It's His Story - By Greg Laurie -
"For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." -1 Corinthians 2:2
What is a personal testimony? It is simply your story of how you came to Christ.
Paul was a great orator and communicator, not to mention that he was the apostle Paul. But in almost every instance in Scripture when he was standing before a nonbeliever, Paul began with his personal testimony.
Every story is valid, by the way. I have heard some crazy testimonies, as I am sure you have. But I can tell you your testimony without even knowing you. Once you were lost. Now you are found. Once you were headed to Hell, but now you're going to Heaven. That is your testimony. Maybe you have lived a moral life. You've worked hard. But you realized one day that you needed Jesus. That is a testimony.
However, the power is not in your story; the power is in the story of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead. That is why Paul said, "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Sometimes in our attempt to build a bridge to people, to cross over, we don't bring the cross over. Get to the cross.
I once had the opportunity to ask Billy Graham this question: "After all of these years of preaching, what would you say you should preach on more?"
Without missing a beat, he said, "I would preach more on the cross of Christ and the blood, because that is where the power is." I never forgot that.
When you share your testimony, share it in a way that honors the Lord. When you tell your story, never boast of what of you gave up to follow Christ; rather, boast about what He gave up for you. Always take them to His story.
From Your Story to His Story - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. -Hebrews 11:5
Enoch was one of two men named in the Bible who never saw death. The Bible tells us that Enoch walked with God (see Genesis 5:22, 24). But it also tells us that he was a witness for God (see Hebrews 11:5).
Enoch had a testimony. And every Christian has a testimony, a reputation. It may be a good one. It may be a bad one. It may be a mediocre one. But we all have a testimony. And before we can effectively witness for God, we must first walk with God.
I think if your life is filled with Jesus Christ, then sharing the gospel will come pretty easily. It is not something you will have to psych yourself into doing. Rather, it is something you will simply find yourself doing because the Lord is so good to you.
When you are walking with the Lord as you ought to be, you will find that permeating your life and influencing you in the way you live, in the decisions you make, in the friends you choose, and in the things you say. And people will pay you the ultimate compliment when they say, "I have been watching you. There's something different about you. What makes you tick? Why are you the way that you are?"
Then you can say, "Let me tell you about my relationship with Jesus Christ." Instead of preaching at people, tell them your story. And as you tell them what happened to you, you can build a bridge from your story to His story. You can start by sharing what happened to you. Then tell them about the greatest story ever told: Jesus was born, lived the perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead.
You have a story to tell.
Dark Sayings of Old
“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.” (Psalm 78:2-3)
“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.” (Psalm 78:2-3)
Most people do not think of parables—especially the parables of Christ—as dark (i.e., hidden) sayings but rather as figurative illustrations to help people comprehend some spiritual teaching. But Christ used parables to conceal truth, not to reveal truth! “Therefore speak I to them in parables,” He said in response to the disciples’ question as to why He was speaking in parables, “because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). The principle is this: a person must first believe and obey the light he has already received before God will give him further light. “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” (v. 12).
Thus, the parables of both Old and New Testaments are not of any obvious interpretation. They require study, meditation, and obedience to comprehend, but then they bring great blessing. “Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old” (v. 52).
The “dark sayings” of Scripture are not to be associated with occultism or darkness, of course. The word in Greek simply means something hidden from the world but transparent to eyes of faith and love. “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. . . . Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. . . . But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 10). HMM
God Honors Our Commitment to Him
Daniel and his friends faced the same dilemma we do--how to live a holy life in a godless culture. At one time, our society readily accepted Christian values and standards, but that era is quickly passing. Our challenge today is to live under God's authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. At times we are forced to choose between the two, but if we'll seek the Lord's guidance before marching defiantly forward, He may open an alternative approach for us.
Had Daniel bluntly declared, "I won't eat this food!" he wouldn't have lasted long, and we wouldn't have the book of Daniel in the Bible. But the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person who was in a position of authority over him. God honored his commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously in a pagan world.
We tend to hold up Daniel and his three friends as extraordinary people who lived amazing lives. But have you ever wondered what the Lord could do in the life of an ordinary person like you? The determining factor is not the greatness of the individual but, rather, his commitment to a God who can do remarkable things in a life fully devoted to Him. That's the kind of people our Lord is looking for.
Although we don't know all that God could do in our lives if we'd radically commit ourselves to Him, the thought of missing out on His plans should be enough to motivate us to obey. You don't want to arrive in heaven and discover you forfeited blessings because you weren't fully devoted to Him.
God's Chosen Vessels - By Greg Laurie -
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." -2 Corinthians 4:7
Have you ever tried to get kids to do a job? Maybe you asked them to take out the trash or clean up a mess. But in the process of cleaning, they made a bigger one.
It is so much easier to say, "Never mind. I'll just do it myself." Yet why do you have children help you? It's because you want to teach them responsibility. You want them to be involved in the process. You don't ask children to help you because you need them. The fact is that you don't need them. They need you.
When you stop and think about the entire process of evangelism, you may wonder why on earth God chooses to use people to reach people. If I were God, I would roll the heavens away, poke my face through, and say, "Hello, humanity. I am God, and you are not. Believe in me now, or you will die." (Aren't you glad that I'm not God?)
Or at the very least, if I were God I would raise up an army of angels to preach the gospel. Wouldn't that be powerful to have an angel of the Lord come to you and declare the truth of Jesus Christ? But I would never use people. They are flawed. They make mistakes. They fall short. They are inconsistent. Sometimes they contradict what they say by the way they live.
But God in His great wisdom has chosen to use people to reach people. You can hardly find a story in the New Testament where an individual comes to faith apart from the involvement of another person. Yes, it was done through the Holy Spirit. But God worked through a person to bring someone to faith. And today, in the same way, God wants to use us.
Those Who Depart
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19)
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19)
One of the most hurtful experiences in the life of a Bible-believing fellowship is when an ostensibly Christian leader, teacher, or pastor decides to abandon his faith and even to teach against it. This sort of thing does happen all too often, and it obviously raises difficult questions.
Can a true believer, a teacher of the Word, a soul-winner, actually lose his salvation? Can a born-again Christian go back and be unborn? Can one who has received everlasting life through faith in Christ not really have eternal life?
If so, what about the many promises that have assured us that “ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13) and that we “shall never perish” (John 10:28)?
The answer to this vexing question is apparently in our text verse above. When such people, who once seemed to be genuine Christians, become apostates, denouncing the truth they once taught, it is because “they were not of us” at all, no matter what they professed at one time.
This fact implies a sober warning. When professing Christians fall away, assuming they have truly understood the facts and evidences of the Christian faith, it is impossible “to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:6).
How important it is, therefore, for all professing believers to “give diligence to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). We must be “rooted and built up in him” (Colossians 2:7), “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). HMM
How to Pray for the SoulJohn Piper
For thoughtful people, how they pray for the soul is governed by how they believe God acts. So, for example, if they believe God changes people's souls so that they make new and right choices, then they will ask God to make those soul-changes through evangelism and nurture. But not everybody is thoughtful about the way they pray. They don't think about what view of God is behind their praying.
So what I suggest is that we learn first to pray for the soul from the way the Bible prays for the soul. If we do that, then our prayers will probably be good prayers, and in the process we will also learn about how God acts. Here is the way I pray for my soul. I use these prayers over and over again-for myself and my children and wife and for the staff and the elders and for all the church. This is the meat and potatoes of my prayer life.
The first thing my soul needs is an inclination to God and his word. Without that, nothing else will happen of any value in my life. I must want to know God and read his word and draw near to him. Where does that "want to" come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 119:36 teaches us to pray, "Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain."
Next I need to have the eyes of my heart opened, so that when my inclination leads me to the word I see what is really there and not just my own ideas. Who opens the eyes of the heart? God does. So Psalm 119:18 teaches us to pray, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law."
Then I need for my heart to be enlightened with these "wonders." I need to perceive glory in them and not just interesting facts. Who enlightens the heart? God does. So Ephesians 1:18 teaches us to pray "That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened."
Then I am concerned that my heart is fragmented and that parts of it might remain in the dark while other parts are enlightened. So I long for my heart to be united for God. Where does that wholeness and unity come from? From God. So Psalm 86:11 teaches us to pray, "O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name."
What I really want from all this engagement with the Word of God and the work of his Spirit in answer to my prayers is that my heart will be satisfied with God and not with the world. Where does that satisfaction come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 90:14 teaches us to pray, "O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
But I don't just want to be happy in my own little private world with God. I want my happiness to be as full as possible for spreading and expanding for others. I want to be strong in joy. This will make me durable in the face of threats or adversity. Where does that strength and durability come from? It comes from God. So Ephesians 3:16 teaches us to pray, "That God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man."
Finally, I want my strength in Christ to produce good deeds for others so that the glory of God will be seen in my life. Who produces these good deeds? God does. So Colossians 1:10 teaches us to pray, "That [we] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord... bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
All this I pray "in Jesus' name," because God gives these things to my soul only because Jesus died for me and removed the wrath of God so that the Father might "freely give me all things" (Romans 8:32).
To remember some of these prayers, I use an acronym - IOUS - almost every day in praying for those I love, asking God to give us an inclination to his Word and not to money or fame or power (Psalm 119:36), and to open our eyes to see wonderful things when we read his Word (Psalm 119:18), and to have hearts united in the fear of God rather than fragmented over a dozen concerns (Psalm 86:11), and to be satisfied in his steadfast love (Psalm 90:14).
Learning to pray and learning how God acts,
Pastor John
Parents Responsibility
Luke 3:22
As we saw yesterday, words are but a small part of parental communication. Now let's look at two types of messages we should purposefully model for our kids.
First, boys and girls need affirmation that they are loved, accepted, and competent. In today's passage, God the Father spoke those very things to His Son. It is essential that our children gain a sense of security and belonging at home so they won't seek acceptance elsewhere. And the way we care and provide for them will help them grasp the heavenly Father's love.
Second, parents are responsible for presenting the principles needed for living a godly life. One way to do so is by reading Scripture aloud and sharing stories of the Lord's involvement in our lives. But actions must match what we say. For example, we cannot expect children to truly understand the golden rule if we act with selfishness, arrogance, or insensitivity.
Modeling a godly life is oftentimes an intentional pursuit, like reading Scripture or serving as a family on a mission trip. It can also be as simple and unplanned as picking up a piece of trash on a neighbor's lawn. But keep in mind that actions and words aren't always perceived correctly. Check that your children's understanding matches the message you hope to communicate.
Your words and actions are teaching lessons. Do your children know, beyond any doubt, that they're treasured and capable? Are you giving them the tools they need to follow Christ? Remember, God doesn't expect perfection. He will guide the willing heart--and cover missteps with His grace.
Deliverance from Fear
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
There are many things in such a world as ours that can bring fear into human hearts—fear of want, fear of war, fear of rejection, fear of the dark, and a multitude of others. Some fears are rational, some are foolish, but all are very serious to those who experience them.
The good news of the gospel, however, can set us free from every fear. Remember that fear entered the world when sin entered the world. “I was afraid,” Adam explained when God found him hiding in the garden after eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:10). The second reference to fear in the Bible, on the other hand, was when “the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). The Lord protects us and provides for us; we have His Word and need “fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4).
At least 19 times in the New Testament we hear the words “fear not” or “be not afraid” on the lips of Christ. Whenever phobias beset us or fears discourage us, deliverance is ours when we seek the Lord. Then “we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:6). Even if we must sometimes “suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:14).
Perhaps the greatest fear of all is the fear of death, but the Lord delivers us even from this fear, for He has conquered death. In His glorified body, He has said, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18). HMM
�Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.� (Isaiah 40:28)
Everyone gets weary, and everyone must rest. Even in Eden before sin came into the world there was a weekly day of rest, and each day of work in the Garden was followed by a night of rest in sleep. The Lord Jesus Christ, in the days of His sinless human flesh, occasionally became �wearied with his journey� (John 4:6) and had to rest. On one occasion, He was so weary that during a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee He was �asleep on a pillow� (Mark 4:38) while the disciples tried to keep their ship from destruction. He once advised these fretful and busy disciples to �come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while� (Mark 6:31). We sometimes need to come apart before we fall apart!
In the New Jerusalem, with our new bodies, we perhaps will not need rest and sleep, for �there shall be no night there� (Revelation 22:5). In our present frail tents of clay, however, we do need rest, for God made us so. In one area of life, on the other hand, we are twice admonished to �not be weary in well doing� (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:13).
And when we do get weary, and perhaps are not yet able to stop and rest, we can draw on God�s strength, for He �fainteth not, neither is weary.� �He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep� (Psalm 121:4). �Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint� (Isaiah 40:30-31). HMM
Trust and Obey
So what I suggest is that we learn first to pray for the soul from the way the Bible prays for the soul. If we do that, then our prayers will probably be good prayers, and in the process we will also learn about how God acts. Here is the way I pray for my soul. I use these prayers over and over again-for myself and my children and wife and for the staff and the elders and for all the church. This is the meat and potatoes of my prayer life.
The first thing my soul needs is an inclination to God and his word. Without that, nothing else will happen of any value in my life. I must want to know God and read his word and draw near to him. Where does that "want to" come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 119:36 teaches us to pray, "Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain."
Next I need to have the eyes of my heart opened, so that when my inclination leads me to the word I see what is really there and not just my own ideas. Who opens the eyes of the heart? God does. So Psalm 119:18 teaches us to pray, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law."
Then I need for my heart to be enlightened with these "wonders." I need to perceive glory in them and not just interesting facts. Who enlightens the heart? God does. So Ephesians 1:18 teaches us to pray "That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened."
Then I am concerned that my heart is fragmented and that parts of it might remain in the dark while other parts are enlightened. So I long for my heart to be united for God. Where does that wholeness and unity come from? From God. So Psalm 86:11 teaches us to pray, "O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name."
What I really want from all this engagement with the Word of God and the work of his Spirit in answer to my prayers is that my heart will be satisfied with God and not with the world. Where does that satisfaction come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 90:14 teaches us to pray, "O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
But I don't just want to be happy in my own little private world with God. I want my happiness to be as full as possible for spreading and expanding for others. I want to be strong in joy. This will make me durable in the face of threats or adversity. Where does that strength and durability come from? It comes from God. So Ephesians 3:16 teaches us to pray, "That God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man."
Finally, I want my strength in Christ to produce good deeds for others so that the glory of God will be seen in my life. Who produces these good deeds? God does. So Colossians 1:10 teaches us to pray, "That [we] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord... bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
All this I pray "in Jesus' name," because God gives these things to my soul only because Jesus died for me and removed the wrath of God so that the Father might "freely give me all things" (Romans 8:32).
To remember some of these prayers, I use an acronym - IOUS - almost every day in praying for those I love, asking God to give us an inclination to his Word and not to money or fame or power (Psalm 119:36), and to open our eyes to see wonderful things when we read his Word (Psalm 119:18), and to have hearts united in the fear of God rather than fragmented over a dozen concerns (Psalm 86:11), and to be satisfied in his steadfast love (Psalm 90:14).
Learning to pray and learning how God acts,
Pastor John
Parents Responsibility
Luke 3:22
As we saw yesterday, words are but a small part of parental communication. Now let's look at two types of messages we should purposefully model for our kids.
First, boys and girls need affirmation that they are loved, accepted, and competent. In today's passage, God the Father spoke those very things to His Son. It is essential that our children gain a sense of security and belonging at home so they won't seek acceptance elsewhere. And the way we care and provide for them will help them grasp the heavenly Father's love.
Second, parents are responsible for presenting the principles needed for living a godly life. One way to do so is by reading Scripture aloud and sharing stories of the Lord's involvement in our lives. But actions must match what we say. For example, we cannot expect children to truly understand the golden rule if we act with selfishness, arrogance, or insensitivity.
Modeling a godly life is oftentimes an intentional pursuit, like reading Scripture or serving as a family on a mission trip. It can also be as simple and unplanned as picking up a piece of trash on a neighbor's lawn. But keep in mind that actions and words aren't always perceived correctly. Check that your children's understanding matches the message you hope to communicate.
Your words and actions are teaching lessons. Do your children know, beyond any doubt, that they're treasured and capable? Are you giving them the tools they need to follow Christ? Remember, God doesn't expect perfection. He will guide the willing heart--and cover missteps with His grace.
Deliverance from Fear
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
Earnest of the Spirit
“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 5:5)
“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 5:5)
This is a fascinating concept and a wonderful reality. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is said to be an “earnest”—that is, a pledge or deposit—on an ultimate fulfillment of a magnificent promise from God Himself. The word translated “earnest” (Greek arrhabon) is essentially a transliteration of its Hebrew equivalent (arabown), translated “pledge” in the Old Testament (see Genesis 38:17-20).
Now if the guiding presence of God, through the Holy Spirit, is merely an earnest payment, the fulfillment must be glorious beyond comprehension. This “selfsame thing,” as our text calls it, is a wonderful “house which is from heaven,” the spiritual body we shall receive when we go to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-2).
The phrase also occurs in 2 Corinthians 1:22: “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” In context, the earnest payment here is associated with the “sealing” of God and the assurance that “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen” (v. 20).
The third and last use of this word in the New Testament is in Ephesians 1:13-14: “In whom also trusted . . . after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” We are “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), and He is to inherit all things.
Thus, the Holy Spirit, a present possession of all who have received Christ as Savior, is also God’s pledge of a glorious future—a perfect body, a great inheritance, and the certain fulfillment of all of God’s gracious promises. HMM
Our Needs
Philippians 4:19 Jim saved for a long time to take an Alaskan cruise. At last he was on board with two carefully packed suitcases. The first evening, when he heard "Dinner is served" announced over the loudspeaker, he took peanut butter crackers from his suitcase and sat at the table in his small cabin. Every day at mealtime, he repeated the ritual. It wasn't that Jim didn't like the ship's tasty banquets. He simply didn't know that his meals were included in the price of the ticket. For two weeks he enjoyed beautiful scenery off the decks but ate dry, stale food in his cabin.
This sad story is a metaphor for how some believers live the Christian life. God has promised to meet every need of His children--His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Eph. 1:18). Yet many folks are trying to live out of their own resources. They don't know that the wealth of God's love, power, and provision is on their menu.
A believer's relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity. Jesus is our life. His Spirit lives through us. Therefore, everything that is available to Him is also available to the brothers and sisters in Christ--all power, strength, and endurance, as well as whatever is required to fulfill physical and emotional needs.
Jim didn't know he had the right to satisfy his hunger in an extravagant way. Learn from this exaggerated example. Read your Bible to learn what riches you are entitled to through faith. God offers believers everything required for living well and wisely. Trust Him for all your needs.
By Man Came Death
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
These verses, coupled with others throughout the Old and New Testaments, teach a very important principle not fully appreciated by those Christians who would hold that man evolved from lower animals or even that his tenure on Earth was preceded by millions of years. For if the earth is old, then death is part of the natural order of things, and billions upon billions of organisms have lived and died, struggling for existence, surviving only if they were “fit.”
Taken at face value, however, the Bible indicates a far different scenario. Evidently, at the beginning, all living creatures (i.e., conscious life as opposed to plants and non-conscious “animals”) were created to live forever. There was no death, for all were designed to be vegetarian (Genesis 1:30). God had warned them of disobedience to His one command: “For in the day that thou eatest thereof [i.e., of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] thou shalt surely die” (or more literally, “dying thou shalt die”) (Genesis 2:17). All of creation was placed under the Curse of death at that time, the animals (3:14), the plants (v. 18), the ground (v. 17), and mankind (vv. 15-17, 19); all would be dying. Sadly, as we know all too well, this situation continues today (see Romans 8:22).
But if death is a part of the created order, what can our text mean? Furthermore, if death was not specified as the penalty for sin, what does the death of Christ mean? Belief in the concept of the old earth destroys vital doctrines, including our redemption through Christ’s death.
Thankfully, the reign of death and the Curse will end one day (Revelation 21:4; 22:3) as God restores the creation to its intended state. JDM
The Messages Parents Send
1 Samuel 20:30-34
When someone asks, "What do you do?" the reply frequently includes a job title. But anyone who is raising or interacting with children has a role far more important than ordinary career duties.
Parents are communicators. Yet unlike conference speakers, moms and dads don't get to preplan their entire message. Everything we do and say--especially that which happens "off the cuff"--teaches our kids. Think about your childhood days. What did your parents do that illustrated their priorities, beliefs, and passions?
Even without speaking, we send messages by our body language, interests, kindnesses, absence or presence, silence . . . Add words to the mix, and we have a recipe for remarkable impact, whether positive or negative.
Inevitably, our children will be greatly affected by what we communicate and how they interpret it. Be conscious of the way each young one processes information--sometimes our intended message becomes skewed by their understanding. What an incredible responsibility we've been given. No wonder wise parents rely on God's help.
Only troubled parents--like the angry, jealous King Saul in today's passage--would ever set out to hurt their children. But in our busyness, or from past woundedness, we might just be sending damaging messages.
What are you communicating to your kids? Ask yourself: What do my actions point to as priorities in my life? Do my children sense a hunger in my heart for God's direction, counsel, and sustenance? Above all, would they know how to have a thriving relationship with Jesus Christ by watching my life?
Sent to Bear Witness - By Greg Laurie -
Who Gets Weary?Philippians 4:19 Jim saved for a long time to take an Alaskan cruise. At last he was on board with two carefully packed suitcases. The first evening, when he heard "Dinner is served" announced over the loudspeaker, he took peanut butter crackers from his suitcase and sat at the table in his small cabin. Every day at mealtime, he repeated the ritual. It wasn't that Jim didn't like the ship's tasty banquets. He simply didn't know that his meals were included in the price of the ticket. For two weeks he enjoyed beautiful scenery off the decks but ate dry, stale food in his cabin.
This sad story is a metaphor for how some believers live the Christian life. God has promised to meet every need of His children--His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Eph. 1:18). Yet many folks are trying to live out of their own resources. They don't know that the wealth of God's love, power, and provision is on their menu.
A believer's relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity. Jesus is our life. His Spirit lives through us. Therefore, everything that is available to Him is also available to the brothers and sisters in Christ--all power, strength, and endurance, as well as whatever is required to fulfill physical and emotional needs.
Jim didn't know he had the right to satisfy his hunger in an extravagant way. Learn from this exaggerated example. Read your Bible to learn what riches you are entitled to through faith. God offers believers everything required for living well and wisely. Trust Him for all your needs.
By Man Came Death
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
The Messages Parents Send
1 Samuel 20:30-34
When someone asks, "What do you do?" the reply frequently includes a job title. But anyone who is raising or interacting with children has a role far more important than ordinary career duties.
Parents are communicators. Yet unlike conference speakers, moms and dads don't get to preplan their entire message. Everything we do and say--especially that which happens "off the cuff"--teaches our kids. Think about your childhood days. What did your parents do that illustrated their priorities, beliefs, and passions?
Even without speaking, we send messages by our body language, interests, kindnesses, absence or presence, silence . . . Add words to the mix, and we have a recipe for remarkable impact, whether positive or negative.
Inevitably, our children will be greatly affected by what we communicate and how they interpret it. Be conscious of the way each young one processes information--sometimes our intended message becomes skewed by their understanding. What an incredible responsibility we've been given. No wonder wise parents rely on God's help.
Only troubled parents--like the angry, jealous King Saul in today's passage--would ever set out to hurt their children. But in our busyness, or from past woundedness, we might just be sending damaging messages.
What are you communicating to your kids? Ask yourself: What do my actions point to as priorities in my life? Do my children sense a hunger in my heart for God's direction, counsel, and sustenance? Above all, would they know how to have a thriving relationship with Jesus Christ by watching my life?
Sent to Bear Witness - By Greg Laurie -
"He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light." -John 1:8
John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets. Not only that, but he was the greatest prophet who ever lived. His life and ministry were not just significant; they were super significant.
In his day John was a figure of national prominence. It is worth noting that the ancient historian Josephus wrote more about the life of John the Baptist than about Jesus Christ. John was so well known, so popular and revolutionary, that some even thought he was the Messiah.
The Bible says of John, "This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light" (John 1:7-8).
That all through him might believe . . . The word him is not referring to Jesus but to John. It's saying that John was not the light; he was just bearing witness of the light. And it is also saying that through him people might believe. In other words, God was working through John.
John was a popular man. A lot of people admired him. If John had wanted it, he could have been a great leader. He could have made a lot of money. But John knew that is not what it was about. He was there to point people to Jesus. He used his popularity and the momentum God had given him to point people in the right direction.
You have a certain group of people that you influence. You have people in your family. You have people in your neighborhood. You have people in your workplace who look up to you. They respect your opinion. You can take the influence that God has given you and use it for His glory.
Make Every Day Count - By Greg Laurie -
"You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer." -Job 14:5
I want to ask you a question. If you had one year left to live, how would you live your life? Would you live it any differently than you lived the year before?
This is something we must come to grips with, because as believers, we want to deal with reality. We want to face the facts of the brevity of life on Earth and the reality of eternity.
Sadly, there are many people today who live silly, shallow, wasted lives. Daniel said to King Belshazzar, "You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up" (Daniel 5:27). Belshazzar was put on God's scale, and he didn't have enough weight. He was a lightweight. He had wasted his life. And there are a lot of people today who waste their lives as well.
As tragic as it is, a life being cut short is not the greatest tragedy of all. And to the point, who are we to say that a life is cut short? Isn't God the one who determines the length of our days? Doesn't Scripture say there is a time to be born and a time to die? It doesn't tell us when that time is. Doesn't the Bible say that our times are in His hands?
When our son Christopher went to meet the Lord at age 33, it was so unexpected. But Christopher was living for the Lord. He was glorifying God with his life, and he is in Heaven now. Obviously he is greatly missed.
But what is even more tragic than a life that isn't lived as long as we would like to see it lived is a life that is largely squandered and wasted.
Don't waste your life. Don't waste your year. Don't waste today. Make every day count.
�Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.� (Isaiah 40:28)
Trust and Obey
One of my favorite songs is "Trust and Obey" because it sums up God's purpose for our lives. When we practice these two commands, a beautiful cycle begins. Trusting the Lord makes obedience easier, and obedience produces ever-increasing trust. Can you recall facing a challenge that was difficult or perplexing? If so, you know how important these two commands are.
When the Lord calls you to a task that seems unreasonable, you have two options. You can obey Him even though you don't understand what will happen, or you can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Joshua chose the first option. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God's bizarre battle plan. Over the years, he had learned that the Lord is trustworthy.
The way we respond to God's challenging assignments reveals our level of commitment. We may feel as if we're right in step with Him--until He proposes a change of direction. That's when our resistance kicks in, and with it, the realization we aren't as close to Him as we thought. At that point, our decision determines whether the Lord will be able to use us as He desires. Because Joshua never lost his commitment, he continued to serve the Lord for the remainder of his life.
At times obedience is a struggle, as your mind runs through all the reasons God's path is illogical. Fear dominates and your will battles to comply when everything within is screaming to run the other way. But obedience is always the best choice, because the Lord is trustworthy and wise.
The Judgment
Every Christian is answerable to Jesus for how he or she lived life. We will not stand before the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11--that is where unbelievers will be judged. Instead, we will go before Christ's judgment seat and give an account of ourselves.
Perhaps this seems like a contradiction: Believers will not be judged but will stand before Christ's judgment seat. The Greek word that 2 Corinthians uses for "judgment seat" is bema, which means a place of accountability. So those who believe in the Savior will not be condemned to death but will live and be accountable to Him.
Do not confuse accountability with giving a defense. We won't defend our worthless actions--those things we said and did that brought no honor to the Lord or shamed His name. God likens our selfish works to wood, hay, and stubble, which are items fit only for the fire (1 Cor. 3:13). The valuable thoughts, words, and deeds that serve the Lord are exchanged for rewards in heaven.
What we'll be judged on is the quality of our work. God has given every believer an individual purpose, along with the personality, talents, and spiritual gifts needed to fulfill it. The question that will be answered at Christ's judgment seat is, Did I live out my purpose to honor and glorify God?
Standing before Christ's judgment seat is something to look forward to. We need not fear, since we are beloved co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17, 34). Because of His sacrifice, we have a right to the treasures of heaven. He is eager to bestow them as a reward for faithfulness and obedience.
A host of biochemists and other scientists have tried for over a century to determine how life evolved from non-life. Such a quest is absurdly impossible, for the simplest imaginary self-replicating system would be infinitely more complex than the most elaborate machine ever designed by man. Life can come only from life. The first human life, indeed the first living system of any kind, could only have come by special creation from the living God. �For I am fearfully and wonderfully made� (Psalm 139:14).
Thus, �in him we live, and move, and have our being,� and He is �not far from every one of us� (Acts 17:28, 27). The Lord Jesus Christ is the one �by whom also he made the worlds� and who now is �upholding all things by the word of his power� (Hebrews 1:2-3). The beating of our hearts, the breathing of our lungs, the very atoms of our bodies are continually sustained by Him. Were He to withdraw His power for a moment, life would cease and all light would become darkness. Even those who reject Him and blaspheme His name owe their very existence to His power and grace.
�As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself� (John 5:26). Life is �in him�; He alone can conquer death and raise the dead. �As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will� (v. 21), for as �the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit� (1 Corinthians 15:45).
Thus, �he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life� (1 John 5:12). Through faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection life, �ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.� Henceforth is Christ Himself �our life� (Colossians 3:3-4). HMM
The Judge
During our life on earth, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. However, as our days here draw to a close, and especially at the end of time, He takes His seat as Judge and prepares to reward believers for the good things they did in His name.
I think there is a widespread misconception that God the Father will be our judge. But it is Christ who gave us, His followers, the charge to go into the world and make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, He has been given the right to determine which of our actions and thoughts furthered His goal (John 5:22).
Christ is an impartial judge. He is not influenced by what others think or say, but rather, He determines what is right and good based on His honorable, just standard. We'll be stripped of our worthless works--in other words, the actions and words we used for selfish ambition or vain conceit. All that will remain are the worthwhile things we thought, said, and did to honor God. These are the valuable parts of our lives for which we will be rewarded.
Reward is the whole point of placing believers before the judgment seat of Christ. Shame and guilt over past sin and mistaken motivation have no place there (Rom. 8:1). Our loving Savior is eager to show us our heavenly treasure.
Christ will expose the real you at the judgment seat by casting away the worthless things you've done. What remains will be the man or woman who endeavored to please the Lord. Let us determine to be powerful reflections of our Savior, both on earth and in heaven.
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