Read: Psalm 54
God is my helper. --- Psalm 54:4
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 54-56
Romans 3
I hadn't been water-skiing in 15 years, but when friends offered to take my son-in-law Todd and me out on the lake last summer, how could I say no? It seemed like a good idea until I watched Todd have trouble getting upright on his skis. He had done a lot of skiing, but as he tried to get up on one ski, he kept falling. So when it came to my turn, I didn't have a lot of confidence.
Fortunately, my friend who is a competitive skier stayed with me in the water and coached me about what to do. She said, "Let the boat pull you up," and "Be strong!" These seemingly contradictory statements made all the difference. I did both --- I trusted the boat to do its job, and I hung on with all my strength. The first time the boat took off, I got up and enjoyed a great ride around the lake.
When life has you down --- whether through sorrow that seems too hard to bear or circumstances that make each day a morning-to-night grind --- my friend's advice can help. First, let God pull you up by His power [Ps. 54:1-4]. Then, hold on to His hand. Cling to Him and "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" [Eph. 6:10].
Trust His power and hold on. He will give you the strength to keep from falling [Isa. 40:31]. --- Dave Brannon
Savior, let me walk beside Thee,
Let me feel my hand in Thine;
Let me know the joy of walking
In Thy strength and not in mine. --- Sidebotham
THOSE WHO WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. --- Isaiah 40:31
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Unchanging Love
Read: James 1:12-20
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. --- James 1:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 51-53
Romans 2
At a wedding I attended, the bride's grandfather quoted from memory a moving selection of Scripture about the relationship of husband and wife. Then a friend of the couple read "Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare. The minister conducting the ceremony used a phrase from that sonnet to illustrate the kind of love that should characterize a Christian marriage: "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." The poet is saying that true love does not change with circumstances.
The minister noted the many changes this couple would experience during their life together, including health and the inevitable effects of age. Then he challenged them to cultivate the true biblical love that neither falters nor fails in spite of the alterations that would surely come their way.
As I witnessed the joy and excitement of this young couple, a verse came to mind from James: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" [1:17]. God never changes, and neither does His love for us. We are recipients of a perfect love from our heavenly Father, who has loved us "with an everlasting love" [Jer. 31:3].
We are called to accept His unfailing love, to allow it to shape our lives, and to extend it to others. --- David McCasland
Unfailing is God's matchless love,
So kind, so pure, so true;
And those who draw upon that love
Show love in all they do. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S LOVE STILL STANDS WHEN ALL ELSE HAS FALLEN.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. --- James 1:17
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 51-53
Romans 2
At a wedding I attended, the bride's grandfather quoted from memory a moving selection of Scripture about the relationship of husband and wife. Then a friend of the couple read "Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare. The minister conducting the ceremony used a phrase from that sonnet to illustrate the kind of love that should characterize a Christian marriage: "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." The poet is saying that true love does not change with circumstances.
The minister noted the many changes this couple would experience during their life together, including health and the inevitable effects of age. Then he challenged them to cultivate the true biblical love that neither falters nor fails in spite of the alterations that would surely come their way.
As I witnessed the joy and excitement of this young couple, a verse came to mind from James: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" [1:17]. God never changes, and neither does His love for us. We are recipients of a perfect love from our heavenly Father, who has loved us "with an everlasting love" [Jer. 31:3].
We are called to accept His unfailing love, to allow it to shape our lives, and to extend it to others. --- David McCasland
Unfailing is God's matchless love,
So kind, so pure, so true;
And those who draw upon that love
Show love in all they do. --- D. De Haan
GOD'S LOVE STILL STANDS WHEN ALL ELSE HAS FALLEN.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
God's Delays
Read: Habakkuk 1:12-2:3
I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me. --- Habakkuk 2:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 49-50
Romans 1
Waiting is hard for me. I want answers now. Postponements perplex me; deferrals daunt me. I'm baffled by God's delays, wondering why and when. "How long, O Lord?"
The prophet Habakkuk wanted answers as well, but God chose to take His time. "I will stand my watch ... to see what [God] will say to me," Habakkuk wrote [2:1]. "The vision is yet for an appointed time," God replied. "Wait for it; because it will surely come" [v.3].
Faith never gives up. It knows that despite appearances, all is well. It can wait without signs or significant indications that God is at work, because it is sure of Him. "Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God," said Madame Guyon [1648-1717].
We too must learn to view each delay as if it were "perfectly fine." Postponements are reasons to pray rather than grow anxious, impatient, and annoyed. They're opportunities for God to build those imperishable but hard-to-acquire qualities of humility, patience, serenity, and strength. God never says, "Wait awhile," unless He is planning to do something in our situation --- or in us. He waits to be gracious.
So take heart! If God's answer tarries, "Wait for it; because it will surely come." --- David Roper
Soon shall the morning gild
The dark horizon rim,
Thy heart's desire shall be fulfilled ---
"Wait patiently for Him." --- Havergal
GOD STRETCHES OUR PATIENCE TO ENLARGE OUR SOUL.
I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me. --- Habakkuk 2:1
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 49-50
Romans 1
Waiting is hard for me. I want answers now. Postponements perplex me; deferrals daunt me. I'm baffled by God's delays, wondering why and when. "How long, O Lord?"
The prophet Habakkuk wanted answers as well, but God chose to take His time. "I will stand my watch ... to see what [God] will say to me," Habakkuk wrote [2:1]. "The vision is yet for an appointed time," God replied. "Wait for it; because it will surely come" [v.3].
Faith never gives up. It knows that despite appearances, all is well. It can wait without signs or significant indications that God is at work, because it is sure of Him. "Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God," said Madame Guyon [1648-1717].
We too must learn to view each delay as if it were "perfectly fine." Postponements are reasons to pray rather than grow anxious, impatient, and annoyed. They're opportunities for God to build those imperishable but hard-to-acquire qualities of humility, patience, serenity, and strength. God never says, "Wait awhile," unless He is planning to do something in our situation --- or in us. He waits to be gracious.
So take heart! If God's answer tarries, "Wait for it; because it will surely come." --- David Roper
Soon shall the morning gild
The dark horizon rim,
Thy heart's desire shall be fulfilled ---
"Wait patiently for Him." --- Havergal
GOD STRETCHES OUR PATIENCE TO ENLARGE OUR SOUL.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Awesome!
Read: Psalm 47
The LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. --- Psalm 47:2
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 46-48
Acts 28
It's an often-used word, and we hear it in the most unusual contexts. It's the word awesome.
My 9-year-old grandson Josh and I were playing with a radio-controlled racecar set on the living room floor. Several times he would say, "Awesome!"
On another occasion, as my wife and I were leaving a restaurant, the manager, who was standing by the door, asked, "How was everything, folks?" "Fine," I replied. "Awesome!" he said.
These two occasions set me to thinking: While it's fun to play with my grandson and to enjoy a meal at a restaurant, are these experiences really awesome? So I consulted Mr. Webster's unabridged dictionary. The primary definition lists awesome as "deeply reverent," "dreadful," "awful." I remembered the time that I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. That was truly an awesome experience.
Then I thought of a more awe-inspiring reality still. It's knowing the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. No wonder the psalmist wrote, "The LORD Most High is awesome" [Ps. 47:2].
The next time we hear the word awesome, may it remind us of our great God, who truly is awesome! --- Dennis De Haan
God of everlasting glory,
Filling earth and sky,
Everywhere Thy wonders open
To our searching eye. --- Peterson
NOTHING IS MORE AWESOME THAN TO KNOW GOD.
The LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. --- Psalm 47:2
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 46-48
Acts 28
It's an often-used word, and we hear it in the most unusual contexts. It's the word awesome.
My 9-year-old grandson Josh and I were playing with a radio-controlled racecar set on the living room floor. Several times he would say, "Awesome!"
On another occasion, as my wife and I were leaving a restaurant, the manager, who was standing by the door, asked, "How was everything, folks?" "Fine," I replied. "Awesome!" he said.
These two occasions set me to thinking: While it's fun to play with my grandson and to enjoy a meal at a restaurant, are these experiences really awesome? So I consulted Mr. Webster's unabridged dictionary. The primary definition lists awesome as "deeply reverent," "dreadful," "awful." I remembered the time that I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. That was truly an awesome experience.
Then I thought of a more awe-inspiring reality still. It's knowing the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. No wonder the psalmist wrote, "The LORD Most High is awesome" [Ps. 47:2].
The next time we hear the word awesome, may it remind us of our great God, who truly is awesome! --- Dennis De Haan
God of everlasting glory,
Filling earth and sky,
Everywhere Thy wonders open
To our searching eye. --- Peterson
NOTHING IS MORE AWESOME THAN TO KNOW GOD.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Pachyderm Pedicures
Read: 2 Timothy 2:22-26
In humility [correct] those who are in opposition. --- 2 Timothy 2:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 43-45
Acts 27:27-44
Pachyderm pedicures are not a luxury, they're a necessity. According to an article in The Kansas City Star, if elephants in captivity don't get regular foot care, they are prone to infections that can be fatal. But clipping the toenails of an animal that can weigh as much as 6 tons can be risky business. So one man had an idea. He developed an "elephant flipper" that allows keepers to restrain an elephant and safely turn it on its side. The device stands 12 feet high, weighs more than 15 tons, and costs $100,000. Several zoos have purchased this helpful contraption.
Caring for people can also be risky. Paul described what it takes to help those who, in perilous times, have wandered from the path of truth. He offers no ingenious device for helping those who are a danger to themselves and others [2 Tim. 2:23,25]. Instead, he reminds us that when it comes to caring for the minds and hearts of others, we can't rely on human ingenuity and muscle. What we really need is the wisdom of God. Without being quarrelsome or arrogant, the Lord's servant must use gentleness and patience [v.24].
A blend of truth and grace in the presence of danger is more than self-protection. It illustrates for others the heart of the One we are urging them to embrace. --- Mart De Haan
Speak truly and each word of thine
Shall be a fruitful seed;
Live truly, and thy life shall be
A great and noble creed. --- Bonar
USE CAUTION AND GRACE WHEN STRAIGHTENING OUT SOMEONE WHO HAS STRAYED.
In humility [correct] those who are in opposition. --- 2 Timothy 2:25
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 43-45
Acts 27:27-44
Pachyderm pedicures are not a luxury, they're a necessity. According to an article in The Kansas City Star, if elephants in captivity don't get regular foot care, they are prone to infections that can be fatal. But clipping the toenails of an animal that can weigh as much as 6 tons can be risky business. So one man had an idea. He developed an "elephant flipper" that allows keepers to restrain an elephant and safely turn it on its side. The device stands 12 feet high, weighs more than 15 tons, and costs $100,000. Several zoos have purchased this helpful contraption.
Caring for people can also be risky. Paul described what it takes to help those who, in perilous times, have wandered from the path of truth. He offers no ingenious device for helping those who are a danger to themselves and others [2 Tim. 2:23,25]. Instead, he reminds us that when it comes to caring for the minds and hearts of others, we can't rely on human ingenuity and muscle. What we really need is the wisdom of God. Without being quarrelsome or arrogant, the Lord's servant must use gentleness and patience [v.24].
A blend of truth and grace in the presence of danger is more than self-protection. It illustrates for others the heart of the One we are urging them to embrace. --- Mart De Haan
Speak truly and each word of thine
Shall be a fruitful seed;
Live truly, and thy life shall be
A great and noble creed. --- Bonar
USE CAUTION AND GRACE WHEN STRAIGHTENING OUT SOMEONE WHO HAS STRAYED.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Night
Read: Psalm 42
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me --- a prayer to the God of my life. --- Psalm 42:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 40-42
Acts 27:1-26
In his riveting and unsettling book Night, Elie Wiesel describes his boyhood experiences as one of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Ripped from his home and separated from everyone in his family except his father [who would die in the death camps], Wiesel suffered a dark night of the soul such as few will experience. It challenged his views and beliefs about God. His innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin's darkness.
David experienced his own dark night of the soul, which many scholars believe motivated his writing of Psalm 42. Harried and hounded, probably as he was pursued by his rebellious son Absalom [2 Sam. 16-18], David echoed the pain and fear that can be felt in the isolation of night. It's the place where darkness grips us and forces us to consider the anguish of our heart and ask hard questions of God. The psalmist lamented God's seeming absence, yet in it all he found a night song [v.8] that gave him peace and confidence for the difficulties ahead.
When we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. We can say with the psalmist, "Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God" [v.11]. --- Bill Crowder
I've found that when life's brush obscures my view
With gloomy strokes that seem to mar the scene,
God's hand appears and gives to sunless hue
And dreary skies a more majestic sheen. --- Gustafson
WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH, MEN SEE THE STARS. --- Emerson
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me --- a prayer to the God of my life. --- Psalm 42:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 40-42
Acts 27:1-26
In his riveting and unsettling book Night, Elie Wiesel describes his boyhood experiences as one of the countless victims of the Holocaust. Ripped from his home and separated from everyone in his family except his father [who would die in the death camps], Wiesel suffered a dark night of the soul such as few will experience. It challenged his views and beliefs about God. His innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin's darkness.
David experienced his own dark night of the soul, which many scholars believe motivated his writing of Psalm 42. Harried and hounded, probably as he was pursued by his rebellious son Absalom [2 Sam. 16-18], David echoed the pain and fear that can be felt in the isolation of night. It's the place where darkness grips us and forces us to consider the anguish of our heart and ask hard questions of God. The psalmist lamented God's seeming absence, yet in it all he found a night song [v.8] that gave him peace and confidence for the difficulties ahead.
When we struggle in the night, we can be confident that God is at work in the darkness. We can say with the psalmist, "Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God" [v.11]. --- Bill Crowder
I've found that when life's brush obscures my view
With gloomy strokes that seem to mar the scene,
God's hand appears and gives to sunless hue
And dreary skies a more majestic sheen. --- Gustafson
WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH, MEN SEE THE STARS. --- Emerson
Friday, July 25, 2008
Megan's Heart
Read: James 1:19-27
Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. --- James 1:22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 37-39
Acts 26
When Megan was in third grade, she kept coming home from school without her winter gloves. It drove her mom crazy because she had to keep buying new ones, which the family couldn't afford. One day Mom got angry and said, "Megan, you've got to be more responsible. This can't go on!"
Megan began to cry. Through her tears she told her mom that as long as she kept getting new gloves, she could giver hers away to kids who didn't have any.
Now at age 18, Megan's hobbies include volunteering in the community and mentoring inner-city kids. Referring to her desire to help people, she said that it "felt like that was the kind of thing I was supposed to be doing."
As Christians, we too are to have a heart of giving. James tells us to listen to the Word and do what it says [1:22-23]. But he doesn't stop with just telling us to obey. He gives us specific instructions about what we must do. Then he gives us a practical way we can give of ourselves: "Visit orphans and widows in their trouble" [v.27].
Ask God for a heart like Megan's. Out of love for God, obey what He tells you to do. It's what we're "supposed to be doing." --- Anne Cetas
Give us 'twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true. --- Wilson
YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, BUT YOU CAN'T LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.
Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. --- James 1:22
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 37-39
Acts 26
When Megan was in third grade, she kept coming home from school without her winter gloves. It drove her mom crazy because she had to keep buying new ones, which the family couldn't afford. One day Mom got angry and said, "Megan, you've got to be more responsible. This can't go on!"
Megan began to cry. Through her tears she told her mom that as long as she kept getting new gloves, she could giver hers away to kids who didn't have any.
Now at age 18, Megan's hobbies include volunteering in the community and mentoring inner-city kids. Referring to her desire to help people, she said that it "felt like that was the kind of thing I was supposed to be doing."
As Christians, we too are to have a heart of giving. James tells us to listen to the Word and do what it says [1:22-23]. But he doesn't stop with just telling us to obey. He gives us specific instructions about what we must do. Then he gives us a practical way we can give of ourselves: "Visit orphans and widows in their trouble" [v.27].
Ask God for a heart like Megan's. Out of love for God, obey what He tells you to do. It's what we're "supposed to be doing." --- Anne Cetas
Give us 'twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true. --- Wilson
YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, BUT YOU CAN'T LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Anger Management
Read: Daniel 3:8-25
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. --- Philippians 2:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 35-36
Acts 25
Orlando, Florida, is home to several large theme parks that draw thousands of vacationing families each year. But last year, a health magazine labeled Orlando as the "Angriest City in America." They based that title on things like violent assaults, road rage, and the percentage of men who had high blood pressure.
King Nebuchadnezzar, "in rage and fury," commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego be brought before him because they would not worship the gold image he had set up [Dan. 3:13]. When he didn't get his way, he was "full of fury, and the expression on his face changed" toward the three men [v.19].
All of us struggle with anger. But anger is not always wrong. "Be angry, and do not sin" [Eph. 4:26]. We should get angry when we see injustice in our world. But most often our anger, like Nebuchadnezzar's comes from a far less noble place --- our own self-interest and of what we say and do. Paul challenged us, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself" [Phil. 2:3].
When we begin to put others first, we may find we've taken a first step toward managing our anger. --- Cindy Hess Kasper
Spirit of God, please change my heart,
And give me a new desire;
I want to be a man of peace,
Not controlled by anger's fire. --- K. De Haan
WHEN A PERSON'S TEMPER GETS THE BEST OF HIM, IT OFTEN REVEALS THE WORST OF HIM.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. --- Philippians 2:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 35-36
Acts 25
Orlando, Florida, is home to several large theme parks that draw thousands of vacationing families each year. But last year, a health magazine labeled Orlando as the "Angriest City in America." They based that title on things like violent assaults, road rage, and the percentage of men who had high blood pressure.
King Nebuchadnezzar, "in rage and fury," commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego be brought before him because they would not worship the gold image he had set up [Dan. 3:13]. When he didn't get his way, he was "full of fury, and the expression on his face changed" toward the three men [v.19].
All of us struggle with anger. But anger is not always wrong. "Be angry, and do not sin" [Eph. 4:26]. We should get angry when we see injustice in our world. But most often our anger, like Nebuchadnezzar's comes from a far less noble place --- our own self-interest and of what we say and do. Paul challenged us, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself" [Phil. 2:3].
When we begin to put others first, we may find we've taken a first step toward managing our anger. --- Cindy Hess Kasper
Spirit of God, please change my heart,
And give me a new desire;
I want to be a man of peace,
Not controlled by anger's fire. --- K. De Haan
WHEN A PERSON'S TEMPER GETS THE BEST OF HIM, IT OFTEN REVEALS THE WORST OF HIM.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
My Heart Condemns Me
Read: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. --- 1 John 3:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 33-34
Acts 24
Do you sometimes feel guilty and unworthy because of something you did years ago? You have confessed it and asked God to forgive you, but the memory of it still haunts you.
I empathize with you. Feelings of guilt still sweep over me when I recall how I failed an elderly, childless woman while I was training for the ministry. She was a regular customer in a store where I worked part-time. After a while, I became a friend and spiritual counselor to her and her husband, I even conducted his funeral.
When I moved to a nearby town to become a student pastor, I lost touch with her. I intended to contact her but kept procrastinating. One day I saw her obituary notice. I was overwhelmed with grief and confessed my sin to God.
More than 30 years after Paul's conversion, he referred to the time when he had been "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man" [1 Tim. 1:13]. He even called himself the "chief" of sinners [v.15]. Yet he repeatedly exulted in the certainty that he was a forgiven sinner.
God, who is greater than our heart and knows us thoroughly [1 John 3:20], has forgiven us for the sins we've confessed [1:9]. We can believe Him! --- Herb Vander Lugt
Come now to the fountain of cleansing,
Plunge deep in its lifegiving flow.
His mercy and grace are sufficient,
His pardon He longs to bestow. --- Robinson
CONFESSION TO GOD ALWAYS BRINGS HIS CLEANSING.
If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. --- 1 John 3:20
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 33-34
Acts 24
Do you sometimes feel guilty and unworthy because of something you did years ago? You have confessed it and asked God to forgive you, but the memory of it still haunts you.
I empathize with you. Feelings of guilt still sweep over me when I recall how I failed an elderly, childless woman while I was training for the ministry. She was a regular customer in a store where I worked part-time. After a while, I became a friend and spiritual counselor to her and her husband, I even conducted his funeral.
When I moved to a nearby town to become a student pastor, I lost touch with her. I intended to contact her but kept procrastinating. One day I saw her obituary notice. I was overwhelmed with grief and confessed my sin to God.
More than 30 years after Paul's conversion, he referred to the time when he had been "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man" [1 Tim. 1:13]. He even called himself the "chief" of sinners [v.15]. Yet he repeatedly exulted in the certainty that he was a forgiven sinner.
God, who is greater than our heart and knows us thoroughly [1 John 3:20], has forgiven us for the sins we've confessed [1:9]. We can believe Him! --- Herb Vander Lugt
Come now to the fountain of cleansing,
Plunge deep in its lifegiving flow.
His mercy and grace are sufficient,
His pardon He longs to bestow. --- Robinson
CONFESSION TO GOD ALWAYS BRINGS HIS CLEANSING.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Instincts
Read: Psalm 32
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. --- Psalm 32:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 31-32
Acts 23:16-35
Flying into a storm is a dangerous experience. The temptation is to fly by your instincts, or, as aviators say, "by the seat of your pants." But as any pilot will tell you, that's a prescription for disaster. If you rely on your feelings and instincts, you become disoriented, thinking the plane is going up when it's actually going down. Thankfully, the instrument panel is set to magnetic north and can be trusted every time. Letting your instruments guide you, even when it feels like they're wrong, helps ensure safety in the storm.
We all face storms that threaten to confuse and disorient us. It may be a call from the doctor's office, a friend who has betrayed you, or a shattered dream. Those are the times to be especially careful. When you are blinded by life's disappointments, don't trust your instincts. Flying by the seat of your pants in the storms of life can lead to despair, confusion, and vengeful responses that make matters worse. God wants to guide you, and His Word is packed with wisdom and insights for living. His "Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" [Ps.119:105]. Where He leads is always right!
Go to your Bible, and trust God to guide you. He promises, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go" [Ps. 32:8]. --- Joe Stowell
The God who governs galaxies
And makes the thunder roar,
Gently guides my little craft
With safety to the shore. --- Berg
THE CLOSER WE WALK WITH GOD, THE CLEARER WE SEE HIS GUIDANCE.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. --- Psalm 32:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 31-32
Acts 23:16-35
Flying into a storm is a dangerous experience. The temptation is to fly by your instincts, or, as aviators say, "by the seat of your pants." But as any pilot will tell you, that's a prescription for disaster. If you rely on your feelings and instincts, you become disoriented, thinking the plane is going up when it's actually going down. Thankfully, the instrument panel is set to magnetic north and can be trusted every time. Letting your instruments guide you, even when it feels like they're wrong, helps ensure safety in the storm.
We all face storms that threaten to confuse and disorient us. It may be a call from the doctor's office, a friend who has betrayed you, or a shattered dream. Those are the times to be especially careful. When you are blinded by life's disappointments, don't trust your instincts. Flying by the seat of your pants in the storms of life can lead to despair, confusion, and vengeful responses that make matters worse. God wants to guide you, and His Word is packed with wisdom and insights for living. His "Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" [Ps.119:105]. Where He leads is always right!
Go to your Bible, and trust God to guide you. He promises, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go" [Ps. 32:8]. --- Joe Stowell
The God who governs galaxies
And makes the thunder roar,
Gently guides my little craft
With safety to the shore. --- Berg
THE CLOSER WE WALK WITH GOD, THE CLEARER WE SEE HIS GUIDANCE.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Known In Heaven
Read: John 20:11-18
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. --- John 10:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 29-30
Acts 23:1-15
Mary stood by the entrance to the empty tomb and wept in misery that her Lord had died. She longed for "the touch of the vanished hand," as Tennyson lyrically described death's cold finality, "the sound of the voice that was still."
Then Jesus appeared. In her grief, Mary's eyes deceived her, for she thought He was the gardener. But when He called her name, she knew Him immediately. She cried, "Rabboni!" which means Teacher [John 20:16].
People ask me if we'll know one another in heaven. I believe that we will know and be known there. When Jesus received His glorified body, His followers recognized Him [John 20:19-20]. And someday we too will have a glorified body [1 Cor. 15:42-49; 1 John 3:2].
"Rejoice," said Jesus to His disciples, "because your names are written in heaven" [Luke 10:20]. Someday we'll hear again the voices of loved ones whose names are written in heaven --- voices now still. We will hear the father who spoke our name with rough affection, the mother who called us in from play.
There's one voice, however, that I long to hear above all others --- my Lord Jesus, calling my name: "David." And, like Mary, I will know Him at once. My Savior! --- David Roper
I will meet thee again in that deathless land,
Whenever thy foot shall imprint the strand;
And the loveliest things that have here been mine
Shall there in eternal beauty shine. --- MacDonald
GOODBYES ARE THE LAW OF EARTH --- REUNIONS ARE THE LAW OF HEAVEN.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. --- John 10:27
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 29-30
Acts 23:1-15
Mary stood by the entrance to the empty tomb and wept in misery that her Lord had died. She longed for "the touch of the vanished hand," as Tennyson lyrically described death's cold finality, "the sound of the voice that was still."
Then Jesus appeared. In her grief, Mary's eyes deceived her, for she thought He was the gardener. But when He called her name, she knew Him immediately. She cried, "Rabboni!" which means Teacher [John 20:16].
People ask me if we'll know one another in heaven. I believe that we will know and be known there. When Jesus received His glorified body, His followers recognized Him [John 20:19-20]. And someday we too will have a glorified body [1 Cor. 15:42-49; 1 John 3:2].
"Rejoice," said Jesus to His disciples, "because your names are written in heaven" [Luke 10:20]. Someday we'll hear again the voices of loved ones whose names are written in heaven --- voices now still. We will hear the father who spoke our name with rough affection, the mother who called us in from play.
There's one voice, however, that I long to hear above all others --- my Lord Jesus, calling my name: "David." And, like Mary, I will know Him at once. My Savior! --- David Roper
I will meet thee again in that deathless land,
Whenever thy foot shall imprint the strand;
And the loveliest things that have here been mine
Shall there in eternal beauty shine. --- MacDonald
GOODBYES ARE THE LAW OF EARTH --- REUNIONS ARE THE LAW OF HEAVEN.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Communion On The Moon
Read: Psalm 139:1-12
If I ascend into heaven, You are there. --- Psalm 139:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 26-28
Acts 22
Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Most of us are familiar with Armstrong's historic statement as he stepped onto the moon's surface: "That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind." But few know about the first meal eaten there.
Buzz Aldrin had brought aboard the spacecraft a tiny communion kit provided by his church. Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of that day and to give thanks.
Then, in radio blackout for privacy, Aldrin poured wine into a silver chalice. He read, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" [John 15:5]. Silently, he gave thanks and partook of the bread and cup.
God is everywhere, and our worship should reflect this reality. In Psalm 139 we are told that wherever we go, God is intimately present with us. Buzz Aldrin celebrated that experience on the surface of the moon. Thousands of miles from earth, he took time to commune with the One who created, redeemed, and fellowshiped with him.
Are you far from home? Do you feel as if you're on a mountaintop or in a dark valley? No matter what your situation, God's fellowship is only a prayer away. --- Dennis Fisher
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. --- Anon.
GOD'S PRESENCE WITH US IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST PRESENTS TO US.
If I ascend into heaven, You are there. --- Psalm 139:8
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 26-28
Acts 22
Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Most of us are familiar with Armstrong's historic statement as he stepped onto the moon's surface: "That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind." But few know about the first meal eaten there.
Buzz Aldrin had brought aboard the spacecraft a tiny communion kit provided by his church. Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of that day and to give thanks.
Then, in radio blackout for privacy, Aldrin poured wine into a silver chalice. He read, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" [John 15:5]. Silently, he gave thanks and partook of the bread and cup.
God is everywhere, and our worship should reflect this reality. In Psalm 139 we are told that wherever we go, God is intimately present with us. Buzz Aldrin celebrated that experience on the surface of the moon. Thousands of miles from earth, he took time to commune with the One who created, redeemed, and fellowshiped with him.
Are you far from home? Do you feel as if you're on a mountaintop or in a dark valley? No matter what your situation, God's fellowship is only a prayer away. --- Dennis Fisher
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. --- Anon.
GOD'S PRESENCE WITH US IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST PRESENTS TO US.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
More Than We Imagine
Read: 1 John 2:28-3:3
We are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. --- 1 John 3:2
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 23-25
Acts 21:18-40
For decades, astronomical artists have painted scenes of the universe based on a combination of scientific information and their own imaginations. But photographs from robotic space probes and the Hubble Space Telescope have redefined these artist's view of reality. In a Los Angeles Times article, space artist Don Dixon said the first pictures of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa "turned out to be much more exotic than anybody imagined." Dixon now considers 70 percent of his space paintings to be "dated concepts" because reality has become more awesome than imagination.
While the Bible tells us what Jesus said and did, it doesn't describe how He looked. Our mental picture of Him has likely been influenced by art and illustrations in Sunday school materials. But one day, our image of Christ will be forever changed when we meet Him face to face. "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" [1 John 3:2]. That hope will produce in us a pursuit of purity [v.3].
Not only will we see our Lord as He is, but we will also be like Him. What an astonishing reality that will be --- more than we ever imagined! --- David McCasland
When Christ returns, we'll see His face
And be transformed by His good grace;
Hope will become reality ---
Much more than we could ever see. --- Sper
ALL THAT WE LONG TO BECOME WILL FIND FULFILLMENT IN OUR FIRST LOOK AT JESUS.
We are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. --- 1 John 3:2
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 23-25
Acts 21:18-40
For decades, astronomical artists have painted scenes of the universe based on a combination of scientific information and their own imaginations. But photographs from robotic space probes and the Hubble Space Telescope have redefined these artist's view of reality. In a Los Angeles Times article, space artist Don Dixon said the first pictures of Jupiter's moons Io and Europa "turned out to be much more exotic than anybody imagined." Dixon now considers 70 percent of his space paintings to be "dated concepts" because reality has become more awesome than imagination.
While the Bible tells us what Jesus said and did, it doesn't describe how He looked. Our mental picture of Him has likely been influenced by art and illustrations in Sunday school materials. But one day, our image of Christ will be forever changed when we meet Him face to face. "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" [1 John 3:2]. That hope will produce in us a pursuit of purity [v.3].
Not only will we see our Lord as He is, but we will also be like Him. What an astonishing reality that will be --- more than we ever imagined! --- David McCasland
When Christ returns, we'll see His face
And be transformed by His good grace;
Hope will become reality ---
Much more than we could ever see. --- Sper
ALL THAT WE LONG TO BECOME WILL FIND FULFILLMENT IN OUR FIRST LOOK AT JESUS.
Friday, July 18, 2008
"That Ain't It!"
Read: Isaiah 55:6-9
His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. --- Job 34:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 20-22
Acts 21:1-17
Visiting Alaska for the first time, I was excited that we were staying at the Mt. McKinley Lodge. As we were checking in, I caught a glimpse of a mass of rock through a large picture window, and I hurried out to the deck facing the mountain.
"Wow," I murmured softly as I took in the view.
A man standing a few feet away said, "Uh, ... that ain't it!"
As I discovered that day, visitors to Alaska often miss seeing all of "The Great One." Standing at 20,320 feet, the mountain is so tall that most of it is hidden on cloudy days. I was seeing only a part of the whole.
Often we're satisfied with our limited view of life. But Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, "'I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the LORD, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" With God's omniscient, panoramic view, He sees the people He wants us to help, the things He wants us to accomplish, the character traits He wants to develop in us.
Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." Our view of life is restricted by our humanness, but we can trust ourselves to the One who has an unlimited view! --- Cindy Hess Kasper
There's so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim,
But come what may, I'll simply trust
And leave it all to Him. --- Overton
WE SEE IN PART; GOD SEES THE WHOLE.
His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. --- Job 34:21
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 20-22
Acts 21:1-17
Visiting Alaska for the first time, I was excited that we were staying at the Mt. McKinley Lodge. As we were checking in, I caught a glimpse of a mass of rock through a large picture window, and I hurried out to the deck facing the mountain.
"Wow," I murmured softly as I took in the view.
A man standing a few feet away said, "Uh, ... that ain't it!"
As I discovered that day, visitors to Alaska often miss seeing all of "The Great One." Standing at 20,320 feet, the mountain is so tall that most of it is hidden on cloudy days. I was seeing only a part of the whole.
Often we're satisfied with our limited view of life. But Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, "'I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the LORD, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" With God's omniscient, panoramic view, He sees the people He wants us to help, the things He wants us to accomplish, the character traits He wants to develop in us.
Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." Our view of life is restricted by our humanness, but we can trust ourselves to the One who has an unlimited view! --- Cindy Hess Kasper
There's so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim,
But come what may, I'll simply trust
And leave it all to Him. --- Overton
WE SEE IN PART; GOD SEES THE WHOLE.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Handle With Care
Read: Acts 20:27-32
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up. --- Acts 20:32
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 18-19
Acts 20:17-38
While Jakarta, Indonesia, for a Bible conference, I was invited to speak in a church there. Before the first of two services that Sunday morning, one of the elders asked me to give him my Bible. He explained that the elders were responsible for the biblical reliability of the teaching the congregation received, and that he would return my Bible to me in front of the congregation. It was a tangible way of showing the church family that the leadership was entrusting the ministry of the Word to me on that day.
This practice was both sobering and encouraging. It reminded me that the privilege of presenting the truths of the Bible to people is not one to be taken lightly. It also was encouraging to see the degree to which these Indonesian elders took seriously their responsibility for the care of the flock.
In Acts 20, we read that Paul met with the elders of the church at Ephesus. In his charge to these leaders, the apostle warned them of the danger of false teachers [vv.28-29] and the responsibility of the church leadership to help the congregation grow in the Word of God [v.32].
No matter what our calling is, let's handle the Word with care. When we do, God's people will grow. --- Bill Crowder
O God, in whom our trust we place,
We thank You for Your Word of grace;
Help us its precepts to obey,
Till we shall live in endless day. --- Huss
THE SPIRIT OF GOD USES THE WORD OF GOD TO CHANGE THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up. --- Acts 20:32
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 18-19
Acts 20:17-38
While Jakarta, Indonesia, for a Bible conference, I was invited to speak in a church there. Before the first of two services that Sunday morning, one of the elders asked me to give him my Bible. He explained that the elders were responsible for the biblical reliability of the teaching the congregation received, and that he would return my Bible to me in front of the congregation. It was a tangible way of showing the church family that the leadership was entrusting the ministry of the Word to me on that day.
This practice was both sobering and encouraging. It reminded me that the privilege of presenting the truths of the Bible to people is not one to be taken lightly. It also was encouraging to see the degree to which these Indonesian elders took seriously their responsibility for the care of the flock.
In Acts 20, we read that Paul met with the elders of the church at Ephesus. In his charge to these leaders, the apostle warned them of the danger of false teachers [vv.28-29] and the responsibility of the church leadership to help the congregation grow in the Word of God [v.32].
No matter what our calling is, let's handle the Word with care. When we do, God's people will grow. --- Bill Crowder
O God, in whom our trust we place,
We thank You for Your Word of grace;
Help us its precepts to obey,
Till we shall live in endless day. --- Huss
THE SPIRIT OF GOD USES THE WORD OF GOD TO CHANGE THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Taking Out The Trash
Read: Psalm 103
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed out transgressions from us. --- Psalm 103:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 16-17
Acts 20:1-16
My wife usually has to remind me to take out the garbage on trash pick-up days. It's not one of my favorite jobs, but I muster up the determination to get it done and then just do it. Afterward it's a nice feeling to have it out of the house, and I forget about it till the following week.
Just as we need trucks to pick up the garbage that accumulates in our homes, we need to let Jesus remove the "trash" that inevitably accumulates in our hearts. When we forget to take out the trash, it's not a pretty picture. Jesus wants us to dump it regularly at the foot of the cross. In fact, He has promised to remove it and forget it.
But wait a minute! Could we be rummaging through the cans, trying to find that thing we weren't quite ready to part with? A sinful habit we don't want to give up, a fantasy we want to cling to, a revenge that we still want to ignite? Why are we wanting to hang on to the garbage?
Taking out the trash begins with confession, and then counting on Jesus to get rid of it. "If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" [1 John 1:9].
Today is garbage day. Take it out and then leave it there! --- Joe Stowell
Lord, help me no to cover sin,
Those secret wrongs that lurk within;
I now confess them all to Thee;
Transparent I would always be. --- D. De Haan
CONFESSION IS THE KEY THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO FORGIVENESS.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed out transgressions from us. --- Psalm 103:12
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 16-17
Acts 20:1-16
My wife usually has to remind me to take out the garbage on trash pick-up days. It's not one of my favorite jobs, but I muster up the determination to get it done and then just do it. Afterward it's a nice feeling to have it out of the house, and I forget about it till the following week.
Just as we need trucks to pick up the garbage that accumulates in our homes, we need to let Jesus remove the "trash" that inevitably accumulates in our hearts. When we forget to take out the trash, it's not a pretty picture. Jesus wants us to dump it regularly at the foot of the cross. In fact, He has promised to remove it and forget it.
But wait a minute! Could we be rummaging through the cans, trying to find that thing we weren't quite ready to part with? A sinful habit we don't want to give up, a fantasy we want to cling to, a revenge that we still want to ignite? Why are we wanting to hang on to the garbage?
Taking out the trash begins with confession, and then counting on Jesus to get rid of it. "If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" [1 John 1:9].
Today is garbage day. Take it out and then leave it there! --- Joe Stowell
Lord, help me no to cover sin,
Those secret wrongs that lurk within;
I now confess them all to Thee;
Transparent I would always be. --- D. De Haan
CONFESSION IS THE KEY THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO FORGIVENESS.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Giving God Our Best
Read: 1 Chronicles 22
The house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent. --- 1 Chronicles 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 13-15
Acts 19:21-41
We had rehearsed the song for several weeks, and it sounded good. But there was one tricky section that we just couldn't get right. We were ready to call it good enough. Our choir director seemed to agree. He too was weary of rehearsing the same few measures over and over.
Finally he said, "We've worked hard on this. You're tired. I'm tired. We're running short on time. And 99 percent of the people won't know whether or not we sing it right." As we started to put away our music, he continued, "But we're going to sing it right for the 1 percent who know the difference." We groaned as we reopened our music to the rumpled page.
On Sunday morning when we sang it right, few people knew. But that didn't matter. What really mattered was that we were singing from our heart for an audience of One --- One who deserves excellent praise.
King David wanted an "exceedingly magnificent" house built for the Lord [1 Chron. 22:5]. So before he died, he made sure his son Solomon had everything he needed to built the temple --- an abundance of gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, stone, and skilled craftsmen [vv. 14-15].
Whatever we do, our audience of One deserves our very best. --- Julie Ackerman Link
O worship the King,
All glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His power and His love. --- Grant
WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD, ONLY OUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH.
The house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent. --- 1 Chronicles 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 13-15
Acts 19:21-41
We had rehearsed the song for several weeks, and it sounded good. But there was one tricky section that we just couldn't get right. We were ready to call it good enough. Our choir director seemed to agree. He too was weary of rehearsing the same few measures over and over.
Finally he said, "We've worked hard on this. You're tired. I'm tired. We're running short on time. And 99 percent of the people won't know whether or not we sing it right." As we started to put away our music, he continued, "But we're going to sing it right for the 1 percent who know the difference." We groaned as we reopened our music to the rumpled page.
On Sunday morning when we sang it right, few people knew. But that didn't matter. What really mattered was that we were singing from our heart for an audience of One --- One who deserves excellent praise.
King David wanted an "exceedingly magnificent" house built for the Lord [1 Chron. 22:5]. So before he died, he made sure his son Solomon had everything he needed to built the temple --- an abundance of gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, stone, and skilled craftsmen [vv. 14-15].
Whatever we do, our audience of One deserves our very best. --- Julie Ackerman Link
O worship the King,
All glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His power and His love. --- Grant
WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD, ONLY OUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH.
Monday, July 14, 2008
What's In Your Hand?
Read: Exodus 4:1-5
Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. --- Exodus 17:9
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 10-12
Acts 19:1-20
Zookeepers who must handle snakes will tell you that you should never grab one by its tail. It can coil around in a split second and sink its fangs into your hand. The right way is to control it by its head. [Please don't try this at home!].
Picking up a snake by its tail is exactly what God told Moses to do [Ex. 4:1-5]. Moses, who must have encountered snakes in the Midian desert, knew this was unwise.
What was God trying to teach Moses? God wanted him to realize His power and be willing to be used by Him as His messenger. Basically, there was little difference between throwing the rod to the ground and taking the snake by its tail. Both were acts of obedience to the Lord. The lesson was that God was able to use whatever He wanted in order to validate His message to the people through Moses.
What is in our hands? In a sense, our lives are in our hands. We choose whether we'll squander the hours, days weeks, months, and years in our own pursuits or if we'll live an obedient life that's useful to Almighty God.
We will be surprised at what the Lord will accomplish in us and through us as we obediently do what He asks.
What's in your hand? --- Albert Lee
O that my life may useful be
As I serve Jesus faithfully;
And may the world see Christ in me ---
This is my earnest prayer. --- Hess
GOD'S CALL TO A TASK INCLUDES HIS STRENGTH TO COMPLETE IT.
Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. --- Exodus 17:9
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 10-12
Acts 19:1-20
Zookeepers who must handle snakes will tell you that you should never grab one by its tail. It can coil around in a split second and sink its fangs into your hand. The right way is to control it by its head. [Please don't try this at home!].
Picking up a snake by its tail is exactly what God told Moses to do [Ex. 4:1-5]. Moses, who must have encountered snakes in the Midian desert, knew this was unwise.
What was God trying to teach Moses? God wanted him to realize His power and be willing to be used by Him as His messenger. Basically, there was little difference between throwing the rod to the ground and taking the snake by its tail. Both were acts of obedience to the Lord. The lesson was that God was able to use whatever He wanted in order to validate His message to the people through Moses.
What is in our hands? In a sense, our lives are in our hands. We choose whether we'll squander the hours, days weeks, months, and years in our own pursuits or if we'll live an obedient life that's useful to Almighty God.
We will be surprised at what the Lord will accomplish in us and through us as we obediently do what He asks.
What's in your hand? --- Albert Lee
O that my life may useful be
As I serve Jesus faithfully;
And may the world see Christ in me ---
This is my earnest prayer. --- Hess
GOD'S CALL TO A TASK INCLUDES HIS STRENGTH TO COMPLETE IT.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Killer Plants
Read: Luke 14:16-26
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, ... he cannot be My disciple. --- Luke 14:26
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 7-9
Acts 18
Some forest workers fight fires. Others battle fast-growing plants. A Mercury News article reported that teams of volunteers are working hard to remove invasive plants from the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Workers point out that many of the non-native species they are fighting are sold in garden stores. The German ivy plant, for example, has become a serious problem in California. This fast-growing exotic house plant competes with the native species, smothering and shading everything in its path. It can completely cover and destroy a tree.
Thinking about these home-grown invaders can help us understand something even more crucial than saving trees. Jesus warned us that anything that competes with HIm for our hearts can choke our spiritual lives. He said that even the natural love of family can be dangerous and keep us from following Him [Luke 14:16-26]. Our Lord demands our undivided love and loyalty.
Once we value Christ above everything else, we will learn to love our family with a deeper and healthier love. But until our ultimate loyalty is determined, home-grown affection will do in our hearts what fire or German ivy will do in a forest.
Don't let anything compete with Christ. --- Mart De Haan
To follow Christ we must let go
Of all that we hold dear;
And once we have denied ourselves,
Our gains become more clear. --- Sper
THE MORE WE LOVE CHRIST, THE MORE WE'LL LOVE OTHERS.
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, ... he cannot be My disciple. --- Luke 14:26
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 7-9
Acts 18
Some forest workers fight fires. Others battle fast-growing plants. A Mercury News article reported that teams of volunteers are working hard to remove invasive plants from the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Workers point out that many of the non-native species they are fighting are sold in garden stores. The German ivy plant, for example, has become a serious problem in California. This fast-growing exotic house plant competes with the native species, smothering and shading everything in its path. It can completely cover and destroy a tree.
Thinking about these home-grown invaders can help us understand something even more crucial than saving trees. Jesus warned us that anything that competes with HIm for our hearts can choke our spiritual lives. He said that even the natural love of family can be dangerous and keep us from following Him [Luke 14:16-26]. Our Lord demands our undivided love and loyalty.
Once we value Christ above everything else, we will learn to love our family with a deeper and healthier love. But until our ultimate loyalty is determined, home-grown affection will do in our hearts what fire or German ivy will do in a forest.
Don't let anything compete with Christ. --- Mart De Haan
To follow Christ we must let go
Of all that we hold dear;
And once we have denied ourselves,
Our gains become more clear. --- Sper
THE MORE WE LOVE CHRIST, THE MORE WE'LL LOVE OTHERS.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Affluenza
Read: Luke 12:13-21
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. --- Luke 12:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 4-6
Acts 17:16-34
As people in affluent societies stock up on Blackberrys and flat-panel TVs, it's hard to deny the increasing wealth in many parts of the world. You might call it "affluenza." There is anxiety, however, amid so much prosperity. It is the economic "puzzle of our time," said Robert J. Samuelson in The Washington Post. I wonder if this is true because we are attempting to find security in "more stuff" --- stuff that is temporary and fleeting.
The Bible calls the pursuit of more stuff "greed." Jesus warned His followers about greet by telling a story about a rich man. The problem with this rich man was not that he had an abundance of bumper crops, or that he decided to build more storage space [Luke 12:16-18]. The problem was that he invested his entire life in his possessions [v.15]. He drew his security from his materials goods and failed to be "rich toward God" [v.21]. Rejecting the knowledge and precepts of God as the basis for life made him a fool. He was living for the moment while presuming on the future [vv.19-20].
The "good life" cannot be found in things. Instead of seeking our security by acquiring "more stuff," may we find true satisfaction by investing our resources and our lives in and for His kingdom. --- Marvin Williams
He possessed all the world had to give him,
He had reached every coveted goal;
But, alas, his life was a failure,
For he had forgotten his soul. --- Denison
POVERTY OF PURPOSE IS WORSE THAN POVERTY OF PURSE.
Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. --- Luke 12:15
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 4-6
Acts 17:16-34
As people in affluent societies stock up on Blackberrys and flat-panel TVs, it's hard to deny the increasing wealth in many parts of the world. You might call it "affluenza." There is anxiety, however, amid so much prosperity. It is the economic "puzzle of our time," said Robert J. Samuelson in The Washington Post. I wonder if this is true because we are attempting to find security in "more stuff" --- stuff that is temporary and fleeting.
The Bible calls the pursuit of more stuff "greed." Jesus warned His followers about greet by telling a story about a rich man. The problem with this rich man was not that he had an abundance of bumper crops, or that he decided to build more storage space [Luke 12:16-18]. The problem was that he invested his entire life in his possessions [v.15]. He drew his security from his materials goods and failed to be "rich toward God" [v.21]. Rejecting the knowledge and precepts of God as the basis for life made him a fool. He was living for the moment while presuming on the future [vv.19-20].
The "good life" cannot be found in things. Instead of seeking our security by acquiring "more stuff," may we find true satisfaction by investing our resources and our lives in and for His kingdom. --- Marvin Williams
He possessed all the world had to give him,
He had reached every coveted goal;
But, alas, his life was a failure,
For he had forgotten his soul. --- Denison
POVERTY OF PURPOSE IS WORSE THAN POVERTY OF PURSE.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Limited But Useful
Read: Matthew 25:24-28
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. --- 1 Corinthians 2:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 1-3
Acts 17:1-15
Suzanne Bloch, an immigrant from Germany, often played chamber music with Albert Einstein and other prominent scientists. She said that Einstein, though an accomplished violinist, irritated his fellow musicians by not coming in on the beat. "You see," Bloch explained, "he couldn't count." Einstein could project revolutionary theories about the cosmos, but he had difficulty with rhythmic counting. Despite his limitation, he remained an enthusiastic musician.
Do we sometimes lament our limitations? We all have abilities, but we are also afflicted with inabilities. We may be tempted to use our limitations as an excuse for not doing the things God has enabled us to do. Just because we may not be gifted to speak in public or to sing in a choir doesn't mean that we can sit on the spiritual sidelines doing nothing.
When we realize that all of us have limitations, we can move forward by seeking God's guidance in using our gifts. Surely we can pray. Surely we can show kindness to others. We can visit the lonely, the sick, the elderly. We can tell with effective simplicity what Jesus means to us. Paul said, "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them" [Rom. 12:6]. --- Vernon Grounds
Lord, God, I humbly ask of You
The strength to do Your will;
I give to You my talents now
Your purpose to fulfill. --- Cetas
TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKE A MISTAKE BY BURYING THEIR TALENTS.
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. --- 1 Corinthians 2:3
The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 1-3
Acts 17:1-15
Suzanne Bloch, an immigrant from Germany, often played chamber music with Albert Einstein and other prominent scientists. She said that Einstein, though an accomplished violinist, irritated his fellow musicians by not coming in on the beat. "You see," Bloch explained, "he couldn't count." Einstein could project revolutionary theories about the cosmos, but he had difficulty with rhythmic counting. Despite his limitation, he remained an enthusiastic musician.
Do we sometimes lament our limitations? We all have abilities, but we are also afflicted with inabilities. We may be tempted to use our limitations as an excuse for not doing the things God has enabled us to do. Just because we may not be gifted to speak in public or to sing in a choir doesn't mean that we can sit on the spiritual sidelines doing nothing.
When we realize that all of us have limitations, we can move forward by seeking God's guidance in using our gifts. Surely we can pray. Surely we can show kindness to others. We can visit the lonely, the sick, the elderly. We can tell with effective simplicity what Jesus means to us. Paul said, "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them" [Rom. 12:6]. --- Vernon Grounds
Lord, God, I humbly ask of You
The strength to do Your will;
I give to You my talents now
Your purpose to fulfill. --- Cetas
TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKE A MISTAKE BY BURYING THEIR TALENTS.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Miracle Or Magic?
Read: John 10:22-42
Though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. --- John 10:38
The Bible In One Year:
Job 41-42
Acts 16:22-40
Did Jesus really walk on water or simply use some nearby sandbars? Did He actually multiply bread and fish to feed 5,000 or just hypnotize the crowd into thinking He did? Was it miracle or magic?
When Christian illusionist Brock Gill explored those questions for a BBC television program, he set aside his personal beliefs to examine the biblical miracles with an open mind. Producer Jean-Claude Bragard said, "Even if an atheist had been chosen as host, the conclusions wouldn't have changed." In every case, Gill concluded that Jesus could not have tricked people into believing they had witnessed a miracle.
But many who actually saw Jesus' miracles refused to believe that He was the Messiah. They were ready to execute Him for claiming to be God [John 10:30-31]. Jesus told them, "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the [miracles], that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him" [vv.37-38].
The miracles of Jesus identified Him as the Son of God, the Savior who had come to give His life for the sins of the world. His works and resurrection were not magic tricks, but miracles of love and grace. --- David McCasland
It took a miracle to put the stars in place;
It took a miracle to hang the world in space.
But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole,
It took a miracle of love and grace! --- Peterson
BELIEVE IN GOD AND YOU'LL BELIEVE IN MIRACLES; BELIEVE IN HIS SON AND YOU'LL EXPERIENCE ONE!
Though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. --- John 10:38
The Bible In One Year:
Job 41-42
Acts 16:22-40
Did Jesus really walk on water or simply use some nearby sandbars? Did He actually multiply bread and fish to feed 5,000 or just hypnotize the crowd into thinking He did? Was it miracle or magic?
When Christian illusionist Brock Gill explored those questions for a BBC television program, he set aside his personal beliefs to examine the biblical miracles with an open mind. Producer Jean-Claude Bragard said, "Even if an atheist had been chosen as host, the conclusions wouldn't have changed." In every case, Gill concluded that Jesus could not have tricked people into believing they had witnessed a miracle.
But many who actually saw Jesus' miracles refused to believe that He was the Messiah. They were ready to execute Him for claiming to be God [John 10:30-31]. Jesus told them, "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the [miracles], that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him" [vv.37-38].
The miracles of Jesus identified Him as the Son of God, the Savior who had come to give His life for the sins of the world. His works and resurrection were not magic tricks, but miracles of love and grace. --- David McCasland
It took a miracle to put the stars in place;
It took a miracle to hang the world in space.
But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole,
It took a miracle of love and grace! --- Peterson
BELIEVE IN GOD AND YOU'LL BELIEVE IN MIRACLES; BELIEVE IN HIS SON AND YOU'LL EXPERIENCE ONE!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Flawed Impressions
Read: Joshua 22:10-34
It is a witness between us that the LORD is God. --- Joshua 22:34
The Bible In One Year:
Job 38-40
Acts 16:1-21
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is the story of an upper-middle-class Englishwoman named Lizzy Bennet who is pursued by Mr. Darcy, a brooding and complex man of great wealth. Lizzy's first impression of Mr. Darcy was that he was arrogant, introverted, and self-serving. So when he declares his love for her, she rejects him. Later, when she learns of his many secret acts of kindness for others, Lizzy admits that she had been wrong about Mr. Darcy and agrees to marry him.
Joshua 22 records another instance of flawed first impressions. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had built an altar near the Jordan. When the other tribes learned about this, they were enraged [vv.9-12] because God had commanded that He alone be worshiped and that sacrifices be performed only in the tabernacle [Ex. 20:3; Lev. 17:8-9]. They saw the building of this altar as an act of apostasy. Fortunately, Phinehas the priest led a delegation to find out why they had built the altar [Josh. 22:13-33]. They were told that it was a memorial of unity for all the tribes under the one God of Israel [v.34].
Often our first impressions can be wrong. Open communication, however, can correct misunderstandings that are created by our own pride and prejudice. --- Dennis Fisher
Don't judge too quickly what you see;
Treat lightly first impression;
Misunderstandings multiply
Without communication. --- Sper
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OFTEN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS.
It is a witness between us that the LORD is God. --- Joshua 22:34
The Bible In One Year:
Job 38-40
Acts 16:1-21
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is the story of an upper-middle-class Englishwoman named Lizzy Bennet who is pursued by Mr. Darcy, a brooding and complex man of great wealth. Lizzy's first impression of Mr. Darcy was that he was arrogant, introverted, and self-serving. So when he declares his love for her, she rejects him. Later, when she learns of his many secret acts of kindness for others, Lizzy admits that she had been wrong about Mr. Darcy and agrees to marry him.
Joshua 22 records another instance of flawed first impressions. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had built an altar near the Jordan. When the other tribes learned about this, they were enraged [vv.9-12] because God had commanded that He alone be worshiped and that sacrifices be performed only in the tabernacle [Ex. 20:3; Lev. 17:8-9]. They saw the building of this altar as an act of apostasy. Fortunately, Phinehas the priest led a delegation to find out why they had built the altar [Josh. 22:13-33]. They were told that it was a memorial of unity for all the tribes under the one God of Israel [v.34].
Often our first impressions can be wrong. Open communication, however, can correct misunderstandings that are created by our own pride and prejudice. --- Dennis Fisher
Don't judge too quickly what you see;
Treat lightly first impression;
Misunderstandings multiply
Without communication. --- Sper
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OFTEN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
The Right Stuff
Read: Galatians 1:6-12
No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. --- 1 Corinthians 3:11
The Bible In One Year:
Job 36-37
Acts 15:22-41
"David, I missed you in class today," I told one of my college students when we ran into each other in the Information Services office. He gave me that stunned "freshman in the first week of college" look, and then it struck him --- he had misread his schedule and had gone to the wrong class.
The funny thing was, there were two grammar labs --- mine, and another professor's --- and he had attended the wrong one. I told him, "That's okay. You were getting the right information, so I won't count you absent."
As I thought about it, I concluded that this is a little like the options many Christians have regarding the churches they attend. The key factor is to attend a church where the right information is shared --- where salvation through Jesus Christ is preached [1 Cor. 15:3-5], where the Bible is the standard for faith and practice, and where an opportunity to serve in Jesus' name is provided. It's important that the message proclaims the true gospel and the historical message of Jesus --- not a "different gospel" [Gal. 1:6-9]. It's not the messenger that's most important; it's the message.
What "gospel" are you hearing? Is it built on the foundation of Jesus Christ? [1 Cor. 3:11]. --- Dave Branon
A guilty sinner needs to hear
The simple gospel true and clear
That tells how Jesus bled and died,
And for man's sin was crucified. --- D. De Haan
THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION IS JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. --- 1 Corinthians 3:11
The Bible In One Year:
Job 36-37
Acts 15:22-41
"David, I missed you in class today," I told one of my college students when we ran into each other in the Information Services office. He gave me that stunned "freshman in the first week of college" look, and then it struck him --- he had misread his schedule and had gone to the wrong class.
The funny thing was, there were two grammar labs --- mine, and another professor's --- and he had attended the wrong one. I told him, "That's okay. You were getting the right information, so I won't count you absent."
As I thought about it, I concluded that this is a little like the options many Christians have regarding the churches they attend. The key factor is to attend a church where the right information is shared --- where salvation through Jesus Christ is preached [1 Cor. 15:3-5], where the Bible is the standard for faith and practice, and where an opportunity to serve in Jesus' name is provided. It's important that the message proclaims the true gospel and the historical message of Jesus --- not a "different gospel" [Gal. 1:6-9]. It's not the messenger that's most important; it's the message.
What "gospel" are you hearing? Is it built on the foundation of Jesus Christ? [1 Cor. 3:11]. --- Dave Branon
A guilty sinner needs to hear
The simple gospel true and clear
That tells how Jesus bled and died,
And for man's sin was crucified. --- D. De Haan
THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION IS JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Too Soon To Quit
Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and ... run with endurance the race. --- Hebrews 12:1
The Bible In One Year:
Job 34-35
Acts 15:1-21
Chris Couch was only 16 years old when he first qualified to play golf at its highest level on the PGA Tour. He was quickly declared the next golfing prodigy and a surefire success for years to come.
Life, however, turned out to be more of a grind. Chris did not enjoy a sprint to success but endured a marathon that would take 16 years and 3 different stints on "mini-tours." Tempted to quit, Couch persevered and finally, at age 32, became a Tour winner for the first time when he captured the New Orleans Open in a thrilling finish. His persistence had paid off, but it had not been easy.
In his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Bible teacher Eugene Peterson reminds us that the Christian life has much more in common with a marathon than with a 100-meter dash. Peterson says we are called to persevere in "the long run, something that makes life worth living."
With the grace and strength of Christ, we too can "run with endurance" this race of life [Heb. 12:1]. And, with our Lord's example to help and encourage us, we can, like the apostle Paul, run to win the prize of "an imperishable crown" [1 Cor. 9:25].
It's always too soon to quit. --- Bill Crowder
O for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe. --- Bathurst
RUN THE RACE WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW.
Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and ... run with endurance the race. --- Hebrews 12:1
The Bible In One Year:
Job 34-35
Acts 15:1-21
Chris Couch was only 16 years old when he first qualified to play golf at its highest level on the PGA Tour. He was quickly declared the next golfing prodigy and a surefire success for years to come.
Life, however, turned out to be more of a grind. Chris did not enjoy a sprint to success but endured a marathon that would take 16 years and 3 different stints on "mini-tours." Tempted to quit, Couch persevered and finally, at age 32, became a Tour winner for the first time when he captured the New Orleans Open in a thrilling finish. His persistence had paid off, but it had not been easy.
In his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Bible teacher Eugene Peterson reminds us that the Christian life has much more in common with a marathon than with a 100-meter dash. Peterson says we are called to persevere in "the long run, something that makes life worth living."
With the grace and strength of Christ, we too can "run with endurance" this race of life [Heb. 12:1]. And, with our Lord's example to help and encourage us, we can, like the apostle Paul, run to win the prize of "an imperishable crown" [1 Cor. 9:25].
It's always too soon to quit. --- Bill Crowder
O for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe. --- Bathurst
RUN THE RACE WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
We Bow Down
Read: Psalm 95
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. --- Psalm 95:6
The Bible In One Year:
Job 32-33
Acts 14
The ancient Greeks and Romans rejected kneeling as a part of their worship. They said that kneeling was unworthy of a free man, unsuitable for the culture of Greece, and appropriate only for barbarians. The scholars Plutarch and Theophrastus regarded kneeling as an expression of superstition. Aristotle called it a barbaric form of behavior. This belief, however, was never held by God's people.
In Psalm 95:6, the psalmist indicated that kneeling expressed a deep reverence for God. In this one verse he used three different Hebrew words to express what the attitude and position of the worshiper should be.
First, he used the word worship, which means to fall prostrate as a sign of honor to the Lord, with an associated meaning of allegiance to Him. The second word he used was bow. This means to sink down to one's knees, giving respect and worship to the Lord. The psalmist then used the word kneel, which means to be on one's knees giving praise to God.
According to the psalmist, kneeling in God's presence is a sign of reverence rather than a barbaric form of behavior. The important thing, however, is not just our physical position but a humble posture of the heart. --- Marvin Williams
Almighty, matchless, glorious God,
Inhabiting eternity,
I bow to You and give You praise,
In awe that You can live in me. --- Sper
OUR ATTITUDE IN WORSHIP MATTERS FAR MORE THAN THE POSITION OF OUR WORSHIP.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. --- Psalm 95:6
The Bible In One Year:
Job 32-33
Acts 14
The ancient Greeks and Romans rejected kneeling as a part of their worship. They said that kneeling was unworthy of a free man, unsuitable for the culture of Greece, and appropriate only for barbarians. The scholars Plutarch and Theophrastus regarded kneeling as an expression of superstition. Aristotle called it a barbaric form of behavior. This belief, however, was never held by God's people.
In Psalm 95:6, the psalmist indicated that kneeling expressed a deep reverence for God. In this one verse he used three different Hebrew words to express what the attitude and position of the worshiper should be.
First, he used the word worship, which means to fall prostrate as a sign of honor to the Lord, with an associated meaning of allegiance to Him. The second word he used was bow. This means to sink down to one's knees, giving respect and worship to the Lord. The psalmist then used the word kneel, which means to be on one's knees giving praise to God.
According to the psalmist, kneeling in God's presence is a sign of reverence rather than a barbaric form of behavior. The important thing, however, is not just our physical position but a humble posture of the heart. --- Marvin Williams
Almighty, matchless, glorious God,
Inhabiting eternity,
I bow to You and give You praise,
In awe that You can live in me. --- Sper
OUR ATTITUDE IN WORSHIP MATTERS FAR MORE THAN THE POSITION OF OUR WORSHIP.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
No More Mowing
Read: Luke 10:38-42
One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part. --- Luke 10:42
The Bible In One Year:
Job 30-31
Acts 13:26-52
The mayor of a small town in Kentucky stopped mowing his lawn in 2005. He has put up a sign on his property that reads: "There are more important things in life than tall grass."
He said that he has several reasons for not cutting the grass, one of which is his wife's death from cancer. That loss caused him to reflect on the priorities of life. He enjoys just sitting in the evenings and observing the wild flowers, squirrels, and birds that are now coming to his yard. A member of the city council remarked, "If he likes it like that, it's fine. I kind of feel like maybe he is right. Maybe there are more important things than mowing grass."
The mayor gives us some food for thought about priorities. What we do with our time shows what we feel is important. In our Bible reading for today, Martha was "distracted with much serving" [Luke 10:40]. Mary, however, took the time to sit "at Jesus' feet" and listen to His teaching [v.39]. Perhaps she realized that she wouldn't have many more opportunities to learn from Jesus.
Sometimes responsibilities like washing dishes, mowing the lawn, or working extra hours on a project need to wait so that we can spend time with the Lord or family or friends. That may be what's more important. --- Anne Cetas
Important as your task may be ---
The work you must fulfill ---
Be sure you keep that human touch
If you would do God's will. --- D. De Haan
HELPING SOMEONE IN JESUS' NAME IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORK FOR THE DAY.
One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part. --- Luke 10:42
The Bible In One Year:
Job 30-31
Acts 13:26-52
The mayor of a small town in Kentucky stopped mowing his lawn in 2005. He has put up a sign on his property that reads: "There are more important things in life than tall grass."
He said that he has several reasons for not cutting the grass, one of which is his wife's death from cancer. That loss caused him to reflect on the priorities of life. He enjoys just sitting in the evenings and observing the wild flowers, squirrels, and birds that are now coming to his yard. A member of the city council remarked, "If he likes it like that, it's fine. I kind of feel like maybe he is right. Maybe there are more important things than mowing grass."
The mayor gives us some food for thought about priorities. What we do with our time shows what we feel is important. In our Bible reading for today, Martha was "distracted with much serving" [Luke 10:40]. Mary, however, took the time to sit "at Jesus' feet" and listen to His teaching [v.39]. Perhaps she realized that she wouldn't have many more opportunities to learn from Jesus.
Sometimes responsibilities like washing dishes, mowing the lawn, or working extra hours on a project need to wait so that we can spend time with the Lord or family or friends. That may be what's more important. --- Anne Cetas
Important as your task may be ---
The work you must fulfill ---
Be sure you keep that human touch
If you would do God's will. --- D. De Haan
HELPING SOMEONE IN JESUS' NAME IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORK FOR THE DAY.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Celebrate Freedom
Read: Romans 6:15-23
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. --- Romans 8:2
The Bible In One Year:
Job 28-29
Acts 13:1-25
After being kidnapped, held hostage for 13 days, and released, New Zealand news cameraman Olaf Wiig, with a broad smile on his face, announced, "I feel more alive now than I have in my entire life."
For reasons difficult to understand, being freed is more exhilarating than being free.
For those who enjoy freedom every day, Olaf's joy was a good reminder of how easily we forget how blessed we are. This is also true spiritually. Those of us who have been Christians for a long time often forget what it's like to be held hostage by sin. We can become complacent and even ungrateful. But then God sends a reminder in the form of a new believer who gives an exuberant testimony of what God has done in his or her life, and once again we see the joy that is ours when we are "free from the law of sin and death" [Rom. 8:2].
If freedom has become boring to you, or if you tend to focus on what you can't do, consider this: Not only are you no longer a slave to sin, but you are freed to be holy and to enjoy eternal life with Christ Jesus! [6:22].
Celebrate your freedom in Christ by taking the time to thank God for the things you are able and free to do as His servant. --- Julie Ackerman Link
The sinful flesh in which we dwell
Makes living righteously
Impossible without the Lord,
Who died to set us free. --- Sper
LIVING FOR CHRIST BRINGS TRUE FREEDOM.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. --- Romans 8:2
The Bible In One Year:
Job 28-29
Acts 13:1-25
After being kidnapped, held hostage for 13 days, and released, New Zealand news cameraman Olaf Wiig, with a broad smile on his face, announced, "I feel more alive now than I have in my entire life."
For reasons difficult to understand, being freed is more exhilarating than being free.
For those who enjoy freedom every day, Olaf's joy was a good reminder of how easily we forget how blessed we are. This is also true spiritually. Those of us who have been Christians for a long time often forget what it's like to be held hostage by sin. We can become complacent and even ungrateful. But then God sends a reminder in the form of a new believer who gives an exuberant testimony of what God has done in his or her life, and once again we see the joy that is ours when we are "free from the law of sin and death" [Rom. 8:2].
If freedom has become boring to you, or if you tend to focus on what you can't do, consider this: Not only are you no longer a slave to sin, but you are freed to be holy and to enjoy eternal life with Christ Jesus! [6:22].
Celebrate your freedom in Christ by taking the time to thank God for the things you are able and free to do as His servant. --- Julie Ackerman Link
The sinful flesh in which we dwell
Makes living righteously
Impossible without the Lord,
Who died to set us free. --- Sper
LIVING FOR CHRIST BRINGS TRUE FREEDOM.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Irreverence
Read: Acts 12:20-24
The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him. --- Acts 12:22-23
The Bible In One Year:
Job 25-27
Acts 12
King Herod, dressed in his royal apparel, delivered an oration to an audience eager to win his favor. He reveled in their flattering response. "[This is] the voice of a god and not of a man!" shouted the crowd [Acts 12:22]. Fear and awe of the one true God should have led him to protest, but he didn't. For his failure to "give glory to God," he was immediately struck by an angel of the Lord. He suffered an excruciating death because of his lack of reverence for God.
Paul and Barnabas, on the other hand, had such a great reverence for God that they nearly panicked at the thought of being worshiped [Acts 14:14-15]. Upon seeing the apostle Paul miraculously heal a man who had been crippled from birth, the onlookers shouted, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" Then they prepared to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas [vv.11-13]. When the apostles heard this, they "tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out, ... 'Why are you doing these things?'" [vv. 14-15].
In these contrasting biblical accounts, we see a solemn call to give God reverence in our irreverent world. He is the only one who is worthy of glory, praise, and honor. He is the only one who merits our worship. --- Herb Vander Lugt
To fear the Lord means giving Him
Our reverence, trust, and awe,
Acknowledging His sovereignty,
Submitting to His law. --- Hess
NOT UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT TO YOUR NAME GIVE GLORY. --- Psalm 115:1
The people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him. --- Acts 12:22-23
The Bible In One Year:
Job 25-27
Acts 12
King Herod, dressed in his royal apparel, delivered an oration to an audience eager to win his favor. He reveled in their flattering response. "[This is] the voice of a god and not of a man!" shouted the crowd [Acts 12:22]. Fear and awe of the one true God should have led him to protest, but he didn't. For his failure to "give glory to God," he was immediately struck by an angel of the Lord. He suffered an excruciating death because of his lack of reverence for God.
Paul and Barnabas, on the other hand, had such a great reverence for God that they nearly panicked at the thought of being worshiped [Acts 14:14-15]. Upon seeing the apostle Paul miraculously heal a man who had been crippled from birth, the onlookers shouted, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" Then they prepared to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas [vv.11-13]. When the apostles heard this, they "tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out, ... 'Why are you doing these things?'" [vv. 14-15].
In these contrasting biblical accounts, we see a solemn call to give God reverence in our irreverent world. He is the only one who is worthy of glory, praise, and honor. He is the only one who merits our worship. --- Herb Vander Lugt
To fear the Lord means giving Him
Our reverence, trust, and awe,
Acknowledging His sovereignty,
Submitting to His law. --- Hess
NOT UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT TO YOUR NAME GIVE GLORY. --- Psalm 115:1
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Ignoring God
Read: Psalm 63:1-8
Love the LORD your GOD, ... walk in all His ways, ... keep His commandments. --- Joshua 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
Job 22-24
Acts 11
As a former high school teacher and occasional college instructor, I had this recurring thought: How terrible it would be to stand up in front of a classroom of students and have no one pay attention --- to talk and have no one listen, to give instructions and have the students ignore them.
None of us enjoys being ignored. If we're in a conversation with a friend, it hurts to have our words disregarded. If we're in a store looking for help, it's irritating to be ignored by the clerks. When we're struggling with a problem, it's painful when no one offers to help.
Imagine, then, how it must grieve God when we ignore Him. Think of how His heart of love must break when, despite the fact that He dwells within us through the Holy Spirit, we act as if He's not there. Or consider how He must feel when His guidelines contained in the Book He gave us are ignored.
Let's be careful not to ignore God. In ways large and small, let's keep Him in our thoughts moment by moment. We do that by reading the inspired writings He has given us; by spending time in prayer and listening for His still, small voice; by thinking about His presence; by serving others in His name. May we be able to say with the psalmist, "My soul follows close behind You" [63:8]. --- Dave Branon
We can't ignore God's only Son,
He is the Lord, the Holy One;
He is the source of life and grace,
The One who died and took our place. --- Fitzhugh
HE IS A FOOL WHO IGNORES GOD.
Love the LORD your GOD, ... walk in all His ways, ... keep His commandments. --- Joshua 22:5
The Bible In One Year:
Job 22-24
Acts 11
As a former high school teacher and occasional college instructor, I had this recurring thought: How terrible it would be to stand up in front of a classroom of students and have no one pay attention --- to talk and have no one listen, to give instructions and have the students ignore them.
None of us enjoys being ignored. If we're in a conversation with a friend, it hurts to have our words disregarded. If we're in a store looking for help, it's irritating to be ignored by the clerks. When we're struggling with a problem, it's painful when no one offers to help.
Imagine, then, how it must grieve God when we ignore Him. Think of how His heart of love must break when, despite the fact that He dwells within us through the Holy Spirit, we act as if He's not there. Or consider how He must feel when His guidelines contained in the Book He gave us are ignored.
Let's be careful not to ignore God. In ways large and small, let's keep Him in our thoughts moment by moment. We do that by reading the inspired writings He has given us; by spending time in prayer and listening for His still, small voice; by thinking about His presence; by serving others in His name. May we be able to say with the psalmist, "My soul follows close behind You" [63:8]. --- Dave Branon
We can't ignore God's only Son,
He is the Lord, the Holy One;
He is the source of life and grace,
The One who died and took our place. --- Fitzhugh
HE IS A FOOL WHO IGNORES GOD.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Whitewater Experiences
Read: 1 Chronicles 28:9-20
Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God --- my God --- will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. --- 1 Chron. 28:20
The Bible In One Year:
Job 20-21
Acts 10:24-48
I was enjoying the start of my first whitewater rafting experience --- until I heard the roar of the rapids up ahead. My emotions were flooded with feelings of uncertainty, fear, and insecurity at the same time. Riding through the whitewater was a first-rate, white-knuckle experience! And then, suddenly, it was over. The guide in the back of the raft had navigated us through. I was safe --- at least until the next set of rapids.
Transitions in our lives are like whitewater. The inevitable leaps from one season of life to the next --- college to career, singleness to marriage, career to retirement, marriage to widowhood --- are all marked by uncertainty and insecurity.
In one of the most significant transitions recorded in Old Testament history, Solomon assumed the throne from his father David. I'm sure he was filled with "white-knuckle" uncertainty about the future. His father's advice? "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; ... for the Lord God --- my God --- will be with you" [1 Chron. 28:20].
You'll have your fair share of tough transitions in life. But with God in your raft you're not alone. Keep your eyes on the One who is navigating the rapids. He's taken lots of others through before. Smooth waters are just ahead. --- Joe Stowell
I am safe when danger threatens,
For I'm trusting Christ the Lord;
Since He promised He'll be with me,
Though I fear, my faith's restored. --- Hess
GOD WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE RAPIDS OF CHANGE.
Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God --- my God --- will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. --- 1 Chron. 28:20
The Bible In One Year:
Job 20-21
Acts 10:24-48
I was enjoying the start of my first whitewater rafting experience --- until I heard the roar of the rapids up ahead. My emotions were flooded with feelings of uncertainty, fear, and insecurity at the same time. Riding through the whitewater was a first-rate, white-knuckle experience! And then, suddenly, it was over. The guide in the back of the raft had navigated us through. I was safe --- at least until the next set of rapids.
Transitions in our lives are like whitewater. The inevitable leaps from one season of life to the next --- college to career, singleness to marriage, career to retirement, marriage to widowhood --- are all marked by uncertainty and insecurity.
In one of the most significant transitions recorded in Old Testament history, Solomon assumed the throne from his father David. I'm sure he was filled with "white-knuckle" uncertainty about the future. His father's advice? "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; ... for the Lord God --- my God --- will be with you" [1 Chron. 28:20].
You'll have your fair share of tough transitions in life. But with God in your raft you're not alone. Keep your eyes on the One who is navigating the rapids. He's taken lots of others through before. Smooth waters are just ahead. --- Joe Stowell
I am safe when danger threatens,
For I'm trusting Christ the Lord;
Since He promised He'll be with me,
Though I fear, my faith's restored. --- Hess
GOD WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE RAPIDS OF CHANGE.
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