DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 8.7.21

What Are You Drunk On? By Shawn McEvoy And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine." - Acts2:12-13 "These men are not drunk, as you suppose," Peter told the bewildered crowd at Pentecost. "This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel." The Holy Spirit had been poured out, and I've always found it fascinating that its effects could be mistaken for the pouring out of, shall we say, less holier spirits. To be sure, the Bible instructs Christ-followers to be "sober-minded" (Titus2:6, 1Corinthians 15:34). And there's honor and maturity in a steadfast, stoic reaction to life's trials. But then there's this fantastic scene in Acts that just fills me with tiny bubbles of delight. There's so much joy and power and overflowing involved withthe Holy Spirit that, sometimes, well, we Christians just seem a little bit crazy. Flipped-out. Punch-drunk. Downright giddy. And who wouldn't like to see more of that side of us these days? Reflecting on this kind of Spirit-trusting, God-leaning fun reminds me of my three summers as a Christian youth camp counselor. The labor was hard but not in vain. The purpose was evident. The craziness was everywhere. "Go nutso-Picasso," our Director would say, and show these kids that being a Christian isn't some droll, fun-killingexistence, but something real, life-giving, sustaining, and joyous. And indeed it was, and is. My closest friends and I had an odd high school experience, in that we had a hard time understanding why our peers found it so fun and/or necessary to involve alcohol - illegally - in their weekend plans. We were having more laughsand fun than we could imagine without any drugs. What were we filled with? Why didn't we need anything else? ------------------------------------- Spiritually Satisfied James 4:8 I have a friend who, at one point, was a self-confessed shopping addict. Recently, his family realized that this activity had stopped, though he hadn't intentionally curtailed it. Why, they wondered, did his longing to acquire more goods seem to dissolve? The reason was that my friend had become more satisfied with the Lord. He no longer needed fulfillment from what the world had to offer. What a terrific illustration of growth in Christ. In addition to finding fulfillment in God, there are many other growth indicators that are noticeable to the believer. For instance, offering forgiveness becomes easier over time. Consider our Savior, who asked God to forgive even those who crucified Himon the cross. Also, as we mature, our faith will increase. God loves us, and He gracefully and gently builds our confidence in Him. Then, as our trust grows, we realize how faithful He truly is--which grows our assurance even more. Another mark of a closer walk with Christ is an expanding concern for others' spiritual condition. And finally, as our relationship with the Lord deepens, we will increasingly desire to obey Him. This desire is born not out of fear but out of love for ourheavenly Father. Similarly, when we do sin, our hearts will become saddened and repentant. Are you satisfied spiritually? Or do you have a growing, insatiable hunger for more of Jesus? Friend, if you think that you've come far enough in your journey with Christ, you have made a terrible mistake. You are missing great fulfillment and the excitementthat comes from getting closer to Him. --------------------------------- TheLord God of Heaven “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; andhe hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” (Ezra1:2) It is noteworthy that the words of this verse are almost the same as in the last verse of 2 Chronicles. This is an indication that Ezra the scribe (who wrote the book of Ezra) was also the compiler and editor of the two books of Chronicles. Even more noteworthy is the fact that the great emperor Cyrus seemed to acknowledge that the God of Israel was not just a tribal god, as many have claimed, but the Lord God of heaven—that is, Jehovah Elohim—recognizing Him as both Creator and Redeemer of the world. The Persians were largely followers of Zoroaster, but his religious system did bear some resemblance to the true monotheism of Israel. But Cyrus had been called, and even named, by God, long before he was born (Isaiah44:28–45:6). When he conquered Babylon, the prophet Daniel was there (Daniel6:28). The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Daniel even became prime minister under Cyrus and was able to read Isaiah’s remarkable prophecy to him, thus influencing him to send the Jews back to Jerusalem. There have also been other Gentile rulers who acknowledged God, even before Christ came. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, once hating God, finally was forced to confess that He was “the most High” and “King of heaven” (Daniel4:34, 37). Another was the Queen of Sheba, who recognized “the LORD thy God” (again Jehovah Elohim, 1 Kings 10:9). Then there was the king of Nineveh and Assyria, who believed in God at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah3:6-10). In fact, in the ages to come “the kings of the earth” will all “bring their glory and honour” to the Lord in the holy city (Revelation21:24). HMM ------------------------------------------------------ Setting a Christian Example by Sarah Piper Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:12 Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like you had nothing to offer or that your contributions didn’t matter? Ever had to prove yourself to others in order to gain their respect? Think back to your childhood—maybe you experienced this ina classroom or on a sports team. It’s easy to be intimidated or overshadowed by those who are older, smarter, more talented or more experienced than we are. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul is writing to Timothy, a young believer. He encourages him not to give anyone an excuse to write him off as immature or undeserving of their attention, but instead to confidently set an excellent exampleof the Christian life. Of course, Paul’s message here doesn’t apply only to Timothy, but to us as well. Even if we sometimes feel useless, God has a plan to use us for His glory in every situation. He enables us to live in a way that exalts Him and to bless others with our example. In this verse, Paul names five specific areas in our lives that should be representative of a changed heart, the first of which is speech. This is probably one of the most difficult aspects of our character to keep in check; as James3:6 says, “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.” Although there’s no denying that it’s challenging, it’s vital that we learn to control what we say since it often has a huge effect on others. Thoughtful and loving words can establish relationships,but just a few angry or careless words can destroy years of friendship. Next, Paul emphasizes our conduct. In his letter to the Philippians, he encourages them to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” As believers, we have a responsibility to represent Christ to the world through our actions. If wewear the label of “Christian,” we must be willing to live our lives to that standard. ------------------------------------------------- The Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge ofGod “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians2:3) One of the most amazing of the divine attributes is God’s omniscience. He not only understands all the complexities of relativistic science and higher mathematics, He ordained them in the first place! The same applies to every other discipline of study andactivity. And He knows all about each of us! “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm139:1-2). As far as human knowledge is concerned, it is vital to know that “the fear of the LORD” is the very foundation of “knowledge” and of “wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7;9:10). All the greatest scientists of the past acknowledged that they were seeking merely to “think God’s thoughts after Him.” How foolish it is to ignore or to oppose God! There are only four places in the Bible that speak of God laughing (Psalm 2:4; 37:13; 59:8; Proverbs 1:26), and each of them describes His response to such folly. Instead, we should marvel at all the wonders of His creation and providence. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans11:33). Our text verse above (Colossians 2:3) is actually referring explicitly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten and eternal Son of God. It is He who hasgiven us access to the Creator God and therefore access to the divine knowledge and understanding. Part of the still-effective dominion mandate (Genesis 1:26,28) is to learn what we can about God’s creation, always remembering that Jesus insisted that—no matter what unbelievers say—“the scripture cannot be broken” (John10:35). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------- The Wonderful Gift of … Suffering? by John UpChurch “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians1:29-30) Philippians1:29 is one of those verses that makes me stop and shake my head in disbelief. Paul tells the readers of this letter that suffering has been granted to them. Granted? Really? As in, "Here you go. Here's a big ol' heaping helping of suffering"? If you dig into the Greek behind that phrase, you’ll uncover the word charizomai. This word usually implies something that’s freely given for someone else’s benefit. In fact, Paul uses this same word to talk about how God forgave our sins (Colossians2:13; Ephesians 4:32); how we are to forgive others freely (2Corinthians 2:7, 10); and how God bestows gifts or titles because of His love and power (as in Philippians 2:9). In Luke 7:21, the same word shows how Jesus gave sight to the blind. Free, beneficial gifts. All those are well and good. So, why would Paul add something crazy like suffering to these other good things? Surely, he has to see that suffering doesn’t fit in the same category as healing the blind and forgiving sin. They don’t even share the same zipcode. Right? Well, Paul’s example shows us that they do. Right near the end of Acts (chapter27), Paul gets stuck with a stubborn centurion who can’t wait to get to Rome and a ship’s pilot who’s happy to oblige. Paul warns that such a trip will end badly. They ignore him (word to the wise: never ignore Paul). When they run into a storm, thingslook really, really bad. People are throwing supplies overboard, faces are green, and hope goes buh-bye. About that time, Paul gets to give his “I told you so” speech, and in that speech, he uses our old friend charizomai. An angel had appeared to Paul and told him, “God has granted you all those who are sailing with you” (Acts27:24). God had granted him seasick sailors (who wanted to kill the prisoners, mind you) and a stubborn centurion who refused to listen to sense. What kind of gift is that? God could have granted him a miraculous trip to a nearby island—perhaps somewherewarm and not so stormy. ------------------------------------------------------- The Consequences of Sin Genesis 3:14-19 Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not onlythe sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future. If we were to separate Adam and Eve's sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoringcommands—even biblical ones. But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment—relationships and meaningful work.The whole earth fell under sin's curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord. That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world isin such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God's best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind. The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him. ---------------------------------------------------------------- IAm “And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming inthe clouds of heaven.” (Mark14:62) After His arrest, “the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none” (Mark14:55). Then they got their sought-after witness from Jesus Himself when the high priest asked Him: “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (v. 61), and it only took two words from Him. “I Am!” As a matter of fact, this was not the first time He had thus identified Himself as the self-existent, eternal God. On an earlier occasion in Jerusalem, He had told the Pharisees: “I am the light of the world,” and then, “I am from above:..I am not of this world....Ifye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins” (John8:12, 23-24; the “he” in verse 24 is not in the Greek original). He made this especially clear a few minutes later when He asserted: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John8:58). But when He finally made this wonderfully truthful claim in the presence of the council, “they all condemned him to be guilty of death” (Mark14:64). He had committed the capital crime of blasphemy in their opinion, by claiming to be God. “I am” is, in fact, the very name of God. When Moses, at the burning bush, was called by God to deliver the Israelites from slavery, God said His name was “I Am That I Am” (Exodus3:14). The name Jehovah (or Yahweh), the most frequently used name of the Lord in the Old Testament, is essentially this name. One can count at least 196 “I am” claims of God in Christ (“I am the way, the truth, and the life,” for example—John14:6) in the Bible. Truly, our Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal, self-existent God, “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation22:13). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------- ScriptureSays/God Says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Among the many evidences for verbal inspiration, both within and without Scripture, is the frequent interchange of God recognized as the author of a particular passage with the human author who actually penned it. This can be true only if the very words recordedby the various authors are “God breathed” (the meaning of “inspiration”). For example, the early Christians exclaimed, “Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?” (Acts4:24-25), thereby recognizing that God spoke through David, who wrote God’s words in Psalm 2:1-2. Likewise, Paul, in his masterful dissertation on God’s sovereignty, claimed “the scripture saith unto Pharaoh” (Romans 9:17) that which God Himself had spokenunto Moses (Exodus 9:13). In other words, what Scripture says, God says. Even Christ Jesus, who Himself had written with His finger “honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12) on tables of stone, personally ascribed theauthorship of the passage to Moses (Mark 7:10). Evidently to Christ, there was no difference. That which Moses had written under the inspiration of theHoly Spirit, and in this case what he had copied from the stone tablet, was fully the Word of God. We can be sure that what Scripture says, God says. “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17). We cantrust our lives on Earth, our view of history, and our eternal destiny to what is written on the pages of Scripture. JDM ------------------------------------------------------- Go Ahead. Shine. by John UpChurch "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life" - Philippians2:14-16 The quick-burning desire to be an astronomer came during year three of my college experience. That was after philosopher, writer (the first time), and English professor, but before anthropologist, high school teacher, and writer (the second time). You can’tblame a guy for wanting to wring every cent out of his scholarships. So, in year three, I became convinced that I would study space because… well… because I loved planets and stuff. With the same gusto that had carried me through my philosophy phase, I charged into star charts and calculated orbits with fury and fine-tippedlead pencils. I pored over research on black holes and quasars and stared intently into the night sky trying to figure out how in the world someone could think that a certain cluster of stars could look anything like a person or a goat or whatever. Then, reality hit in the way of astrophysics. The funny thing about studying the stars is that you have to be able to calculate distances, luminosity, parallaxes, and more fancy terms. I could crunch equations just fine, but that doesn’t mean I found itmore satisfying than, say, ripping off a bandage from my legs. Before I came to know Christ, all that nadir gazing did produce one substantial result in me: deep, deep emptiness. You can’t help but feel how small you are when you peer into the infinite-seeming inkiness of space. The more you see how incomprehensiblyexpansive everything really is, the more you feel speck-like in the cosmic order. The weight of eternity came crushing in on me. And in that darkness, I needed light. This “crooked and depraved” man groped about for anything that would shine, some embers of hope. Not finding them in philosophy or books or even astronomy, the pressure just got worse. I kept feeling my way through thedarkness into whatever classes the university offered, but through each of my potential career paths, I found nothing that could illuminate the road around me. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Practices of Maturity Hebrews 5:12-14 Believers are on a continual growth track that ascends higher and higher. This side of heaven none of us ever "arrive," but we each have a responsibility to press on to maturity. Though many people think those who know a lot about the Bible are the spirituallymature ones, Hebrews 5:14 adds the element of practice to the growth equation. This word means a custom or habit. Christian growth requires the discipline of godly habits carried out daily. The most important practice to cultivate is a personal devotional time. Since God is the source of all spiritual development, you can't neglect Him and expect to become mature. Transformation begins with time in His Word and prayer. Obedience is another essential element for advancement. When our desire to obey the Lord is stronger than our attraction to sin, we'll know we are making progress in our spiritual life. In terms of physical development, the goal is to become more independent and self-sufficient as we age. But in the spiritual realm, the opposite is true. Those who are mature in Christ recognize their own inadequacy and rely on the Holy Spirit within them. It's His job to transform our character and empower us to accomplish everything the Lord calls us to do. Getting older doesn't mean maturity in God's eyes. By digging into Scripture and developing righteous habits, we can use our years to grow stronger in the Lord instead of wasting time with passivity. No one accidentally becomes mature. Spiritual growth requiresa diligent pursuit of God. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TheGood Confession “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who beforePontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.” (1Timothy 6:13) Young Timothy also had “professed a good profession [same word as ‘confession’] before many witnesses” (v. 12), evidently of similar substance and quality to that in the witness of Christ before Pilate. When the Jews urged Pilate to condemn Jesus to death,their charge was that “he made himself the Son of God” (John19:7). Pilate gave Jesus opportunity to deny this charge and save His life, “but Jesus gave him no answer” (v. 9). Both by His silence, when a denial of the charge could have saved Him, and by His open testimony before Pilate that He was, in fact, a Kingfrom heaven itself—indeed “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1Timothy 6:15)—it becomes clear that our own “good confession” must be a confession of our faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God, our Savior and Lord, especially when that confession is made openly before hostile witnesses. Jesus said: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew10:32). Paul said, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans10:9); and John said, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1John 4:15). Despite the great blessings awaiting all who make a courageous and good confession of saving faith in Christ, most people will refuse until it is too late. There is a time coming, however, when “every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to theglory of God the Father” (Philippians2:11). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Humbly Help - Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be carefulnot to fall into the same temptation yourself. �Galatians 6:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/humbly-help/- Listen �Brothers and sisters, if someone gets caught in sin, you who are spiritual should tell as many people as possible and kick them while they�re down.� Have you ever read that verse? No, you haven�t, because it isn�t in the Bible. But you would think that it is when you see the actions of some people. The Bible says that �hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins� (Proverbs 10:12 NKJV). We find a classic example of this in the way Jesus responded to the woman who was caught in adultery. He said, �Where are your accusers? Didn�t even one of them condemnyou? . . . Neither do I. Go and sin no more� (John 8:10, 11 NLT). Galatians 6:1 tells us, �Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto theright path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself� (NLT). We want to restore those who have fallen. We want to help them get back on their feet. Some people who fall into sin don�t know how to get out of the pit they�re in. Theydon�t know how to break free. That�s where you and I come in. �You who are godly,� Paul said, �should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.� We also should note that the phrase �overcome by some sin� in Galatians 6:1 implies that it wasn�t premeditated. It speaks of someone who lowered their guard and got caught,like an animal in a trap. Yes, they messed up, but it�s our job to restore them. How? Gently. The Greek word Paul used for restore refers to setting a broken bone or putting a dislocated limb backinto place. We should always desire to restore, not condemn, a person who is caught in sin. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obstructed Vision - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And why worry about a speck in your friend�s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, �Let me help you get rid of that speck in youreye,� when you can�t see past the log in your own eye? �Matthew 7:3�4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/obstructed-vision/- Listen Show me a condemning, hyperjudgmental person, and I�ll show you someone with a sign of possible sin in his or her life. In fact, the thing they�re always criticizing otherpeople for actually may be their issue. Maybe they�re projecting their own sin onto others. Jesus said, �And why worry about a speck in your friend�s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, �Let me help you get rid of thatspeck in your eye,� when you can�t see past the log in your own eye?� (Matthew 7:3�4 NLT). In other words, we cannot see a single speck in a friend�s eye if we have a telephone pole in our own. I think Jesus was using humor here to make a point. Certainly a camel going through the eye of a needle is a humorous illustration (see Matthew 19:24), and this is as well. Jesus was saying, �Why are you looking for a tiny piece of sawdust in your friend�s eye when you have a telephone pole in your eye?� We�re so quick to go after minutiae in another Christian�s life when we are guilty of a lot worse in our own lives. And maybe the reason we�re so quick to see sin in someoneelse is because we�re so familiar with it ourselves. Jesus was saying, �Don�t be that person. First confess your own sin.� Forgiven people should be forgiving people. And if we�re so quick to judge, then are we prepared to be judged with the same type of judgment we use for others? Because Jesus also said, �For you will be treated asyou treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged� (Matthew 7:2 NLT). So be careful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When It�s Time to Walk Away - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Don�t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don�t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. �Matthew 7:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-its-time-to-walk-away/- Listen When I was a brand-new Christian, I went out sharing my faith with a guy who was younger than me. We walked up to a really big biker who was all tatted up and wearing avest with no shirt. So when the guy who was with me started sharing the gospel with this biker, the biker looked at him and said, �Shut up, man! I�ll punch your face in!� I said, �Okay, let�s go.� But this guy was determined, and he kept preaching to the biker. Meanwhile, the biker was getting really irritated. Finally, he said to the biker, �Okay, we�ll leave, becausewe�re casting our pearls before pigs!� We made it out of there alive. But I realized that some verses are in-house verses, like the one my fellow Christian boldly referred to that day: �Don�t waste what is holyon people who are unholy. Don�t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you� (Matthew 7:6 NLT). This is the type of verse we quote to explain something to another believer; it�s not one we quote to the nonbeliever we�re speaking with. It may be relevant, but there�sa time and a place for everything. Sometimes when you�re sharing with people, they�ll turn on you. And throwing �your pearls to pigs� means giving something valuable to someone who doesn�t care. Pigs like to live in slop and filth. That�s how pigs roll. It�s where they�re comfortable. So if you give some pearls to a pig, the pig isn�t going to appreciate those pearls.Now, if you give that pig some fresh garbage, you�ll have one happy pig. In the same way, there are some people who simply don�t want to hear the gospel. And there may come a moment when you need to just walk away. -------------------------------------------------------------- Living with Need by Ryan Duncan "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. � Matthew 6:34 It all began with an enormous doctor�s bill. Over the past few months I had been trying to do a better job at budgeting my finances. This had never been one of my strong points, but slowly, surely, I felt like I was starting to make progress toward becominga true, independent adult. Then the doctor�s bill came. Aside from putting a huge dent in my finances, what made things even more frustrating was that I began to recall the appointment in question. The doctor had been almost two hours late and had left me waiting in one of those small service rooms, convinced I�d die of old age before he arrived. After that, there had been the tetanus shot that left my arm feeling stiff and sore for the rest of theday. Now I was looking down at a small piece of paper that told me I was expected to pay a ridiculous sum of money for the inconvenience of both. I decided the first thing to do was pray and ask God to help me with my finances. Once I had finished, I beganflipping through my Bible for some sense of assurance. I finally landed on this verse in Philippians: I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. � Philippians 4:10-14 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Source of Jealousy Galatians 5:17-21 Most likely, you have been caught off guard by a wave of jealousy at some point in your life. Was it a spiritual attack? Did the Enemy make you covetous? Was someone or something working to make you resentful? The answer�which may surprise you� is no. Jealousy actually springs from within us, even though we might try to deflect the blame. For example, we may say, "Well, they just shouldn't have that. They don't deserve it, so I'm perfectly justifiedin feeling this way." Do you see what is actually going on here? We are not only feeling envious of someone, but we're also saying that our jealousy is the other person's fault! That's simply not true. We are each 100 percent responsible for our own feelings of envy. Jealousy is a product of the flesh. In the Bible, it is listed among such sins as idolatry, immorality, drunkenness, and sorcery�sins which stand against our holy God and are described as "earthly, natural, demonic" (Gal.5:17-21; James 3:15). Envious feelings can lead to unhealthy comparison of one's own success to someone else's. That pattern can grow into a competition to out-perform others�and may result in full-blown fear and resentment. What a horrible way to live! Though jealousy is a common emotion, it has no place in a believer's life. So each of us should try to look objectively at our heart motives. Are you plagued with an attitude of jealousy today? Lay your honest feelings out before the Lord, and ask Him tocleanse you of this sinful attitude. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Practicing What We Preach �For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.� (John13:15) Christ�s life matched His teachings, and so must ours. Consider, for example, Christ�s teaching that we should �pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you� (Matthew5:44). This is matched by His prayer for His tormentors while on the cross, �Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do� (Luke 23:34). Elsewhere,He taught that our circle of influence should be greater than those of like thinking (Matthew 5:47), a fact that caused His detractors great consternation(Luke 15:2). He taught that our prayers should not be done so that �they may be seen of men� (Matthew6:5). And the gospels record several times where He went �into a solitary place, and there prayed� (Mark 1:35; see also Mark 6:46). Christ placed great value on children, as we see in Matthew 18:6, and later He welcomed them (Matthew 19:14). He taught Peter to forgive �seventy times seven� (Matthew18:22) and later forgave Peter for his continued denials (Mark 16:7). Christ advocated paying taxes (Mark 12:17) and later enabled Peter to pay tribute for both of them (Matthew17:27). He taught that �a man�s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth� (Luke 12:15), and He Himself had �not whereto lay his head� (Luke 9:58). Likewise, He placed great store in aiding the poor (Luke14:13), both in teaching and in practice (Matthew 14:13-21). Perhaps His teaching �love your enemies� (Matthew5:44) is best illustrated by His tender prayer for those who would soon take His life as He hung on the cross for the very ones responsible for His death (today�s text), all the while dying for them. May God grant us the strength to follow not only our own teachings, but His teachings as well. JDM ---------------------------------------------------------------- In Search of the Truth - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. �Jeremiah 29:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/in-search-of-the-truth/Listen Some people claim they�re seeking truth. They say they want to know the truth. But if you were to say, �That�s amazing! I�d like to share some truth with you from the Bible,� they don�t want to hear it. So you say, �Have you ever read it?� �No.� �Well, can I quote to you from it? Because Jesus said�� �I don�t what to hear about what Jesus said. Put that away.� And suddenly they�re irritated and angry with you. I suggest that such a person doesn�t want to know the truth. Because if they don�t believe the Bible is the Word of God, if they think it�s simply a bunch of made-up stories,then why would they care if you believe it? And why would they care if you quote from it? When nonbelievers take offense to the Bible, it says to me they know there�s power in the message of the Bible. It�s the same reason people take the Lord�s name in vain and why they punctuate a sentence with the holy name of Jesus Christ. They don�t invoke the name of anyone else.So in their own way, they�re acknowledging the power that�s in the name of Jesus Christ. I think some people go to church because they like something peripheral about it, but they�re not really into a relationship with Christ himself. On the other hand, if aperson really wants to know God, they will listen to the message of the gospel. If you really want to know the truth, God will make Himself known to you. In Jeremiah 29:12�13 God said, �Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listento you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart� (NKJV). God will reveal Himself to true seekers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HeKnows Our Hearts �Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto allhis ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men).� (2Chronicles 6:30) Eight times in Solomon�s prayer at the dedication of the temple, he beseeches God to �hear from heaven� (vv. 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39) when His people confess their sins and pray for deliverance. It is marvelous that God, whose �dwelling place� is inheaven (vv. 21, 30, 33, 39) can actually hear the prayers of people here on Earth, but we remember that He is omnipresent through His Holy Spirit. Even more marvelous, if possible, is the fact that He can hear prayers uttered only in our hearts. But He is also omniscient and thus knows the very thoughts of our hearts. Then, as we read of Jesus� wrath at the desecration of the temple by those who would commercialize their religion there, it was said that He �needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man� (John2:25). This is direct confirmation that Jesus is God, for only God knows the thoughts of our hearts. It is a wonderful day when we realize that God knows our hearts. It can be frightening, of course, if our hearts are not right with God, but it can also be of great comfort and exhilaration� it all depends on the thoughts and motivations of our hearts. As Davidwrote long ago: �Thou understandest my thought afar off� (Psalm139:2). We need, therefore, to guard our thought life just as much as our social life, �for he knoweth the secrets of the heart� (Psalm44:21). May God help us to be �casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ� (2Corinthians 10:5). It is a good thing if our thoughts please Him. HMM --------------------------------------------------------------- Cold Soup by Ryan Duncan Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. � Mark12:30 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation3:15-16 Cold Soup by Ryan Duncan Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. � Mark12:30 A while back, some friends and I went out to lunch at a nearby restaurant. Now, I�m not much of an adventurous eater, but that day I decided to try something new and ordered a soup called, �Vichyssoise.� I now know that Vichyssoise is a thick soup made ofpur�ed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock. Also, it�s traditionally served cold. Maybe I�m just not cultured enough to appreciate this unique delicacy, but in my opinion, cold soup tastes horrible. After one spoonful I was trying to find a creative way to spit it out without my friends noticing. The meal did make me think though, about what the Bible says about cold and lukewarm Christians. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation3:15-16 ---------------------------------------------------- Love, Acceptance, and Judgment - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. �Proverbs 27:5�6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/love-acceptance-and-judgment/- Listen What verse from the Bible would you choose if you had to name your favorite one? If you asked a nonbeliever that question, it most likely would be one of these two: �Do not judge others, and you will not be judged� (Matthew 7:1 NLT), and �Let the onewho has never sinned throw the first stone!� (John 8:7 NLT). Usually they like to quote one or both of these verses when you�re talking to them about their need for Jesus Christ and the need to turn from their sin. For instance, they may get really indignant and say, �Well, doesn�t the Bible say, �Do not judge others, and you will not be judged� and �Let the one who has never sinnedthrow the first stone�?� In other words, �Will you please go away now?� The problem is they completely misinterpret what those verses mean. Was Jesus actually saying that a Christian is never to judge anyone or anything? Was He saying that weshould never make an evaluation of a situation or a person�s conduct? Should we never, in any way, use our discernment and instead accept everyone and everything? No, that is not what Jesus was saying. As Christians, we should be discerning but not condemning. When Jesus said, �Do not judge others, and you will not be judged,� He wasn�t saying that a Christian must loveand accept everyone and never comment on their actions, conduct, or lifestyle. The reality is that if you really care for someone, you need to tell them the truth. And sometimes you have to confront people about the sin that is keeping them from God.The Bible even tells us to speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). So, if you have some friends who will tell you the truth, be thankful. Because they are true friends. ------------------------------------------ Proven Faith 1 Peter 1:3-9 Faith is perhaps the most central element in the Christian life because it is the means by which we enter into salvation. But that�s only the beginning. From then onward, our faith�or lack of it�shapes our lives and determines what happens to us when the winds of adversity blow. Some Christians never lose their footing even in hurricane-force winds, but others aretoppled by the slightest gust. To understand why this is true, we need to examine the source of our faith. Inherited faith: If you grew up in a Christian home, you probably adopted some of the beliefs of your parents. This kind of godly foundation is a wonderful gift from the Lord, but eventually, each person must assume responsibility for his own beliefs. Textbook faith: The Bible is the ultimate guide for establishing our beliefs. But that�s not the only source of influence. Books, preachers, teachers, and friends all impact our convictions. Our theology may in fact be sound, but faith is merely mental acceptanceuntil it�s put to the test. Proven Faith: Only when we trust the Lord through the fires of adversity will we have faith that can stand. It is no longer based on what others have told us or what we�ve accepted as true but on our firsthand experience of His faithfulness. To evaluate your faith, consider how you react to adversity. Do you cling to the Lord or get angry at Him? Is your attitude one of rejoicing because He�s making you more like His Son, or are you bitter? No one can escape adversity, but those with provenfaith will benefit from it. ----------------------------------------------------- Treasures of the Snow �Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?� (Job38:22) It is interesting that this book, the oldest in the Bible, contains more references to snow, ice, and frost than any other book of the Bible. This is despite the fact that Job�s homeland was in what is now essentially a desert region. Possibly the effects ofthe post-Flood Ice Age were still strong in Job�s day. In any case, the beautiful phrase �treasures of the snow� is both appropriate and prophetic. Its crystal structure, though mostly in the form of delicate six-pointed �stars,� is endlessly varied and always intricately symmetrical and incredibly beautiful. The snow is a treasure in other ways as well. The winter�s snowpack in the mountains is often called �white gold� because of its indispensable water storage capacity, released in the melting season each spring to provide life to teeming cities and irrigationin the desert for needed food supplies. The snow also aids in maintaining the planet�s chemical cycles by returning various elements in the nuclei of its flakes back from the ocean to the lands from which they were leached and transported by rivers to theoceans. When the snowpack becomes a glacier, it can greatly assist in the breakup of rocks to form fertile soils. In the Scriptures, its pure white color is often used to symbolize the cleansing of a sinful heart that trusts the Lord. �Wash me,� said David, �and I shall be whiter than snow� (Psalm51:7). �Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,� the Lord promises those who come to Him for salvation (Isaiah 1:18). As the snow comes down from heaven, so comes the Word of God to ask the soul as in today�s text: �Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?� (Job 38:22).HMM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM