God's Perfect Timing

Philippians 4:19 – And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

Some time back, Jackie and I decided to start checking out various auto dealers for a used SUV-type vehicle for Jackie's home-care work. Some of the roads she navigates are remote and pretty rough, so we needed something higher off the ground than a car.

After praying about this, we checked out our local places, then took a trip to Kamloops. We spent pretty much the whole day looking at and test-driving various vehicles, none of which had the right combination of price, visibility, and comfort for Jackie's back.

As dusk was settling in and we were thinking we weren't going to find anything that day after all, we drove to the opposite end of town and happened to notice another dealership.

As we strolled onto their lot, a salesman mentioned that they had just received delivery of a used vehicle that had been driven in from Alberta, which had actually arrived ahead of time. The asking price was in our ballpark, so we decided to take it out for a test drive with this fellow.

As we were driving around, Jackie knew that this was definitely going to be our best bet. The salesman asked us where we were from and what we did, and when we mentioned that I was a Christian pastor, he surprised us by saying that he himself was a new Christian, and that his brother had just recently led him to receive Jesus into his life as Lord and Saviour.

We then had a really good chat together with this new brother in Christ, getting to know him a little better in sharing things from the Lord in our lives. By the time we got back and made the deal for the vehicle, it was past closing time at the dealership. After we had signed all the paperwork, our new friend, Murray, told us that he had been praying for a desperately-needed financial boost, as he and his family had really been hit hard. He then thanked and praised God (and us), because it was the last day of the month, and this sale was just enough to qualify him for their monthly sales bonus.

Talk about God's perfect timing in answering prayer! A place we had no intention of bothering with, a vehicle arriving ahead of time, a Christian in need, the right thing for us at the right price, and desperately-needed bonus money for Murray and his family for which he qualified on the last day of the month and after business hours. Just before we left, he phoned his wife with this great news as to why he was late getting home. Murray thought that he had run out of time for this to happen, but for God, it was just another display of His perfect timing in all things.

Not all of our prayers are answered in such dramatic ways, but it is encouraging to know that our God is a God of love and power, and that He does have miraculous ways of providing for our needs. We just need to trust Him.

Prayer: Lord, help us never to forget that You are in control and that You love us. Help us to trust Your timing in the working out of Your will in our lives and in all things. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Wilcox < bwilcox2@live.ca>

Time to Move from "I Am" to "I Will"

Your attitude determines who you are: I am joyous. I am angry. I am grateful. I am jealous.

You get the picture. Our attitudes are the foundations of our actions. If I am joyous, I will tend to be an encouraging person. If I am angry, I will tend to be a critical person.

Pull quote

To help illustrate this point, let me talk about my marriage to Nellie Jo from my own perspective.

Let’s presume I have all the healthy attitudes in place. I love her unconditionally. I focus on her strengths more than her weaknesses. I am grateful for her, for the gift from God that she is to me.

And that’s it.

I never serve her. I never ask her out for a date. I never offer her words of encouragement. I rarely spend time with her.

So what would Nellie Jo think of my good attitudes? She would rightly think they are contrived and insincere. She would doubt my commitment. She would wonder if I am truly committed to our marriage.

Maybe many of you reading this have a good attitude about your church. Maybe you are not in the group that whines, complains, nags, and pouts. Maybe your heart is really in the right place.

So here is my simple question. Is your attitude reflected in your actions? In case you are wondering where I am headed with this question, let me offer you an example.

Several years ago, we considered the most active church members who attended church around three times a week. They might attend a Sunday morning Bible study or a Sunday morning worship service. Others might return for Sunday evening events or Wednesday activities.

Do you know how much that perspective has changed in just a few years? Today, many pundits define an active church member as someone who attends church events or services at least three times a month.

Did you get that? An active church member has now been re-defined from three times a week to three times a month!

I can anticipate potential objections, “Don’t make this matter a legalistic obligation! We don’t need an activity checklist to be close to God!” I understand. But let me ask you this question. Would your spouse think you are still devoted to him or her if you decided to reduce your time with him or her by 75 percent? That’s what is happening with even some of our most committed church members.

It’s time.

It’s time for a decision.

It’s time for a church membership revolution.

Pull quote

Not because we are legalistically obligated. Not because we equate activities to commitment. But because a great attitude toward your church, the bride of Christ, will result in great actions for her.

Will you join me in this revolution? Will you prayerfully consider giving your life’s all to commitment to Christ through His church? Will you be a part of a movement that will change the world as the body of Christ unites in force with renewed effort and renewed zeal?

It’s time.

Christ is calling all church members to forsake self and to serve others for His sake. In doing so, our church becomes our priority and our focus as it was in the New Testament.

Listen carefully to this call of God. Listen to how you can discern your commitment in His church. And when you begin to understand the action plans He has set before you, be prepared to respond with two simple words.

I will.

----------------------------------------------------------

Excerpted from I Will by Thom Rainer
Excerpted from I Will: Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian by Thom S. Rainer

Apple Cider

Isaiah 55:1 - Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. (NASB)

On a hot, fall day our high school marching band took part in the Apple Festival in Chilhowie, Virginia, USA. We marched in a parade, then waited around for our time to compete in the field competition. After that parade, I was hot and thirsty. I went to a vendor who had cans of soft drinks. The one I bought was good and cold, but it did not quench my thirst. Then I saw a vendor who had bottles of ice cold apple cider. I bought one of those, and that hit the spot.

We are created with a spiritual thirst, but most people don't know what will quench that thirst. We may try different things, activities, or relationships, but they don't quench it completely. Disappointed, we go on to something else which we think might fill that need in us. But Jesus Christ is the only one who can really quench our spiritual thirst.

There is a cost to what we *think* will quench our thirst: possessions, adventures, relationships. But what *will* quench our spiritual thirst is free: the cost is not ours to pay. But to quench this thirst it cost Jesus Christ His life. He gave His life so we could be filled without cost.

Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (NASB)

Let us all partake of Jesus Christ to quench our spiritual thirst. And let us share Him with others so they may know what will truly quench their thirst.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for giving Your life for us. Thank You for offering Yourself to quench our thirst. Help us to continually drink from Your supply. Help us to let others know that You are the only One who can quench their thirst. Amen.

by Dean W. Masters

Preach to Yourself

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
(Psalm 42:11)

We must learn to fight despondency. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It is fought by preaching truth to ourselves about God and his promised future.

This is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: “Hope in God! — Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes this issue of preaching truth to ourselves about God’s future grace is all-important in overcoming spiritual depression.

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking . . . yourself is talking to you!

The battle against despondency is a battle to believe the promises of God. And that belief in God’s future grace comes by hearing the Word. And so preaching to ourselves is at the heart of the battle.


Good Evening Everyone,
Just posted the October '15 "Special Edition" to the Internet...
Check it out at http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/
Happy Reading,
Richard
 

Inquire of Him First

Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. - 2 Chronicles 20:2-4 

Think about one difficulty you are facing right now. It might have to do with your family, your finances, conflicts at work or even an accident you recently had. All these things can be considered as armies coming against you. I know from personal experience that any circumstance that has overpowered me is an army coming against me. I might come up with my own schemes and plans, but nothing I do is going to fix it. In desperation and anxiety, I cry out to the Lord.

Crying out to the Lord as a last resort is a lot different than "resolving to inquire of the Lord" from the start (as Jehoshaphat did). God honored Jehoshaphat's prayer and then he honored the Lord by singing praises to God before the battle even began.

Circumstances are difficult in life. Many times, we wonder what is really going on and why is the Lord allowing this to happen? All the Lord wants is for you to include Him. Circumstances can be hard but His answers to your prayers are not. Go to God today first. Tell Him, "Lord, I don't know what to do but I am looking to You." He not only hears, sees and answers, but He assures the victory. 

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.

Confidence Not Misplaced

"The LORD God will help me"   (Isaiah 50:7).

These are in prophecy the words of Messiah in the day of His obedience unto death, when He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. He was confident in divine support and trusted in Jehovah. O my soul, thy sorrows are as the small dust of the balance compared with thy LORD's! Canst thou not believe that the LORD God will help thee? Thy LORD was in a peculiar position; for as the representative of sinful men -- their substitute and sacrifice -- it was needful that the Father should leave Him and cause Him to come under desertion of soul. No such necessity is laid upon thee: thou art not bound to cry, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" Did thy Savior even in such a case still rely upon God, and canst not thou? He died for thee and thus made it impossible that thou shouldst be left alone; wherefore, be of good cheer. In this day's labors or trials say, "The LORD God will help me." Go forth boldly. Set your face like a flint and resolve that no faintness or shamefacedness shall come near you. If God helps, who can hinder? If you are sure of omnipotent aid, what can be too heavy for you? Begin the day joyously, and let no shade of doubt come between thee and the eternal sunshine.

A Kingdom Man Brings Freedom

by Dr. Tony Evans

Yielding to Jesus will break every form of slavery in any human life.  —Oswald Chambers

Adolescent male elephants have been running wild, attacking one another, other animals, and humans. Elephant aggression has become a big problem in many parts of the world in recent decades. As scientists have tried to figure out why, they’ve determined that elephant social structure has been destroyed, mostly due to poaching. Elder elephants are missing, especially adult male bulls, who are favorite targets of poachers. When South African park rangers flew in some adult male elephants, they flapped their ears, raised their trunks, and bellowed for days—and they restored order. The young males got in line and stopped their destruction.

The same is true of humans. When men are absent or fail to lead, society erodes. It’s why nearly all the inmates at the prison I visit came from homes where the father was absent, neglectful, or abusive. It’s why overwhelming percentages of prisoners and high-school dropouts had absent fathers. Society’s problems are not just society’s problems. They are the church’s problems. They are our problems.

Jesus proclaimed, “He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives” (Luke 4:18). Men, this begins in our own manhood, in our lives, in our families, and in our communities. A kingdom man finds freedom in Christ and spreads it within his realm.

Application

1. How have you been held captive? How has Christ set you free?

2. Where in your domain can you be more present?

3. To whom in your realm of influence can you bring kingdom freedom?

Prayer

God, bring healing freedom into my life. Make me a source of healing and liberation to those in my domain. Amen.

A Terminal Mole

by Charles R. Swindoll

1 Corinthians 5

Many years ago I broke my left hand. It happened while I was working as an apprentice in a machine shop in Houston. The result was a trip to the hospital and a surgical procedure, during which the doctor inserted a stainless steel pin from my knuckle to my wrist to hold the bone in place while it healed.

During one of my follow-up visits, after the surgeon examined my hand, he mentioned that he'd not be there when I returned to have the pin removed, but he said his associate was well able to handle everything. Curious, I asked if he was planning to take some well-earned vacation time.

"Yes," he sighed, "I'm feeling a little drained these days, so I think I'll escape for a couple of weeks, play some golf, and relax." Then he added, "Also, I've got this little mole on my belly I need to have removed—no big deal, but while I'm away, I'll have that taken care of."

When I returned to have the pin removed, I inquired about my physician. The nurse stared blankly as the associate cleared his throat. Without looking up, he said, "Didn't you hear? He died last week." I was absolutely stunned. My mind whirled. I choked out, "He what?"

"It was cancer. When his surgeon made the incision to remove a mole, then probed deeper, he discovered that his entire abdomen was laced with malignant tissue. He never had a clue, just a slight yet steady drain in energy. Actually, the only thing on the surface was that innocent-looking little mole. He didn't live a week after they sewed him up."

Through the years I've often remembered that incident when I look at the slight scar on my wrist. And I am reminded that sin is a lot like that little mole. It starts "small," but soon it is draining and devouring our spiritual energy, like cancer in a body.

Because there may be little evidence on the surface to attract anyone else's attention or arouse suspicion, no one bothers to probe and investigate the devastation these sins are causing beneath the surface.

All the while, however, these silent and relentless killers are sucking motivation, draining energy, and blurring vision.

Don't wait. Before such sin eats deeper into our souls, we need to ask the Great Physician to excise it—to cut it away so that we can become spiritually sound and healthy.

While the mole of sin may appear small, its tentacles reach deep.

 A sin may start "small," but soon it swells and crowds our spiritual energy. —Chuck Swindoll

From Ordinary to Great

by Dr. Charles Stanley

Acts 4:13   

Anyone who studies God's ways soon realizes they are quite different from man's. Worldly wisdom says that extraordinary people and abundant resources are needed for great tasks, yet the Lord often chooses the small and insignificant to achieve His purposes on earth.

For example, Christ selected a rather unimpressive group of men as disciples, yet after being filled with the Spirit, they "turned the world upside down." During His ministry on earth, Jesus fed thousands with a child's meager lunch, and He viewed the widow's two small coins as a greater offering than all the other generous donations (John 6:5-12; Luke 21:2-3).

God specializes in using people who aren't naturally qualified to accomplish His tasks. Moses was a verbally impaired 80-year-old shepherd who liberated a nation. After Gideon hid from the enemy, God made him a valiant warrior. David was the overlooked youngest son who killed a giant with a small stone and became Israel's greatest king.
God isn't looking for impressive people; He wants willing ones who will bow the knee in humble submission. Being weak and ordinary doesn't make you useless. Rather, it positions you for a demonstration of divine power in your life. He takes insignificant ones and delights in making them great.

Have you ever considered that your lack of ability, talent, or skill is the ideal setting for a great display of Christ's power and glory? If you are willing to submit to His leading and venture into the scary yet rewarding territory of faith and obedience, He will do great things in and through you.

Why Did Jesus Become a Human?

by Greg Laurie

Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (NKJV). Talk about having friends in high places. The Bible is saying that you are not serving agod who is disinterested in you. You are not serving a God who doesn't know what it is like to literally walk in your shoes. So you can go boldly to the throne of grace and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus Christ, who was God in human form, never lived for a moment outside of the perfect will of God. He never gave in to a temptation. He never had an impure thought. He never did one wrong thing. He never displeased His Father in the smallest matter. He was flawless. He was sinless. He was perfect.

So why did Jesus come to earth as God in human form? Was it to give us the ultimate teachings ever? No. Though they were the greatest teachings ever given, He came here for more than that. Did Jesus come to set the perfect example of how a man or woman should live? He came to do that and much more. Did Jesus walk this earth merely to do miracles and heal people? While He always reached out to people in need, that was not His primary purpose.

C. S. Lewis said it well: "The Son of God became a man that men might become sons of God." God became a man so that you might become God's child. Now that is something worth celebrating.

Taken from "When God Became a Man" by Harvest Ministries

Let Go and Take Hold

by Pastor Greg Laurie I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” - (Isaiah 41:13) A man who fell over the side of a cliff was hanging on to a branch that was starting to give way. Recognizing it was only a matter of time before he would fall to his death, he shouted, “Is anybody up there? Somebody help me!” Suddenly Jesus appeared, leaned over the edge, and said, “Young man, reach out and take my hand, and I will save you. But first, you must let go of that branch you’re holding on to.” The man didn’t want to let go of the branch. Jesus told him, “You must take hold of My hand and let go of the branch, or I can’t pull you up.” The man paused for a minute and said, “Is anybody else up there?” A lot of us don’t want to let go. We still want to hold on to a part of our old lives. But there has to be a moment in each of our lives when we have recognized we are sinners and have asked for God’s forgiveness. Then Jesus Christ comes in. But we have to let go. Then some changes must take place. The Bible says there is a spiritual blindness in all those who have not yet turned their lives over to Jesus Christ. So we must have our spiritual eyes opened, turning from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God (see Acts 26:18). As we yield to God and His will for our lives, then we will receive the forgiveness of sins. Then we will see the incredible benefits of making those changes. But we have to let go of our branch and take hold of His hand.

He Has Promised to Give The Wisdom And Answers You Need

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Do you need wisdom, guidance, knowledge and direction? If you seek God’s face and you spend time in the Word ask Him and He promises He will show you things you could never know without Him!

God’s goal for you is not for you to wander aimlessly wondering, His goal is to fill you with His wisdom and knowledge for life so you can be successful in all He has called you to! When you get frustrated because you don’t have answers are you spending time reading your Bible and seeking God on every level available to you or are you expecting Him to “write it on the wall”? Remember the writing on the wall wasn’t a “good” thing, it was a curse!

Seeking God should not be some sort of overwhelming task, it should be a deep seated desire as a Christian to always be attempting to know Him better! We should love to learn new and amazing things about HIm on a regular basis, it should be exciting to have Him reveal a little more of Himself to us!

What do you need answers for today? Have you asked God for His wisdom and guidance? Sometimes the answer is right in front of us, we just need to ask to be able to see it. Don’t hesitate and certainly don’t put off asking God to show you all you need to know day by day and to reveal the hidden things you don’t understand or know yet. He is waiting. The best is yet to come but you have to ask for it!

ISN'T THIS THE CARPENTER?

"...and many who heard him were amazed. ‘Where did this man get these things’ they asked. ‘What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? ...’ And they took offense at him" (Mark 6:2-3 NIV).

There have been many views and opinions about Jesus Christ. To some, He was a great religious leader. Some view Him as a great teacher. To some people, He was one of the messengers that God sent to this world, especially to a specific people. Others look at Him as only a Savior. People like me believe in Him as the Savior and Lord of the whole earth. However, to His earthly townsmen, He was just a carpenter who they knew His background very well. However, He was, and still is, more than a carpenter. He is even more than what you can think of. The reason is that He is God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Many people will disagree with this, even today, because they, like those Jews, are spiritually blind.

What is your view about Jesus Christ? Who is He? Having heard what people said He was, He once asked His disciples this question: "Who do you say I am?" (Luke 9:20 NIV). Only Simon Peter could give an answer: "The Christ of God." That was Peter’s naïve answer. He was correct! What would be your answer to such question?

Jesus is not only the Savior of the world. He is also the Lord! This means that He owns the world and all that is in it - including you! The implication of this is that even if you do not want to have anything to do with Him, or you are taking offense at Him like those Jews, a day is coming when you will stand before Him at His throne where He will preside as the Judge. You will not have any other option than to give account of how you live your life on earth. The question then will be: "What will Jesus do with me?"

"Isn't this the carpenter?" Yes! Jesus Christ was that carpenter of Nazareth, but He is more than a carpenter. He is the Savoir and Lord of the whole universe. Have you accepted Him? The Bible says, "[Jesus Christ] came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:11-13 NIV).

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

Prayer Point: Pray for people that have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord to do so before it is too late.

A Gentle Spirit

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers
 
BIBLE MEDITATION: “He that is faithful l in that which is least is faithful also in that which is much.” Luke 16:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In order to be a missionary, a man had to appear before the superintendent of missions. His appointment was set for five in the morning. It was a snowy morning, but he was there. He waited until eight o'clock. Finally the superintendent came and asked him two simple questions. Then he said, “Thank you.

You're dismissed.” The aspiring missionary said, “Thank you for your time.” In his report, the superintendent wrote, “This man will make an excellent missionary.

He came at an early hour without a murmur; that shows self-sacrifice. He was there on time; that shows character. He waited without grumbling; that shows patience. He answered very simple questions in a straightforward manner; that shows humility.”

ACTION POINT: When God asks you to do something, it may not make sense or seem important, but let God determine what's important.

A Surprising Answer to Prayer

by Charles R. Swindoll

Psalm 91

Many years ago one of my mentors told me a story I have never forgotten. A missionary was home on furlough, traveling by car from church to church. Late one rainy evening, facing a long and lonely all-night journey, he asked the Lord to help him stay awake and make it safely to the next place he would minister.

A few minutes later he came upon a man off to the side, thumbing a ride. Although he rarely picked up hitchhikers, he felt sorry for the man out in the rain and offered him a lift. As the two of them began to visit, the missionary was thrilled to discover that the stranger was a believer and that they also had many mutual friends engaged in the Lord's work.

Time passed rapidly as the two of them laughed and shared stories. The fellowship was so rich that the missionary hated to see the early light of dawn and hear his new-found friend say, "Well, here's where I get off." Before saying good-bye, the missionary invited him to have a cup of coffee at a roadside cafe. As they parted, they promised to pray for each other.

The rain had stopped by now, and a bright sun-drenched sky warmed the missionary's soul. Then, a couple of minutes down the road, he realized that he had failed to get the man's address and phone number, so he quickly returned to the cafe. There was no sign of the man. When he asked the cook if he'd seen which way the other fella had gone, he was shocked to hear him respond, "What other fella? You came in here alone . . . I wondered why you ordered two cups of coffee."

The missionary glanced at the table where the two had sat and noticed that the other cup was still full to the brim . . . and the coffee was cold.

As he returned to his car, another surprising realization came to his mind. He remembered that when he had picked up the hitchhiker in the rain the night before, the man had gotten in the car but he wasn't wet!

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll,

What We Must Do

Judges 7:20

Gideon ordered his men to do two things: Covering up a torch in an earthen pitcher, he had them, at an appointed signal, break the pitcher and let the light shine. Then he had them blow the trumpet, crying, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine: Break the pitcher that conceals your light, throw aside the container that has been hiding your candle, and shine. Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such that when men look at you, they will know that you have been with Jesus.

Then there must be the sound, the blowing of the trumpet. There must be active exertions for the gathering of sinners by proclaiming Christ crucified. Take the Gospel to them. Carry it to their door; put it in their path; do not allow them to escape it; blow the trumpet right against their ears. Remember that the true battle-cry of the church is Gideon's watchword, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" God must do it; it is His own work.

But we are not to be idle; He uses instruments--"A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" If we only cry, "A sword for the LORD!" we will be guilty of idle presumption; and if we shout, "A sword for Gideon!" alone, we shall display an idolatrous reliance on man: We must blend the two in practical harmony: "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" We can do nothing in ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of our God; let us, therefore, in His name determine to go out personally and serve Him with our flaming torch of holy example and with our trumpet blasts of sincere declaration and testimony, and God will be with us, and the enemy will be put to confusion, and the Lord of hosts will reign forever and ever.

Taking Responsibility

Answers for Each Day

In the previous devotional, we saw how it is okay when we experience loss to weep and to grieve. I want to point you to verse 6 of that same passage to learn another important lesson related to experiencing loss.  1 Samuel 30:6 says, Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him. David was not only grieving for the loss of his own family, but he was now being blamed for the whole thing. In fact, they were blaming him to the point that they wanted to take his life.

When you experience troubles, do not be someone who always wants to blame others. I know that it is human nature to want to point the finger and to lash out at somebody else when we are in trouble or when we have experienced loss.

In fact, I think blaming others is just part of our fallen fleshly DNA.  Just take a look at what Adam and Eve did in the garden when they messed up. When God turned up and asked what happened, Adam said, "Well, it's the woman that You gave me. She gave me from the tree, and I ate."

And when God asked Eve what happened, she replied, "Well, it was the serpent. It was the snake."

So Adam blamed his wife, and blamed God who gave him his wife, and Eve blamed the snake. Neither Adam nor Eve took personal responsibility. It was somebody else's fault.

If the problems you are experiencing today are your fault, take responsibility, and do not blame others.

Opinions

In Rev 3:1 we read; and to the angel of the church in Sardis write; "He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says this; `I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead".

The messenger in Sardis was one who had built up a tremendous reputation before others as a spiritual man. But the Lord's opinion of him was the exact opposite of that of his fellow-believers in Sardis. This shows how carnal and gullible most believers in Sardis were.

More than 90% of believers are unable to differentiate between a carnal preacher and a spiritual one. And more than 99% of believers are unable to distinguish between human-soul-power and Holy-Spirit-power. 

Most believers are impressed by the display and exercise of spiritual gifts and that is how they evaluate a preacher or an elder. And that is how they are deceived. God however looks at the heart. The messenger at Sardis may have had the gifts of the Spirit. But he was spiritually dead. 

This is a warning for all of us to take heed to: The opinion that 99% of our fellow-believers have about us can be 100% wrong! God's opinion about us could be the exact opposite of their opinion.

The same applies to a church. Others may consider a church to be "spiritually alive". But God may know it to be spiritually dead and vice-versa. Churches that God considers spiritually alive could be considered dead by undiscerning men. 

Most believers evaluate a church by the warmth of the welcome they receive when they come to the meetings, the size of the congregation, the amount of noise and emotion in the meetings, the musical quality of the singing, the intellectual content of the sermon and the amount of the offering!! But God isn't impressed by any of these things.

God evaluates a church by the Christ-like humility, purity and love and the freedom from self-centeredness that He finds in the hearts of its members. God's evaluation and man's evaluation of a church can therefore be at total variance with each other. In fact, they usually are.

He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Remember
Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done, for Christ will last.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Love & Prayers,                                         

Michael Jeremiah Knight

Strengthen Yourself

Answers for Each Day

For today's devotional, I would like you to read 1 Samuel 30:6 again as it contains another truth I want you to see,

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

Notice that this verse begins by saying, David was greatly distressed, but it ends this way, but David strengthened himself in the Lord.

It is all right to weep, but when you are done, you need to strengthen yourself. It is all right to grieve, it is all right to express those emotions, but when you are done, you need to strengthen yourself in the Lord.

You need to connect with God in whatever way you find is best for you. If it is lifting your hands and worshiping Him, then that is what you should do.

If it is getting into His Word (which I would suggest for everyone) and spending time feeding your spirit, then do that. If it is reminding yourself about how God has helped you in the past, you need to do that.

Personally I believe that is what David was doing when the Bible says he "strengthened himself in the Lord." I think David was reminding himself about:

· How God delivered him from the lion and the bear;

· How God delivered Goliath into his hands; and

· How God delivered him when Saul tried to kill him.

I am confident David was thinking, "You know, God hasn't delivered me so miraculously in my past to get to this point and to let go of my hand and abandon me. I know He is going to help me now." 

David was strengthening himself in the Lord, and you need to learn to do the same thing.

Prayer

He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint – Luke 18:1

Some of the parables of Jesus Christ are difficult to fully understand or perfectly apply. However the parable of "the unjust judge" is interpreted and applied for us, by the Holy Spirit himself. The point of the parable, Luke tells us in his divinely inspired narrative, is to teach us to never quit praying.

The parable involves a widow who has been wronged. Although the judge she appeals to is corrupt, uncaring, and godless, he eventually hears the widow's case—not because he changes his mind or character, but because she is so persistent with her request.

Jesus then instructs, "Hear what the unjust judge says" (18:6). If even a wicked, unfair judge would hear a case simply because of the perpetual applications of a citizen, then how much more will the loving God of heaven, who delights to care for the needs of His children, hear and answer prayers? He may delay, for His own good purposes, but He will certainly be sensitive to their cries.

There are many temptations to faint in our prayers to God — our own sense of unworthiness, no apparent or immediate answer, the temptation to take matters into our own hands. But Jesus says always, always pray. Do not faint. You are being heard by your just and caring and tender Father, even as you speak.