by Max Lucado
How would you fill in this blank? A person is made right with God through_____. Don’t let its brevity fool you. How you complete it is critical; it reflects the nature of your faith.
One might say a person is made right with God through... being good. Giving sandwiches to the poor. Some say Christian conduct is the secret. Perhaps suffering is the answer. Sleep on dirt floors. Malaria. Poverty. Bare feet. The greater the pain, the greater the saint. No, no, no, another contends. The way to be made right with God? It’s doctrine. Air-tight theology which explains every mystery. Inspiration clarified.
Yet, how are we truly made right with God? All the above are tried. All are demonstrated. But none are from God. Romans 3:28 says, “A person is made right with God through faith.” Through faith in God’s sacrifice on the cross.
It’s not what you do, it’s what He did.
From And the Angels Were Silent
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Contentment
There was a father who was known by his
family to be a chronic growler. He complained about everything. He was
sitting one day with his family in the presence of a guest in the living room
when the subject of food came up.
One of the children, a little girl, was telling the guest what food each member of the family liked best.
Finally, it came to the father's turn to be described. "And what do I like, Nancy?" he asked.
"You," said the little girl slowly, "well, what you like most is anything we haven't got."
There are some people like that, who simply are never content. If they're served one food, they want something else. If it's hot outside, they want it to be cold. If it's cold, they want it to be hot. And they'd rather be ANYWHERE else other than where they're living right now!
To the young man Timothy, Paul wrote, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, we shall be content." (I Timothy 6:6-8). Since most of us seem to need far more than that to be content, we are challenged by Paul's words!
But, to Paul, they weren't just words to be spoken and discussed. They were words to be lived out. Despite the fact that Paul was writing from prison, he was able to say, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." (Philippians 4:11). In the next verse, he said that he had learned to be content with a lot (which would be easy for most of us), but he was also content with little. The reason he could be content because he had Jesus Christ, and that was all he needed to bring contentment.
Do you have food? Do you have clothing? More importantly, do you have Jesus?
Have a contented day!
One of the children, a little girl, was telling the guest what food each member of the family liked best.
Finally, it came to the father's turn to be described. "And what do I like, Nancy?" he asked.
"You," said the little girl slowly, "well, what you like most is anything we haven't got."
There are some people like that, who simply are never content. If they're served one food, they want something else. If it's hot outside, they want it to be cold. If it's cold, they want it to be hot. And they'd rather be ANYWHERE else other than where they're living right now!
To the young man Timothy, Paul wrote, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, we shall be content." (I Timothy 6:6-8). Since most of us seem to need far more than that to be content, we are challenged by Paul's words!
But, to Paul, they weren't just words to be spoken and discussed. They were words to be lived out. Despite the fact that Paul was writing from prison, he was able to say, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." (Philippians 4:11). In the next verse, he said that he had learned to be content with a lot (which would be easy for most of us), but he was also content with little. The reason he could be content because he had Jesus Christ, and that was all he needed to bring contentment.
Do you have food? Do you have clothing? More importantly, do you have Jesus?
Have a contented day!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Question: "What are some modern forms of idolatry?"
Answer:
All the various forms of modern idolatry have one thing at their core: self. We no longer bow down to idols and images. Instead we worship at the altar of the god of self. This brand of modern idolatry takes various forms.
First, we worship at the altar of materialism which feeds our need to build our egos through the acquisition of more “stuff.” Our homes are filled with all manner of possessions. We build bigger and bigger houses with more closets and storage space in order to house all the things we buy, much of which we haven’t even paid for yet. Most of our stuff has “planned obsolescence” built into it, making it useless in no time, and so we consign it to the garage or other storage space. Then we rush out to buy the newest item, garment or gadget and the whole process starts over. This insatiable desire for more, better, and newer stuff is nothing more than covetousness. The tenth commandment tells us not to fall victim to coveting: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:17). God doesn’t just want to rain on our buying sprees. He knows we will never be happy indulging our materialistic desires because it is Satan’s trap to keep our focus on ourselves and not on Him.
Second, we worship at the altar of our own pride and ego. This often takes the form of obsession with careers and jobs. Millions of men—and increasingly more women—spend 60-80 hours a week working. Even on the weekends and during vacations, our laptops are humming and our minds are whirling with thoughts of how to make our businesses more successful, how to get that promotion, how to get the next raise, how to close the next deal. In the meantime, our children are starving for attention and love. We fool ourselves into thinking we are doing it for them, to give them a better life. But the truth is we are doing it for ourselves, to increase our self-esteem by appearing more successful in the eyes of the world. This is folly. All our labors and accomplishments will be of no use to us after we die, nor will the admiration of the world, because these things have no eternal value. As King Solomon put it, “For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:21-23).
Third, we idolize mankind—and by extension ourselves—through naturalism and the power of science. This gives us the illusion that we are lords of our world and builds our self-esteem to godlike proportions. We reject God’s Word and His description of how He created the heavens and the earth, and we accept the nonsense of evolution and naturalism. We embrace the goddess of environmentalism and fool ourselves into thinking we can preserve the earth indefinitely when God has declared the earth has a limited lifespan and will last only until the end of the age. At that time, He will destroy all that He has made and create a new heaven and new earth. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:10-13). As this passage so clearly states, our focus should not be on worshipping the environment, but on living holy lives as we wait eagerly for the return of our Lord and Savior, who alone deserves worship.
Finally, and perhaps most destructively, we worship at the altar of self-aggrandizement or the fulfillment of the self to the exclusion of all others and their needs and desires. This manifests itself in self-indulgence through alcohol, drugs, and food. Those in affluent countries have unlimited access to alcohol, drugs (prescription drug use is at an all-time high, even among children), and food. Obesity rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed, and childhood diabetes brought on by overeating is epidemic. The self-control we so desperately need is spurned in our insatiable desire to eat, drink, and medicate more and more. We resist any effort to get us to curb our appetites, and we are determined to make ourselves the god of our lives. This has its origin in the Garden of Eden where Satan tempted Eve to eat of the tree with the words “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). This has been man’s desire ever since—to be god and, as we have seen, the worship of self is the basis of all modern idolatry.
All idolatry of self has at its core the three lusts found in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” If we are to escape modern idolatry, we have to admit that it is rampant and reject it in all its forms. It is not of God, but of Satan, and in it we will never find fulfillment. This is the great lie and the same one Satan has been telling since he first lied to Adam and Eve. Sadly, we are still falling for it. Even more sadly, many churches are propagating it in the preaching of the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel built on the idol of self-esteem. But we will never find happiness focusing on ourselves. Our hearts and minds must be centered on God and on others. This is why when asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). When we love the Lord and others with everything that is in us, there will be no room in our hearts for idolatry.
All the various forms of modern idolatry have one thing at their core: self. We no longer bow down to idols and images. Instead we worship at the altar of the god of self. This brand of modern idolatry takes various forms.
First, we worship at the altar of materialism which feeds our need to build our egos through the acquisition of more “stuff.” Our homes are filled with all manner of possessions. We build bigger and bigger houses with more closets and storage space in order to house all the things we buy, much of which we haven’t even paid for yet. Most of our stuff has “planned obsolescence” built into it, making it useless in no time, and so we consign it to the garage or other storage space. Then we rush out to buy the newest item, garment or gadget and the whole process starts over. This insatiable desire for more, better, and newer stuff is nothing more than covetousness. The tenth commandment tells us not to fall victim to coveting: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:17). God doesn’t just want to rain on our buying sprees. He knows we will never be happy indulging our materialistic desires because it is Satan’s trap to keep our focus on ourselves and not on Him.
Second, we worship at the altar of our own pride and ego. This often takes the form of obsession with careers and jobs. Millions of men—and increasingly more women—spend 60-80 hours a week working. Even on the weekends and during vacations, our laptops are humming and our minds are whirling with thoughts of how to make our businesses more successful, how to get that promotion, how to get the next raise, how to close the next deal. In the meantime, our children are starving for attention and love. We fool ourselves into thinking we are doing it for them, to give them a better life. But the truth is we are doing it for ourselves, to increase our self-esteem by appearing more successful in the eyes of the world. This is folly. All our labors and accomplishments will be of no use to us after we die, nor will the admiration of the world, because these things have no eternal value. As King Solomon put it, “For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:21-23).
Third, we idolize mankind—and by extension ourselves—through naturalism and the power of science. This gives us the illusion that we are lords of our world and builds our self-esteem to godlike proportions. We reject God’s Word and His description of how He created the heavens and the earth, and we accept the nonsense of evolution and naturalism. We embrace the goddess of environmentalism and fool ourselves into thinking we can preserve the earth indefinitely when God has declared the earth has a limited lifespan and will last only until the end of the age. At that time, He will destroy all that He has made and create a new heaven and new earth. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:10-13). As this passage so clearly states, our focus should not be on worshipping the environment, but on living holy lives as we wait eagerly for the return of our Lord and Savior, who alone deserves worship.
Finally, and perhaps most destructively, we worship at the altar of self-aggrandizement or the fulfillment of the self to the exclusion of all others and their needs and desires. This manifests itself in self-indulgence through alcohol, drugs, and food. Those in affluent countries have unlimited access to alcohol, drugs (prescription drug use is at an all-time high, even among children), and food. Obesity rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed, and childhood diabetes brought on by overeating is epidemic. The self-control we so desperately need is spurned in our insatiable desire to eat, drink, and medicate more and more. We resist any effort to get us to curb our appetites, and we are determined to make ourselves the god of our lives. This has its origin in the Garden of Eden where Satan tempted Eve to eat of the tree with the words “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). This has been man’s desire ever since—to be god and, as we have seen, the worship of self is the basis of all modern idolatry.
All idolatry of self has at its core the three lusts found in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” If we are to escape modern idolatry, we have to admit that it is rampant and reject it in all its forms. It is not of God, but of Satan, and in it we will never find fulfillment. This is the great lie and the same one Satan has been telling since he first lied to Adam and Eve. Sadly, we are still falling for it. Even more sadly, many churches are propagating it in the preaching of the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel built on the idol of self-esteem. But we will never find happiness focusing on ourselves. Our hearts and minds must be centered on God and on others. This is why when asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). When we love the Lord and others with everything that is in us, there will be no room in our hearts for idolatry.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Facing Adversity Over and Over
By Alan
Smith
[Minor editing]
Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on? He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and, sure enough, they were.
It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on-this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."
She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are your mittens?" He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."
As I read that, I thought about how many of our frustrations come about as the result of having to do something over and over. Let me give you an example. A number of years ago, I was having some back trouble and the doctor told me I needed surgery. I counted down the days until I could find some relief. The surgery went well (in fact, I went home less than 12 hours after surgery), but the recuperation didn't go as planned. Instead of getting relief, I found myself back under the doctor's knife six weeks later.
I remember that the greatest source of frustration wasn't the surgery itself. It was the fact that I thought I was getting better, but I had to start all over again. Just when I thought I was making progress, I encountered a setback. I was able to easily muster the emotional strength to face the first surgery, but it was much tougher the second time.
I've seen the same thing happen in a number of different areas. I suspect you have, too. Maybe you were hoping to get bills cleared up only to be hit with an unexpected dentist bill or car repair. Maybe it's harsh criticism you're dealing with, a situation at work that's making it difficult to maintain your Christian standards, or perhaps the struggles of dealing with a rebellious child. You think, "I can handle the difficulty I'm going through as long as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel". Only just when you're about at the end of the tunnel and you feel you've taken about all you can take, you realize that there's more adversity ahead and the light is barely visible. I understand; I've been there.
The Christian life is long and sometimes difficult. There are times we feel we just can't take it anymore and we want to give up, especially when we've had to face the same adversity over and over and over again. May this passage serve as a source of comfort and strength to you:
"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isa. 40:29-31)
I pray that your strength will be renewed this day as you wait upon the Lord. Hang in there!
[Minor editing]
Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on? He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and, sure enough, they were.
It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on-this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."
She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are your mittens?" He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."
As I read that, I thought about how many of our frustrations come about as the result of having to do something over and over. Let me give you an example. A number of years ago, I was having some back trouble and the doctor told me I needed surgery. I counted down the days until I could find some relief. The surgery went well (in fact, I went home less than 12 hours after surgery), but the recuperation didn't go as planned. Instead of getting relief, I found myself back under the doctor's knife six weeks later.
I remember that the greatest source of frustration wasn't the surgery itself. It was the fact that I thought I was getting better, but I had to start all over again. Just when I thought I was making progress, I encountered a setback. I was able to easily muster the emotional strength to face the first surgery, but it was much tougher the second time.
I've seen the same thing happen in a number of different areas. I suspect you have, too. Maybe you were hoping to get bills cleared up only to be hit with an unexpected dentist bill or car repair. Maybe it's harsh criticism you're dealing with, a situation at work that's making it difficult to maintain your Christian standards, or perhaps the struggles of dealing with a rebellious child. You think, "I can handle the difficulty I'm going through as long as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel". Only just when you're about at the end of the tunnel and you feel you've taken about all you can take, you realize that there's more adversity ahead and the light is barely visible. I understand; I've been there.
The Christian life is long and sometimes difficult. There are times we feel we just can't take it anymore and we want to give up, especially when we've had to face the same adversity over and over and over again. May this passage serve as a source of comfort and strength to you:
"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isa. 40:29-31)
I pray that your strength will be renewed this day as you wait upon the Lord. Hang in there!
Sunday, March 1, 2015
I'm Changing the Way I Pray
Wendy
Pope
"His divine power has given us everything we need for
a
godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and
goodness." 2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
The darkness of the morning filled the room. With my
head
bowed and eyes closed, I started to pray.
The usual words fell from my lips: Thank You for
another day, for waking me up and for this time I have with
You.
Then I leapt straight from thanking to
asking.
Father, I pray for my friend. Be
with
her today as she has surgery. Go before her; take care of all her needs.
Prepare
the room for her. Guide the surgeon's hands during the
surgery.
I pray for my other friend. She
has
great financial needs right now. Her burden is heavy. Will You make
provisions
for her needs?
I heard a whisper. Not audibly, but that nudging in my
heart that I have come to recognize over time as God interacting with me:
"Stop asking Me for what I am already
doing!"
With a brow arched my mind replied, What, Lord?
What
did You say?
I heard nothing, so I continued my
prayer.
I pray for one more friend. You
know
the loss she has experienced and the pain she has endured. Help her as she
faces
the battle.
Then another whisper, "Stop asking Me for what I
am
already doing!"
I paused again. More whispers from God
followed.
"I am already with her ... I am
Emmanuel."
"I have her healthcare under
control
... I am Jehovah Rapha."
"I have already provided what she
needs ... I am Jehovah Jireh."
"I see her battle. I am her
banner
... I am Jehovah Nissi."
Still puzzled by the interrupting whisper, I closed my
prayer time with a meaningful "Amen" and went on with the rest of my day's
activities.
Later, in the busyness of the day, I experienced the
"aha"
of His whisper. I remembered 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us
everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called
us
by his own glory and goodness." It all became clear. If God is
providing,
then I needed to stop asking and start praising.
God's Word always confirms His
whispers.
My prayers had indeed become tired and mechanical. I
often
wondered if God even heard my prayers.
God was challenging me to examine my prayer list to
find
ways He was already working, and then praise Him! Praise Him for how He is
already providing for my friends' and loved ones'
needs.
Taking God up on this challenge has given me
confidence in
my prayer life. I know my prayers are being heard and
answered.
What if we paused to examine our requests to see how
God
is already working, then praised Him for what He is already doing? It's a
radical thought. It might mean readjusting our usual prayer time to make
room
for His whispers. He may ask us to talk less and listen more so we can be
more
intentional with our prayers.
Maybe God wants to interrupt your prayers, too. He
doesn't
want you to stop praying, but instead be faithful to press pause and start
praising.
Dear Lord, help me examine each situation I am
currently
praying about, so I can praise You for what You are already doing. In Jesus'
Name, Amen.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
The Moments We Don't Capture With Pictures
by Lysa Terkeurst
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)
Some moments of life are amazing. Beyond amazing. They create blessed memories of sheer joy.
Then there are other moments, the ones not often discussed, the ones when we feel like complete failures. Those are the moments that taste bitter, not sweet. The ones that won't make it into a scrapbook of fun memories.
It's in those moments we wonder if we really have what it takes to do the assignments placed before us. Yes, those kinds of unglued heart moments aren't the ones we capture in pictures. But there's a silver lining in those moments, a compassionate kind of wisdom I can't get any other way.
Wisdom is our silver lining. Wisdom will help us not repeat the mistakes we've made but rather grow stronger through them.
How do we find it? We come to the Lord and ask Him for it. We set aside our excuses, our habits and our justifications and whisper, "I need Your perspective, God. I come before You and humbly admit my desperate dependence on You." As Psalm 11:2 reminds us, "with humility comes wisdom."
Yes, humility.
But wisdom can also come from times of humiliation.
Remember King David? He had an affair with a married woman named Bathsheba. When Bathsheba sent word to David she was pregnant with his baby, he panicked and had her husband killed. Then David quickly married Bathsheba.
David's choice brought calamity upon his house, and the son born from the union with Bathsheba died. Sin and consequences always walk hand in hand. And David surely suffered the consequences of his choices for years to come. But mixed in with the heartbreak and the humiliation, something else happened. When the repentant David went to comfort Bathsheba, she became pregnant with Solomon.
From this relationship wrapped in humiliation came the man the Bible describes this way:
"God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite — wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom" (1 Kings 4:29-34, NIV).
Did you catch that? Solomon was wiser than anyone else!
In a situation that seemed unlikely to produce a hopeful outcome, God was faithful. From humiliation, great wisdom came.
Humility and humiliation, silver linings that can lead to wisdom even in the midst of the moments we don't capture in pictures.
Dear Lord, I praise You for Your guidance. Meet me where I am today as I face moments that I don't want to capture with pictures, Lord. Give me Your strength to learn from each struggle and situation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)
Some moments of life are amazing. Beyond amazing. They create blessed memories of sheer joy.
Then there are other moments, the ones not often discussed, the ones when we feel like complete failures. Those are the moments that taste bitter, not sweet. The ones that won't make it into a scrapbook of fun memories.
It's in those moments we wonder if we really have what it takes to do the assignments placed before us. Yes, those kinds of unglued heart moments aren't the ones we capture in pictures. But there's a silver lining in those moments, a compassionate kind of wisdom I can't get any other way.
Wisdom is our silver lining. Wisdom will help us not repeat the mistakes we've made but rather grow stronger through them.
How do we find it? We come to the Lord and ask Him for it. We set aside our excuses, our habits and our justifications and whisper, "I need Your perspective, God. I come before You and humbly admit my desperate dependence on You." As Psalm 11:2 reminds us, "with humility comes wisdom."
Yes, humility.
But wisdom can also come from times of humiliation.
Remember King David? He had an affair with a married woman named Bathsheba. When Bathsheba sent word to David she was pregnant with his baby, he panicked and had her husband killed. Then David quickly married Bathsheba.
David's choice brought calamity upon his house, and the son born from the union with Bathsheba died. Sin and consequences always walk hand in hand. And David surely suffered the consequences of his choices for years to come. But mixed in with the heartbreak and the humiliation, something else happened. When the repentant David went to comfort Bathsheba, she became pregnant with Solomon.
From this relationship wrapped in humiliation came the man the Bible describes this way:
"God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite — wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom" (1 Kings 4:29-34, NIV).
Did you catch that? Solomon was wiser than anyone else!
In a situation that seemed unlikely to produce a hopeful outcome, God was faithful. From humiliation, great wisdom came.
Humility and humiliation, silver linings that can lead to wisdom even in the midst of the moments we don't capture in pictures.
Dear Lord, I praise You for Your guidance. Meet me where I am today as I face moments that I don't want to capture with pictures, Lord. Give me Your strength to learn from each struggle and situation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Number Our Days
(By Debbie ?)
"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (NKJV) Psalm 90:12
An old friend of mine was in town this weekend and I met her for dinner. We only visited for an hour; I had plans for most of the weekend and she had many more friends she had to visit. As we rushed to catch up, we both remarked at how busy we were; too busy to call or e-mail each other (much less write), even too busy to spend more than an hour together the entire weekend. What do you think was keeping us so busy? Well, we couldn't say. We tried to figure it out, hoping our time was spent serving God; ministering to hurting friends, helping those who were sick or in need, or perhaps long hours of prayer and time in the Word. Unfortunately, the most concentrated amount of time we could account for was spent was at work. She was working 12 and 14 hour days and I was working 10 hour days.
How are you spending your days? Can you remember what you did last month or last week or even last night? When was the last time you checked in on a hurting friend, or spent time in a church ministry. Are you frantically rushing around doing everything and nothing? What does your time with God look like? When was the last time you asked God what he wanted you to do?
We have all been created specifically with a special, unique purpose to fulfill. Take out your daytimer and spend some time with God, reviewing your schedule. Ask Him to help you "number" your days, to spend each precious day He gives you doing His will. Why not give God your daytimer?
"Dear Lord, help me to extend my hand in Christian fellowship and service to others. "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8
"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (NKJV) Psalm 90:12
An old friend of mine was in town this weekend and I met her for dinner. We only visited for an hour; I had plans for most of the weekend and she had many more friends she had to visit. As we rushed to catch up, we both remarked at how busy we were; too busy to call or e-mail each other (much less write), even too busy to spend more than an hour together the entire weekend. What do you think was keeping us so busy? Well, we couldn't say. We tried to figure it out, hoping our time was spent serving God; ministering to hurting friends, helping those who were sick or in need, or perhaps long hours of prayer and time in the Word. Unfortunately, the most concentrated amount of time we could account for was spent was at work. She was working 12 and 14 hour days and I was working 10 hour days.
How are you spending your days? Can you remember what you did last month or last week or even last night? When was the last time you checked in on a hurting friend, or spent time in a church ministry. Are you frantically rushing around doing everything and nothing? What does your time with God look like? When was the last time you asked God what he wanted you to do?
We have all been created specifically with a special, unique purpose to fulfill. Take out your daytimer and spend some time with God, reviewing your schedule. Ask Him to help you "number" your days, to spend each precious day He gives you doing His will. Why not give God your daytimer?
"Dear Lord, help me to extend my hand in Christian fellowship and service to others. "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Power of Patience
Everyone struggles with some degree of
impatience. We’re born with this trait—think about a three-month-old who
wants
milk in the middle of the night. The inborn reaction is to fuss at the first
hint of discomfort and to keep at it until the need is met. Patterns from
our
old “flesh” nature make this a continual battle for most people, but one
that is
very worthwhile to fight.
Let’s consider the biblical definition of
patience. It can mean both long suffering and
perseverance, or not giving up and yielding under pressure. In
either
case, it reveals itself when we are willing to wait without frustration
while
suffering or experiencing some strong desire. In other words, we accept
difficult situations without giving God deadlines. What’s more, patience
means
accepting what the Lord gives, on His timetable—or what He chooses not to
give.
This quality results in inner peace and lack of stress. Meanwhile, we should
pray, obey, and persist as we seek God’s direction.The danger of impatience is that we might miss the Lord’s perfect plan and His blessing. Only when we trust our Father’s will and timing can we rest peacefully.
What causes you stress? Carefully examine
whether
you are taking matters into your own hands or releasing the circumstance to
almighty God. Listen to Psalm 37:7, which says,
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Seek His
way
and His timing. Anything else can be destructive.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Where More Loving Relationships Begin
by Erin Smalley
"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." Galatians 5:22-23a (TLB)
Anyone who gets married, soon becomes very aware of his or her spouse's problematic attitudes and behaviors — and thinks their input, directly or subtly, can fix their spouse.
Believe me, I've tried with all my might to let my husband, Greg, know that he should stop watching as much television, or work a little less or put his dishes in the dishwasher. I've often done this covertly. But when subtle input didn't work, I would get frustrated and feel like giving up. In my heart, I knew I couldn't change him.
I used to say things like, "I can't change Greg. He's going to do what he's going to do." But then the Lord would say ever so gently to me, "No, you can't change him, but I can. And I can also change you." Ouch.
Honestly, it was much easier, more fun and self-justifying to talk about what my husband was or wasn't doing in our relationship. That definitely kept the focus off me. But ultimately it kept me from growing as a person. It kept me from having to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
Many of the things I disliked about Greg reflected things I disliked about myself. But I couldn't see my flaws until I stopped looking at my husband and started looking at myself. Learning to focus on the ways God wants to change me has been an ongoing process.
That's really the bottom line: A more loving relationship with our spouses (or with other family members and friends, for that matter) begins with us. It begins with the realization that we cannot change anyone — including our husbands.
Each of us can, however, take a penetrating look at ourselves and ask, "How can I become the best wife I can be? How can I approach my relationship with my husband differently? What can I do to nurture a more vibrant, loving relationship with him?"
Once we've embraced the truth that a more loving relationship with our spouses begins with us, we may find that our hearts aren't all that thrilled about taking the first steps toward change.
In fact, the condition of our hearts is often the first change that needs to take place.
Change, like love, is a matter of the will. But it also involves the heart. And heart-level change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time.
Disillusionment and broken dreams may have caused many of us to wrap our hearts in thick, self-protective layers of armor, closing them off from our husbands for years. Hurt and resentment may have grown deep roots. We may long for more loving relationships with our husbands, but before we can truly open our hearts again, the armor needs to be stripped away, and our stony hearts need to soften.
For many of us, letting down our guard and softening our hearts may seem impossible. Thankfully, we belong to a God who is a heart specialist. Just as He alone can change the hearts of our spouses, He alone can change our hearts.
An amazing thing happens when we allow God to change our hearts. He fills us with His unconditional love and enables us to reach out to our husbands wholeheartedly without demands or preconditions.
Romans 5:5b reminds us, "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (NIV-1984). As we focus on becoming more like Jesus, the fruit of His Spirit will grow in our hearts, and His love will flow through us to influence our marriages and our spouses.
"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." Galatians 5:22-23a (TLB)
Anyone who gets married, soon becomes very aware of his or her spouse's problematic attitudes and behaviors — and thinks their input, directly or subtly, can fix their spouse.
Believe me, I've tried with all my might to let my husband, Greg, know that he should stop watching as much television, or work a little less or put his dishes in the dishwasher. I've often done this covertly. But when subtle input didn't work, I would get frustrated and feel like giving up. In my heart, I knew I couldn't change him.
I used to say things like, "I can't change Greg. He's going to do what he's going to do." But then the Lord would say ever so gently to me, "No, you can't change him, but I can. And I can also change you." Ouch.
Honestly, it was much easier, more fun and self-justifying to talk about what my husband was or wasn't doing in our relationship. That definitely kept the focus off me. But ultimately it kept me from growing as a person. It kept me from having to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
Many of the things I disliked about Greg reflected things I disliked about myself. But I couldn't see my flaws until I stopped looking at my husband and started looking at myself. Learning to focus on the ways God wants to change me has been an ongoing process.
That's really the bottom line: A more loving relationship with our spouses (or with other family members and friends, for that matter) begins with us. It begins with the realization that we cannot change anyone — including our husbands.
Each of us can, however, take a penetrating look at ourselves and ask, "How can I become the best wife I can be? How can I approach my relationship with my husband differently? What can I do to nurture a more vibrant, loving relationship with him?"
Once we've embraced the truth that a more loving relationship with our spouses begins with us, we may find that our hearts aren't all that thrilled about taking the first steps toward change.
In fact, the condition of our hearts is often the first change that needs to take place.
Change, like love, is a matter of the will. But it also involves the heart. And heart-level change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time.
Disillusionment and broken dreams may have caused many of us to wrap our hearts in thick, self-protective layers of armor, closing them off from our husbands for years. Hurt and resentment may have grown deep roots. We may long for more loving relationships with our husbands, but before we can truly open our hearts again, the armor needs to be stripped away, and our stony hearts need to soften.
For many of us, letting down our guard and softening our hearts may seem impossible. Thankfully, we belong to a God who is a heart specialist. Just as He alone can change the hearts of our spouses, He alone can change our hearts.
An amazing thing happens when we allow God to change our hearts. He fills us with His unconditional love and enables us to reach out to our husbands wholeheartedly without demands or preconditions.
Romans 5:5b reminds us, "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (NIV-1984). As we focus on becoming more like Jesus, the fruit of His Spirit will grow in our hearts, and His love will flow through us to influence our marriages and our spouses.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Don't Cry Over Spilled Shampoo
by Tracie Miles
"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." James 1:2 (NLT)
What began as a simple plan to renovate a bathroom in dire need of updating, quickly morphed our entire house into a disaster zone.
Due to unanticipated electrical and plumbing issues, the mess extended beyond the bathroom, affecting multiple rooms in the house. Due to bad advice and disappointing work, the project dragged on for months.
I could write my name in the layer of sheetrock dust on all the furniture, despite how many bottles of furniture polish I used. Then our old air conditioning unit kicked the bucket, and our checking account was about to do the same. But it was a bottle of spilled shampoo in the one bathroom my family of five had been sharing that pushed me over the edge.
The day after splurging on an oversized bottle of moisturizing shampoo, I found it on the floor of the bathroom with half the contents spilled into a huge gooey puddle. I cleaned it up in silent aggravation. But the following day when I found it on the floor again, in yet another big puddle, tears began to spill as easily as that shampoo had from the bottle.
Later that day, I whined to a friend about my frustrating circumstances. She gently suggested I read James 1:2. I confess, I wasn't in the mood to look up a Bible verse. But thankfully I did, and reading this verse prompted me to pause, think and refocus.
James 1:2 says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy."
I thought about how blessed we were to have lived in our home for 17 years, where we've raised all our children. I thought about the sweet memories our home held, despite its condition. I thought about the lessons we were learning as a family about tolerance, closeness, consideration and perseverance. I thought about the blessing of being able to afford the renovation.
As I focused on my blessings, all the small annoyances suddenly seemed much less important. I had countless reasons to be thankful, but had allowed daily frustrations and disappointments to steal my joy. In fact, my problems were nothing compared to the people James was addressing in today's key verse.
James wrote to Christians who were experiencing severe persecution, facing various trials and sufferings. They endured difficult adversities and injustices, and were juggling an array of emotions including fear, mourning, confusion and loneliness. Some were sick. Others had fled their homes for safety.
These Christians had serious reasons to complain. In his letter, James acknowledged their suffering but also reminded them of reasons to rejoice in spite of it.
James encouraged them to pause and refocus on their faith, even when life was hard. He knew that such times presented the opportunity to persevere and practice finding joy in Christ, despite their circumstances.
Most of us don't experience direct religious persecution, but often life can make us feel persecuted, whether it's small aggravations like crying kids, unkind co-workers and messy houses, or major problems involving marriage, finances, health or employment. These daily problems can cause us to lose focus on things that really matter, and fill our hearts with fear, sorrow, frustrations, hopelessness and anger — things that steal our joy in Christ.
Sometimes we allow trivial things to steal our joy, such as a bottle of spilled shampoo. At other times we may reach a breaking point for much more serious reasons. But whether our problems are big or small, James 1:2 reminds us to purposely and intentionally choose joy in Christ, even in the midst of our troubles.
Joy comes from choice, not problem-free circumstances, and James wanted us all to know that.
Instead of writing my name in the sheetrock dust on my furniture, I think I'll just smile and etch in another word instead: joy.
Lord, help me find joy in You every day, despite my circumstances. Fill me with peace and help me choose joy on purpose. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." James 1:2 (NLT)
What began as a simple plan to renovate a bathroom in dire need of updating, quickly morphed our entire house into a disaster zone.
Due to unanticipated electrical and plumbing issues, the mess extended beyond the bathroom, affecting multiple rooms in the house. Due to bad advice and disappointing work, the project dragged on for months.
I could write my name in the layer of sheetrock dust on all the furniture, despite how many bottles of furniture polish I used. Then our old air conditioning unit kicked the bucket, and our checking account was about to do the same. But it was a bottle of spilled shampoo in the one bathroom my family of five had been sharing that pushed me over the edge.
The day after splurging on an oversized bottle of moisturizing shampoo, I found it on the floor of the bathroom with half the contents spilled into a huge gooey puddle. I cleaned it up in silent aggravation. But the following day when I found it on the floor again, in yet another big puddle, tears began to spill as easily as that shampoo had from the bottle.
Later that day, I whined to a friend about my frustrating circumstances. She gently suggested I read James 1:2. I confess, I wasn't in the mood to look up a Bible verse. But thankfully I did, and reading this verse prompted me to pause, think and refocus.
James 1:2 says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy."
I thought about how blessed we were to have lived in our home for 17 years, where we've raised all our children. I thought about the sweet memories our home held, despite its condition. I thought about the lessons we were learning as a family about tolerance, closeness, consideration and perseverance. I thought about the blessing of being able to afford the renovation.
As I focused on my blessings, all the small annoyances suddenly seemed much less important. I had countless reasons to be thankful, but had allowed daily frustrations and disappointments to steal my joy. In fact, my problems were nothing compared to the people James was addressing in today's key verse.
James wrote to Christians who were experiencing severe persecution, facing various trials and sufferings. They endured difficult adversities and injustices, and were juggling an array of emotions including fear, mourning, confusion and loneliness. Some were sick. Others had fled their homes for safety.
These Christians had serious reasons to complain. In his letter, James acknowledged their suffering but also reminded them of reasons to rejoice in spite of it.
James encouraged them to pause and refocus on their faith, even when life was hard. He knew that such times presented the opportunity to persevere and practice finding joy in Christ, despite their circumstances.
Most of us don't experience direct religious persecution, but often life can make us feel persecuted, whether it's small aggravations like crying kids, unkind co-workers and messy houses, or major problems involving marriage, finances, health or employment. These daily problems can cause us to lose focus on things that really matter, and fill our hearts with fear, sorrow, frustrations, hopelessness and anger — things that steal our joy in Christ.
Sometimes we allow trivial things to steal our joy, such as a bottle of spilled shampoo. At other times we may reach a breaking point for much more serious reasons. But whether our problems are big or small, James 1:2 reminds us to purposely and intentionally choose joy in Christ, even in the midst of our troubles.
Joy comes from choice, not problem-free circumstances, and James wanted us all to know that.
Instead of writing my name in the sheetrock dust on my furniture, I think I'll just smile and etch in another word instead: joy.
Lord, help me find joy in You every day, despite my circumstances. Fill me with peace and help me choose joy on purpose. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Monday, February 23, 2015
When Faith Wavers
from In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley
James 1:5-8
If we believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised, why do so many of us habitually waver in our prayers? Instead of exercising bold faith, we come to the Lord “hoping” He will hear us and answer our requests, but we’re just not sure He will. With this kind of thinking, we cannot expect to receive anything from Him.
One reason we are so prone to doubt is that we fail to see God at work in our circumstances. We asked, and nothing happened. But the Lord is not some cosmic bellhop who jumps in response to our requests. He sees past, present, and future and knows the right time for every answer. His invisible hand is already at work on our behalf—arranging situations to accomplish His will, opening hearts,
and preparing us to receive what He wants to give.
Another cause for uncertainty is ignorance. If we don’t know God’s ways, we will be disappointed in His response. All too often our prayers are accompanied by expectations of how He will work. When He fails to intervene according to our timetable or anticipated method, we start to doubt. But placing our faith in the Lord and trusting in His good and perfect ways gives us stability as we wait for His answer.
To overcome doubts, spend time in the Word to learn God’s principles and ways. Then you’ll begin to grasp what He wants to achieve in your life and how He goes about it. Examine your past from a biblical perspective—faith will grow as you see the unexpected ways He answered your prayers.
James 1:5-8
If we believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised, why do so many of us habitually waver in our prayers? Instead of exercising bold faith, we come to the Lord “hoping” He will hear us and answer our requests, but we’re just not sure He will. With this kind of thinking, we cannot expect to receive anything from Him.
One reason we are so prone to doubt is that we fail to see God at work in our circumstances. We asked, and nothing happened. But the Lord is not some cosmic bellhop who jumps in response to our requests. He sees past, present, and future and knows the right time for every answer. His invisible hand is already at work on our behalf—arranging situations to accomplish His will, opening hearts,
and preparing us to receive what He wants to give.
Another cause for uncertainty is ignorance. If we don’t know God’s ways, we will be disappointed in His response. All too often our prayers are accompanied by expectations of how He will work. When He fails to intervene according to our timetable or anticipated method, we start to doubt. But placing our faith in the Lord and trusting in His good and perfect ways gives us stability as we wait for His answer.
To overcome doubts, spend time in the Word to learn God’s principles and ways. Then you’ll begin to grasp what He wants to achieve in your life and how He goes about it. Examine your past from a biblical perspective—faith will grow as you see the unexpected ways He answered your prayers.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Faith Like a Spider Web
by Wendy
Pope
"Finally, grow powerful in
union with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength!" Ephesians 6:10
(CJB)
My house is deep in the woods. When you live in the
woods, you come face-to-face with all varieties of God’s creation. Most are the
cute "Awww, look Mom!" species, while others are the gross "Ewww, kill it!"
kind. For me, spiders fall in "Ewww!" category.
I am not a fan of the creepy crawlies. They love to
take up residence in corners of my windows and spin webs across the carport. If
I’m not careful, I might walk right through a web, taking it and the spider with
me.
I was looking forward to window washing day so I
could annihilate them and their homes. Using a big brush I soaped up the window
and aimed the nozzle at a web, then pulled the handle with all my strength. The
web held firm. I need more water pressure, I thought. After turning the
pressure to its fullest, I sprayed again. Still
nothing.
Closer. I need to be closer. I used
a stepladder to get closer to the web. This tactic definitely got me wetter but
did not bring down the web. It was strong and stubborn, unwilling to succumb to
my pressure. While drying myself off, I had a spiritual encounter: I want
faith like that spider web … a faith that can withstand pressure: low, high and
nearby.
The strength and tenacity of the web intrigued me,
so I researched the phenomenon and discovered three facts about spider
webs.
Fact 1: Spider web is two words, not one.
This is not spiritually relevant information — but good to
know.
Fact 2: Tensile strength (TS) is defined as
the maximum stress a material can withstand when stretched or pulled before
breaking. The TS of spider silk is greater than the same weight of steel and has
just as much, if not more, elasticity.
Spider silk is under investigation for potential
use in bullet-proof vests and artificial tendons. How? That answer is above my
pay-grade. But spiritually speaking, I want a faith that can withstand life’s
pressures.
Fact 3: It is not uncommon for a spider web to be 20 times the size of
the spider building it. I want a faith bigger than I am so when the storms come,
I won’t be destroyed.
In a strong wind, I can bend but won’t be blown away.
In a strong wind, I can bend but won’t be blown away.
My friend Michele’s faith is woven strong enough to
withstand a series of trials. She survived cancer twice, only to have that
followed by her father’s cancer diagnosis. Her faith remained strong as she
watched her father fight fearlessly but eventually lose his battle. What could
possibly come next?
Before Thanksgiving last year, she received
unexpected news. Her cancer was back for the third time in four years. Her
response? "I’m covered with peace. A deep, consuming, fearless peace. Why? I’ve
been here before, in the middle of impossible situations. And every time — EVERY
SINGLE TIME — my God has shown up. Fear is a waste in the face of such a
Deliverer."
How does your faith withstand the pressures of
life? The Bible promises we can "grow powerful in union
with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength!" (Ephesians 6:10).
Our faith can be bigger than we are, unwavering and able to withstand the harsh
storms of life. What can we learn from a web weaver about this kind of
strength?
A spider is dedicated to its purpose: building a
strong web. It stays focused, spending hours weaving in a circular motion,
keeping the silk tight from the inside out. We can build a strong faith by
dedicating ourselves to the purpose of knowing God. This means spending time in
His Word, staying focused on what it says and allowing its truth to strengthen
us from the inside out. Making God’s Word the hub of our faith will keep us
strong when the pressures of life try to bring us
down.
I’m still not comfortable with spiders, but I do
admire their tenacity to stay the course and build a strong home. That’s what I
want … a strong home where the Lord will dwell. Yes indeed! I want faith
like a spider web.
Lord, You have used Your small
creatures to teach me something new. Help me build a faith like the spider
builds a web. Strong and flexible, yet immovable. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Why Does God Care About Me?
by Randy
Frazee
"The LORD will
watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:8
(NIV)
Psalm 121:8 makes a proclamation that is hard to
believe: "The LORD will watch over your coming and going both
now and forevermore." Does the Lord really watch over me perpetually? How
is this even possible? I didn’t have a mental model for the mere scope of this
assignment. That is until my daughter introduced me to an app called
RunKeeper.
This app tells me how far I’ve run, the average
time per mile and my overall time, down to the second. It graphs the various
elevations and shows me an overview map of exactly where I have run. If
I showed you my run history, you would see maps of beaches, mountains and all
kinds of locations and terrains around the world.
Here’s what’s even more amazing. RunKeeper not only
tracks and records my locations, it does so for 10 million
other runners as well! If humans can invent a piece of technology to track the
steps of 10 million people simultaneously, is it really much of a stretch to
believe God can track 6 billion of us?
I guess not. God is transcendent; He is above all.
God is also immanent; He is near. Very near.
How near? A few verses earlier the writer tells us
"… the LORD is your shade at your right hand;" (Psalm
121:5b, NIV).
So, I now have a mental concept of God’s capacity
to watch and track all of my comings and goings, now and forevermore. Yet, I am
still left with one more puzzling question — why?
Why would God want to do this? Most of my days
would make an insomniac fall asleep. Personally, I love my routine and the minor
assignments on my "to do" list. I just can’t see how this could possibly be a
good use of the Divine Creator’s time.
The answer is not hard to find. It is stamped on
almost every page of Scripture. God watches over our coming and our going now
and forevermore because He loves us and cares deeply for
us.
Easy to understand, but hard to grasp that the one
true God over all deeply loves and cares about us.
Right now I am sitting in a hospital room. My
grandson arrived into the world yesterday. As he lies in his crib, I tower over
him watching his every move — every twitch of his eye, and every move to the
right or to the left. A yawn is big news. The smirk on his face evoked by gas
sure looks like a genuine smile in my book.
To anyone else, this would seem like a colossal
waste of time. Not for me or my wife or daughter or son-in-law. I love my
grandson. Oh my, this is how God feels about me but with so much more depth and
perfection. Somehow, we must all come to terms with this reality and soak it
in.
Right now, my grandson has no clue of my intense
love and protection over him. One day he will. The same is true for us with God.
We wander through life unaware He has been tracking us morning and night. The
goal is to one day become aware of God’s presence in our lives. When we do, we
write our own Psalm — maybe not as eloquent as the one above, but just as
meaningful. Maybe that day for you is today!
Dear
Heavenly Father, I now understand that You have the capacity to watch over my
coming and going now and forever more. How overwhelming! What is even more
overwhelming is the reason You do this. You are driven to watch my every move
because You love me and care for me. I don’t fully grasp why You have chosen me,
but I am aware of it and it makes me feel safe. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
What difference would it make in your daily life if
you are truly aware of and accepted God’s intense love and involvement in your
life?
Friday, February 20, 2015
What Gets Me into Heaven?
Sharon
Glasgow
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
(NKJV)
She was alone, dying and in pain. None of her
family or friends was left. She asked the nursing home staff to call someone to
minister and pray with her.
It was dinnertime when my phone rang. The caller
said it was urgent that I get there.
I didn’t personally know the elderly woman lying in
that bed. We’d never met, but instantly, love bubbled up inside me for her. I
looked into her eyes, but she couldn’t see me — she was blind. I held her weak
hands in mine and asked a few questions. Then she said, "I’m dying. I want you
to pray for me."
"What do you want me to pray?" I asked. Then I
paused and waited. Her cloudy blue eyes welled with tears that trickled onto our
hands. She said nothing. I said nothing.
After a while of silently waiting for the Holy
Spirit to direct me, I spoke: "Tell me about the day you accepted Christ." She
didn’t say anything. I knew to be quiet as she processed. Finally, she answered,
"I don’t know. I went to church when I was little; I was always a good person.
But I never really knew Jesus."
It was clear where God was leading us. Bertha
understood that simply being good wasn’t the same as living for and obeying the
Lord. We had to take it a step further.
"Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?" I
asked.
She nodded and tears streamed down her cheeks as I
shared today’s key verse, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life" (NKJV).
I continued, "He died on the cross for your sins
and rose again so that you can have eternal life with Him. Eternal life is a
free gift; we do nothing to earn it. God loves you so much, Bertha! He wants you
to spend eternity with Him."
We prayed a simple prayer together. She
acknowledged Jesus as her Savior and asked Him to forgive her of her sins.
Bertha passed away shortly after our conversation. She didn’t have the
opportunity to do more good deeds. Nor did she need to. That wasn’t necessary
for her to receive Jesus’ gift of eternal life with
Him.
There are plenty of opportunities throughout the
year to do good: Donate warm winter jackets to children in need, deliver
blankets to shelters or give canned goods to food banks. Our family invites
others over who have nowhere else to go for the holidays. But I know that
visiting the sick in nursing homes or welcoming the lonely around our dinner
table (or any other good deed) won’t earn me a place in
Heaven.
What will get me into Heaven? Just Jesus, the only
begotten Son of God.
And believing that His birth … His death … and His
resurrection actually happened are the greatest gifts ever. So priceless, we
could never buy them.
You see, it’s not about what good things we do, or
even the bad things we avoid, but about what Jesus has already done. Two
thousand years ago, He gave His life in death on the cross so we could have life
after death. Like Bertha, that is the best gift we could accept in our
lifetimes!
Dear Lord, thank You for Your
free gift of eternal life. Your birth and death and resurrection are the
greatest gifts of all time. I’m so thankful that all who acknowledge You will be
with You again one day in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
You Are More Precious Than Diamonds
Precious in God’s eyes? Could it be true?
It’s amazing that God clearly demonstrates our value throughout the Bible. Imagine anything on this earth that we value, and it’s incomparable to how God feels about us.
Think for a moment about diamonds. They are one of the most precious items in creation. They are rare, beautiful and highly prized. But they are nothing compared to how God values us.
Does God really think you and I are more precious than diamonds? We — who trip and fall and fail more often than we care to admit?
It’s so easy to make an assertion without any facts to back it up. If you stopped right there and assumed this title is true — that you really are more precious than diamonds, you could go away feeling better about yourself without having any foundation on which to base your good feelings. And how long would that last? Not very long, I’m afraid.
So, if we’re going to compare ourselves to diamonds, how much is a diamond worth anyway? In 2013, a nearly 60-carat flawless pink diamond called the "Pink Star" was auctioned by Sotheby’s for a whopping $83.2 million. Bling cha-ching! That made it the most expensive jewel or diamond ever sold at auction.
But the most precious diamond, we’re told, is the Koh-i-Noor, now part of the British Crown Jewels collection. Experts say this gem cannot be valued — it’s calculated to be approximately 3.5 times the wealth of the whole world!
These diamonds are incredibly valuable to us. But to God, diamonds just aren’t that precious. Nor are other costly stones, or even gold. After all, in heaven He uses gold for paving streets, pearls for gates instead of wrought iron (Revelation 21:21) and gems to decorate the foundations of the heavenly city (Revelation 21:19).
But you? Now, that’s another matter. God has formed many diamonds. But He made only one you. You are unique. You are unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live. He made you because He wants someone exactly like you. He has plans for you.
You may be feeling pretty worthless right now, beaten down. Life has probably thrown more at you than you can handle. You don’t feel worth as much as a rhinestone, let alone a diamond. Take heart! "You are precious in my eyes," God says, "and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4a). God never said He loved a diamond but He does say He loves you.
Don’t feel it?
Just think about this: We are so precious to God that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to die so you and I wouldn’t have to die because of the way we have messed up our lives with sin. Author David Eckman, in Becoming Who God Intended, pictures God explaining this to us: "My Son is dying for you because you are worth a Son to Me."
Just think of it: God says, "You are worth a Son to Me"!
If you’ve ever doubted your own worth, or don’t know where to go from where you are, or you’re losing heart … then listen to Father God saying to you, "You are important enough to Me to justify the death of My Son. I want to have a close and intimate relationship with you."
Don’t wait another minute. Run. Yes, run to His arms right now. Let Him whisper these words to you, "I love you, I love you."
God, I don’t feel very lovable. No matter how hard I try, I mess things up and end up feeling guilty and unlovable. But today I’m going to take a chance on You. I’m going to assume You really mean it when You say I am precious in Your sight, and You love me. I throw myself into Your arms. Thank You, thank You for a love that is bigger than all my mistakes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
It’s amazing that God clearly demonstrates our value throughout the Bible. Imagine anything on this earth that we value, and it’s incomparable to how God feels about us.
Think for a moment about diamonds. They are one of the most precious items in creation. They are rare, beautiful and highly prized. But they are nothing compared to how God values us.
Does God really think you and I are more precious than diamonds? We — who trip and fall and fail more often than we care to admit?
It’s so easy to make an assertion without any facts to back it up. If you stopped right there and assumed this title is true — that you really are more precious than diamonds, you could go away feeling better about yourself without having any foundation on which to base your good feelings. And how long would that last? Not very long, I’m afraid.
So, if we’re going to compare ourselves to diamonds, how much is a diamond worth anyway? In 2013, a nearly 60-carat flawless pink diamond called the "Pink Star" was auctioned by Sotheby’s for a whopping $83.2 million. Bling cha-ching! That made it the most expensive jewel or diamond ever sold at auction.
But the most precious diamond, we’re told, is the Koh-i-Noor, now part of the British Crown Jewels collection. Experts say this gem cannot be valued — it’s calculated to be approximately 3.5 times the wealth of the whole world!
These diamonds are incredibly valuable to us. But to God, diamonds just aren’t that precious. Nor are other costly stones, or even gold. After all, in heaven He uses gold for paving streets, pearls for gates instead of wrought iron (Revelation 21:21) and gems to decorate the foundations of the heavenly city (Revelation 21:19).
But you? Now, that’s another matter. God has formed many diamonds. But He made only one you. You are unique. You are unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live. He made you because He wants someone exactly like you. He has plans for you.
You may be feeling pretty worthless right now, beaten down. Life has probably thrown more at you than you can handle. You don’t feel worth as much as a rhinestone, let alone a diamond. Take heart! "You are precious in my eyes," God says, "and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4a). God never said He loved a diamond but He does say He loves you.
Don’t feel it?
Just think about this: We are so precious to God that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to die so you and I wouldn’t have to die because of the way we have messed up our lives with sin. Author David Eckman, in Becoming Who God Intended, pictures God explaining this to us: "My Son is dying for you because you are worth a Son to Me."
Just think of it: God says, "You are worth a Son to Me"!
If you’ve ever doubted your own worth, or don’t know where to go from where you are, or you’re losing heart … then listen to Father God saying to you, "You are important enough to Me to justify the death of My Son. I want to have a close and intimate relationship with you."
Don’t wait another minute. Run. Yes, run to His arms right now. Let Him whisper these words to you, "I love you, I love you."
God, I don’t feel very lovable. No matter how hard I try, I mess things up and end up feeling guilty and unlovable. But today I’m going to take a chance on You. I’m going to assume You really mean it when You say I am precious in Your sight, and You love me. I throw myself into Your arms. Thank You, thank You for a love that is bigger than all my mistakes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Your Story is Still Being Written
Suzie Eller
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." John 21:25 (NIV)
Two women approached me. They could almost pass for twins, except for the scars borne by one.
"She rescued me," the younger one said. "She drove through the night, even after I told her to stay away."
Her older sister had braved the darkness to save her from a man who fractured not just her bones, but her spirit. Though she had been safe for months, years of hurt, doubt and pain were deeply ingrained.
"Can I pray for you?" I asked.
She knelt eagerly, pressing her forehead into my knees. She wrapped her arms around my legs before I could kneel beside her. Loss, pain and a chasm so wide she feared there was no way back, soaked through her tears.
It’s moments like these I realize how human I am, and how little I truly have to offer.
But God!
As we prayed, I asked for what felt impossible in the natural. I cannot explain the presence I felt in that small space. It was tangible, an almost overwhelming compassion of a Savior for his beautiful daughter.
A new chapter was being written. Not just in her life, but in the countless pages of the broken made whole by Jesus.
For some, brokenness is easy to see, like this beautiful younger sister whose scars were obvious. But for most of us, our hearts bear the marks.
The damage can be the result of unhealthy doctrine — like when you love Jesus, but people tell you that you can never be good enough. It can be a mark left by great loss. It might be what takes place when your life is turned upside down by unfulfilled promises or events you didn’t see coming.
Every story is unique and each story — including yours — is important to God. And this is our promise: Brokenness does not have to be the final chapter.
He rewrites.
Begin to imagine what you will look like in the hands of your Savior. This opens the door to hope. It places the pen in God’s hand, instead of the past, a person or a feeling.
It changes your question from, "What’s wrong with me?" to "What miracle does God want to perform in me?"
We receive.
He came for you. That’s the good news found in Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord"s favor" (NIV).
Jesus is not afraid of our brokenness. It was on His heart the day He transitioned from deity to walk the earth on our behalf. Hold out your hands. Throw open the doors that so carefully guard your pain.
We all rejoice.
Healing won’t take place overnight. Instead it’s an exquisite process where God peels away layer by layer. But as you heal, something profound begins to take place.
You become an integral part of the good news described in John 21:25, our key verse. Your story spills into the pages eternally describing the power of Jesus to mend a broken heart.
And for that, we all rejoice.
Dear Jesus, thank You that newness is pouring into my life. I open my heart, my thoughts, my past and my broken places to Your touch. Thank You that You are writing a new chapter in my story beginning today. I praise You because the power of the cross is not in what I’ve done, but in what’s already been done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." John 21:25 (NIV)
Two women approached me. They could almost pass for twins, except for the scars borne by one.
"She rescued me," the younger one said. "She drove through the night, even after I told her to stay away."
Her older sister had braved the darkness to save her from a man who fractured not just her bones, but her spirit. Though she had been safe for months, years of hurt, doubt and pain were deeply ingrained.
"Can I pray for you?" I asked.
She knelt eagerly, pressing her forehead into my knees. She wrapped her arms around my legs before I could kneel beside her. Loss, pain and a chasm so wide she feared there was no way back, soaked through her tears.
It’s moments like these I realize how human I am, and how little I truly have to offer.
But God!
As we prayed, I asked for what felt impossible in the natural. I cannot explain the presence I felt in that small space. It was tangible, an almost overwhelming compassion of a Savior for his beautiful daughter.
A new chapter was being written. Not just in her life, but in the countless pages of the broken made whole by Jesus.
For some, brokenness is easy to see, like this beautiful younger sister whose scars were obvious. But for most of us, our hearts bear the marks.
The damage can be the result of unhealthy doctrine — like when you love Jesus, but people tell you that you can never be good enough. It can be a mark left by great loss. It might be what takes place when your life is turned upside down by unfulfilled promises or events you didn’t see coming.
Every story is unique and each story — including yours — is important to God. And this is our promise: Brokenness does not have to be the final chapter.
He rewrites.
Begin to imagine what you will look like in the hands of your Savior. This opens the door to hope. It places the pen in God’s hand, instead of the past, a person or a feeling.
It changes your question from, "What’s wrong with me?" to "What miracle does God want to perform in me?"
We receive.
He came for you. That’s the good news found in Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord"s favor" (NIV).
Jesus is not afraid of our brokenness. It was on His heart the day He transitioned from deity to walk the earth on our behalf. Hold out your hands. Throw open the doors that so carefully guard your pain.
We all rejoice.
Healing won’t take place overnight. Instead it’s an exquisite process where God peels away layer by layer. But as you heal, something profound begins to take place.
You become an integral part of the good news described in John 21:25, our key verse. Your story spills into the pages eternally describing the power of Jesus to mend a broken heart.
And for that, we all rejoice.
Dear Jesus, thank You that newness is pouring into my life. I open my heart, my thoughts, my past and my broken places to Your touch. Thank You that You are writing a new chapter in my story beginning today. I praise You because the power of the cross is not in what I’ve done, but in what’s already been done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Rest for Your Soul
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28, NIV
God wants to give you rest. He wants to refresh and restore your soul-your mind, will and emotions. It's so easy to get caught up in the "busyness" of life, and before long, your mind, will and emotions are so "spun up" that you can barely think straight! But even in the hustle of life, you can find rest, ease and relaxation. God wants you to enjoy your life. That's why He tells us to come to Him. God wants to take care of everything that concerns you so that you can find rest in your innermost being.
Imagine how you would feel if someone came up to you today and said, "Give me all of your monthly bills; I'm going to pay them." You'd get pretty excited, wouldn't you? But it wouldn't happen until you did your part to actually hand that person your bills. They can't pay them for you if you never release them. In the same way, when we release our cares and concerns to God, He promises to take care of them.
Today, choose to release your cares to the Lord. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy. Receive the rest that He promises and enjoy the fulfillment and blessing He has for you!
Prayer for Today:
Father in heaven, today I humbly come to You. I choose to cast my cares on You so that I can live in Your rest. Thank You for Your goodness to me. Help me find ways to share Your goodness with those around me today in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have A Great Day!
God wants to give you rest. He wants to refresh and restore your soul-your mind, will and emotions. It's so easy to get caught up in the "busyness" of life, and before long, your mind, will and emotions are so "spun up" that you can barely think straight! But even in the hustle of life, you can find rest, ease and relaxation. God wants you to enjoy your life. That's why He tells us to come to Him. God wants to take care of everything that concerns you so that you can find rest in your innermost being.
Imagine how you would feel if someone came up to you today and said, "Give me all of your monthly bills; I'm going to pay them." You'd get pretty excited, wouldn't you? But it wouldn't happen until you did your part to actually hand that person your bills. They can't pay them for you if you never release them. In the same way, when we release our cares and concerns to God, He promises to take care of them.
Today, choose to release your cares to the Lord. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy. Receive the rest that He promises and enjoy the fulfillment and blessing He has for you!
Prayer for Today:
Father in heaven, today I humbly come to You. I choose to cast my cares on You so that I can live in Your rest. Thank You for Your goodness to me. Help me find ways to share Your goodness with those around me today in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have A Great Day!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Adopted
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
This verse is addressed to the “Beloved” who are the saved
members of Jesus’ Church. This verse does not apply to the lost person at all!
This verse is telling the “Beloved” What we are, what we shall look like, and,
who we shall see.
We are told that we are “now” the sons of God. Saved folk
are the adopted children of God. We have been adopted into the family of God.
Jesus is the “only begotten Son of God”. Jesus was not “created” as the Devil
was; Jesus is not the half brother of the Devil either, as some teaches! There
have many discussions about what we will look like in heaven. It doesn’t matter
folks, we will look like Jesus. While Jesus walked this earth in the flesh; he
looked like a Jewish young man. On the mount of transfiguration, His “glory”
shown through, and, He was changed.
The most important thing is “we shall see him as he is”.
I was in the Army during the 60s and while overseas in the Far
East, all I really wanted was to go home and see my loved ones.
The Bible teaches we are pilgrims on a journey to our home land. Are you ready
to go home?? Do you want to see Jesus?
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Living With JESUS
Psalm 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
This verse gives the reason for the blessings in the previous verses of this psalm. The reason is, “Because thou hast made the LORD… thy habitation;”. Habitation means a place to live. In this verse the LORD is the “habitation” which also means the LORD is living with you. You are living with the LORD and the LORD in living with you. You are living together! That should make person shout??
Have you ever seriously thought about living with the LORD? When I consider that, I get happy allover. Just think Christian friend, living where you are loved, where we won’t have to worry about anything, where all will be peace and happiness, and, where we will be with Jesus.
What a thought!! BUT wait!!
Why can’t we have some of that now? Saved folks need not worry about this wicked world, God will take care of it. Saved folks need not worry about trouble, pain, or disappointment. This life is but a vapor; it’ll soon be over. Lets just obey our LORD and try to live peaceably with others?
Will you try that for one week? See what happens!
God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
This verse gives the reason for the blessings in the previous verses of this psalm. The reason is, “Because thou hast made the LORD… thy habitation;”. Habitation means a place to live. In this verse the LORD is the “habitation” which also means the LORD is living with you. You are living with the LORD and the LORD in living with you. You are living together! That should make person shout??
Have you ever seriously thought about living with the LORD? When I consider that, I get happy allover. Just think Christian friend, living where you are loved, where we won’t have to worry about anything, where all will be peace and happiness, and, where we will be with Jesus.
What a thought!! BUT wait!!
Why can’t we have some of that now? Saved folks need not worry about this wicked world, God will take care of it. Saved folks need not worry about trouble, pain, or disappointment. This life is but a vapor; it’ll soon be over. Lets just obey our LORD and try to live peaceably with others?
Will you try that for one week? See what happens!
God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Born Again
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Here in verse 6 we find the order of birth. A person is borned of the “flesh” first, then, of the Spirit. This verse refutes the idea of some spirit floating around some where waiting for a body to be borned.
Our Bible is perfect in every way, even in sequential order. A person “born again” infers a person has already been born before! Do you see the logic here? I challenge you to do a study on the word spirit. Pay attention to what it means when the “s” is capitalized and when it is not.
Don’t pay any attention to folks that say you can’t know you have been born again. I was born again and I was there when it happened. It made me a different person with a different out look.
The most important question you will ever be asked is, “Have you been born again?”
If you have, I rejoice with you.
If you have not, I pray for you.
GOD loves you!
God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Here in verse 6 we find the order of birth. A person is borned of the “flesh” first, then, of the Spirit. This verse refutes the idea of some spirit floating around some where waiting for a body to be borned.
Our Bible is perfect in every way, even in sequential order. A person “born again” infers a person has already been born before! Do you see the logic here? I challenge you to do a study on the word spirit. Pay attention to what it means when the “s” is capitalized and when it is not.
Don’t pay any attention to folks that say you can’t know you have been born again. I was born again and I was there when it happened. It made me a different person with a different out look.
The most important question you will ever be asked is, “Have you been born again?”
If you have, I rejoice with you.
If you have not, I pray for you.
GOD loves you!
God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
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