DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 6.26.21 -

Inoculated with Faith/Hope/Love by Shawn McEvoy So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1Corinthians 13:13). I remember the morning following the 2012 presidential election, I found myself musing peacefully about what's important in life. I was finding out, through realizing how little the outcome affected me, how little stock I'd had in the result personally.I was neither dancing in the streets nor cursing the fates like several friends and acquaintances. How was that? Apathy? Ignorance? Internal focus? Eternal security? Just a really easy morning sending the kids off to school? Then it hit me. It was the theological virtues. I began to compose what became a Facebook status: "...I do find Faith and Hope such interesting concepts. They're so powerful. They allow so many to get on with their lives. They inform our decisions and give us empathy for others. They point us towards purpose, toward wrongs to be righted and away fromwhat would harm us. They seem to be in short supply sometimes, even among those who proclaim them while venting frustrations and fears they'd not utter to your face, but they shine brightest in tough times if you let them. And they're most famously tied toLove. They are still here this day, even if it doesn't sound like it, for they are the virtues that 'abide.' "So I ask regardless of political persuasion: Do you have Faith to loan to the one today who has lost his, or placed it in something temporal and disappointing? Can you spare Hope for one who doesn't understand that Despair is the only place hopefunctions? "These virtues are superior inoculations against whatever goes on around us, the very infusions that make possible a mission of bringing joy, mercy and laughter into the world every day, that elevate 'I can endure all things' above a mere platitude. Theytask one with a job that'll get you up in the morning, any morning. They bring to our eyes opportunity: chances for justice and charity, and the exercise of freedom. And, good news for me, Faith-Hope-Love is beautifying, for I can think of none who ever sawthe application of these virtues - call it Grace - in action and said, 'Ugly.'" It wasn't long before I was tasked with the charge I had just set before others. A forlorn friend messaged me. "I honestly need prayer. I am sincerely requesting it. I do not feel love, I do not feel any desire to "get past it and heal and show love more now than ever." ...I am disheartened to the point of despair. ...I don'twant to feel this way but I do. And it's been getting worse all day. Please pray for me. ...Considering your FB post earlier, I came to you with my request because I thought that at the least you'd understand." After a moment of prayer I responded: "I have already been praying for you ever since waking early and noting that you were 'heart sick.' It can start to feel like a lonely place but you are not alone. I won't try to talk you off the ledge politically because the timing's not right and there'sno point in anyone else's opinion when what's killing you and eating at you so bad is how 'uninformed and wrong' all the opinions out there seem to you. I only hope you can get to the bottom of why it gets to you so bad. "In microcosm, it reminds me of a HORRIBLE flight to Newark I shared with two of my co-workers back in April. I was convinced that nasty flight was going down. I even posted ugly things about it publicly. I was SO MAD that while I was holding on for dearlife while the plane bounced (yes, bounced!) around the sky, none of the other passengers seemed to mind. At least not much. I wanted to scream, 'Come on, people! This isn't right! Why did they put us on this plane in these conditions, and why are you takingthis jostling?' --------------------------------------- Choosing the Right Building Material 1Corinthians 3:12-15 Believers build their lives on the Rock of Ages: Jesus Christ. Every motive, every deed, and every word is material for our spiritual house. The apostle Paul warned followers to construct with care because on the day of judgment, fire will test the qualityof each person’s work. This refers not to a literal fire but to the purifying presence of Jesus Christ. -------------------------------------------- Immediate Results “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Romans8:22) Sometimes we don’t get to see the results of our work or choices soon enough to suit us. But on one occasion, a man’s choice and resulting action were given immediate attention, and the effects of that attention even now rule the universe. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis3:6). The result of Adam’s deliberate sin—“Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:14)—was immediate and totalpunishment upon Adam and Eve, and through them on all humanity (Genesis 3:14-19). “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). “For the creature [or ‘creation’] was made subject to vanity [that is, ‘futility’], not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope” (8:20). This “bondage of corruption” (v. 21) placed upon the entire creation, now known to science as the Second Law of Thermodynamics, is known to all of us as the basic tendency of life. Everything is in the process of death and decay. This law will one day be removed;but until then, we, like the groaning, travailing creation of our text, “groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (v. 23). Although we recognize now that “the wages of sin is death,” we can be very thankful that the story doesn’t end there, for “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans6:23). JDM ------------------------------------------------------------- Father's Day, or Thanksgiving? A Retrospective by Shawn McEvoy I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart I will enter his courts with praise I will say "this is the day that the Lord has made" I will rejoice for he has made me glad ~ "He Has Made Me Glad" Make no mistake – I’ll never be "happy" that my father passed on at age 57. I am not exuberant that he did not get to know his incredible grandchildren, or give his daughter away on her wedding day. I ached for his father, who had already lost a young wifeto cancer and his eldest son to a car accident in the prime of life. I still haven’t grasped the void he left in the lives of his fishing buddies or his work community. I never wished for my mother to enter her golden years without the love of her life besideher. And yet ... I had joy then, that day, even as I delivered my father’s eulogy, and I have joy now. God rejoices in the coming home of His saints, even if those who knew my father understand that by some definitions, he was no saint. But this was a man -- my best man -- who came to know the truth of grace, who experienced no fear or pain in encounteringdeath, and whose final days were made comfortable by knowing it hasn’t even entered into the heart of man what God has in store for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). I’ve come to see that Dan McEvoy was a lot of things to a lot of people who still feel the void he left. This history has allowed me to see a lot of outpouring, the greatest of which was the phone call we received in the hospital from an old friend. My father’sliver had been conquered by melanoma which had metastasized there. When Mrs. Miller – a woman of my grandmother’s generation – telephoned to say her good-byes, she tearfully asked whether there was any way Dan could keep living if she donated her own liver.I’m not even sure of the ethics there, and we were beyond the help of a transplant, but all I could focus on was: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. And so, I remain thankful. And as I tell you why, I hope you’ll not only follow Paul’s lead to "rejoice with those who rejoice," but that no matter how good, rotten, or unfair your own situation has been with your own father, you’ll find some small causefor gratitude. In 1997, my father finally decided he needed a Lord and Savior. This was the only prayer I ever really begged God to answer for me, and He came through, not in my time, but in His time. After he made that decision, I knew my faith would be such that whatever happened, whenever it happened, the rest of my life, I would be okay. With item number one of thanksgiving in place, I am able to say I am also overflowing with thanks for these things: I am thankful that Dad was the best man in my wedding, and put his hand on my shoulder during the ceremony. I am thankful that my parents stayed together, especially considering it was Christianity that almost broke them up in the early 80s. They not only endured that rough spot in their marriage, they made it better, loving each other "more than yesterday and less than tomorrow" right up until the end. I am thankful that my friends Jay and Bill considered "The Danner" a second father. I am thankful for Christmas 2000, when our family rented a mountain cabin and had our best Christmas ever – not even knowing it would be our last one with the guy that glued all our crazy personalities together. I am thankful that we cheered my sister as she walked across the stage to complete her degree, and that Dad got to read the essay I wrote about his life and our relationship for one of my graduate courses. I am thankful for the way my mother’s mother and sisters adored my father, and were never shy in telling me about it. I am thankful my father gave me everything I needed growing up, and everything I need to go on. As I told him in the inscription to a book I gave him, "you have shown me the ways to be strong, now perhaps you can also show me the strength of being weak."He did. I am also thankful for the little things: Post-Thanksgiving "turkey sangs" … playing catch by the pool ... the "let’s-do-it" support when I announced I wanted to stay out of school a year before attending a small Baptist college in Oklahoma (although hearingthe words "full tuition" didn’t exactly make this hard thing for him) … the somber day we spent in Dallas touring the JFK assassination site … every fishing trip we took. I am even glad I never beat him at tennis. ---------------------------------------------------------- Responding to Disappointment Matthew 1:18-25 To find examples of wise, godly reactions to disappointment, you’re more likely to turn to Psalms than to Matthew. But thevery first chapter in the New Testament tells the story of an upright man’s reaction to painful and disheartening news. Joseph—Jesus’ earthly father—was a righteous person. A godly man wants a wife who shares his desire to honor and obey the Lord, and Scripture indicates that Mary was exactly that sort of woman (Luke1: 45-55). So imagine how stunned Joseph must have been when Mary returned from a long visit with her relative Elizabeth and told him that she was pregnant. Moreover, she was claiming no man had touched her. Any way Joseph looked at the situation, it appeared grim. And yet Matthew 1:20 says that he “considered”—in other words, he sought awise, righteous response. God entered Joseph’s life in a dramatic way to confirm Mary’s story and put a stop to his “quiet annulment” plans. The Lord turned Joseph’s mourning into joy. Mary had told the truth—strange and startling as it was. The couple would bear the intense public censure of an early pregnancy, but Joseph stopped thinking about what others would say. God had blessed work forhim: to raise the Messiah alongside a faithful woman. Followers of Christ should seek a godly response to disappointments they face. Since the Lord always has a plan, the wisest reaction is to anticipate the good He can do and await His timing. God certainly blessed Joseph for his willingness to “seek firstHis kingdom” (Matt. 6:33). ------------------------------------------------------- JesusChrist Is Lord “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things underthe earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians2:10-11) Often this passage is thought of as an admission by all sentient beings of the deity of the Lord Jesus—and it certainly is that. There surely will come a point in time in which “every thing that hath breath” will praise the Lord (Psalm150:6). Those of us who are the twice-born will do so with great joy. Those who have chosen to reject the gospel will also do so—but with overwhelming terror (Proverbs1:27). However, the foundational passage from which the New Testament quotes, and by which it twice applies the event, is found in Isaiah 45:22-23: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongueshall swear.” Our verse today applies the Isaiah passage to the great final judgment referred to in Revelation 20. Other insights in Revelation cite some of the songs we may sing and something of the ceremonies and pageantry associated with the celebration of Christ’s formalassumption of His role as King. The first New Testament quotation of Isaiah 45:23 is in Romans 14:11-12. Here, Paul applies the judgment to an open report of our deeds: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Surely this broader sight should strengthen our resolveto “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2Timothy 2:4). HMM III -------------------------------------------- Was Psalm 69:9 Jesus' Life Verse? by Alex Crain “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans15:4) There’s a good chance you won’t find the term “life verse” in a theological dictionary. For anyone who hasn’t heard the phrase before, “life verse” has become a semi-popular term used by Christians to describe the fact that a certain part of the Bible can be a long-term, recurring source of encouragement… perhaps, throughout one’s entire life. I’ve heard some Christians say that the act of singling out a life verse can lower a person’s view of the rest of Scripture. In other words, a life verse can be a bad thing. That seems a little picky though. Really, how bad can it be for a Christian to recognizethe good effect that a certain Bible verse has on his attitude toward God, life, and whatever problems he’s facing? Besides, doesn’t it sound a little pompous to say, “My life verse is the BIBLE?” To be honest, I’ve never given much thought about the merits or demerits of life verses. More than once I’ve had to stop and ask myself why I am even writing a devotional about them. But here’s what sparked my interest in the subject. Recently, I saw a phrasein Romans 15:1 that made me curious if Jesus, perhaps, had a life verse during His time on earth. Paul quotes an Old Testament phrase in Romans 15:3 that Jesus (apparently) had the habit of thinking on as He walked the earth. If this is so, I’m not sure how Paul would have known this. We can speculate that perhaps other people who were close to Jesus during His earthly life may have observedHim quoting it on a fairly regular basis. Maybe Paul overheard something about it during the days he spent visiting the other apostles. Or, possibly, it was revealed to Paul directly during his three-year period of discipleship before he ever met any of theearly church leaders in Jerusalem (cf. Galatians 1:15). Whatever helped Paul to learn about the mental habits of Jesus, what is clear is that the Lord Jesus Christ characteristically overcame temptation for any and all self-indulgence. “Christ did not please Himself,” is the near context of the Old Testamentquote that Paul cites next. The way that the rest of the verse strikes me is that Paul seems to imply that Jesus overcame temptation while meditating on a phrase from Psalms 69:9, which says: “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” This passage from Psalm 69 would have been a clear reminder to Jesus that the scorn He received on earth was actually the scorn that people bear in their hearts for God. Such a verse would align His expectations about this life and reinforce Him in His earthly mission. Now, notice what Paul tells the Romans immediately after his quotation from Psalm 69. See especially verse 4… 2 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction,that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” “For whatever was written…” is a phrase that conveys reasoning. Paul is making an argument for something here. Teasing out his argument a little, I believe Paul is saying: “Look at Christ’s example of how He dwelt on Psalm 69:9. Scripture gives encouragement and instructs our thinking. It was this biblical perspective that propelled the Lord Jesus with endurance to fulfill the Father’s will and not live for Himself. That’s what you and I are to do.” Remember, Paul was writing to Jewish and Gentile Christians around 56 AD who were all meeting in segregated house groups throughout Rome. They weren’t exactly the picture of Christian charity and unity. They were looking out for their own preferences—“pleasingthemselves” to borrow the language of Romans 15:3. A few chapters back, in Romans 12:1Paul pointed out that they were to be transformed by renewing their minds. Now, in chapter 15, Paul seems to show how that’s exactly what Jesus did. Whether or not Jesus had a “life verse,” He did let Scripture “dwell richly” in Him (Colossians 3:16). And that’s what Christiansare to do as well. Isn’t it interesting that Paul doesn’t just command it? He gives not only reasons but an example—the example of Christ Himself. Intersecting Faith and Life: Looking at Christ’s example here, how can we doubt or downplay the role of meditating on God’s Word moment by moment as we go through life? In His humanity, Jesus let the truth of God’s Word constantly shape His perspective. Thisfilled Him with encouragement and hope. Let’s do the same today. --------------------------------------------------------- ThePeace of Thy Children “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isaiah54:13) This prophetic verse has its primary fulfillment still in the future. Nevertheless, it states a basic principle that is always valid and that is especially relevant on Father’s Day. The greatest honor that children can bestow on a father is a solid Christiancharacter of their own, but that must first be his own gift to them. Before sons and daughters can experience real peace of soul, they must first be taught of the Lord themselves, and the heavenly Father has delegated this responsibility first of all to humanfathers. The classic example is Abraham, “the father of all them that believe” (Romans4:11). God’s testimony concerning Abraham was this: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment” (Genesis18:19). This is the first reference in Scripture to the training of children, and it is significant that it stresses paternal instruction in the things of God. Furthermore, the instruction should be diligent and continual: “When thou sittest in thine house,and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy6:7). The classic New Testament teaching on child training has the same message: “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians6:4). Not wrath, but peace, as our text suggests. Great shall be the peace of our children when they know the Lord and keep His ways. Great, also, is the joy of a godly father when he can see the blessing of the Lord on his children and then on his grandchildren. “Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers” (Proverbs17:6). HMM -------------------------------------------------------- Losing Sight of Jesus - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God�s promises to be fulfilled. �Romans 15:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/losing-sight-of-jesus/- Listen Have you ever seen someone who looked very sad? Maybe you walked up to them and said, �Are you okay? Can I help?� That�s how Jesus approached two of His followers on the road to Emmaus. He said, �What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?� (Luke 24:17 NLT). Cleopas replied, �You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn�t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days� (verse 18 NLT). In other words, �Buddy, what planet are you from? Everyone knows about what happened in Jerusalem.� Cleopas went on to say, �We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago� (verse 21 NLT). Basically, they were saying, �He meant well. His heart was in the right place, but clearly, it was a massive failure. Something went horribly wrong.� Yet earlier, Jesus said of himself, �The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised fromthe dead� (Matthew 17:22�23 NLT). Could He have been any more clear? But they all missed it, even though He talked about it constantly. It�s easy for us to be critical of these disciples, but I think we probably would have done the same. After all, we do the same thing today. We don�t pay attention to what the Bible says and let our emotions get the better of us. Instead of praying, we panic. Instead of trusting, we run away. We lose sight ofwhat the Word of God says, and we lose sight of Jesus. Jesus stirred their hearts and restored their hope by taking them to the Scriptures. And it�s the same way we will keep our hearts on fire for God today. ------------------------------------------ What�s Your Temperature? - by Greg Laurie � www.harevst.org And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. �Matthew 24:12 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/whats-your-temperature/- Listen If you�re not feeling well, one of the first things your doctor typically does is take your temperature. Why? Because your temperature indicates the state of your health. In the same way, your spiritual temperature indicates your spiritual health. The Bible gives us only three categories: icy cold, miserably lukewarm, or burning hot. First, there�s icy cold. Jesus said of the end times, �And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold� (Matthew 24:12 NKJV). This is basically someonewho has a heart like stone. It would describe nonbelievers who have no interest in the things of God. They just don�t care. Next, there�s miserably lukewarm. Believe it or not, this spiritual temperature is actually more offensive to Jesus than icy cold, which seems surprising. To the lukewarmchurch of Laodicea He said, �I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth� (Revelation 3:15�16 NKJV). Those of us who drink coffee like it hot or iced. The same goes for tea. I also like milk hot or cold. But do any of us like these things lukewarm? Probably not. So here�swhat Jesus was saying: �Lukewarmness makes me want to throw up.� The final category is burning hot, and that�s the spiritual temperature we all should want to be. Describing their conversation with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, the disciplessaid, �Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?� (Luke 24:32 NKJV). What�s your spiritual temperature right now? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We Never Face Our Battles Alone: A Reminder That God Is with Us by Debbie McDaniel �And the Lord answered, �I will be with you..." Judges 6:16 Some days can seem hurried, pressured, and tense. We know God�s truth, we believe His goodness, and yet we still find ourselves struggling, minds racing, before our feet even touch the floor in the morning. Our focus gets blurred. We start listening to the lies of other voices that do more harm than good. The constant media headlines tell us how dark and broken our world is. Images and reminders all around us shout that we�re �not enough.� The enemy is greatat heaping on guilt, condemnation, and fear. The problems we face seem more like giants of impossibility than anything good that God can ever bring from them. But often, out of His goodness and grace, when we find ourselves right smack in the middle of huge feelings of defeat, God shows up strong. Many others have been there too. All through the Bible, story after story tells us of those who needed God�s reminders that He was near. With them. Close. And He never failed, not once. Gideon found himself feeling weak and afraid. In Judges 6, we find that he and his people were facing great suffering and defeat at the hand of the enemy. He doubted God was even with him. In fact, when an angel showed up, he was threshing his wheat in the pit of a winepress,not up on a hilltop where this was usually done. He was fearful and trying to keep hidden from view of the enemy who�d been raiding their land. The angel spoke straight through to his fear and weakness, "When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Judges 6:12 Don�t you love that he called him �mighty warrior� right at the time he felt so discouraged and afraid? But God sees "mighty" when we see "weak." He sees victory when we see defeat. He gives hope, when we're filled with disappointment. Gideon questioned, "If God was with us, then why did this happen?" Sounds familiar...ever been there? �If God is really here, then why?� �If God is really good, then when?� �If God really cares, then how?� And even with the questions, after His people had turned their backs on Him, God is still gracious, patient, loving, and kind. He sends his messenger to encourage, to remind Gideon and all of the Israelites, that He was surely with them. Yet while staring straight at an angel, Gideon continued to persist with defeated thoughts, "But I am the weakest, I am the least...how can God save Israel?" �And the Lord answered, �I will be with you..." Judges 6:16 Five powerful words. That can see us through anything we face in this life. �I will be with you.� God's presence is real. He gives us strength for every day. The battle can be intense. And some days especially, the enemy seems really strong, and we feel really weary. We can find ourselves wrestling again with the same defeated thoughts that we thoughtwe'd finally laid to rest just the night before. Disappointments come. We struggle with feeling like we haven't measured up, we listen to the lies that we are "less than..." But God still answers us. Just like He did for Gideon. He's still with us, no matter how we might feel, or what struggles flood our thoughts. He is filling us with the power and grace of His Spirit, just enough for the day. For this day. A reminder for your heart, in whatever you might be facing, "The Lord is with you...mighty warrior." Peace. Intersecting Faith & Life: How do you need to be reminded of God�s Presence? Is there an area you�ve been struggling to carry on your own? Just like Gideon, God never asks us to fight the battles we faceall be ourselves. He reminds us that He fights for us, and most importantly, that He�s with us. Give Him your struggle again today, lay it down, and trust God to work powerfully on your behalf. Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:9 Joshua 1:9 Deuteronomy 31:6 Psalm 27:1 --------------------------------------------------------- Requirements of Waiting Psalms 25:3-5 Waiting for God's timing is neither passive nor idle--it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting. Faith. The Lord's ways and timing are nothing like ours (Isa.55:8-9). From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than we expect. But as we trust Him more, we'll discover that His approach isn't so strange after all. And when we live in harmony with God's will, His timing starts tomake sense. Humility. To wait for the Lord, you must be convinced of your need for Him. Submission to His divine will requires humility--you cannot charge ahead with your own plans and at the same time be fully surrendered to God. Patience. Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction? Pausing for clarity from God does not mean that you disengage and allow circumstances to fall apart around you. Waiting upon the Lordis a deliberate decision that requires patience. Courage. Waiting for God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure to act. If you're not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear attuned to the voice of Almighty God, and you wont go wrong. Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest, most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience, and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing, thevarious facets of life fall into place. ------------------------------------------------------- Not Many Wise Men �For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not manynoble, are called.� (1 Corinthians 1:26) For the most part, the rich and famous of this world, the wise and powerful, have always looked down on the followers of Christ and the Scriptures. This seems increasingly true today, and many believers have been led to compromise as a result. Rather than beingdiscouraged by the intellectual snobbery of educated and powerful unbelievers, however, we should rejoice in this further proof of the prophetic inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. This passage is, in fact, a remarkably fulfilled prophecy, true for almost 2,000 years. Christians have founded great universities to train people in God�s truth, only to see them taken over, one after another, by the ungodly leaders of this present world.Missionaries have carried the gospel to heathen lands, only to be superseded by wealth-seeking materialists who exploit and subvert their converts. Paul did not say �not any,� of course, but �not many.� God always has raised up a few brilliant or powerful men (such as Paul himself) who have devoted their abilities and influence to the Lord and His Word, but these have always been the exception. There havebeen a few godly kings and generals, a few Christ-honoring artists and musicians of great talent, but they are far outnumbered by the others. But we must remember that God said long ago that was the way it would be. �God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of theworld, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence� (1Corinthians 1:27-29). HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spiritual Heartburn - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. �Luke 24:27 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/spiritual-heartburn-2/- Listen It was the greatest sermon ever preached, and we don�t even know what it was. As Jesus walked with the two disciples on the Emmaus road, the Bible tells us that �beginningat Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself� (Luke 24:27 NKJV). Jesus took them on a flyover of the Scriptures and all the verses that pointed to what the Messiah would do. No doubt He took them to Genesis and the first passage that spoke of the coming of the Messiah: �And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed andher Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel� (3:15 NKJV). Jesus might have reminded them that in Genesis when Abraham offered up his son Isaac, it was a picture of what God the Father did at Calvary. The difference, however, wasthat Abraham didn�t have to kill Isaac (see Genesis 22:8 NKJV). In Exodus He was the Passover lamb. In Numbers He was a rock in the wilderness, broken to give water. In the book of Joshua, He was the Captain of the Lord�s armies. InIsaiah, He was called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (see Isaiah 9:6). Jesus also might have taken them to Isaiah 53, where the prophet wrote, �But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement forour peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed� (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV). And perhaps He pointed them to Micah, who said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. As He gave them a guided tour of the Bible, their hearts began to burn again (see Luke 24:32). I think we could all use a good case of spiritual heartburn�not from spicyfood, but from letting the Word of God ignite our hearts. --------------------------------------------------------------- A Welcoming Place - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. �Luke 24:28 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-welcoming-place/- Listen Have you ever wondered if you were really wanted somewhere? As Jesus walked along with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Bible tells us, �Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and [Jesus] indicatedthat He would have gone farther� (Luke 24:28 NKJV). I can imagine Jesus saying, �Okay, guys, good to see you. Bye now.� �Wait. Where are you going?� �I�m leaving.� �No, no, no. You�re not going anywhere. Come and spend some more time with us.� In fact, they said, �Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent� (verse 29 NKJV). I love the next part of this verse: �And He went in to stay withthem.� The apostle Paul said His prayer for the Ephesian believers was that �Christ may dwell in [their] hearts through faith� (Ephesians 3:17 NKJV). Why would Paul pray that Christ would dwell in the hearts of those who were already Christians? Doesn�t Christ dwell in the heart of every believer? Yes, He does. But the word �dwell� is a compound word that basically means to live in a house. And when a prefix meaning �down� is added, it means �to settle down and beat home.� So here�s what Paul was saying: �My prayer for you is that Christ would settle down and be at home in your hearts.� For the sake of illustration, let�s say that Jesus was coming to your house today. Certainly, you�d want to clean up. But is there anything that you wouldn�t want Him tosee? To be a Christian means giving Christ the master key to every door. It means wanting Him to be at home and in control of every part of our lives. Is Jesus at home in your heart today? ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bible Is Not a Cheat Sheet by Ryan Duncan Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Psalm 119:33-34 I have a confession to make. Back when I was still in school, I attended a chemistry class that I hated. The building was cold and smelled like chemicals. The lessons were slow, with hours of homework assigned afterward. On top of everything, I had neverbeen good at chemistry, and my frustration usually boiled over faster than our science solutions did. The class did have one upside though; the way the room was set up allowed me a perfect view of the desks in front of me. So, whenever an exam was held, I cheated. I used a variety of excuses to justify this. Chemistry wasn't my gift, so why should my GPAsuffer? The answers were there, they were available, why shouldn't I use them? Who cares how I got the answers so long as they're the right ones? It was only later that I realized my mistake. Sure, I knew the correct answers, but I didn't understand how the formulas constructed those answers. Without that, my knowledge of chemistry was surface-level at best. I was completely and utterly lost. I think sometimes we like to use the Bible as a cheat sheet. When the world confronts us with a problem, we open our Bibles and yell, "See, the Bible says it's wrong, end of story!" But the Bible was meant to serve as a textbook, not a cheat sheet. If wedon't study God's word, we won't understand why Jesus said the things he did. We fail to ask questions, and we breeze through passages without taking time to consider their meaning. We are, quite frankly, bad students. Try to think of it this way. Before a doctor can heal a person's illness, they must first understand the disease at work. They have to understand where it came from, what affect it has on the patient's body, what types of treatment can fix the problem, whythose treatments work, and which of the treatments is best for the patient. If the doctor does not understand this, there is a good chance they'll end up hurting their patient. God calls us to be healers and lights to the world, but without understanding hisword first, we become heavy-handed. --------------------------------------------------------- Prayerof the Whole Heart �Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shallseek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.� (Jeremiah29:12-13) There are many promises and instances of answered prayer in the Bible. Unfortunately, many of us really don�t seem to believe them and therefore don�t experience the answers to our prayers. Halfhearted praying may sometimes secure partial answers, but God exhortsus to pray wholeheartedly. �The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much� (James5:16). The principle is timeless and is stressed often in the Word. �Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not� (Jeremiah33:3). God�s resources are unlimited, but our motives must be pure, and our prayers must be from the heart. �Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering� (James1:6). �Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts� (James4:3). In addition to right motives and genuine faith, there must be deep sincerity as we pray from the heart. �Men ought always to pray, and not to faint� said Jesus (Luke18:1), who Himself found it necessary to pray long and earnestly. �Rising up a great while before day, he...departed into a solitary place, and there prayed� (Mark1:35). The early church followed His teaching and example, and saw His blessing. �These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication� (Acts1:14). �And they continued stedfastly...in prayers� (Acts2:42). �We will give ourselves continually to prayer� (Acts6:4). Consequently, �the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly� (Acts6:7). God is honored when we search for Him and pray to Him with all our hearts. HMM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do We Forget Our Larger Enemy? by Debbie Holloway �Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light�� (2 Corinthians 11:14) Have you ever suffered a crushing loss, only to have someone tell you, �Well, it�s all part of God�s plan�? Have you ever projected pure hate or bitterness toward a fellow human being because of violence or deceit displayed by his or her actions? Have youever watched the news as innocent children die in war, and wondered how God could allow such things to happen? I�ve been there. I can hazard a guess that we�ve all been there. It�s only natural to lash out at each other during tough times, and we�re also very quick to give God the responsibility for bad things when they happen. But it�s crucial that, when such timescome, we mustn�t forget our larger enemy: Satan. �Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour� (1 Peter 5:8). It almost seems like a silly reminder, doesn�t it? So obvious! Of course Satan exists. References to him are peppered throughout Scripture, and in reading the Gospels we see Christ rise victorious over him once and for all. But unfortunately, Satan has away of conning even the most steadfast Christians into temporarily forgetting about his existence. I believe we do this mainly in two ways. Mistake #1: We direct our hate at suffering, injustice, and sorrow toward each other. We are instruments in many ways, and many people choose to be instruments of darkness rather than of light. But should we truly speak curses on murderers, or should we pray for their repentance? Should we delight when a terrorist is given the death penalty,or should we hold firm in the faith that Christ�s love is strong enough to conquer any heart? At the end of the day, we must remember that Satan and demonic forces are strong influences in this world, and we all fall prey to the temptation in different ways. The Bible verse that helps me remember not to direct my hate toward another person is Ephesians 6:12: �For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.� Mistake #2: We direct our hate at suffering, injustice, and sorrow toward God himself. Scripture tells us we are to praise God through all things. In no way does this signify that God is, himself, the cause of all things. This mindset can lead to dangerous and depressing ideas about our good Creator. Jesus told his followers, ----------------------------------------------------- Strength in Waiting Isaiah40:28-31 God has a purpose and plan for your life, and His timing is perfect. Sometimes He answers our prayers with "yes" or "no." But at other times, He says "not now"--when that is the case, we can avail ourselves of the rich rewards that come when we wait. One very practical blessing is that God strengthens us as we lean on Him during delays. Isaiah40:31 tells us that "those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength." We are given the metaphor of an eagle with wind beneath his wings. It is interesting to note that the words "wind" and "spirit" come from the same Greek word--pneuma. Thespirit of God lifts us up, and His energy and strength sustain us as we abide in Him. --------------------------------------------------------- Inthe Midst �And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doorsbeing shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.� (John20:26) Jesus, in His earthly life, was often �in the midst� of things. At the age of 12 He was found in the temple, �sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions� (Luke2:46). Then, early in His adult ministry, His hometown enemies at Nazareth attempted to kill Him, �but he passing through the midst of them went his way� (Luke4:30). Later, in Jerusalem, a group of Pharisees sought to stone Him, but He simply went �through the midst of them, and so passed by� (John8:59). Finally, however, they were able to put Him to death, and as a bitter testimony of their hatred, they had Him crucified with two common criminals, �on either side one, and Jesus in the midst� (John19:18). Three days later, the tomb was emptied, and He would never again be in the midst of enemies. Instead, He met His disciples in the upper room. There, �when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you� (John20:19). Eight days later, with Thomas present, Jesus once again appeared in their midst and greeted them with reassuring words of peace. Though now in heaven, His presence still speaks peace to us through His Holy Spirit, for He promised: �Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them� (Matthew18:20). Even in the ages to come, He will be in our midst, for John says, describing that scene: �In the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,� and then all creation will sing �unto the Lamb for ever and ever� (Revelation5:6, 13). HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Called-Out Ones - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. �Galatians 3:26 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/called-out-ones/- Listen I think one of the great features of the church today is that we have people of different backgrounds, different races, and different ages coming together under the bannerof Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Galatians 3, �For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neitherJew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus� (verses 26�28 NKJV). Yet there are a lot of churches today that want to gear their entire church toward a specific group of people based on certain demographics. But we need to be careful with this because the Church is made up of true believers from every background. Regardless of who you are, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ,then you are a part of His Church. Jesus said, �On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it� (Matthew 16:18 NKJV). The word Jesus used here for �church� is the Greek word ekklēsia, which means �called-out ones.� The Jews used this word to describe themselves as a unique group of people,a unique race. And some Gentiles used it in describing a community. But here Jesus used it in a unique context, which wasn�t for only Jews or for people living in a community together. He was saying, �I�m going to build a new unit of believers.But it�s not just for Jews. It�s not just for Gentiles. It�s for everyone.� That was a revolutionary thought. Now, there may be a place for specialized ministry to various groups, but we must not allow that to overshadow God�s primary desire of bringing us all together. That�s oneof the great testimonies of the church. We are the called-out ones�called together, called to worship the Lord. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM