HOPE: Holding on with Patient Expectation - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
And he said: 'I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me.'-Jonah 2:2
When someone asks me to pray for them, I like to include Scripture as part of my prayer. For example, if someone says they need prayer for wisdom, I'll pray something along these lines: "Lord, you promised in Scripture that if anyone lacks wisdom, let them ask of You, and you will give it generously. So now, Lord, we pray for wisdom."
Or maybe someone is battling fear. I'll pray, "Lord, you promised in Philippians that we should not worry about anything but should pray about everything. You promised the peace of God that passes all human understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. We lay hold of that promise and pray for that now."
That is something Jonah did from inside the belly of the fish. He quoted Scripture. I don't think he had scrolls to read from. But he carried God's Word in his heart. In the second chapter of Jonah, we see that he quoted from the Book of Psalms, eight times.
When I quote Scripture in my prayers, I'm not doing it to remind God of what He said. Rather, it's to remind those I'm praying for of what God said.
Jonah said, "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple" (2:7 NKJV). Jonah began to lose hope. And his hope was restored in a relationship with God.
The same is true for us today.
So what do you put your hope in? Don't put your hope in people. People will disappoint you. Parents will disappoint you. Children will disappoint you. Friends will disappoint you.
Don't put your hope in money or in technology. They will disappoint you. Don't put your hope in any human solutions. Put your hope in Jesus Christ.
The Light and the Sun
“The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.” (Psalm 74:16)
One of the traditional “discrepancies” attributed by the skeptics to the Genesis account of creation is the fact that there was “light” (Hebrew or) on the first day of the creation week, whereas God did not create the “lights” (Hebrew ma-or) to rule the day and the night until the fourth day.
However, it is interesting that modern evolutionary cosmologists find no problem in having light before the sun. According to their speculative reconstruction of cosmic history, light energy was produced in the imaginary “Big Bang” 15 billion years ago, whereas the sun “evolved” only five billion years ago. Thus, even in their attempts to destroy the divine revelation of Genesis, they inadvertently find it necessary to return to its concepts. Light energy somehow had to be “prepared” before the sun and other stars could ever be set up to serve as future generators of light energy. The fact that light is an entity independent of the sun and other heavenly bodies is one of the remarkable scientific insights of the Bible. As the basic form of energy (even intrinsic in the very nature of matter, as expressed in the famous Einstein equation), it is significant that the first recorded word spoken by the Creator was “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).
In this chapter, the psalmist is entreating the Lord of light, the Creator of all things, to deliver His people from those who are seeking to destroy all genuine faith in the true God of heaven. “The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually” (Psalm 74:23). Nevertheless, “God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth” (v. 12). The mighty God of creation, who established and controls all the basic energies of the cosmos and their manifestation on the earth, is fully able to defeat His enemies and establish His people. We can be sure of that. HMM
“The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.” (Psalm 74:16)
One of the traditional “discrepancies” attributed by the skeptics to the Genesis account of creation is the fact that there was “light” (Hebrew or) on the first day of the creation week, whereas God did not create the “lights” (Hebrew ma-or) to rule the day and the night until the fourth day.
However, it is interesting that modern evolutionary cosmologists find no problem in having light before the sun. According to their speculative reconstruction of cosmic history, light energy was produced in the imaginary “Big Bang” 15 billion years ago, whereas the sun “evolved” only five billion years ago. Thus, even in their attempts to destroy the divine revelation of Genesis, they inadvertently find it necessary to return to its concepts. Light energy somehow had to be “prepared” before the sun and other stars could ever be set up to serve as future generators of light energy. The fact that light is an entity independent of the sun and other heavenly bodies is one of the remarkable scientific insights of the Bible. As the basic form of energy (even intrinsic in the very nature of matter, as expressed in the famous Einstein equation), it is significant that the first recorded word spoken by the Creator was “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).
In this chapter, the psalmist is entreating the Lord of light, the Creator of all things, to deliver His people from those who are seeking to destroy all genuine faith in the true God of heaven. “The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually” (Psalm 74:23). Nevertheless, “God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth” (v. 12). The mighty God of creation, who established and controls all the basic energies of the cosmos and their manifestation on the earth, is fully able to defeat His enemies and establish His people. We can be sure of that. HMM
Questions About Creation
“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” (Job 38:4)
In chapters 38–41 of Job is recorded a remarkable series of 77 questions about the creation—questions which God asked Job and his philosophizing friends and that they were utterly unable to answer. At the end of the searching examination, Job could only confess: “Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:3). Modern evolutionists, despite all their arrogant pretensions, still are not able to answer them either, over 35 centuries later!
But there is one who can answer them, and His answers echo back from another ancient document, the marvelous eighth chapter of Proverbs. To God’s first question, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth,” comes His answer: “When he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him” (Proverbs 8:29-30). The speaker here is the divine wisdom. He is the Word of God, the pre-incarnate Son of God, soon to become the Son of man. In this amazing chapter, He echoes an answer to the most searching of God’s inscrutable questions to Job and his friends:
“Who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth?” (Job 38:8). “He set a compass [literally ‘sphericity’] upon the face of the depth:…When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment” (Proverbs 8:27, 29). “Hast thou commanded the morning…and caused the dayspring to know his place?” (Job 38:12). “When he prepared the heavens, I was there” (Proverbs 8:27).
Our Savior was there! “For by him were all things created” (Colossians 1:16). One more question: “Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?” (Job 38:17). Yes, and they have not prevailed! “For whoso findeth me findeth life,…all they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:35-36). HMM
“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” (Job 38:4)
In chapters 38–41 of Job is recorded a remarkable series of 77 questions about the creation—questions which God asked Job and his philosophizing friends and that they were utterly unable to answer. At the end of the searching examination, Job could only confess: “Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:3). Modern evolutionists, despite all their arrogant pretensions, still are not able to answer them either, over 35 centuries later!
But there is one who can answer them, and His answers echo back from another ancient document, the marvelous eighth chapter of Proverbs. To God’s first question, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth,” comes His answer: “When he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him” (Proverbs 8:29-30). The speaker here is the divine wisdom. He is the Word of God, the pre-incarnate Son of God, soon to become the Son of man. In this amazing chapter, He echoes an answer to the most searching of God’s inscrutable questions to Job and his friends:
“Who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth?” (Job 38:8). “He set a compass [literally ‘sphericity’] upon the face of the depth:…When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment” (Proverbs 8:27, 29). “Hast thou commanded the morning…and caused the dayspring to know his place?” (Job 38:12). “When he prepared the heavens, I was there” (Proverbs 8:27).
Our Savior was there! “For by him were all things created” (Colossians 1:16). One more question: “Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?” (Job 38:17). Yes, and they have not prevailed! “For whoso findeth me findeth life,…all they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:35-36). HMM
Power of Faith
“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
Believing faith should never be seen as the goal, only the beginning of wonderful growth in the “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4-9).
Faith both preserves and protects us: Jesus boldly declared, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me hath [present tense] everlasting life, and shall not come [future imperative] into condemnation; but is passed [pluperfect or past perfect tense] from death unto life” (John 5:24). “For the Lord preserveth the faithful” (Psalm 31:23). That’s pretty clear. Either those words are accurate or they are untrue. There is no middle ground.
Faith is the “shield” against the enemy: Many of us have read about the great “armour of God” described in Ephesians 6. Of the seven “pieces” listed in those verses, we are told, “Above all [take] the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” And when we “resist the devil” (James 4:7), we are to do so “in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9).
Faith gives us power for effective prayer: The “faith as a grain of mustard seed” promise in Matthew 17:20 refers not to size or amount but to the quality. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…nothing shall be impossible unto you.” We might translate that as “If you have the same kind of faith as a mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto you.” The “ask…seek…find” promise of Matthew 7:7 depends on our confidence in our heavenly Father. And finally, “this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). HMM III
“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
Believing faith should never be seen as the goal, only the beginning of wonderful growth in the “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4-9).
Faith both preserves and protects us: Jesus boldly declared, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me hath [present tense] everlasting life, and shall not come [future imperative] into condemnation; but is passed [pluperfect or past perfect tense] from death unto life” (John 5:24). “For the Lord preserveth the faithful” (Psalm 31:23). That’s pretty clear. Either those words are accurate or they are untrue. There is no middle ground.
Faith is the “shield” against the enemy: Many of us have read about the great “armour of God” described in Ephesians 6. Of the seven “pieces” listed in those verses, we are told, “Above all [take] the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” And when we “resist the devil” (James 4:7), we are to do so “in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9).
Faith gives us power for effective prayer: The “faith as a grain of mustard seed” promise in Matthew 17:20 refers not to size or amount but to the quality. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…nothing shall be impossible unto you.” We might translate that as “If you have the same kind of faith as a mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto you.” The “ask…seek…find” promise of Matthew 7:7 depends on our confidence in our heavenly Father. And finally, “this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). HMM III
They Saw Jesus by Max Lucado
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews
John 20:19
Picture the scene. Peter, John, James. They came back. Banking on some zany possibility that the well of forgiveness still had a few drops, they came back. Daring to dream that the master had left them some word, some plan, some direction, they came back. But little did they know their wildest dream wasn’t wild enough. Just as someone mumbles, “It’s no use,” they hear a noise. They hear a voice.
“Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)
Every head lifted. Every eye turned. Every mouth dropped open. Someone looked at the door.
It was still locked.
It was a moment the apostles would never forget, a story they would never cease to tell. The stone of the tomb was not enough to keep him in. The walls of the room were not enough to keep him out.
The one betrayed sought his betrayers. What did he say to them? Not “What a bunch of flops!” Not “I told you so.” No “Where-were-you-when-I-needed-you?” speeches. But simply one phrase, “Peace be with you.” The very thing they didn’t have was the very thing he offered: peace.
It was too good to be true! So amazing was the appearance that some were saying, “Pinch me, I’m dreaming” even at the ascension. No wonder they returned to Jerusalem with great joy! No wonder they were always in the temple praising God!
A transformed group stood beside a transformed Peter as he announced some weeks later: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:56)
The Value of Seeking the Lord
Psalms 119:1-8
We all have ambitions and desires. And while these are not necessarily wrong, we should analyze our priorities: Where do I invest my time and energy? What or who occupies my thoughts? As important as our earthly pursuits, responsibilities, and relationships may be, they cannot compare to the value of a life spent seeking the Lord.
The Christian life is meant to be a pursuit of God. To walk through the door of salvation and stand still, never drawing any closer to Him, is to miss the treasures that are available in Christ. Those who seek Him soon discover that knowing Him is the greatest reward of all.
In the Mud of Jabbok by Max Lucado
He was the riverboat gambler of the patriarchs. A master of sleight of hand and fancy footwork. He had gained a seamy reputation of getting what he wanted by hook or crook—or both.
Twice he dealt hidden cards to his dull-witted brother Esau in order to climb the family tree. He once pulled the wool over the eyes of his own father, a trick especially dirty since his father's eyes were rather dim, and the wool he pulled insured him a gift he would never have received otherwise.
He later conned his father-in-law out of his best livestock and, when no one was looking, he took the kids and the cattle and skedaddled.
Yes, Jacob had a salty reputation, deservedly so. For him the ends always justified the means. His cleverness was outranked only by his audacity. His conscience was calloused just enough to let him sleep and his feet were just fast enough to keep him one step ahead of the consequences.
That is, until he reached a river called Jabbok. (Genesis 32) At Jabbok his own cunning caught up with him.
Jacob was camped near the river Jabbok when word reached him that big, hairy Esau was coming to see him. It had been twenty years since Jacob had tricked his brother. More than enough time, Jacob realized, for Esau to stir up a boiling pot of revenge. Jacob was in trouble. This time he had no more tricks up his sleeve. He was finally forced to face up to himself and to God.
To Jacob's credit, he didn't run away from the problem. One has to wonder why. Maybe he was sick of running. Or maybe he was tired of looking at the shady character he saw every morning in the mirror. Or maybe he simply knew that he'd dealt from the bottom of the deck one too many times. Whatever the motivation, it was enough to cause him to come out of the shadows, cross Jabbok Creek alone, and face the facts.
The word Jabbok in Hebrew means "wrestle," and wrestle is what Jacob did. He wrestled with his past: all the white lies, scheming, and scandalizing. He wrestled with his situation: a spider trapped in his own web of deceit and craftiness. But more than anything, he wrestled with God.
He wrestled with the same God who had descended the ladder at Bethel to assure Jacob he wasn't alone (although he deserved to be). He met the same God who had earlier guaranteed Jacob that he would never break his promise (though one could hardly fault God if he did). He confronted the same God who had reminded Jacob that the land prepared for him was still his. (Proof again that God blesses us in spite of our lives and not because of our lives.)
Jacob wrestled with God the entire night. On the banks of Jabbok he rolled in the mud of his mistakes. He met God face to face, sick of his past and in desperate need of a fresh start. And because Jacob wanted it so badly, God honored his determination. God gave him a new name and a new promise. But he also gave a wrenched hip as a reminder of that mysterious night at the river.
Jacob wasn't the only man in the Bible to wrestle with self and God because of past antics. David did after his rendezvous with Bathsheba. Samson wrestled, blind and bald after Delilah's seduction. Elijah was at his own Jabbok when he heard the "still, small voice." Peter wrestled with his guilt with echoes of a crowing cock still ringing in his ears.
And I imagine that most of us have spent some time on the river banks as well. Our scandalous deeds have a way of finding us. Want some examples? Consider these scenes.
The unfaithful husband standing at the table with a note from his wife in his hands, "I couldn't take it anymore. I've taken the kids with me."
The twenty-year-old single in the doctor's office. The words are still fresh on her mind, "The test was positive. You are pregnant."
A Heart for God A Vision for the World
Acts 13:16-22
I sometimes like to walk through a cemetery and read the epitaphs on the tombstones. It's interesting to see what words are used to sum up a person's life. This may seem like a morbid pastime, but it's actually a great way to reassess our own lives. We're each going to leave a testimony of some kind when we die. Have you ever wondered what your loved ones will write on your gravestone? What words do you want inscribed there?
If God was writing a summary of your life, how would He describe you? Does your heart align with His, or have you let it follow the pleasures and pursuits of this world? Unless we diligently pursue our relationship with the Lord, we will drift away from Him. Maybe it's time for a course correction.
I Will Ever Be True
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
The concluding verse of our song, “The Old Rugged Cross,” contains a commitment to follow Christ in this life and looks forward to life with Him in eternity.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
When coupled with the preceding scriptural verse, our text mirrors these thoughts: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (v. 1). In this life, we have both the victorious examples of many that have gone before (Hebrews 11), and Christ Himself. Both He and they have suffered joyfully, and so can we: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,…But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye” (1 Peter 4:12-14).
Once Christ fully “endured the cross,” He rose from the dead in victory over death to take His rightful place “at the right hand of the throne of God.” He now calls us to be “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). He’ll call us some day to Himself, where we shall “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM
Jesus' Burialby Max Lucado
When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he asked the soldiers if they were certain. They were. Had they seen the Nazarene twitch, had they heard even one moan, they would have broken his legs to speed his end. But there was no need. The thrust of a spear removed all doubt. The Romans knew their job. And their job was finished. They pried loose the nails, lowered his body, and gave it to Joseph and Nicodemus.
Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus the Pharisee. They sat in seats of power and bore positions of influence. Men of means and men of clout. But they would’ve traded it all for one breath out of the body of Jesus. He had answered the prayer of their hearts, the prayer for the Messiah. As much as the soldiers wanted him dead, even more these men wanted him alive.
As they sponged the blood from his beard, don’t you know they listened for his breath? As they wrapped the cloth around his hands, don’t you know they hoped for a pulse? Don’t you know they searched for life?
But they didn’t find it.
So they do with him what they were expected to do with a dead man. They wrap his body in clean linen and place it in a tomb. Joseph’s tomb. Roman guards are stationed to guard the corpse. And a Roman seal is set on the rock of the tomb. For three days, no one gets close to the grave.
But then, Sunday arrives. And with Sunday comes light—a light within the tomb. A bright light? A soft light? Flashing? Hovering? We don’t know. But there was a light. For he is the light. And with the light came life. Just as the darkness was banished, now the decay is reversed. Heaven blows and Jesus breathes. His chest expands. Waxy lips open. Wooden fingers lift. Heart valves swish and hinged joints bend.
The Cross The Believer's Motivation
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Paul was single-minded in the message he preached. The cross was not only his primary subject; it was also his motivation for living. When we begin to understand all that Jesus did for us at Calvary, we, too, can receive fresh motivation to live for Him. For instance, we can...
Walk humbly before God. Since the power to live the Christian life is supplied by Christ, there is no room for pride. When Jesus died, our "flesh" nature was crucified with Him so that we could live in newness of life. Any success we achieve in living righteously or walking in obedience is possible only because He is working through us.
Too often we view the cross only as a past event that secured our eternal destiny, and we fail to see how it can motivate daily choices and activities. Stop to contemplate all that God is continually accomplishing in you though the cross. Let it be your motivation to live wholeheartedly for Christ.
Stained with Blood So Divine
“But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, …one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith there came out blood and water.” (John 19:33-34)
As with many of the great hymns, the verses of “The Old Rugged Cross” tell a story when considered in sequence. The first verse states the general doctrine of the cross; the second speaks of the necessity of the incarnation to accomplish the cross’ purpose; the third, quoted below, gives details of the crucifixion and what it accomplished, and the last verse rehearses the results, both now and in the future.
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For t’was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
That old rugged cross was stained with blood, as is obvious from our text. But this blood was special, for “ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold….But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:18-20).
The divine Lamb of God suffered and died on the cross, “in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14), “that he might sanctify the people with his own blood” (Hebrews 13:12).
But the old rugged cross was not the only thing stained that day, for “the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The saints in heaven are portrayed as having “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM
No Cleanup Required - by Greg Laurie -
May I gently but firmly remind you of something you know but may have forgotten? Life is not fair. That�s not pessimism, it�s a fact. It�s not a complaint, it�s just the way things are. I don�t like it. Neither do you. Ever since the kid down the block got a bike and we didn�t, we�ve been saying the same thing, �That�s not fair!�
At some point someone needs to say to us, �Who ever told you life was going to be fair?� God didn�t. In James 1:2, he didn�t say, �If you have many kinds of troubles,� he said, �When you have many kinds of troubles.� Troubles are part of the package.
Jesus said, �My kingdom does not belong to this world. My kingdom is from another place (John 18:36).�
When all of earth turns against you, all of heaven turns toward you. To keep your balance in this crooked world, think of home!
From And the Angels Were Silent
What Is Your True Purpose
1 Samuel 16:6-13
What do you live for each day? A pay raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered the reality that basing aspirations on getting ahead in this world typically ends in disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction often wonder why they feel unfulfilled.
Our heavenly Father's purpose for our lives comes from His heart of love--which is perfect. None of us can foretell the great things He has in store for us, but we can trust His plan completely. Surrender to Him today and say, "Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done."
Wrapped Up in Problems - by Greg Laurie -
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews
John 20:19
Picture the scene. Peter, John, James. They came back. Banking on some zany possibility that the well of forgiveness still had a few drops, they came back. Daring to dream that the master had left them some word, some plan, some direction, they came back. But little did they know their wildest dream wasn’t wild enough. Just as someone mumbles, “It’s no use,” they hear a noise. They hear a voice.
“Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)
Every head lifted. Every eye turned. Every mouth dropped open. Someone looked at the door.
It was still locked.
It was a moment the apostles would never forget, a story they would never cease to tell. The stone of the tomb was not enough to keep him in. The walls of the room were not enough to keep him out.
The one betrayed sought his betrayers. What did he say to them? Not “What a bunch of flops!” Not “I told you so.” No “Where-were-you-when-I-needed-you?” speeches. But simply one phrase, “Peace be with you.” The very thing they didn’t have was the very thing he offered: peace.
It was too good to be true! So amazing was the appearance that some were saying, “Pinch me, I’m dreaming” even at the ascension. No wonder they returned to Jerusalem with great joy! No wonder they were always in the temple praising God!
A transformed group stood beside a transformed Peter as he announced some weeks later: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:56)
The Value of Seeking the Lord
Psalms 119:1-8
We all have ambitions and desires. And while these are not necessarily wrong, we should analyze our priorities: Where do I invest my time and energy? What or who occupies my thoughts? As important as our earthly pursuits, responsibilities, and relationships may be, they cannot compare to the value of a life spent seeking the Lord.
First of all, consider what it means to seek something. The word connotes a strong desire and an energetic quest to achieve it.Suppose you discovered a very productive vein of gold on your property. You wouldn’t just stroll out and look at it occasionally. No, you would gather some equipment and diligently go out each day to chip away at the rocks and collect the precious metal.
In the same way, seeking the Lord is not a quick and occasional encounter, but a wholehearted effort to know Him more intimately and follow Him more closely. Those who unreservedly pursue this kind of fellowship with God are determined to spend time with Him; they also want to forsake anything that could hinder growth in their relationship with the Lord. God’s committed followers boldly claim His promises and trust Him to fulfill His Word. Their experiences with the Lord bring amazing satisfaction yet cause them to hunger for more of Him.The Christian life is meant to be a pursuit of God. To walk through the door of salvation and stand still, never drawing any closer to Him, is to miss the treasures that are available in Christ. Those who seek Him soon discover that knowing Him is the greatest reward of all.
In the Mud of Jabbok by Max Lucado
He was the riverboat gambler of the patriarchs. A master of sleight of hand and fancy footwork. He had gained a seamy reputation of getting what he wanted by hook or crook—or both.
Twice he dealt hidden cards to his dull-witted brother Esau in order to climb the family tree. He once pulled the wool over the eyes of his own father, a trick especially dirty since his father's eyes were rather dim, and the wool he pulled insured him a gift he would never have received otherwise.
He later conned his father-in-law out of his best livestock and, when no one was looking, he took the kids and the cattle and skedaddled.
Yes, Jacob had a salty reputation, deservedly so. For him the ends always justified the means. His cleverness was outranked only by his audacity. His conscience was calloused just enough to let him sleep and his feet were just fast enough to keep him one step ahead of the consequences.
That is, until he reached a river called Jabbok. (Genesis 32) At Jabbok his own cunning caught up with him.
Jacob was camped near the river Jabbok when word reached him that big, hairy Esau was coming to see him. It had been twenty years since Jacob had tricked his brother. More than enough time, Jacob realized, for Esau to stir up a boiling pot of revenge. Jacob was in trouble. This time he had no more tricks up his sleeve. He was finally forced to face up to himself and to God.
To Jacob's credit, he didn't run away from the problem. One has to wonder why. Maybe he was sick of running. Or maybe he was tired of looking at the shady character he saw every morning in the mirror. Or maybe he simply knew that he'd dealt from the bottom of the deck one too many times. Whatever the motivation, it was enough to cause him to come out of the shadows, cross Jabbok Creek alone, and face the facts.
The word Jabbok in Hebrew means "wrestle," and wrestle is what Jacob did. He wrestled with his past: all the white lies, scheming, and scandalizing. He wrestled with his situation: a spider trapped in his own web of deceit and craftiness. But more than anything, he wrestled with God.
He wrestled with the same God who had descended the ladder at Bethel to assure Jacob he wasn't alone (although he deserved to be). He met the same God who had earlier guaranteed Jacob that he would never break his promise (though one could hardly fault God if he did). He confronted the same God who had reminded Jacob that the land prepared for him was still his. (Proof again that God blesses us in spite of our lives and not because of our lives.)
Jacob wrestled with God the entire night. On the banks of Jabbok he rolled in the mud of his mistakes. He met God face to face, sick of his past and in desperate need of a fresh start. And because Jacob wanted it so badly, God honored his determination. God gave him a new name and a new promise. But he also gave a wrenched hip as a reminder of that mysterious night at the river.
Jacob wasn't the only man in the Bible to wrestle with self and God because of past antics. David did after his rendezvous with Bathsheba. Samson wrestled, blind and bald after Delilah's seduction. Elijah was at his own Jabbok when he heard the "still, small voice." Peter wrestled with his guilt with echoes of a crowing cock still ringing in his ears.
And I imagine that most of us have spent some time on the river banks as well. Our scandalous deeds have a way of finding us. Want some examples? Consider these scenes.
The unfaithful husband standing at the table with a note from his wife in his hands, "I couldn't take it anymore. I've taken the kids with me."
The twenty-year-old single in the doctor's office. The words are still fresh on her mind, "The test was positive. You are pregnant."
A Heart for God A Vision for the World
Acts 13:16-22
I sometimes like to walk through a cemetery and read the epitaphs on the tombstones. It's interesting to see what words are used to sum up a person's life. This may seem like a morbid pastime, but it's actually a great way to reassess our own lives. We're each going to leave a testimony of some kind when we die. Have you ever wondered what your loved ones will write on your gravestone? What words do you want inscribed there?
In our passage today, the apostle Paul tells us God's evaluation of David: He described him as "a man after My heart, who will do all My will" (v. 22). What an awesome testimony of a life well lived! The Lord wasn't describing a perfect man, but one whose life was centered on God's interests and desires.
David's many psalms attest to the fact that his relationship with the Lord was the most important aspect of his life. His passion was to obey God and carry out His will. However, that doesn't mean he was always obedient. Who can forget his failure with Bathsheba? But even when he sinned by committing adultery and murder, his heart was still bent toward God. The conviction he felt and his humble repentance afterward proved that his relationship with the Lord was still his top priority.If God was writing a summary of your life, how would He describe you? Does your heart align with His, or have you let it follow the pleasures and pursuits of this world? Unless we diligently pursue our relationship with the Lord, we will drift away from Him. Maybe it's time for a course correction.
I Will Ever Be True
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
The concluding verse of our song, “The Old Rugged Cross,” contains a commitment to follow Christ in this life and looks forward to life with Him in eternity.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
When coupled with the preceding scriptural verse, our text mirrors these thoughts: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (v. 1). In this life, we have both the victorious examples of many that have gone before (Hebrews 11), and Christ Himself. Both He and they have suffered joyfully, and so can we: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,…But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye” (1 Peter 4:12-14).
Once Christ fully “endured the cross,” He rose from the dead in victory over death to take His rightful place “at the right hand of the throne of God.” He now calls us to be “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). He’ll call us some day to Himself, where we shall “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM
| Just for You by Max Lucado Behold the sun! Every square yard of it is constantly emitting 130,000 horse power, the equivalent of 450 eight-cylinder car engines. Consider the earth! Our globe’s weight is estimated at six sextillion tons—that’s a six with 21 zeros! Yet it’s precisely tilted at twenty-three degrees or our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood. If God is able to place the stars in their sockets and suspend the sky like a curtain—do you think it remotely possible God is able to guide your life? Could it be He is mighty enough to light your path? Jesus said, “Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Why do you worry about clothes?” (Matthew 6:26). Next time a sunrise steals your breath, say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, “Do you like it? I did it just for you!” from The Great House of God |
When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he asked the soldiers if they were certain. They were. Had they seen the Nazarene twitch, had they heard even one moan, they would have broken his legs to speed his end. But there was no need. The thrust of a spear removed all doubt. The Romans knew their job. And their job was finished. They pried loose the nails, lowered his body, and gave it to Joseph and Nicodemus.
Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus the Pharisee. They sat in seats of power and bore positions of influence. Men of means and men of clout. But they would’ve traded it all for one breath out of the body of Jesus. He had answered the prayer of their hearts, the prayer for the Messiah. As much as the soldiers wanted him dead, even more these men wanted him alive.
As they sponged the blood from his beard, don’t you know they listened for his breath? As they wrapped the cloth around his hands, don’t you know they hoped for a pulse? Don’t you know they searched for life?
But they didn’t find it.
So they do with him what they were expected to do with a dead man. They wrap his body in clean linen and place it in a tomb. Joseph’s tomb. Roman guards are stationed to guard the corpse. And a Roman seal is set on the rock of the tomb. For three days, no one gets close to the grave.
But then, Sunday arrives. And with Sunday comes light—a light within the tomb. A bright light? A soft light? Flashing? Hovering? We don’t know. But there was a light. For he is the light. And with the light came life. Just as the darkness was banished, now the decay is reversed. Heaven blows and Jesus breathes. His chest expands. Waxy lips open. Wooden fingers lift. Heart valves swish and hinged joints bend.
The Cross The Believer's Motivation
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Paul was single-minded in the message he preached. The cross was not only his primary subject; it was also his motivation for living. When we begin to understand all that Jesus did for us at Calvary, we, too, can receive fresh motivation to live for Him. For instance, we can...
Walk humbly before God. Since the power to live the Christian life is supplied by Christ, there is no room for pride. When Jesus died, our "flesh" nature was crucified with Him so that we could live in newness of life. Any success we achieve in living righteously or walking in obedience is possible only because He is working through us.
Serve the Lord faithfully. At the cross, we were placed "in Christ," and He is in us (Gal. 2:20). We are now His body on earth, created for good works which God has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). Jesus wasn’t crucified so we could sit in pews each Sunday and listen to sermons. He has specific tasks for each of us to achieve during our lifetime.
Share our faith. Knowing all that Jesus accomplished at the cross should motivate us to share the gospel with others. This world is filled with hurting people who know nothing about salvation. Since their eternal destiny is at stake, how can we keep our mouths closed?Too often we view the cross only as a past event that secured our eternal destiny, and we fail to see how it can motivate daily choices and activities. Stop to contemplate all that God is continually accomplishing in you though the cross. Let it be your motivation to live wholeheartedly for Christ.
Stained with Blood So Divine
“But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, …one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith there came out blood and water.” (John 19:33-34)
As with many of the great hymns, the verses of “The Old Rugged Cross” tell a story when considered in sequence. The first verse states the general doctrine of the cross; the second speaks of the necessity of the incarnation to accomplish the cross’ purpose; the third, quoted below, gives details of the crucifixion and what it accomplished, and the last verse rehearses the results, both now and in the future.
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For t’was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
That old rugged cross was stained with blood, as is obvious from our text. But this blood was special, for “ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold….But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:18-20).
The divine Lamb of God suffered and died on the cross, “in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14), “that he might sanctify the people with his own blood” (Hebrews 13:12).
But the old rugged cross was not the only thing stained that day, for “the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The saints in heaven are portrayed as having “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM
No Cleanup Required - by Greg Laurie -
Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. -Jonah 1:5
The sailors had never seen a storm of that kind before. They believed in many gods, but they just wanted to know which god was so angry.
And when the storm got worse, these experienced mariners started to freak out. They told everyone on the boat, including the stranger below deck named Jonah, to call on their god.
Jonah told them, "I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. . . . Throw me into the sea . . . and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault" (Jonah 1:9, 12 NLT).
Of course, the sailors didn't want to do that. So they "rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn't make it" (verse 13 NLT).
Ultimately, they threw Jonah overboard.
Like those frantic sailors, sometimes we try to get ourselves out of our problems in our own strength. We say, "No problem! I'll take care of this. One phone call to a friend, and I'll have a resolution. I have a way to resolve this." Then our problem gets worse and worse. And eventually we realize that we need to cry out to God about it.
Some people think they can become Christians just by doing good things. Or, like throwing cargo overboard, they decide to just get rid of some of the bad things in their lives.
But it's not about just cleaning up your life a little. Being a Christian is realizing there is no other way for you to be forgiven of your sin except through Jesus Christ.
You don't clean up your life and then come to Christ. Come to Christ, and then He will clean up your life.
Life is Not Fairby Max LucadoMay I gently but firmly remind you of something you know but may have forgotten? Life is not fair. That�s not pessimism, it�s a fact. It�s not a complaint, it�s just the way things are. I don�t like it. Neither do you. Ever since the kid down the block got a bike and we didn�t, we�ve been saying the same thing, �That�s not fair!�
At some point someone needs to say to us, �Who ever told you life was going to be fair?� God didn�t. In James 1:2, he didn�t say, �If you have many kinds of troubles,� he said, �When you have many kinds of troubles.� Troubles are part of the package.
Jesus said, �My kingdom does not belong to this world. My kingdom is from another place (John 18:36).�
When all of earth turns against you, all of heaven turns toward you. To keep your balance in this crooked world, think of home!
From And the Angels Were Silent
What Is Your True Purpose
1 Samuel 16:6-13
What do you live for each day? A pay raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered the reality that basing aspirations on getting ahead in this world typically ends in disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction often wonder why they feel unfulfilled.
Maybe you've already realized a goal of saving for the future or moving up the corporate ladder. You give to charity and volunteer at church, but somehow still feel a sense of insignificance or aimlessness. If so, there is a truth you need to hear: God gives each of us life for a very specific reason: to serve Him. Nobody finds inner peace without reconciling this fact. Our society teaches us that pleasure, prosperity, position, and popularity will make us happy--but living in the service of self always leaves an emptiness no earthly reward can fill.
Besides, worldly philosophy won't stand the test of time. Few of us are going to live even 100 years. So whatever we'll become in this life, we're in the process of becoming that right now. Consider David: he was anointed king long before actually assuming the role (1 Sam. 16:12). He spent many years serving the purpose of God in insignificant places while developing into a great man. As his story shows, discovering God's purpose for your life is the surest path to success.Our heavenly Father's purpose for our lives comes from His heart of love--which is perfect. None of us can foretell the great things He has in store for us, but we can trust His plan completely. Surrender to Him today and say, "Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done."
Wrapped Up in Problems - by Greg Laurie -
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. -Jonah 2:1
After the crew tossed Jonah overboard in the middle of a storm, God sent a custom-designed watercraft Jonah's way. In other words, He brought in a very large fish to swallow the prodigal prophet.
Now, did God do this because He hated Jonah? No. Was He angry at Jonah? Again, no. God did this because He loved Jonah and wanted to get his attention. He wanted to bring him back to Himself.
Jonah knew what was right, but he was running from it. But while he was inside of this fish, he called out to the Lord. Remarkably, this happened after he was there for three days and three nights.
I can just imagine him sitting there wrapped in seaweed, fish slapping him in the face, smelling who knows what with the fish's gastric juices bubbling away.
Then he finally came to his senses and called out to the Lord. This reminds us that we can pray anywhere and anytime. We can pray while we're kneeling. We can pray while we're standing or sitting. And we can pray with our eyes open or closed.
God will hear your prayer in the ocean, and He will hear your prayer when you're pacing around, stuck at home. God will hear your prayer wherever it is.
Ephesians 6:18 tells us, "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion" (NLT). Even when things are bad, God is still good. So we can give praises to Him because of that. That is what Jonah did. And by the way, I think it was here that he experienced personal revival.
Maybe you feel like you're wrapped up with problems right now. You can't see any way out of your particular circumstances. Know this: Your situation isn't hopeless. God can come into your life and change your entire story.
A Time to Sleep
�And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.� (Acts 12:6)
Here is an amazing thing. The apostle Peter is in prison, bound with chains, heavily guarded, probably awaiting execution (his close friend James already had been put to death by Herod), and �prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him� (Acts 12:5).
Yet, here he is, fast asleep! He had been imprisoned at least once before for preaching the gospel, and the Lord had miraculously delivered him then (Acts 5:17-19), so why should he be fearful now? The Lord was still in control, and there was nothing Peter himself could do about the situation, so he simply went to sleep. There are, of course, many situations where a Christian needs to stay alert and watchful. But there are also times when he has done all he can do, and there is nothing to be accomplished by further worrying, so he must leave it in the Lord�s hands.
In Peter�s case, he was sleeping so soundly that when an angel from God came to deliver him from his �impossible� circumstance, the angel had to smite him on the side (v. 7) to awaken him! In fact, he was still so sleepy that he did not really �come to himself� (v. 11) until the angel left him out on the street alone.
Then, of course, Peter rushed back to the house of Mark�s mother, where the church was praying for him (v. 12), to tell them of the amazing answer to their prayers. As with Peter, there are times when we must simply �stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord� (Exodus 14:13), �so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me� (Hebrews 13:6). HMM
�And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.� (Acts 12:6)
Here is an amazing thing. The apostle Peter is in prison, bound with chains, heavily guarded, probably awaiting execution (his close friend James already had been put to death by Herod), and �prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him� (Acts 12:5).
Yet, here he is, fast asleep! He had been imprisoned at least once before for preaching the gospel, and the Lord had miraculously delivered him then (Acts 5:17-19), so why should he be fearful now? The Lord was still in control, and there was nothing Peter himself could do about the situation, so he simply went to sleep. There are, of course, many situations where a Christian needs to stay alert and watchful. But there are also times when he has done all he can do, and there is nothing to be accomplished by further worrying, so he must leave it in the Lord�s hands.
In Peter�s case, he was sleeping so soundly that when an angel from God came to deliver him from his �impossible� circumstance, the angel had to smite him on the side (v. 7) to awaken him! In fact, he was still so sleepy that he did not really �come to himself� (v. 11) until the angel left him out on the street alone.
Then, of course, Peter rushed back to the house of Mark�s mother, where the church was praying for him (v. 12), to tell them of the amazing answer to their prayers. As with Peter, there are times when we must simply �stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord� (Exodus 14:13), �so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me� (Hebrews 13:6). HMM
Many Gifts of the Crossby Max Lucado Much has been said about Jesus� �gift of the Cross.� But what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? Have you taken time to open these gifts? He didn�t have to give us these gifts, you know. The only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet He did much more. So much more.
Search the scene of the Cross�and what do you find? A wine-soaked sponge. A sign. Two crosses beside Christ. Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, �You did this for me?� Dare we think such thoughts? Let�s unwrap these gifts of grace� as if for the first time. Pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper, �I did it just for you!�
From He Chose the Nails
David A Model of Servanthood
2 Samuel 8:1-16
David served God in many capacities--from simple shepherd boy to heroic ruler. Looking at the various stages of his life, we can see clearly how his godly devotion allowed the Lord to use him mightily.
Shepherd: David was anointed king long before commanding anything other than sheep (1 Sam. 16:1-13). Protecting the sheep was a job he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to do so. During those days, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of creatures weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his human father taught him the humility he would later need in order to depend on God.
King David served God's purpose when he lived, and continues to do so hundreds of years later--every follower of Christ has been blessed by David's obedience, service, and literary skill. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.
My Glory
�O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.� (Psalm 108:1)
This seems a somewhat strange expression. A similar statement is found in Psalm 30:12: �To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.� Also, note Psalm 57:8: �Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp.�
The Hebrew word is the normal word for �glory,� as in Psalm 19:1, for example: �The heavens declare the glory of God.� But what, then, is meant by �my glory�? The explanation is found in the way the New Testament quotes Psalm 16:9: �Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth.� In Acts 2:26, this verse is applied to Christ, and translated �Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad.�
It becomes clear, then, that in such passages �my glory� simply means �my tongue.� In fact, the word was translated �tongue� in these and other similar passages in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament.
But why, then, did the inspired Hebrew text here use the words �my glory� instead of the usual Hebrew word for tongue? The answer probably is that when our tongues are used to praise the Lord, they do, indeed, become our glory!
It is this very ability, in fact, that primarily distinguishes man from the animals. Animals can bark, roar, grunt, and send out sonar signals, but they cannot speak in intelligible, symbolic, abstract speech. This is an unbridgeable evolutionary gulf that cannot be crossed, because only men and women were created in the image of God.
Mankind alone has the ability to speak, for the simple reason that God desires to communicate with us so that we can respond in praise to Him. This is our glory! �I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations� (Psalm 89:1). HMM
A Second Time - by Greg Laurie -
Search the scene of the Cross�and what do you find? A wine-soaked sponge. A sign. Two crosses beside Christ. Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, �You did this for me?� Dare we think such thoughts? Let�s unwrap these gifts of grace� as if for the first time. Pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper, �I did it just for you!�
From He Chose the Nails
David A Model of Servanthood
2 Samuel 8:1-16
David served God in many capacities--from simple shepherd boy to heroic ruler. Looking at the various stages of his life, we can see clearly how his godly devotion allowed the Lord to use him mightily.
Shepherd: David was anointed king long before commanding anything other than sheep (1 Sam. 16:1-13). Protecting the sheep was a job he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to do so. During those days, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of creatures weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his human father taught him the humility he would later need in order to depend on God.
Psalmist: David's writings reveal his hunger for God. He is open about issues like fear, depression, defeat, loneliness, and sorrow. By describing valley experiences and communing with the Father in the night watches, David provided us with intimate glimpses of the God he knew so well.
Commander: Starting with David's encounter with Bathsheba, the king's life was plagued by heartache, pain, suffering, and conflict. David had sinned greatly, but God forgave him and continued to use him. He ruled Israel for 40 years, and his people called Jerusalem the "City of David." His restoration teaches us about the consequences of sin and the limitlessness of God's grace.King David served God's purpose when he lived, and continues to do so hundreds of years later--every follower of Christ has been blessed by David's obedience, service, and literary skill. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.
My Glory
�O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.� (Psalm 108:1)
This seems a somewhat strange expression. A similar statement is found in Psalm 30:12: �To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.� Also, note Psalm 57:8: �Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp.�
The Hebrew word is the normal word for �glory,� as in Psalm 19:1, for example: �The heavens declare the glory of God.� But what, then, is meant by �my glory�? The explanation is found in the way the New Testament quotes Psalm 16:9: �Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth.� In Acts 2:26, this verse is applied to Christ, and translated �Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad.�
It becomes clear, then, that in such passages �my glory� simply means �my tongue.� In fact, the word was translated �tongue� in these and other similar passages in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament.
But why, then, did the inspired Hebrew text here use the words �my glory� instead of the usual Hebrew word for tongue? The answer probably is that when our tongues are used to praise the Lord, they do, indeed, become our glory!
It is this very ability, in fact, that primarily distinguishes man from the animals. Animals can bark, roar, grunt, and send out sonar signals, but they cannot speak in intelligible, symbolic, abstract speech. This is an unbridgeable evolutionary gulf that cannot be crossed, because only men and women were created in the image of God.
Mankind alone has the ability to speak, for the simple reason that God desires to communicate with us so that we can respond in praise to Him. This is our glory! �I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations� (Psalm 89:1). HMM
A Second Time - by Greg Laurie -
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.' -Jonah 3:1-2
Jonah probably wondered whether God would ever use him again. And of course, the Lord wasn't obligated to do so. But God loved Jonah. And God gives second chances.
In Jonah 3 we read, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you'" (Jonah 3:1-2 NKJV).
God also gave Adam and Eve, our first parents, a second chance. They were strictly warned to not eat of the forbidden fruit. But they did. As a result, sin entered into the world.
God could have said, "That's it. I'm starting over again."
Yet what do we find in chapter 3 of Genesis? We read, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. . . . Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'Where are you?'" (verses 8-9 NKJV).
God was still longing for fellowship with His wayward son.
Also, God gave King David a second chance after David committed adultery and murder (which he did to cover up his adultery). When the prophet Nathan confronted him, he repented. And God gave him a second chance.
Samson had so much going for him. He committed incredible feats of strength like a superhero. But he fell into sin and got involved in all kinds of immorality. Ultimately, his enemies captured him and gouged out his eyes. But then the Bible gives us this detail about Samson in Judges 16:22: "But before long, his hair began to grow back" (NLT). God gave him a second chance.
This should give hope to anyone who feels like they need a second chance in life. God gives second chances.
The Sign on Christ�s Crossby Max Lucado John 19:19 says, "Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross: 'Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.'"
Why is a sign placed over the head of Jesus? Could it be that this piece of wood is a picture of God�s devotion? A symbol of his passion to tell the world about his Son? Pilate intended the sign to threaten and mock the Jews. But God had another purpose. Every passerby could read the sign, for every passerby could read Hebrew, Latin or Greek. In the language of culture, Christ was declared King in them all. There�s no language he will not speak. Which leads us to the delightful question: What language is he speaking to you? I�m referring to the day-to-day drama of your life. God does speak, you know. He speaks in any language that we will understand.
The God Who Saves
Ephesians 2:8-9
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
Why is a sign placed over the head of Jesus? Could it be that this piece of wood is a picture of God�s devotion? A symbol of his passion to tell the world about his Son? Pilate intended the sign to threaten and mock the Jews. But God had another purpose. Every passerby could read the sign, for every passerby could read Hebrew, Latin or Greek. In the language of culture, Christ was declared King in them all. There�s no language he will not speak. Which leads us to the delightful question: What language is he speaking to you? I�m referring to the day-to-day drama of your life. God does speak, you know. He speaks in any language that we will understand.
The God Who Saves
Ephesians 2:8-9
Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.
What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
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