DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 3.6.21

Why Jesus Came: He Is Greater Than the Ashes By Debbie McDaniel “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaimthe year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise insteadof a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3 Throughout the Bible and ancient practices, ashes have often been the symbol of deep repentance and grief. As the days of Lent are acknowledged each year, we see all around us the visual reminders of ashes on foreheads, and are reminded of this one Truth, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return." Genesis 3:19 Not exactly a nice thought to get your day going. But the reality of it all sinks in deep. Because, as many of us know, life is not always “happy.” Sometimes, it’s difficult. We feel pain, loneliness, even deep grief and despair. You may understand if… - You’ve ever lost a loved one or had to say good-bye too soon, left to journey through dark days of grief, wondering if you’d ever be able to carry on without them at your side… - You’ve ever received a hard diagnosis, faced the fear of the unknown, and felt the effects of disease and pain… - You’ve ever set at the bedside of a dying friend, and held a hand that once was strong, whose life had been cut short from the ravages of cancer… - You’ve ever been to a funeral for a sweet baby, or a precious child, and watched endless tears flow from hurting souls of a Mama and Daddy…. - You’ve ever been deeply wounded, betrayed, abused, or mistreated… It’s true, life is not always easy. It deals harshly sometimes, it seems unfair, and we may wonder where God is, or why He didn’t stop that difficult event or illness from happening. Job was there too. This righteous man who loved and honored God. Yet he lost everything. It crumbled around him, all he held dear. And he knew without God, he was nothing. And we find him in the beginning of the book of Job, “…he sat in the ashes.” Job 2:8 Daniel was there. He and the people had suffered under captivity, he prayed to God on behalf of his people, that God would have mercy. He repented, and confessed his own sin, his deep need for Him. He knew where true strength and help came from, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Daniel 9:3 ----------------------------------------------------------------- In Step With God Ephesians4 People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him. Right then, most Christians realize that they will dwell with Him forever in heaven. But many don’t understand what they can expect for the remainder of their lives on earth. One benefit that’s available immediately is a growing relationship with the Lord. The Father’s oneness with Jesus (John10:30) illustrates the intimacy God wants to have with His children. He had this type of closeness in mind at creation—a relationship with man is an avenue for Him to express His love and for us to worship and understand our Maker. Another advantage is that Christ-followers are promised clear guidance through God’s Holy Spirit. Decision making is a part of everyday life. It is impossible for a mere human to know every variable and nuance before choosing which path to take. But the Lord knows all things—past, present, and future. With godly wisdom available, it’s hardto understand why anyone would prefer to trust his own hunches. -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Unperfect Substance “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, whichin continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:16) This is an amazing verse, testifying as it does to the omniscient fore-planning of our Creator for each human being. Each person has been separately planned by God before he or she was ever conceived; His eyes oversaw our “unperfect [not imperfect, but unfinished]substance”—that is, literally, our embryo—throughout its entire development. Not only all its “members” but also all its “days” (the literal implication of “in continuance”) had been “written” in God’s book long ago. While modern evolutionists argue that a “fetus” is not yet a real person and so may be casually aborted if the mother so chooses, both the Bible and science show that a growing child in the womb is a true human being. Instruments called fetoscopes have beenable to trace every stage of embryonic development, showing that each is distinctively human, never passing through any non-human evolutionary stages such as the evolutionists’ theory of “recapitulation” would imply. Not much is known about how a baby receives its soul, but the baby is surely an eternal human being from the moment of conception, with all its future days already well known in the mind of God, “when as yet there was none of them,” as our text points out. But that is not all. All those who are saved (or, like the innocents who die before birth, “safe” in Christ) and whose names, therefore, are “written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation13:8) are also predestined “to be conformed to the image of his Son” in the ages to come (Romans 8:29). HMM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kill Me Now by Shawn McEvoy If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now -- if I have found favor in your eyes -- and do not let me face my own ruin." - Numbers11:15 ...while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die."I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."- 1Kings 19:4 Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. - Jonah4:3 What kind of person feels like this? A schmo like me, at times, sure. Maybe you, or people you know. Surely not the heroes of the Old Testament. Well, truth is, even God's greatest leaders and prophets got to the point in their respective stories where, even after witnessing indescribable miracles and blessings, their circumstances were so overwhelming, impossible and undesirable their attitude was,"Just kill me now, Lord!" Exhausted in body, soul, and spirit, they cried out that they had had enough. They could go no longer in their own power. The first quote above is from Moses, who had a People Problem. The wandering Israelites were hungry, and as usual, it fell to Moses to solve the problem. He cried out to the Lord, "Was it I who conceived these people? Wasit I who brought them forth?" He looked around and couldn't figure out how to satisfy everyone. The second quote is from Elijah, who had a Pity Problem. This was a prophet who had just called down fire from heaven, destroyed the prophets of Baal, and witnessed the end of a long drought. But just a few verses later,one vow from one wicked queen has him in such despair that he fears he can't go on like this. The third quote is from Jonah, who had a Pouting Problem. He'd finally obeyed to the point of going to Nineveh and preaching repentance, but when the Lord relented and stayed his hand rather than destroying the city, Jonahwasn't happy. He folded his hands and "became angry" that the destruction he forecast never arrived. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God Is Sovereign over Delays Proverbs16:9 No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkoutline--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands. This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TheDaily Cross “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,and follow me.” (Luke9:23) This same conversation and challenge is also recorded in Matthew 16:24 and Mark 8:34, except that only Luke included the term “daily.” Except for one brief reference in Matthew 10:38, this conversation marks the first explicit reference in the Bible to the practice of crucifixion, and it apparently assumes that the disciples were already well aware of this typically Roman method of execution. “Taking up the cross” referred to the usual requirement that each condemned man haul his own cross to the place of execution. Jesus knew that He would soon have to be doing this Himself (John19:16-17). Christians sometimes use this phrase without appreciation of its true meaning, thinking of some burden (such as sickness or poverty) as “the cross” they must bear. Such things can be serious problems, but they are not instruments of execution, such as a cross.In effect, the Lord was telling His disciples that following Him must mean nothing less than a daily willingness to die for Him if need be. As Paul would say: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians2:20); “I die daily” (1Corinthians 15:31). Many disciples have indeed suffered martyrdom for Christ’s sake, but all should at least be willing to deny themselves daily. “Taking up the cross” does not necessarily mean dying as Christ did, but it does mean consciously dying each day to the world and livingunto Him. For “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians5:24) and gladly affirm this testimony: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians6:14). HMM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the midst of a week where I thought my world might crash down, I cried out to God to help me through, and it was only when I had nothing left to rely on but Him that I felt His presence more clearly than I had in a long time – and it was exactly whatmy heart had been yearning for. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you,” as James 4:8 says. Only God can fill our potholes, and he fills them with Himself. May we never miss the little blessings hidden along a bumpy road. Intersecting Faith and Life When you hit a pothole, pray for God to give you strength and remind you of His presence. Seek a closer relationship with Him and remember that He is your refuge and strength. Further Reading Deuteronomy 31:5-6 Psalm 46:1 Psalm 55:22 Psalm 73:23-24 Isaiah 43:2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rejectionat Home “But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin,and in his own house.” (Mark6:4) A town will give great honor to a “hometown boy” if he makes good in athletics or the entertainment world. But if he becomes known as an influential Christian, the hometown folks usually are embarrassed about it. Jesus Himself experienced this. He grew up in Nazareth, and it was there that He had “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke2:52). When He returned to Nazareth, however, after the early days of His ministry, “as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read” (Luke4:16). He was already recognized there as proficient in the Scriptures, and they had heard tales about His miracles, so the invitation to speak was natural, but there were certain mumbles. “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” they asked. “Whence then haththis man all these things?” (Matthew13:55-56). At first, “all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luke4:22). But then, as He applied a key prophecy to Himself and rebuked them for their unbelief, they “were filled with wrath” and tried unsuccessfully to slay Him (Luke4:28-29). “Neither did his brethren believe in him” (John7:5), and only His mother was with Him when He was crucified (John19:25). As David had written prophetically, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren.... For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (Psalm69:8-9). Perhaps those Christians who have been rejected by their family and former friends can identify with Jesus when He said: “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mark3:35). We still have a family—an eternal one! HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God Is a Sports Fan by Ryan Duncan Back when I was in college, I witnessed a "debate" between one of my Bible Professors and a Philosophy major. What were they "debating" about? Was it the idea of a Triune God? The infallibility of Scripture? Predestination? Actually, it was about Football. The Super Bowl had come around again, and the Philosophy Major was arguing that sports, at their core, drew our focus away from God and should therefore be considered idols. His basis for this was that every student would be watching the game Sunday night,and would probably skip Chapel Monday morning. I had to admit he had a point, some students made a habit of sleeping through the schools 10 am chapel services, but when there was a game of Ultimate Frisbee or Soccer they never failed to show up. I tried to imagine what Church would be like if peoplecame the same way they did for a Super Bowl, bodies painted and ready to celebrate. Maybe we were losing our focus. Still, did that really make sports an idol? That seemed a little extreme to me. It would be years later when I'd find the answer in a familiar story, Matthew 25:14-26, the Parable of the Talents. 14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22 "The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 "Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,' he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sowing Spiritual Seeds John4:34-38 Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seedinto your life knew what the outcome would be. We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seedor "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rejoicing in All Seasons by Debbie Holloway “The hope of the righteous brings joy” (Proverbs10:28). I’m currently in the process of moving – but only a few miles away. During the intense first weekend of driving back and forth constantly from the old house to the new apartment, I was always amused when I passed by one curious little house. We began movingin on Valentine’s Day weekend, and this little brick house by the roadside was decked in red and white lights and glowing hearts dotting their lawn. During the daylight it was easy to miss the house, but come nightfall it stood out like a beacon of Valentine’sDay glory. A few days after Valentine’s Day passed, however, the hue emanating from the house transformed from red to chipper Irish green as the occupants geared up for St. Patrick’s day – complete with shamrocks instead of hearts. My initial reaction to this was something like, Wow. These folks really love their holidays. As I would drive past the house over the following days and weeks, it got me thinking something else, though. Very few of us embrace change so exuberantly as these (I imagine) quaint little homeowners. Very few of us throw ourselves wholeheartedly into theseason of right now. It’s tempting for many of us to leave the Christmas lights up past New Years, simply because it’s hard to let go of the nostalgia of that warm, fuzzy time. Many of us are picky about what we celebrate. Not these folks, though!They seem delighted just to be able to revel in the fact that we have holidays. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defend against Temptation James 1:12-16 To build a defense against temptation, we must understand how it works. Every sin originates as a thought, often the result of a flaming arrow the Evil One shoots our way (Eph. 6:16). If a believer holds on to the thought, it becomes a fantasy—the chance to imagine what it would be like to pursue that notion without actually doing so. The problem with fantasies is that they can easily become entangled with a person’s emotions. This creates a desire, which brings the believer to the point where a choice must be made: he or she must either consent to the sin or refuse. This process is quite dangerous, as the progression from thought to choice can be almost instantaneous. Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist temptation—before it enters their consciousness. There are two cornerstones to a good defense: the commitment to obey God, and the recognition that He is in control and has limited what Satan cando (1 Cor. 10:13). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jesus Wept by Ryan Duncan Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. – Matthew4:1-2 I once heard a story of a woman who lost her only daughter in a tragic accident. After the funeral, she fell into deep despair, and many of her friends began to worry about her safety. In desperation, one of them asked their local priest if he would go toher house and speak with her, but the moment the woman saw him she flew into a rage. “Get out!” She screamed, “I already know what you’re going to say. You’re going to tell me that everything happens for a reason, that this is God’s will, and I don’t want to hear that.” The priest did not move. Eventually, the woman beganto calm down and started to sob. It was at that the priest spoke, quietly and gently. “Listen,” he told her, “I don’t know why your daughter died, and I do not know why God allowed it to happen, but I do know that God understands what it is to lose a child, and that he is standing next to you, and that he cannot stop your sufferingbut that he loves you and he loves your daughter, and if you let him into your heart you will see her again.” What really struck me the first time I heard this story was that God really did understand the pain of losing someone. I realized that for a long time I’d had a false view of Jesus. I’d always pictured him as this tall, soft-spoken man who was completely serene no matter what the world threw at him. I didn’t understand that whenGod became a man he embraced all human sensations, even the ones that hurt. Jesus got hungry, just like us (Mark11:12). He got frustrated, just like us (Mark11:14). He got sad (John11:35), and angry (John2:16-17), and scared (Luke22:44). Jesus probably laughed with his friends, and grew stern with the Pharisees. The Bible says that Jesus lived a sinless life, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t human. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Missionary Call Matthew4:18-22 I've heard every reason you can imagine for avoiding missionary service: "I haven't been to seminary." "I can't preach." "I'm too old." "My family won't go for it." On and on the list goes. Let me tell you that there are thousands of active missionarieswho once thought that God couldn't use them either. I often have the privilege of hearing their stories of how the Lord turned resistance into enthusiasm. People can offer God plenty of reasons why He shouldn't call them to spread the gospel. But His call is not issued for our consideration; He expects a response of obedience and surrender. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Miracle in Gethsemane - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Listen! The LORD�S arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It�s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he hasturned away and will not listen anymore. �Isaiah 59:1�2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/miracle-in-gethsemane/- Listen The last miracle that Christ performed before He went to the cross wasn�t raising Lazarus from the dead or healing someone who had leprosy. No, the last miracle He performedwas returning an ear to the head of the high priest�s servant�an ear that His disciple, Simon Peter, had cut off with a sword. When the temple guard and the Roman soldiers arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, Simon Peter was so frustrated that he pulled out his sword and took a wildswing. And off came Malchus�s ear. Peter probably was aiming for the servant�s head, honestly. But he was a fisherman, not a swordsman. Now if I were Jesus, I would have said, �Buddy, you deserved what you got.� But instead, Jesus picked up the ear and returned it to Malchus�s head. It was kind of an unnoticedmiracle and maybe even an unappreciated miracle. But this last miracle of Jesus covered up the blunder of a disciple. God is good at cleaning up our messes�and we have our messes, don�t we? If you want to cut off your connection with God, then leave your sin unconfessed. I�m not speaking of cutting off your relationship with God, but you can cut off your connectionwith Him. And the way to reestablish that connection is to ask the Lord to forgive you. So when we�ve sinned, we need to say, �All right, Lord, I blew it here. I messed up. I�m sorry, and I don�t know how to fix it. But I�m asking You, Lord, to intervene inmy life and turn this around somehow for Your glory.� Then, just watch what the Lord will do. God can even use a mistake you�ve made to bring honor to His name. He can turn your mess into a message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Dreams Aren�t Realized - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn�t burnup. �Exodus 3:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-dreams-arent-realized/- Listen Forty years had gone by, and Moses hadn�t heard a word from Heaven. Then suddenly one day, as he was watching his father-in-law�s sheep, God called to him from a burningbush. He told Moses that He had seen the suffering of His people and had heard their cries. As a result, Moses�s new job was no longer tending sheep but delivering people. Hewas to go back to Egypt and demand the release of the Israelites. Moses didn�t realize that during the 40 years he was tending those sheep, God was preparing him. He was showing Moses some things that would help him later. Moses had been schooled in the court of Pharaoh, schooled in mathematics, in music, in Egyptian art and literature, and in military tactics. And then he was schooled watchingsheep that go astray. Sometimes we go through things in life that don�t make sense to us. But we need to remember, as Pastor Chuck Smith once told me, that everything in life is preparation forsomething else. Maybe you�re going through something right now and you�re saying, �This doesn�t fit any narrative. This isn�t logical. In fact, it seems quite illogical.� The Lord is preparingyou, just as He prepared Moses. Let�s consider the burning bush for a moment. It isn�t unusual to see a bush catch fire, but it doesn�t keep burning. God used something out of the ordinary to get Moses�sattention, and then He spoke. I�ve discovered as a Christian that when something out of the ordinary happens, sometimes it�s the Lord�s way of telling me to pay attention. What may seem like a coincidencemay, in reality, be Providence. Sometimes, life doesn�t go the way we plan. Our dreams aren�t realized. But we need to always remember that disappointment can become God�s appointment. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fellowshipin the Gospel �I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making requestwith joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.� (Philippians1:3-5) This poignant letter was written to a church that Paul founded early in his ministry to the Gentiles (Acts16:12-15). He endured challenging opposition there, followed for days by a demon-possessed young girl, tossed into prison by an angry business community, beaten and locked immobile into wooden stocks (Acts16:16-24). Yet in that dark midnight while Paul and Silas sang the hymns of the faith, God struck the jail with an earthquake and opened both the chains and the doors of the prison. The head jailor became converted, and along with the successful businesswoman Lydia, theseed of a flourishing church was planted (Acts16:25-34). It is to these �saints� and the �bishops and deacons� of the church at Philippi that Paul writes. The church has matured enough over the years of Paul�s absence to have established leadership and a strong testimony in that pagan city. The �rememberance� ofthese faithful men and women gives rise to his thanks to God for their �fellowship in the gospel.� May we never take for granted the sweet friends that we have known in our churches. Their fellowship is far more valuable than business or political contacts. Theirs is the bond of an eternal brother or sister�theirs is the friendship that is �closer than abrother� (Proverbs18:24). The apostle John understood this: �Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ� (1John 1:3). And because we share in a love for the Lord Jesus and walk together in the �light� of God�s truth, �we have fellowship one with another�(1John 1:7). HMM III ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burning Your Ships by Ryan Duncan �In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.� � Luke 14:33 Every now and then, when I�ve got some time to spare, I�ll turn on the History Channel and let myself get lost in the past. Recently, I started watching a documentary on the Age of Exploration, when the kingdoms of Europe were sending out ships to explorethe Americas. To the Europeans, the New World was a place of limitless promise but also great danger. Faced with new cultures, strange animals, and deadly plagues, many explorations returned home in failure. Then in February 1519, an explorer named Hernando Cortez was commissioned by the Spanish Crown to sail to the Yucatan and conquer it in the name of Spain. Cortez and his army set out at once, and when they reached the shores of the Yucatan, Cortez turnedto his men and said, �Burn the boats.� Cortez refused to let turning back be an option. For the sake of his mission, it would be all or nothing. To many of us, this may sound a bit extreme, but as it turns out, Jesus had the same principle when he started his ministry. �As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Followme." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-byeto my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.�� -Luke 9:57-62 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Serving Christ Matthew 25:34-40 Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Does your energy revolve around your family members? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better. All of these aims�even the last one, which sounds so selfless�are futile. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our life after His. And Mark10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.� We honor Him by doing likewise. Yet, sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers are serving the Lord. With God on His side, King David led great armies into war. Today, there are evangelists who speak to tens of thousands, and many lives are saved. How could anything we do compare to accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, Christians use other excusesfor not trying�such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task. But God�s call for each person is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we�re blessed to be used by Him. EL: Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, �Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.� ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Living in the Real World �For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come intomind.� (Isaiah 65:17) People often think they are being practical when they place material values ahead of spiritual, emphasizing that we have to �live in the real world.� The fact is, however, that we are not living in the real world at all but in a world that is dying and willsoon be gone. �The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever� (1 John 2:17). This is not even the worldthat God created, for that world was �very good� (Genesis 1:31). Because �sin entered into the world, and death by sin� (Romans5:12), therefore, �the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now� (Romans 8:22). In fact, this world is not even as it was soonafter God�s curse, for �the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished� (2 Peter 3:6). The present, post-Flood world is now under the dominion of Satan, who is �the prince of this world� (John 12:31) and of �all the kingdoms of the world� (Matthew4:8). The Lord Jesus Christ came to �deliver us from this present evil world� (Galatians 1:4). As our text says, this world shall not even �be remembered,nor come into mind.� It �shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God� (Romans 8:21). Therefore, we must �be not conformed to this world� (Romans 12:2). We must �live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for thatblessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ� (Titus 2:12-13). In the meantime, our true citizenship, if we havebeen born again in Christ, is in the real world to come, and we are His ambassadors to an alien land (2 Corinthians 5:20). HMM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A New Hill to Climb - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Moreover He said, �I am the God of your father�the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.� And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. �Exodus3:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-new-hill-to-climb/- Listen Moses was 80. He wasn�t the young prince of Egypt anymore, and maybe he thought he was over the hill. But God said, in effect, �No, you�re just getting started. I�ve got a new hill for you, and it�s a big one. I�ve been prepping you. I�ve been getting you ready. I�ve beenequipping you.� And notice what the Lord said in Exodus 3: �I am the God of your father�the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob� (verse 6 NKJV). We think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with great respect�patriarchs of the faith. But Abraham, as godly as he was, had some serious lapses of faith. His son Isaac was biasedand didn�t listen to the Lord. Jacob�s mistakes are legendary. Yet the Lord mightily used these men. I think God was saying to Moses, �I am the God of men who have failed. I am the God of people who need second chances. I am the God of ordinary people who have accomplishedsome extraordinary things.� It reminds us that God has a plan for every stage of our lives. Serving God is not only for young people; it�s for all people. It�s for young people, middle-aged people,old people, and even old people who think they�re young people. God wants to use us. I think one of the reasons young people are so willing to be used by the Lord is because they�re flexible. On the other hand, you like routine when you�re older. Yet somany young people today could use a godly, older Christian to mentor them. Older Christians were there for me when I was young, and it made a great difference in my life. So get to work for God�s kingdom because God still wants to use you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanctification Isn't Passive 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). Butat this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!" When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everythinghe can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom. But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we shouldabstain from anything that interferes with godliness. Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn�t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctificationcontinue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greater Than Our Fears - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But Moses said to God, �Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?� �Exodus 3:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/greater-than-our-fears/- Listen If you were God, would you have chosen Moses to lead His people out of Egypt? He was a has-been, a failure. But it seems that God always goes out of His way to choose themost unlikely candidates to do the most unlikely things. We find a pattern of this in the Bible. Jonah, for example, was effectively a racist. He hated the Ninevites and wanted nothing to do with them, but God told him to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. WhyJonah? I think it�s because God wanted to use a man who didn�t think he would ever do such a thing. That way, He would get the glory. How about Gideon? He basically hid from his own shadow. An angel appeared to him and said, �The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!� (Judges 6:12 NKJV). Gideon probably thought, �Who are you talking to? Is there another Gideon here? Because I�m not a mighty man of valor.� God doesn�t see us for what we are; He sees us for what we can become. The Lord chooses unlikely people so that He can get the glory. The Bible says, �But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the thingswhich are mighty� (1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV). Whatever your fears are as to why God would never use you, dispel them right now. God is bigger than your fears. He can use you. He will use you. The question is this: Will you make yourself available? As I�ve often said, God is not looking for ability; He�s looking for availability. All He needs is for us to say, �Here I am, Lord. Send me.� ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Running from God�s Will - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought aticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish. �Jonah 1:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/running-from-gods-will/- Listen When the Lord called Jonah to go and preach to the city of Nineveh, Jonah tried to go in the opposite direction. The most ungodly people imaginable lived in Nineveh. Theywere known for their cruelty, their hardheartedness, and the way they treated their enemies. Also, the Ninevites were the avowed enemies of Israel, and Jonah was a patriotic Jewish man. He didn�t want to go to his enemies and bring a message of hope to them. Or,maybe he didn�t want to go to Nineveh because he was afraid he would be rejected. Whatever the reason, Jonah tried to go in the opposite direction. He was running from God�s will for his life. I wonder if you�ve felt called by the Lord to do something. Maybe the Lord has prompted you to start a Bible study on your school campus. Maybe the Lord has been leadingyou to share the gospel with a neighbor. Maybe the Lord has been directing you to commit your life to serve Him in the place that you�re in right now. And maybe you�re saying, �I don�t want to do it. That�s not part of my career plan.� But here�s what you need to know. God doesn�t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. God isn�t looking for qualified people. Rather, He�s looking for people who willsimply say, �Here I am. Send me.� And really, what God is looking for more than anything else is availability�not so much ability but availability. He�s looking for someone who will say, �Lord, I want tobe the person You�ve called me to be.� God will give you the strength to do what He calls you to do, when He calls you to do it�not before and never after. He will give you what you need when you need it.