DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 10.30.20

No Condemnation Romans 8:1-4 Some believers are plagued by feelings of condemnation. Either they think they'll never live up to God's expectations for them or they're nearly drowning in guilt over past sins. These men and women cannot seem to shake the sense that God is displeased withtheir puny efforts at being Christlike. The book of Romans confronts this lie head-on: "There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). When theSavior went to the cross on our behalf, He lifted the blame from our shoulders and made us righteous before God. Those feelings of condemnation do not belong to us; they are from Satan. He amplifies our guilt and feelings of inadequacy and then suggests that's how the Lord feels about His "wayward child." Nothing could be further from the truth.Our sins are wiped clean, and we are chosen and loved by God. Condemnation is reserved for those who reject the Lord (John 3:36). Sin is a death sentence (Rom.6:23). Anyone who chooses to cling to sin instead of seeking divine forgiveness must pay the penalty, which is an eternity separated from God. Two synonyms of condemn are 'denounce' and 'revile.' Those words certainly describe Jesus' statement to unbelieversin Matthew 25:41: "Depart from me, accursed ones." There is no condemnation for those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. The believer's penalty for sin is paid, and he can stand blameless before God. Trust in the Lord's love and let go of Satan's lie. God's beloved children are covered by His graceand the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Who's Influencing You? - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. 'Oh, for some meat!'they exclaimed. -Numbers 11:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/whos-influencing-you/ - Listen The Bible calls them "foreign rabble," "mixed multitude," or even "riffraff," depending on the translation you're reading. So who were these people? It appears they weren'tbelievers. They joined the Israelites as they left Egypt. They probably were impressed with the wonder-working God of Israel, and they, too, wanted to escape. Although they'd left Egypt, apparently Egypt never left them. And when they started to complain, the Israelites started to complain: "We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks,onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!" (Numbers 11:5-6 NLT). The foreign rabble were a bad influence on God's people. And I find it interesting that they hated manna. Even though it was bread from Heaven, sent by God, they said, "Wehate it. We don't want that manna in our lives." This is why the apostle Paul warns, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion haslight with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV). The Message puts it this way: "Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war.Is light best friends with dark?" Here's a real test of your spiritual life: Do you look forward to Bible study, or do you dread it? That's an indication of where you are spiritually, because a hungry believeris a healthy believer. So think about who influences you. Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future. If you spend your time hanging around with people who don't share your beliefs asa Christian, they can influence you and bring you down. Be very careful. Trust His Heart By Meghan Kleppinger "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" Psalms 31:14 Whether it be financial, relational, spiritual, or physical troubles (and don't they all seem to come at the same time?), it's easy to find ourselves questioning God and His plan for our lives. Christian singer Babbie Mason's song, Trust His Heart, addresses these times of hardship. I heard this song for the first time when I was a preteen, and its moving lyrics continue to encourage me now in my adult years. I sing the chorus wheneverI'm going through one of life's rough patches. God is too wise to be mistaken God is too good to be unkind So when you don't understand When you don't see His plan When you can't trace His hand Trust His heart These aren't just lyrics of a song, they're descriptions of God's character and reminders of His promises as told through scripture. 1. God is too wise to be mistaken "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his." (Job 12:13) (NIV) "But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. (Jeremiah10:12) (NIV) "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans11:33) (NIV) 2. God is too good to be unkind "O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalms 34:8) (NAS) "Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me." (Psalm 69:16) (NIV) "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2, 3) (NAS) 3. So when you don't understand, When you don't see His plan, When you can't trace His hand, Trust His heart "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs3:5-6) (NAS) "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah29:11) (NAS) Isn't good to know that we when we are afraid or in the middle of circumstance we don't understand, that we can trust the ways of our wise and wonderful God! Intersecting Faith & Life: Commit scriptures to memory that remind you of God's character and share the confidence you have in Him. Spiritually Shortsighted Luke 16:19-31 In Luke 16, Jesus told a story about a rich man who lived for himself and ignored God. After death, he experienced the consequences of his choices—eternalseparation from the Lord. Jesus described him as one who lived in luxury every day (v. 19), providing for himself the best that money could buy but giving little to the poor at his gate. It is important to realize that this man wasn’t judged harshly by God because of his wealth.The heavenly Father is not opposed to our success. Nor was the man separated from the Lord because of his lack of charity toward others. He did not deliberately harm others but, rather, overlooked those in need and focused on himself. The rich man’s mistake was that he prepared everything for the body but nothing for the soul. Our culture practices a similar style of living. Acquiring material riches and satisfying self is the primary pursuit of many in our world. Having what one wantsseems to be the goal whether it’s a struggle to make ends meet or the bank account is overflowing. Scripture says we were created to be in a relationship with the Father through faith in His Son. The rich man ignored God and paid the ultimate price. Our eternal destiny depends on our decision about Christ. Despite what our culture thinks, life is not about us. It’s about having a relationship with the Lord. Whoever accepts Christ’s gift of salvation will live eternally with Him in heaven. Those who reject God will suffer. If you know any spiritually shortsighted people, pray that they will trust in Jesus. Just Deliver the Message - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?And how shall they hear without a preacher? -Romans 10:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/just-deliver-the-message/- Listen When I was a kid, I had a paper route. I delivered the Daily Pilot on my Schwinn Sting-ray bicycle. I became pretty adept at throwingthose papers. I knew how to clear a hedge and how to land one on a porch. My job wasn't to write the news or make the news; my job was to deliver the news. I was just a delivery boy. That's really what we are as Christians. We're people delivering the message of the gospel, the message God gave us. We don'thave to apologize for the gospel, and we don't need to add to it, take away from it, or edit it in any way. We need to simply deliver it in its raw, explosive power. The apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone whobelieves, for the Jew first and also for the Greek" (Romans 1:16 NKJV). In the original language, the word Paul used for power speaks of explosive power. In other words, there's explosive power in thestory of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I've seen it time and time again. The story simply connects with people. It's God's story, and we need to just deliver it andlet God do what He wants to do. When we're doing God's work, the results are up to Him, not us. Yes, we should make every effort to succeed. But the outcome isup to God. And ultimately, God is not going to require success from us; He's going to require faithfulness from us. I don't have any power to convert anyone. Neither do you. Our job is to deliver the message as clearly as possible and then leavethe results up to Him. How Spiritual Awakening Begins - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish's belly. -Jonah 2:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-spiritual-awakening-begins/ - Listen The belly of a sea creature is a very interesting place to experience revival. But it's where Jonah came to his senses and cried out to the Lord. Then, after the fish vomited him onto dry land, he went to Nineveh and delivered the message that God gave him. Initially we might think that message wasn't a very hopeful one: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4 NKJV). But I think itwas pretty hopeful. They had 40 days to think about it, 40 days to consider their lifestyles, and 40 days to get right with God. As a result, the people of Nineveh believed God's warning and repented. Verse 10 of Jonah 3 says, "Then God saw their works, that they turned fromtheir evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it" (NKJV). I wonder if God is giving the United States of America an opportunity to repent right now? I think He is. However, one of the reasons that revival came through Jonah was because he experienced personal revival. Revival started with Jonah. You see, nothingcan happen through you until it has first happened to you. You can't take someone any further than you yourself have gone. To reach our generation, we need to preach the gospel. Paul wrote, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall theybelieve in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14 NKJV). As we see the breakdown of the family and so many bad things happening in our nation today, I think only a spiritual awakening can turn the UnitedStates of America around. We need to pray for that. God can do it. He's done it before, and He can do it again. Honoring All Souls by Sarah Phillips Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will riseagain in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes,Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world." John11: 17 - 27 Most of us who�ve been around for more than a couple decades have experienced the death of a loved one. I remember when a close family friend died while I was in high school. "Uncle" Ed was only in his 40's, a tough-looking, bearded guy with a jolly sense of humor. I remember the day he called my mom, a seasoned ICU nurse, with some unusual symptoms. My stomach felt uneasy as I overheard my mother tell Ed he needed medical attentionas soon as possible. My sisters and I would only see Ed a couple more times after that call. Once, just before he was admitted for a bone marrow transplant to treat the rare disease attacking his body. He was wearing his regular clothes and looked like the Ed we always knew. The second time was in the hospital after his transplant. He looked weak and bald, and that scared me a bit. It was the day before prom, and mom urged me and my twin sister to tell him about the prom dresses we designed. Ed listened to our descriptions asif our dresses were the most important topic in the world. A few weeks later, I got a phone call from my mom telling me Ed passed away. One of the saddest aspects of Ed's untimely death was that he never fulfilled his long-held dream to marry and have children of his own. That stuck with me. But another thing that stuck with me was Ed's memorial service. I was not a Christian, and to mysurprise, Ed's Lutheran funeral was filled with one story after another describing his devotion to Christ and his lengthy trips into the mission fields. Ed's death played an instrumental role in bringing me to faith in Christ a few years later. I know many of you have similar stories. Life was going along swimmingly, and suddenly the phone rang and nothing was ever the same. I also know many of you have encouraging stories of how God worked through the death of someone in a special way. Some of the most encouraging reflections on death and eternity I've read can be found in a book published by former hospice nurse, Trudy Harris, titled Glimpses of Heaven (Revell, 2008). Harris collected stories of her dying patients to offer comfort to those who have experienced loss, and also to share the profound spiritual insights she has gleaned from those getting ready to pass into heaven. Havingobserved God's tender care for her patients time and again, Harris says, "Those who have allowed themselves the luxury of being present with patients as they are dying come away realizing in a whole new way that there is only one Divine Physician, and it isHe alone who sets the timetables of our lives." Beware! “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after therudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians2:8) In spite of the resources available to the twice-born—and in spite of assurance, order, steadfastness, a good walk that is rooted and built up in Him—it is still possible for a Christian to be plundered by the world’s crafty message. We can “fall from [our]own stedfastness” (2Peter 3:17) or even lose “those things which we have wrought” (2John 1:8). The one who “spoils” a believer will use philosophia, a Greek word that means “fond of wisdom.” It is used only one other time, in Acts 17:18 of the philosophers on Mars Hill. Interestingly, the biblical word for “wisdom” is most often used in a negative way when referring to human wisdom. “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1Corinthians 1:20). Believers can be robbed of their steadfastness in Christ if they become fond of the wisdom of the world. The spoiler also uses “vain deceit” and the “traditions of men” to plunder the believer. Jesus castigated the Pharisees because they had “made the commandment of God of none effect by [their] tradition....teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew15:6, 9). Paul warned Timothy that he must avoid “profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith” (1Timothy 6:20-21). The robber will even use “the rudiments of the world.” The term “rudiment” means “to belong to a series, to be in rank” or “to come to an agreement.” Essentially, this technique is using logic to “prove” a point, securing a change of mind. We are told the world’srudiments will “spoil” us when the logic is “not after Christ.” HMM III Are You My Leader? by Meghan Kleppinger My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. - John 10:27 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you - John 13:15 In the classic children's story Are You My Mother, a baby bird falls from his nest and spends the remainder of the book approaching various animals, from dogs to cows, asking if any of them are his mother. When asking the cow, her response is: "How could I be your mother? I am a cow." Yes, this story about birds, cows, dogs, and so forth reminds me of human nature. By design, we humans desire someone who will step up and tell us what to do. We want someone to say “Don’t worry, I have things under control.” We crave leadership! Children often look to athletes... Teens look to celebrities... Adults look to political and spiritual leaders. Unfortunately, and only too often, there is news about an athlete abusing and killing animals, a celebrity heavily involved in alcohol and illegal drugs, or a political leader using power for unscrupulous gain. Even more unfortunate, our Christian leadersaren't immune from earthly temptations and failings. It's enough for us to cry out like that little birdie, "I want my mother!" In a fallen world, humans will make mistakes, and leaders will fall. We all fall. It's not wrong to have role models and people to look to for leadership. I'm sure that bird learned a lot of interesting things in his travels, but he was not going to learnhow to be bird from a cow, a dog, or a cat. Paying Attention to How We Live Luke 12:16-21 One day we’ll give an account of ourselves to the Lord (Romans 14:12). We must, then, pay attention to how we live. The rich man in Luke 16:19-31 made the tragic choice of living for himself without regard for the Lord. He alsomade two other mistakes. First, he invested everything for himself and nothing for the life to come. When we are blinded by our own desires and personal satisfaction, it is easy to become lukewarm about spiritual matters. We forget that this life is not all there is. Scripture tellsus to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth. Where our treasure is reflects where our heart is (Matthew6:19-21). The rich man’s other mistake was to prepare everything for himself and nothing for others. Crumbs falling from his table (v. 21) were the only form of assistance he gave a poor man named Lazarus. The one who had much wealth did not share it with the onewho had little. Jesus explained what our priorities should be to love the Lord wholeheartedly and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). We see the rich man’s mistakes repeated in another parable. This time a wealthy man builds bigger barns to store crops so he will have plenty for the future. God calls him a fool for such shortsightedness (Luke12:20). The Bible repeatedly warns us to pay attention to spiritual matters—the Lord is to have first place in our lives and be the center of our affections. He urges us to store up heavenly treasure by caring for the lost and hurting people around us. On whom is yourattention focused? Rooted and Built Up “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein withthanksgiving.” (Colossians2:7) The Christian walk must be “rooted” and “built up” to endure. The word picture goes back to the parable of the sower. “Some [seeds] fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: Andwhen the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away....the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecutionariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended” (Matthew13:5-6, 20-21). According to the Lord of the harvest, some will respond “with joy” to the gospel message, but without any root they will not last in either their joy or their Christian testimony— they “fall away” (Luke8:13). Just what is involved in a “root” that stabilizes and provides nourishment for the seed of the gospel in the human heart? Fervent love for God’s Word and for the work of the ministry is surely a foundational element—“being rooted and grounded in love, [we] may be able to comprehend...the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians3:17-19). The root also requires being “stablished in the faith”—all the “counsel of God” (Acts20:27). “Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (2Thessalonians 2:15). These factors should make us to “be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1Corinthians 15:58). With good roots, we will “build up,” being affirmed in the faith, increasing in that walk with real thanksgiving. HMM III Stop the Sun by John UpChurch Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians4:26). When I got married, the friend my wife and I roped into making the wedding video for us added a few surprises to the tape before he gave it to us. During our rehearsal dinner (which didn’t actually follow a rehearsal), he’d grabbed guests, whisked them outside,poked the camera in their faces, and asked them for their best tips on keeping a marriage strong. The advice is decidedly mixed. It ranges from the serious (“Make time for your relationship”) to the Scriptural (“Love is kind”) to the funny (“Just let her win, John”) to the ludicrous (“Beat him when you need to”). It’s the stuff you’d expect from thosewho are on the spot with only moments to think up something that would be forever stamped on our video. But one piece of advice has always stuck out to me, and even as I write this, I see it and wince. One of our friends told us that we should just “forget about that whole sun-not-going-down-on-your-anger thing. You will go to bed mad.” It’s just really bad advice. Now, admittedly, when Paul wrote Ephesians4:26, he wasn’t talking to married couples directly. He meant it for the believers at Ephesus in general. But he slips that passage in among his admonitions about how our lives should be different now that we follow Christ. He says those who don’t knowChrist live one way, but when they start to follow Him, their lives show it. Before, we let our anger seethe, but now, we fix the problem. Before, we didn’t seek forgiveness and restitution, but now we do. Christian Metaphors “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John10:27) Christian believers and their characteristics are described in terms of many colorful metaphors in the Bible. In our text, Christ calls us “my sheep” and has also said: “I am the good shepherd,...and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John10:14- 15). If we are truly His sheep, then we will surely follow Him, receiving safety, peace, and nourishment. He has also said: “Ye are the salt of the earth:...Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew5:13-14). We are therefore expected to bring the salt of preservation and joy to a bland, tasteless, and otherwise decaying world, and the light of salvation to a dark, sinful world. In another beautiful metaphor, the Lord Jesus has likened us to fruitful branches: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit” (John15:5). The apostle Paul compares us variously to soldiers, to athletes, and to farmers: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ....if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman thatlaboreth must be first partaker of the fruits” (2Timothy 2:3, 5-6). With regard to our Christian life and witness, Christ said we must be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew10:16). The apostle Paul compares us to individual members in a great body (1Corinthians 12:27). Peter says we, “as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,” and also are like “a royal priesthood” (1Peter 2:5, 9) to offer up spiritual sacrifices. There are many other beautiful and meaningful figures of speech in the New Testament, all of which help us to appreciate the richness and fruitfulness of the Christian life. HMM Give No Quarter by Ryan Duncan “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” – Ephesians 6:10-11 This week my small group started a new series on minor characters in the Old Testament. I have to say it’s been pretty interesting. There are so many characters in the Old Testament whose stories often get overlooked, liked Jephthah, one of Israel’s judges,or Rizpah, who defended the bodies of her slain family. The person I ended up researching though was Josiah, who ruled Jerusalem as King for thirty-one years. 2 Kings opens by saying Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, a rare feat for most ofIsrael’s Kings, but then it shifts gears and talks about how Josiah discovered the long lost Book of Law in God’s temple. After deciphering the book and realizing his people have turned away from God, Josiah went on a complete rampage. Just read the passage below, "He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem--those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starryhosts. He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates--at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, whichis on the left of the city gate.” - 2 Kings 23:5-9 My first impression on reading these passages was that Josiah over-reacted. It was great that he wanted to return his people to God, but burning everything in a ten mile radius seemed a little extreme. Then it hit me; that was the point. To God, Sin is acancerous tumor that must be cut out of your lives completely. Maybe you’re a guy who’s fallen into the grip of pornography, or a girl who can’t stop putting others down through gossip. We tell ourselves these things are just human weakness and they don’t mean anything, but God will never approve of our “guilty pleasures”. Christ’s grace has given us a way to battle Sin, and in this unseen war the winner takes all. So, if you’re ready tofight, remember to put on the Armor of God, and give the Devil no quarter. The Work of the Believer Romans 12:5-7 The world's definition of success differs greatly from God's. Take the role of a pastor, for example--it would be easy to accept accolades for church growth, as many people equate high attendance numbers with a minister's effectiveness. But the Lord desiresthat we obey Him with humility. Whether we draw a crowd or not, success is measured by obedience. This looks different for each believer. Some Christians have very visible jobs, so their efforts are public and obvious. Others serve Christ in quiet, less noticeable ways. God bestows upon His followers gifts tailored to each one's ordained assignments. The Holy Spirit reveals our calling, and we're to give our best effort. Of course, no matter what the task may be, the result will be worthless unless the Father breathes life into it. In other words, we are entrusted with God-appointed work. He assigns theduty, provides the skills, and causes growth. The Lord deserves all of the glory. We are blessed simply to be a part of His plan. As mere vessels that God uses, we should be thankful for anything He accomplishes through us. And by giving Him all the credit, we need never feel defeated with disappointment. Rather, in spite of how things may appear, we trust Him to achieve His goodpurpose. Honor is misplaced unless it goes directly to the One who creates, sanctifies, and sustains. God created you for specific tasks to further His kingdom. He wants to use your life--and will allow you to watch His powerful hand at work. Listen for His leading,and praise Him for all He accomplishes. Give a Little Grace by Debbie Holloway Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters (Romans 14:1). Winter weather is pretty bipolar in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. One day it can be warm and sunny, and the next day you curse your bad luck for not wearing earmuffs and gloves when you walk out the door. However, when bad weather is forecast, local reactions are solidly predictable, specifically when it comes to “preparation” and driving in abnormal road conditions. “Snow? SNOW? IT’S GOING TO SNOW?!” People around here freak out and buy a lot of bread and milk when storms are predicted. If your significant other suggests, “Hey, we’re out of ____, can you stop by Wal-Mart?” on the evening a snowstorm is predicted to hit: forget about it; society is oncrazy pills. Additionally, nobody around here can drive in the snow either. Obviously greater caution is called for with icy and slippery road conditions, but people see white stuff and generally throw out every rule they ever learned about How to Be a GoodDriver. Such reactions generate a lot of scorn from imported northerners. After all, children in Michigan attend school daily in the wintery months in upwards of a foot of snow. Why do Richmond kids get classes canceled at the forecast of snow? There is definitely impatience and indignation – and no doubt it is well-deserved! After doing a fair amount of grumbling during our recent snows, I thought, Hmm, this seems familiar… spiritually... Isn’t it easy to find ourselves being “northerners” when we find ourselves around those at different points in their spiritual walks? We find it easy to look down upon, mock, or judge people who have difficulty living with restraint, modesty, chastity, gentleness,or a host of other spiritual virtues. We roll our eyes at people unfamiliar with the Bible, who can’t rattle off verses by memory as quickly as their ABCs. Endless Hope - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. -Titus 2:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/endless-hope/- Listen We're living in a time when a lot of people have lost hope. In fact, some experts have described Generation Z as the hopeless generation. One person has said that "man can live 40 days without food, three days without water, six minutes without air, but only one second without hope." If we have a proper biblical understanding of what Heaven is and all that's awaiting us there, we should be happy. God loves us. God cares about us. He has a plan for our lives. Ultimately, that plan is for us to join Him in Heaven for all eternity. We'll be reunited with loved ones who died in faith and have preceded us to Heaven. Titus 2:13-14 tells us, "We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from everykind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds" (NLT). Therefore, we can have happiness-not from things or experiences, but from a relationship with God himself. When you ask Christ to come into your life, He forgives your sin. And because of this, you can have hope. Maybe you've lost hope today. You might have received the worst news imaginable from a doctor. Maybe you've lost a loved one. Or maybe you feel as though life isn't worth living anymore. You need Jesus right now. He says, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in" (Revelation 3:20 NLT). Jesus will give you the hope, happiness, and purpose you want in life. Life without Jesus has a hopeless end. But life with Jesus has endless hope. The Circumcision of Christ �In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of thesins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.� (Colossians 2:11) During the millennia when God was preparing the earth for the coming of the promised Messiah, the sign of relationship was focused on physical purity through the unique nation of Israel. Hence the requirement of male circumcision, a poignant identity that wouldemphasize the genetic line as well as reinforce the personal commitment. That dramatic message, amplified throughout the lifetime of Israel in the feasts and liturgical observances, was radically changed when the Messiah came in �the fulness of the time� (Galatians4:4) to fulfill and complete the promises. Thereafter, the mystery of the grand plan of God was revealed �which was kept secret since the world began� (Romans16:25): �Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God� (1 Corinthians 7:19). Now the message is �Christ in you, the hope of glory� (Colossians 1:27). This �circumcision� of Christ is �not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God� (1 Peter 3:21). This publicdeclaration (not a private ceremony for Jewish families) demonstrates that �there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus� (Galatians3:28). The sign of the new relationship is for all who believe in the completed work of the Messiah. This �circumcision� dramatizes the creation of the �new man� (Romans6:4) and tells the story of salvation in a way that anyone can both participate in and remember. HMM III The "Whys" of Life by Kelly Givens �He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.� Revelation 21:4 Towards the end of work some weeks ago, our office was informed that a few cars in our parking deck had been broken into. The vandalism and robberies had been contained to Level 2�the level I had parked my car. Thankfully, my car had been left untouched.The SUV directly across from me, however, hadn�t fared so well- the shattered glass on the ground evidenced the vandals� quick and effective work. As I began my drive home I prayed God would give the owners of the busted-up cars a measure of his peace, mercyand patience. Nearing my exit, I noticed cars slowing down, and around the bend in the road I saw why. A cop was getting out of his car; he had been called for a minor fender bender and traffic was slowing to accommodate. I inched past, glancing at the guy in truck thathad been hit. He had his head in his hand and was looking up at the sky in exasperation. You could tell he was thinking, �I can�t believe this happened. Why me?! What did I do to deserve this?!� I thought back to the owners of the cars in the parking deck,knowing they would be asking those same questions when they discovered their vehicles had been broken into. The �whys� of life point us to a story larger than our own. When we ask why bad things happen, we�re acknowledging that the way life is right now is not how it ought to be. Why is that significant? It�s significant because, in a world that wants us to believe we were created at random and have lived on through survival of the fittest or just good luck, our souls actuallycry out against randomness and unjust advantage. We crave order, justice, and mercy, and we feel angry and sad when a seemingly arbitrary, awful thing in life happens. There�s a disconnect between what we believe should happen and what really does happen. I find it interesting that my friends who believe in a random, chance creation still feel indignant when apparently random, chance events work against their lives. Their heads may believe one thing, but their hearts believe something else. As Christians,our heads and hearts are more aligned. The Nature of Conviction John 16:7-11 Jesus assured His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go away so that the Helper could come (John 16:7)--God sends Him to convictpeople of their sin. Since the Holy Spirit is unlimited by time or space, He can reach out to every individual on the planet. However, His work differs with regard to believers and unbelievers. With regard to unbelievers, God's Spirit penetrates the heart and brings awareness of wrongdoing. He reveals that according to God's holy standard, they have sinned and stand condemned by their transgression. Unbelief is the greatest sin against God, soevery prick of the heart is meant to point out their need for the Savior. As for believers, the Holy Spirit deals with them on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ and convicts us of disobedience to Him. In other words, He makes us aware of specific sins and the Lord's attitude about them. But He also prompts usto be accountable before Christ for our wrongdoing by confessing it and repenting. Convicting believers of sin is an important part of the Holy Spirit's job, but He is equally delighted to make them aware of the Lord's approval. God commends righteous living, obedient actions, and loving acts done in His name. While conviction is often uncomfortable for unbelievers and believers alike, it's a beautiful demonstration of God's love. He desires to bring us into the center of His will and keep us there for our good and His glory. The Holy Spirit's work makes thatpossible, if we choose to follow His promptings. Blotted Out �Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it outof the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.� (Colossians 2:14-15) The old ordinances have been �blotted out� by Christ, having �broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, somaking peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby� (Ephesians 2:14-16). The requirements of the Law were our �adversary� and must be eliminated before we could be �circumcised� by Christ (Colossians 2:11). The omnipotent LordJesus was the only One who could accomplish this. The arche (first ones) and the exousia (authorities) were �disarmed.� Jesus Christ has �gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him� (1Peter 3:22). He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. There is not much direct information in the Scriptures about the events in the heavenlies at the time of the Lord�s crucifixion. Bracketed by the agonizing plea of abandonment �My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?� (Matthew27:46) and the three hours of darkness (Luke 23:44), there are a few insights that help us grasp the wonder of His victory cry �It is finished!� �When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive...he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth� (Ephesians 4:8-9). Whatever took placein those awful hours, all of heaven now knows that Jesus now sits �on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool� (Hebrews10:12-13). 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