God My Personal Savior
“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:47)
One of the most wonderful titles of the Lord Jesus Christ is that of Savior. This word (Greek soter, from which is derived our theological term “soteriology,” the study of salvation) occurs 24 times in the New Testament and is applied only to Christ, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
It occurs first of all on the lips of the virgin Mary in our text above, when she realized that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Savior. It is significant that this first use of soter recognizes that our Savior can be none other than God Himself—“God my Savior”—and also that this fact should cause our spirits to rejoice, as Mary’s did. He becomes our personal Savior when we believe on Him, as did Mary.
He is also “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14) and the “Saviour of all men” in the sense that His work on the cross is sufficient to save all who will receive Him.
There are eight other verses in the New Testament in which “Savior” is taken as synonymous with “God.” The final occurrence of “Savior” is one of these, and it is in one of the greatest doxologies of the Bible. “To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:25).
There are many today who see the man Jesus as a great teacher and example, but who reject His deity. There are many others who believe in a cosmic deity of some kind, but are unwilling to believe that He could become uniquely incarnate in a perfect man. How urgent it is that we believe and teach that our Creator must also become our Savior if we are ever to be saved. We must “trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). Then we can rejoice with Mary in “God my Saviour.” HMM
“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:47)
One of the most wonderful titles of the Lord Jesus Christ is that of Savior. This word (Greek soter, from which is derived our theological term “soteriology,” the study of salvation) occurs 24 times in the New Testament and is applied only to Christ, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
It occurs first of all on the lips of the virgin Mary in our text above, when she realized that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Savior. It is significant that this first use of soter recognizes that our Savior can be none other than God Himself—“God my Savior”—and also that this fact should cause our spirits to rejoice, as Mary’s did. He becomes our personal Savior when we believe on Him, as did Mary.
He is also “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14) and the “Saviour of all men” in the sense that His work on the cross is sufficient to save all who will receive Him.
There are eight other verses in the New Testament in which “Savior” is taken as synonymous with “God.” The final occurrence of “Savior” is one of these, and it is in one of the greatest doxologies of the Bible. “To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:25).
There are many today who see the man Jesus as a great teacher and example, but who reject His deity. There are many others who believe in a cosmic deity of some kind, but are unwilling to believe that He could become uniquely incarnate in a perfect man. How urgent it is that we believe and teach that our Creator must also become our Savior if we are ever to be saved. We must “trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). Then we can rejoice with Mary in “God my Saviour.” HMM
The Chapel (REVISITED): Relying On God's Power by Max Lucado
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Our Lord's prayer has given us a blueprint for the Great House of God. From the living room of our Father to the family room with our friends, we are learning why David longed to "live in the house of the LORD forever" (Ps. 23:6). In God's house we have everything we need: a solid foundation, an abundant table, sturdy walls, and an impenetrable roof of grace.
And now, having seen every room and explored each corner, we have one final stop. Not to a new room, but to one we have visited earlier. We return to the chapel. We return to the room of worship. The chapel, remember, is where we stand before God and confess, "Hallowed be thy name."
The chapel is the only room in the house of God we visit twice. It's not hard to see why. It does us twice as much good to think about God as it does to think about anyone or anything else. God wants us to begin and end our prayers thinking of him. Jesus is urging us to look at the peak more than we look at the trail. The more we focus up there, the more inspired we are down here.
Some years ago a sociologist accompanied a group of mountain climbers on an expedition. Among other things, he observed a distinct correlation between cloud cover and contentment. When there was no cloud cover and the peak was in view, the climbers were energetic and cooperative. When the gray clouds eclipsed the view of the mountaintop, though, the climbers were sullen and selfish.
The same thing happens to us. As long as our eyes are on his majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the dirt beneath us and we will grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. For this reason Paul urged, "Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to the things going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective" (Col 3:1-2 MSG).
Paul challenges you to "be alert to the things going on around Christ." The Psalmist reminds you to do the same, only he uses a different phrase. "O magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt his name together" (Ps. 34:3).
Magnify. What a wonderful verb to describe what we do in the chapel. When you magnify an object, you enlarge it so that you can understand it. When we magnify God, we do the same. We enlarge our awareness of him so we can understand him more. This is exactly what happens in the chapel of worship—we take our mind off ourselves and set it on God. The emphasis is on him. "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever."
God Is Sovereign over Delays
Proverbs 16:9
No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkout line--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands.
This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations.
In the Christian life, learning to wait is vitally important because until you do, you'll never be able to walk in obedience to God, have an effective prayer life, or experience the peace of resting in His loving sovereignty. We must learn to trust His judgment--about not just the big events in our lives, but also the trivial ones which cause us to become irritated, impatient, or even angry. If we're sensitive to His instruction, each delay has a lesson.
The next time you face an unexpected or unwanted wait, remember that it comes as no surprise to God. He wants to teach you patience and increase your faith. He's more interested in developing godly character than He is in making sure your schedule runs according to your plans.
Let Him Hear
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:22)
This is the final exhortation in Christ’s letters to His seven representative churches. It is the seventh such exhortation, one addressed to each church, so must be unusually important. The emphasis, obviously, is not merely hearing with the physical ear, but hearing with an obedient heart.
Such hearing is necessary first of all for saving faith, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Jesus said: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
In our day, however, probably more than in any previous age, there is a cacophony of voices of all kinds that are seeking listeners. In fact, Jesus Himself cautioned: “Take heed what ye hear” (Mark 4:24). There are multitudes of false teachers today—evolutionary humanists, religious liberals, “New Age” mystics, and others—all very articulate and often winsome, but speaking false doctrine. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
It is important not only to hear the right words, but also to hear the right way. “Take heed therefore how ye hear,” also said Jesus (Luke 8:18). Even if we hear the pure Word of God, it will accomplish nothing of value in our lives unless we hear with due reverence. “To this man will I look, even to him that…trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). And we must also hear with faith. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). He that hath an ear, therefore, let him hear with reverent faith the true Word of God. HMM
Sowing Spiritual Seeds
John 4:34-38
Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seed into your life knew what the outcome would be.
We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seed or "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do?
Conversely, you might focus on providing your kids with plenty of material security and send them to the best schools and colleges--and yet it would count nothing for eternity. But when you sow into their lives the things of God and the qualities of Jesus, you're feeding their spirits. The seeds that affect their hearts, view of God, and desire to make a difference for Him in the world are what will produce genuine, lasting fruit and a great harvest in their lives. Whether or not you ever see the results, the Lord is using you profoundly when you sow this kind of crop.
God sees all the little things you do; He's interested in more than just "big" things. The fruit of His Spirit--such as kindness, patience, and self-control--often manifests itself in quiet ways that others may never give you credit for. But such spiritual seeds accomplish powerful work in His kingdom.
Personal Greetings
“Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.” (Romans 16:14)
An interesting phenomenon occurs in the closing chapter of many of Paul’s epistles, which may at first seem incongruous with the biblical doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration. This phenomenon is the recital of various names of individuals—people in the churches from which, or to which, he was writing. Most of them are people about whom we know nothing except their names, as listed by Paul. There are 11 people mentioned by name in Colossians 4:7-17. In Paul’s final epistle to Timothy, right after he had written the great passage on the inspiration of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), he mentioned no less than 18 names. In the last chapter of Romans is listed 35 names, five of which are included in the one short verse of our text!
The question is, why did the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to include so many personal names of people who were of only local interest, in epistles which God intended to be used by Christians everywhere? And, of course, these lists of names are dwarfed in comparison to the very extensive lists in the Old Testament (e.g., Numbers 7 and 26).
Perhaps the main reason for their permanent inscripturation in this fashion is simply to illustrate the great truth that God knows and cares about every one of His children. We do know that each of our names is written in “the book of life of the Lamb” and in God’s “book of remembrance…for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name” (Revelation 13:8; Malachi 3:16). Perhaps, as a small token and assurance of these great lists in heaven, God has listed a few of these names in His Book here on Earth. They were ordinary people just like us, and it will be our privilege, as Paul instructs in our text, to “salute Asyncritus” when we can, and all the other believers who have gone before us! HMM
When We Love Them, We Love Him by Max Lucado
Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.
—Matthew 25:40 (MSG)
There are many reasons to help people in need.
"Benevolence is good for the world."
"We all float on the same ocean. When the tide rises, it benefits everyone."
"To deliver someone from poverty is to unleash that person's potential as a researcher, educator, or doctor."
"As we reduce poverty and disease, we reduce war and atrocities. Healthy, happy people don't hurt each other."
Compassion has a dozen advocates.
But for the Christian, none is higher than this: when we love those in need, we are loving Jesus. It is a mystery beyond science, a truth beyond statistics. But it is a message that Jesus made crystal clear: when we love them, we love him.
This is the theme of his final sermon. The message he saved until last. He must want this point imprinted on our conscience. He depicted the final judgment scene. The last day, the great Day of Judgment. On that day Jesus will issue an irresistible command. All will come. From sunken ships and forgotten cemeteries, they will come. From royal tombs and grassy battlefields, they will come. From Abel, the first to die, to the person being buried at the moment Jesus calls, every human in history will be present.
All the angels will be present. The whole heavenly universe will witness the event. A staggering denouement. Jesus at some point will "separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:32). Shepherds do this. They walk among the flock and, one by one, with the use of a staff direct goats in one direction and sheep in the other. Graphic, this thought of the Good Shepherd stepping through the flock of humanity. You. Me. Our parents and kids. "Max, go this way." "Ronaldo, over there." "Maria, this side."
How can one envision this moment without the sudden appearance of this urgent question: What determines his choice? How does Jesus separate the people?
Jesus gives the answer. Those on the right, the sheep, will be those who fed him when he was hungry, brought him water when he was thirsty, gave him lodging when he was lonely, clothing when he was naked, and comfort when he was sick or imprisoned. The sign of the saved is their concern for those in need. Compassion does not save them—or us. Salvation is the work of Christ. Compassion is the consequence of salvation.
The sheep will react with a sincere question: when? When did we feed, visit, clothe, or comfort you (vv. 34-39)?
Jesus will recount, one by one, all the acts of kindness. Every deed done to improve the lot of another person. Even the small ones. In fact, they all seem small. Giving water. Offering food. Sharing clothing. The works of mercy are simple deeds. And yet, in these simple deeds we serve Jesus. Astounding this truth: we serve Christ by serving needy people.
Signs and Seasons, Days and Years
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14)
The subject of “time” is enigmatic. Everyone seems to know what is meant by time, but no one can define it. We may complain about time going too slow or too fast, but time doesn’t go anywhere. But neither does it “stand still.”
At least we can measure time intervals—seconds, hours, centuries, etc. This is because of God’s gracious forethought in providing means for doing this. He was not a “blind watchmaker,” as some evolutionists have called Him. He actually created time “in the beginning” (Genesis 1:1).
Then He set the sun and the moon in the sky, and made the earth to assume a global shape and to rotate on an axis, making the measurement of time in “days” possible. Next He placed stars in the far heavens in various locations and combinations and the earth to orbit around the sun, enabling us to tell how many “days” make up a “year.” Then, once the earth’s rotational axis was “tilted,” that made “seasons” measurable. So we can at least identify time durations in days and years with their seasons, and we can subdivide or combine these in whatever ways we find convenient (minutes, decades, summer, winter, etc.).
But what about the “signs”? Although this is a controversial question, certain ancient Jewish scholars believed that God named the stars and their groupings (Isaiah 40:26; Job 38:31-32; etc.) and then revealed their prophetic meanings to patriarchs Seth and Enoch in order to record His great plan and purpose in creation permanently in the heavens. If so, it is no longer needed, since the written Word of God, “for ever… settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89), has now been transmitted “unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1) and “shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). HMM
You Are Included
by Max Lucado
It’s nice to be included. You aren’t always. Universities exclude you if you aren’t smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren’t qualified enough, and sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren’t good enough. But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of His love, He stretched one hand to the right and the other hand to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know He died loving you.
Surely there has to be a limit to this love. You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But David, the adulterer, never found it. Paul, the murderer, never found it. Peter, the liar, never found it. When it came to life they hit bottom. But when it came to God’s love they never did.
How wide is God’s love? Wide enough for the whole world. And you are included!
To build a defense against temptation, we must understand how it works. Every sin originates as a thought, often the result of a flaming arrow the Evil One shoots our way (Eph. 6:16). If a believer holds on to the thought, it becomes a fantasy—the chance to imagine what it would be like to pursue that notion without actually doing so. The problem with fantasies is that they can easily become entangled with a person’s emotions. This creates a desire, which brings the believer to the point where a choice must be made: he or she must either consent to the sin or refuse. This process is quite dangerous, as the progression from thought to choice can be almost instantaneous.
Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist temptation—before it enters their consciousness. There are two cornerstones to a good defense: the commitment to obey God, and the recognition that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do (1 Cor. 10:13).
The Missionary Call
Matthew 4:18-22
I've heard every reason you can imagine for avoiding missionary service: "I haven't been to seminary." "I can't preach." "I'm too old." "My family won't go for it." On and on the list goes. Let me tell you that there are thousands of active missionaries who once thought that God couldn't use them either. I often have the privilege of hearing their stories of how the Lord turned resistance into enthusiasm.
People can offer God plenty of reasons why He shouldn't call them to spread the gospel. But His call is not issued for our consideration; He expects a response of obedience and surrender.
A believer is accountable only to say yes to God's call. It is the Lord's responsibility to equip the chosen for the work He's assigned. A personal plan has been mapped for each believer's life, and God provides the personality and temperament that suits. Then He adds skills that can be developed and the spiritual gifts necessary to fulfill His mission.
God makes His call with wisdom and discernment. He knows why He created you and what you're capable of accomplishing in His strength (Eph. 2:10). Rejecting the invitation to serve Him is foolish. It would be like telling almighty God that He made a mistake. But surrender opens the door to a lifetime of service, blessing, and joy!
Mission work can occur near or far. You could serve: at home by writing to prisoners; down the street by dishing out meals at a shelter; across the nation by providing flood relief; or in a foreign land by translating the gospel. In short, a missionary calling is whatever God tells you to do.
Loving with Authenticity - by Greg Laurie -
�Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.� (Colossians 2:16)
This is the only verse in the New Testament that has any reference to holidays (at one time considered �holy days�). However, the Greek word so translated does occur there quite often, being rendered elsewhere always by its correct meaning of �feasts.�
Such �holy days� in the Old Testament economy normally required �no servile work� to be done on those days and were usually associated with a special �feast� of some deep spiritual significance. They certainly were not holidays in the modern sense, devoted mostly to pleasure.
In fact, it is perhaps significant that neither holidays nor vacations are mentioned in the Bible at all. The weekly Sabbath �rest� day is, of course, frequently emphasized. One day in seven has always been observed as a day to rest from labor and to remember our Creator. However, the other six days were to be spent working. Many can still remember when the norm was a six-day workweek.
Not so now. Many complain about even a five-day week, and �T.G.I.F.� is a common feeling as the �weekend� approaches. �Labor� Day is now a day mainly for fun, but it might be a good day for Christians to thank God for the privilege of work and doing that work �heartily, as to the Lord� (Colossians 3:23). Our work, whatever it may be, can become a real testimony for (or, sadly, against) the Lord whom we profess to serve.
In the ages to come, there will still be work to do for the Lord. In that day, it is promised that �his servants shall serve him� (Revelation 22:3). Therefore, we should be �abounding in the work of the Lord� right now. It will not be �in vain� (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM
Holidays
�Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.� (Colossians 2:16)
This is the only verse in the New Testament that has any reference to holidays (at one time considered �holy days�). However, the Greek word so translated does occur there quite often, being rendered elsewhere always by its correct meaning of �feasts.�
Such �holy days� in the Old Testament economy normally required �no servile work� to be done on those days and were usually associated with a special �feast� of some deep spiritual significance. They certainly were not holidays in the modern sense, devoted mostly to pleasure.
In fact, it is perhaps significant that neither holidays nor vacations are mentioned in the Bible at all. The weekly Sabbath �rest� day is, of course, frequently emphasized. One day in seven has always been observed as a day to rest from labor and to remember our Creator. However, the other six days were to be spent working. Many can still remember when the norm was a six-day workweek.
Not so now. Many complain about even a five-day week, and �T.G.I.F.� is a common feeling as the �weekend� approaches. �Labor� Day is now a day mainly for fun, but it might be a good day for Christians to thank God for the privilege of work and doing that work �heartily, as to the Lord� (Colossians 3:23). Our work, whatever it may be, can become a real testimony for (or, sadly, against) the Lord whom we profess to serve.
In the ages to come, there will still be work to do for the Lord. In that day, it is promised that �his servants shall serve him� (Revelation 22:3). Therefore, we should be �abounding in the work of the Lord� right now. It will not be �in vain� (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM
Serving Christ
Matthew 25:34-40
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.
All of these aims�even the last one, which sounds so selfless�are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.� We honor Him by doing likewise.
Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excuses for not trying�such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God�s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we�re blessed to be used by Him.
EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, �Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.�
David's Son
�He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.� (2 Samuel 7:13-14)
These verses comprise the heart of the great �Davidic Covenant� made by God with David and his �seed.� As with many Old Testament prophecies, it had both an immediate and ultimate fulfillment. Initially, it applied to Solomon, who did, indeed, �build an house for my name.� Its complete fulfillment, however, had to await the distant coming (a thousand years in the future for His first coming) of David�s greater Son, the Messiah. It was only of Him that God could promise uniquely that He would also be the Son of the heavenly Father (Hebrews 1:5). To His mother, Mary, the angel Gabriel confirmed the Davidic promise: �He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end� (Luke 1:32-33).
But before his eternal throne could be established, his iniquities must be judged. As far as Solomon was concerned, his iniquities ultimately cut his own seed off from the throne. �The seed of David according to the flesh� (Romans 1:3) came through Nathan, not Solomon (Luke 3:23-31).
Although Jesus Christ �knew no sin� (2 Corinthians 5:21), �he was bruised for our iniquities,� because �the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.� He deserved no chastening; nevertheless, �the chastisement of our peace was upon him� (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Thereby the Lord Jesus Christ, �greater than Solomon� (Matthew 12:42), is indeed �a son over his own house; whose house are we� (Hebrews 3:6). HMM
The Other Side of Love - by Greg Laurie -
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Our Lord's prayer has given us a blueprint for the Great House of God. From the living room of our Father to the family room with our friends, we are learning why David longed to "live in the house of the LORD forever" (Ps. 23:6). In God's house we have everything we need: a solid foundation, an abundant table, sturdy walls, and an impenetrable roof of grace.
And now, having seen every room and explored each corner, we have one final stop. Not to a new room, but to one we have visited earlier. We return to the chapel. We return to the room of worship. The chapel, remember, is where we stand before God and confess, "Hallowed be thy name."
The chapel is the only room in the house of God we visit twice. It's not hard to see why. It does us twice as much good to think about God as it does to think about anyone or anything else. God wants us to begin and end our prayers thinking of him. Jesus is urging us to look at the peak more than we look at the trail. The more we focus up there, the more inspired we are down here.
Some years ago a sociologist accompanied a group of mountain climbers on an expedition. Among other things, he observed a distinct correlation between cloud cover and contentment. When there was no cloud cover and the peak was in view, the climbers were energetic and cooperative. When the gray clouds eclipsed the view of the mountaintop, though, the climbers were sullen and selfish.
The same thing happens to us. As long as our eyes are on his majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the dirt beneath us and we will grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. For this reason Paul urged, "Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to the things going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective" (Col 3:1-2 MSG).
Paul challenges you to "be alert to the things going on around Christ." The Psalmist reminds you to do the same, only he uses a different phrase. "O magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt his name together" (Ps. 34:3).
Magnify. What a wonderful verb to describe what we do in the chapel. When you magnify an object, you enlarge it so that you can understand it. When we magnify God, we do the same. We enlarge our awareness of him so we can understand him more. This is exactly what happens in the chapel of worship—we take our mind off ourselves and set it on God. The emphasis is on him. "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever."
God Is Sovereign over Delays
Proverbs 16:9
No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkout line--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands.
This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations.
The next time you face an unexpected or unwanted wait, remember that it comes as no surprise to God. He wants to teach you patience and increase your faith. He's more interested in developing godly character than He is in making sure your schedule runs according to your plans.
Let Him Hear
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:22)
This is the final exhortation in Christ’s letters to His seven representative churches. It is the seventh such exhortation, one addressed to each church, so must be unusually important. The emphasis, obviously, is not merely hearing with the physical ear, but hearing with an obedient heart.
Such hearing is necessary first of all for saving faith, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Jesus said: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
In our day, however, probably more than in any previous age, there is a cacophony of voices of all kinds that are seeking listeners. In fact, Jesus Himself cautioned: “Take heed what ye hear” (Mark 4:24). There are multitudes of false teachers today—evolutionary humanists, religious liberals, “New Age” mystics, and others—all very articulate and often winsome, but speaking false doctrine. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
It is important not only to hear the right words, but also to hear the right way. “Take heed therefore how ye hear,” also said Jesus (Luke 8:18). Even if we hear the pure Word of God, it will accomplish nothing of value in our lives unless we hear with due reverence. “To this man will I look, even to him that…trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). And we must also hear with faith. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). He that hath an ear, therefore, let him hear with reverent faith the true Word of God. HMM
Sowing Spiritual Seeds
John 4:34-38
Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seed into your life knew what the outcome would be.
We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seed or "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do?
Personal Greetings
“Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.” (Romans 16:14)
An interesting phenomenon occurs in the closing chapter of many of Paul’s epistles, which may at first seem incongruous with the biblical doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration. This phenomenon is the recital of various names of individuals—people in the churches from which, or to which, he was writing. Most of them are people about whom we know nothing except their names, as listed by Paul. There are 11 people mentioned by name in Colossians 4:7-17. In Paul’s final epistle to Timothy, right after he had written the great passage on the inspiration of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), he mentioned no less than 18 names. In the last chapter of Romans is listed 35 names, five of which are included in the one short verse of our text!
The question is, why did the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to include so many personal names of people who were of only local interest, in epistles which God intended to be used by Christians everywhere? And, of course, these lists of names are dwarfed in comparison to the very extensive lists in the Old Testament (e.g., Numbers 7 and 26).
Perhaps the main reason for their permanent inscripturation in this fashion is simply to illustrate the great truth that God knows and cares about every one of His children. We do know that each of our names is written in “the book of life of the Lamb” and in God’s “book of remembrance…for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name” (Revelation 13:8; Malachi 3:16). Perhaps, as a small token and assurance of these great lists in heaven, God has listed a few of these names in His Book here on Earth. They were ordinary people just like us, and it will be our privilege, as Paul instructs in our text, to “salute Asyncritus” when we can, and all the other believers who have gone before us! HMM
When We Love Them, We Love Him by Max Lucado
Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.
—Matthew 25:40 (MSG)
There are many reasons to help people in need.
"Benevolence is good for the world."
"We all float on the same ocean. When the tide rises, it benefits everyone."
"To deliver someone from poverty is to unleash that person's potential as a researcher, educator, or doctor."
"As we reduce poverty and disease, we reduce war and atrocities. Healthy, happy people don't hurt each other."
Compassion has a dozen advocates.
But for the Christian, none is higher than this: when we love those in need, we are loving Jesus. It is a mystery beyond science, a truth beyond statistics. But it is a message that Jesus made crystal clear: when we love them, we love him.
This is the theme of his final sermon. The message he saved until last. He must want this point imprinted on our conscience. He depicted the final judgment scene. The last day, the great Day of Judgment. On that day Jesus will issue an irresistible command. All will come. From sunken ships and forgotten cemeteries, they will come. From royal tombs and grassy battlefields, they will come. From Abel, the first to die, to the person being buried at the moment Jesus calls, every human in history will be present.
All the angels will be present. The whole heavenly universe will witness the event. A staggering denouement. Jesus at some point will "separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:32). Shepherds do this. They walk among the flock and, one by one, with the use of a staff direct goats in one direction and sheep in the other. Graphic, this thought of the Good Shepherd stepping through the flock of humanity. You. Me. Our parents and kids. "Max, go this way." "Ronaldo, over there." "Maria, this side."
How can one envision this moment without the sudden appearance of this urgent question: What determines his choice? How does Jesus separate the people?
Jesus gives the answer. Those on the right, the sheep, will be those who fed him when he was hungry, brought him water when he was thirsty, gave him lodging when he was lonely, clothing when he was naked, and comfort when he was sick or imprisoned. The sign of the saved is their concern for those in need. Compassion does not save them—or us. Salvation is the work of Christ. Compassion is the consequence of salvation.
The sheep will react with a sincere question: when? When did we feed, visit, clothe, or comfort you (vv. 34-39)?
Jesus will recount, one by one, all the acts of kindness. Every deed done to improve the lot of another person. Even the small ones. In fact, they all seem small. Giving water. Offering food. Sharing clothing. The works of mercy are simple deeds. And yet, in these simple deeds we serve Jesus. Astounding this truth: we serve Christ by serving needy people.
Signs and Seasons, Days and Years
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14)
The subject of “time” is enigmatic. Everyone seems to know what is meant by time, but no one can define it. We may complain about time going too slow or too fast, but time doesn’t go anywhere. But neither does it “stand still.”
At least we can measure time intervals—seconds, hours, centuries, etc. This is because of God’s gracious forethought in providing means for doing this. He was not a “blind watchmaker,” as some evolutionists have called Him. He actually created time “in the beginning” (Genesis 1:1).
Then He set the sun and the moon in the sky, and made the earth to assume a global shape and to rotate on an axis, making the measurement of time in “days” possible. Next He placed stars in the far heavens in various locations and combinations and the earth to orbit around the sun, enabling us to tell how many “days” make up a “year.” Then, once the earth’s rotational axis was “tilted,” that made “seasons” measurable. So we can at least identify time durations in days and years with their seasons, and we can subdivide or combine these in whatever ways we find convenient (minutes, decades, summer, winter, etc.).
But what about the “signs”? Although this is a controversial question, certain ancient Jewish scholars believed that God named the stars and their groupings (Isaiah 40:26; Job 38:31-32; etc.) and then revealed their prophetic meanings to patriarchs Seth and Enoch in order to record His great plan and purpose in creation permanently in the heavens. If so, it is no longer needed, since the written Word of God, “for ever… settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89), has now been transmitted “unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1) and “shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). HMM
You Are Included
by Max Lucado
It’s nice to be included. You aren’t always. Universities exclude you if you aren’t smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren’t qualified enough, and sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren’t good enough. But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of His love, He stretched one hand to the right and the other hand to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know He died loving you.
Surely there has to be a limit to this love. You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But David, the adulterer, never found it. Paul, the murderer, never found it. Peter, the liar, never found it. When it came to life they hit bottom. But when it came to God’s love they never did.
How wide is God’s love? Wide enough for the whole world. And you are included!
Defend against Temptation
James 1:12-16To build a defense against temptation, we must understand how it works. Every sin originates as a thought, often the result of a flaming arrow the Evil One shoots our way (Eph. 6:16). If a believer holds on to the thought, it becomes a fantasy—the chance to imagine what it would be like to pursue that notion without actually doing so. The problem with fantasies is that they can easily become entangled with a person’s emotions. This creates a desire, which brings the believer to the point where a choice must be made: he or she must either consent to the sin or refuse. This process is quite dangerous, as the progression from thought to choice can be almost instantaneous.
Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist temptation—before it enters their consciousness. There are two cornerstones to a good defense: the commitment to obey God, and the recognition that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do (1 Cor. 10:13).
The Missionary Call
Matthew 4:18-22
I've heard every reason you can imagine for avoiding missionary service: "I haven't been to seminary." "I can't preach." "I'm too old." "My family won't go for it." On and on the list goes. Let me tell you that there are thousands of active missionaries who once thought that God couldn't use them either. I often have the privilege of hearing their stories of how the Lord turned resistance into enthusiasm.
People can offer God plenty of reasons why He shouldn't call them to spread the gospel. But His call is not issued for our consideration; He expects a response of obedience and surrender.
God makes His call with wisdom and discernment. He knows why He created you and what you're capable of accomplishing in His strength (Eph. 2:10). Rejecting the invitation to serve Him is foolish. It would be like telling almighty God that He made a mistake. But surrender opens the door to a lifetime of service, blessing, and joy!
Mission work can occur near or far. You could serve: at home by writing to prisoners; down the street by dishing out meals at a shelter; across the nation by providing flood relief; or in a foreign land by translating the gospel. In short, a missionary calling is whatever God tells you to do.
Loving with Authenticity - by Greg Laurie -
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. -Romans 12:9
There are some people who are just, well, unlovable. They always seem to irritate others.
It may be that God has placed one of these people in your life. You might even be married to one of them. Or, maybe every day you deal with a coworker in the cubicle next to yours or someone who sits by you in class.
Writing to the believers in Rome, Paul said, "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9 NKJV). That means we are to genuinely love people.
For instance, Judas Iscariot looked as though he was so devout. On one occasion he seemed to be concerned for the needs of the poor. But in reality he was pocketing the money the disciples carried together.
And then he betrayed Jesus with a kiss. He could have done it with a handshake. He could have done it by pointing to Christ and saying, "That's Him!" But instead, he did it with a kiss. And it wasn't just one kiss. In the original language it could be translated, "He kissed Him repeatedly."
Ironically, at the moment Judas Iscariot seemed the most devout, he actually was the most devious. It wasn't love at all.
You might be saying, "Well, I don't feel love for this person, and it would be hypocritical of me to do loving things for them when I'm not feeling the love in my heart. Therefore, I won't do anything loving toward them at all."
That is not what Paul is saying. He was saying that we should be loving to that person while we repent of being unloving. In other words, do loving things whether you feel it or not, and you'll find that your emotions will catch up.
We show real love in what we do.
Known by Our Love - by Greg Laurie -
Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.-1 John 3:18
As I've grown older, I've noticed that everyone ultimately turns into an exaggerated version of themselves-or a fully realized version of themselves. Cranky people just get crankier. And loving people seem to grow more loving.
Having spent time with Billy Graham, I saw what a loving man he was. When he first started out as a preacher, he was full of fire and passion. He never lost that, really, but he talked a lot about God's judgment. By the way, that's an important thing to talk about. We don't want to neglect it.
But as he got older, he was such a loving guy-not just when he spoke publicly and reminded people that God loved them. He also was a very loving person privately. He became a fully realized version of himself.
I'm not talking about a touchy-feely kind of love but genuine love. There are some people who say they love you, but they don't show it by their actions.
The Bible says, "If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, 'Jump,' and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:2 MSG).
You can be theologically correct and be an unloving person. Some people mark their Bibles, but their Bibles don't mark them. They go through the Word of God, but the Word of God doesn't seem to go through them. They're hypercritical, always finding faults and flaws in other people, always down on others. You could describe them as judgmental people.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we want to grow in our love toward others. And if we're not known for our love for others, then we're actually falling short of what God wants for us as Christians.
Holidays�Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.� (Colossians 2:16)
This is the only verse in the New Testament that has any reference to holidays (at one time considered �holy days�). However, the Greek word so translated does occur there quite often, being rendered elsewhere always by its correct meaning of �feasts.�
Such �holy days� in the Old Testament economy normally required �no servile work� to be done on those days and were usually associated with a special �feast� of some deep spiritual significance. They certainly were not holidays in the modern sense, devoted mostly to pleasure.
In fact, it is perhaps significant that neither holidays nor vacations are mentioned in the Bible at all. The weekly Sabbath �rest� day is, of course, frequently emphasized. One day in seven has always been observed as a day to rest from labor and to remember our Creator. However, the other six days were to be spent working. Many can still remember when the norm was a six-day workweek.
Not so now. Many complain about even a five-day week, and �T.G.I.F.� is a common feeling as the �weekend� approaches. �Labor� Day is now a day mainly for fun, but it might be a good day for Christians to thank God for the privilege of work and doing that work �heartily, as to the Lord� (Colossians 3:23). Our work, whatever it may be, can become a real testimony for (or, sadly, against) the Lord whom we profess to serve.
In the ages to come, there will still be work to do for the Lord. In that day, it is promised that �his servants shall serve him� (Revelation 22:3). Therefore, we should be �abounding in the work of the Lord� right now. It will not be �in vain� (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM
Holidays
�Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.� (Colossians 2:16)
This is the only verse in the New Testament that has any reference to holidays (at one time considered �holy days�). However, the Greek word so translated does occur there quite often, being rendered elsewhere always by its correct meaning of �feasts.�
Such �holy days� in the Old Testament economy normally required �no servile work� to be done on those days and were usually associated with a special �feast� of some deep spiritual significance. They certainly were not holidays in the modern sense, devoted mostly to pleasure.
In fact, it is perhaps significant that neither holidays nor vacations are mentioned in the Bible at all. The weekly Sabbath �rest� day is, of course, frequently emphasized. One day in seven has always been observed as a day to rest from labor and to remember our Creator. However, the other six days were to be spent working. Many can still remember when the norm was a six-day workweek.
Not so now. Many complain about even a five-day week, and �T.G.I.F.� is a common feeling as the �weekend� approaches. �Labor� Day is now a day mainly for fun, but it might be a good day for Christians to thank God for the privilege of work and doing that work �heartily, as to the Lord� (Colossians 3:23). Our work, whatever it may be, can become a real testimony for (or, sadly, against) the Lord whom we profess to serve.
In the ages to come, there will still be work to do for the Lord. In that day, it is promised that �his servants shall serve him� (Revelation 22:3). Therefore, we should be �abounding in the work of the Lord� right now. It will not be �in vain� (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM
Serving Christ
Matthew 25:34-40
Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.
All of these aims�even the last one, which sounds so selfless�are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.� We honor Him by doing likewise.
EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, �Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.�
David's Son
�He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.� (2 Samuel 7:13-14)
These verses comprise the heart of the great �Davidic Covenant� made by God with David and his �seed.� As with many Old Testament prophecies, it had both an immediate and ultimate fulfillment. Initially, it applied to Solomon, who did, indeed, �build an house for my name.� Its complete fulfillment, however, had to await the distant coming (a thousand years in the future for His first coming) of David�s greater Son, the Messiah. It was only of Him that God could promise uniquely that He would also be the Son of the heavenly Father (Hebrews 1:5). To His mother, Mary, the angel Gabriel confirmed the Davidic promise: �He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end� (Luke 1:32-33).
But before his eternal throne could be established, his iniquities must be judged. As far as Solomon was concerned, his iniquities ultimately cut his own seed off from the throne. �The seed of David according to the flesh� (Romans 1:3) came through Nathan, not Solomon (Luke 3:23-31).
Although Jesus Christ �knew no sin� (2 Corinthians 5:21), �he was bruised for our iniquities,� because �the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.� He deserved no chastening; nevertheless, �the chastisement of our peace was upon him� (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Thereby the Lord Jesus Christ, �greater than Solomon� (Matthew 12:42), is indeed �a son over his own house; whose house are we� (Hebrews 3:6). HMM
| Prayers Don't Get Graded by Max Lucado Jesus downplayed the importance of words in prayers. We tend to do the opposite. The more words the better! We emphasize the appropriate prayer language, the latest prayer trend, the holiest prayer terminology. Against all this emphasis on syllables and rituals, Jesus says in Matthew 6:7, �Don�t ramble like heathens who talk a lot.� There�s no panel of angelic judges with numbered cards. Wow, Lucado, that prayer was a ten. God will certainly hear you! or Oh, Lucado, you scored a two this morning. Go home and practice! Prayers aren�t graded according to style. If prayer depends on how I pray, I�m sunk. But if the power of prayer depends on the One who hears the prayer, then I have hope. In Step With God Ephesians 4 People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don�t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth. One benefit that�s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father�s oneness with Jesus (John 10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation�a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker. Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God�s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things�past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it�s hard to understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches. How abundantly God gives to His children! One word of caution, though: these gifts are effective only when believers walk obediently with Him. Sin can stifle them. The heavenly Father desires that all of His sons and daughters have these blessings; if you�re living in obedience before Him, they are available to you. Is anything getting in the way of your total submission to Him? | |||
| So Walk in Him - by Greg Laurie -
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. -Colossians 2:6
When my wife and I go on walks together every now and then, I tend to walk a little faster than she does. So she says, "Greg, slow down. Let's walk together."
Or, if I'm walking with one of my grandchildren, I'll slow down my pace so I'll be in sync with them.
In the same way, walking with God doesn't mean asking Him to keep pace with us. Rather, we're choosing to keep pace with Him, to be in sync with Him. And there's no greater way to walk with God than to walk in love.
Ephesians 5:2 tells us, "Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (NKJV). Then Colossians 2:6 says, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (NKJV).
Over the years I have found myself far more impressed with character than charisma, with persistence than power, and with faithfulness than fame. I have found that maybe the greatest ability of all is dependability.
As the years have passed, I've seen a lot of very gifted people essentially self-destruct for no real reason. They have a gifting from God and start off with a bang. But then they go off the rails.
Others start something like a marriage, and then it gets difficult. It isn't as easy as they hoped it would be. So they give up. Or they start a career, and it didn't go as they hoped it would. Or they want to go to school, but they don't complete it. And sadly, there are even people who make a profession of faith but then turn away later.
We want to make each day count. We want to walk in sync with God and finish what we begin.
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You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. -Psalm 97:10
We might think that love and hate cannot coexist. But hatred of evil is the other side of love. If I love what God loves, then I will hate what God hates. Psalm 97:10 says, "You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked" (NLT).
And when the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:9, "Hate what is wrong" (NLT), the term he used for hate could be translated "be horrified."
I'm concerned that evil doesn't horrify us anymore. We see certain things and say, "Well, what can you do?" And we become somewhat tolerant of it.
I think God's words to His people through the prophet Jeremiah are true of us today: "They don't even know how to blush!" (Jeremiah 6:15 NLT).
Not only should we hate evil, but we should also go to great lengths to avoid even the very appearance of evil.
If we really love God and love others, then we will hate evil and adhere to what is good. This conveys the idea of holding on willingly. It isn't reactive but proactive. We choose to do it.
It's a little like climbing the face of a cliff. You're holding on; you're clinging to it. We should cling to what is good in the same way. We hold on to it, but at the same time we hate what is evil.
Thomas Chalmers, a 19th-century Scottish minister, called this "the expulsive power of a new affection." The idea is that if we love God more than anyone or anything else, that new affection overpowers our former affection for things that were destructive to us.
Let's stay away from evil influences and embrace what will strengthen us.
The Duty of Rejoicing
�But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.� (Psalm 5:11)
It may seem strange to think of rejoicing as a Christian duty, but the Scriptures do contain many commands to rejoice, and many of these are given in circumstances of grief or danger, as is the case of our beautiful text verse.
�Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice� (Philippians 4:4), Paul wrote from a Roman dungeon. In the upper room the night before He was to die on a cross, the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: �These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full� (John 15:11). And then He said: �They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service� (John 16:2). But then He said again: �Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full� (John 16:24).
If David could rejoice while fleeing from murderous enemies, if Paul could rejoice while chained unjustly in a Roman prison, if the disciples could experience fullness of joy while facing martyrdom, and if the Lord Himself �for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame� (Hebrews 12:2), then our Christian duty of rejoicing in all circumstances may not be such an unseemly command after all.
We can rejoice, as our text reminds us, �because thou defendest them.� Furthermore, He Himself provides the joy, for �the fruit of the Spirit is�joy� (Galatians 5:22). It is not that the Christian will never know sorrow, for Christ Himself was �a man of sorrows� (Isaiah 53:3). But He also was a man of joy and, in Him, we can be like Him��as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing� (2 Corinthians 6:10). HMM
�But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.� (Psalm 5:11)
It may seem strange to think of rejoicing as a Christian duty, but the Scriptures do contain many commands to rejoice, and many of these are given in circumstances of grief or danger, as is the case of our beautiful text verse.
�Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice� (Philippians 4:4), Paul wrote from a Roman dungeon. In the upper room the night before He was to die on a cross, the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: �These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full� (John 15:11). And then He said: �They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service� (John 16:2). But then He said again: �Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full� (John 16:24).
If David could rejoice while fleeing from murderous enemies, if Paul could rejoice while chained unjustly in a Roman prison, if the disciples could experience fullness of joy while facing martyrdom, and if the Lord Himself �for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame� (Hebrews 12:2), then our Christian duty of rejoicing in all circumstances may not be such an unseemly command after all.
We can rejoice, as our text reminds us, �because thou defendest them.� Furthermore, He Himself provides the joy, for �the fruit of the Spirit is�joy� (Galatians 5:22). It is not that the Christian will never know sorrow, for Christ Himself was �a man of sorrows� (Isaiah 53:3). But He also was a man of joy and, in Him, we can be like Him��as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing� (2 Corinthians 6:10). HMM
Sanctification Isn't Passive 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"
When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.
But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godliness.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"
When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
No Child Ever Leaves God�s Sightby Max Lucado We taught our kids the Bible, but they have left God. What happened? We thought if we trained them in God�s Word, they would not depart from him. Isn�t that what the Bible says?
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6 NKJV)
Be careful with this verse. Don�t interpret it to mean �If I put my kids on the right path, they�ll never leave it. If I fill them full of Scripture and Bible lessons and sermons, they may rebel, but they�ll eventually return.�
The proverb makes no such promise. Salvation is a work of God. Godly parents can prepare the soil and sow the seed, but God gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). Moms and dads soften hearts but can�t control them.
Show them the path? Yes.
Force them to take it? No.
At moments in my own life I stood at the crossroads of the path and even took a few steps down the wrong one. One thing always brought me back�that inner compass shown to me by my Christ-loving parents.
No child ever leaves God�s sight. A child may turn his back on God or try to hide from his sight. But leave God�s view? Impossible. God has his eye on every child of his.
Keep the Fire Alive - by Greg Laurie -
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6 NKJV)
Be careful with this verse. Don�t interpret it to mean �If I put my kids on the right path, they�ll never leave it. If I fill them full of Scripture and Bible lessons and sermons, they may rebel, but they�ll eventually return.�
The proverb makes no such promise. Salvation is a work of God. Godly parents can prepare the soil and sow the seed, but God gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). Moms and dads soften hearts but can�t control them.
Show them the path? Yes.
Force them to take it? No.
At moments in my own life I stood at the crossroads of the path and even took a few steps down the wrong one. One thing always brought me back�that inner compass shown to me by my Christ-loving parents.
No child ever leaves God�s sight. A child may turn his back on God or try to hide from his sight. But leave God�s view? Impossible. God has his eye on every child of his.
Keep the Fire Alive - by Greg Laurie -
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. -Romans 12:10-11
God does not like lukewarmness. In fact, He hates it. Jesus said to the church of Laodicea, "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth" (Revelation 3:16 NKJV). The Lord would rather have us on fire or even cold than living in a miserable state of lukewarmness.
There's no room for just doing the bare minimum. We want to give people hope for this life and the afterlife. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, counseled, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV).
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:10-11 NKJV).
"Fervent in spirit" can be translated "on fire" or "boiling over." And how do you keep a fire alive? You put another log on it. You continue to feed the fire so it stays strong-and gets even stronger. In the same way, we keep the spiritual fire alive by feeding it. One way we do that is by hearing the Word of God.
Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to two discouraged disciples on the Emmaus Road. After they had a long conversation with Him, they said, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32 NKJV).
Would others describe you as being on fire for Jesus Christ? If you're on fire for Jesus, then you'll want to serve God in some way and do something for His glory.
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