Evidence You're a Disciple - By Greg Laurie -
Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. -Matthew 7:20
Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Not every Christian necessarily is.
A disciple of Jesus Christ will bring forth spiritual fruit. Jesus said, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8), and "by their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:20). If you're a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you will produce spiritual fruit in your life.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus talked about seed falling on different kinds of ground, representing different reactions to the gospel. The final category is those who bring forth fruit: "But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred" (Mark 4:20). Those who last spiritually embrace this truth and produce spiritual fruit.
For example, praising and thanking God is bringing forth spiritual fruit. Hebrews says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (13:15). Praising God is producing spiritual fruit.
What we say is also a type of fruit in our lives. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45).
Our change in conduct and character is also a type of spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22 tells us, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness."
Can people see these traits in your life? A Christian's life should be characterized by these things. Are you bringing forth spiritual fruit?
For Us
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Christian” liberals for many generations have scoffed at the biblical doctrine that the death of Christ could serve as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. Like all other religions, their form of religion assumes that each person is responsible for his own salvation, which must somehow be earned by his own good deeds and religious observances. Some have a very rigid code of ethics, some talk of mental attitudes that ascend to higher planes through meditation, some emphasize only love, others simply feel that the good must somehow outweigh the bad. All rely on human abilities to gain salvation.
Nevertheless, the Bible clearly teaches that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and, as our text emphasizes, “Christ died for us.” This pungent phrase, “for us,” appears repeatedly in the New Testament. Listen to this refrain:
“[God] spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). “Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14). “Christ also suffered for us” (1 Peter 2:21).
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). Hereby we perceive His great love for us! He was delivered up for us, sacrificed for us, made a curse for us; He gave Himself for us, suffered for us, and laid down His life for us. We were helpless, lost in sin, altogether unable to pay for our sins, but “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3), and we are saved! HMM
Assurance in Trials
We all experience hardship, and trials can shake us unless we cling to truth. Let me share three assurances to remember when troublesome circumstances arise.
First, God will always meet our needs. This doesn't mean He provides everything we want. Instead, the Lord will bless us with all that is necessary to fulfill His purpose for our lives. His goal is to sanctify us, not simply to satisfy each immediate desire.
Second, we're never alone. God promised to be with us always (Heb. 13:5). Loneliness often accompanies hardship, so we may feel deserted or opposed by family and friends. But our Father has sent His Spirit to be with us and in us, until the day He brings us to heaven (John 14:16-17). He is all we need--our advocate, guide, helper, and comforter. Recognizing His intimate presence gives us confidence in the midst of trials.
Third, God's love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional--even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others' wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers' lives.
In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father's love is forever.
Where to Bestow Our Wealth
“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?” (Luke 12:16-17)
God called this rich man “Thou fool” (Luke 12:20) because, rich as he was in his own eyes, he was “not rich toward God” (v. 21). Instead of choosing to bestow his goods on others in need or on any kind of ministry for God, he decided to build more barns and “there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods” (v. 18). The barns did not need them, however, and neither did the rich fool, for he died the very night on which he made this selfish decision.
The intensity of his self-centered nature is pointed up by the fact that he used personal pronouns (I, my) no less than 11 times in three verses (vv. 17-19). Furthermore, no counselor advised him on this course of action. He just “thought within himself” (v. 17) to keep it all for his own comfort and pleasure.
Jesus told this parable not just to rebuke selfish rich people, however, but to warn all of us against the wicked sin of covetousness “which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). “Beware of covetousness,” He said in introducing the parable, “for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).
Complaining American Christians (and almost all American Christians are wealthy compared to multitudes in many other nations) need to hear the ancient word of the psalmist still relevant today: “Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. . . . Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Psalm 49:16-17, 20). HMM
“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?” (Luke 12:16-17)
A Compelling Reason for Rigorous Training of the MindJohn Piper I was reading and meditating on the book of Hebrews recently, when it hit me forcefully that a basic and compelling reason for education -- the rigorous training of the mind -- is so that a person can read the Bible with understanding.
This sounds too obvious to be useful or compelling. But that's just because we take the preciousness of reading so for granted; or, even more, because we appreciate so little the kind of thinking that a complex Bible passage requires of us.
The book of Hebrews, for example, is an intellectually challenging argument from Old Testament texts. The points that the author makes hang on biblical observations that come only from rigorous reading, not light skimming. And the understanding of these Old Testament interpretations in the text of Hebrews requires rigorous thought and mental effort. The same could be said for the extended argumentation of Romans and Galatians and the other books of the Bible.
This is an overwhelming argument for giving our children a disciplined and rigorous training in how to think an author's thoughts after him from a text -- especially a biblical text. An alphabet must be learned, as well as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, the rudiments of logic, and the way meaning is imparted through sustained connections of sentences and paragraphs.
The reason Christians have always planted schools where they have planted churches is because we are a people of THE BOOK. It is true that THE BOOK will never have its proper effect without prayer and the Holy Spirit. It is not a textbook to be debated; it is a fountain for spiritual thirst, and food for the soul, and a revelation of God, and a living power, and a two-edged sword. But none of this changes the fact: apart from the discipline of reading, the Bible is as powerless as paper. Someone might have to read it for you; but without reading, the meaning and the power of it are locked up.
Is it not remarkable how often Jesus settled great issues with a reference to reading? For example, in the issue of the Sabbath he said, "Have you not read what David did?" (Matthew 12:3). In the issue of divorce and remarriage he said, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female?" (Matthew 19:4). In the issue of true worship and praise he said, "Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babes you have prepared praise for yourself'?" (Matthew 21:16). In the issue of the resurrection he said, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?" (Matthew 21:42). And to the lawyer who queried him about eternal life he said, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" (Luke 10:26).
The apostle Paul also gave reading a great place in the life of the church. For example, he said to the Corinthians, "We write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end" (1 Corinthians 1:13). To the Ephesians he said, "When you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:3). To the Colossians he said, "When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea" (Colossians 4:16). Reading the letters of Paul was so important that he commands it with an oath: "I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren" (1 Thessalonians 5:27).
The ability to read does not come intuitively. It must be taught. And learning to read with understanding is a life-long labor. The implications for Christians are immense. Education of the mind in the rigorous discipline of thoughtful reading is a primary goal of school. The church of Jesus is debilitated when his people are lulled into thinking that it is humble or democratic or relevant to give a merely practical education that does not involve the rigorous training of the mind to think hard and to construe meaning from difficult texts.
The issue of earning a living is not nearly so important as whether the next generation has direct access to the meaning of the Word of God. We need an education that puts the highest premium under God on knowing the meaning of God's Book, and growing in the abilities that will unlock its riches for a lifetime. It would be better to starve for lack of food than to fail to grasp the meaning of the book of Romans. Lord, let us not fail the next generation!
How to Get the Most Out of Your Work
Matthew 20:25-28
When I was in college, this proved to be a valuable perspective. I worked in the bleachery, which was the hottest and most uncomfortable job at the local textile mill. At first, I focused on how much I disliked this position. But I decided to change my attitude and look for opportunities to serve Jesus through my work. For the first time, the heat did not bother me. In fact, I was eager to share my faith with those around me. People listened and responded because they noticed my demeanor.
No job is perfect; each position has negative aspects. But we can find joy and excitement even in the most menial task when we decide to work for God. Choose to serve Christ in all you do. After all, why face each day with dread when you could experience excitement and anticipation?
Christ Our Leader
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)
The Lord never asks us to go anywhere that He has not gone before. He is the captain (literally, the “leader”) of our salvation, and we only need follow our divine leader. The same word is used in Hebrews 12:2, where we are exhorted to be “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince [same word] and a Saviour” (Acts 5:31).
The same wonderful truth appears under various figures. He is our Shepherd, for instance, and He says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:27-28). He also illumines our path. “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). He guides us along the way by His indwelling Holy Spirit. “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. . . . and he will show you things to come” (John 16:13).
With such a dauntless leader, a perfect example, a loving Shepherd, a clear light, and an infallible guide, we are (or should be) happy to follow Him, even if the way sometimes seems steep and hard.
He is the goal and prize at the end of the journey. For Him, Paul said, “I have suffered the loss of all things . . . that I may win Christ . . . forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:8, 13-14). HMM
Ask What Ye Will
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
The precious promise in this verse has been an inspiration to the faithful down through the centuries. It becomes even more amazing when attention is paid to the original Greek language in which it was written.
Abiding implies a close personal fellowship with someone; in this case, the personal, loving Lord Jesus: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (v. 9). Such an abiding on our part will be evidenced by obedience, love for Him and for the brethren, and joy (vv. 10-14). Our minds and hearts will be in total harmony with His, guided by such a walk and His words.
“Ye shall ask” does not carry the proper force in English. This is a command in the imperative mode in Greek—a challenge, if you will. He challenges us to “ask what ye will” (literally “whatever ye desire”) and see Him faithful. Desire speaks of something different from need; indeed, it speaks of an “inclination.” He is not afraid we will ask for selfish inclinations, for if we “abide” in Him, our desires are His desires, and we will naturally ask for those things that glorify Him. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (v. 8).
Notice the word “done,” which in Greek stems from the word meaning “to come into existence.” God will answer our unselfish prayers, even if He has to transcend natural law or even create something to do so. He even challenges us to “ask” without hesitation, as implied by the Greek construction.
If we meet the condition of “abiding” in Him, as a branch “abides” in the vine (vv. 1-5), He will place in us the desire to bring forth much fruit (v. 5) to His glory and to our everlasting delight. JDM
Spiritual Babies - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
This sounds too obvious to be useful or compelling. But that's just because we take the preciousness of reading so for granted; or, even more, because we appreciate so little the kind of thinking that a complex Bible passage requires of us.
The book of Hebrews, for example, is an intellectually challenging argument from Old Testament texts. The points that the author makes hang on biblical observations that come only from rigorous reading, not light skimming. And the understanding of these Old Testament interpretations in the text of Hebrews requires rigorous thought and mental effort. The same could be said for the extended argumentation of Romans and Galatians and the other books of the Bible.
This is an overwhelming argument for giving our children a disciplined and rigorous training in how to think an author's thoughts after him from a text -- especially a biblical text. An alphabet must be learned, as well as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, the rudiments of logic, and the way meaning is imparted through sustained connections of sentences and paragraphs.
The reason Christians have always planted schools where they have planted churches is because we are a people of THE BOOK. It is true that THE BOOK will never have its proper effect without prayer and the Holy Spirit. It is not a textbook to be debated; it is a fountain for spiritual thirst, and food for the soul, and a revelation of God, and a living power, and a two-edged sword. But none of this changes the fact: apart from the discipline of reading, the Bible is as powerless as paper. Someone might have to read it for you; but without reading, the meaning and the power of it are locked up.
Is it not remarkable how often Jesus settled great issues with a reference to reading? For example, in the issue of the Sabbath he said, "Have you not read what David did?" (Matthew 12:3). In the issue of divorce and remarriage he said, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female?" (Matthew 19:4). In the issue of true worship and praise he said, "Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babes you have prepared praise for yourself'?" (Matthew 21:16). In the issue of the resurrection he said, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?" (Matthew 21:42). And to the lawyer who queried him about eternal life he said, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" (Luke 10:26).
The apostle Paul also gave reading a great place in the life of the church. For example, he said to the Corinthians, "We write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end" (1 Corinthians 1:13). To the Ephesians he said, "When you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:3). To the Colossians he said, "When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea" (Colossians 4:16). Reading the letters of Paul was so important that he commands it with an oath: "I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren" (1 Thessalonians 5:27).
The ability to read does not come intuitively. It must be taught. And learning to read with understanding is a life-long labor. The implications for Christians are immense. Education of the mind in the rigorous discipline of thoughtful reading is a primary goal of school. The church of Jesus is debilitated when his people are lulled into thinking that it is humble or democratic or relevant to give a merely practical education that does not involve the rigorous training of the mind to think hard and to construe meaning from difficult texts.
The issue of earning a living is not nearly so important as whether the next generation has direct access to the meaning of the Word of God. We need an education that puts the highest premium under God on knowing the meaning of God's Book, and growing in the abilities that will unlock its riches for a lifetime. It would be better to starve for lack of food than to fail to grasp the meaning of the book of Romans. Lord, let us not fail the next generation!
How to Get the Most Out of Your Work
Matthew 20:25-28
According to Scripture, work is to be part of the believer's life. We all have daily tasks, and many Christians hold jobs outside the home. Some people view these as drudgery. Others wake up excited to face the day's challenges. What is your outlook?
There is an important biblical principle to follow if you are going to enjoy your work: View yourself as a servant. This might be hard if you feel unappreciated or your coworkers are difficult. But consider the example that the Lord set for us. He was rejected, tortured, and crucified. Yet Jesus was willing to serve even His tormentors with His attitude and, ultimately, with His life. Colossians 3:23-24 states, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men . . . It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."When I was in college, this proved to be a valuable perspective. I worked in the bleachery, which was the hottest and most uncomfortable job at the local textile mill. At first, I focused on how much I disliked this position. But I decided to change my attitude and look for opportunities to serve Jesus through my work. For the first time, the heat did not bother me. In fact, I was eager to share my faith with those around me. People listened and responded because they noticed my demeanor.
No job is perfect; each position has negative aspects. But we can find joy and excitement even in the most menial task when we decide to work for God. Choose to serve Christ in all you do. After all, why face each day with dread when you could experience excitement and anticipation?
Christ Our Leader
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)
Ask What Ye Will
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
Spiritual Babies - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
So, let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go instead and become mature in our understanding. -Hebrews 6:1
As a father and a grandfather, I know from personal experience that babies are a lot of work. For instance, it takes work to teach a baby how to eat. Of course, there is baby food, and then comes solid food, which has to be cut into baby-sized bites. And sometimes a baby doesn't want to eat, so you have to think of creative ways to get the baby to take the food. Children need to learn how to eat their food, cut up their food, and ultimately prepare their food. It's called growing up.
A lot of people, however, have never grown up spiritually. They made an initial commitment to Christ but have never really understood what it means to be a totally committed follower of Jesus. In short, they have not responded to what the Bible calls discipleship.
The Christian life is more than simply saying a prayer of commitment to Christ. It is following Jesus not only as your Savior, but also as your Lord. If your only source of spiritual intake is hearing other people preach sermons, then you will be in a relatively weakened state spiritually. There is a place for teaching and preaching, but you have to learn how to cut your own food, so to speak. You have to learn how to feed yourself spiritually.
Hebrews 6:1 tells us, "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God."
In short, we need to grow up as believers and not be spiritual babies forever. We need to grow up to be men and women of God.
Never Forsaken
�Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.� (Deuteronomy 31:6)
�Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.� (Deuteronomy 31:6)
The promise that God will never leave nor forsake His people occurs often in Scripture. It was given here through Moses to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the land promised long ago to Abraham. Two verses later, it was then repeated personally for Joshua, who was to be their leader in the coming battles.
Essentially the same promise had been made to Jacob as he began to assume his God-ordained role. �Behold, I am with thee,� God had said, �. . . for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of� (Genesis 28:15). It was again repeated directly to Joshua by God. �As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee� (Joshua 1:5).
David passed on the same promise to Solomon as he became responsible for the kingdom and for building the great temple. �[God] will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD� (1 Chronicles 28:20). �I the God of Israel will not forsake them� (Isaiah 41:17) was the Lord�s promise still later to the faithful Israelites.
And we can rejoice today in this same wonderful promise. �He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me� (Hebrews 13:5-6). This remarkable verse has five negatives in the Greek, so that it could even be rendered literally as something like: �I will never, never leave thee, and never, never, never forsake thee.� Surely this is one of the greatest of God�s �exceeding great and precious promises� (2 Peter 1:4). HMM
The Passion to Obey
For a sermon I gave several years ago, I jotted down a list and titled it "The Evolution of a Passion to Obey God." That passion doesn't just spring up, full-blown at salvation. We do enter our new life in Christ with a desire to please Him, and that does include obeying Him. But an intensely determined pursuit of His will develops more slowly.
In fact, the first stage--fear of the consequences of disobedience--barely qualifies as reverence for God. But as we progress in our faith and form a commitment to obey the Lord, we eventually reach the final stage, which is love and devotion to Christ. Wouldn't you rather follow Him out of love than out of fear?
Getting from the first stage to the last begins with what you might expect--an increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we dig into God's Word to see how He provided for the saints, we develop a desire for His best. Men like Moses, David, and Paul weren't satisfied with what the world had to offer, and we won't be either when we witness His work in the lives of His followers. So we test out obedience and discover that God's promised blessings are real. As we acquire a record of consistent rewards for doing His will, we recognize the wisdom of obedience.
Can you find yourself on the spectrum between fear and devotion? It is my hope that you have committed to obeying God and that you are reading His Word daily to learn how to keep your promise. God wants your best--your passionate pursuit of His will--because He is giving His best to you.
What's Holding You Back? - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
"If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple." -Luke 14:26
People have been kept back from following Jesus by their fear of what others think. They haven't committed their lives to Christ because they're worried about the opinion of someone else. Maybe it's a boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe it's a husband or a wife. Maybe it's a close buddy or a group of friends they hang around with. Maybe it is even their parents.
They know if they were to fully give their lives to Christ, they would lose a bunch of so-called friends. Or it would be the end of a relationship. Or it would cause friction in their home. That is what holds them back.
But Jesus said, "If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else-your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).
A statement like that sounds shocking, especially because it includes the word hate. But as we balance this with other Scripture, we know that clearly this is not the case. Certainly the Bible is not telling us to hate people. Why would Jesus tell us to honor our father and mother and then also demand that we hate them? Or why would Paul tell husbands, "Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25)?
In context, Jesus wasn't saying that we should hate people. Essentially He was saying that we should love God so much more than anyone or anything else that our love for those people or things would seem like hatred in comparison.
That makes perfect sense when you think about it. If you want to live your Christian life to the fullest, then love Jesus more than anything else. Do you love Him that way?
The Grace of Christ Guilt sucks the life out of our souls. Grace restores it. No one had more reason to feel the burden of guilt than did the apostle Paul. He had orchestrated the deaths of Christians--an ancient version of a terrorist. Yet, Paul gave his guilt to Jesus, period. He surrendered it to Jesus! As a result he could write, �I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us� (Philippians 3:13-14 TLB).
What would the apostle say to the guilt-ridden? Simply this: Rejoice in the Lord�s mercy. Trust in his ability to forgive. Cast yourself upon the grace of Christ and Christ alone!
God's Ordered Authority
�And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth.� (Esther 9:30)
The book of Esther is unique in that it contains no explicit mention of God. Yet, the hand of God is more evident in this book than in almost any other. It was after their remarkable deliverance from the genocide that had been contrived for them by Haman that Mordecai wrote his �words of peace and truth� to all the Jews, establishing an annual holiday to commemorate the providential winning of peace with their enemies, with the triumph of truth over evil and deception.
This incisive though unusual combination of words (�peace and truth�) was also used by Hezekiah when the Lord promised safety for his kingdom as long as he lived. �Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?� (2 Kings 20:19). Similarly, God promised His people delivery from their Babylonian captors: �I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth� (Jeremiah 33:6). Finally, through Zechariah, God promised His people a future lasting peace that they were to commemorate four times a year with �joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace� (Zechariah 8:19).
Men have longed for peace through the centuries, but it continues to elude them. After the so-called �war to end all wars,� Armistice Day was established to celebrate the lasting peace the war supposedly secured. Now, of course, it is called Veterans Day�still a day for honor, but hardly one of light and gladness. Peace can only endure in truth.
Although God was never named in Esther, He was there! Mordecai�s �words of peace and truth� implicitly spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ. There will only be real peace when men accept the real truth. HMM
A Commitment to Obey
What would the apostle say to the guilt-ridden? Simply this: Rejoice in the Lord�s mercy. Trust in his ability to forgive. Cast yourself upon the grace of Christ and Christ alone!
God's Ordered Authority
God's plan for each one of us has our best interest in mind. His way leads to fullness of life. Yet He did not create us to be robots that blindly and lifelessly live their godly life. No, the Lord grants us the choice of whether or not to obey Him. Our human nature tends to choose a self-centered path that turns away from God's authority. But in doing so, we miss His best for us.
Consider the life of King Saul. God chose this man to be king and provided guidelines for him to follow. Though Saul knew the Lord's instructions, he chose to do things his own way. At times his sin was unquestionably deliberate, such as his attempt to kill David out of jealousy. At other times, however, his rebellion seemed less clear-cut. For example, despite God's order to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites and their animals, Saul spared the best of the herd, with the justification that they were "to sacrifice to the Lord" (1 Sam. 15:3, 21).
His disobedient choices cost him the throne and eventually led to his destruction. This man chose the road that satisfied his immediate fleshly desires, but as we know from history, the end result was hardly fulfilling. We can learn from Saul's mistakes. Partial obedience is actually disobedience. And any disobedience falls in the category of rebellion, which is sin.
Each day, we face the same types of choices. Though the details are different, both large and small temptations lure us. We can live according to Christ's will, following His lead and listening for His voice. Or we can refuse. Choose today to live God's way--which leads to fullness of life.
Words of Peace and Truth�And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth.� (Esther 9:30)
A Commitment to Obey
The Bible declares the Lord's great power and majesty while also revealing His deep mercy and love. He is worthy of wholehearted, passionate submission, but He doesn't often get it. Are you among the few who offer themselves to Him without reservation?
Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. This means that we obey the Lord even if our friends choose a different path or when suffering or embarrassment is guaranteed. Seeing His will done is more important than our own comfort or personal ambition. We commit the consequences to God and cling to His promises: He will never leave us (Heb. 13:5), and He makes good out of every situation (Rom. 8:28).
Notice the word 'commitment' in the title of today's devotion. I'm not writing about obedience that is born of the moment (as in, I choose to follow God in this instance) but about submission as a way of life. Setting restrictions on compliance is so tempting--we want to be able to change our mind when obeying upsets our lifestyle, the final result is unclear, or we're just plain scared. But let me ask you this one sobering question: If Jesus is the Lord of your life, what right do you have to limit how and when you'll do His will?
Believers have no right to set their own limits; their one criterion for making decisions should be, What does God want me to do? The answer at times may cause suffering, but obedience is always right. And following God in all things is the surest path to favor and spiritual growth.
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