DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 6.4.22

Who Do You Say I Am? by Amanda Idleman “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” - Matthew 16:15 Men and women often die needlessly difficult deaths, what makes Jesus' death on the cross meaningful? Why does Jesus matter? The answer to that question is really the centerpiece of the Christian faith. What we each believe about the identity of Jesus has the power to transform him from being just a prophet, clever speaker, or possibly even a crazy man into the living breathing son of God. Jesus proves his divinity to humanity most remarkably through his death on the cross that fulfilled the prophecies laid out about our Savior in scripture and his subsequent resurrection. No one else in human history has the power to overcome death. Jesus’ death is his living sacrifice for our sins and his resurrection defies the rules of this world in a waythat only God can accomplish. God’s love is displayed through his incredible sacrifice. If Jesus only came to Earth in order to display his divine power to humans so we would worship him then our need for him in our lives as a personal savior would be diminished. If he only showed upon Earth to parade his power and coerce us into worshiping him then he would be just like those cruel Greek and Roman gods that were filled with pride and selfishness. Jesus is different from the other gods of this world because he clearly tells and demonstrates to us the purpose of his incarnation. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” His arrival on Earth was a well-thought-out rescue mission. He came to redeem his fallen creation. Jesus’ existence on Earth is a gracious invitation to all of humanity to engage in a real, life-changing, and eternity-impacting relationship with the one true living God! Jesus asks Peter, one of his disciples, the question ‘Who do you say I am?” Jesus knows that it’s important to Peter’s faith that he grasp that Jesus is fully a man but also fully God. Jesus Is the truth, the way, and the light. Without his disciples understandingall of who Jesus the man was they would not be able to receive the gift of salvation that God was offering. The question of “Who do you say I am” continues to be the most foundational question for people of faith. Our ability to recognize Jesus as our Lord and Savior is where our path towards transformation and adoption into God’s ‘heaven family’ begins. If you are in a season of questioning or feel a sense of disillusionment with the Church, I ask you to just go back to this question: Who is Jesus? What did he come to do? How has knowing him impacted your life? That’s the place to start when we are wantingto deconstruct our beliefs. Build back a stronger, more firm faith foundation that begins with Jesus your Savior. God embraces our questions but we have to be open to hear the answers he came down to Earth to give us. ----------------------------------- God’s Compass for the Heart and Mind Proverbs3:7-12 Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life. Following the Lord’s directions will change behavior and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires. He leads us to think differently about ourselves,our values, and and even the difficulties facing us. We naturally want to determine our own course in life. It seems like the only logical way to get where we want to go. But being wise in our own eyes is pride. To combat this tendency, the Lord instructs us to fear Him and turn away from evil (v. 7). This “fear” is not a horrified dread of the Father, but an attitude of respect that motivates us to obey Him for both our goodand His glory. We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves. A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get. But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first partof all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (vv. 9-10). We naturally hate God’s discipline. His painful reproofs seem to prove that He doesn’t care about us. But our heavenly Father says His discipline is the evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (vv. 11-12). Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions—doing what He says—but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns. To stay on God’s path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behaviorbut also in our hearts and minds. ------------------ Soldier's Duty “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himselfwith the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4) As Paul came to the end of his earthly life, he took great pains to encourage his disciple to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1)and to guard and pass on the precious teachings that Paul had taught him. Paul compared Timothy’s life in the ministry of the gospel to the life of a soldier. The Greek word translated “endure hardness” is used twice more by Paul, each in this book. “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions [same word], do the work of anevangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul holds himself up as an example of such endurance when he claims: “I suffer trouble [sameword], as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9). As soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are to avoid entangling ourselves with something that will hinder our effectiveness. The word “entangled” means “entwined,” or “involved with.” The soldier must be able to draw his weapon freely and use it effectively, and cannotdo so if something is clutching onto him, binding his arms and legs. Our text follows the well-known admonition “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). The goal of a soldier is to please his leader. So must be our goal in the warfare at hand, preserving and passing on the truth. As Christians,we have been chosen to be in the army of the General who Himself died to assure our ultimate victory. He deserves our total devotion. JDM --------------------- Facing Earthly Struggles by Lynette Kittle “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” -Ephesians6:12 Growing up my junior high best friend, Peggy, loved professional wrestling. It was an unknown world to my sheltered pastor’s kid background. Little did I know when she invited me to watch it with her, I would be taken on an emotional roller coaster as shecheered, cried, threw herself on the floor, beat the tabletop, and shouted throughout the match. Oh, the drama! To her, it was all so real, while I watched her and the matches in disbelief. Although I’ve heard it’s mostly staged for entertainment and wrestlers are putting on a show, to fans like Peggy it’s a real battle being fought between good andevil, Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes pitted against his Evil Nemesis. -------------------- Callto Remembrance “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fightof afflictions.” (Hebrews10:32) Our American younger generation, like the Hebrew Christians back in the first generation after Christ, seems in grave danger of forgetting the great sacrifices of those earlier generations in this country who made our nation the land of the free. What seemsalmost a deliberate “dumbing down” of our great Christian heritage has been taking place in our public schools and universities ever since World War II ended. Memorial Day should not be merely an occasion to give people a three-day time of leisure and pleasure, but rather a call to remembrance of those who suffered and died to ensure our political and religious freedoms—especially that freedom to believe and proclaimthe saving gospel of Christ, which so motivated our forefathers. And it is even more important, every day, to call to remembrance the unfathomable sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ who died, not just to give us temporal freedom, but eternal freedom, providing everlasting life to all those who believe. We have a formal timefor remembering this—whenever we observe the special supper He established, remembering His broken body and shed blood. “This do in remembrance of me,” He said (1Corinthians 11:24-25), and Christians have been remembering Him in this way ever since He met with His disciples the night before He died for our sins. But we need also to remember Him every day, not just on the days scheduled for communion, just as we ought to remember and thank God for those who died for our country, and to do so far more often than just once each year. As Paul said concerning the dedicated,but suffering, Christians in Philippi, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians1:3). HMM ------------------- Set Your Face like a Flint by Anne Peterson "Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame." - Isaiah 50:7 One Christmas, our Bible teacher gave each of us a specially chosen verse. Mine was Isaiah 50:7. Lois knew me. She knew coming from an abusive home, I wore shame like a well-fitted sweater. Our father was authoritarian. We were not cherished, we were physically abused. Lois also taught us that we needed to grow in our faith for our journeys ahead. There were truths I would unpack even years after Lois slipped into heaven to be with the one she served, both as a missionary with her husband, Don, and as a Bible teacher to a bunch of us whomet weekly in their home. How would I ever make it in the real world, outside of that fellowship? ----------------------- HerebyKnow “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” (1John 4:13) It is surprising to note that this phrase “hereby know” occurs eight times in the little epistle of 1 John. Each of these listed below is given as a means of both testing the genuineness of our professed faith in Christ and then of giving assurance and comfortto the true believer. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1John 2:3). “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1John 2:5). “Hereby perceive [same Greek word as ‘know’] we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1John 3:16). “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him” (1John 3:18-19). “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us” (1John 3:24). “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1John 4:2). “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1John 4:6). The eighth and last such reference is our text for the day. Note that the common thread running through all is the importance of the indwelling Spirit of truth, leading those who know the Lord into lives of doctrinal purity, obedience to God’s Word, and lovetoward the brethren. HMM --------------------------- Recognizing God’s Love For You By Aaron Brown “When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?” (Psalm8:3-4) Doubting God’s Love The moon. The stars. The sun. Earth, its animals, and the sea. God created all of these things and set them in motion. Within the first chapter of Genesis, God also created something more valuable, His image-bearers, mankind. As David writes, God remembers us and He looks after us. When we read other stories in the Bible we see this same love reflected. Despite their sin, God looked after the Israelites. Despite committing murder, God still had a plan for Moses. And though he ran away from his task, God pursued Jonah. God loves us too, despite our sinful nature. That’s one quality that makes us different from God’s other creations - rebellion. And it’s this same quality that makes us doubt God’s love. Whether a one-time offense or a habit, sin causes us to feel separated from God. Yet, in spite of our sinful tendencies, God’s love remains. Moreover, His love for us remains greater than His care for anything else. Nothing can change this truth (Romans8:38-39). The question is, do you believe that God loves you? And if not, what causes you to doubt? After the Israelites fled Egypt, there came a time when they doubted God’s care. They doubted because they encountered hardship (Exodus 16:3).Jonah fled from God after the Lord wanted to use him (Jonah 1:1-2). He lacked trust in God’s plan. Hardship, illness, loss, or any type of suffering can tempt us to do the same. And as we step away from God, we step into sin. Life did improve, however, for the Israelites and for Jonah, after a change in perspective. They learned to recognize God’s love for them. We would benefit from learning the same lesson. Recognizing God’s Love Jesus highlighted God’s love for man when He made a comparison between the humans and the birds of the sky (Matthew 6:26). In this comparison,we see an everyday truth that we take for granted. God looks after the animals. He provides for them though they have no means of storage like we do. How often do we fret about the squirrels or birds in our neighborhood finding food? Yet, how often do we question God’s provision in our own lives? If the birds don’t have to worry about what they’ll eat, why would we? God cares more for us than He does for them. After doubting his ability to carry out God’s will, Moses needed a shift in perspective. God reassured Moses that He would be there for guidance (Exodus3:11-12). From there Moses had his ups and downs, but every time he did well in life, he had trust in God. Or in other words, he recognized God’s love for him. The same is true for us. Life is easier when we recognize God’s presence in our lives and put trust in Him. Recognizing God’s love on a daily basis is no easy feat, but when we can do so, the proper perspective brings plenty of benefits. Doubt turns into faith. Despair becomes hope. And indifference makes way for love. Intersecting Faith and Life: We not only bear God’s image, but we have an ability to worship unlike any of God’s other creations. We sing songs, offer sacrifices, and make the conscious choice to praise. Is there any surprise then that God loves us so much? Sometimes believing in God’s love comes naturally, but sometimes we enter seasons of life where unconditional love seems unbelievable. Even if we find ourselves in this position, there is a way out. The solution is revealed through the Israelites, Moses,and Jonah. We change our perspective by remembering what the Lord has done (Jonah 2:7). Unlike these Bible figures, we have Scripture to look back on. We can read about God’s marvelous works and quote Scripture to remind ourselves of truth. In addition, we can do what they did, and simply reflect on our own lives. God has blessed us and He does so every day. We just have to take the time to spot those blessings. When you recognize God’s love on display, write down what you realize, share with a friend. The more we remember God’s love in the present, the less we’lldoubt in the future. Further Reading: Romans 8:38-39 Exodus 16:3 Jonah 1:1-2 Matthew 6:26 Exodus 3:11-12 Jonah 2:7 ------------------- A Godly Response to Criticism Proverbs 15:31-33 No one likes criticism, but encountering some is inevitable, so we need to learn how to respond in a godly way. Although you might be tempted to become defensive or angry, remain calm and listen. The words may hurt, but great benefits come to those who carefullyconsider what is said. If we refuse to accept reproof, we'll limit our potential for Christlike character development and spiritual growth. Some of life's best lessons come through difficult experiences. If God allowed the situation, you can be sure that He wants to use it intransforming you into His Son's image. Whether the criticism is valid or not, whether it's delivered with kindness or harshness, your goal should always be to respond in a way that glorifies the Lord. Remember that you are responsible only for how you handleyourself, not for how the other person is acting. When a criticism comes your way, be quiet and listen until the other person has finished. Make direct eye contact to show attentiveness and respect. When your critic finishes, thank him for bringing his concerns to your attention, and tell him that you willconsider what he's said. Ask the Lord if the accusation is valid. Let Him search your heart and either affirm your innocence or convict you. Every rebuke is an opportunity from God. It's a chance to let your Christian character shine by showing love to your critic. If he is angrily attacking you, your respect and kindness become a powerful testimony. Criticism is also an occasion to humble yourselfand accept the Lord's correction. ------------------- TheBuilder of the House “He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man;but he that built all things is God.” (Hebrews3:3-4) Perhaps the single greatest category of evidence for supernatural creation is in the nature of the creation itself, which everywhere shows such intricate design that it could not have come about by random chance. Consider the earth: Its size, mass, distancefrom the sun and moon, rotational wobble, chemical makeup, etc., are critical within very narrow limits. Any significant deviation in any of these or other characteristics would make life impossible. But inorganic molecules, planets, and galaxies are simpler by several orders of magnitude than even the tiniest living organism. The marvelous genetic code that regulates life, growth, and reproduction is so unthinkably complex, so obviously designed, thatit would take a “willingly...ignorant” (2Peter 3:5) mind to conclude a naturalistic origin for it. Life at every stage and at every level of investigation shows symmetry in its order, purpose in its function, and interdependence between its parts; all of these are clear marks of design by anintelligent designer. The evidence speaks so eloquently that even “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans1:20) if they choose not to believe and therefore to merit and face His wrath (v. 18). “All things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians1:16). Mankind can take no pride in it nor rebellious solace in the idea of naturalistic origin, for “thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation4:11). JDM ---------------------- God'sComplete Supply “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians4:19) The key to this promise in today’s verse is the need that must be met by the riches of the great King as we render our service in His Kingdom. But how vast those needs can be and how different the supply is! Millions of Israelites needed food in the wilderness, and the manna came fresh from heaven each day for 40 years (Exodus16:35). Gideon needed victory over the innumerable Midianites, and God caused confusion to fall on his enemies (Judges7:22). Elijah needed a powerful demonstration of God’s authority, and fire came down from heaven (1Kings 18:38). In the New Testament, a crippled man needed a new hand (Mark3:5), a blind man needed new eyes (John9:5-6), and a dead man needed life (John11:43-44). Jesus made the best wine anyone had ever had when the party needed supply (John2:10-22). He calmed the sea when the disciples needed freedom from their fear (Mark4:38-39). And He pulled Peter up from the sea when he needed rescue (Matthew14:30-31). No matter the size of the need, the resources are more than sufficient. More often than not, however, the need is spiritual. We all need God’s forgiveness from the “sickness” of sin (Mark2:17). When we first come into His Kingdom, we need the “milk” of the Word (Hebrews5:12). We all need the wisdom to “walk honestly toward them that are without” (1Thessalonians 4:12). And our great God has the resources to supply all our needs. HMM III ------------------- Daily Devotion Working from Salvation - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. �Galatians 6:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/working-from-salvation/Listen When we hear the statement �You reap what you sow,� we tend to think of it in a negative sense. And there is a negative way that it can play out in our lives. But the Biblesays, �For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life� (Galatians 6:8 NKJV). The Bible promises rewards � acknowledgment for our faithful service to the Lord. And Jesus said, �And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work� (Revelation 22:12 NKJV). We must do His work. Are you working for the Lord? I�m not referring to working for your salvation, because salvation is a gift from God to you. Ephesians 2:8 tells us, �God saved you by his gracewhen you believed. And you can�t take credit for this; it is a gift from God� (NKJV). Because of that, we should want to do something for the Lord, not working for salvation but working from salvation. A faith that works will produce works. A faith that doesn�twork won�t. The apostle Paul wrote, �Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord� (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV). Jesus often made the statement, �He who has ears to hear, let him hear!� (Matthew 11:15 NKJV). In other words, �Pay attention to what is being said!� We all know what it�slike to tune things out when someone is saying something that we don�t want to hear. But when it comes to hearing and obeying God�s Word, Jesus is saying, �Tune it in.� The decisions we make and the lifestyle we choose now will impact us in the life to come. --------------- The Men Who Shouted at Jesus - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, �What do you want me to do for you?� �Matthew 20:32 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-men-who-shouted-at-jesus/- Listen Jesus was on His way to the cross, on His way to suffer. He had things on His mind. Meanwhile, two blind men on the roadside heard Him passing by and shouted to Him. The wordshouted in the original language actually could be translated �screamed.� So the crowd yelled at these men to be quiet, but that made them cry out even louder. Jesus heard them, stopped, and then healed them. Here were two men with a very real need,and Jesus responded to their need. Isn�t it amazing to think that God cares about us? He cares about the things that concern us. David wrote, �When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers�themoon and the stars you set in place�what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?� (Psalm 8:3�4 NLT). I�ve been stunned by how many stars I can see late at night, depending on where I am. It�s incredible and overwhelming to think that God, our Creator, our Father, made allof that. Yet He cares about what we care about. God is never too busy or too preoccupied to take time for us. If it concerns us, it concerns Him. In a time of crisis, the two blind men prayed. And so should we. God says, �Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory� (Psalm50:15 NLT). Prayer puts us in touch with God. Are you in trouble right now? Are you facing a crisis and don�t see any way you can resolve it? Call on the Lord. The Bible says, �You don�t have what you want because you don�t ask God for it� (James 4:2 NLT). Pray about the things that are troubling you�and keep on praying. ------------------ TheRedeemed of the Lord �Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.� (Psalm107:2) This hymn of praise for God�s providence centers around four examples of God�s deliverance from particular problems. The four situations are as follows: Lost travelers who are out of provisions far from a city (vv. 4-5), prisoners imprisoned for their own rebelliousness(vv. 10-12), those who have been brought to physical illness due to their sin (vv. 17-18), and sailors who face shipwreck on stormy seas (vv. 23-27). In each case, the individuals prayed for deliverance that resulted in God�s miraculous rescue and a responseof praise. This cycle reminds us of the pattern during the time of the Judges when �every man did what was right in his own eyes� (Judges21:25). Due to their rebelliousness, God brought the people of Israel into captivity over and over again. Each time, in the midst of their oppression, they cried unto the Lord, who raised up a judge and empowered him to vanquish the enemy and free thepeople. The exact same pattern can be found in Solomon�s prayer of dedication for the temple. He recognized man�s tendency to rebel and forget the Lord�s provision when things are going well, thus eliciting God�s judgment. But God has always used times of trouble tobring men and women back to Himself. He is a God of grace and mercy and love, desiring to forgive and restore those who repent and call to Him for deliverance (2Kings 8). The same truth applies today. We still tend to rebel, and He remains long-suffering, willing to forgive and restore upon repentance. �That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might befound unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ� (1Peter 1:7). JDM ----------------------------- I Am the Good Shepherd By Emma Danzey John 10:11 says, �I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.� What Is a Shepherd�s Role? Jesus is the Shepherd and we are the sheep. He says that He lays down His life for us. This is not because we deserved it, but out of His great love for us. It can be very easy to try to be independent from God. We so often get into our own mindsets in thinkingwe are in control and we do not need the Lord. However, this verse makes it clear that we not only need Jesus, we cannot survive without Him. We are called in Christ to be dependent as sheep are on their shepherd. Our great Savior Jesus calls Himself our Good Shepherd. A shepherd�s main role is to love the sheep, protect them, guide them, and care for their needs. Sheep are completely dependent upon their shepherd. Sheep are helpless without the guidance of a shepherd. The Love of our Good Shepherd Jesus loves us each individually. We might be our own persons among many sheep, however, we are specially known and loved by our Good Shepherd. Scripture tells us in Matthew 18:12 that if one sheep wanders from His flock, He goes after that one and leaves the ninety-nine to rescue that particular sheep. This is the love and care that our God has for us. He values each person in His family of faith. We live in a society where numbers matter and people are often seen as just faces in a crowd or on a social media app. Luke 15:7 says, �I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.� When we ponder Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we need to remember that Hetruly cares about us individually. Just like a Shepherd knows His sheep by name, our God knows us each by name, thinks about us and desires relationship with us. This love is truly amazing. An Enemy Is After the Flock Matthew 7:15 says, �Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.� The Bible warns us of wolves that try to disguise themselves as sheep in God�s family, however they are deceivers and false prophets. Our Good Shepherd is aware of our weaknesses and our susceptibility to deceit, so He reminds us constantly that His voicealone is the One we are to ultimately follow. There are many voices in this world, some will direct us to the Lord in Scripture, but others will twist the Word of God just like Satan did when tempting Jesus in the wilderness. It is our responsibility as sheepto always go back to what our Good Shepherd says. We can fully trust in Him and know that He has the best plan for our lives. We can confidently test the teachings of pastors, the health of a church, and the authenticity of a person with the Bible in our handsand hearts. The Good Shepherd Leads Us Daily Our Good Shepherd leads us each day. He meets our needs and walks with us. He shows us the best path. Psalm 23:2-3 says, �He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name�s sake.� Jesus leads us down the best paths for His glory. This does not say the easy path or the popular path, but it is that path of blessing and the journey of walking closely with our Savior. It can be very challenging to walk the narrow path of faith and notstray from it. However, our Good Shepherd is always there to guide us. When a question comes up or we are seeking direction in life, we can pray with confidence and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way that we should go. No, this may not always be the easiest route, but it will always be the best one when our Shepherd is leading. -------------- The Furtherance of the Gospel �But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out ratherunto the furtherance of the gospel.� (Philippians 1:12) The infrequently used word �furtherance� (meaning simply �advancement�) occurs elsewhere only in Philippians 1:25, where Paul speaks of the �furtherance and joy of faith,� which he hoped to see in the Christians at Philippi, and in 1 Timothy 4:15, where it is translated �profiting.� There, Paul urged young Timothy to continue studying the things of God �that thy profiting may appear to all.� Paul wrote this epistle while he was unjustly imprisoned in a Roman jail, and no doubt he remembered the time when he had first met many of his Philippian Christian friends as a result of being imprisoned and beaten in a Philippian jail (Acts16:12-40). In fact, he had often been imprisoned (2 Corinthians 11:23) and had suffered severely in many other ways for �the furtherance of the gospel.� Indeed, during the two years or more he was a prisoner in Rome, he not only taught God�s Word to many who visited him there (Acts 28:30-31) but also wroteat least four of his inspired epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon�possibly even Hebrews). And these have been of untold blessing to millions down through the years. In ways that Paul could never have imagined, it was true indeed that thesethings that had happened to him had �fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.� The apostle Paul had the spiritual insight to realize that what seemed like great problems and difficulties could be used by God to the �advancement� of the gospel. Rather than complaining or even quitting when the Christian life gets hard, we must rememberthat God can make even �the wrath of man� to bring praise to Him (Psalm 76:10). HMM ------------- From a Desolate Pit to a Song of Praise By Aaron Brown �I waited patiently for the Lord, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Manywill see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.� (Psalm 40: 1-3) A Desolate Pit The Bible is marked by many different instances of suffering. The Isralities wandered the wilderness for forty years. Job lost his family and fortune. Jesus was put to death on the cross. The reasons for these tragedies vary, but the outcome is the same.Sorrow. Pain. Tears. In our own lives we bear witness to different tragedies, some of which we expect, others that come as a surprise. Death. Illness. Conflict. In the face of hardship, we can easily find ourselves in the same place mentioned in this psalm, the desolate pit. This is a place without hope, without faith, a dark place where we feel stuck. However, as evidenced in this psalm, along with the Bible�s stories of the Israelities, Job, and Jesus, the desolate pit is not the final destination for those who put their faith in the Lord. There is hope, and with hope comes a song of praise. A Song of Praise In the aforementioned psalm, David is doing two things - waiting and praying. This allows him to maintain the correct perspective of both his circumstances and his God. Though he laments and cries, David also knows God. He trusts God�s ability to provideand deliver him from tragedy. Thus, he decides to pray. In his prayer, David possesses such a confidence in the Lord, that he is able to wait on God's answer patiently. This is patience - waiting without complaint. David doesn�t pretend to be happy, he cries. Yet, he also does not delude himself into believing thedesolate pit is his home. He has hope. As he waits and as he prays, God does eventually answer David. Out of the pit he comes and onto rock he stands. There�s a contrast between the muddy clay and the rock. The former is unstable. The latter is firm and secure, much like God�s sovereignty over David's life, and much like David�s faith in God. After being restored and delivered, God gives David a new song, that is, a new experience of which to glorify God�s name. With the faith that David already held before, he has now been reaffirmed all the more. Intersecting Faith & Life: With enough age and experience, each of us will eventually relate to this psalm. There will be multiple desolate pits we encounter in life, but with them come many opportunities to find new songs as well. What�s difficult about being in the pit is that sometimeswe sink so deep that we lose sight of God. Our vision grows dark, pitch black even. And without our sight, our perspective turns bleak. We don�t see God, only the circumstance. Instead of hope, we have despair. And there�s seemingly no faith we can muster. We�re even tempted to wonder, how long? We complain and lament the suffering as unfair, unwarranted, and completely devastating. If only God would just help us and prove that He cared. In truth, God�s love hasn�t changed, only our perspective of Him. Even when we fall, even when we fall deep, there is always hope. We know this because though circumstances vary, though we change over time, God is always the same. The deliverance He offered in one season of life can and will come again. We just have tobelieve. And if we are having a hard time believing then we must find ways to remind ourselves of this truth. Scripture helps, as does community, notes on the bathroom memory, a Sunday sermon. The truth is that escaping the desolate pit is not a matter of if but when. That�s a great song to be able to sing. Future Reading (and Listening): Psalm 13:1-6 Psalm 34:17 Romans 8:28 Hebrews 13:8 ----------------------------- Secret Faults vs. Presumptuous Sins �Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not havedominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.� (Psalm 19:12-13) David, the author of this majestic psalm of praise to God for His revelation of Himself and His nature, voices his own frustration at his inability to mold his life totally in accordance with God�s revealed plan. He recognizes and asks for God�s forgivenessfor his failure to measure up, and asks for strength to avoid habitual sin patterns and willful rejection of God�s way. God had already made a careful distinction between these types of sins. �The priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him....Butthe soul that doeth ought presumptuously...the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquityshall be upon him� (Numbers 15:28, 30-31). Paul also recognized such a difference. Keep in mind that all sin is abhorrent to God and must be repented of, resulting, of course, in His forgiveness. But Paul claimed that even his blasphemous, murderous persecution of the church was done �ignorantly inunbelief� (1 Timothy 1:13). His plea of ignorance did not excuse his guilt, but through it he �obtained mercy� (v. 13) and �grace� (v. 14). This is a �pattern to [us] which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting� (v. 16). Let us not be guilty of willful, presumptuous sin, but on these occasions when we do fall, we can be thankful that our �longsuffering� (v. 16) Savior still affordsus such mercy. JDM ---------------------- When God Won�t Listen - by Greg Laurie � www.dailyjot.com Listen! The Lord�s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It�s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turnedaway and will not listen anymore. �Isaiah 59:1-2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-god-wont-listen-2/- Listen There are things that can hinder our prayers, things we do that can stop God from intervening in our lives. One obstacle to prayer is unconfessed sin. Isaiah 59 tells us, �The Lord�s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It�s your sins that havecut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore� (verses 1�2 NLT). If there is a sin in your life that you have not confessed to God, then confess it. The psalmist wrote, �If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not havelistened� (Psalm 66:18 NLT). To confess our sin means to agree with God about it, seeing it for what it is. That means we stop rationalizing it, stop justifying it, and stop saying that everyone elseis doing it. It also means that we need to ask God�s forgiveness. We also need to forgive others because unforgiveness in our hearts can hinder our prayers. Jesus said, �But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudgeagainst, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too� (Mark 11:25 NLT). Notice that Jesus didn�t say anything about forgiving someone only if they deserve it. Rather, He simply tells us to forgive. We�ve all been hurt in life. But the Bible teachesus to �be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven [us]� (Ephesians 4:32 NLT). If we do not forgive others, then bitterness will creep in, eating us up inside. Someone has wisely said that bitterness is an acid that destroys its own container. Forgiveso that you can be free. Forgiven people should be forgiving people.