Your journey as a witness - Bill Wilson -
Remember when we were younger, we would play doctor, or cowboy or house or some such thing. In this time frame, much of the "Church" is playing church. It's all about the numbers, paying the pastor, increasing the worship team, the new building fund, whatever. This keeps everybody thinking they are busy and doing something for the Lord. And they are, it's just not necessarily the Lord's best plan for them. Many have been asking me how to witness; are the "little people" able to do this, or do they have to have a big time ministry. We talk about this very subject quite a bit among our small church group. I encourage everyone to minister where they are. We are all called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do our part.
Too many people are just playing church. They are going to services; worship like everyone else beside them; often get encouraged (with probably scripture twisted into making the preacher's point, translated: bad doctrine or eisegesis) and they come home and return to their lives. During the week, they might go to their Wednesday service, a prayer meeting or some group they belong to. It's inside the walls of the church back to inside the walls of their homes, and not much mixing with the real world. Like a good marriage, you can't just play house, you have to work at it. Same principles apply. First, be an example. Second, communicate, not in a preachy way, but in a common sense, biblical-based way. Make sense.
Creating disciples is not always knocking on doors and handling out tracts (I'm guilty-have done that a lot), but rather it's relationship building and relationship management. To me, it's heart to heart-treating others as you would like to be treated, and in doing so, making the case for Christ with words, actions, and by example. In our church, we have a man who because he was in academia, has a lot of liberal, unbelieving friends. His ministry is very difficult because he gets put down, ridiculed and ostracized. But he keeps trying-some sow, some water, some harvest. Another lady in our church works in a very diverse dental office. She gets to witness, in her way, to Jews, Muslims, and, yes, Christians. Another ministers through her contacts in the horse industry as well as to members of her family.
Yet another does hair. The people who sit in her chair get to talk about things that lead to Christ and his ways-either subtly or more direct. One man in our church witnesses quietly in his place of work. He is widely respected and asked to say the prayer now at workplace gatherings. All these outreaches count. They change peoples' lives. You can do it, too. We have to remember that God's word does not return void and that each of us is a joint that supplies according to our measure to make increase in the body. Every journey starts with the first step. We can take a step of faith, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in pursuing God's plan for us. If you want to witness, seek the Lord and have Him show you the way that we join together in what James 1:22 says to "be doers of the word and not hearers only."
Daily Devotion: Only Believe - By Greg Laurie -
While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." -Luke 8:49-50
Have you ever experienced a time when everything was going well, and suddenly the bottom dropped out? Maybe it was a tragedy, such as the death of a loved one, the loss of your career, or bad news from your doctor.
If so, then you will find yourself in the touching story of how Jesus dealt with a man named Jairus. Everything was going wonderfully in his life-until his beloved twelve-year-old daughter grew very ill. No doubt he had called in the finest physicians, but she grew more and more ill. There was nothing he could do.
We don't know whether Jairus was a believer in Jesus. The Bible doesn't say. Being the head of the synagogue, he would have been a man of faith, a religious man. He had probably heard about Jesus and believed that he could save his daughter's life. So he found the Lord and begged Him to go and lay hands on her. He had faith in Jesus and placed his complete trust upon Him.
Jairus's faith was dramatic, especially when the story shifts, and it is revealed that his daughter had died. Still, Jairus believed the Lord could intervene. At this particular time in the ministry of the Lord, He had not raised anyone from the dead. He had healed people, but there had not been any resurrections. I love what Jesus said to Jairus at this point: "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well" (Luke 8:50 NKJV).
Jairus reached out to Christ and found what he needed from Him. His little girl was raised from the dead. It is a glorious story, and it serves as a simple reminder that everyone needs the Lord. Some people don't think they do. But in reality, everyone desperately needs Him.
Making Room for AtheismJohn Piper Our church exists “to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.” That is our mission. “All things” means business, industry, education, media, sports, arts, leisure, government, and all the details of our lives.
Ideally this means God should be recognized and trusted as supreme by every person he has made. But the Bible teaches plainly that there will never be a time before Jesus comes back when all people will honor him as supreme (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). So how do we express a passion for God’s supremacy in a pluralistic world where most people do not recognize God as an important part of their lives, let alone an important part of government or education or business or industry or art or recreation or entertainment? Answer: We express a passion for the supremacy of God... 1) by maintaining a conviction at all times that God is ever-present and gives all things their most important meaning. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Governor of all things. We must keep in our minds the truth that all things exist to reveal something of God’s infinite perfections. The full meaning of everything, from shoestrings to space shuttles, is the way they relate to God. 2) by trusting God in every circumstance to use his creative, sustaining, governing wisdom and power to work all things together for the good of all who love him. This is faith in the future grace of all that God promises to be for us in Jesus. 3) by making life choices that reveal the supreme worth of God above what the world values supremely. “The steadfast love of the Lord is better than life” (Psalms 63:3). So we will choose to die rather than lose sweet fellowship with God. This will show his supremacy over all that life offers. 4) by speaking to people of God’s supreme worth in creative and persuasive ways, and by telling people how they can be reconciled to God through Christ, so that they can enjoy God’s supremacy as protection and help, rather than fear it as judgment. 5) by making clear that God himself is the foundation for our commitment to a pluralistic democratic order -- not because pluralism is his ultimate ideal, but because in a fallen world, legal coercion will not produce the kingdom of God. Christians agree to make room for non-Christian faiths (including naturalistic, materialistic faiths), not because commitment to God’s supremacy is unimportant, but because it must be voluntary, or it is worthless. We have a God-centered ground for making room for atheism. “If my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight” (John 18:36). The fact that God establishes his kingdom through the supernatural miracle of faith, not firearms, means that Christians in this age will not endorse coercive governments -- Christian or secular. This is why we resist the coercive secularization implied in some laws that repress Christian activity in public places. It is not that we want to establish Christianity as the law of the land. That is intrinsically impossible, because of the spiritual nature of the kingdom. It is rather because repression of free exercise of religion and persuasion is as wrong against Christians as it is against secularists. We believe this tolerance is rooted in the very nature of the gospel of Christ. In one sense, tolerance is pragmatic: freedom and democracy seem to be the best political order humans have conceived. But for Christians it is not purely pragmatic: the spiritual, relational nature of God’s kingdom is the ground of our endorsement of pluralism, until Christ comes with rights and authority that we do not have. Do Not Neglect Your Spiritual Gift 1 Timothy 4:12-16 Every Christian is given at least one spiritual gift with which to serve the Lord and build up the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7). But many believers neglect this special empowerment of the Spirit. Although Timothy had some good reasons to forsake his calling from God, Paul advised him to "take pains with these things" and "be absorbed in them" (v. 15). As you look at Timothy, ask yourself if either of the following situations are hindering you from fully serving the Lord. Age: No matter how old we are, the Lord wants us to use our spiritual gifts. Because Timothy was young, he could easily have been intimidated by those with more experience. However, youth isn't our only excuse. Some believers think they're too old to serve the Lord. Even though our areas of ministry may change over the years, we're never called into spiritual retirement. Inadequacy: Have you ever avoided a service opportunity simply because you felt totally unqualified? That's probably how Timothy felt about leading the church at Ephesus. Our spiritual gifts rarely come to us fully developed. God often requires that we step out in faith and trust Him to work in and through us. Over time, as we obey and serve Him in our areas of giftedness, He increases the effectiveness of our ministry. Is anything keeping you from using your spiritual gifts? Though given to us, these abilities aren't for us; they're for the church. To neglect them would not only deprive fellow believers but also rob ourselves: there is joy and blessing in serving others anddoing the work God has designated for us. The Father's Love for the Son “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) In this remarkable verse, God the Father, speaking from heaven itself, introduces His beloved Son to the world. This is the first New Testament reference to “love,” just as the Father’s love for the Son was the first love that ever existed. As Christ prayed in the upper room, “For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). There are many other references to the Father’s love for the Son, including two to the voice at His baptism (Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22) and two more in the upper room prayer (John 17:23, 26). One great reason for that love is the following: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life” (John 10:17). The extent of the Father’s love for His blessed Son was all-encompassing. “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3:35). Furthermore, “the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth” (John 5:20). God also spoke of His “beloved Son” on the Mount of Transfiguration, as cited four times (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; 2 Peter 1:17). Thus, there are seven references in the New Testament to the Father’s heavenly testimony to His beloved Son. Similarly, there are seven passages where the Son Himself testifies of that Fatherly love. In addition to the six cited above, Christ said, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you” (John 15:9). Seven testimonies from the Father and seven from the Son! Surely the Father loved the Son with a perfect love. And yet—“Herein is love . . . that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Such love for unworthy sinners merits nothing less than total thanksgiving from us. HMM The Christian's Lifestyle: Our Relationships “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:21) Our calling is to walk worthy. Our gifts are perfect and complete. Our behavior is changed by the new man. Our wisdom is to understand the will of the Lord. Our control is being filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:22 through 6:9 presents a basic primer on human relationships in dynamics that impact most of our lives, our families, and our places of employment. Our relationships are to be carried out by submitting (ourselves) to one another in the fear of God. That key word hupotasso is itself instructive. It is a compound of the preposition “under” and a word that means to arrange in order. Thus, to arrange under, in order. In the home, the submission (order, arrangement) is compared to the Lord’s house, the church. Wives are to be arranged under the husband (emphasis on authority) just as the church is under the authority of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:22-24). Husbands are to be under the responsibility of love (emphasis on sacrifice) just as Christ gave His life on behalf of and for the benefit of the church (Ephesians 5:25-33). Children are to be under the arranged order of correct behavior (emphasis on obedience) just as the fifth commandment so requires for the protection and promotion of well-being and longevity (Ephesians 6:1-4). In the workplace, those who serve are to serve as though they were serving the Lord, not men (Ephesians 6:5-8). Those who lead and own are to relate to their servants as though they were serving the servants, recognizing that one Master is over all (Ephesians 6:9). These instructions are really quite simple. We do not need to complicate them. HMM III When to Pray “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2) There is no set time to pray, for it is always appropriate. Our text tells us to “continue” in prayer, and this is the same word as in Romans 12:12, which urges us to be “instant in” prayer. In fact, the admonition of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is to “pray without ceasing.” Children should pray, as did little Samuel. When the Lord called him, he could answer: “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10). Young people should pray, as Timothy, who was exhorted by Paul to make “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks . . . for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1). Adult men should pray, as did Paul himself, who could say to the Christians of Philippi that he was “always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy” (Philippians 1:4). Old men should pray, like Simeon, and old women, like Anna, who “served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:25, 36-37). And even dying men should pray, as did Stephen who, as he was being stoned to death, was also “calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). We can pray at dawn like David, who said: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3). In a Philippian prison, “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God” (Acts 16:25). Daniel “kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed” (Daniel 6:10). There is no time that is not a good time for prayer. One should pray in times of sorrow and also in times of joy, as did Hannah in both circumstances (1 Samuel 1:15; 2:1). It is a most marvelous privilege that we have through Christ that we are able to speak to the infinite God in prayer and to know that He hears and cares. Therefore, pray! HMM Things Not Seen “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7) The little phrase “things not seen” is used three times in the New Testament, and interestingly enough, these refer to the past, present, and future works of God with respect to the things that are seen. At the beginning of the “faith chapter” of Hebrews occur these remarkable words: “Now faith is . . . the evidence of things not seen. . . . Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:1, 3). That is, the material things of this present world were not made of pre-existing materials; they were supernaturally created by the word of the Creator! These things that are now seen provide evidence (or better, the “conviction”) of the things not seen—that is, of God’s creative work completed in the past. The “processes” that are now seen (as distinct from the “materials”) date especially from the time of the great Flood. The “things not seen as yet” by Noah—that is, the present atmospheric circulation, the present hydrological cycle, the present seasonal changes, and many other key phenomena of the present order—all were instituted in the days of Noah when “the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2 Peter 3:6). Finally, “we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for . . . the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Just as surely as the materials and processes of the present world once were unseen but now are easily seen, so the future eternal world will soon be clearly seen when Christ returns. HMM
This Same Jesus
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, then later ascended into heaven, His body was immortal, no longer subject to death—yet it was a physical body, capable of being seen and heard and touched, even capable of eating with His disciples. He was clearly recognizable, yet could quickly ascend from Earth to heaven and could pass through a solid wall. As He ascended, two angelic messengers said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). He was immeasurably different after His resurrection, yet Peter could also proclaim “that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Furthermore, even when He returns and assumes the eternal throne of the universe, He will still be the same. “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: . . . they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” (Hebrews 1:8, 12). This was the same Jesus whom John the Baptist identified at the beginning of His earthly ministry. “He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33). In fact, before His baptism, and even before His incarnation, He was the same. “In the beginning was the Word . . . The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). This same Jesus who lived among men, identified by John the Baptist as the Son of God, and who died on the cross, is the eternal Word by whom all things were made, as well as the resurrected Savior and coming King. Jesus Christ is truly “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” HMM
In His Time - By Greg Laurie -
He has made everything beautiful in its time. -Ecclesiastes 3:11
By nature, I'm an impatient person. I am always ready to go. When a pizza is delivered, I don't want to wait for it to cool down. Microwave ovens seem slow to me now, although we went for years without them.
In the same way, a lot of us grow impatient with God. The Bible says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV). If we rush things, we can ruin them. We can destroy what God is doing.
Someone might say, "Lord, I want to be used by You. When are You going to open the door of ministry for me?" Someone else might say, "When am I going to get married?"
Or, we may see someone getting away with a sin. We know what they're doing is wrong. We say, "Lord, how long are You going to let them get away with that?"
We can look at the state our world is in right now and say, "Lord, when are You going to come back and establish Your kingdom?"
We have to wait. The Lord is saying, "I will do this for you in My time."
We can grow impatient with God, and in our impatience, we can sometimes foolishly take things into our own hands and make them far worse. If you don't believe that, just read the story of Jacob. If things didn't go his way, he offered God a little assistance. The Lord wanted to bless him and give him a birthright. But through conniving, he made a mess out of his life, and he came to regret what he had done.
We need to wait upon the Lord. His timing is just as important as His will. He doesn't ask for us to understand. He just asks for us to trust.
A Caring Church Luke 10:25-37
Do you realize that believers should not have to look beyond the body of Christ to have their needs met? We are meant to be a self-sustaining body. After several decades in ministry, I have seen only one way for the church to function as it should: believers must commit to give of themselves on behalf of others. For example, a man determines to pray and struggle alongside a hurting brother until the burdensome situation is resolved or peace returns. Or a woman makes herself available to answer a new Christian's questions about the weekly sermon--the two ladies search the Bible and fill their minds with Scripture. And there are countless other ways to serve others, such as driving an elderly member to the service, teaching a Sunday school class, or visiting a weary single mom and listening to her concerns. Before you become overwhelmed by the variety of needs in your church, let me remind you that loving each other is meant to be a body-wide effort. One person cannot meet every need. But suppose you commit to serving a small group of folks whom God brings into your sphere of influence. If, in order to care for them, you surrender self-focused preferences about resources and time, the Lord will bless you with more joy and contentment than you've ever known. To serve others before serving yourself is to practice authentic Christianity. I'm certain that if believers commit to meeting as many needs as the Lord brings to their attention, then a lazy church can be transformed, becoming a true body of believers who function together for the glory of God. Bumping Life Off (Self) Centerby Max Lucado Blame the bump on Copernicus. Until Copernicus came along in 1543, we earthlings enjoyed center stage. Fathers could place an arm around their children, point to the night sky, and proclaim, �The universe revolves around us.� Ah, the hub of the planetary wheel, the navel of the heavenly body, the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue of the cosmos. Ptolemy�s second-century finding convinced us. Stick a pin in the center of the stellar map, and you�ve found the earth. Dead center. And, what�s more, dead still! Let the other planets vagabond through the skies. Not us. No sir. We stay put. As predictable as Christmas. No orbiting. No rotating. Some fickle planets revolve 180 degrees from one day to the next. Not ours. As budgeless as the Rock of Gibraltar. Let�s hear loud applause for the earth, the anchor of the universe. But then came Nicolaus. Nicolaus Copernicus with his maps, drawings, bony nose, Polish accent, and pestering questions. Oh, those questions he asked. �Ahem, can anyone tell me what causes the seasons to change?� �Why do some stars appear in the day and others at night?� �Does anyone know exactly how far ships can sail before falling off the edge of the earth?� �Trivialities!� people scoffed. �Who has time for such problems? Smile and wave, everyone. Heaven�s homecoming queen has more pressing matters to which to attend.� But Copernicus persisted. He tapped our collective shoulders and cleared his throat. �Forgive my proclamation, but,� and pointing a lone finger toward the sun, he announced, �behold the center of the solar system.� People denied the facts for over half a century. When like-minded Galileo came along, they imprisoned him. You�d have thought he had called the king a stepchild or the pope a Baptist. People didn�t take well to demotions back then. We still don�t. What Copernicus did for the earth, God does for our souls. Tapping the collective shoulder of humanity, he points to the Son--his Sonand says, �Behold the center of it all.� �God raised him [Christ] from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church� (Ephesians 1:20�22 MSG). When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn�t look at you. When heaven�s stagehands direct the spotlight toward the star of the show, I need no sunglasses. No light falls on me. Lesser orbs, that�s us. Appreciated. Valued. Loved dearly. But central? Essential? Pivotal? Nope. Sorry. Contrary to the Ptolemy within us, the world does not revolve around us. Our comfort is not God�s priority. If it is, something�s gone awry. If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn�t we always be pleased? Could a Copernican shift be in order? Perhaps our place is not at the center of the universe. As John Piper writes, �God does not exist to make much of us. We exist to make much of him.� It�s not about you. It�s not about me. The moon models our role. What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light. And she�s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won�t hear ol� Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth. What would happen if we accepted our place as Son reflectors? Such a shift comes so stubbornly, however. We�ve been demanding our way and stamping our feet since infancy. Aren�t we all born with a default drive set on selfishness? I want a spouse who makes me happy and coworkers who always ask my opinion. I want weather that suits me and traffic that helps me and a government that serves me. It is all about me. We relate to the advertisement that headlined, �For the man who thinks the world revolves around him.� A prominent actress justified her appearance in a porn magazine by saying, �I wanted to express myself.� Self-promotion. Self-preservation. Selfcenteredness. It�s all about me! They all told us it was, didn�t they? Weren�t we urged to look out for number one? Find our place in the sun? Make a name for ourselves? We thought self-celebration would make us happy... But what chaos this philosophy creates. What if a symphony followed such an approach? Can you imagine an orchestra with an �It�s all about me� outlook? Each artist clamoring for self-expression. Tubas blasting nonstop. Percussionists pounding to get attention. The cellist shoving the flutist out of the center-stage chair. The trumpeter standing atop the conductor�s stool tooting his horn. Sheet music disregarded. Conductor ignored. What do you have but an endless tune-up session! Harmony? Hardly. Happiness? Are the musicians happy to be in the group? Not at all. Who enjoys contributing to a cacophony? You don�t. We don�t. We were not made to live this way. But aren�t we guilty of doing just that? No wonder our homes are so noisy, businesses so stress filled, government so cutthroat, and harmony so rare. If you think it�s all about you, and I think it�s all about me, we have no hope for a melody. We�ve chased so many skinny rabbits that we�ve missed the fat one: the God-centered life. What would happen if we took our places and played our parts? If we played the music the Maestro gave us to play? If we made his song our highest priority? Would we see a change in families? We�d certainly hear a change. Less �Here is what I want!� More �What do you suppose God wants?� What if a businessman took that approach? Goals of money and name making, he�d shelve. God reflecting would dominate. And your body? Ptolemaic thinking says, �It�s mine; I�m going to enjoy it.� God-centered thinking acknowledges, �It�s God�s; I have to respect it.� We�d see our suffering differently. �My pain proves God�s absence� would be replaced with �My pain expands God�s purpose.� Talk about a Copernican shift. Talk about a healthy shift. Life makes sense when we accept our place. The gift of pleasures, the purpose of problems--all for him. The God-centered life works. And it rescues us from a life that doesn�t. But how do we make the shift? How can we be bumped off self-center? Attend a seminar, howl at the moon, read a Lucado book? None of these (though the author appreciates that last idea). We move from me-focus to God-focus by pondering him. Witnessing him. Following the counsel of the apostle Paul: �Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord� (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV). Beholding him changes us. Couldn�t we use a change? Let�s give it a go. Who knows? We might just discover our place in the universe. God's Pop Quizzes - By Greg Laurie -
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. -Hebrews 4:15
When I was in school, my heart would sink whenever the teacher would stand in front of the class and say, "I want you to put away your textbook and pull out a sheet of paper. This is a pop quiz."
God gives tests, too, and He rarely tells us when they are coming. You might say, "I'm so strong in the Lord. I'm becoming more and more like Jesus."
The Lord says, "Is that so? Let's try a little pop quiz. Let's see how you do with a test. Let's see how you do when things don't go your way, when an unexpected problem arises."
The Bible tells the story of a Syrophoenician woman, a Gentile, who had a demon-possessed daughter. She came to Jesus and begged Him to heal her daughter. But Jesus said, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep-the people of Israel" (Matthew 15:24 NLT). Instead of being discouraged, she again pleaded with the Lord to help her.
Then Jesus said, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs" (verse 26 NLT).
She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters' table" (verse 27 NLT).
I think a smile must have come across the Lord's face when He heard that. He said, "Dear woman, your faith is great. Your request is granted" (verse 28 NLT). Instead of seeing the Lord's test as an obstacle, she saw it as a bridge and climbed over it.
God's delays are not necessarily His denials. Just because God doesn't say yes to you today doesn't mean He may not say yes tomorrow or the day after or the week after. Don't worry about it. Just leave it in His time.
How to Serve the Church 1 Corinthians 12:18-26
When I talk about serving the church with God-given talents and gifts, people oftentimes think too small. They picture the choir singer or the Sunday school teacher. But if they don't happen to be naturallly adept at singing or teaching, they give up. It's time we stop thinking in terms of a "Sunday only" establishment. The church is not a place or a time; it is a body of believers, each one uniquely gifted by God to guide, help, challenge, and support the rest. In fact, most service to the Lord doesn't take place inside the church building. It happens out in the world, where we do all the things that Scripture commands. Most believers are not in a position to influence a lot of people. When we act or speak, only those closest to us notice, but a chain reaction ripples outward to affect an entire community. Paul's metaphor of body parts working together harmoniously is a helpful description of how one small action can have a widespread impact. Consider the way tensing your big toe keeps your foot stable and thereby steadies your whole body. In the same way, a gentle rebuke, a listening ear, or a loving deed benefits the church by strengthening one brother or sister, who then supports another... We are on this earth to serve the kingdom of God and His church. And we do that by ministering to each other in small ways that steady the whole body as we give extra support to one member. In talking about such service, I am challenging you to find a need that God can meet through you. God of All Graces �Now the God of peace be with you all.� (Romans 15:33) Our God of all the world has been known by many names in Scripture (Elohim, Jehovah, Adonai, etc.), but He is also identified, especially in the New Testament, as the God of many virtues and graces. Our text calls Him, for example, the �God of peace.� The same appellation is given Him in Romans 16:20, Hebrews 13:20-21, and Philippians 4:9: �The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly�; �now the God of peace . . . make you perfect in every good work to do his will�; �the God of peace shall be with you.� He is even called the very God of peace who will �sanctify you wholly� in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. He is �the God of hope� in the beautiful invocation of Romans 15:13. �Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.� To the sorrowing, He is �the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort� (2 Corinthians 1:3). And, of course, He is the �God of love,� as Paul reminded the Corinthians in closing his last letter to them. �Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you� (2 Corinthians 13:11). The apostle Peter wound up his first epistle by reminding his own readers that their God was �the God of all grace.� �The God of all grace, . . . make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you� (1 Peter 5:10). In summary, our gracious God is the God of peace, the God of hope, the God of all comfort, the God of love, and the God of all grace. He is also �the Father of mercies� and �the Spirit of truth� (John 14:17; 15:26). And the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, is of God, �made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption� (1 Corinthians 1:30). HMM Understanding the Bible 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 �I just don�t understand the Bible.� That�s a comment I hear quite often, even from believers. We can understand why those without Christ are unable to comprehend biblical concepts, but why do those who know Him struggle? Some people think that a seminary education is the answer, but I have met several trained pastors and teachers who didn�t really understand the Word of God. They knew facts, but they had no excitement for the Scriptures or for the Lord. The key is not education but obedience. As we act on what we read, the Holy Book �comes alive,� and we begin to hear and understand the voice of God. However, if we have not obeyed what He�s previously revealed to us, why would He give us His deeper truths? �The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him� (Ps. 25:14), and those who fear Him are the ones who obey His commandments and are promised �a good understanding� (Ps. 111:10). Living a fleshly lifestyle of disobedience to the Lord clouds our eyes, diminishes our ability to hear, and fogs our thinking. Although we have full access to the mind of Christ, our attachment to our own sinful ways keeps us from tapping into the rich treasures of wisdom that are found in His Word. As you read the Scriptures each day, look for God�s instructions. Then with reliance upon the Holy Spirit, commit to do what He tells you. When you obey His voice, He�ll reveal deeper truths, and your understanding will grow. Soon your time in the Word will become a delight instead of a duty. |
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