenagers. Although they were Christians, they were as worried as unbelievers about the common things of life. As she lovingly listened to them, an unusual idea came to her for a game they could play. It went like this:
Instead of saying, "I'm worried," stop and say, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Then add, "So, I'm worried to death!" The students laughed at the absurdity of the idea, but they all promised to play this new "peace-of-mind" game.
Later, Mary received a phone call from a young woman who had been paralyzed by worry over an exam she had been dreading to take. She said, "I must tell you how the game helped me trust God today. As I froze with worry, I remembered to say, 'The Lord is my Shepherd ... so I'm afraid I'll fail!' Suddenly I felt the strangest peace of mind. I laughed at myself, then I took the exam --- and I passed!"
Saying "The Lord is my Shepherd, and I am worried to death" is more than a mind game to a point out the absurdity of worry. God can use this contradiction to bring us to a fuller trust in Him. --- Joanie Yoder
Why worry when you can pray?
Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay;
Don't be a "doubting Thomas," rest fully on His promise.
Why worry when you can pray? --- Peterson
WORRY IS THE INTEREST YOU PAY ON BORROWED TROUBLE.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. --- Psalm 23:1
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 6-8
Luke 15:1-10
In her down-to-earth book More Than Sparrows, Mary Welch tells of her discussion about worry with a group of teenagers. Although they were Christians, they were as worried as unbelievers about the common things of life. As she lovingly listened to them, an unusual idea came to her for a game they could play. It went like this:
Instead of saying, "I'm worried," stop and say, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Then add, "So, I'm worried to death!" The students laughed at the absurdity of the idea, but they all promised to play this new "peace-of-mind" game.
Later, Mary received a phone call from a young woman who had been paralyzed by worry over an exam she had been dreading to take. She said, "I must tell you how the game helped me trust God today. As I froze with worry, I remembered to say, 'The Lord is my Shepherd ... so I'm afraid I'll fail!' Suddenly I felt the strangest peace of mind. I laughed at myself, then I took the exam --- and I passed!"
Saying "The Lord is my Shepherd, and I am worried to death" is more than a mind game to a point out the absurdity of worry. God can use this contradiction to bring us to a fuller trust in Him. --- Joanie Yoder
Why worry when you can pray?
Trust Jesus, He'll be your stay;
Don't be a "doubting Thomas," rest fully on His promise.
Why worry when you can pray? --- Peterson
WORRY IS THE INTEREST YOU PAY ON BORROWED TROUBLE.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Changing The World
Read: Luke 6:41-45
Remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye. --- Luke 6:42
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 3-5
Luke 14:25-35
It's a full-time job trying to get people to change. Oh, what a perfect world it would be --- if only other people would do what we want!
A plaque in our family room may hold the key to the secret of change. It's in Dutch, but translated it reads:
CHANGE THE WORLD ---
BEGIN WITH YOURSELF.
Not what most of us want to hear!
Jesus told a parable about the problem of not seeing our own faults. He said, "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye" [Luke 6:42].
Being able to see other people's faults easily without ever noticing my own is not just an indication of hypocrisy. It can be a wake-up call that the problem in a struggling relationship may be me. Perhaps it's my attitude that needs to change. Or I'm the one who needs to apologize. Maybe I'm the person who needs a humble spirit.
It's a lesson some of us have to learn over and over. We can't change others, but with God's help we can change our own behavior. And when our attitude changes, it may seem as if others have changed as well. --- Cindy Hess Kasper
To change can be a wonderful prospect,
Though often it's met with resistance;
The transformation begins within us
And will take a lot of persistence. --- Hess
WHEN GOD WORKS A CHANGE IN US HE CAN CHANGE OTHERS THROUGH US.
Remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye. --- Luke 6:42
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 3-5
Luke 14:25-35
It's a full-time job trying to get people to change. Oh, what a perfect world it would be --- if only other people would do what we want!
A plaque in our family room may hold the key to the secret of change. It's in Dutch, but translated it reads:
CHANGE THE WORLD ---
BEGIN WITH YOURSELF.
Not what most of us want to hear!
Jesus told a parable about the problem of not seeing our own faults. He said, "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye" [Luke 6:42].
Being able to see other people's faults easily without ever noticing my own is not just an indication of hypocrisy. It can be a wake-up call that the problem in a struggling relationship may be me. Perhaps it's my attitude that needs to change. Or I'm the one who needs to apologize. Maybe I'm the person who needs a humble spirit.
It's a lesson some of us have to learn over and over. We can't change others, but with God's help we can change our own behavior. And when our attitude changes, it may seem as if others have changed as well. --- Cindy Hess Kasper
To change can be a wonderful prospect,
Though often it's met with resistance;
The transformation begins within us
And will take a lot of persistence. --- Hess
WHEN GOD WORKS A CHANGE IN US HE CAN CHANGE OTHERS THROUGH US.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Herd Instinct
Read: John 10:14-30
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. --- John 10:27
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 1-2
Luke 14:1-24
Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.
The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep [Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36]. Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.
I'm glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd .... My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" [John 10:14,27].
So the big question for us is: Whom are we following? One another? Self-centered shepherds? Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd?
Our challenge is to avoid the mistake of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must make it our daily purpose to ask ourselves: Am I listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd? Am I following Him? --- Mart De Haan
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare. --- Thrupp
FOLLOW CHRIST, NOT THE CROWD.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. --- John 10:27
The Bible In One Year:
2 Samuel 1-2
Luke 14:1-24
Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.
The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep [Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36]. Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.
I'm glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd .... My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" [John 10:14,27].
So the big question for us is: Whom are we following? One another? Self-centered shepherds? Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd?
Our challenge is to avoid the mistake of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must make it our daily purpose to ask ourselves: Am I listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd? Am I following Him? --- Mart De Haan
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare. --- Thrupp
FOLLOW CHRIST, NOT THE CROWD.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
This Is Better
Read: Proverbs 16:16-32
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather then silver. --- Proverbs 16:16
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 30-31
Luke 13:23-35
People all over the world are constantly looking for the better item, whether buying fruit in a market or choosing a place to live. We examine, ponder, compare, and finally make a choice based on what we believe is better. I can't imagine anyone saying, "I'm convinced this one is worse, so I'll take it."
The book of Proverbs is filled with comparisons that point us toward the right pathway in life. Because the book's purpose is to give the reader knowledge and wisdom based on the fear of the Lord [Prov. 1:2,7], it's not surprising to find statements saying, "This is better than that."
In Proverbs 16, we read that it is better tog et wisdom than gold or silver [v.16]; better to be humble among the poor than to be proud among the wealthy [v.19]; better to control our temper than to rule a city [v.32]. Some people have the ability to be both wise and wealthy. But when faced with a choice between the two, Proverbs says wisdom is the better alternative.
As we read the book of Proverbs, let's look for those signs that say, "This is better!" When God's Word shapes our thinking and guides our choices, we'll discover that His way is always better. --- David McCasland
Not that we have, but what we use,
Not what we see, but what we choose ---
These are the things that mar or bless
The sum of human happiness. --- Anon.
A LITTLE WISDOM IS BETTER THAN A LOT OF WEALTH.
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather then silver. --- Proverbs 16:16
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 30-31
Luke 13:23-35
People all over the world are constantly looking for the better item, whether buying fruit in a market or choosing a place to live. We examine, ponder, compare, and finally make a choice based on what we believe is better. I can't imagine anyone saying, "I'm convinced this one is worse, so I'll take it."
The book of Proverbs is filled with comparisons that point us toward the right pathway in life. Because the book's purpose is to give the reader knowledge and wisdom based on the fear of the Lord [Prov. 1:2,7], it's not surprising to find statements saying, "This is better than that."
In Proverbs 16, we read that it is better tog et wisdom than gold or silver [v.16]; better to be humble among the poor than to be proud among the wealthy [v.19]; better to control our temper than to rule a city [v.32]. Some people have the ability to be both wise and wealthy. But when faced with a choice between the two, Proverbs says wisdom is the better alternative.
As we read the book of Proverbs, let's look for those signs that say, "This is better!" When God's Word shapes our thinking and guides our choices, we'll discover that His way is always better. --- David McCasland
Not that we have, but what we use,
Not what we see, but what we choose ---
These are the things that mar or bless
The sum of human happiness. --- Anon.
A LITTLE WISDOM IS BETTER THAN A LOT OF WEALTH.
Monday, April 14, 2008
An Age-Old Question
Read: Job 2:1-10
Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? --- Job 2:10
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 27-29
Luke 13:1-22
When Jeremy was 17, he struggled with a question that theologians have wrestled with for centuries. For him the problem was not theoretical but practical. He was trying to understand why his mother had to have brain surgery. He asked, "Why do good people suffer, Mom?"
She told him, "Suffering is part of living is a sin-cursed world, and good people suffer like anybody else. That's why I'm glad we have Jesus. If I die, I'll go to a better place, and I'll long for the day when I can see you again." She then said that she could understand his frustration, but she told him not to put the blame on God.
If you and I are baffled by the suffering of good people, we can put the question squarely before God, argue with Him if we must, and struggle with our doubts. But let's not blame Him.
God didn't explain to Job what He was doing but said that He could be trusted to do what is right [Job 38-42]. And He has assured us in His Word that Jesus suffered on our behalf, rose from the dead, and is now preparing a suffering-free place for us.
These may not be the answers we want, but they are the answers we need to help us live with that age-old and often unanswerable question of suffering. --- Dennis De Haan
Why must I bear this pain? I cannot tell;
I only know my Lord does all things well.
And so I trust in God, my all in all,
For He will bring me through, whate'er befall. --- Smith
GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO GIVE US ANSWERS, BUT HE PROMISES US HIS GRACE.
Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? --- Job 2:10
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 27-29
Luke 13:1-22
When Jeremy was 17, he struggled with a question that theologians have wrestled with for centuries. For him the problem was not theoretical but practical. He was trying to understand why his mother had to have brain surgery. He asked, "Why do good people suffer, Mom?"
She told him, "Suffering is part of living is a sin-cursed world, and good people suffer like anybody else. That's why I'm glad we have Jesus. If I die, I'll go to a better place, and I'll long for the day when I can see you again." She then said that she could understand his frustration, but she told him not to put the blame on God.
If you and I are baffled by the suffering of good people, we can put the question squarely before God, argue with Him if we must, and struggle with our doubts. But let's not blame Him.
God didn't explain to Job what He was doing but said that He could be trusted to do what is right [Job 38-42]. And He has assured us in His Word that Jesus suffered on our behalf, rose from the dead, and is now preparing a suffering-free place for us.
These may not be the answers we want, but they are the answers we need to help us live with that age-old and often unanswerable question of suffering. --- Dennis De Haan
Why must I bear this pain? I cannot tell;
I only know my Lord does all things well.
And so I trust in God, my all in all,
For He will bring me through, whate'er befall. --- Smith
GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO GIVE US ANSWERS, BUT HE PROMISES US HIS GRACE.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Seeking Immortality
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. --- 2 Corinthians 5:2
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 25-26
Luke 12:32-59
At least a dozen multimillionaires have left money to themselves in hope of being brought back to life. These immortality seekers have arranged to be cryogenically frozen after death, reports The Wall Street Journal. They've also put their wealth in "personal revival trusts," which they believe will be waiting for them when scientists resuscitate them in the future.
Even if resuscitation were possible, to seek eternal life apart from the One who is immortal is to chase an elusive dream.
Paul affirmed that the Lord alone is the source of immortality [1 Tim. 6:16]. He is everlasting in His character and actions. For human beings, however, death is universal, inevitable, and ultimately leads to judgment [Heb. 9:27]. This is all a result of our sin, and it can be countered only by redemption through Jesus Christ [John 3:15-16]. Through His resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death and showed humanity the way to immortality [2 Tim. 1:10].
Our response to our mortality should not be to preserve our physical bodies through cryogenics, but to be ready for our own death by receiving the gift of eternal life in Jesus. --- Marvin Williams
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT
You can make sure right now that you have eternal life.
Confess to God that you're a sinner and you believe
Jesus died in your place for forgiveness and eternal life.
WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?
In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. --- 2 Corinthians 5:2
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 25-26
Luke 12:32-59
At least a dozen multimillionaires have left money to themselves in hope of being brought back to life. These immortality seekers have arranged to be cryogenically frozen after death, reports The Wall Street Journal. They've also put their wealth in "personal revival trusts," which they believe will be waiting for them when scientists resuscitate them in the future.
Even if resuscitation were possible, to seek eternal life apart from the One who is immortal is to chase an elusive dream.
Paul affirmed that the Lord alone is the source of immortality [1 Tim. 6:16]. He is everlasting in His character and actions. For human beings, however, death is universal, inevitable, and ultimately leads to judgment [Heb. 9:27]. This is all a result of our sin, and it can be countered only by redemption through Jesus Christ [John 3:15-16]. Through His resurrection, Jesus broke the power of death and showed humanity the way to immortality [2 Tim. 1:10].
Our response to our mortality should not be to preserve our physical bodies through cryogenics, but to be ready for our own death by receiving the gift of eternal life in Jesus. --- Marvin Williams
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT
You can make sure right now that you have eternal life.
Confess to God that you're a sinner and you believe
Jesus died in your place for forgiveness and eternal life.
WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?
Celebrating Disappointment
Read: Psalm 30
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. --- Psalm 30:11
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 22-24
Luke 12:1-31
After receiving his second Academy Award, Denzel Washington said to his family, "I told you, if I lost tonight, I'd come home and we'd celebrate. And if I won tonight, I'd come home and we'd celebrate." Denzel, a professing Christian, was trusting God --- in blessing or disappointment.
A Christian couple I know where inspired to follow Denzel's example. The woman was applying for a dream job that had just opened up where she worked. The interview went well, but she knew she might not get the position. Her husband suggested, "Let's make reservations at our favorite restaurant this Friday to celebrate --- no matter what the outcome."
Soon the news came that someone else was offered the job. But that Friday the disappointed couple still celebrated. While eating a delicious meal, they were able to count their blessings and renew their faith in the God who holds tomorrow's opportunities in His hand.
When the psalmist counted his blessings, he was lifted out of his despair and praised God, saying, "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing" [Ps. 30:11].
Are you facing a situation in which you could be disappointed? Why not set up a celebration to count your blessings no matter what the outcome? --- Dennis Fisher
Thank God in your disappointment,
Celebrate His grace and love;
Know that He will never leave you
And will bless you from above. --- D. De Haan
THE PAIN OF DISAPPOINTMENT IS SOOTHED BY A HEART OF GRATITUDE.
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. --- Psalm 30:11
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 22-24
Luke 12:1-31
After receiving his second Academy Award, Denzel Washington said to his family, "I told you, if I lost tonight, I'd come home and we'd celebrate. And if I won tonight, I'd come home and we'd celebrate." Denzel, a professing Christian, was trusting God --- in blessing or disappointment.
A Christian couple I know where inspired to follow Denzel's example. The woman was applying for a dream job that had just opened up where she worked. The interview went well, but she knew she might not get the position. Her husband suggested, "Let's make reservations at our favorite restaurant this Friday to celebrate --- no matter what the outcome."
Soon the news came that someone else was offered the job. But that Friday the disappointed couple still celebrated. While eating a delicious meal, they were able to count their blessings and renew their faith in the God who holds tomorrow's opportunities in His hand.
When the psalmist counted his blessings, he was lifted out of his despair and praised God, saying, "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing" [Ps. 30:11].
Are you facing a situation in which you could be disappointed? Why not set up a celebration to count your blessings no matter what the outcome? --- Dennis Fisher
Thank God in your disappointment,
Celebrate His grace and love;
Know that He will never leave you
And will bless you from above. --- D. De Haan
THE PAIN OF DISAPPOINTMENT IS SOOTHED BY A HEART OF GRATITUDE.
Friday, April 11, 2008
God, Answer Me!
Read: Psalm 6
The LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. --- Psalm 6:8
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 19-21
Luke 11:29-54
Theresa left Sue a message that she had some great news. Sue was convinced that her friend had received Jesus as Savior. After all, she had been praying for Theresa's salvation for 30 years. What could be greater news!
A few days later, Theresa revealed her "great news": She had a new boyfriend and was moving in with him. Sue cried out in desperation, "Lord, what makes me think that You would answer me after 30 years of praying?" She proceeded to have a pity party for herself about God's seeming reluctance to answer her.
Some of our hardest struggles are those deep desires that go unmet --- when no response come from heaven for what seems like forever. The psalmist David could relate. He cried, "Have mercy on me, O LORD....My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD --- how long? Return, O LORD, deliver me!" [Ps. 6:2-4]. But later in the psalm we read that David knew the Lord had heard him [v.9].
A month after Theresa's "great news," she called and left another message: "I have wonderful news! I trusted Jesus as my Savior! I don't know I didn't do it long ago." Now Sue is praying that Theresa will grow in the Lord and seek to please Him with her life.
Keep praying. In His time, God will answer. --- Anne Cetas
Dear Lord, I know You hear me, and that You
are powerful and wise. Help me to wait patiently
and to trust You for Your good and perfect answers
to the needs of those I love. Amen.
DELAY IS NOT DENIAL. SO KEEP ON PRAYING.
The LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. --- Psalm 6:8
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 19-21
Luke 11:29-54
Theresa left Sue a message that she had some great news. Sue was convinced that her friend had received Jesus as Savior. After all, she had been praying for Theresa's salvation for 30 years. What could be greater news!
A few days later, Theresa revealed her "great news": She had a new boyfriend and was moving in with him. Sue cried out in desperation, "Lord, what makes me think that You would answer me after 30 years of praying?" She proceeded to have a pity party for herself about God's seeming reluctance to answer her.
Some of our hardest struggles are those deep desires that go unmet --- when no response come from heaven for what seems like forever. The psalmist David could relate. He cried, "Have mercy on me, O LORD....My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD --- how long? Return, O LORD, deliver me!" [Ps. 6:2-4]. But later in the psalm we read that David knew the Lord had heard him [v.9].
A month after Theresa's "great news," she called and left another message: "I have wonderful news! I trusted Jesus as my Savior! I don't know I didn't do it long ago." Now Sue is praying that Theresa will grow in the Lord and seek to please Him with her life.
Keep praying. In His time, God will answer. --- Anne Cetas
Dear Lord, I know You hear me, and that You
are powerful and wise. Help me to wait patiently
and to trust You for Your good and perfect answers
to the needs of those I love. Amen.
DELAY IS NOT DENIAL. SO KEEP ON PRAYING.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
"Dead Is Dead"
Read: Hebrews 9:24-28
O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? --- 1 Corinthians 15:55
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 17-18
Luke 11:1-28
Do you ever think about your inevitable death? Or are you like the influential theater tycoon Bernard Jacobs, who said, "Of all the things in the world I think least about, it's what happens after you die. Dead is dead."
Is that what happens when we exhale our last breath and our brain cells stop functioning? When our life has come to an end, are we totally extinguished like a flame of a candle plunged into water? That's a common belief. But it isn't what the Bible teaches. Hebrews 9:27 declares that it is appointed for us "to die once, but after this this judgment."
If we have received Jesus as Savior from our sins, we need not fear facing Him. We will enter into blessed fellowship with God for all eternity, for we will be "absent from the body and ... present with the Lord" [2 Cor. 5:8].
Jesus taught His disciples, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" [John 11:25-26].
Jesus' message in the Word of God gives hope when we face our own death or the death of someone we love. He promises that we will enter our heavenly home and be with Him forever. We can count on His word. --- Vernon Grounds
"I go to prepare a place for you ...
That where I am there you may be,"
Our death is not the end of life ---
Beyond, with Christ, eternity! --- Hess
JESUS' RESURRECTION SPELLED THE DEATH OF DEATH.
O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? --- 1 Corinthians 15:55
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 17-18
Luke 11:1-28
Do you ever think about your inevitable death? Or are you like the influential theater tycoon Bernard Jacobs, who said, "Of all the things in the world I think least about, it's what happens after you die. Dead is dead."
Is that what happens when we exhale our last breath and our brain cells stop functioning? When our life has come to an end, are we totally extinguished like a flame of a candle plunged into water? That's a common belief. But it isn't what the Bible teaches. Hebrews 9:27 declares that it is appointed for us "to die once, but after this this judgment."
If we have received Jesus as Savior from our sins, we need not fear facing Him. We will enter into blessed fellowship with God for all eternity, for we will be "absent from the body and ... present with the Lord" [2 Cor. 5:8].
Jesus taught His disciples, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" [John 11:25-26].
Jesus' message in the Word of God gives hope when we face our own death or the death of someone we love. He promises that we will enter our heavenly home and be with Him forever. We can count on His word. --- Vernon Grounds
"I go to prepare a place for you ...
That where I am there you may be,"
Our death is not the end of life ---
Beyond, with Christ, eternity! --- Hess
JESUS' RESURRECTION SPELLED THE DEATH OF DEATH.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Compete Or Converge
Read: Ruth 4:13-22
[Ruth] bore a son.... They called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. --- Ruth 4:13,17
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 15-16
Luke 10:25-42
Walking through campus one day, a seminary professor came upon a custodian reading the Bible during lunch hour. The professor asked what he was reading. "Revelation," the custodian said. "I'm sure you don't understand what it means," said the professor condescendingly. "Actually, I do," he replied. "It means Jesus wins."
In the face of life's challenges, it's important to remember that ultimately God always wins! And since His plans are always in the victory lane, it's infinitely wiser to converge with His will rather than compete with it.
In the story of Ruth, God providentially set the stage for Boaz to rescue Ruth and Naomi from a life of poverty and the shame of not having an heir. Ruth could have been bitter about her status as a young widow, and Boaz might have thought that as a foreigner Ruth was not worth his time. But they recognized the hand of God in their circumstances and converged with His plan to provide for her needs. The best part is that their story doesn't end there. Salvation for the world was yet to come through their descendants --- first David and then Jesus [Matt. 1:5-16].
We can compete with God's plan and pursue our own agenda. Or we can converge with God's plan and join the winning side. The choice is ours. --- Joe Stowell
Choose not a path that God can't bless,
For it will end in sure defeat;
But choose God's path of victory
And with His plans you won't compete. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S PLANS ALWAYS LEAD TO VICTORY.
[Ruth] bore a son.... They called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. --- Ruth 4:13,17
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 15-16
Luke 10:25-42
Walking through campus one day, a seminary professor came upon a custodian reading the Bible during lunch hour. The professor asked what he was reading. "Revelation," the custodian said. "I'm sure you don't understand what it means," said the professor condescendingly. "Actually, I do," he replied. "It means Jesus wins."
In the face of life's challenges, it's important to remember that ultimately God always wins! And since His plans are always in the victory lane, it's infinitely wiser to converge with His will rather than compete with it.
In the story of Ruth, God providentially set the stage for Boaz to rescue Ruth and Naomi from a life of poverty and the shame of not having an heir. Ruth could have been bitter about her status as a young widow, and Boaz might have thought that as a foreigner Ruth was not worth his time. But they recognized the hand of God in their circumstances and converged with His plan to provide for her needs. The best part is that their story doesn't end there. Salvation for the world was yet to come through their descendants --- first David and then Jesus [Matt. 1:5-16].
We can compete with God's plan and pursue our own agenda. Or we can converge with God's plan and join the winning side. The choice is ours. --- Joe Stowell
Choose not a path that God can't bless,
For it will end in sure defeat;
But choose God's path of victory
And with His plans you won't compete. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S PLANS ALWAYS LEAD TO VICTORY.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Indebted
Read: Romans 1:8-17
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. --- Romans 1:14
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 13-14
Luke 10:1-24
The film Saving Private Ryan, though disturbingly graphic, tells the gripping story of a World War II rescue squad sent to bring a soldier out of harm's way. One by one the squad members are killed --- sacrificed for the life of Private James Ryan. Finally, mortally wounded and near death, the squad leader calls young James close and simply says, "Earn this." Men had given their lives to save Private Ryan, and he needed to embrace the sense of indebtedness such sacrifice should engender. Ryan owed his life to those who had rescued him.
Paul likewise felt indebted. Christ had sacrificed Himself to pay for Paul's sins and set him free from judgment and death. Paul's response? "I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise" [Rom. 1:14]. Why was he indebted to them? The Greeks and barbarians hadn't died for him, nor had the wise or the unwise. But Christ had. The sacrifice of the Son of God on his behalf was so overwhelming to Paul that he felt he owed it to everyone to make sure they heard of God's redeeming love. His sense of indebtedness to Christ made him a debtor to all who needed the Savior.
We can't earn God's gift of love, but we have an obligation to share it with others who need Him. --- Bill Crowder
Keep me faithful, keep me grateful,
This my earnest plea each day!
Keep me serving, keep me telling
Of His love while yet I may! --- Thiesen
WE CAN NEVER SACRIFICE TOO MUCH FOR HIM WHO SACRIFICED HIS ALL FOR US.
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. --- Romans 1:14
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 13-14
Luke 10:1-24
The film Saving Private Ryan, though disturbingly graphic, tells the gripping story of a World War II rescue squad sent to bring a soldier out of harm's way. One by one the squad members are killed --- sacrificed for the life of Private James Ryan. Finally, mortally wounded and near death, the squad leader calls young James close and simply says, "Earn this." Men had given their lives to save Private Ryan, and he needed to embrace the sense of indebtedness such sacrifice should engender. Ryan owed his life to those who had rescued him.
Paul likewise felt indebted. Christ had sacrificed Himself to pay for Paul's sins and set him free from judgment and death. Paul's response? "I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise" [Rom. 1:14]. Why was he indebted to them? The Greeks and barbarians hadn't died for him, nor had the wise or the unwise. But Christ had. The sacrifice of the Son of God on his behalf was so overwhelming to Paul that he felt he owed it to everyone to make sure they heard of God's redeeming love. His sense of indebtedness to Christ made him a debtor to all who needed the Savior.
We can't earn God's gift of love, but we have an obligation to share it with others who need Him. --- Bill Crowder
Keep me faithful, keep me grateful,
This my earnest plea each day!
Keep me serving, keep me telling
Of His love while yet I may! --- Thiesen
WE CAN NEVER SACRIFICE TOO MUCH FOR HIM WHO SACRIFICED HIS ALL FOR US.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Keep On
Read: Psalm 66:1-10
All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You. --- Psalm 66:4
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 10-12
Luke 9:37-62
"Keep on travelin'. Keep on ...." sang the teenagers of the Day-spring Chorale. They had just sung the first five words of their Sunday evening concert when everything went dark. All power was gone.
Well, not all power. Not true power.
The students kept singing. Flashlights were found to shine on the chorale as they sang their entire repertoire without accompaniment.
Midway through the concert, the director, my daughter Lisa, asked the congregation to sing along. It was goosebump time as God's name was lifted high in that darkened church. "Hallelujah" never seemed so heavenly.
Before the concert, everyone had worked hard to make sure all the electrical equipment was working. But the best thing that happened was for that power to go out. As a result, God's power was highlighted. God's light, not electric light, shone through. Jesus was praised.
Sometimes our plans break down and our efforts fall short. When things happen that we can't control, we must "keep on travelin'" and remember where the real power for godly living and true praise comes from. When our efforts falter, we need to keep praising and lifting up Jesus. It's all about Him anyways. --- Dave Branon
Sing praise to God who reigns above,
The God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
The God of our salvation. --- Schutz
GOD'S GREAT POWER DESERVES OUR GRATEFUL PRAISE.
All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You. --- Psalm 66:4
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 10-12
Luke 9:37-62
"Keep on travelin'. Keep on ...." sang the teenagers of the Day-spring Chorale. They had just sung the first five words of their Sunday evening concert when everything went dark. All power was gone.
Well, not all power. Not true power.
The students kept singing. Flashlights were found to shine on the chorale as they sang their entire repertoire without accompaniment.
Midway through the concert, the director, my daughter Lisa, asked the congregation to sing along. It was goosebump time as God's name was lifted high in that darkened church. "Hallelujah" never seemed so heavenly.
Before the concert, everyone had worked hard to make sure all the electrical equipment was working. But the best thing that happened was for that power to go out. As a result, God's power was highlighted. God's light, not electric light, shone through. Jesus was praised.
Sometimes our plans break down and our efforts fall short. When things happen that we can't control, we must "keep on travelin'" and remember where the real power for godly living and true praise comes from. When our efforts falter, we need to keep praising and lifting up Jesus. It's all about Him anyways. --- Dave Branon
Sing praise to God who reigns above,
The God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
The God of our salvation. --- Schutz
GOD'S GREAT POWER DESERVES OUR GRATEFUL PRAISE.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
The Pain Machine
Read: Acts 24:16; Ephesians 4:31-32
I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. --- Acts 24:16
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 7-9
Luke 9:18-36
Dr. Paul Brand, who served as a medical missionary in India, told about lepers who had terrible deformities because their nerve endings could not feel pain. It didn't hurt when they stepped in a fire or cut their finger with a knife, so they left their wounds untended. This led to infection and deformity.
Dr. Brand constructed a machine that would beep when it came in contact with fire or sharp objects. It signaled the warnings of injury in the absence of pain. Soon machines were attached to the patients' fingers and feet. That worked well until they wanted to play basketball. They too that machines off, and often became injured again without knowing it.
Like physical pain to our bodies, our conscience alerts us to spiritual harm. But habitual and unrepentant sin can numb the conscience [1 Tim. 4:1-3]. To keep a clear conscience, we need to respond to the pain of appropriate guilt by confession [1 John 1:9], repentance [Acts 26:20], and restitution to others [Luke 19:8]. Paul could say with confidence, "I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men" [Acts 24:16]. Like him, we should not grow numb to God's painful reminder of sin but allow it to produce in us godly character. --- Dennis Fisher
My conscience must be well-informed
From God's own sacred Word,
For conscience may be much deformed
When standards pure are spurned. --- Fraser
A CLEAR CONSCIENCE IS A SOFT PILLOW.
I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. --- Acts 24:16
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 7-9
Luke 9:18-36
Dr. Paul Brand, who served as a medical missionary in India, told about lepers who had terrible deformities because their nerve endings could not feel pain. It didn't hurt when they stepped in a fire or cut their finger with a knife, so they left their wounds untended. This led to infection and deformity.
Dr. Brand constructed a machine that would beep when it came in contact with fire or sharp objects. It signaled the warnings of injury in the absence of pain. Soon machines were attached to the patients' fingers and feet. That worked well until they wanted to play basketball. They too that machines off, and often became injured again without knowing it.
Like physical pain to our bodies, our conscience alerts us to spiritual harm. But habitual and unrepentant sin can numb the conscience [1 Tim. 4:1-3]. To keep a clear conscience, we need to respond to the pain of appropriate guilt by confession [1 John 1:9], repentance [Acts 26:20], and restitution to others [Luke 19:8]. Paul could say with confidence, "I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men" [Acts 24:16]. Like him, we should not grow numb to God's painful reminder of sin but allow it to produce in us godly character. --- Dennis Fisher
My conscience must be well-informed
From God's own sacred Word,
For conscience may be much deformed
When standards pure are spurned. --- Fraser
A CLEAR CONSCIENCE IS A SOFT PILLOW.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
An Atheist's Witness
Read: 1 John 3:11-18
LOVE the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. --- Matthew 22:37
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 4-6
Luke 9:1-17
Aware that love of God and neighbor is a central teaching of Scripture, I did my doctoral dissertation on "The Concept of Love in the Psychology of Sigmund Freud." I learned that this influential thinker, who had no faith in God, nevertheless stressed the supreme importance of love.
Freud wrote, for example, that the best way to "escape from the cares of life" and "forget the real misery" is to follow the path "that expects all satisfaction to come from loving and being loved." On this point, Freud was in agreement with the Bible, which focuses on love.
Scripture teaches that "God is love" [1 John 4:8]. It also teaches the importance of "faith working through love" [Gal. 5:6]. So the great problem we all face is how to rid ourselves of sinful self-love while sincerely loving God and neighbor [Matt. 32:37-39; 1 John 3:14]. The gospel with its message of the life-transforming love of Christ provides the only answer to that problem. Paul declared in Romans 5:5, "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit."
Have you experienced the infilling of God's love? Only when you trust Jesus as Savior will the Holy Spirit of love begin to flow in and through you. --- Vernon Grounds
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown. --- Wesley
GOD POURS HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS TO FLOW OUT TO OTHERS.
LOVE the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. --- Matthew 22:37
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 4-6
Luke 9:1-17
Aware that love of God and neighbor is a central teaching of Scripture, I did my doctoral dissertation on "The Concept of Love in the Psychology of Sigmund Freud." I learned that this influential thinker, who had no faith in God, nevertheless stressed the supreme importance of love.
Freud wrote, for example, that the best way to "escape from the cares of life" and "forget the real misery" is to follow the path "that expects all satisfaction to come from loving and being loved." On this point, Freud was in agreement with the Bible, which focuses on love.
Scripture teaches that "God is love" [1 John 4:8]. It also teaches the importance of "faith working through love" [Gal. 5:6]. So the great problem we all face is how to rid ourselves of sinful self-love while sincerely loving God and neighbor [Matt. 32:37-39; 1 John 3:14]. The gospel with its message of the life-transforming love of Christ provides the only answer to that problem. Paul declared in Romans 5:5, "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit."
Have you experienced the infilling of God's love? Only when you trust Jesus as Savior will the Holy Spirit of love begin to flow in and through you. --- Vernon Grounds
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown. --- Wesley
GOD POURS HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS TO FLOW OUT TO OTHERS.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Fickle Followers
Read: Matthew 27:15-23
The multitudes ... cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David!" --- Matthew 21:9
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 1-3
Luke 8:26-56
If you follow sports at all, you know that sports fans can change like the weather. A team's star player can hear 70,000 cheering voices if he does well --- or 70,000 booing voices if he messes up.
Sports figures easily fall from grace because people are fickle --- eager to follow the one who makes them feel good, yet willing to turn against that same person if all does not go well.
Scripture contains an example of fickleness that is far more serious. A great multitude in Jerusalem praised, honored, and cheered Jesus on the Sunday He entered the city riding on a donkey [Matt. 21:6-11]. But just a few days later, some of those same people may have been in the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion [27:20-23]. On Sunday they worshiped Him, but on Friday they didn't want Him around anymore.
Let's not waver in our relationship with the Lord. Sometimes we worship Jesus heartily on Sunday, but the very next day we live as if we find His presence intrusive. Or we tell Him on Sunday that we love Him, but then we fail to obey Him throughout the week.
Don't be a fickle follower of Jesus. Worship Him everyday --- not just on Sunday. --- Dave Branon
Let's not be fickle followers
Who say they love the Lord
But live each day ignoring Him
And His life-giving Word. --- Sper
WORSHIPING GOD SHOULD BE A FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE.
The multitudes ... cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David!" --- Matthew 21:9
The Bible In One Year:
1 Samuel 1-3
Luke 8:26-56
If you follow sports at all, you know that sports fans can change like the weather. A team's star player can hear 70,000 cheering voices if he does well --- or 70,000 booing voices if he messes up.
Sports figures easily fall from grace because people are fickle --- eager to follow the one who makes them feel good, yet willing to turn against that same person if all does not go well.
Scripture contains an example of fickleness that is far more serious. A great multitude in Jerusalem praised, honored, and cheered Jesus on the Sunday He entered the city riding on a donkey [Matt. 21:6-11]. But just a few days later, some of those same people may have been in the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion [27:20-23]. On Sunday they worshiped Him, but on Friday they didn't want Him around anymore.
Let's not waver in our relationship with the Lord. Sometimes we worship Jesus heartily on Sunday, but the very next day we live as if we find His presence intrusive. Or we tell Him on Sunday that we love Him, but then we fail to obey Him throughout the week.
Don't be a fickle follower of Jesus. Worship Him everyday --- not just on Sunday. --- Dave Branon
Let's not be fickle followers
Who say they love the Lord
But live each day ignoring Him
And His life-giving Word. --- Sper
WORSHIPING GOD SHOULD BE A FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Stagecoach Prayer
Read: John 15:7-14
Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. --- John 14:13
The Bible In One Year:
Ruth 1-4
Luke 8:1-25
Five-year-old Randy wanted a toy stagecoach for Christmas. While shopping with Mom, he found just the one he wanted. It was about 6" long and had cool wheels and dark brown plastic horses pulling it. "Mommy, I want this one. Pleeeease!" he begged. As young children sometimes do, he threw a tantrum, insisting that he get that stagecoach for Christmas. Mom said, "We'll see," and took him home.
Randy was sure he'd get what he asked for. Christmas morning came, and he opened the package confidently. Sure enough, it was the stagecoach he had begged for. He was so pleased. But then his older brother said, "You really did a dumb thing to insist on getting that coach. Mom bought you a much bigger one, but when you begged for that little one, she exchanged it!" Suddenly the small stagecoach didn't seem so appealing.
Sometimes we're like that with God. We pray about a specific need and tell Him how He ought to answer. We beg and plead --- and God may even give us exactly what we ask for. But He may have had something better in mind.
Phillips Brooks once said, "Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger." --- Anne Cetas
Do not presume to know what's best
When you begin to pray;
But say to God, "Your will be done,"
Then trust His perfect way. --- Sper
LARGE ASKING RESULTS IN LARGE RECEIVING.
Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. --- John 14:13
The Bible In One Year:
Ruth 1-4
Luke 8:1-25
Five-year-old Randy wanted a toy stagecoach for Christmas. While shopping with Mom, he found just the one he wanted. It was about 6" long and had cool wheels and dark brown plastic horses pulling it. "Mommy, I want this one. Pleeeease!" he begged. As young children sometimes do, he threw a tantrum, insisting that he get that stagecoach for Christmas. Mom said, "We'll see," and took him home.
Randy was sure he'd get what he asked for. Christmas morning came, and he opened the package confidently. Sure enough, it was the stagecoach he had begged for. He was so pleased. But then his older brother said, "You really did a dumb thing to insist on getting that coach. Mom bought you a much bigger one, but when you begged for that little one, she exchanged it!" Suddenly the small stagecoach didn't seem so appealing.
Sometimes we're like that with God. We pray about a specific need and tell Him how He ought to answer. We beg and plead --- and God may even give us exactly what we ask for. But He may have had something better in mind.
Phillips Brooks once said, "Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger." --- Anne Cetas
Do not presume to know what's best
When you begin to pray;
But say to God, "Your will be done,"
Then trust His perfect way. --- Sper
LARGE ASKING RESULTS IN LARGE RECEIVING.
Speak Up!
Read: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 9-14
If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy. --- 2 Kings 5:3
The Bible In One Year:
Judges 19-21
Luke 7:31-50
If you're like most people, you think that when God does something important, He uses important people to get it done --- people like John Stott, Billy Graham, or Joni Eareckson Tada. The rest of us just fill space until Jesus comes. But that's not true.
Most often in Scripture, we see that God uses ordinary folk to get things done. Just take a look at the unlikely prophets of the Old Testament and the disciples of the New Testament.
The girl in 2 Kings 5 was just an ordinary servant. Yet she bravely suggested that Naaman go to the prophet of Israel for healing. What sounds like a simple request was actually a bold suggestion. For Naaman to go to Israel, it would mean turning his back on the local pagan gods, inviting criticism from his countrymen for putting the military might of his nation at risk.
This nameless servant could have paid a steep price for making a suggestion like that, but she knew where the true source of healing was. Because of her deep concern for Naaman's well-being, she courageously put herself at risk to direct him to that source --- the one and only living God.
Like this young servant girl, let's be willing to be used by God to guide family and friends to the true source of hope and healing. --- Joe Stowell
God can take a lowly vessel,
Shape it with His mighty hand,
Fill it with a matchless treasure,
Make it serve a purpose grand. --- Bosch
GOD IS LOOKING FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE TO DO EXTRAORDINARY WORK.
If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy. --- 2 Kings 5:3
The Bible In One Year:
Judges 19-21
Luke 7:31-50
If you're like most people, you think that when God does something important, He uses important people to get it done --- people like John Stott, Billy Graham, or Joni Eareckson Tada. The rest of us just fill space until Jesus comes. But that's not true.
Most often in Scripture, we see that God uses ordinary folk to get things done. Just take a look at the unlikely prophets of the Old Testament and the disciples of the New Testament.
The girl in 2 Kings 5 was just an ordinary servant. Yet she bravely suggested that Naaman go to the prophet of Israel for healing. What sounds like a simple request was actually a bold suggestion. For Naaman to go to Israel, it would mean turning his back on the local pagan gods, inviting criticism from his countrymen for putting the military might of his nation at risk.
This nameless servant could have paid a steep price for making a suggestion like that, but she knew where the true source of healing was. Because of her deep concern for Naaman's well-being, she courageously put herself at risk to direct him to that source --- the one and only living God.
Like this young servant girl, let's be willing to be used by God to guide family and friends to the true source of hope and healing. --- Joe Stowell
God can take a lowly vessel,
Shape it with His mighty hand,
Fill it with a matchless treasure,
Make it serve a purpose grand. --- Bosch
GOD IS LOOKING FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE TO DO EXTRAORDINARY WORK.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
How God Shows His Love
Read: John 13:1-17
I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. --- John 13:15
The Bible In One Year:
Judges 16-18
Luke 7:1-30
Martha, a 26-year-old woman with ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis], needed help. When a group of ladies from Evanston, Illinois, heard about her, they jumped into action. They began to give round-the-clock nursing care. They bathed her, fed her, prayed for her, and witnessed to her. Martha, who had not received Christ as her Savior and couldn't understand how a loving God could let her get ALS, saw His love in these women and eventually became a Christian. She is with the Lord today because 16 women, following Jesus' example, personified God's love.
The love of God was visibly demonstrated in Jesus when He was here on Earth. In stooping to wash the feet of His disciples, He mirrored the submissive step He took when He left heaven and became a man. He healed the sick and endured bitter hatred as His reward. He died like a criminal on a Roman cross. His endurance and these acts of kindness reflect God's love, for Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" [John 14:9].
Jesus is no longer with us in His physical body --- He now sits at God's right hand in heaven. So, if God's love is to be embodied today, it must be done through Christians. Is it being done through you? --- Herb Vander Lugt
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
MY LIFE HELPS PAINT MY NEIGHBOR'S PICTURE OF GOD.
I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. --- John 13:15
The Bible In One Year:
Judges 16-18
Luke 7:1-30
Martha, a 26-year-old woman with ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis], needed help. When a group of ladies from Evanston, Illinois, heard about her, they jumped into action. They began to give round-the-clock nursing care. They bathed her, fed her, prayed for her, and witnessed to her. Martha, who had not received Christ as her Savior and couldn't understand how a loving God could let her get ALS, saw His love in these women and eventually became a Christian. She is with the Lord today because 16 women, following Jesus' example, personified God's love.
The love of God was visibly demonstrated in Jesus when He was here on Earth. In stooping to wash the feet of His disciples, He mirrored the submissive step He took when He left heaven and became a man. He healed the sick and endured bitter hatred as His reward. He died like a criminal on a Roman cross. His endurance and these acts of kindness reflect God's love, for Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" [John 14:9].
Jesus is no longer with us in His physical body --- He now sits at God's right hand in heaven. So, if God's love is to be embodied today, it must be done through Christians. Is it being done through you? --- Herb Vander Lugt
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
MY LIFE HELPS PAINT MY NEIGHBOR'S PICTURE OF GOD.
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