DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 5.22.21

The Message of the Old Testament “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah45:22) Ever since sin entered into God’s created world, His message to all people of all ages has been the same. At the time of the curse, God prophesied that there soon would be a coming Redeemer—the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent, althoughthe Redeemer Himself would be made to suffer in order to do away with the effects of sin (Genesis 3:15). “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: andI have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). God repeatedly warned the people of His hatred of sin and wickedness (see, for example, Psalm 5:4-6; Proverbs 6:16-19), but He recognized that humankind was totally incapable of measuring up to His standard of perfection. That great statement of righteous requirements, the Ten Commandments, demonstrated the utter impossibility of complete compliance (Exodus20; Psalm 14; etc.). Conversely, God repeatedly extended His invitation to be rescued from sin and its effects and its necessary judgment by confidence in His plan for mankind. In our text, we see that “all the ends of the earth” have the opportunity to be “saved.” “Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come” (Isaiah 45:24). This plan of God focuses on the promised Redeemer who would come to buy back humanity from its enslavement to sin. “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah7:14). “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:...and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).JDM -------------------------------------------------------- What? Jesus? by Ryan Duncan After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whomI am well-pleased." – Matthew 3:16-17 It was Sunday morning, and I was making my way to my seat at church when I happened to glance at the program. The title of the sermon was short and to the point: “Jesus." What happened next embarrassed me more than I can say. I looked at the title againand said to myself, “Jesus? Why are we talking about that?” C.S. Lewis once cautioned readers about how easy it is to start using Christianity as a convenience. The center of our faith can easily slip from Jesus' sacrifice to preserving marriage, social justice, tithing, or a hundred other good things Satan can use to distract us from God. The truth is that everything written down in the Bible, everything we believe as Christians, can be summed up in John 14. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not cometo know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abidingin Me does His works. "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves." Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these hewill do; because I go to the Father. – John 14:7-13 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Impossible Love Made Possible Galatians 5:22-23 When a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and “the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt.22:37, 39). What an overwhelming assignment! In our own strength, none of us can live up to this obligation, but the Lord has provided a way for Christians to do the impossible. The indwelling Holy Spirit works to produce His fruit in us, and first on the list is love (Gal. 5:22). In fact, the other eight qualities arereally just descriptions of its expression. Whenever we demonstrate kindness, patience, or gentleness, we see the Lord’s love at work through us, especially when the other person has been unkind and doesn’t deserve such pleasant treatment. This fruit is not produced by trying harder to muster goodwill toward someone who is irritating or hard to get along with. Instead, think of the process more like sap running through a branch on a grape-vine. The branch doesn’t make grapes; the sap does. In the same way, the Spirit flows through us, producing God’slove in us, so that we can pass it on to Him and others. Agape love is the reason we areable to care for someone who mistreats us—it’s God’s doing, not ours. Even the adoration we offer the Lord is not something that we can produce in our own heart apart from His assistance. Though the command to love is enormous, God’s grace makes it possible. --------------------------------------------------------- The Virtue of Having Enemies “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke6:26) It is no compliment to say about a Christian that he has no enemies, for that is the same as saying he has accomplished nothing. The apostle Paul had many bitter enemies, and they finally got him executed. In fact, almost all of the great heroes of the faith,through all the centuries since Satan gained his victory over Adam and Eve, have had to overcome bitter opposition from that wicked one. So, instead of resenting our enemies, we should thank God for them, for they enable us to become more like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Only through such experiences can we learn what it means to say with Paul: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians2:20). Only if we have enemies can we learn to obey Christ’s difficult command to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew5:44). The Lord Jesus easily could have called on 12 legions of angels to rout His enemies (Matthew 26:53). Instead, He submitted to their vicious insults and crueltortures, even praying in His agony on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The enemies of Christ killed Him,but had they not done so He would not have died for our sins, and we would be lost eternally. This is a mystery to ponder and difficult to comprehend, yet, as the Bible promises, “surely the wrath of man shall praise thee” (Psalm76:10). The enmity of men can thus be a channel of divine grace to the believer, for “tribulation worketh patience” (Romans 5:3), and “our light affliction, whichis but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). HMM ---------------------------------------------------- My Conversation with a Hedge by Shawn McEvoy He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. - Proverbs15:32 Some years during summer, my wife and kids leave me for two-to-three weeks to visit all of her relatives in Texas while I stay home and work. For the first day or two that they're gone, I enjoy my freedom from some of my responsibilities. After that, though,I tend to go a little crazy. I find myself wandering around the house, or doing "improvement" projects I have no business tackling. Making up song lyrics. Or having conversations with inanimate objects. A couple years ago, in the middle of their trip, I was trimming the bushes beneath our front windows. The three on the right side of the stoop grow more uniformly than the three on the left. On the left, the one closest to the stairs is healthiest, whilethe other two, thanks to heavier afternoon shade, don't do as well. Oh, it's hard to tell, because I keep them pruned so that they "grow together" in the middle and stay squared off on the tops and corners. But obviously, the two weaker bushes suffer the pruningless frequently, because I let them grow out to fill in the gaps. As I was working, their healthier sibling, I imagined, began to speak to me. Or to whine is more like it... Hey! What gives? Nothing, my good man. Just time for your monthly trimming. But why? I'm not doing anything wrong. Just sitting here minding my own business. Doing good, doing what I'm supposed to do. And here you come... Well, just sit still, please. Trust me, I have a purpose here. Really? Well forgive me for asking, but why doesn't that purpose seem to apply to my lazy, stunted brethren here? All this time and barely a scratch. Maybe a nip, a cut. Nothing lost, no pain. You're not happy with how you look? Where you're situated? I'm fine. But that's just it. I don't deserve this cutting and trimming. ------------------------------------------------------- Our Weekly Day of Rest and Worship “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee outthence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15) It is significant that God’s Ten Commandments are found twice in the Bible (Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21). In fact, “Deuteronomy” means “the Second Law.” The two are worded identically, with a few exceptions. The most significant of these changes is in connection with the reason given for obeying the Fourth Commandment, to “keep the sabbath day.” In Exodus, the reason given is “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, andrested the seventh day” (Exodus 20:11). Here in “the second law,” the reason given is that God saved Israel out of bondage in Egypt and now was about toenter the Promised Land. In other words, when the Israelites observed each Sabbath day in rest and worship, they were acknowledging God as both their Creator and their Redeemer. Christians also, as they devote every seventh day as a day of rest and worship, should be remembering God for His finished creation (“the heavens and the earth were finished,” Genesis 2:1) and His finished redemption (“It is finished” was Christ’s victory cry on the cross, John 19:30). The word Sabbath means “rest,” of course—not “Friday” or “Saturday” or even “seventh” (the word for seventh in Hebrew is similar but distinctly different from that for sabbath). Most Christians now believe it is appropriate to honor the Lord Jesus (who is boththeir Creator and Redeemer) to take their seventh day of rest and worship on the first day of each week, thereby recognizing both His finished work of redemption and also His finished work of creation. HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------- I Hate You, But with Love by Ryan Duncan If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. – James 1:26 I once heard a story of a certain churchwoman who loved to criticize others. Whether by gossiping, or by simply stating things up front, she had a reputation for being extremely hurtful. What made it worse though, was that she always disguised her remarksas helpful suggestions. She claimed to be speaking out of love, but all her words did were hurt and discourage. I bring this up because I feel that hurtful speech has become all too common in the Church. Now that the internet has provided people with an easy way to speak while avoiding accountability, some Christians have taken the opportunity to post bitter messages and spiteful blogs online. Ironically, after spending an entire paragraph detailing whycertain persons are going to Hell, many Christians finish up by saying “I’m just speaking the truth with love.” Popular writer Jon Acuff wrote an article about this two years ago on the CNN website, where he encouraged hisChristian brothers and sisters to remember what Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 22, “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” – Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus called these two “The Greatest Commandments”, and it seems like they should be pretty easy to follow since you can’t love God if you’re not loving other people. It doesn’t stop there however, the gospel is overflowing with verses telling us how theonly way to know God is by loving others, even our enemies. “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves Godmust also love his brother.” – 1 John 4:19-21 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1 -------------------------------------------------------------------- A Call to Godly Living Romans 12:1 The apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent. In response, he wrote letters urging Christians not to follow in the ways of the world. Like those early believers, we are to pursuegodliness by... 1.Presenting our bodies to God. Our total being--mind, will, emotions, personality, and physical body--are to be turned over to our heavenly Father (James4:7a). Submitting ourselves to the Lord requires a definite decision to give Him control and a daily commitment to remain under His authority. By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly living. 2.Becoming living sacrifices. The Christian life is built around the concept of sacrifice. Jesus left the perfection of heaven to dwell among a sinful people so He might reconcile us to God. He offered up His life to make payment for oursins (1 John 3:16) and brought us into His family. As believers, we are to follow His example. Paul called it a living sacrifice, becauseit is ongoing--one that is repeated daily. Life is full of options. Many decisions involve a choice between following God's way or our own. Maturing Christians will increasingly sacrifice their own desires and embrace His will. A life of godliness is characterized by a heart and mind bent toward the things of God. Although we will live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him. Let's commit to becoming more like Jesus, the One who willingly gave Himselfto God as a sacrifice for us. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sowingand Sleeping �So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.� (1Corinthians 15:42) When a believer�s soul and spirit leave the body and return to the Lord, it is significant that the New Testament Scriptures speak of the body not as dead but as sleeping. For example, Jesus said, �Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake himout of sleep� (John11:11). This state is not �soul sleep� as some teach, for �to be absent from the body, [is] to be present with the Lord� (2Corinthians 5:8). The body is sleeping�not the soul. Similarly, when the believer�s body is laid in a grave, Paul speaks of this act not as a burial but as sowing! �But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except itdie: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body� (1Corinthians 15:35-38). Just as a buried grain of wheat brings forth a fruitful plant, so the old, sin-corrupted, aching body of human flesh, sown in the ground, will some day come forth �fashioned like unto his glorious body� (Philippians3:21), in which �there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain� (Revelation21:4). �So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body� (1Corinthians 15:42-44). When a believer�s body is sown in the ground, God will soon reap from it a body of glory that will last for eternity. HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Habits of Happy People by Debbie Holloway Today I stumbled across a list someone had pulled together and put online, entitled �22 Habits of Happy People.� Inspired, I decided to write a few down on post-it notes and stick them up around my (already post-it laden) cubicle. Then I got to thinkingabout Scriptural wisdom to back up the catchy phrases. Here�s what I found for the first few. 1. Let go of grudges This piece of wisdom is undoubtedly biblical. In fact, the ideas of forgiveness and leaving vengeance up to God can be found in many places throughout the Old and New testaments. Levitical Law states, �You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord� (Lev. 19:18). Jesus also speaks of the necessity of forgiving each other and letting go of grudges � especially if we desire for God to dismiss our own sins. �And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses� (Matt.11:35). 2. Treat everyone with kindness This is a beautiful, simple phrase that cuts to the heart of the golden rule. Jesus cautions, �So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you� (Matt. 7:12). God, through commands to his early followers and through his revelation in Christ, clearly values acts and attitudes of kindness and compassion. Believers are consistently exhorted to give, respect, honor, and show humility toward those around us. Perhapsthe best model for kindness would, of course, be God himself. Instead of allowing humanity to perish in sin, God pursued us throughout centuries, sent his Son to walk among us, and offers salvation and reconciliation to all freely. 3. Regard Your Problems as Challenges According to Paul, �No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it� (1Cor. 10:13). Truthfully, life is full of problems. And not all problems can be solved. But I like the idea of regarding problems as challenges, because it�s a wonderful reminder that we have been given the power to do something. God didn�t make us fearful or incapable. He gave us a spirit of power and of sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7).If we looked at our problems more like challenges, perhaps we would be more hopeful about the future. Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you been holding grudges? Have you been less than kind to others? Have you let yourself become overwhelmed by your daily problems? Consider developing some �habits of happy people!� ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Choosing Love over Rights Matthew 5:38-48 We talk a lot about rights these days. Yet the attention given to human entitlements hasn�t brought about corporate or personal freedom. Instead, most people are prisoners of jealousy (you have greater rights than I do!), greed (I deservemore!), or bitterness (my rights have been violated!). Instead of focusing on the privileges due us, we should take the biblical perspective of loving enemies and forgiving persecutors (Matt. 5:44). Believers lay down their rights so they can take up the cause of a holy kingdom.That doesn�t mean that we let people trample on us. Rather, we offer a proper response according to biblical principles. In short, believers should be more concerned about showing God�s love to those who do wrong than about demanding their rights. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Avoid Spiritual Stagnation - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. �Philippians 3:17 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-to-avoid-spiritual-stagnation/- Listen After I accepted Christ at the age of 17 on my high school campus, I was oblivious to what I had just done. The school bell rang, lunch was over, and I didn�t realize what had actually happened to me. No one was there to say, �Hey, Greg, here�s a New Believer�s Bible. Why don�tyou read this?� No one invited me to church that weekend. No one was there to do anything. But thank God there was a guy named Mark who approached me a day or so later and introduced himself. He said, �Hey, I saw that you went forward and prayed to ask Christinto your life the other day at our lunchtime Bible study.� Feeling a little defensive, I said, �Yeah, what of it?� �Well, I think that�s great,� Mark said. �I want you to come to church with me.� �I don�t want to do that.� But Mark persisted, and the next thing I knew, he was at my house picking me up and taking me to church. Mark introduced me to the church and also introduced me to his Christianfamily. He took the time to explain the basics to me. In short, he began to disciple me. I could have fallen through the cracks after I accepted Christ. And sadly, there are a lot of new Christians that do. Would you be willing to be a Mark to one of those people? Not only will you be helping a brand-new Christian mature in the faith, but you will be doing yourself some goodas well. God has given us the blessings that we experience as Christians to share, not to hoard. If you only take in and never share your faith, you will stagnate spiritually. Will you help fulfill the Great Commission and disciple someone? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Big Question - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about himunless someone tells them? �Romans 10:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-big-question/- Listen My wife, Cathe, tells me that I never properly proposed to her. She says we were sitting in a restaurant one day when I looked at her said, �Well, I guess we�re going toget married, huh?� I didn�t do a very good job of proposing, but I�ve heard about a lot of imaginative proposals. For instance, a friend of mine went snorkeling with his girlfriend, and whilethey were in the water, he wrote the words �Will you marry me?� on an underwater tablet. That was very imaginative. Some questions are awkward for us to ask, but we do it anyway. One such question is this: Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now? Awhile ago I was in a restaurant with some friends. When the waitress walked up to take our order, she said, �You guys are all pastors, aren�t you?� Then she wanted to know when our church services were. After we gave her the service times, I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to ask her a question. I said, �You know, I�m glad you want to know when our church services are, and I�m glad you want to come to our church. But you don�t have to wait until Sunday to get rightwith God. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now?� She said, �Yes, I would.� I knew she wouldn�t get in trouble with her boss, because the owner of the restaurant is a Christian who attends our church. So we prayed together right there, and she askedChrist into her life. You never know when the Lord will prompt you to ask that important question. And if someone says yes, get ready for one of the greatest blessings that you�ve ever experiencedin life. Jesus said there�s joy in Heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance. There�s great joy in sharing your faith. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keeper Lessons by Meghan Kleppinger I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" - Psalm 91:2 Everyone loves those "dog movies." You know the ones � like Homeward Bound and My Dog Skip, and Benji, and Lassie. Actually, I can�t watch those movies because I crumble to pieces whenever I see an animal in harm's way, or treated with cruelty. Yes, I know they�re fictional and specialeffects are used, but it started with Old Yeller when I was five� and please don't ask me to explain the rest of that story! Well, these days, I feel as though I�m living out one of those dog story movies. I adopted a 5-year-old collie mix last November that had been rescued by an animal society on the day she was to be euthanized. I was told she was friendly but hand-shy and that she had been abandoned and probably abused. I quickly found this to be trueand it nearly drove me to tears each time I would go to pet her and she would flinch. About two weeks after the adoption, my dog started having seizures. I can�t begin to explain the fear that consumed me. It was nothing compared to the terrified and confused look in my pup�s eyes. The vet told me that she will have to be on epilepsy medsfor life and that whoever gave her up probably did so because they didn�t think she was worth the effort and cost. I love this dog and I�m committed to keeping her healthy and safe, but I�ve had the most difficult time communicating this with her. I even named her Keeper as a reminder that she has found her forever home and that she is, indeed, a keeper. The other day while I was walking her, a huge black dog jumped out of nowhere and attempted to attack her. I don�t know how to explain my reaction when this happened. In mamma bear fashion, I didn�t think, I reacted. I started screaming at this dog, �Getoff of her!� and threw myself between the two of them. Eventually, I managed to pull out and then walk away, a little shaken, but unscathed. I saw two wet saliva spots on her skin - attempted bite marks - and realized how fortunate we were. God started to impress some things upon me as we walked home. Here I had this dog that was abused, abandoned, unwanted, and considered worthless by someone. She has trust issues but at the same time wants so badly to please me. It made me think of us humans. We have trust issues. We have hurts and pains that we don�t understand and don�t want to revisit. Sometimes it�s hard for those of us who have been hurt to obey God�s call to trust Him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Practical Ways to Bear Burdens 1 Thessalonians 5:14 There are hurting people everywhere, but at times we just don't know what to say or do to ease their pain. Here are six practical ways to bear someone else's burden. 1.Be there. At times the best "method" of helping is simply to be present. During our darkest hours, we don't need someone who tries in vain to fix everything; we just need a friend. 2.Listen. Don't attempt to give answers or tell people what to do next. Injured souls frequently want simply a listening ear so they can express what's on their mind. 3.Share. Never parade yourself as someone who has all the answers. Instead, allow your own pain and failures to help others. 4.Pray. There is power in speaking people's names before the Lord. When they hear someone talk to Jesus on their behalf, healing often starts taking place. 5.Give. Sometimes helping others involves more than a handshake or warm hug. Maybe they need something financial or material. One of the best measures of sincerity is how much we're willing to give to others. 6.Substitute. You may know an individual who bears the burden of caring for someone else. If you step in and take his or her place for a while, you are emulating your Savior--He, too, was a substitute. Because we were unable to do it ourselves, Jesus bore all of our sin and sorrow, even unto death. As a result, we can live happily and eternally in communion with our Father. If Christ did that for us, how can we ever say, "I'm too busy to bear someone else's burden"? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Growingin Faith �These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuadedof them, and embraced them.� (Hebrews11:13) All believers should hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering. A believer faces many challenges, but two seem particularly difficult to handle. First, our eternal destination cannot be seen with our physical eyes. Without something materialto see or hold, our human nature is not satisfied and on occasion raises questions in our mind: �Is heaven really there?� �Am I missing out on something here on Earth?� The writer to the Hebrew Christians was aware that questions could lead to doubt, thento discouragement, and even cause some to �draw back� (Hebrews10:38-39). Though we cannot literally see heaven, we can �see [it] afar off� by faith. This is only done by implicitly believing the Word of the Lord. Paul said there is a special power in God�s Word enabling believers to grow �from faith to faith� (Romans1:17). The fact that faith itself is the fuel to energize even greater faith is illustrated in our text verse. Noah, Abraham, and others had �seen� the promises by faith, which led them to even stronger belief until they were deeply �persuaded of them.� The promises eventually were so real to these saints that they �embraced them� like a fellow companion in their daily walk with the Lord. Only by faith doHis promises become an integral part of our lives, able to guide our daily activities and long-range plans. The second challenge we face is fear of the world�s reprisal, directed to anyone daring to not conform to its practices. This fear has stopped many believers from �confessing� their faith and is why the final step to �dying in faith� may be so difficult. Likenothing else can, being willing to publicly proclaim your belief in God�s Word builds faith and truly honors Him. RJG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No Safer Place - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org The just shall live by faith. �Romans 1:17 Everyone has and lives by a form of faith. Now, someone might say they�re not a person of faith. But everyone has faith. Everyone applies faith. Even the atheist has faith,even though it isn�t faith in God. Actually, I think it takes more faith to be an atheist and to not believe there is a Creator or someone who is in control of all the things around us. Everyone has a measure of faith. Everyone has faith in something. Maybe it�s faith in themselves, which will be disappointing. Maybe they have faith in a political system,which will be even more disappointing. But they have faith. I think the problem is that we make faith so mystical when, in fact, we act in faith every day. For example, when you go to a restaurant and order, you have faith that thefood will be fresh and will be prepared properly. When you board a 747 that weighs more than 300,000 pounds, you apply faith that it will somehow get up into the air and take you to the place you want to go. When you step into an elevator, you�re applying faith that all the cables are working and that maintenance workers have done their due diligence. When you go to the pharmacyand to fill your medications, you�re trusting the pharmacist knows what he or she is doing and will put the right pills in the right bottle. But when someone comes along and says, �Have faith in God,� people will think that�s insane. Yet the Bible tells us, �The just shall live by faith� (Romans 1:17 NKJV). Itdoesn�t say, �The just shall live by emotions,� because sometimes we�re up emotionally, and sometimes we�re down. So let�s believe the Word of God regardless of our emotions because there�s no safer place to put our faith than in God Himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TheSpiritual Rock �And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: andthat Rock was Christ.� (1 Corinthians 10:4) One of the most amazing miracles recorded in the Bible occurred when Moses smote the rock on Mount Horeb and water came forth sufficient to satisfy all the multitude there in the wilderness (Exodus17:6). In describing this great event, the psalmist later sang: �He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers� (Psalm78:15-16). In our text above, Paul indicates that the miracle had great symbolic significance as well. �That Rock was Christ.� The Greek word used here for �rock� is petra, the same word used by Christ when He said that �upon this rock I will build my church� (Matthew 16:18). Christ is the one foundation uponwhich the church is built (1 Corinthians 3:11). He is also symbolized by the �living water,� the �well of water springing up into everlasting life� (John4:10, 14). The actual rock from which the waters burst forth in the wilderness did not literally �follow them,� of course, but �that spiritual Rock� did follow them, for Christ was there with them through all their years of wandering. The literal water followed them too, keeping them alive for 40 years. When Moses struck the rock, God opened a mighty spring �out of the great depths� (Psalm78:15), evidently tapping a deep pressurized aquifer from which waters emerged to form �streams also out of the rock� (v. 16). These streams flowed continually in the desert for 40 years, so the children of Israel could march and camp beside them as longas they were in the wilderness. Christ still today is our spiritual Rock, continually yielding the spiritual waters of everlasting life. HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tsunami of Emotion and Understanding by Shawn McEvoy "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" - Job 2:9 I once came across a story that is all at once heartbreaking and hope-giving, tragic and uplifting, devastating and determined. The International Mission Board's Shawn Hendricks chronicled what happened to and through one Christian family on India's east coast since the tsunamis of late 2004. His story, could I still link to it, would effectively function as your devotional for todaymuch better than what I am about to write in response to it. In a real-world account of events straight from the Book of Job, Paramesvaran and Choodamani lost all three of their children the day after Christmas that year. My heart breaks for families who lose one child, much less three. Imagine having lost one of them who was in your arms but who you were just not strong enough to hold on to against the crushing force ofso much water. Imagine being mocked by your friends and family for your faith while you are suffering such tragedy and burying your own offspring. Imagine being so full of grief you discuss a suicide pact. But then... eventually... the clouds lift, first for one spouse who is gifted by a word from the Lord about the blessing that her husband survived when so many others did not. Then, later, the husband feels the tugging of the Lord letting him know that hischildren are safe with Jesus, they're okay, they're full of praise and life. The real, personable, meaningful faith in God pulls the couple up, and back together. They are blessed with two new children. But beyond that... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When a Fellow Christian Stumbles Galatians 6:1-5 The Lord doesn't want the members of His body to live in isolation; believers are intended to function as a loving family who actively care for each other. One of our responsibilities as part of God's household is to come alongside a brother or sister whohas stumbled. Paul specifies that those "who are spiritual" are to restore the fallen ones to fellowship with the Father and the family. "Spiritual" doesn't mean some elite group of pious leaders; it refers to any Christians who are living under the Spirit'scontrol. A key element in this process is the attitude of the one who seeks to restore a fellow Christian. A Spirit of Gentleness: This isn't a time for harshness, anger, judgment, or condemnation. Our goal is not to heap pain and guilt upon a hurting brother or sister but to show mercy and forgiveness (2Cor. 2:5-8). A Spirit of Humility: Those who have a superior attitude look down on a fallen brother and think, I would never make those mistakes. But the humble know their own vulnerability. Instead of judging others, they examine their own lives in order to recognize and deal with areas of weakness. A Spirit of Love: When we love others, we'll willingly sharing their burden. This requires an unselfish investment of our time, energy, and prayer on their behalf. How do you react when a fellow Christian has stumbled? One of the ugliest human traits is our tendency to feel better about ourselves when another person misses the mark. Instead of sharing the latest gossip about a fallen brother or sister, let your heartbreak, and come alongside to love and help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Whatever": Simultaneously the Worst and Best Word We Have by Shawn McEvoy Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute� dwell on these things (Philippians4:8). On the one hand, it's always good to get scientific affirmation for something you believe or suspect. On the other, it's never fun when you've been planning to write about that same belief or suspicion for over a year and someone goes out and steals your thunder. But that's okay - a Fox News report about a survey by Marist College on the most annoying words in American conversation just gives me the excuse to get around to it now. The article states: 47 percent of Americans surveyed in a Marist College poll released Wednesday [found "Whatever" to be the most annoying word we use]. "Whatever" easily beat out "you know," which especially grated a quarter of respondents. The other annoying contenders were "anyway" (at 7 percent), "it is what it is" (11 percent) and "at the end of the day" (2 percent). "Whatever" � pronounced "WHAT'-ehv-errr" when exasperated � is an expression with staying power. Immortalized in song by Nirvana ("oh well, whatever, nevermind") in 1991, popularized by the Valley girls in "Clueless" later that decade, it is still commonly used, often by younger people. It can be an all-purpose argument-ender or a signal of apathy. And it can really be annoying. The poll found "whatever" to be consistently disliked by Americans regardless of their race, gender, age, income or where they live. I've felt that way for years. When someone uses "whatever" on me in a conversation or email, it's a kick to the groin of non-importance. Beyond annoying, it's rude and dismissive. It's also ignorant, especially when delivered at the end of what was supposedto be a friendly debate or argument, because it illustrates that the person had no better retort and is now summarily ending the conversation with a parting shot connoting that nothing you just said mattered anyway. "Whatever!" In a country sorely lacking in civility, manners, and conversation skills... and ripe with apathy and self-importance, "Whatever" is the motto du jour. Then again... what a powerful word it can be for our walk with Christ. It's kind of like when you are reading a play, or preparing to act in one. You have the script before you. There are minimal clues for how any word in the text should be read. What inflection, what level of voice, what tone shall I use? What does the contextand the setting and the personality of the character tell me in regards to how this word or line is going to sound? Ultimately, you and the Director decide. And I've decided that "Whatever" can be, if we so choose, the defining word of the Christian life. Because while few other words carry the same potential for dismissive rudeness, no other word holds the same potential for all-out surrender and steadfast faith. As my mother-in-law is fond of saying, spiritual maturity for her has involved moving from a "What-If?" faith to a "Whatever" faith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Impact of Prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Prayer is the lifeblood of an intimate relationship with the Father. But believers often have questions about its power and effectiveness. Don�t hesitate to take your queries to the Lord, dig into Scripture for answers, and seek the counsel of a trustedspiritual mentor. Prayer is too important to neglect. Will God�s plans fail if I don�t pray? God is not subservient to believers or dependent upon their prayers. The time we invest in speaking with Him involves us in the work that He is doing in our lives and in the world, but He will carry on without us. Laboringalongside the Lord is our privilege. Does my prayer (or lack thereof) impact God�s work? I believe that Scripture indicates the answer to this question is both yes and no, depending upon the situation. There are times when God�s purpose is set. He is in control and has determined the best course.In the Old Testament, the Lord often prophesied what He would do and then brought those events to pass. In other cases, �you do not have because you do not ask� (James 4:2). There are some good things that He holds back until we put out prayerfulhands to receive them. But because God is a loving Father, He also pours our blessings that we wouldn�t even think to request. Believer�s prayers have tremendous impact, particularly on their own faith and life. Do you understand what an awesome privilege it is to kneel before the all-powerful Father and know that He listens and will respond? God loves to be good to His children and answer their prayers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be the Example - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. �Ephesians 6:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/be-the-example/- Listen I heard the story of a father and his young son who were climbing a mountain. They came to a very difficult place on the trail, and the father was thinking about which wayhe should go. As he was deliberating, he heard his son�s voice behind him, saying, �Choose the right path, Dad. I�m coming right behind you.� The primary spiritual responsibility for raising your children doesn�t belong to the church. It doesn�t belong to Sunday school or a Christian school. It belongs to you.It takes place in your home. You be the godly example, the godly leader. You read the Bible to your children before they go to bed at night. Pray with them and model what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, �And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord� (Ephesians 6:4 NKJV). Put parameters in your children�s lives and use strong standards to raise them. And start early, because it�s a lot easier to build a child than it is to repair an adult. Parents have a direct influence on their children. Moms and Dads, your children are watching you. Little eyes are watching, and little ears are listening. They listen towhat you say, but more importantly, they watch what you do. Let�s say, for example, that parents drink in front of their kids. Then one day their kids have a problem with alcohol and they wonder why. Or a couple argues in front ofthe kids, sometimes even asking them to take sides in the argument (which is always a horrible idea). Then they�re shocked when their children have the same issues in their lives. Live a life with the Lord that will make your child desire the same relationship with Jesus Christ. Be a good example. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM