DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 5.29.21

Jesus Is the Savior �But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hathbrought life and immortality to light through the gospel.� (2 Timothy 1:10) For centuries, the message of the gospel was presented in drama through the sacrificial system instituted through Moses. Obviously, Moses did not invent the concept of an innocent blood sacrifice. God Himself performed the initial �atonement� when He made coveringsfor Adam and Eve with the skins of animals that the Creator Himself killed and prepared for them (Genesis 3:21). Abel brought the �more excellent sacrifice,� but Cain tried �another gospel� and was rejected (Genesis 4:3-5). After the Flood, �Noah builded an altar untothe LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar� (Genesis 8:20). Abraham and Jacob offered animalsacrifices to the Lord in recognition of their subservience to Him and in obedience to the instructions they were given (Genesis 12:7; 46:1). When Moses received the law from the hand of God on Mount Sinai, the entire system of sacrifices was centered around a male �lamb without blemish� (Leviticus1:10; 23:12). This was the Passover Lamb that became the symbol of God�s deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:21) and was directlyapplied to the Lord Jesus as �our passover� who was �sacrificed for us� (1 Corinthians 5:7). Of all the names given to the Lord Jesus, it is the Lamb title that stands out so strongly when referencing the sacrifice He made. John the Baptist called out, �Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world� (John1:29), and it is the �Lamb that was slain� who is worthy to �receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing� (Revelation5:12). HMM III -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Traveling Mercies by Shawn McEvoy You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day. - Psalm91:5 With Memorial Day weekend's arrival, summer travel season has begun, so I've been reminiscing upon all the times the Lord has watched out for me on the road through all my journeys. Here are just a few examples: When I helped my wife - before she was my wife - move from Columbia, South Carolina to Farmville, Virginia, we rented an auto transport to trail her car behind the U-Haul so that we could both ride together in the truck. I had helped load her car onto thetransport before we left. We decided to get out of town and onto the interstate before we gassed up. We'd traveled up and down hills, across several railroad tracks, on the interstate, in stop-and-go traffic... and it was raining. You'll understand the reasonI tell you all that momentarily. When we pulled into the gas station, we realized we didn't have Valerie's key chain. It held the keys to her car, her new home, her old home, and several expensive keys to the University of South Carolina. Neither of us had any idea where they could be.I got out of the truck to think... and I spotted them, there on one of the two-inch thick beams of the auto transport. I yelled for Valerie, who came to look. I carefully touched the keys with my fingertips... and they dropped to the ground. Neither of us could believe our eyes, or that those keys had remained there of their own accord over the route we had driven. It had to be the Lord. If not, well, He got the praiseand glory anyway. Another time, when I was just a boy, my mother's station wagon had a flat tire on a remote stretch of road outside Tucson. My sister and I were in the car as my mother struggled to get the hubcap off. In those days, on that model, a special tool was requiredto be able to get to the lugnuts. We didn't have the tool. Just then, a guy rode up on a bike. He happened to have the tool. He handed it to my mother, who to this day swears he was an angel. I'm not sure I can argue with her. At other times there have been individuals who showed up with just the right help during blowouts, or - believe it or not - airline personnel who actually made my trip better than it could have gone. The most memorable of these instances, truly, have come during times I prayed, read my Bible, and had decided in advance not to get bent out of shape about delays or other problems. One such cross-country trip resulted in an out-of-nowhere upgrade to first class from Philadelphia to Seattle, where I also ended up in a position to calmly solvea dispute between passengers. Indeed, the Lord has been gracious to me in travel. My wife's family has a tradition before every trip they take to read Psalm 91. It reminds them that God is their refuge as they go, wherever they go. And of course before every trip we take, my family prays for safety, and mercy... and the opportunity to minister, even if it is an inconvenience to our plans. --------------------------------------------------------------------- God Is Always in Control Isaiah 45:5-7 I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everything He does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe,the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours. When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even ourmost painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28). Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’sgood handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours. As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa.55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instruction Contrary to Knowledge “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” (Proverbs19:27) One of the saddest realities in the modern world is that many of the leaders of evolutionary and humanistic thought were raised in Christian homes, where from an early age they were exposed to the truths of Scripture. Testimonies without number have been chronicledof Christian students going to universities where they were taught to doubt and then to disbelieve the faith of their parents. Perhaps all these students ever knew of Christianity was a set of rules; maybe they never understood the reasons their parents heldcertain views or the basis for these beliefs. Certainly the foundational teaching of creation has been missing in many Christian homes and churches. Our primary goal as parents should be to establish a godly heritage—to teach the truths of God in such a way as will be believed and cherished by our children so that they will “keep that which is committed to [their] trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings,and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20). Certainly a more effective way of teaching is to continually point the child or student back to foundational principles rather than to list a set of dos and don’ts. We must teach those under our influence to be grounded in the Word so that they can make soundjudgments when away from our watchful eyes. No greater aid to serious study, no better primer in careful reasoning exists than in Scripture. Using it and other supportive materials, a child can learn to think carefully and critically. Not only will they learninformation, but here they can learn wisdom and knowledge and understanding. “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs2:6). JDM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When a Nation Turns Its Back on God 2 Chronicles 33 Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord. Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil�including witchcraft and sorcery� and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people,paid a high price for his rebellion. This story illustrates the Lord�s intolerance of a nation�s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside�one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren�t statues of stone,but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few. The United States of America was founded on biblical principles with the intent to guarantee freedom of worship. But over time, we have removed the Lord from many aspects of public life. Prayer in schools, for instance, was deemed unconstitutional. What was once a �nation under God� has turned into a country that tolerates a growing number of sins and yet belittles absolute truth. If a nation turns its back on the Lord, His judgment is inevitable unless the people repent and make Him Lord once again. As believers, our responsibility is to pray that God would draw the heart of our country back to Himself�and to help the gospel andtruth spread through our land. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The God Who Saves �The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler,and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.� (Psalm 18:2) What a testimony given by David to his God! In this single verse, there is a sevenfold ascription of praise to the Lord for His great salvation. Each testimony can be appropriated also by all who trust Him. 1.My rock: The word used here does not mean a stone or even a boulder but a mighty monolith, immovable and impregnable. 2.My fortress: This word refers to a great bulwark�a stronghold. The Hebrew word is essentially the same as Masada, the high butte where the Jews resisted the Roman armies after the destruction of Jerusalem. 3.My deliverer: �Our God is able to deliver,� even from the fiery furnace, the den of lions, and from the armies of Saul. 4.My strength: This is another word often translated �rock,� this time a rugged, craggy one, most appropriate as a symbol of great strength. 5.My buckler: The small, movable shield used to �quench all the fiery darts of the wicked� (Ephesians 6:16). 6.The horn of my salvation: This striking Old Testament symbol is even repeated in the New Testament (Luke 1:69) and applied to the coming Savior,referring either to the �horns of the altar� where fleeing sinners could cling for refuge or to the fighting horns of a strong beast. 7.My high tower: Here the word is not for a man-made tower but for a natural, high, topographic eminence, suitable both for watching and for defense. The great promises of salvation and security in Christ are timeless. The words that brought such hope toDavid are still a comfort to believers today. He is still �the God of all grace� (1 Peter 5:10) to all who trust Him. HMM ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Of Fish and Faith by John UpChurch �So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can dofor him.� - Romans12:1 (MSG) My stint manning the meat counter at the Fresh Market lasted half a day. I needed a job; they needed someone to wrap up fish. Seemed like a good match. It wasn�t. By way of an interview, the manager glanced at my r�sum� and then scowled at me. I could weigh meat and smile. That got me in the apron and behind the salmon. Still, it was a job, and I was hyped. For about an hour. My training consisted of a fellow worker�a kid a few years younger than me at the time�pointing out the scales and the paper and telling me when breaks were. Needless to say, I floundered with the flounder, my chuck looked chucked, and my meat wrapping wasn�tso meaty. By lunch, I�d completely lost my appetite thanks to the ground beef, snarling manager, and disgusted looks from customers. I didn�t let the door hit me on the way out. Sometimes, I live my faith like that as well, minus the fish smell, of course. I get pumped at the start�on Sunday�and even during the week by diving into the action-movie known as Mark�s gospel or Luke�s adventure stories. I�m ready to kung-fu chop theworld with some gospel awesomeness. But when the meat hits the scales, when my everyday life comes crowding in, my gospel skills suddenly get messy. Not literally. I simply fail to speak when someone talks about a general faith in something; I don�t bother to help everyone who really needshelp; I don�t show love because I�m too caught up in my own not-enough-sleep-Monday blah. ------------------------------------------------------------------- HowCan Things Invisible Be Seen? �For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by thethings that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.� (Romans1:20) This powerful verse introduces Paul�s burning description of the descent of ancient human societies that once �knew God� (Romans1:21) into evolutionary paganism, idolatry, and wickedness. This deterioration was willful and inexcusable, for they had abundant evidence of God�s nature and power in the very creation that they had chosen to worship instead of the Creator (Romans1:25). Even though God Himself was invisible (being omnipresent), they could easily see the evidence of His existence and His grace in creating and sustaining all things, �for God hath shewed it unto them� (Romans1:19). �The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork� (Psalm19:1). Since these things were �clearly seen� and �understood� by men �from the creation of the world� (that is, from the time the world was created), it is obvious that there have been men and women there to see and understand these things ever since the world wascreated. This assures us that the creation did not take place billions of years before men appeared on Earth, as theistic evolutionists and progressive creationists would like to believe. Men and women have been on Earth ever since its very beginning (seealso Mark 10:6; Acts 3:21), and all should have recognized and worshiped the true Creator God. That being true, how much more inexcusable are our modern evolutionists�whether atheistic, pantheistic, or polytheistic�who not only reject the testimony of God in creation but also His far more complete testimony in Scripture and in the person and work ofJesus Christ. HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- God Will Make a Way Where There Seems to Be No Way By Debbie McDaniel ��I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.� Isaiah 43:19 He will make a way where there seems to be no way. In the toughest of situations, this seems to be God�s specialty. And aren�t you thankful? God has it all figured out. So we don�t have to worry. He�s working on our behalf even when we can�t see it all. He has a plan and purpose in whatever we walk through. He can cut a clear pathway through anything. And in seemingly hopeless situations where we can�t see any way out, God�s power has the opportunity to shine the greatest. It�s in those times when we come to the end of ourselves, where we know we can�t depend on our own abilities, on anything we have,or anyone we know, but instead are reminded that we are totally and completely reliant on Him - it�s those times that are the most powerful of all. He can make a way through the wilderness and cause streams to rise up, bringing refreshing even in the desert times. He can split the sea, move mountains, or any barrier before us, and allow us to walk through on dry ground. He can conquer any giant, and bring victory to His children. He can close the mouths of lions, providing safety. He can open prison doors, setting us free. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recognize Your Vulnerability 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Some Christians see a fellow believer fall into sin but fail to acknowledge that they, too, could stumble. That's dangerous. Satan has them right where he wants them: deceived by a false sense of confidence. Three enemies are constantly at work trying tobring us down: the Devil, his world system, and our own treacherous flesh. Even though believers have a righteous standing before God, we must each, like Paul, acknowledge an internal problem: "sin which dwells in me" (Rom. 7:20). Satantakes full advantage of this weakness, luring us with fleshly and worldly temptations. He stokes our pride so we'll be blinded to our own vulnerability to stumbling. Christians need to be continually on guard. Since ignorance--of the nature of sin, the strategies of the Enemy, and our own areas of weakness--sets us up for failure, we cannot afford to be careless in our thinking. Anytime you find yourself excusing, redefining,or rationalizing sin, you've lost your sensitivity to the Lord. God's Word must always fill our minds and direct our steps. If you've drifted from the Lord, turn back to Him by acknowledging your sin and accepting full responsibility for it. Repentance simply means changing your mind and going in a different direction--toward God instead of away from Him. The next step is harder. Respond with gratitude for the Lord's chastisement. Every time believers fall into sin, God lovingly works to bring them back into a fellowship with Him. His discipline may be painful, but it's always good because it brings us toour senses and reconnects us with our Father. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nearto the Heart of God �And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart,when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.� (Exodus28:29) The clothing of the high priest was made according to very specific instructions. Each piece of the garment both symbolized and preshadowed a ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as the �one mediator between God and man� (1Timothy 2:5). The names of the tribes of Israel were engraved upon two stones (six names per stone), and they were to be mounted upon the shoulders of the ephod. The broad shoulders of a man are often used as a symbol of strength, particularly in carrying a heavy load. IllustratingHis perfect faithfulness and capability, the burden-bearing work of Christ weighted with the sins and needs of His people is pictured through Aaron, who would �bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial� (Exodus28:12). It is with great confidence in that capability that His people can therefore turn to Him, �casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you� (1Peter 5:7). As seen from the text verse, this work is not a drudgery but a labor of love. The names of the children of Israel were not only on the high priest�s shoulders but also carried �upon his heart.� In one sense this was a visible token of what He had said of old: �Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee� (Jeremiah31:3). For believers today, Christ�s high priestly ministry is explained more fully in the book of Hebrews, where believers are assured that �because he continueth ever, [he] hath an unchangeable priesthood� (Hebrews7:24). Therefore, �let not your heart be troubled� (John14:1), for He has your name upon His own heart �for a memorial before the LORD continually.� RJG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Roadblocks to Prayer - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org It�s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. �Isaiah 59:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/two-roadblocks-to-prayer/- Listen Some years ago, I was leading a Holy Land tour. We also went to modern-day Turkey to visit the biblical Ephesus, where people once worshiped the goddess Diana. So I boughta little statue of this goddess at a local souvenir stand to illustrate one of my messages. Afterward I threw the statue in my backpack and thought nothing more of it. But a little later in the tour, two of my granddaughters came across that little statue and startedplaying with it. I said, �Girls, give that to me.� Then I left the room with it and threw it away. The Bible tells us, �Little children, keep yourselves from idols� (1 John 5:21 NKJV). We might think of idols as images like the little Diana statues from Ephesus. And theyare, of course. But idols also can be other things. An idol can be something that you drive. It can be something that you hold. Or, it can be some passion you have in life that�s more important to you than God Himself. Anidol is anyone or anything that takes the place of the true and living God in your life. And if we allow things like these to crowd out God, it can bring our prayer lives to a halt. Another thing that can hinder our prayers is unconfessed sin. Psalm 66 says, �If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened� (Psalm 66:18NLT). Also, in Isaiah 59 we read, �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 has turned away and will not listen anymore� (verses 1�2 NLT). God cannot forgive the sins we won�t confess. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Keep Praying? - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. �2 Peter 3:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/why-keep-praying/Listen Billy and Ruth Graham once had a prodigal son named Franklin. He lived a rebellious life, but his parents never gave up on him. They just kept praying, and ultimately, Franklincame back to the Lord. Today, he�s someone whom God is using powerfully. What an example for us to keep praying for our children and not give up on them. Of course, the Devil will whisper in your ear and tell you that it�s too late for your kids,and they�ll never change. But don�t listen to him. He�s a liar and the father of lies (see John 8:44). If you have a son or daughter who has taken a prodigal turn, don�t give up on your child. Both of my sons were prodigals for a time, but they returned to the Lord. So keeppraying, because your child isn�t beyond God�s reach. And by the way, you�re praying according to the will of God when you�re praying for someone to come back to the Lord. So keep praying. In fact, Luke 18:1 tells us that �Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up� (NLT). On the other hand, if you�re the prodigal child, I want you to know that you�re breaking your parents� hearts. Whatever you�re chasing after isn�t going to satisfy you,and eventually you�ll come to the end of it. But I hope that you don�t come to the end of it at the end of your years and, as a result, throw your life away. You need to come back to the Lord. The Bible tells us that God is �not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance� (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV). It�s the heart of God to see people come toHim�or come back to Him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NeverToo Late �And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, VerilyI say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.� (Luke23:42-43) One of the two thieves on the cross continued in unbelief right up until the time he died (Luke23:39), but the second repented and believed unto salvation. The one assures us that no one need despair, since it is always possible to accept Christ at any time before death. The other warns us, on the other hand, that no one should presume. Long-continuedrebellion against God is likely to become so fixed in one�s character that sincere repentance may become impossible. The repentant thief, beholding Christ and hearing the first of the seven so-called �words from the cross� (Luke23:34), came to believe that Jesus truly was Lord and that He could, indeed, grant forgiveness and salvation. The penitent thief had no opportunity to be baptized, to change his lifestyle, or to do anything whatever except repent, believe on Christ, and confess his faith (Romans10:9-10). And that was sufficient! Both thieves would die that day, and the soul of the unrepentant thief would soon descend into Hades, there to await condemnation at the future judgment day. The other, because of his trust in Christ, would go with Him to paradise. The tragedy is that far too many people, assuring themselves that it is never too late, keep waiting until it becomes forever too late! �Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth� (Proverbs27:1). The overwhelming majority of people who come to trust in Christ for salvation do so when they are young. Very few come to the Lord when they are old or about to die. �Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation� (2Corinthians 6:2). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's Not About Who's Right or Who's Wrong by Stephen Sanders It's not about who's right or who's wrong. It is about glorifying God no matter who's doing what. In my videographer role at Salem Web Network, I have the privilege of being able to see the best (and worse) the Body of Christ has to offer. Unfortunately, it is probably more bad than good in a lot of cases. But I guess it makes sense when you think aboutwhat Jesus said: Matthew 7:12 This variety in the Body of Christ has been an ongoing struggle for me since the work environment I�d been in for the 5 years prior was very sheltered. I was working at a church, so I only saw that perspective on the Christian walk. But now I�m exposed towhat seems to be millions of different outlooks on what it means to be a Christian. A recent Google search revealed to me that there are approximately 38,000 denominations of the Christian faith. I suppose you could probably lump a lot of those together into a few hundred general categories if you wanted to, or even protestant/catholic if you really,really wanted to. But the point is...even if it was 380 instead of 38,000...that is A LOT. But back to the perspectives... With these 10�s of thousands of denominations come even more views on what is right and what is wrong. What is �Christian� behavior and what isn�t and so forth and so on. It is (and has been for me) a very easy thing to get caught up in if one isn�t careful.In a recent devotional I wrote titled, �don�t let foolishness get the best of you� I shared how easy it has become for Christians to share their voice more boldly online. It�s been over 2 months since I published that article and I�m still processing this whole ordeal; trying to find my placein all of this chaos. Yesterday I think I finally came to a conclusion: No one is totally right. (Brilliant, I know) No matter how confident we may sound when we claim that, �__________ is what the Bible says about _________,� none of us are right. How could we be? We still live in a sin-cursed world, we all still make mistakes, all still fall short of perfection that only God possesses. Some of us sound really smart with our proclamations and it can be very easy for someone like myself to become mesmerized with a specific stance on certain matters. But what happens is that these perspectives, once taken to a certain level, become idolsof our worship. And that goes for disagreeing with the perspectives just as much as showing allegiance. Let me give you an example. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Dangers of False Teaching Galatians 1:6-9 The Word of God is truth that's living and able to penetrate human souls (Heb. 4:12). Consider how powerful Scripture is: it can changehearts, save lives from eternal condemnation, and give hope to the hopeless. Is it any wonder, then, that the Bible is a battlefield of Satan? The Devil will do his best to destroy its message and truth. In fact, this has been our Enemy's continuous goal since he chose to turn from God. Our heavenly Father has graciously let us know in advance the outcome of this ongoing battle: Truth will prevail. But while the Lord has the ultimate victory, Satan can gain ground among individuals. His tactics are dangerous and deceptive to the unsuspecting.For this reason, we should carefully guard against his attacks, which are hard to recognize unless we are prepared. False teaching is one of Satan's preferred tactics for leading us astray. At first glance, such instruction often seems to align with Scripture, but do not be misled by the deception. Two things are essential for standing firm against these slippery falsehoods:to be well grounded in the truth of God's Word and to listen to His Spirit. Only then can we recognize the error and avoid the pitfalls of Satan's lies. The Enemy longs to mislead believers so they'll be ineffective for the kingdom. He also wants to keep all unsaved souls far from salvation through Jesus Christ. Friends, prepare for battle. Grow in the knowledge of truth, and lean on God's Spirit to guide you moment by moment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not Owners, but Stewards - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. �1 Timothy6:17 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/not-owners-but-stewards/- Listen Most of us wouldn�t think of ourselves as rich compared to the world�s wealthiest people. Yet even Americans on the lowest rung of the economic ladder still are wealthyin comparison to the standard of living in most of the world today. Today if you have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, and some form of transportation, then compared to many people around the world, you�re rich. Of course, you canenjoy what God has blessed you with. That isn�t a sin. However, the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, �Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, whogives us richly all things to enjoy� (1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV). We�re not owners, but stewards, of what God has put into our possession. Along these lines, Paul told the believers in Philippi that their financial gift to him would resultin a reward for them: �Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account� (Philippians 4:17 NKJV). Paul was saying, �When you give to me or to the ministry I�m involved in, it will result in fruit to your account. God will credit you for that.� That�s an incredible thing for us to think about. You will leave behind whatever you have on this earth, which will be divided among your relatives or whomever you choose. On the other hand, whatever you�ve invested in the work of God�s kingdom�every dollar you gave for ministry, every cent you contributed for the preaching of the gospel orfor the support of your church�will result in spiritual fruit to your account. So don�t put your hope in wealth. Instead, use what God has given you for good. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Little Flock �Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father�s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.� (Luke12:32) The world tends to measure success by size, and this seems generally true in the Christian world as well. The most �successful� churches are considered to be those with the largest congregations, or the largest budgets, or the greatest number of converts baptizedeach year, or some other quantitative index. But this is not God�s criterion. At the judgment seat of Christ, �the fire shall try every man�s work of what sort it is� (1Corinthians 3:13). Not how big it is, but of what sort it is! Quality, not quantity, is the criterion. Christ�s encouraging words to the �little flock� were given toward the end of an extended warning against the desire to accumulate wealth. �Take heed, and beware of covetousness,� He had said (Luke12:15), speaking to His small group of followers. He was their Shepherd and would provide the needs of His �little flock.� Christ�s warnings against individual covetousness evidently apply also to group covetousness. A church, or any other Christian organization, needs continually to guard against the desire to be impressive in the eyes of the world. The cities of Christendom exhibitmany ornate cathedrals and temples that are now mostly empty and spiritually dead. The Lord Jesus promised an �open door� to the little church at Philadelphia because it had �little strength� and had �kept [His] word� (Revelation 3:8),but threatened to �spue...out of [His] mouth� the tepid church at Laodicea, which was boasting that it was �rich, and increased with goods� (Revelation 3:16-17).Not every �little flock� has kept God�s Word, nor has every big flock become lukewarm, but Christ�s words serve as both warning and encouragement. The greater blessings of the coming kingdom have been promised to the faithful �little flock.� HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Change is Stressful by Laura MacCorkle Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30, NIV "Change is stressful." I remember my very first boss saying that to me when the direct marketing agency we worked for was undergoing massive restructuring within the various divisions. It felt like the staff had been thrown into a giant grab bag and then dumped back out. However we landed was where (and with what teams of people) we now worked. It was ultimately change for the better, but he was right. It was stressful. Figuratively speaking, "dust" that had settled was then being disrupted and wafting about the air causing many of us discomfort as we sneezed and hacked and scratched atour irritated eyes. Why do we have to change? Why do I have to work with this person now? God, I was very comfortable and doing so great with the way things were before. So why are you disrupting my life now? It didn't take me long to get over this change, however. Really, it was more annoying than anything else - unlike other changes in our lives that we would probably all agree are automatically "good" things: a new job, getting married, having a baby, etc.Yet, even these types of changes can bring about stress as well as our worlds take on new landscapes. At the other end of the spectrum, other life changes can be extremely painful for us. Death, moving far away, loss of employment, divorce, disease. Lord, how can this possibly be good? It hurts so much. Why would you purpose this for me? What did I do wrong? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learning How to Give - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don�t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. �1Corinthians 16:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/learning-how-to-give/- Listen Years ago I was in military school and lived on campus. Every Sunday morning we would go to church, and they would give each of us a dime to put in the offering. So I wentto Sunday school with my dime, thinking, �I don�t really want to give this dime. I want to use it for myself.� So when the offering plate went by, I kept the dime. Then I went to the canteen and bought licorice with it. But I couldn�t even finish it because I felt so guilty. Even then, with as little as I knew about God, I knew that money belonged to Him. When you send your children to church or Sunday school with a little money to put in the offering, they learn the importance of giving. And even children need to learn howto give. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, �Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God�s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedureI gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don�t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once� (1 Corinthians 16:1�2 NLT). These Christians gave on a regular basis. In the same way, we should set something apart for the kingdom of God out of every paycheck. After all, we set money aside fortaxes (or at least we should). We set money aside for expenses. We have a budget of some kind that we operate by. But it�s amazing how many people, even Christians, think nothing of neglecting to set anything apart for the Lord. I don�t think it�s legalistic to give regularly to the Lord. Rather, I think it�s good planning and obedience. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investing in God�s Work - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. �Matthew 6:21 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/investing-in-gods-work/- Listen It�s amazing to me that people don�t think twice about giving a 10 percent tip to a restaurant server (which they should at the very minimum), yet they�ll balk at givingany percentage of their income to the Lord. To me that�s an indication there�s something wrong spiritually. You can tell a lot about someone�s so-called spirituality by their giving�or lack thereof. It reveals theirreal value system because Jesus said, �For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also� (Matthew 6:21 NKJV). Some Christians say that tithing is an Old Testament principle, that we�re under the New Covenant and therefore don�t have to tithe. But we should give a minimum of 10 percentto the Lord. Your tithes, by the way, should go to your church. Then above that are offerings. Here�s the good news: everything you give means that you�re investing in God�s work. You�re giving to God, which will result in fruit to your account. And what does God promise? Malachi 3:10 says, ��Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,� says the Lord of Heaven�sArmies, �I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won�t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!�� (NLT). That sounds to me like God promises to provide for us when we are faithful with what He gives us. However, it doesn�t mean that we give to get. Rather, we give because wehave received. And as we�re faithful in this, God promises to bless us. I�ve applied this principle in my life for as long as I�ve been a Christian and have found it to be true. And if you�ll apply it in your life, you�ll find that it�s trueas well. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM