Be Encouraged - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
The loud daily din of the news media opining away about the evils of anyone who doesn't agree with their form of liberalism takes a toll. The constant stream of fake news leaves people with confusion over what to believe. The visceral emanating from the mouths of elected representatives of the people characterizing those who disagree with them in foul terms, wounds the nation. Celebrities have gone wild in portraying as outcasts those who disagree with their humanist ideals. We are living in a time where civility has become rare. In the midst of this, be encouraged. We as Christians have a mission and a purpose. Take heart. We are to overcome evil with good and not grow weary in doing it.
Every phone call you make. Every letter you write. Every email you send. Every word you speak. Be encouraged. The Lord said in Isaiah 55:10-12, "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Neither be offended. The Lord says in Ezekiel 3:17-19, "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." No matter how long, no matter how difficult things become, do what the Lord tells you to do. As you do these things unto the Lord, you have made a transfer, so to speak, from yourself to others. It is now on them to act responsibly with the information. You have done your part.
God sent his only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins that we might have life everlasting. It's up to us to share the many facets of living out our salvation. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 exhorts: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." Keep going. Keep doing. You never know when your action may be that last full measure needed to advance God's plan. Never give up.
The Value of Learning History: A Lesson from Jude
John Piper
The little letter of Jude teaches us something about the value of learning history. This is not the main point of the letter. But it is striking. In this next-to-last book of the Bible, Jude writes to encourage the saints to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (verse 3).
The letter is a call to vigilance in view of "certain persons [who] have crept in unnoticed... ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (verse 4). Jude describes these folks in vivid terms. They "revile the things which they do not understand" (verse 10). They "are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage" (verse 16). They "cause divisions, [and are] worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit" (verse 19).
This is a devastating assessment of people who are not outside the church but have "crept in unnoticed." Jude wants them be spotted for who they really are, so that the church is not deceived and ruined by their false teaching and immoral behavior.
One of his strategies is to compare them to other persons and events in history. For example, he says that "Sodom and Gomorrah . . . since they, in the same way as these, indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire" (verse 7). So Jude compares these people to Sodom and Gomorrah. His point in doing this is to say that Sodom and Gomorrah are "an example" of what will happen when people live like these intruders are living. So, in Jude's mind, knowing the history of Sodom and Gomorrah is very useful in helping detect such error and deflect it from the saints.
Similarly in verse 11, Jude piles up three other references to historical events as comparisons with what is happening in his day among Christians. He says "Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah." This is remarkable. Why refer to three different historical incidents like this that happened thousands of years earlier - Genesis 19 (Sodom), Genesis 3 (Cain), Numbers 22-24 (Balaam), Numbers 16 (Korah)? What's the point?
Here are three points: 1) Jude assumes that the readers know these stories! Is that not amazing! This was the first century! No books in anyone's homes. No Bibles available. No story tapes. Just oral instruction. And he assumed that they would know: What is "the way of Cain" and "the error of Balaam" and "the rebellion of Korah"? Do you know? Isn't this astonishing! He expects them to know. It makes me think that our standards of Bible knowledge in the church today are too low.
2) Jude assumes that knowing this history will illumine the present situation. The Christians will handle the error better today, if they know similar situations from yesterday. In other words, history is valuable for Christian living. To know that Cain was jealous and hated his brother and resented his true spiritual communion with God will alert you to watch for such things even among brothers.
To know that Balaam finally caved in and made the Word of God a means of worldly gain makes you better able to spot that sort of thing. To know that Korah despised legitimate authority and resented Moses' leadership will protect you from factious folk who dislike anyone being seen as their leader.
3) Is it not clear, then, that God ordains that events happen and that they get recorded as history so that we will learn them and become wiser and more insightful about the present for the sake of Christ and his church. Never stop learning history. Gain some knowledge every day. And let us give our children one of the best protections against the folly of the future, namely, a knowledge of the past.
Learning with you, for Christ and his kingdom,
Pastor John
God Is Sovereign over Delays Proverbs 16:9
No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkout line--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands.
This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations.
In the Christian life, learning to wait is vitally important because until you do, you'll never be able to walk in obedience to God, have an effective prayer life, or experience the peace of resting in His loving sovereignty. We must learn to trust His judgment--about not just the big events in our lives, but also the trivial ones which cause us to become irritated, impatient, or even angry. If we're sensitive to His instruction, each delay has a lesson.
The next time you face an unexpected or unwanted wait, remember that it comes as no surprise to God. He wants to teach you patience and increase your faith. He's more interested in developing godly character than He is in making sure your schedule runs according to your plans.
In Step With God
Ephesians 4
People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth.
One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation--a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker.
Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things--past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches.
Provision is yet another blessing guaranteed for believers. There will be hard times, but God gives Christians everything necessary for following Him (Phil. 4:19). And His grace will always prove more than sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).
How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them.
The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you’re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him?
Grace, Mercy, and Peace
“Paul . . . To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:1-2)
Of the 13 letters written by the apostle Paul, only the three to Timothy and Titus use this threefold greeting: “Grace, mercy, and peace.” The other 10 letters use the more common “grace and peace.” Why the distinction? The Holy Spirit is never whimsical or capricious. Perhaps, since these three letters were the only ones addressed to pastors that Paul had trained, there was a more poignant emphasis intended.
Grace (charis) is the foundational core of God’s gift of salvation to those who trust Him (Ephesians 2:8). It is also the essence of the “gifts” that we received from the Holy Spirit to minister to each other (1 Corinthians 15:10). The charis is the basis for charisma that we receive. Those who have been entrusted with leadership responsibilities are reminded that the measure of those gifts is still God’s charis (Romans 12:3, 6).
Mercy is often understood through God’s forgiveness both in justice delayed and sentence nullified through Christ. It is also what the sovereign Godhead responds with when we ask for His help. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Peace is much more than mere lack of anxiety. It is “not as the world giveth” (John 14:27) but rather a supernatural, non-circumstantial contentment that is only given to the Lord’s twice-born. This peace is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” and is specifically designed to “keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
May this grace, mercy, and peace be a regular portion of your walk in the Kingdom as you serve the Lord Jesus. HMM III
“Very Good”
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)
On several occasions during the creation week, God had declared aspects of His creation as “good” (vv. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). But once His crown of creation was in place, the very image of Himself (vv. 26-27), He pronounced it all “very good” and ceased His creative activity (2:1-3).
Just what does it mean to be “very good” in God’s eyes? This term is used elsewhere in the Old Testament by men and regarding men, but here God Himself, the sinless, ever-living One, declares creation to be just what He wanted—able to accomplish and fulfill each of His plans and desires for it. Whatever else may be said about this creation, at the very least it must have been without death, being a phenomenon anathema to Him.
Death is identified as “the last enemy that shall be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 15:26). “Death reigned from Adam to Moses” (Romans 5:14), and “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27). Indeed, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). The source of this condition is known as the curse pronounced on all of creation due to man’s rebellion against God (Genesis 3) as had been promised (2:17). Even today “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and since all sin, all must die. Truly, sin has ruined God’s original sinless, deathless, “very good” creation.
But the story does not end there. The very Creator who pronounced the awful curse of death as the penalty for sin has Himself died to pay that penalty and one day will repeal the curse (Revelation 22:3) and abolish death (21:4). The creation will be returned to its original created intent, and all will once again be “very good.” JDM
Living Truths
“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:27)
Sin and death are grim realities in the world, but these are only temporary intruders, as it were. The God of creation is the living God; and “Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) is our living Savior, alive forevermore. It is appropriate, therefore, that the term “living” is applied over and over again to great truths of the Christian faith.
For example, the Holy Scriptures are called “the lively oracles” (Acts 7:38). “Lively” and “living” represent the same Greek word zao; thus, the Bible is God’s “living word.” Jesus Christ called Himself “the living bread which came down from heaven,” sent down by “the living Father” (John 6:51, 57). He also promised that all who believe on Him would find “living water” flowing through their lives (John 7:38).
He has opened for us through His substitutionary death and justifying resurrection “a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Furthermore, He has thereby “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
The Lord Jesus is the foundation of the great house of the Lord into which we come through Him. “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5). In this holy temple, we are therefore urged to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is [our] reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Our God is, indeed, the God of the living! HMM
Tragic Lot
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1)
One of the most tragic figures in all of Scripture is that of compromising Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who renounced the land of promise for the sinful society of Sodom, ultimately to lose everything of importance.
His slide into apostasy, as traced in Genesis 12–19, seems to parallel the progression described in today’s text of not becoming a godly believer.
Lot is first mentioned as traveling with Abram and Sarai from their homeland to Canaan in obedience to God’s command (Genesis 12:4-5; 13:5). A petty problem arises that surely could have been resolved (13:6-10), but Lot chose (v. 11) to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (v. 13).
Lot soon found a home in the city itself, not content to merely herd his flocks in the fertile valley. By standing in the way of sinners, when Sodom was attacked by enemies he was captured (14:12) and later rescued by Abram (vv. 14-16).
Lot’s identification with wicked Sodom did not end there, as it should have, for when the city’s wickedness was beyond God’s forbearance, Lot was found sitting in the seat of the scornful, a leader of the city, sitting in the gates with the town fathers (19:1). Lot was a “just” [or “righteous”] man, “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7), but his actions (Genesis 19:8) and his lack of spiritual influence even within his own family (vv. 14-16, 31-38) testify to the horror of such a compromising lifestyle.
May God grant us all the persevering faith of Abraham and not the compromising faith of Lot. JDM
Serving Christ
Matthew 25:34-40
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.
All of these aims--even the last one, which sounds so selfless--are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” We honor Him by doing likewise.
Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excuses for not trying--such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God’s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we’re blessed to be used by Him.
EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, “Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.”
An Opportunity for Growth - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkout line--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands.
This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations.
In the Christian life, learning to wait is vitally important because until you do, you'll never be able to walk in obedience to God, have an effective prayer life, or experience the peace of resting in His loving sovereignty. We must learn to trust His judgment--about not just the big events in our lives, but also the trivial ones which cause us to become irritated, impatient, or even angry. If we're sensitive to His instruction, each delay has a lesson.
The next time you face an unexpected or unwanted wait, remember that it comes as no surprise to God. He wants to teach you patience and increase your faith. He's more interested in developing godly character than He is in making sure your schedule runs according to your plans.
In Step With God
Ephesians 4
People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth.
One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation--a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker.
Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things--past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches.
Provision is yet another blessing guaranteed for believers. There will be hard times, but God gives Christians everything necessary for following Him (Phil. 4:19). And His grace will always prove more than sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).
How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them.
The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you’re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him?
Grace, Mercy, and Peace
“Paul . . . To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:1-2)
Of the 13 letters written by the apostle Paul, only the three to Timothy and Titus use this threefold greeting: “Grace, mercy, and peace.” The other 10 letters use the more common “grace and peace.” Why the distinction? The Holy Spirit is never whimsical or capricious. Perhaps, since these three letters were the only ones addressed to pastors that Paul had trained, there was a more poignant emphasis intended.
Grace (charis) is the foundational core of God’s gift of salvation to those who trust Him (Ephesians 2:8). It is also the essence of the “gifts” that we received from the Holy Spirit to minister to each other (1 Corinthians 15:10). The charis is the basis for charisma that we receive. Those who have been entrusted with leadership responsibilities are reminded that the measure of those gifts is still God’s charis (Romans 12:3, 6).
Mercy is often understood through God’s forgiveness both in justice delayed and sentence nullified through Christ. It is also what the sovereign Godhead responds with when we ask for His help. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Peace is much more than mere lack of anxiety. It is “not as the world giveth” (John 14:27) but rather a supernatural, non-circumstantial contentment that is only given to the Lord’s twice-born. This peace is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” and is specifically designed to “keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
May this grace, mercy, and peace be a regular portion of your walk in the Kingdom as you serve the Lord Jesus. HMM III
“Very Good”
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)
On several occasions during the creation week, God had declared aspects of His creation as “good” (vv. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). But once His crown of creation was in place, the very image of Himself (vv. 26-27), He pronounced it all “very good” and ceased His creative activity (2:1-3).
Just what does it mean to be “very good” in God’s eyes? This term is used elsewhere in the Old Testament by men and regarding men, but here God Himself, the sinless, ever-living One, declares creation to be just what He wanted—able to accomplish and fulfill each of His plans and desires for it. Whatever else may be said about this creation, at the very least it must have been without death, being a phenomenon anathema to Him.
Death is identified as “the last enemy that shall be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 15:26). “Death reigned from Adam to Moses” (Romans 5:14), and “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27). Indeed, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). The source of this condition is known as the curse pronounced on all of creation due to man’s rebellion against God (Genesis 3) as had been promised (2:17). Even today “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and since all sin, all must die. Truly, sin has ruined God’s original sinless, deathless, “very good” creation.
But the story does not end there. The very Creator who pronounced the awful curse of death as the penalty for sin has Himself died to pay that penalty and one day will repeal the curse (Revelation 22:3) and abolish death (21:4). The creation will be returned to its original created intent, and all will once again be “very good.” JDM
Living Truths
“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:27)
Sin and death are grim realities in the world, but these are only temporary intruders, as it were. The God of creation is the living God; and “Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) is our living Savior, alive forevermore. It is appropriate, therefore, that the term “living” is applied over and over again to great truths of the Christian faith.
For example, the Holy Scriptures are called “the lively oracles” (Acts 7:38). “Lively” and “living” represent the same Greek word zao; thus, the Bible is God’s “living word.” Jesus Christ called Himself “the living bread which came down from heaven,” sent down by “the living Father” (John 6:51, 57). He also promised that all who believe on Him would find “living water” flowing through their lives (John 7:38).
He has opened for us through His substitutionary death and justifying resurrection “a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Furthermore, He has thereby “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
The Lord Jesus is the foundation of the great house of the Lord into which we come through Him. “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5). In this holy temple, we are therefore urged to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is [our] reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Our God is, indeed, the God of the living! HMM
Tragic Lot
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1)
One of the most tragic figures in all of Scripture is that of compromising Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who renounced the land of promise for the sinful society of Sodom, ultimately to lose everything of importance.
His slide into apostasy, as traced in Genesis 12–19, seems to parallel the progression described in today’s text of not becoming a godly believer.
Lot is first mentioned as traveling with Abram and Sarai from their homeland to Canaan in obedience to God’s command (Genesis 12:4-5; 13:5). A petty problem arises that surely could have been resolved (13:6-10), but Lot chose (v. 11) to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (v. 13).
Lot soon found a home in the city itself, not content to merely herd his flocks in the fertile valley. By standing in the way of sinners, when Sodom was attacked by enemies he was captured (14:12) and later rescued by Abram (vv. 14-16).
Lot’s identification with wicked Sodom did not end there, as it should have, for when the city’s wickedness was beyond God’s forbearance, Lot was found sitting in the seat of the scornful, a leader of the city, sitting in the gates with the town fathers (19:1). Lot was a “just” [or “righteous”] man, “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7), but his actions (Genesis 19:8) and his lack of spiritual influence even within his own family (vv. 14-16, 31-38) testify to the horror of such a compromising lifestyle.
May God grant us all the persevering faith of Abraham and not the compromising faith of Lot. JDM
Serving Christ
Matthew 25:34-40
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.
All of these aims--even the last one, which sounds so selfless--are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” We honor Him by doing likewise.
Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excuses for not trying--such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God’s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we’re blessed to be used by Him.
EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, “Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.”
An Opportunity for Growth - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. -James 1:12
Have you ever had one of those times when you were walking with Lord, trying to do all the things that should encourage you in your Christian faith, and out of nowhere, you're being hit with heavy-duty temptations? In fact, it often happens at the worst conceivable times, such as when you're praying or you're in church. You wonder why it's happening to you.
Without a doubt, none of us enjoy being tempted, but there are some valuable lessons that come through those times that God allows in our lives.
Someone has said that Christians are a lot like tea bags; you don't know what they're made of until you put them into hot water. Sometimes we think we're doing pretty well spiritually. Then the Lord puts us in some hot water. He lets us go through a time of trial and temptation in our lives. It helps to strengthen us spiritually.
James wrote, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (James 1:2). He was not saying that we necessarily should be experiencing an all-encompassing emotion of joy or happiness in our times of hardship. Nor was he demanding that his readers enjoy the trials of life. James was not saying that trials are joy. They are not. In fact, Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it's painful!" (NLT).
James was saying, "Consider it joy. Make a deliberate choice to experience joy in your troubles." Why? They are accomplishing something in your life. It may hurt now, but what will come as a result will be so much better. You will be able to look back and say, "It wasn't easy, but it was worth it."
In the Christian life, God will allow trials. Count it joy and rejoice.
Family Ties - By Greg Laurie -
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. -James 1:1
I find it interesting that as James was writing his epistle, he never reminded us that he was the Lord's half-brother. Instead he began by introducing himself as "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1). That is an interesting description for a man who was the half-brother of Jesus.
If I were writing a letter and happened to be related in any capacity to Jesus, I certainly would bring that up, wouldn't you? Talk about name dropping. We live in a time when everyone is talking about famous people and celebrities. Anyone who is even remotely connected to someone famous has a story or two to tell.
Needless to say, the father of Jesus was not Joseph. God is the father of Jesus, who was supernaturally conceived in the womb of Mary. Yet Jesus was physically born, and He lived in the home of Mary and Joseph for His formative years. The Bible clearly teaches that He did have other brothers and sisters.
In fact, it's interesting to note that neither James nor any of Jesus' other siblings believed in Him prior to His resurrection. At one point in His ministry they came to take Him home, thinking He had taken leave of His senses. John tells us, "For even His brothers did not believe in Him" (John 7:5). His own brothers had not really accepted that Jesus was the Messiah.
This shows us that even living a perfect and flawless life is not necessarily enough to convince someone of the truth of the gospel. After all, who lived a more perfect life than Jesus? He never once sinned in any capacity. It reminds us that sometimes the hardest people to reach are those who are the closest to us, especially our family.
God's Grand Plan 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
It's amazing but true that God's grand plan for your life is far greater than you can imagine. In fact, this earth-bound existence has us so preoccupied with the demands of life that most of us give little thought to what it will mean to be completely sanctified.
In the Christian life, sanctification is a three-stage process. At the moment of salvation, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our earthly life, He works to transform us into the image of His Son. One day, however, there will be a glorious culmination to our sanctification. Presently, we all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits and souls will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we'll see our Savior face to face and experience unimaginable joy. No longer will we struggle with the pride of life or the lusts of the flesh and the eyes (1 John 2:16).
However, as great as this will be, it's not yet the final step. Some day in the future, Jesus will descend from heaven, bringing with Him the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete--spirit, soul, and body.
This is not a fairy tale, but the believer appointed destiny. God Himself promises to bring it to pass. We'll walk in His presence, spotless and without blame, for all eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn�t meant just to give hope, but to spur us on to holy living.
The Flame of Gifts
�Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.� (2 Timothy 1:6)
The apostle Paul uses more unique words in his writings than any other Bible author. Such is the case with the verb anazopureo, translated as �stir up� in our text for today, which is a compound of three Greek terms.
Ana, a primary preposition and adverb, is most often translated as �again� or �each,� depending on its context. Zoon is a frequently used noun meaning �life� or �living creature.� And pur is a root word meaning �fire� or �fiery.� Since it is only used this one time in the Scriptures, the translation is a bit difficult to coin an adequate English word or phrase for.
�Bring the fire alive (again)� is certainly implied from the syntax. �Make each fire alive� would emphasize the implied multiplicity of gifts. The tense indicates an ongoing process, and the direct object (the gift) seems to emphasize the need for Timothy�s action�since God gave Timothy the special leadership gift(s) when Paul personally ordained Timothy.
Paul�s first letter to Timothy implies that the young disciple had allowed the �fire� to grow weak in his ministry. Difficulty, discouragement, or doubt can attack anyone. Apathy, pessimism, worry, or lack of confidence can spin into lack of support or encouragement from friends or coworkers. Whatever the cause, the results are the same.
We can quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) so that we no longer sense His leading. We can even grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), bringing conviction to us in an effort to bring repentance and restoration. Such discipline is not pleasant but is necessary (Hebrews 12:11). But if we are to live in active joy while serving the Lord, we must �stir up� the gifts that He has carefully given us. HMM III
It's amazing but true that God's grand plan for your life is far greater than you can imagine. In fact, this earth-bound existence has us so preoccupied with the demands of life that most of us give little thought to what it will mean to be completely sanctified.
In the Christian life, sanctification is a three-stage process. At the moment of salvation, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our earthly life, He works to transform us into the image of His Son. One day, however, there will be a glorious culmination to our sanctification. Presently, we all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits and souls will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we'll see our Savior face to face and experience unimaginable joy. No longer will we struggle with the pride of life or the lusts of the flesh and the eyes (1 John 2:16).
However, as great as this will be, it's not yet the final step. Some day in the future, Jesus will descend from heaven, bringing with Him the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete--spirit, soul, and body.
This is not a fairy tale, but the believer appointed destiny. God Himself promises to bring it to pass. We'll walk in His presence, spotless and without blame, for all eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn�t meant just to give hope, but to spur us on to holy living.
The Flame of Gifts
�Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.� (2 Timothy 1:6)
The apostle Paul uses more unique words in his writings than any other Bible author. Such is the case with the verb anazopureo, translated as �stir up� in our text for today, which is a compound of three Greek terms.
Ana, a primary preposition and adverb, is most often translated as �again� or �each,� depending on its context. Zoon is a frequently used noun meaning �life� or �living creature.� And pur is a root word meaning �fire� or �fiery.� Since it is only used this one time in the Scriptures, the translation is a bit difficult to coin an adequate English word or phrase for.
�Bring the fire alive (again)� is certainly implied from the syntax. �Make each fire alive� would emphasize the implied multiplicity of gifts. The tense indicates an ongoing process, and the direct object (the gift) seems to emphasize the need for Timothy�s action�since God gave Timothy the special leadership gift(s) when Paul personally ordained Timothy.
Paul�s first letter to Timothy implies that the young disciple had allowed the �fire� to grow weak in his ministry. Difficulty, discouragement, or doubt can attack anyone. Apathy, pessimism, worry, or lack of confidence can spin into lack of support or encouragement from friends or coworkers. Whatever the cause, the results are the same.
We can quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) so that we no longer sense His leading. We can even grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), bringing conviction to us in an effort to bring repentance and restoration. Such discipline is not pleasant but is necessary (Hebrews 12:11). But if we are to live in active joy while serving the Lord, we must �stir up� the gifts that He has carefully given us. HMM III
False Prophets and True
�And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.� (Matthew 24:11)
In the apostolic period, two main gifts of the Spirit were those of the apostle and prophet. In fact, the church itself was �built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets� (Ephesians 2:20). One function of these men was to receive and transmit God�s revelation to His people�first verbally, then eventually written in permanent form in the New Testament. �Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit� (Ephesians 3:5).
The apostle Paul revealed also that such prophecies would cease once they were no longer needed. �When that which is perfect [or �complete�] is come, then that which is in part shall be done away� (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). Clearly in the context, this refers to the complete revelation of God. When the last book of the Bible was transmitted to the church by the last living apostle, the Lord warned us neither to �add unto� nor to �take away from the words of the book of this prophecy� (Revelation 22:18-19).
But many false prophets have indeed �gone out into the world� (1 John 4:1), just as Jesus warned, and they have �deceived many.� One of them, a self-asserted seventh-century �prophet� from Arabia, received certain �revelations� from a �god� that were vastly different from those of the God of the Bible, and his followers now number over a billion.
There have been others, before and since, and the Lord Jesus warned us always to �beware of false prophets� (Matthew 7:15). The basic criterion by which to test any alleged prophecy, ancient or modern, is whether or not it fully conforms to the written Word of God, the Bible. �To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them� (Isaiah 8:20). HMM
�And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.� (Matthew 24:11)
In the apostolic period, two main gifts of the Spirit were those of the apostle and prophet. In fact, the church itself was �built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets� (Ephesians 2:20). One function of these men was to receive and transmit God�s revelation to His people�first verbally, then eventually written in permanent form in the New Testament. �Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit� (Ephesians 3:5).
The apostle Paul revealed also that such prophecies would cease once they were no longer needed. �When that which is perfect [or �complete�] is come, then that which is in part shall be done away� (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). Clearly in the context, this refers to the complete revelation of God. When the last book of the Bible was transmitted to the church by the last living apostle, the Lord warned us neither to �add unto� nor to �take away from the words of the book of this prophecy� (Revelation 22:18-19).
But many false prophets have indeed �gone out into the world� (1 John 4:1), just as Jesus warned, and they have �deceived many.� One of them, a self-asserted seventh-century �prophet� from Arabia, received certain �revelations� from a �god� that were vastly different from those of the God of the Bible, and his followers now number over a billion.
There have been others, before and since, and the Lord Jesus warned us always to �beware of false prophets� (Matthew 7:15). The basic criterion by which to test any alleged prophecy, ancient or modern, is whether or not it fully conforms to the written Word of God, the Bible. �To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them� (Isaiah 8:20). HMM
Sanctification Isn't Passive 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"
When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.
But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godliness.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
The Power of Integrity - By Greg Laurie -
Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"
When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.
But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godliness.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
The Power of Integrity - By Greg Laurie -
That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. -Philippians 1:10-11
In ancient Rome, fine pottery was relatively thin and fragile and often would develop cracks after firing. Rather than remake the piece, unscrupulous shops would fill the cracks with hard, dark wax and then sell it as new.
So you would take your purchase home and put it outside, and in the blazing Mediterranean sun, parts of it would start to melt. Then you would take that pottery back to the shopkeeper and say, "What have you done? This isn't right. I want one without wax."
That is what Paul meant when he prayed that the believers in Philippi would be "sincere and without offense." Sincere is sometimes translated "without wax." So Paul was essentially saying, "Move forward in your life without moral failure." He wrote in 1 Corinthians 10, "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved (verses 32-33). Another way to translate that is, "Don't give an unbeliever a reason to not believe."
Jesus saved his most scathing words not for struggling sinners but for hypocritical believers, those who appeared to be one thing but really were another.
So let's make sure we are not people who bring reproach to the name of Jesus Christ. Each of us has a sphere of influence. Each of us has a group of people who are watching us carefully. They are scrutinizing every word and hoping we will mess up. When you walk with God, live a godly life, and do what He wants you to do, it drives some of them crazy. And so it should. It is the power of a good testimony.
God's Choice Shaping Tools Romans 12:1-5
God's kindness to us is demonstrated by the fact that He doesn't leave us in the condition we were in before coming to faith. How tragic it would be if we still thought, felt, and acted the same way we did before receiving Christ as our Savior. Throughout our lives, the Lord uses His choice tools to shape us into the image of His Son.
Prayer. By talking to the Lord in open dialogue, we develop a relationship with Him. He becomes not just our Savior, but our friend, and as the intimacy grows, so will our passion to be with Him. Setting aside time for prayer each day will become a delight, not a duty.
God's Word. You can't grow in your Christian life if you keep the Bible closed all week long. No one lives on one meal a week, yet many Christians try to get by with just a Sunday dinner of the Word served up by their pastor. How can we expect God's truth to do its transforming work if we never let it into our minds and hearts?
The Church. Christ uses His body of believers as a place for transformation. That's where we rub against each other and have the rough edges of our character smoothed. It is a place of instruction, accountability, and encouragement.
Are you letting the Lord use His character-shaping tools in your life? Our culture has no shortage of worldly voices and pressures that fill minds and influence behavior. Only when we intentionally schedule time for God, His Word, and His people can Christ do His transforming work in our lives.
The Sin of Complaining
�And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.� (Psalm 106:15)
Christians who complain about their circumstances would do well to ponder this sobering verse and its background. God had greatly blessed His people, Israel, delivering them supernaturally from slavery in Egypt, protecting them against their enemies�even miraculously supplying daily bread and water for them in the desert.
Still they complained�about their food, about the imaginary luxuries they had left behind in Egypt, and against their leaders. �And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled� (Numbers 11:1). Finally, when they complained about the manna, �the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly.� He sent them quail to eat in such abundance as to last �even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you.� Then, �while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed . . . the LORD smote the people with a very great plague� (Numbers 11:10, 20, 33).
God has blessed every Christian with forgiveness of sin and eternal life. He daily fulfills His promise to supply every need (not every desire, however), and we should live a thankful life in return, regardless of our particular lot in this world. �In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you� (1 Thessalonians 5:18). �Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee� (Hebrews 13:5). �Do all things without murmurings and disputings� (Philippians 2:14). Complaining about what we don�t have may well result in God taking away what we do have�and still worse, sending leanness into our souls. HMM
In His Time - By Greg Laurie -
God's kindness to us is demonstrated by the fact that He doesn't leave us in the condition we were in before coming to faith. How tragic it would be if we still thought, felt, and acted the same way we did before receiving Christ as our Savior. Throughout our lives, the Lord uses His choice tools to shape us into the image of His Son.
Prayer. By talking to the Lord in open dialogue, we develop a relationship with Him. He becomes not just our Savior, but our friend, and as the intimacy grows, so will our passion to be with Him. Setting aside time for prayer each day will become a delight, not a duty.
God's Word. You can't grow in your Christian life if you keep the Bible closed all week long. No one lives on one meal a week, yet many Christians try to get by with just a Sunday dinner of the Word served up by their pastor. How can we expect God's truth to do its transforming work if we never let it into our minds and hearts?
The Church. Christ uses His body of believers as a place for transformation. That's where we rub against each other and have the rough edges of our character smoothed. It is a place of instruction, accountability, and encouragement.
Are you letting the Lord use His character-shaping tools in your life? Our culture has no shortage of worldly voices and pressures that fill minds and influence behavior. Only when we intentionally schedule time for God, His Word, and His people can Christ do His transforming work in our lives.
The Sin of Complaining
�And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.� (Psalm 106:15)
Christians who complain about their circumstances would do well to ponder this sobering verse and its background. God had greatly blessed His people, Israel, delivering them supernaturally from slavery in Egypt, protecting them against their enemies�even miraculously supplying daily bread and water for them in the desert.
Still they complained�about their food, about the imaginary luxuries they had left behind in Egypt, and against their leaders. �And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled� (Numbers 11:1). Finally, when they complained about the manna, �the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly.� He sent them quail to eat in such abundance as to last �even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you.� Then, �while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed . . . the LORD smote the people with a very great plague� (Numbers 11:10, 20, 33).
God has blessed every Christian with forgiveness of sin and eternal life. He daily fulfills His promise to supply every need (not every desire, however), and we should live a thankful life in return, regardless of our particular lot in this world. �In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you� (1 Thessalonians 5:18). �Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee� (Hebrews 13:5). �Do all things without murmurings and disputings� (Philippians 2:14). Complaining about what we don�t have may well result in God taking away what we do have�and still worse, sending leanness into our souls. HMM
In His Time - By Greg Laurie -
"Known to God from eternity are all His works." -Acts 15:18
Has it ever seemed as though God has let you down? Perhaps it appeared that He didn't come through for you in your hour of need or that He somehow forgot about you. Maybe you asked Him to do a certain thing, and He didn't do it as quickly as you wanted Him to. He just seemed to be too late.
One reason we sometimes feel that way is because we live on a human schedule. There is a time when we wake up. There is a time when we eat lunch. There is a time when we go to sleep. Our lives are governed by schedules.
We can waste a lot of time, however. In an average lifetime, Americans will spend six months sitting at traffic lights waiting for them to change, spend one year searching through desk clutter looking for misplaced objects, spend eight months opening junk mail, spend two years trying to call people who aren't in, spend five years waiting in lines, and spend three years in meetings. (I guarantee that I've spent more than that.) And in one year, the average American will spend 1,700 hours watching television.
Somehow God doesn't seem to be bound by the same schedules we live by, because He lives in the eternal realm. We live in the physical and temporal realm. Therefore, it's hard for us to understand how God can work outside of our schedules. He keeps a different schedule than we do. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in His time."
God is above time. And when it seems as though He is late, this is what we need to remember: God is never late. He is always on time. We may lose sight of God, but He never loses sight of us.
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