DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 8.22.20

Tender Words to the Tired Heart by Max Lucado Brook Besor. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of the place. Most haven't, but more need to. The Brook Besor narrative deserves shelf space in the library of the worn-out. It speaks tender words to the tired heart. The story emerges from the ruins of Ziklag. David and his six hundred soldiers return from the Philistine war front to find utter devastation. A raiding band of Amalekites had swept down on the village, looted it, and taken the women and children hostage.The sorrow of the men mutates into anger, not against the Amalekites, but against David. After all, hadn't he led them into battle? Hadn't he left the women and children unprotected? Isn't he to blame? Then he needs to die. So they start grabbing stones. This could be his worst hour. Loving His Appearing “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shallgive me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) It is fascinating to learn that the Lord has a special reward for all those who “love his appearing.” The word “appearing” (Greek epiphaneia) can refer to either the first or second advent of Christ, depending on the context. Paul urges us to be “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus2:13). For “the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ...hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10). Our text for the day obviously refers to His Second Coming “at that day,” exhorting us not only to look for but to love His appearing! At that great day, “the Lord, the righteous judge” will award to those who have loved His appearing a special crown of righteousness.We have already received the imputed “gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) by His grace and have been “made the righteousness of God in him” (2Corinthians 5:21), so this crown of righteousness somehow must be (as a wreath encircling the head of a victor in a race) an enveloping glow of divine appreciation for a godly life lived in daily anticipation of the Lord’s return. The apostle John beautifully expressed the way in which such a life, loving Christ’s coming, produces a growing righteousness now and perfected righteousness then. “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence,and not be ashamed before him at his coming....We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1John 2:28; 3:2-3). HMM Heirs of God, Co-Heirs with Christ by Max Lucado After spending the better part of an hour reciting the woes of my life to my wife, Denalyn interrupted me with a question. “Is God in this anywhere?” I hate it when she does that. What had happened to me? I was focusing on my resources. I wasn’t consulting God. I had limited my world to my strength, my wisdom, and my power. No wonder I was in a tailspin. For such moments God gives this promise: “We are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirswith Christ.” (Romans 8:17). The cronies of dismay, gloom and rejection have no answer for the promise of inheritance. Tell them, the gauge may be bouncing on empty, but I will not run out of fuel. “I am a child of the living and loving God, and he will help me!” And because God’spromises are unbreakable our hope is unshakable! The Authority of Our Message 1 Kings 17:1 King Ahab's first thought after encountering the prophet Elijah may well have been, Of all the nerve! Just who does this guy think he is? Bursting onto the scene out of nowhere, Elijah confronted Israel's wicked king with a message that would soon disrupt life throughout the entire region. The validity of the revelation rested with the Source, not the mouthpiece. Elijah was a man of great faith who believed what God told him; he could boldly speak with authority because he knew and trusted the One who gave the message. He spent time alone with the Lord and listened as he stood before Him. Rest and Work “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, andlearn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29) There are many types of burdens we may try to carry. Consider the burdens of sorrow, pain, grief, fear, worry, and— above all—sin that plague us. In today’s text, Christ promises hope for the “heavy laden” if we will but come to Him and accept His graciousoffer of salvation and cleansing. He will either remove the burden, lighten it, or give us strength to bear it, whichever is best. His offer of rest includes inward peace even in times of trouble here, and perfect peace hereafter. It may sound paradoxical, but we can actually lighten our load by taking up His “yoke.” “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew16:24). In our text, Christ said we are to learn of Him, thus emulating His meekness and lowliness in heart as we carry our cross. If we accept His yoke in humility because of our love for Him, we can endure every hardship and bear every burden with hopeand patience. Even though we are children of the King, we still have work to do. It has always been so, for even sinless Adam and Eve were responsible for tending the Garden of Eden (Genesis2:15). God knew that idleness and lack of responsibility were improper. Likewise, in the future we will have responsibilities given to us according to the handling of our responsibilities in this life (Matthew25:21). We may be coregents of the kingdom (Revelation 20:6), but we will still have our responsibilities. The burdens He gives us now are not oppressive, but with His help, and with the proper attitude, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It is a “rest” to work for Him. JDM The Priority of Obedience John 14:23-26 The Creator gave two commands to Adam and Eve—first, to fill the earth and rule over it, and second, not to eat from a certain tree in the Garden (Gen.1:28; 2:17). Because they chose to disobey, their relationship with God was broken, and they had to leave Eden. The first couple’s rebellion not only impacted their own lives but also had far broader implications: all future generations have suffered. In Romans5:12-19, the apostle Paul explained the reason. Through the trespass of one man, Adam, sin made its entrance into the world, and death resulted for all mankind. Because Adam was head of the human race, his actions affected everyone born after him. Hisdisobedience resulted in each of us having a bent away from the Lord and a desire for self-rule. By contrast, Jesus made conformity to the Lord’s will the priority of His life. He obeyed God in both word and deed (John8:28-29). Having lived a perfect life—one entirely without sin—He qualified to be our Savior (2 Cor. 5:21). Through thedeath of one man, Christ Jesus, payment was made for the transgressions of all mankind. God’s acceptance of the Son’s sacrifice brought us forgiveness and freedom from sin’s power. Adam’s disobedience brought judgment and death upon us, whereas Jesus’ obedience resulted in new life for all who believe in Him (Rom. 6:4).Our Savior calls us to deny selfish desires, live sacrificially, and follow Him (Matt. 16:24). A godly life will bring Jesus honor andinfluence others for Him. A Divine Mission “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance ariseto the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther4:14) This great challenge to Queen Esther by her cousin Mordecai, urging her to be willing to risk her own life to save the lives of her people, embodies a timeless principle that has challenged many another man or woman of God in later times. One thinks of Paul,for example, who could testify that “what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7) and whom, therefore, God used so greatlyin the critical times of the early church. Then there were Wycliffe, Hus, Martin Luther, and many others in post-biblical times who, like Paul, could say, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24). Who is to say that the same principle does not apply, at least in some measure, to everyone? Our role in history may not be as strategic and far-reaching as that of Queen Esther, but God does have a high calling in mind and a vital ministry of some sort foreveryone. The great tragedy is that most people “hold their peace” when it comes to taking a vital and dangerous stand for God and His truth, and therefore “enlargement and deliverance” have to be raised up by Him “from another place.” May God help each of us, called as we are to some significant ministry that we can best perform “at such a time as this,” to be able to say with Esther “If I perish, I perish” (Esther4:16), but also with Paul “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). HMM Directions for the Road Ahead by Max Lucado The key question in life is not “How strong am I?” but rather “How strong is God?” Focus on his strength, not yours. Occupy yourself with the nature of God, not the size of your biceps. That’s what God told Moses to do. Remember the conversation at the burning bush? The tone was set in the first sentence. “Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). With these eleven wordsMoses is enrolled in a class on God. Immediately the roles are defined. God is holy. Approaching him on even a quarter-inch of leather is too pompous…No time is spent convincing Moses what Moses can do, but much time is spent explaining to Moses what God cando. Inheritance in Our Father's House “And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’shouse?” (Genesis 31:14) This is the first mention of the word “inheritance” in the Bible, and, appropriately enough, its theme is the futility of basing one’s future plans on the hope of any earthly estate. No earthly inheritance could ever compare with “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18), with one exception—one heritagethat the Lord does grant in this life: “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). This promise nodoubt applies to spiritual as well as physical children, but nowhere else in Scripture does God promise any kind of material inheritance to His loved ones. The reason for this exception is that the only material blessing capable of sharing our eternal inheritanceis our children when we lead them to Christ. Our real inheritance is called an “eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15), an “inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled” (1Peter 1:4), and a “glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). In one of the great Messianic psalms, the Lord Jesus, as the sin-bearing, suffering Son ofman, testifies as follows: “The LORD is the portion of my inheritance....The lines [that is, the surveying lines bounding His ‘lot’] are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Psalm16:5-6). In fact, He has been “appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2). We are sometimes better off with little or no earthly inheritance, but when we are born again through receiving the saving death and life of Christ, we become “children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans8:16,17). In Christ, the Lord also becomes the portion of our inheritance. HMM He Did it Just for You by Max Lucado When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. Imprisoned in flesh. Restricted by weary-prone muscles and eyelids. For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, his speed checkedto the pace of human feet. I wonder, was he ever tempted to reclaim his boundlessness? In the middle of a long trip, did he ever consider transporting himself to the next city? When the rain chilled his bones, was he tempted to change the weather? When the heat parched his lips, didhe give thought to popping over to the Caribbean for some refreshment? If ever he entertained such thoughts, he never gave in to them. Not once. Stop and think about this. Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word he could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn’t.With a wave of his hand, he could’ve boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces, but he didn’t. With an arch of his brow, he could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. But he didn’t. Want to know the coolest thing about the coming? The Rewards of Patience Psalms 40 The Scriptures contain many stories of people who waited years or even decades before the Lord's promises came to pass. What modern believers can learn from the patience of biblical saints like Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul is that waiting upon the Lordhas eternal rewards. Today let's look at Israel's most memorable monarch. David was the chosen heir to Israel's throne, but he spent years dodging King Saul's wrathful pursuit. Despite having two different opportunities for vengeance, David resisted the temptation and sparedSaul's life. He chose to adhere to God's timetable for his coronation instead of dishonoring the Lord by killing the divinely anointed king. David's psalms reveal his intimate awareness of Yahweh's work in his life. The shepherd king not only achieved hisobjective through patience; he also observed that God's way was always best. The Scattering Hammer “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah23:29) One of the most picturesque of the figures used to describe the Holy Scriptures is that of the hammer striking and shattering a rock. In this text, however, the “rock” is literally a mighty rock mountain. Furthermore, the effect of the hammer is to “break in pieces.” This phrase actually is a single Hebrew word that normally means “disperse” or “scatter abroad,” usually used in describing the worldwide dispersion of the children of Israel. It was used even earlierfor the first dispersion at Babel: “So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:8). Perhaps most significantlyof all, it is used in the prophecy of Zechariah 13:7: “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” This verse was quoted by the Lord Jesus just after the last supper and applied to Himself: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Matthew26:31). Combining all these themes, our text really seems to be saying: “Is not my word like a mighty hammer from heaven that shatters the great mountain and scatters it abroad?” Our text is inserted in the midst of a stinging rebuke by Jeremiah of Israel’s false prophets, contrasting their lies with the mighty power of God’s true Word. Perhaps it is also a parable of the living Word, who is also the great Rock of ages as well as theloving Shepherd. When the Rock was shattered, the living stones were ejected from the Rock. The sheep that were thus scattered from the Shepherd became the spreading fire of the written Word, and “they that were scattered abroad went every where preachingthe word” (Acts 8:4). HMM Jesus Touched the Untouchables by Max Lucado When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed him. Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man bowed down before him and said, “Lord, you can heal me if you will.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I will.Be healed!” And immediately the man was healed from his disease. - Matthew 8:1-3 I wonder… about the man who felt Jesus’ compassionate touch. He makes one appearance, has one request, and receives one touch. But that one touch changed his life forever…. I wonder about this man because in New Testament times leprosy was the most dreaded disease. The condition rendered the body a mass of ulcers and decay. Fingers would curl and gnarl. Blotches of skin would discolor and stink. Certain types of leprosy wouldnumb nerve endings, leading to a loss of fingers, toes, even a whole foot or hand. Leprosy was death by inches. How to Hold On Psalms 37:5-7 Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation, and yet he boldly claimed, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15). That is commitment. Job had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but herefused to abandon faith in God. The stricken man was determined to hold on because he trusted the Lord to do right. Logical Milk “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1Peter 2:2) This exhortation is directed to young Christians who have only recently trusted God’s enduring Word, preached to them in the saving gospel of Christ. Because of this miracle of regeneration just experienced, a new Christian must now “[lay] aside [the verb form here means to ‘lay aside once and for all’] all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies” (1Peter 2:1) and partake—as babes—of the “milk of sincerity.” The word for “sincere” means, literally, “without guile,” so he/she must now build all future progress in his/her new life not on guile but on guilelessness! The phrase “of the word” is especially noteworthy. This is not the usual word for “word” (Greek logos) but a closely related word (logikos) from which we get our words “logic” and “logical.” It is used only one other time in the New Testament, where it is rendered “reasonable” in the classic passage dealing with “your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Thus, Peter is talking about partaking of a spiritual milk that is both logical and without guile. This can be nothing else (as seen in the context) than the incorruptible, eternal, regenerating Word of God and the living Word (Jesus Christ) revealed therein. Now, the Lord Jesus is surely logical, for He is “the truth” (John 14:6). In this same chapter, Peter also notes that Christ was without guile (1Peter 2:22). These attributes must be equally true of His written Word. The Scriptures are not full of secret meanings that only specially trained interpreters can fathom. They are sincere, meaning precisely what they say! Neither are they naive and unscientificbut fully logical and correct in everything they say. Therefore, they are genuine spiritual nourishment for babes in Christ and will certainly enable them to “grow thereby.” HMM Build on Solid Rock - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. -Matthew 7:24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/build-on-solid-rock/ - Listen I've come to realize that I like the idea of the beach more than actually going to the beach. But when I do go, one thing I like about the beach isbuilding sandcastles with my grandkids. Now, I'm not a great sandcastle builder, but there are other people who build insanely elaborate ones right by the ocean. They're amazing. But to meit seems like the biggest waste of time ever because the tide eventually will rise and wash them away. It isn't a good idea to build something on sand. Jesus said, "But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who buildsa house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash" (Matthew 7:26-27 NLT). This person essentially represents a nonbeliever. I'll call him a pseudobeliever who hears the Word of God and doesn't do it. He appears to be a believerwhen actually he is not. When you get down to it, we all build our lives on something. We all have a set of values that we live by. Even people who say they have no valuesactually have values of some kind. That is the foundation of our lives. So, here's the question: Will your foundation sustain you when the storms of life come? The storms of life will come our way in some form. It may be a tidal wave of temptation or the slow, eroding effect of more subtle methods of the Enemy.And sometimes one storm will follow another. So, here's how to really know what your life is built on: If you've built it on sand, you will crumble. But if you've built it on rock-the rock ofJesus Christ-you will stand strong. When You Want to Ask Why - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. -Hebrews 4:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-you-want-to-ask-why/- Listen My friend Randy Alcorn wrote in his book If God Is Good, "Most of us don't give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. Thisforces us to formulate perspective on the fly, at a time when our thinking is muddled and we're exhausted and consumed by pressing issues." The point he's making is that we need to think about this before trials come because when they do, we'll have to learn how to trust God. Someone onceasked me in an interview whether I've ever had a moment in my life when I had doubts or questions. I said that yes, as a matter of fact, I did. I don't know whether I'd qualify it as doubt, but it was a very hard time. That time, of course, was whenmy son died. I asked why. The question wasn't so much why it happened to me, although I have to admit that I asked that. I was really asking, "Why did it happen to him?" He was 33 years old. I think sometimes we feel as though we have no faith in God because we question why. Some pastors won't tell you this, but I'll tell you: there's nothing wrong with asking God why. It's okay. Don't expect an answer, but ask away. IfGod were to actually answer you and say, "Okay, now I'm going to tell you why. Are you ready for it? Write it down," we probably wouldn't like the answer. So, you can ask God why. Even Jesus asked, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46 NKJV). I asked why for a while, but there was no satisfactory answer. So, I'll go back to whom, as in to whom do I turn? The answer, of course, is Jesus Christ,because He's the one who sustains me. Dashed Hopes by Max Lucado "I had intended �" David had wanted to build a temple. And who better than he to do so? Hadn't he, literally, written the book on worship? Didn't he rescue the ark of the covenant? The temple would have been his swan song, his signature deed. David had expected to dedicatehis final years to building a shrine to God. At least, that had been his intention. "I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it" (1 Chron. 28:2 NASB). Choosing Faith over Fear Isaiah 41:8-13 These days, there are plenty of reasons to fear. Our world seems to be in a continuous state of war and crisis. The jobs market is dismal, natural disasters wreak havoc, and stories of crime dominate the headlines. As Christians, we know that fear shouldhave no place in our lives, but how can we ignore what's going on around us? Basically, there are two paths you can walk: faith or fear. It's impossible to simultaneously trust God and not trust God. Another way of saying this is that you cannot both obey and disobey Him--partial obedience is disobedience. So, which road are youtraveling? Some people who read the Bible and believe in God nevertheless choose to live with fear. Seeing others experience hardship, they start wondering if it could happen to them: Someone at my office lost his job; will I be next? Someone died in an accident--I could die too. But thiskind of "logic" places your circumstances above your relationship to God. If Satan can get you to think like this, he has won the battle for your mind. But when you focus on God rather than your circumstances, whatever the situation is, you win. The Bible tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and loveand discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7). Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment, suffering, pain, fear, and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He's sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life, I foundthat my worrying stopped. The Joy of the Lord �Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them forwhom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.� (Nehemiah8:10) Jerusalem�s wall had been completed, God�s Word had been honored, and there was a great day of rejoicing. The real joy in the hearts of the people, however, was not their joy�it was the joy of the Lord. They rejoiced because He rejoiced, and they shared Hisjoy. The Lord�s joy is satisfied when His love is received and His purposes fulfilled. �The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing� (Zephaniah3:17). To attain His joy, He must first redeem from the penalty of sin and death those whom He had created in His own image. Therefore, He �for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throneof God� (Hebrews12:2). There will be a great day of rejoicing in the age to come when all the redeemed will be presented �faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy� (Jude1:24). Until that day, however, �there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth� (Luke15:10). Joy is in the Lord�s heart whenever His saving grace is received by a believing sinner. That same joy is likewise experienced by each believer whose testimony of life and word brings such a sinner to God. Jesus said, �These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full� (John15:11). His joy is our joy, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. HMM Abusing God's Patience Romans 2:4-5 Have you ever ignored the press of conviction upon your heart? Maybe you rationalized your wrongdoing with the thought that if God were really upset, He'd put a stop to things by disciplining you. Psalm50:21 reminds us that the silence of heaven does not mean approval. Remaining in sin is an abuse of the Lord's patience. When God seems slow to react, we might hope He's overlooking our transgressions--we'd like to continue in sin because the momentary pleasure is more appealing than obedience. But thankfully, the Father knows our weaknesses, our innate carnality, and thestate of our spiritual growth, and He therefore measures His response. Motivated by love and a desire to gently restore His children to righteousness, God refrains from doling out immediate punishment. Instead, He waits for the Holy Spirit's proddings to impact the believer's heart. The weight of conviction is actually an invitation to turn from wrongdoing and return to godliness. However, we're a stubborn people. There are times when we persist in sin because the sentence against an evil deed isn't executed quickly (Eccl. 8:11). In this dangerous situa-tion, it's possible to immerse ourselves in sin and harden our hearts againstthe Lord. Then the Holy Spirit's call to repentance falls on spiritual ears rapidly going deaf. As we learn and understand more about God and His ways, we are increasingly responsible to live righteously. The Lord is not slow; He's patient. Do not abuse His patience with callous disregard for His statutes. Repent and be holy in the sight of the Lord. Keep Building - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 3:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/keep-building/ - Listen If you have a home, you have to do repairs periodically. I'm not allowed to repair anything in my home, because I'm the opposite of Mr. Fix It. I'm Mr. Make It Worse. So,if something has broken and I go to the hardware store, it will end up worse than it was to start with. Repairs are necessary for a home, because things happen. Maybe it needs new paint, you have to reroof, or your air conditioning unit breaks down. You're usually in the processof repairing, refurbishing, and sometimes redecorating a home. You're in the process of constantly maintaining it. In 1 Corinthians the apostle Paul wrote, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds onit. But let each one take heed how he builds on it" (3:10 NKJV). The word that Paul used for "build" speaks of a continuous action. The idea is that we should constantly build. Paul also said, "For we are God's fellow workers; you areGod's field, you are God's building. . . . For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (3:9, 11 NKJV). This is the foundation you should build your marriage on. This is the foundation you should build your career and your ministry on. In fact, this is the foundation you shouldbuild everything on. God gives us the blueprint, which is the Word of God. He gives us a foundation, which is a relationship with Him. He also gives us the resources to build with, which isthe power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We build our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ, but we also want to keep building ourselves up spiritually. A Supernatural Certainty - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. -2 Corinthians 5:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-supernatural-certainty/ - Listen When I was growing up, Disneyland was like Heaven on earth to me. I regularly watched Walt Disney's TV shows like Walt Disney's Wonderful World ofColor. Then one day, Walt Disney announced that he was building a park. He said it would be "the happiest place on earth." And when I went to Disneyland,I thought it was an incredible place. I was always sad when it was time to leave. I think experiences like that are glimpses of something much greater that is coming. A place that will never close. I think God has prewired us, deep down inside, to be homesick for a place we've never been before, and that place is Heaven. We long for it. In fact,the Bible even tells us that God has set eternity in our hearts (see Ecclesiastes 3:11). One day, this life that we love so much will pass, and we'll enter into the afterlife. If you've put your faith in Jesus Christ, then you're a childof God. You're a citizen of Heaven. In fact, the Bible teaches that when a Christian dies, he or she goes immediately to Heaven. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 Paul wrote, "We are confident, yes,well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (NKJV). So, if you have loved ones who have died in faith, they are in Heaven right now. It's hard for non-Christians to wrap their minds around the fact thatChristians have such a strong hope. I don't expect them to understand it. It's a quiet confidence, a supernatural certainty that God gives us. Where do we find this hope? We find it in the Scriptures. That's why it's a good thing to memorize the Bible and to fill your mind with what the Biblesays. What are you filling your mind with today? The Bad News Preacher by Max Lucado I didn't like the preacher I sat by on the plane. I know, I know. You're supposed to like everyone, but this fellow �The plane was crowded. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I was tired from Sunday-morning services. I was speaking that evening in Atlanta andhad planned on taking a nap on the flight. But this fellow had other ideas. Though he had been assigned another seat, he took the one next to me since it was closer to the front. And when he took it, he took every inch of it�and then some. Knowing I couldn't sleep, I figured I'd review my thoughtsfor the evening lesson, so I opened my Bible. "What ya' studying there, buddy?" The Side Effects of Fear Matthew 6:25-34 Fear obviously produces anxiety, but it also creates chaos in our lives and even affects those around us. Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins. Fear hinders us from becoming the people God wants us to be. When we are dominated by negative emotions, we cannot achieve the goals He has in mind for us. A lack of self-confidence stymies our belief in what the Lord can do with our lives. The Fear of the Lord �Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.� (Psalm34:11) This psalm has been a source of great comfort and encouragement to many down through the years. The first section (vv. 1-7) of this acrostic hymn (the first letter of each verse begins with successive letters of the 22-letter Hebrew alphabet) consists of thetestimony of one who fears the Lord, and the last section (vv. 16-22) describes the deliverance promised those who do fear the Lord, contrasted with the destinies of those who don�t. In the center section, David explains what it means to fear the Lord andinvites all who read to join him in fearing God. Here, the �fear of the LORD� is not so much an attitude as it is a life commitment. �What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?� (v. 12). A God-fearing man or woman desires a long life of ministry to others. �To die is gain� (Philippians 1:21), yes, but we should ask for lengthy opportunities to �see good.� �Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile� (Psalm 34:13). We know that the tongue is capable of incredible harm. The one who fears theLord should be characterized by a lifestyle of guarded speech. Not only is our speech to be free from evil, but we are to �depart from evil, and do good� (v. 14) in every area of life as well. Our life�s motive should be to �seek peace, and pursue it.� Attaining peace may not be easy, but we should strive for it. The results of such a lifestyle should be reward enough, but our gracious Lord promises even more: �The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them� (v. 7). �O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him� (Psalm 34:9). JDM