Zechariah: He Doubted God

Dr. Ray Pritchard

“Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years’” (Luke 1:18).
I probably would have asked the same question.
Many times the ways of God are not obvious. If a man and his wife are elderly, if they have had no children, if she is past normal childbearing years, it would be unusual not to ask a question.
But Zechariah must learn the hard way, which is exactly how most of us learn the same lesson. When God makes a promise, it is folly and disbelief to wonder how he will keep his word. Faith does not reckon with “how.” Faith believes and leaves the “how” in the hands of Almighty God. If we spend too much time trying to figure out “how” God will take care of us, we will talk ourselves into a corner.
In this case, Zechariah talked himself not into a corner but out of talking altogether. He lost his voice and could not speak until the baby was born. This in a way was a great mercy from God. The Lord saved a good man who made a mistake from making an even bigger one. Zechariah’s enforced silence kept him from proceeding from doubt to unbelief. Now he waits and watches and listens, but he does not speak.
Christmas continually reminds us that our ways are not God’s ways. He chooses an older couple, then a younger couple, then the census forces the younger couple to go to Bethlehem where there is no room in the inn, then the angels announce Jesus’ birth to shepherds, then the Wise Men show up, then Herod gets involved, then Joseph and Mary and Jesus make a run for the border to escape Herod’s sinister plot.
Nothing goes the way we would expect it to go if we were planning the birth of God’s Son. But that’s precisely the point. We have our ways, our plans, our ideas, and God has his.
Guess whose plan wins out?
Zechariah regains his voice when John the Baptist is born. All the details fall into place, including the last-minute flight to Egypt, which turns out to fulfill ancient prophecy.
God knows what he is doing, even when the details of life seem to make no sense. He works across the centuries to establish his purposes on the earth. Just because we don’t see it on Tuesday at 6:37 AM doesn’t mean it’s not there.
It just means we don’t see it.
That’s all.
Holy Father, help us to trust you even when we can’t understand your plan. Amen.
Musical bonus: Sometimes called “the echo carol” because of its answering harmonies, While by My Sheep is based on a traditional German melody. You can hear the echoing sounds beautifully performed in this version by the Westminster Choir.
You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.

Rapid Response: “You Can’t Be Certain About the Claims of Christianity”

by J. Warner Wallace

In our Rapid Response series, we tackle common concerns about (and objections to) the Christian worldview by providing short, conversational responses. These posts are designed to model what our answers might look like in a one-on-one setting, while talking to a friend or family member. Imagine if someone made the following statement: “No one can be absolutely certain about ancient historical claims, and the Bible can’t be proven beyond a possible doubt. The claims of Christianity are dramatic and critical. If you want me to believe these kinds of claims you’d have to be able to prove them beyond any doubt.” How would you respond to such a statement? Here is a conversational example of how I recently replied:

“I can empathize with this sort of concern. In fact, I often hear similar statements from prospective jurors in criminal trials. During the jury selection process, we sometimes ask jurors if they will be able to make a decision, even though they may have unanswered questions or possible doubts. If they say they wouldn’t be able to render a verdict unless every question is answered and every doubt resolved, we simply excuse them from service. Why? Because the standard of proof (the SOP) in our homicide trials isn’t “beyond a possible doubt,” it’s “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and there’s a big difference between these two standards.

Think about it for a minute. There are very few things you know with certainty beyond a possible doubt. I’ve never had a criminal case that wasn’t plagued by several unanswered questions. Even when a case is only a few decades old, there are still many uncertainties I can’t resolve for the jury. As a result, they may have a few possible doubts. These possible doubts shouldn’t prevent them from rendering a verdict, however. In fact, judges instruct juries to push past these kinds of doubts. Jurors in California, for example are told that “The evidence need not eliminate all possible doubt because everything in life is open to some possible or imaginary doubt.”

There’s a difference between imaginary doubts grounded in possibilities and reasonable doubts grounded in the best inferences from evidence. Jurors are warned against “speculating” about possibilities; instead, they are told to focus on the most reasonable, evidential inference. Jurors are instructed to avoid speculative questions like “What if…,” “Isn’t it possible that…,” or “Couldn’t this have happened?” if these questions aren’t rooted strongly in the evidence. Once jurors learn to avoid evidentially unsupported speculations, and become comfortable with the fact that every case has unanswered questions, they’ll be able to make a decision with confidence.

I’ve worked homicide cases where the jury decision was unexpectedly followed by a confession on the part of the defendant. In other words, I’ve seen cases where jurors understood the difference between “beyond a possible doubt,” and “beyond a reasonable doubt,” rendered a verdict despite lingering unanswered questions, and then had their verdict confirmed by the confession of the defendant. The legal standard (“beyond a reasonable doubt”) is sufficient; the process works.

So, when someone tells me that they can’t make a decision about the existence of God or the claims of Christianity because they still have possible doubts or unanswered questions, I simply remind them that criminal juries make critical decisions every day without possessing the level of certainty they are imagining. In fact, none of us know much of anything “beyond a possible doubt.” Instead, we move forward through life with a very different standard of proof, growing comfortable with decisions that are “beyond a reasonable doubt.” If that standard is good enough for the most critical decisions we make in the courtroom and in our daily lives, it’s good enough for any decision we might make about God’s existence or the truth of Christianity.”

This brief answer was modified from my interview with Bobby Conway. To learn more and watch many other short answers to difficult questions, please visit the One-Minute Apologist website.
J. Warner Wallace is a Cold-Case Detective, a Christian Case Maker, and the author of Cold-Case Christianity, Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, and God’s Crime Scene.
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Malachi: The Sun of Righteousness Will Rise

Dr. Ray Pritchard

 

“The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2).
The Old Testament ends with one final picture of our Lord.
When he comes, he will “rise” as the sun rises in the sky.
When he comes, he will banish the darkness.
When he comes, his light will fill the world.
But his coming does more than bring light into the darkness. When he comes, he brings the light of God’s righteousness with him. Here is good news for every weary sinner who feels the heavy weight of his own failures. Are you a sinner? If you are honest, you must answer yes. Have you fallen short of the glory of God? You must answer yes. Do you despair of ever pleasing God? Think before you answer! In one of her books, Ruth Graham, the late wife of Billy Graham, writes of a day when she felt overwhelmed by a sense of her own sinfulness:

“I am a weak, lazy, indifferent character; casual when I should be concerned, concerned when I should be carefree; self-indulgent, hypocritical, begging God to help me when I am hardly willing to lift a finger for myself; quarrelsome where I should be silent, silent where I should be outspoken; vacillating, easily distracted and sidetracked.”

Who among us could not say the same thing, multiplied many times over? Then she adds these words:

"What would I do," wrote Chalmers, "if God did not justify the ungodly?" And "What would I do," said Thomas Boston of Scotland, "but for the imputed righteousness?" There it is.  All that I am not, He is; all that I am and should not be, He forgives and covers (from It’s My Turn, pp. 104-105).

In the final Old Testament picture of Christ, we meet a Savior who does for us what we could never do for ourselves. At Bethlehem a baby arrived from heaven “with healing in his wings.”
Here is the doctrine of justification in one simple question: "What would I do if God did not justify the ungodly?" Ask yourself that question. What would you do? Where would you go? Where would you be if God were not willing to justify the ungodly?
But here is the good news of Christmas: Jesus came to save sinners. Are you a sinner? He came for you! Is your heart heavy today? He rises with healing in his wings.
Jesus is all you need for everything you will face today. He heals the brokenhearted, and he sets the captive free.
 Lord Jesus, we come to you just as we are. We come broken and ask you to heal us. We come guilty and ask you to make us right with God. We do not come because we are worthy, but because you are the Sun of Righteousness. Heal us and help us and make us whole again. Amen.

 Musical bonus: I hope you enjoy this rousing version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Pentatonix.
You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.

You Can Count on God

by Rick Warren

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).

When everything’s changing around you, it’s important to remember that God is a consistent Father. He will never let you down. He can be counted on. He is reliable. He is worthy of trust.

James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (NIV). God is an unchanging, consistent Father.

Human fathers are often unpredictable. I’ve talked to people who said, “Growing up, I never knew how my dad was going to treat me. I never knew if he was going to be silent or violent. I never knew whether he was going to hug me or slug me. I never knew if he was going to take me in or reject me.” Inconsistent fathers produce insecure children.

But God is not moody. Your heavenly Father is consistent. One of the things you can count on is that God always acts the same toward you.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

We know that the world is changing faster than ever before. Alvin Toffler wrote a book called “Future Shock,” in which he said that in times of rapid change, people need what he calls islands of stability. When everything else is up in the air, you need something in your life that never changes as an anchor for your soul. You need an island of stability in order to handle the stress.

There’s only one problem: On this planet, nothing lasts. There’s only one thing you can count on that is not ever going to change: the consistent, caring love of your heavenly Father.

“My God is changeless in his love for me” (Psalm 59:10a TLB).

You can count on that.

Haggai: The Desire of All Nations

Dr. Ray Pritchard

“I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come" (Haggai 2:7).
This fascinating verse apparently has a double meaning. It applies first to the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel. God promises the wealth of the nations will flow into the temple in Jerusalem. The rest of the verse promises God will fill the rebuilt temple with his glory. 
Christians have traditionally seen in this verse a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ. In John 2:20-21 Jesus referred to his body as “this temple,” meaning that in his life, death and resurrection, he would fulfill what the temple pictured through its design, its priesthood, its furniture, and its sacrifices. Jesus is the ultimate “Desire of All Nations” and the radiance of God’s glory. What the temple pictured, Christ fulfilled.
But that’s not all. 
When the writer of Hebrews contemplated the end of the age, he quoted Haggai 2:6 and applied it to the coming of Christ:
At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain (Hebrews 12:26-27).
That’s what God is doing in our day. He’s shaking the nations–literally!–so the world will be ready for the coming of Christ. As Christ’s first advent happened “when the time had fully come” (Galatians 4:4), even so his return to the earth will occur when God has prepared everything just as he promised. 
Sometimes God puts us in difficult places so we will turn to Jesus. We received a letter from a prisoner who happened to read my book An Anchor for the Soul while he was in solitary confinement. Here’s what happened next:

I got into a fight and went into the hole (solitary confinement). So I was trading my food trays for envelopes (a kind of money in jail) and I wound up trading a food tray for a book to read. It’s something to do because you’re not allowed out of your cell. I looked at the book and thought, Ah, a religious book, I got ripped off. Cuz I never believed in God. I was baptized but I was a baby and it was not by choice. I decided to read the first little bit to see if I’d like it. Once I read that first prayer and everything before it, it touched me and I flew through the book. You covered every aspect I ever thought about. Thanks to you, I’ve found God. You’re right, once you’ve hit rock bottom, you can only look up.

People need Jesus but they don’t know it.
People desire Jesus but they don’t realize it.
Jesus’ appeal is always personal. He never says, “Come and join the church” or “Come and be baptized” or “Come and give money.” He simply says, “Come to me.”
If you are weary, come and find rest.
If you are guilty, come and be forgiven.
If you are far from God, come back home again.
Lord Jesus, when will we ever learn that nothing in this world can ever fill the God-shaped hole in our hearts? Only you can satisfy. Empty us, O Lord, so that you can fill us with yourself. Amen.
Musical bonus: The phrase “Desire of Nations” doesn’t appear in many hymns, but Charles Wesley included it in the well-known Advent carol “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” You’ll hear it in this beautiful rendition by Fernando Ortega.
You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.

CHURCH LIFE

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them - Matthew 18:20

We tend to place too much emphasis on crowds, on statistics, on the size of a particular group or movement. We, every one of us, are too easily influenced by the "mob mentality" -- the desire to be doing what everyone else is doing and going in the same direction everyone else is going.

But God is not concerned about numbers or popular approval. As Jonathan observed before facing an entire army with only his armor-bearer beside him: "there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6). For this reason the sixteenth century preacher John Knox contended, "A man with God is always in the majority."

Here Jesus promises his presence in even the smallest gathering in his name. He is just as much interested in the struggling church plant as he is in the megachurch. He is just as present and active in the small prayer meeting as he is in the Christian conference that fills a stadium.

The context of this passage, it is important to note, is a gathering for the sake of ironing out personal differences and possible offenses in the church. So Jesus is not just present when we feel the emotional high of singing praises; he is also present in the nitty-gritty work of personal admonitions and church discipline.

Jesus is concerned about people, but he is not anxious about numbers. Jesus will bless the smallest group that is faithfully seeking his glory and obeying his Word.

http://baptistbiblehour.org

A Prayer for Reading God’s Word

By Wendy Pope

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

For a long season of my life I was a carrier of God’s Word. I read the Bible during church when the pastor would preach, and I made sure to read enough to fill in my blanks for Bible study. But to read, highlight and apply Scripture to my life was foreign to me. How could I, a “C” student, ever understand the Bible? I wanted to be one of those women who highlighted and applied, but I didn’t even know where to start.

Then, our local Christian radio station challenged the listening audience to follow a one-year Bible reading plan. I couldn’t fathom reading the whole Bible, much less in only a year. In an effort to calm my fears, I took a trip to my local Christian bookstore. If I am going to read the whole Bible, certainly I need a new Bible to read. For what seemed like hours, I previewed various types of Bibles in an array of colors, styles and formats. Just when I was about to give up, I pulled a chronological Bible from the shelf.

The format intrigued me. Short readings. An easy-to-follow daily plan. An attractive cover. The best part: Knowing I would read the Bible in the order the events occurred. Yes! This was the Bible for me. Slowly, I began to understand the Bible as the ultimate guide to life, as Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but not without stumbling. The year taught me so much. I learned Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are difficult to read in some parts. I learned it’s necessary to read the Old Testament to really appreciate the wonderful sacrifice Jesus made for me as described in the New Testament. Lastly, I learned it’s OK if I don’t understand the whole Bible. God will continue to reveal things to me as I continue to make His Word a priority.

Now, after reading a chronological Bible I am no longer just a carrier of the Word, I am a lover of the Word! If you’ve always wanted to read through the Bible but desired a friend to come along aside you for support, I pray you’ll take the same challenge and dig into God’s Word in 2017!

Dear God, I admit that reading the Bible is challenging for me. Yet I desire to be more than a carrier of Your Word. Give me a hunger and thirst for Your Truth. Lead me by the power of Your Spirit to study and apply Your Word to my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Editor’s Note: Content taken from the Encouragement for Today devotional, “Words That Made My Heart Ache,” written by Wendy Pope. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.

Billy Graham Gives Advice on How to Respond to False Prophets

by Veronica Neffinger | Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com

The Rev. Billy Graham recently responded to a reader’s question on how to interact with those who promote a false gospel.

A reader submitted this question which Graham responded to on the Answers section of his website:

"A couple came to our door the other day and said they wanted to read the Bible to us. They were very friendly, but later my uncle said we shouldn't have let them in because they belong to a cult. Now they want to come back and talk to us about their beliefs. Should we let them?"

According to Charisma News, Graham told the reader that being cautious and discerning of false prophets is important:

“Although you don't identify the organization or group that this couple represents, you are wise to be cautious—and in this instance, I urge you to heed your uncle's advice. Only a few decades after Jesus' ministry, the Bible warned that ‘many false prophets have gone out into the world’ (1 John 4:1b).”

Graham went on to say that not recognizing the Bible as the Word of God and not recognizing Jesus as the Son of God are red flags.

“Don't be misled, but by a simple prayer of faith turn to Jesus Christ and invite Him to come into your lives today. Then ask Him to guide you to a church where you'll learn from the Bible and grow stronger in your faith,” he concluded.

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH vs. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

by Russel S. Miller

Adultery heads the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, with fornication and uncleanness following second and third in succession. There is a world of sinners out there, unrestrained with unbridled lusts, to which the Lord sends His ambassadors with "the message of reconciliation" (II Cor. 5:14-21).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like..."

It was adultery that ruined King David, for when it came time for the king to go to war, he was on his rooftop:

"And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon" (II Sam. 11:2).

Did the Lord have this in mind when He said: "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28)? It is truly "from within, out of the heart of man, [that] proceed evil thoughts"; and "adulteries" are at the top of this list in Mark 7:21-23 also.

Again, in Romans Six, the Apostle Paul speaks of the works of the flesh as unfruitful and leading to death: "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death" (Rom. 6:21). In Colossians, we read that these works of the flesh originate from within, and pointing to the Christ of Calvary’s cross, Paul says: "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Col. 1:21,22).

Consequently, there is real "joy and peace in believing" (Rom. 15:13) as God’s grace saves and transforms lives so that Christ may be seen, and not the works of the flesh.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22,23).

It is only right that there are laws against the works of the flesh, but how could there be laws against the fruit of the Spirit? A striking contrast indeed!

SALVATION AND THE HUMAN WILL

By Paul Hume

Scripture  Reading: Rom. 9:15-16; John 1:12-13; 3:16

Dwight Lyman Moody once said that "the whosoever wills are the elect, and the whosoever wont's are the non-elect!" This is certainly true. The human will does play an important part in personal salvation. But the problem which ultimately must be faced when one deals with the sovereignty of God must touch on this matter of what place man's will plays--if any.

Now there are two extremes to avoid. One is that since God is sovereign, and since man cannot save himself at all, then man has no part at all in salvation. That is, God will save him without any action on his part. The other extreme is that God cannot and will not save anyone unless he is willing to be saved.

In between these extremes we believe the truth lies. It is true that the sinner is "dead in trespasses and sins" therefore cannot, of himself, take one step toward God and salvation. It is also true that God has given man a will, and He respects that will. Yet due to the fact that the depravity of the human nature has also crippled the will, God must first move and work in the sinner to make him willing to be saved! This is what Christ meant when He said, "No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). This is also what is meant in John 1:12-13: "But as many as received Him (Christ), to them gave He power, (authority) to become the sons of God (children of God), even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Therefore, as Romans 9:16 states, "it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."

Hence, how beautiful it all works out. Of my own will, I did not want God or His salvation (Christ). But He wooed me and drew me, with love and power and gave me the willingness to receive Christ into my life! Bless the Lord, oh, my soul!

    "I've found a Friend, oh, such a Friend! He loved me ere I knew Him; He drew me with the cords of love, And thus He bound me to Him." (J.G. Small)

In the total expanse of human life there is not a square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, "That is mine!"  -- Abraham Kuyper

MAJORITIES OFTEN WRONG

by C. R. Stam
    
When St. Paul was at Ephesus his proclamation of the gospel caused such a stir that the idol makers, who were losing money, protested until "the whole city was filled with confusion." Soon somebody started a chant: "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" Others joined and the chorus swelled until "all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" (Acts 19:34), and the town clerk, referring to the religion which surrounded this pagan goddess, said confidently: "These things cannot be spoken against" (Ver .36).

But later, at Rome, the Apostle was informed, with reference to those who had accepted the truths he had been proclaiming: "As concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against" (Acts 28:22).

We wonder which side our readers would now prefer to be on: that of the superstitious multitude or that of the minority who place their faith in the Bible.

Millions worshipped the goddess Diana from a thousand years before Christ to two centuries after, but who knows her today? Where is the evidence of all the miracles she is supposed to have wrought? Her glory is little more than a memory and the religion which revolved around her name is a thing of the past.

But the Bible, for all these centuries and more, has stood unchanged and unchangeable. It has weathered, not barely, but handsomely, all the storms of criticism and opposition, and has proved to be indeed the Word of God. Read the Bible and especially that part which is particularly meant for us today: the Epistles of Paul. Depend upon it, act upon it and don't hesitate to stand for it, even when in the minority, for where the most vital truths are concerned, majorities have generally been wrong.


Dear Lord Jesus Christ, my victorious Lord, how often I attempt to be the one who directs my life. I confess that when I lead, victory is not the result. Lord, help me to count on You to lead me in Your triumph, even in the difficult situations that I frequently encounter. In Your triumphant name, I pray, Amen.

The Great Finalizing Shout

By John LaVier
There is no prophetic word in the Bible more wonderful than that given to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. This passage is well known, but we quote it again:

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

What a great, grand, and glorious event is this—the rapture of the church. Every member of that church, saved during the past two thousand years, will be caught away in resurrection bodies and escorted to their heavenly home by the Lord Himself. There are three things mentioned in connection with this great event: (1) the shout of the Lord, (2) the voice of the archangel, and (3) the trump of God. Why should this be? We can understand the first, the shout of the Lord, for the fact that it is for His beloved and blood-bought church that he is coming, explains that. But why these attendant voices; the presence of which has caused some to discard this whole passage as having no relation to the church, the body of Christ? We feel that it is because this event will have far-reaching consequences.

With the dispensation of grace ended, and with the church no longer on the scene, God now returns to His end time program, the period between the rapture and the revelation. This period is marked by apostasy, antichrist, Armageddon, and the advent of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords. God is now concluding man's day and ushering in the Day of the Lord.

Mankind is divided into three circles in the dispensational program of God, as noted in 1 Corinthians 10:32, namely, the Church, the nation Israel, and the Gentiles, or the rest of mankind. In connection with each of these three the Lord is to have special glory. Therefore, we would suggest that all three of these circles are involved in this passage.

The Shout of the Lord

has to do particularly with the Church. By far the most of the members of that Church have already left this life by way of death and the grave. But every one such, together with those saints who are alive and remain, shall answer instantly to that assembling shout of the Lord. In an instant of time they will appear, radiant and glorious, in His presence. When the Lord stood at Lazarus' grave, and cried with a loud voice, he that was dead came forth. Even so at that future shout of the Lord every sleeping saint will "come forth" from death's domain. But whereas Lazarus was raised in the same kind of body he had before, and so died again, those raised at the rapture will be raised in glorified and deathless bodies. Then also the living saints will be changed and together with those gone before, will be caught away to be with Christ their Head in glory. This is the blessed hope of the Church; to hear the shout of the Lord; to be forever with him.

Forever with the Lord,
Amen, so let it be;
Life from the dead is in that word,
'Tis immortality.

Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him I roam;
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent,
A day's march nearer home.

The Voice of the Archangel

is Michael's voice, and he is the angel who has the special care of Israel (see Daniel 10:13,21; 12:1; Jude 9; also Rev. 12:7). When the shout of the Lord breaks forth, it shall find an instant response in the Church. Michael's voice will also be heard gathering Israel together. He will arise for this great work. This work will be much slower in its accomplishment. The devil and his angels will have to be cast down from heaven before the woman clothed with the sun can enter into her glory and inheritance (Rev. 12). And the people of Israel themselves will have to pass through the great tribulation, for "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time," but Michael will then stand up for them, and they shall be delivered (Dan. 12:1). The wheels will move more slowly for the deliverance of Israel than in the case of the Church but they will assuredly be set in motion in connection with that great shout of the Lord.

The Trump of God

has a wider application. It is with God that all men have to do. It might appear to the uninstructed observer that men can live as they please, without any regard for God, and do so with impunity; but the trump of God will break His long silence and end His longsuffering. It will signal the close of the day of grace. Things will be changed, and every creature will discover that they have to do with God in Judgment. The nations will not immediately appear before Him, for the wheels in their case will work even more slowly than those which bring about Israel's deliverance. Yet the day will come when all nations shall be taken to the glorious throne of the Son of Man for judgment, "and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:32). The day is also coming that all the dead, small and great, shall stand before God; and Christ himself, as God, will be the Judge. "Because God has appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

The whole of God's intentions in relation to the earth are held in abeyance until the Church is taken out of it, but when the shout of the Lord is heard, and the Church has been removed from the scene, then things will begin to move swiftly toward their fulfillment. The stage will then be set for the final great act in God's drama of the ages, and so the voice of the archangel and the trump of God will be heard, thereby setting in operation the machinery that will bring about the deliverance of Israel, and the subjugation of all nations and men.

GRACE TODAY AND TOMORROW

By C. R. Stam

Paul learned what thousands upon thousands of God’s saints have learned from his day to ours: that it is often more blessed to experience God’s grace in suffering than to enjoy deliverance from suffering, for in the former case we lean the harder and pray the more, and so are drawn closer to Him. Moreover, we find that His strength is made perfect in weakness and that when we are weak, then are we strong (II Cor. 12:9,10).


But even better things are in store for God’s people: Someday, "in the ages to come," God will display to all the universe "the exceeding riches of His grace." How will He do this? "In His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).


Dear reader, have you accepted the grace of God in Christ Jesus? Do you believe that He loves you and that He "came into the world" to bear all the blame and shame and punishment that was your due, so that you might be "justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24)?

If not, will you take Him at His Word now and come to know the truth of II Cor. 4:15:

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."

Whatever your past; however great or many your sins, take God at His Word. Believe that He loves you in spite of all. Believe that He has already provided the payment for your sins in Christ:

"In whom we have redemption. through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

Committed unto Your Trust

Colossians 1:25
 
INTRODUCTION
The relationship between the master and his stewards is one built upon trust. The master places his possessions into the hands of a steward. He will be reluctant to do this unless that man has proven himself trustworthy. The apostle Paul found no shame in claiming to be a faithful steward of God (1 Corinthians 4:1). As such, he understood the principle that the ministry was placed under his care because God had entrusted it to him (1 Corinthians 9:17; Colossians 1:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:3). This fact affected everything the apostle said and did. This truth constantly reminded him that he did not live for himself, and that one day he must give an account for his stewardship.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(For children): God called Samuel to judge His people. When the people asked for a king instead to judge them, Samuel’s description of his service (1 Samuel 12:1-5) along with his advice to the people (which he followed throughout his ministry) (1 Samuel 12:20b) proved he could be trusted.

(For everyone): What has God entrusted into your care? Do you treat your family, or ministry, or work as though it belongs to the Lord? How would things change if you did?
How could this truth be considered a blessing? How could this truth be considered a curse? What is the proper balance that a believer should seek?

PRAYER NEEDS
Ask the Lord to help you walk worthy of your calling.
Ask God to help you to be faithful with His possessions.

The Steward Owns Nothing

1 Chronicles 28:1

INTRODUCTION

The steward is not distinguished for his own possessions but, rather, for the care of another’s possessions. This is true of the life and ministry of every believer. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ and claims nothing as his own. If he has a family, his family is a blessing from God still belonging to God. If he has any ministries, they too belong to God. Even his own spirit, soul, and body belong to the Lord and not to himself (1 Corinthians 6:20
). Understanding these truths makes a steward prosper in his walk with the Lord and in his service to the Lord. He recognizes and accepts that life is not all about him. He knows that every aspect of life should revolve around caring for each of the possessions of his heavenly Master.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children):  John 1:3
  tells us God made everything. It all belongs to Him. This includes the world and the people (Psalm 24:1
  ), all animals and birds (Psalm 50:10-11 ), all money (Haggai 2:8
  ), and even you (Ezekiel 18:4
  ; Romans 14:8
  ). Take care of those things He has put in your possession or under your control.
• (For everyone): Do you have a family? Do you have children? To whom did they belong before they were yours? Whose will they be long after this world ceases to exist? Whose are they now? How should this change your dealings with them?
• What do you have that does not belong to God? How should that change the way you use the things placed under your care?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to remind you that everything belongs to Him.
• Thank God for trusting you to care for His possessions.

Temptations Are Not the Same

Genesis 22:1

INTRODUCTION

When a believer considers the Bible’s use of “temptation,” he most often associates its usage to something sinful. Though this may be the scripture’s most common usage of the word, context must always be the determining factor. God undeniably tempted Abraham, yet the temptation was not meant to bring about sin. The temptation served as a test of Abraham’s faith. Basically, temptation functions as a means to try one’s faith. James 1:2-3 clearly offers the connection as it incorporates the words “temptations” and “trying” interchangeably. The author, the purpose, and the circumstances surrounding temptations will vary, but the underlying premise remains constant. Each believer must learn how to discern the specifics when tempted.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children):  Psalm 11:5
  says, “The Lord trieth the righteous.” Job knew he was being tried as he had done nothing worthy of losing all his possessions, his health, and most of his family (Job 1:1
  ; Job 23:10
  ). As Job was tried, God revealed Job’s character to Satan. Satan hoped Job would sin, but he refused to do so (Job 1:11
  , 22; Job 2:5
  , 9-10).
• (For everyone): Why is it important for believers to study the various details of temptation? How could this study help believers find victory during any times of temptation?
• Have you ever been tempted? What was the source of the temptation? Were you able to get victory over the temptation, or did you fall into sin? What could you have done differently?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to teach you about scriptural temptation.
• Ask the Lord to give you wisdom when tempted.

HYMN

CLEANSE ME

The Desire to Please

1 Thessalonians 2:4

INTRODUCTION

A good steward is recognized for his strong desire to please his master. For this reason, he does not expend the majority of his time and energy toward pleasing other stewards. He recognizes his first responsibility as accountability toward his master. So long as he pleases his master, all other issues will adequately fall into their rightful place. So it is with the steward of God. It is not that he lacks any desire to please others, but this desire pales in comparison to his desire to please the Lord. Simply put, he does not allow others to conflict with his primary responsibility of pleasing his Master. Unfortunately, this issue has become one of the most significant hindrances facing modern Christianity—the inordinate desire men have to please one another rather than the One that matters most.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Jesus always pleased His heavenly Father (John 8:29
  ). Enoch too had a testimony of pleasing God (Hebrews 11:5
  ). It is our Christian duty to do the same (1 Thessalonians 4:1
  ). As children, learn how to please God by learning obedience toward your parents (Colossians 3:20
  ). 
• (For everyone): Is it unhealthy for children to desire to please their parents while they are young? Should they eventually come to a place where they do the right thing for other reasons? How is this like Christianity?
• Do you desire to please God? How will your desire to please Him also please the right kind of people?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to strengthen your desire to please Him.
• Ask God to give you a deeper love for Him.

The Steward’s Reward - 1 Corinthians 9:17

INTRODUCTION

Learning how to be the right kind of steward can seem difficult, but never without reward. The Lord Jesus taught and explained His parables of stewardship. In these teachings, He presented the faithful steward receiving his reward at the time of accounting for his stewardship. The apostle Paul confessed this truth in 1 Corinthians 9:17

when he said, “if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.” Paul knew God had a special calling upon his life and also knew he would stand before God to give account for his service. In like manner, each believer will one day stand before the Master (Jesus Christ) to give an account of his stewardship. Those who have served as good stewards will receive reward, while those who failed to do so will suffer loss (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

(For children): How do you feel when dad or mom says, “Good job”? God has a work for every believer to do and it will not go unnoticed (2 Chronicles 15:7; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Revelation 22:12. What do you think it would be like after your life’s work is finished to hear Him say, “Well done” (Matthew 25:23 a)?

(For everyone): Have you faithfully served in your stewardship for the Lord? Are there areas you would go back and change at this point? How would you like to finish?

Do you desire to please the Lord? Do you want to receive rewards from Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ? What would have to change in order to receive those rewards?

PRAYER NEEDS

Ask God to help you finish your stewardship well.

Ask God to remind you that a day of accounting is coming.

HYMN

WE’LL WORK TILL JESUS COMES