A Godly Response to Criticism Proverbs 15:31-33
No one likes criticism, but encountering some is inevitable, so we need to learn how to respond in a godly way. Although you might be tempted to become defensive or angry, remain calm and listen. The words may hurt, but great benefits come to those who carefully consider what is said.
If we refuse to accept reproof, we'll limit our potential for Christlike character development and spiritual growth. Some of life's best lessons come through difficult experiences. If God allowed the situation, you can be sure that He wants to use it in transforming you into His Son's image. Whether the criticism is valid or not, whether it's delivered with kindness or harshness, your goal should always be to respond in a way that glorifies the Lord. Remember that you are responsible only for how you handle yourself, not for how the other person is acting.
When a criticism comes your way, be quiet and listen until the other person has finished. Make direct eye contact to show attentiveness and respect. When your critic finishes, thank him for bringing his concerns to your attention, and tell him that you will consider what he's said. Ask the Lord if the accusation is valid. Let Him search your heart and either affirm your innocence or convict you.
Every rebuke is an opportunity from God. It's a chance to let your Christian character shine by showing love to your critic. If he is angrily attacking you, your respect and kindness become a powerful testimony. Criticism is also an occasion to humble yourself and accept the Lord's correction.
Don't Waste Your CancerJohn Piper
Note: This article originally appeared in 2006. John Piper no longer has cancer.
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God's power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God's plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: "They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). If you don't believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). "There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel" (Numbers 23:23). "The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God's design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, "We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." How can you lay it to heart if you won't think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
Satan's and God's designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God's design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." And to know that therefore, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, "Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD" (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, "He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill" (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don't waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss—loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different—it is permeated with hope. "We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don't waste your cancer grieving as those who don't have this hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination—all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don't just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don't waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: "They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness" (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don't waste it.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. "My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
How to Handle Praise
Proverbs 27:21
How do you respond when someone compliments you? Some people absolutely love receiving praise because it lifts their spirits and makes them feel valuable. Others are uncomfortable with it. They look down at their feet or offer reasons why they really don't deserve such praise.
For Christians, there's another dilemma. We're called to be humble, so what are we to do when others say good things about us? Because pride is always waiting to raise its ugly head, we need to be careful not to let praise puff us up. Some believers think that accepting a compliment is a sign of pride, so they make a big show of giving all the glory to God. That's fine, if it's really what's in their hearts, but too often it becomes a rote "Christian" response that's geared to impressing others.
My advice is simply to say, "Thank you very much." Then whisper a prayer in your heart to the Lord, thanking Him for the blessing, recognizing that anything worthy of praise ultimately comes from Him. If you felt encouraged, let the person know how the comment blessed you. If you receive praise for an achievement that was really a group effort, be sure to redirect the compliment to all those who were involved. A blessing is always more enjoyable when it's shared.
Our character is tested by the praise that comes to us. Every compliment that bounces into our ears should quickly rebound up to the Father. If we hold onto it, the poison of pride will begin to infect our hearts. But if we pass the praise to God, humility takes up residence in our souls.
The Cup of Salvation
“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:12-13)
Here is a remarkable question and answer. To everyone born into the world, God has given multitudes of benefits. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). Some receive more than others, but all receive many, so the question is what we should do for the Lord in return. The answer is simply to receive His great gift of eternal salvation!
On one occasion the people of Capernaum asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” His answer must be profoundly surprising to anyone who believes that he can please God and earn salvation by doing good works. “This is the work of God,” said Jesus, “that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29).
The truth is we can never pay for our sins by good deeds. If one is ever to be saved from his sins and to obtain salvation, it must be received solely by faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death,” but “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” so that “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” and—in the words of our text above—“whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 5:15; 10:13).
Therefore, when a repentant sinner calls in faith on the wonderful name of our gracious Lord, he drinks of the healing cup of salvation and receives everlasting life. Because Jesus drank the bitter cup of God’s righteous judgment on our sins, we can drink deeply of the “living water. . . . springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10-14), and we can say with the psalmist: “My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:5-6). HMM
The Healing Ministry of Jesus
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:16-17)
The earthly healing ministries of Jesus are here said to have fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:4: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” The Hebrew words used do allow this New Testament application, so this passage does, indeed, predict the healing work of the Messiah in His earthly ministry. Isaiah 53:5-6 then predicts the substitutionary atoning work of the Messiah, concluding with the statement: “The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
The order is important. The healing ministry preceded the atonement, just as the prophecy of healing preceded the prophecy of Christ’s atoning work. This means that particular healings cannot be a part of the atonement itself. The reason for the earthly healing work of Christ was “that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6).
The saving work of Christ includes deliverance from the death penalty for sin in one’s past life, the power of sin in this present life, and the very presence of sin in the future life. Our great salvation has already delivered us from the eternal torments of the second death (Revelation 20:14; 21:8), from the defeating power of physical infirmities in our present bodies, and from the very presence of sickness and pain in the future. In any case, there is no question that God is well able in particular situations right now either to provide direct healing in answer to prayer or sufficient grace to meet whatever physical need we have in a way that honors Him (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). HMM
The Power of the Gospel - by Greg Laurie -www.harvest.org
Proverbs 3:7-12
Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life. Following the Lord�s directions will change behavior and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires. He leads us to think differently about ourselves, our values, and and even the difficulties facing us.
We naturally want to determine our own course in life. It seems like the only logical way to get where we want to go. But being wise in our own eyes is pride. To combat this tendency, the Lord instructs us to fear Him and turn away from evil (v. 7). This �fear� is not a horrified dread of the Father, but an attitude of respect that motivates us to obey Him for both our good and His glory.
We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves. A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get. But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first part of all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (vv. 9-10).
We naturally hate God�s discipline. His painful reproofs seem to prove that He doesn�t care about us. But our heavenly Father says His discipline is the evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (vv. 11-12).
Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions�doing what He says�but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns. To stay on God�s path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behavior but also in our hearts and minds.
Jesus and the Study of Scripture
�And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?� (John 7:15)
In the midst of the annual Feast of Tabernacles, �Jesus went up into the temple, and taught� (John 7:14), and the unique caliber of His teaching (literally �indoctrinating�) caused the Jewish scholars there to �marvel.�
Their question on this occasion was how an uneducated man, who had never been taught by the scribes and rabbis, could have acquired such a remarkable understanding of the Holy Scriptures. He had never had formal training in the Word; yet, when He taught, �he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes� (Matthew 7:29).
His answer to their question was amazing: �My doctrine [or �teaching�] is not mine, but his that sent me� (John 7:16).
There are two factors at work here. First of all, His working knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures was encyclopedic, acquired in the same way any other student of the Word can acquire it�by diligent and prayerful personal study thereof. He had done this all His life from the time He was a small boy. Remember how He had �asked questions� of the astonished doctors in the temple, and then how He was �subject unto� His parents, and how He �increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man� (Luke 2:46; 51-52). In all of this, He is a perfect human example to us as we also seek to learn the Scriptures and to grow in wisdom and in favor with God.
But beyond His human understanding of the Word, of course, was His own innate divine wisdom and authority. He was eternal God, as well as perfect man. Thus, He not only has authenticated the former Scriptures and given us an example in their study and use, but has also conveyed perfectly to us, through His holy apostles and prophets, the Scriptures of the New Covenant as well. HMM
Uncluttered Faith
by Max Lucado
One of my favorite stories concerns a bishop who was traveling by ship to visit a church across the ocean. While en route, the ship stopped at an island for a day. He went for a walk on a beach. He came upon three fishermen mending their nets.
Curious about their trade he asked them some questions. Curious about his ecclesiastical robes, they asked him some questions. When they found out he was a Christian leader, they got excited. �We Christians!� they said, proudly pointing to one another.
The bishop was impressed but cautious. Did they know the Lord�s Prayer? They had never heard of it.
�What do you say, then, when you pray?�
�We pray, �We are three, you are three, have mercy on us.� �
The bishop was appalled at the primitive nature of the prayer. �That will not do.� So he spent the day teaching them the Lord�s Prayer. The fishermen were poor but willing learners. And before the bishop sailed away the next day, they could recite the prayer with no mistakes.
The bishop was proud.
On the return trip the bishop�s ship drew near the island again. When the island came into view the bishop came to the deck and recalled with pleasure the men he had taught and resolved to go see them again. As he was thinking a light appeared on the horizon near the island. It seemed to be getting nearer. As the bishop gazed in wonder he realized the three fishermen were walking toward him on the water. Soon all the passengers and crew were on the deck to see the sight.
When they were within speaking distance, the fisherman cried out, �Bishop, we come hurry to meet you.�
A Life-and-Death Debate - by Greg Laurie -
1 Peter 2:2-3
Did you ever watch an infant take a feeding? Hungry little ones clutch the bottle, smack their lips, and make soft contented noises. They thoroughly enjoy their nourishment. But there comes a time when milk isn�t enough to satiate baby�s appetite anymore. That�s when a whole worldof culinary possibilities opens up.
Comparing new believers to babies, Peter said that they �long for the pure milk of the word� (v. 2). You wouldn�t feed a newborn steak and spinach, would you? Well, baby Christians must sip scriptural truths that they understand. Then, like a growing child, they shoot up as they feast on Bible passages, gradually taking in more and meatier principles and topics.
Believers are not left alone to make sense of Scripture any more than babies and young children are expected to get their own meals. The Holy Spirit, who indwells God�s followers, illuminates the Word. That is, He makes the meaning clear to those who seek to understand. Moreover, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, God has given gifted Christians to the church to act as pastors and teachers. They are charged with equipping the saints for service (v. 12). These leaders instruct, clarify, and motivate people to grow in their personal faith and to fulfill the church�s purpose of reaching the lost.
God�s Word is a feast for our heart, mind, and spirit. This is one banquet table where there is no such thing as taking too much. In fact, the advice many parents give their children at the dinner table applies to the Christian life as well: �Eat up! Scriptural food makes you grow strong.�
Paul as Our Example
�Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.� (Philippians 4:9)
The apostle Paul many times urged his readers to follow his example in living the Christian life. To the Philippians, Paul said: �Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample� (Philippians 3:17).
The initial reaction to such exhortations is to think of Paul as arrogant. To the believers in the Corinthian church, he said: �Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me� (1 Corinthians 4:16). To those at Thessalonica, he said: �For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. . . . Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us� (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9).
At the same time, Paul considered himself to be �the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle� (1 Corinthians 15:9). Later he called himself �less than the least of all saints� (Ephesians 3:8), and finally he said that he was even the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
In no way was the apostle Paul an egotist. Nevertheless, he knew that his converts needed an example to see, as well as precepts to learn. The Lord Jesus Christ, of course, is our real example (1 Peter 2:21). But by living a life patterned after Christ, however, Paul could say: �Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ� (1 Corinthians 11:1).
People need to see Christ in the lives of their Christian leaders. By the grace of God, we also need to live as Christ did, so that when people follow us, they also will be following Christ. �Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven� (Matthew 5:16). HMM
Upside Down Living - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
No one likes criticism, but encountering some is inevitable, so we need to learn how to respond in a godly way. Although you might be tempted to become defensive or angry, remain calm and listen. The words may hurt, but great benefits come to those who carefully consider what is said.
When a criticism comes your way, be quiet and listen until the other person has finished. Make direct eye contact to show attentiveness and respect. When your critic finishes, thank him for bringing his concerns to your attention, and tell him that you will consider what he's said. Ask the Lord if the accusation is valid. Let Him search your heart and either affirm your innocence or convict you.
Every rebuke is an opportunity from God. It's a chance to let your Christian character shine by showing love to your critic. If he is angrily attacking you, your respect and kindness become a powerful testimony. Criticism is also an occasion to humble yourself and accept the Lord's correction.
Don't Waste Your CancerJohn Piper
Note: This article originally appeared in 2006. John Piper no longer has cancer.
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God's power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God's plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: "They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him" (Job 42:11). If you don't believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). "There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel" (Numbers 23:23). "The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God's design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, "We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." How can you lay it to heart if you won't think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, "Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD" (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, "He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill" (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don't waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss—loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different—it is permeated with hope. "We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don't waste your cancer grieving as those who don't have this hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination—all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don't just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don't waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: "They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness" (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don't waste it.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. "My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
How to Handle Praise
Proverbs 27:21
How do you respond when someone compliments you? Some people absolutely love receiving praise because it lifts their spirits and makes them feel valuable. Others are uncomfortable with it. They look down at their feet or offer reasons why they really don't deserve such praise.
My advice is simply to say, "Thank you very much." Then whisper a prayer in your heart to the Lord, thanking Him for the blessing, recognizing that anything worthy of praise ultimately comes from Him. If you felt encouraged, let the person know how the comment blessed you. If you receive praise for an achievement that was really a group effort, be sure to redirect the compliment to all those who were involved. A blessing is always more enjoyable when it's shared.
Our character is tested by the praise that comes to us. Every compliment that bounces into our ears should quickly rebound up to the Father. If we hold onto it, the poison of pride will begin to infect our hearts. But if we pass the praise to God, humility takes up residence in our souls.
The Cup of Salvation
“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:12-13)
Here is a remarkable question and answer. To everyone born into the world, God has given multitudes of benefits. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). Some receive more than others, but all receive many, so the question is what we should do for the Lord in return. The answer is simply to receive His great gift of eternal salvation!
On one occasion the people of Capernaum asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” His answer must be profoundly surprising to anyone who believes that he can please God and earn salvation by doing good works. “This is the work of God,” said Jesus, “that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29).
The truth is we can never pay for our sins by good deeds. If one is ever to be saved from his sins and to obtain salvation, it must be received solely by faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death,” but “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” so that “the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” and—in the words of our text above—“whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 5:15; 10:13).
Therefore, when a repentant sinner calls in faith on the wonderful name of our gracious Lord, he drinks of the healing cup of salvation and receives everlasting life. Because Jesus drank the bitter cup of God’s righteous judgment on our sins, we can drink deeply of the “living water. . . . springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10-14), and we can say with the psalmist: “My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:5-6). HMM
The Healing Ministry of Jesus
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:16-17)
The earthly healing ministries of Jesus are here said to have fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:4: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” The Hebrew words used do allow this New Testament application, so this passage does, indeed, predict the healing work of the Messiah in His earthly ministry. Isaiah 53:5-6 then predicts the substitutionary atoning work of the Messiah, concluding with the statement: “The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
The order is important. The healing ministry preceded the atonement, just as the prophecy of healing preceded the prophecy of Christ’s atoning work. This means that particular healings cannot be a part of the atonement itself. The reason for the earthly healing work of Christ was “that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6).
The saving work of Christ includes deliverance from the death penalty for sin in one’s past life, the power of sin in this present life, and the very presence of sin in the future life. Our great salvation has already delivered us from the eternal torments of the second death (Revelation 20:14; 21:8), from the defeating power of physical infirmities in our present bodies, and from the very presence of sickness and pain in the future. In any case, there is no question that God is well able in particular situations right now either to provide direct healing in answer to prayer or sufficient grace to meet whatever physical need we have in a way that honors Him (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). HMM
The Power of the Gospel - by Greg Laurie -www.harvest.org
The power of the Lord was upon them, and large numbers of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. - Romans
1:16
1:16
My life was dramatically impacted by the power of the gospel in a single day. I came to the Lord on my high school
campus after hearing the gospel presented in a way that I had never heard it before. I responded and gave my life to Jesus Christ, and immediate changes started to take place.
campus after hearing the gospel presented in a way that I had never heard it before. I responded and gave my life to Jesus Christ, and immediate changes started to take place.
The Lord used the Christians on my campus, fellow high school students who were unashamed to live out their faith.
If someone had tried to reach me by being cool or relating to me, I don't know how well they would have done. I'd had enough cool to choke on in the world. I had pretty much been there, done that, and I was fed up with it. I was searching.
If someone had tried to reach me by being cool or relating to me, I don't know how well they would have done. I'd had enough cool to choke on in the world. I had pretty much been there, done that, and I was fed up with it. I was searching.
I had already, through the process of elimination, determined where the answer in life was not. It was not in the hedonistic,
materialistic, party lifestyle of my parents' generation. Nor was it in the choices that I made as a kid. Being cool would not have reached me.
materialistic, party lifestyle of my parents' generation. Nor was it in the choices that I made as a kid. Being cool would not have reached me.
In fact, the people who reached me probably were what I would have considered the lamest people on the face of the
earth. I thought you couldn't be any lamer than a Christian. They walked around carrying Bibles and talking about God. I thought that was the most absurd choice a person could possibly make. I had basically narrowed it down to this: either these people were
out of their minds-actually disturbed mentally, or they really did have an encounter with Christ. Of course, in the end I concluded it was option two. I heard the gospel and made a commitment to the Lord.
earth. I thought you couldn't be any lamer than a Christian. They walked around carrying Bibles and talking about God. I thought that was the most absurd choice a person could possibly make. I had basically narrowed it down to this: either these people were
out of their minds-actually disturbed mentally, or they really did have an encounter with Christ. Of course, in the end I concluded it was option two. I heard the gospel and made a commitment to the Lord.
I was looking for something real, something authentic, and I found it in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God�s Compass for the Heart and MindProverbs 3:7-12
Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life. Following the Lord�s directions will change behavior and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires. He leads us to think differently about ourselves, our values, and and even the difficulties facing us.
We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves. A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get. But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first part of all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (vv. 9-10).
We naturally hate God�s discipline. His painful reproofs seem to prove that He doesn�t care about us. But our heavenly Father says His discipline is the evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (vv. 11-12).
Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions�doing what He says�but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns. To stay on God�s path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behavior but also in our hearts and minds.
Jesus and the Study of Scripture
�And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?� (John 7:15)
In the midst of the annual Feast of Tabernacles, �Jesus went up into the temple, and taught� (John 7:14), and the unique caliber of His teaching (literally �indoctrinating�) caused the Jewish scholars there to �marvel.�
Their question on this occasion was how an uneducated man, who had never been taught by the scribes and rabbis, could have acquired such a remarkable understanding of the Holy Scriptures. He had never had formal training in the Word; yet, when He taught, �he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes� (Matthew 7:29).
His answer to their question was amazing: �My doctrine [or �teaching�] is not mine, but his that sent me� (John 7:16).
There are two factors at work here. First of all, His working knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures was encyclopedic, acquired in the same way any other student of the Word can acquire it�by diligent and prayerful personal study thereof. He had done this all His life from the time He was a small boy. Remember how He had �asked questions� of the astonished doctors in the temple, and then how He was �subject unto� His parents, and how He �increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man� (Luke 2:46; 51-52). In all of this, He is a perfect human example to us as we also seek to learn the Scriptures and to grow in wisdom and in favor with God.
But beyond His human understanding of the Word, of course, was His own innate divine wisdom and authority. He was eternal God, as well as perfect man. Thus, He not only has authenticated the former Scriptures and given us an example in their study and use, but has also conveyed perfectly to us, through His holy apostles and prophets, the Scriptures of the New Covenant as well. HMM
Uncluttered Faith
by Max Lucado
One of my favorite stories concerns a bishop who was traveling by ship to visit a church across the ocean. While en route, the ship stopped at an island for a day. He went for a walk on a beach. He came upon three fishermen mending their nets.
Curious about their trade he asked them some questions. Curious about his ecclesiastical robes, they asked him some questions. When they found out he was a Christian leader, they got excited. �We Christians!� they said, proudly pointing to one another.
The bishop was impressed but cautious. Did they know the Lord�s Prayer? They had never heard of it.
�What do you say, then, when you pray?�
�We pray, �We are three, you are three, have mercy on us.� �
The bishop was appalled at the primitive nature of the prayer. �That will not do.� So he spent the day teaching them the Lord�s Prayer. The fishermen were poor but willing learners. And before the bishop sailed away the next day, they could recite the prayer with no mistakes.
The bishop was proud.
On the return trip the bishop�s ship drew near the island again. When the island came into view the bishop came to the deck and recalled with pleasure the men he had taught and resolved to go see them again. As he was thinking a light appeared on the horizon near the island. It seemed to be getting nearer. As the bishop gazed in wonder he realized the three fishermen were walking toward him on the water. Soon all the passengers and crew were on the deck to see the sight.
When they were within speaking distance, the fisherman cried out, �Bishop, we come hurry to meet you.�
A Life-and-Death Debate - by Greg Laurie -
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. - Jude 1:3
I have been preaching for a long time now. I have seen a lot of generations come and go, from the Boomers and the Busters to Generations X, Y, and Z. But one thing that hasn't changed over the years is my emphasis on the teaching of the Bible, and the preaching of the gospel. That never can change. It never will change. And it never must change.
The gospel "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16), and the gospel is under attack like never before. While the church always has had its little disagreements and has debated different things, the attack that I'm talking about is not a disagreement about preferred styles of worship music, the order of prophetic events, or the never-ending debate about the sovereignty of God and the free will of man.
This is a life-and-death debate, because there are a growing number of people who call themselves evangelicals who are questioning whether Jesus Christ really is the only way to salvation. They are debating whether all Scripture is indeed inspired by God.
Some of them would encourage us to engage in a dialogue and not in bold and decisive preaching. And we even have some who are telling us the most important thing the church should be focusing on is global warming.
This is not the faith that "was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). This is not the faith we are called to earnestly contend for.
I am all for being contemporary. I am all for being relevant. But we must be truthful. We must be accurate. And, most importantly, we must be biblical.
Let's get our priorities straight. Let's get back to our primary message, or we will lose what little influence we have as a church today.
Feasting on the Word1 Peter 2:2-3
Did you ever watch an infant take a feeding? Hungry little ones clutch the bottle, smack their lips, and make soft contented noises. They thoroughly enjoy their nourishment. But there comes a time when milk isn�t enough to satiate baby�s appetite anymore. That�s when a whole worldof culinary possibilities opens up.
Believers are not left alone to make sense of Scripture any more than babies and young children are expected to get their own meals. The Holy Spirit, who indwells God�s followers, illuminates the Word. That is, He makes the meaning clear to those who seek to understand. Moreover, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, God has given gifted Christians to the church to act as pastors and teachers. They are charged with equipping the saints for service (v. 12). These leaders instruct, clarify, and motivate people to grow in their personal faith and to fulfill the church�s purpose of reaching the lost.
God�s Word is a feast for our heart, mind, and spirit. This is one banquet table where there is no such thing as taking too much. In fact, the advice many parents give their children at the dinner table applies to the Christian life as well: �Eat up! Scriptural food makes you grow strong.�
Paul as Our Example
�Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.� (Philippians 4:9)
The apostle Paul many times urged his readers to follow his example in living the Christian life. To the Philippians, Paul said: �Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample� (Philippians 3:17).
The initial reaction to such exhortations is to think of Paul as arrogant. To the believers in the Corinthian church, he said: �Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me� (1 Corinthians 4:16). To those at Thessalonica, he said: �For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. . . . Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us� (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9).
At the same time, Paul considered himself to be �the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle� (1 Corinthians 15:9). Later he called himself �less than the least of all saints� (Ephesians 3:8), and finally he said that he was even the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
In no way was the apostle Paul an egotist. Nevertheless, he knew that his converts needed an example to see, as well as precepts to learn. The Lord Jesus Christ, of course, is our real example (1 Peter 2:21). But by living a life patterned after Christ, however, Paul could say: �Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ� (1 Corinthians 11:1).
People need to see Christ in the lives of their Christian leaders. By the grace of God, we also need to live as Christ did, so that when people follow us, they also will be following Christ. �Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven� (Matthew 5:16). HMM
Upside Down Living - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, 'These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.' - Acts 17:6
It was said of the early church that they turned the world upside down. And that, by the way, was offered as a criticism, not a compliment. When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica preaching the gospel, it was said of them critically, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too" (Acts 17:6).
This is the church that changed the world through prayer and through preaching. But it seems today the opposite is happening. We have double standards, moral compromise, and little to no power. We need to get back to what the early church experienced as given on the day of Pentecost.
Some would say we need another Pentecost. However, we don't need another Pentecost any more than we need another Calvary. Let's just appropriate what was made available at the first Pentecost. The power that was given to the first-century believers is also available to twenty-first-century believers as we bring the gospel to our generation.
What concerns me is that we are so worried about fitting in, so worried about relating, and so worried about being cool that we have forgotten what it is to make a stand for what is true. And instead of the church turning the world upside down, my fear is that the world is turning the church upside down.
Vance Havner said, "We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God."
Believers today need to be involved in upside down living. The early church turned their world upside down (or should I say right side up?). And in this crazy, topsy-turvy world where wrong is right and right is wrong, we need to do the same.
A Very Present Help
�God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.� (Psalm 46:1-3)
The modifier �very� in this verse is a strong word. God is an intensively present helper in time of trouble. �Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid� (John 14:27). Those who hold a deistic philosophy argue that God is far away, leaving the earth and its inhabitants to work out their own evolutionary salvation after He first started it going billions of years ago. But they are wrong, for God is right here, right now! �The LORD of hosts is with us� (Psalm 46:11).
There had, indeed, been a time when the earth was removed (literally, �the ground was changed�), and even the mountains had been eroded away and washed into the oceans. The waters swelled higher and the mountains quaked until finally, in the words of the apostle Peter, �the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished� (2 Peter 3:6).
This was the great Flood in the days of Noah�the greatest �trouble� in the world�s history. Even then, God had provided a refuge for His people�the Ark that He instructed Noah to build. When the Flood came, �the LORD shut him in,� and throughout the height of the cataclysm, �God remembered Noah, and every living thing� (Genesis 7:16; 8:1). There are great judgments coming on the earth in future days as well (Psalm 46:6-9), when the earth itself will be melted (literally �dissolved,� 2 Peter 3:10).
Again, the Lord�s people in that day can still say: �The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge� (Psalm 46:7). From the beginning of creation to the end of the age, God is a very present help to His people. HMM
�God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.� (Psalm 46:1-3)
The modifier �very� in this verse is a strong word. God is an intensively present helper in time of trouble. �Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid� (John 14:27). Those who hold a deistic philosophy argue that God is far away, leaving the earth and its inhabitants to work out their own evolutionary salvation after He first started it going billions of years ago. But they are wrong, for God is right here, right now! �The LORD of hosts is with us� (Psalm 46:11).
There had, indeed, been a time when the earth was removed (literally, �the ground was changed�), and even the mountains had been eroded away and washed into the oceans. The waters swelled higher and the mountains quaked until finally, in the words of the apostle Peter, �the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished� (2 Peter 3:6).
This was the great Flood in the days of Noah�the greatest �trouble� in the world�s history. Even then, God had provided a refuge for His people�the Ark that He instructed Noah to build. When the Flood came, �the LORD shut him in,� and throughout the height of the cataclysm, �God remembered Noah, and every living thing� (Genesis 7:16; 8:1). There are great judgments coming on the earth in future days as well (Psalm 46:6-9), when the earth itself will be melted (literally �dissolved,� 2 Peter 3:10).
Again, the Lord�s people in that day can still say: �The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge� (Psalm 46:7). From the beginning of creation to the end of the age, God is a very present help to His people. HMM
The Christian's Speech
�Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.� (Colossians 4:6)
A Christian�s words are of transcendent importance, for Jesus has said: �Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment� (Matthew 12:36). The word �answer� in the text above means more than simply an answer to a question. The Greek word is used 250 times in the New Testament, and in every other instance it is used in a simple narrative sense (such as, �he answered saying�). Thus it refers to ordinary conversation, indicating that every verbal response of a Christian should be gracious and tasteful�never crude, or hurtful, or bland.
The Scriptures include many other specifications for a Christian�s speech. In the first place, there should not be too much of it! �Study to be quiet, and to do your own business� (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Our words should be carefully chosen, able to be substantiated��sound speech, that cannot be condemned� (Titus 2:8). People should be able to rely on the truth of what we say. �Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour� (Ephesians 4:25). Furthermore, �let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers� (Ephesians 4:29). �But who ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth� (Colossians 3:8). Our words should always be edifying and helpful, wholesome and thoughtful.
But if this seems humanly impossible, remember God is able to tame our tongues, even though we cannot! The key is prayer�earnest and consistent prayer�not just that our speech become innocuous, but that it may edify, testify, and minister grace. HMM
�Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.� (Colossians 4:6)
A Christian�s words are of transcendent importance, for Jesus has said: �Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment� (Matthew 12:36). The word �answer� in the text above means more than simply an answer to a question. The Greek word is used 250 times in the New Testament, and in every other instance it is used in a simple narrative sense (such as, �he answered saying�). Thus it refers to ordinary conversation, indicating that every verbal response of a Christian should be gracious and tasteful�never crude, or hurtful, or bland.
The Scriptures include many other specifications for a Christian�s speech. In the first place, there should not be too much of it! �Study to be quiet, and to do your own business� (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Our words should be carefully chosen, able to be substantiated��sound speech, that cannot be condemned� (Titus 2:8). People should be able to rely on the truth of what we say. �Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour� (Ephesians 4:25). Furthermore, �let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers� (Ephesians 4:29). �But who ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth� (Colossians 3:8). Our words should always be edifying and helpful, wholesome and thoughtful.
But if this seems humanly impossible, remember God is able to tame our tongues, even though we cannot! The key is prayer�earnest and consistent prayer�not just that our speech become innocuous, but that it may edify, testify, and minister grace. HMM
Live Intentionally 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Paul was a man who lived life to the full. His goals were to know Christ, abide in His power, fellowship in His suffering, and preach the gospel (Phil. 3:10; 1 Cor. 1:17). In doing so, he aligned his aspirations with the Lord's, diligently worked to fulfill his calling, and persevered through opposition, persecution, and suffering. He could face the end of his life with confidence since he'd "fought the good fight," "finished the course," and "kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
We'd all like to be able to say the same at the end of our lives, but that means we have to follow Paul's example. How are you doing at setting goals for your life? Have you thought beyond the immediate and set some long-term objectives? Our culture is so fast-paced that few of us take the time to actually consider where we're going. But you don't want to finish your life and find out you were on a course other than God's, fighting the wrong fight, and struggling to keep the faith.
Why not set aside some time this week to get alone with the Lord. Then ask His help in setting goals that will take you where He wants you to go. Consider every area of your life--personal, relational, financial, and vocational--but make spiritual goals your primary emphasis. Then write them down.
If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting. Maybe it's time to get out of your rut and find a new path. God will help you change direction and accomplish new goals that align with His will. Don't settle for the mediocrity of an unplanned life. Start living intentionally.
The Original 120 - by Greg Laurie -
Paul was a man who lived life to the full. His goals were to know Christ, abide in His power, fellowship in His suffering, and preach the gospel (Phil. 3:10; 1 Cor. 1:17). In doing so, he aligned his aspirations with the Lord's, diligently worked to fulfill his calling, and persevered through opposition, persecution, and suffering. He could face the end of his life with confidence since he'd "fought the good fight," "finished the course," and "kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
Why not set aside some time this week to get alone with the Lord. Then ask His help in setting goals that will take you where He wants you to go. Consider every area of your life--personal, relational, financial, and vocational--but make spiritual goals your primary emphasis. Then write them down.
If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting. Maybe it's time to get out of your rut and find a new path. God will help you change direction and accomplish new goals that align with His will. Don't settle for the mediocrity of an unplanned life. Start living intentionally.
The Original 120 - by Greg Laurie -
They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. - Acts 1:14
The book of Acts is the story of a handful of men and women who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, did not leave their world the same way they found it. They were ordinary people who, empowered by the Spirit, were able to do extraordinary things.
This was the beginning of a movement that continues to this day, because the book of Acts is the story of the life-transforming move of the Spirit of God changing the lives of those who encounter Him. Thus, it is an unfinished book.
I am not suggesting, of course, that we add new chapters to the book of Acts. But we should not put a period where God has put a comma. God is still working, and in a sense, these acts of the Holy Spirit are still being recorded in our day.
The book of Acts was written to cover a period of church history spanning about thirty years. As we read it, we basically see nonstop action. One chapter ends with a miracle, and another begins with something supernatural taking place. Thus, we might falsely conclude these first-century believers had miracles at every moment.
I don't think that was necessarily the case. I think they, like us, had many days of simply walking by faith and applying biblical principles as they sought to obey God. Yet the book of Acts is the record of the intervention of the Holy Spirit, where He did amazing things here and there as He chose to do them. It is the record of the Spirit of God working through the Word of God in the hearts and lives of the people of God.
And within thirty years, this original group of 120 Christians and their converts were able to change the world.
Just Be Ready - by Greg Laurie -
And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.' - Acts 1:7
I'm a student of Bible prophecy, and I believe the Lord could come back at any time. I believe we've seen signs of the times and prophecies fulfilled before our very eyes, not the least of which is the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel.
At the same time, I have seen people who claim to have discovered special Bible codes and to have determined the day of Jesus' return. Yet Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).
As the book of Acts opens, Jesus is alive, and the disciples return to an old idea: "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). They still didn't quite get it. They were excited that the Lord was alive again, but they were saying, in effect, "Okay, we are back to business as usual. It's really weird the way You got crucified, but You're alive, and it's wonderful. Now, let's get the kingdom established." They still thought Jesus was coming to establish an earthly kingdom and overthrow the power of Rome.
But Jesus responded, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (verse 7). He was saying, "This is not the thing for you to be concerned with right now."
Jesus was saying to them (and to us), "Don't be so worried about when I am coming. Rather, focus on what you are to be doing while you await My coming. Don't worry about the when. Just be ready, because it could happen at any moment."
As we look at history, we see that the Roman Empire eventually crumbled . . . but the gospel prevailed.
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