Set Up for a Fall - by Greg Laurie -
Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.-2 Timothy 4:10
Some things are best left unfinished, like your Thanksgiving meal, perhaps. But then other things are best left finished, like a workout or a trip to the gym the day after Thanksgiving.
We all know what it's like to start a project and not finish it. But in some areas of life, this becomes more significant.
For example, a couple starts a marriage and it gets hard, so they give up. Or someone starts a ministry, and it isn't as easy as they hoped it would be. So they give up. Maybe someone started a career that didn't go as they hoped it would or started school but didn't complete it. The list goes on and on.
Sadly, there are even people who make a profession of faith but then turn away. The apostle Paul had this happen with Demas. Paul mentions him in Colossians, 2 Timothy, and Philemon. How amazing it would be to have your name mentioned in Scripture. If it had been me, I would have dropped that into every conversation: "Maybe you've heard of me from the book of Philemon?"
However, in 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul wrote, "Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica" (NLT). Basically Paul was saying, "Remember Demas? Well, he bailed on me. He has even walked away from the faith, loving this present world more than the Lord."
That isn't a good way for people to remember you. Demas didn't finish what he started. It isn't always the sinful things that break our focus. Sometimes it's choosing the urgent over the important, the good over what's best, or the short term over the long term. So be careful.
The moment you kick back a little could be the setup for a fall. Be constantly moving forward, growing, learning, and becoming more like Jesus.
You Cannot Save Yourselfby Max Lucado
You work hard, pay your dues, and �zap��your account with God is paid in full. Jesus says, �No way.�
What you want costs far more than you can pay. You don�t need a system of payment, you need a Savior. You don�t need a resume, you need a Redeemer.
The Bible says, �For what is impossible with men is possible with God� (Luke 18:27). Don�t miss the thrust of this verse. You cannot save yourself. Not through the right rituals. The right doctrine. Not through the right goose bumps. Jesus� point is crystal clear. It is impossible for human beings to save themselves.
It�s not the possessions�it�s the pomp that hinders us. It�s a different path. Admission of failure isn�t usually admission into joy. Complete confession isn�t commonly followed by total pardon. But then again, God has never been governed by what�s common!
What you want costs far more than you can pay. You don�t need a system of payment, you need a Savior. You don�t need a resume, you need a Redeemer.
The Bible says, �For what is impossible with men is possible with God� (Luke 18:27). Don�t miss the thrust of this verse. You cannot save yourself. Not through the right rituals. The right doctrine. Not through the right goose bumps. Jesus� point is crystal clear. It is impossible for human beings to save themselves.
It�s not the possessions�it�s the pomp that hinders us. It�s a different path. Admission of failure isn�t usually admission into joy. Complete confession isn�t commonly followed by total pardon. But then again, God has never been governed by what�s common!
Wonderful Words of Life
“Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.” (Psalm 119:129)
Modern liberals may ridicule Bible-believing Christians as bibliolaters, but the fact is that it is not possible to place the Bible on too high a pedestal. “Thy testimonies are wonderful,” the psalmist says, for “his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor” (Isaiah 9:6), whose testimonies they are.
Consider just how wonderful are the Scriptures. They were written in the heart of God even before the creation. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Then, “at sundry times and in divers manners,” this eternal Word of God was conveyed to men, as God “spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). Finally, it was complete, and the last of the prophets concluded it with an all-embracing warning: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18-19). Critics who tamper with the words of the Bible are on dangerous ground, the psalmist said: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160). Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
Eternal in the past; inviolable in the present; forever in the future! All we shall ever need for our guidance is to be found in God’s wonderful testimonies: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. . . . That the man of God may be perfect” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It is not possible to have too high a view of Scripture, “for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2). HMM
“Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.” (Psalm 119:129)
Modern liberals may ridicule Bible-believing Christians as bibliolaters, but the fact is that it is not possible to place the Bible on too high a pedestal. “Thy testimonies are wonderful,” the psalmist says, for “his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor” (Isaiah 9:6), whose testimonies they are.
Consider just how wonderful are the Scriptures. They were written in the heart of God even before the creation. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Then, “at sundry times and in divers manners,” this eternal Word of God was conveyed to men, as God “spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). Finally, it was complete, and the last of the prophets concluded it with an all-embracing warning: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18-19). Critics who tamper with the words of the Bible are on dangerous ground, the psalmist said: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160). Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
Eternal in the past; inviolable in the present; forever in the future! All we shall ever need for our guidance is to be found in God’s wonderful testimonies: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. . . . That the man of God may be perfect” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It is not possible to have too high a view of Scripture, “for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2). HMM
Our Heavenly Father Matthew 6:8-13
When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as "Our Father." They had previously heard Jesus say, "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household of God have this same right.
Since our concepts of God are shaped by our earthly fathers, we all have different perceptions of Him, but Jesus is the only one who has a completely accurate understanding of the heavenly Father. Consider some of the ways He cares for His children:
• Loves: God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16).
• Listens: When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Ps. 55:16-17).
• Provides: The Father assumes responsibility for meeting all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
* Guides: He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6).
• Protects: The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers. (Ps. 121:1-8).
• Stays: He's not an absentee parent, since He'll never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8).
• Disciplines: The Lord disciplines us
for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:5-11).
Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our view of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see Him as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care and discover a security we've never known before.
A Done Deal and a Daily Developmentby Max Lucado
Are a bride and groom ever more married than they are the first day? The vows are made and the certificate signed—could they be any more married than that? Imagine fifty years later. They finish each other’s sentences, order each other’s food. They even start looking alike– a thought which troubles Denalyn deeply. Wouldn’t they be more married on their 50th anniversary than on their wedding day? Marriage is both a done deal and a daily development.
The same is true of our walk with God. Can you be more saved than you were the first day of your salvation? No. But can a person grow in salvation? Absolutely. Like marriage, it’s a done deal and a daily development. Do you feel so saved, you never serve? The fact is, you and I are here for a reason, and that reason is to grow and glorify God in our service.
They Shall Never Perish
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)
What rich blessings Christ promises to those who “hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (v. 27). To think that the omnipotent Creator knows us and gives us eternal life! He is certainly powerful enough to see that this life is in no danger, either from our own weaknesses (“they shall never perish”) or from the enemy without (“pluck them out”). Temporary eternal life simply cannot be. The eternal life that He gives lasts for eternity.
Actually, the promise “they shall never perish” is very strong in the original Greek. A repeating negative precedes the word “perish,” and the specific form of the word “never” literally includes “eternally,” or “forever.” A more complete rendering would then be, “They shall not, in no wise perish, no, not for eternity.”
The word “man” is not in the original, and the word “any” is more properly translated “any one” or “any being.” This includes Satan—no match for the Savior. He is powerless to pluck or snatch us from either the Father’s or the Son’s hands. How could we be any more secure?
Note that the Father gave us to His beloved Son as gifts of His love. In turn, Christ values these precious gifts so much that He holds us securely in His hand, so tightly that no created being can snatch us away. The Father even assists in providing us this security, for we are also in the “Father’s hand,” and “I and my Father are one” (v. 30).
When we consider the size and strength of the Creator’s hand, we can understand why no one, not even Satan, can snatch us out of its protective care. JDM
God's No-Tolerance Policyby Max Lucado
Hypocrisy turns people against God, so he has a no-tolerance policy. Let’s take hypocrisy as seriously as God does. For starters, expect no credit for good deeds. None! If no one notices, you aren’t disappointed. If someone does, you give the credit to God. If no one knew of the good you do, would you still do it? If not, you’re doing it to be seen by people.
Things We Can't Do Without
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)
There are many things in this world that we can easily get along without, but some that are absolutely essential: First of all, we need Christ. Otherwise we are like the Gentiles described in our text—“without Christ . . . having no hope, and without God in the world.”
Secondly, if we were ever to be saved, Christ must shed His blood for our sins, for “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). In order for His death to be effective for our salvation, He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Before Christ’s work actually becomes effective in our personal salvation, it must be believed and received by faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6). This faith must be true faith, which transforms the life, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Works do not bring salvation, but saving faith brings “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).
Among those things that accompany salvation is holiness, “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Another is the privilege of chastisement! Our heavenly Father must deal with His errant children in loving discipline. Otherwise, “if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye . . . not sons” (Hebrews 12:8).
There are thus seven things we cannot do without. We cannot do without Christ, without the shedding of His blood, without His sinlessness, without faith in Him, without works for Him, without holiness unto Him, and without chastisement by Him. He said, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). But with Him, we have everything. HMM
He is Preparing a Placeby Max Lucado
God’s purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God’s plotting for our good. In all the setbacks, He is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our day is designed to draw us toward our God and our destiny. When people junk you in the pit, God can use it for good. When family members sell you out, God will recycle the pain. Falsely accused? Utterly abandoned? You may stumble but you will not fall. You will get through this!
Not because you are strong, but because God is. Not because you are big, but because God is. Not because you’re good, but because
Our Weapons
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3)
This verse introduces a famous apologetic charge to the saints. The key to the whole passage is the qualifier “we do not war after the flesh.”
We must conduct war with non-flesh weapons, since “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Fleshly wisdom (2 Corinthians 1:12) often is nothing more than a “snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26) and may well spoil us if we are not very careful (Colossians 2:8).
The objective, of course, is to bring every intellectual argument captive to the truth of Scripture. This is done by the pulling down of strongholds and “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This warfare, if not done according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 1:17), is “mighty through God” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Nowhere in these verses is there permission or an implied need to learn the thoughts of the enemy before we can bring them into captivity. Biblical data insist that the flesh has “no good thing” (Romans 7:18) and cannot understand the things of God. The weapons we have are not fleshly (i.e., natural thinking, natural emotion, human reasoning, etc.). Our weapons (Ephesians 6) are the “sword of the Spirit” (offensive) and the “shield of faith” (defensive), and we’re protected by the full armor of God—praying always. It is not possible to learn all the subtle arguments of the enemy. What is possible, however, is a knowledge of the truth through our having the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) that will make us sufficient for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). HMM III
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes—flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that—in the proper context—the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best. God Knows Moreby Max Lucado
�O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.� (Psalm 65:2)
There come times in each life when loneliness overshadows like a cloud, and no one is there to listen and provide counsel. Or perhaps there is some problem so personal and intimate that it seems unfitting or too embarrassing to share with anyone else.
But God will listen! No need is so small, no place too remote, no burden too heavy that He who is the �God of all grace� and �the God of all comfort� (1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 1:3) will not listen and care. �The LORD will hear when I call unto him� (Psalm 4:3).
Young people sometimes complain that their parents won�t listen to them; wives may say their husbands don�t listen; sometimes it seems that no one will listen to our questions or ideas about anything. But �the LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth� (Psalm 145:18). Therefore, �pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah� (Psalm 62:8).
But how can He listen? After all, God is far away upon His throne. The risen Savior ascended far above all heavens to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. How can the Father hear when we whisper a prayer in our hearts that no human could hear?
God is indeed up there, but He is also right here! Jesus said: �It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you� (John 16:7). Our God is a triune God, and He can be both in heaven and in our room and even, as the Holy Spirit, within our very hearts. Of course, �if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me� (Psalm 66:18). But for those who confess and forsake their sins, �his ears are open unto their prayers� (1 Peter 3:12). HMM
Being Thankful for Grace
�Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.� (Romans 5:20)
This is the day that Americans set aside to reflect on the blessings of God that have been showered on us in the previous year. All other holidays, even Christmas and Easter, can be skewed into a non-Christian meaning, but not Thanksgiving. Historically, it was a time to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest, and experientially, while there are those to whom we should give thanks for particular favors, there is only one to whom we can give thanks for the blessings of life. Nothing else makes sense.
Christians, of course, have much more for which to give thanks than the non-believer, or at least they have the eyes with which to see and the heart with which to recognize God�s blessings. Indeed, Paul instructs us that �in every thing [we should] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you� (1 Thessalonians 5:18); the tense of the verb implying a habitual, continual thanksgiving.
But specifically, we should be thankful for His grace, which, as explained in our text, completely overwhelmed our sin and instead brought salvation and freedom from guilt. �For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God� (Ephesians 2:8).
Five Commands
�Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.� (1 Peter 1:13)
In our text and the succeeding two verses, five commands are given to the believer striving to live a godly life. Let us look briefly at each one.
Gird up the loins of your mind: Using the long, flowing robes worn by most people in Greek societies as a word picture, Peter commands us to gird up our minds just as such a robe needed to be gathered up in preparation for strenuous activity. We need to discipline our minds for action.
Be sober: A drunken person has a disoriented mind, lacks self-control, and is not alert to his surroundings. We are commanded to maintain a calm and thoughtful state of mind, in full control of all our actions.
Hope to the end, or �patiently fix your hope�: We must recognize that He is in control and patiently wait for Him. The focus of our expectation is His grace, which we presently experience but which will be fully granted us at His return.
Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance (v. 14): This phrase is translated �be not conformed� in Romans 12:2 and commands us not to adopt the world�s lifestyle and thought patterns, especially our �former lusts,� that enslaved us before our conversion.
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy (v. 15): God is first and foremost a holy God, and we are called to �fashion� ourselves after Him. Complete holiness is out of our reach this side of glory, but it should be our goal.
The Road of Discipleship
Galatians 1:11-17
After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God. He emerged, ready to communicate divine truth.
The Lord speaks to believers so that they will comprehend the truth, conform to the truth, and communicate the truth. These same steps form a roadmap to discipleship. What happened during Paul's desert years was only the beginning of a life-long process�God renewed his mind and transformed him into the image of Christ. For the apostle, that change began with connecting his rich biblical knowledge to the revelation that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Paul knew Scripture thoroughly, but the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah made him reconsider the foundation he'd been trusting. Everything he knew about God had to be reevaluated in light of this new information. Paul had a history of wanting to please God, so the Holy Spirit no doubt found him a willing pupil.
The apostle's spirit had to be shaped according to the Father's will. And the Lord kept working on him long after Paul left the desert and began his ministry. Every person who reads his letters is a witness to the work of God in a submissive man.
The Lord's discipleship roadmap looks similar for every believer. Like Paul, you are the Holy Spirit's student, and the knowledge you reap from Scripture should be changing your life. Be like the apostle in this way to become a disciple maker by sharing what you learn with others.
When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as "Our Father." They had previously heard Jesus say, "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household of God have this same right.
Since our concepts of God are shaped by our earthly fathers, we all have different perceptions of Him, but Jesus is the only one who has a completely accurate understanding of the heavenly Father. Consider some of the ways He cares for His children:
• Loves: God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16).
• Listens: When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Ps. 55:16-17).
* Guides: He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6).
• Protects: The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers. (Ps. 121:1-8).
• Stays: He's not an absentee parent, since He'll never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8).
• Disciplines: The Lord disciplines us
for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:5-11).
Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our view of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see Him as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care and discover a security we've never known before.
A Done Deal and a Daily Developmentby Max Lucado
Are a bride and groom ever more married than they are the first day? The vows are made and the certificate signed—could they be any more married than that? Imagine fifty years later. They finish each other’s sentences, order each other’s food. They even start looking alike– a thought which troubles Denalyn deeply. Wouldn’t they be more married on their 50th anniversary than on their wedding day? Marriage is both a done deal and a daily development.
The same is true of our walk with God. Can you be more saved than you were the first day of your salvation? No. But can a person grow in salvation? Absolutely. Like marriage, it’s a done deal and a daily development. Do you feel so saved, you never serve? The fact is, you and I are here for a reason, and that reason is to grow and glorify God in our service.
They Shall Never Perish
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)
What rich blessings Christ promises to those who “hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (v. 27). To think that the omnipotent Creator knows us and gives us eternal life! He is certainly powerful enough to see that this life is in no danger, either from our own weaknesses (“they shall never perish”) or from the enemy without (“pluck them out”). Temporary eternal life simply cannot be. The eternal life that He gives lasts for eternity.
Actually, the promise “they shall never perish” is very strong in the original Greek. A repeating negative precedes the word “perish,” and the specific form of the word “never” literally includes “eternally,” or “forever.” A more complete rendering would then be, “They shall not, in no wise perish, no, not for eternity.”
The word “man” is not in the original, and the word “any” is more properly translated “any one” or “any being.” This includes Satan—no match for the Savior. He is powerless to pluck or snatch us from either the Father’s or the Son’s hands. How could we be any more secure?
Note that the Father gave us to His beloved Son as gifts of His love. In turn, Christ values these precious gifts so much that He holds us securely in His hand, so tightly that no created being can snatch us away. The Father even assists in providing us this security, for we are also in the “Father’s hand,” and “I and my Father are one” (v. 30).
When we consider the size and strength of the Creator’s hand, we can understand why no one, not even Satan, can snatch us out of its protective care. JDM
God's No-Tolerance Policyby Max Lucado
Hypocrisy turns people against God, so he has a no-tolerance policy. Let’s take hypocrisy as seriously as God does. For starters, expect no credit for good deeds. None! If no one notices, you aren’t disappointed. If someone does, you give the credit to God. If no one knew of the good you do, would you still do it? If not, you’re doing it to be seen by people.
Things We Can't Do Without
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)
There are many things in this world that we can easily get along without, but some that are absolutely essential: First of all, we need Christ. Otherwise we are like the Gentiles described in our text—“without Christ . . . having no hope, and without God in the world.”
Secondly, if we were ever to be saved, Christ must shed His blood for our sins, for “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). In order for His death to be effective for our salvation, He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Before Christ’s work actually becomes effective in our personal salvation, it must be believed and received by faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6). This faith must be true faith, which transforms the life, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Works do not bring salvation, but saving faith brings “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9).
Among those things that accompany salvation is holiness, “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Another is the privilege of chastisement! Our heavenly Father must deal with His errant children in loving discipline. Otherwise, “if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye . . . not sons” (Hebrews 12:8).
There are thus seven things we cannot do without. We cannot do without Christ, without the shedding of His blood, without His sinlessness, without faith in Him, without works for Him, without holiness unto Him, and without chastisement by Him. He said, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). But with Him, we have everything. HMM
He is Preparing a Placeby Max Lucado
God’s purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God’s plotting for our good. In all the setbacks, He is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our day is designed to draw us toward our God and our destiny. When people junk you in the pit, God can use it for good. When family members sell you out, God will recycle the pain. Falsely accused? Utterly abandoned? You may stumble but you will not fall. You will get through this!
Not because you are strong, but because God is. Not because you are big, but because God is. Not because you’re good, but because
Our Weapons
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3)
This verse introduces a famous apologetic charge to the saints. The key to the whole passage is the qualifier “we do not war after the flesh.”
We must conduct war with non-flesh weapons, since “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Fleshly wisdom (2 Corinthians 1:12) often is nothing more than a “snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26) and may well spoil us if we are not very careful (Colossians 2:8).
The objective, of course, is to bring every intellectual argument captive to the truth of Scripture. This is done by the pulling down of strongholds and “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This warfare, if not done according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 1:17), is “mighty through God” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Nowhere in these verses is there permission or an implied need to learn the thoughts of the enemy before we can bring them into captivity. Biblical data insist that the flesh has “no good thing” (Romans 7:18) and cannot understand the things of God. The weapons we have are not fleshly (i.e., natural thinking, natural emotion, human reasoning, etc.). Our weapons (Ephesians 6) are the “sword of the Spirit” (offensive) and the “shield of faith” (defensive), and we’re protected by the full armor of God—praying always. It is not possible to learn all the subtle arguments of the enemy. What is possible, however, is a knowledge of the truth through our having the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) that will make us sufficient for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). HMM III
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes—flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that—in the proper context—the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best. God Knows Moreby Max Lucado
A young woman wrote to me, “My boyfriend and I split up. I applied for a job and was rejected. Is God even listening to me?
You need to know that God knows more about life than we do! And, yes, He’s listening! One day, my then six-year old said she wanted me leave the ministry. “I just really wish you sold snow cones!” An honest request from an honest heart. To her the happiest people in the world were the guys who drove the snow-cone trucks. I heard her request, but I didn’t heed it. Why? Because I know more about life than she did.
Same with God. God hears our requests. But His answer isn’t always what we’d like it to be. Because He knows more about life than we do? Don’t panic. Don’t bail out. Talk to your heavenly Father. He’s still in control!
“Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.” Philippians 4:6-7
Teach and Preach Continually
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42)
The Great Commission was given to every Christian and implied a daily ministry of witness by life and word. The early Christians took it seriously, as our text implies. Even when they began to be persecuted for it, this merely led to a wider proclamation of the gospel. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
The command of Christ was to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and this required every Christian to be involved every day. The “gospel” includes the entire scope of the person and work and teachings of Jesus Christ, so both preaching and teaching are involved. Furthermore, Christ did not say “send” but “go!” Although it is vital that missionaries be sent and supported as they go to “the regions beyond,” each believer must go to those he can reach as ability and opportunity allow. “Jerusalem . . . Judaea . . . Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8) were all to be reached not consecutively but simultaneously, and this would require both personal and financial participation by every Christian.
The message was to “teach and preach Jesus Christ” in all His fullness. Their witnessing was to be “unto me” (Acts 1:8). It was to be both in public and in private—“in the temple, and in every house.” They were to pray to “the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2) and also to train “faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
And the result of this intense first-century dedication to the Great Commission was that “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:7). However, the work has never been completed and the command is still in effect. HMM
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Acts 5:42)
The Great Commission was given to every Christian and implied a daily ministry of witness by life and word. The early Christians took it seriously, as our text implies. Even when they began to be persecuted for it, this merely led to a wider proclamation of the gospel. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
The command of Christ was to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and this required every Christian to be involved every day. The “gospel” includes the entire scope of the person and work and teachings of Jesus Christ, so both preaching and teaching are involved. Furthermore, Christ did not say “send” but “go!” Although it is vital that missionaries be sent and supported as they go to “the regions beyond,” each believer must go to those he can reach as ability and opportunity allow. “Jerusalem . . . Judaea . . . Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8) were all to be reached not consecutively but simultaneously, and this would require both personal and financial participation by every Christian.
The message was to “teach and preach Jesus Christ” in all His fullness. Their witnessing was to be “unto me” (Acts 1:8). It was to be both in public and in private—“in the temple, and in every house.” They were to pray to “the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2) and also to train “faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
And the result of this intense first-century dedication to the Great Commission was that “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:7). However, the work has never been completed and the command is still in effect. HMM
Jesus the Source of Peace Colossians 1:15-20
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness�we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ�s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins�past, present, and future�was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ�s sacrifice, and God�s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus� blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin�s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ�s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son�s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price�the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Our Listening GodBefore we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness�we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ�s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins�past, present, and future�was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ�s sacrifice, and God�s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus� blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
The story of the prodigal son�s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price�the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
�O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.� (Psalm 65:2)
There come times in each life when loneliness overshadows like a cloud, and no one is there to listen and provide counsel. Or perhaps there is some problem so personal and intimate that it seems unfitting or too embarrassing to share with anyone else.
But God will listen! No need is so small, no place too remote, no burden too heavy that He who is the �God of all grace� and �the God of all comfort� (1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 1:3) will not listen and care. �The LORD will hear when I call unto him� (Psalm 4:3).
Young people sometimes complain that their parents won�t listen to them; wives may say their husbands don�t listen; sometimes it seems that no one will listen to our questions or ideas about anything. But �the LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth� (Psalm 145:18). Therefore, �pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah� (Psalm 62:8).
But how can He listen? After all, God is far away upon His throne. The risen Savior ascended far above all heavens to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. How can the Father hear when we whisper a prayer in our hearts that no human could hear?
God is indeed up there, but He is also right here! Jesus said: �It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you� (John 16:7). Our God is a triune God, and He can be both in heaven and in our room and even, as the Holy Spirit, within our very hearts. Of course, �if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me� (Psalm 66:18). But for those who confess and forsake their sins, �his ears are open unto their prayers� (1 Peter 3:12). HMM
Being Thankful for Grace
�Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.� (Romans 5:20)
This is the day that Americans set aside to reflect on the blessings of God that have been showered on us in the previous year. All other holidays, even Christmas and Easter, can be skewed into a non-Christian meaning, but not Thanksgiving. Historically, it was a time to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest, and experientially, while there are those to whom we should give thanks for particular favors, there is only one to whom we can give thanks for the blessings of life. Nothing else makes sense.
Christians, of course, have much more for which to give thanks than the non-believer, or at least they have the eyes with which to see and the heart with which to recognize God�s blessings. Indeed, Paul instructs us that �in every thing [we should] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you� (1 Thessalonians 5:18); the tense of the verb implying a habitual, continual thanksgiving.
But specifically, we should be thankful for His grace, which, as explained in our text, completely overwhelmed our sin and instead brought salvation and freedom from guilt. �For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God� (Ephesians 2:8).
Five Commands
�Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.� (1 Peter 1:13)
In our text and the succeeding two verses, five commands are given to the believer striving to live a godly life. Let us look briefly at each one.
Gird up the loins of your mind: Using the long, flowing robes worn by most people in Greek societies as a word picture, Peter commands us to gird up our minds just as such a robe needed to be gathered up in preparation for strenuous activity. We need to discipline our minds for action.
Be sober: A drunken person has a disoriented mind, lacks self-control, and is not alert to his surroundings. We are commanded to maintain a calm and thoughtful state of mind, in full control of all our actions.
Hope to the end, or �patiently fix your hope�: We must recognize that He is in control and patiently wait for Him. The focus of our expectation is His grace, which we presently experience but which will be fully granted us at His return.
Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance (v. 14): This phrase is translated �be not conformed� in Romans 12:2 and commands us not to adopt the world�s lifestyle and thought patterns, especially our �former lusts,� that enslaved us before our conversion.
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy (v. 15): God is first and foremost a holy God, and we are called to �fashion� ourselves after Him. Complete holiness is out of our reach this side of glory, but it should be our goal.
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Galatians 1:11-17
After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God. He emerged, ready to communicate divine truth.
Paul knew Scripture thoroughly, but the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah made him reconsider the foundation he'd been trusting. Everything he knew about God had to be reevaluated in light of this new information. Paul had a history of wanting to please God, so the Holy Spirit no doubt found him a willing pupil.
The apostle's spirit had to be shaped according to the Father's will. And the Lord kept working on him long after Paul left the desert and began his ministry. Every person who reads his letters is a witness to the work of God in a submissive man.
The Lord's discipleship roadmap looks similar for every believer. Like Paul, you are the Holy Spirit's student, and the knowledge you reap from Scripture should be changing your life. Be like the apostle in this way to become a disciple maker by sharing what you learn with others.
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