DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 9.4.21

How Bible Prophecy Gives Us Perspective - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near �Revelation1:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-bible-prophecy-gives-us-perspective/- Listen Have you ever wondered what will happen in the future? Have you ever wished you could see what will take place? In some ways, I�m glad I don�t know the future. God knowsthe future, I know Him, and that�s enough. The book of Revelation, however, gives us a glimpse into the future. In fact, the Bible says there�s a special blessing promised to those who hear and keep the words ofthis book (see Revelation 1:3). Revelation means �the unveiling,� because it is not God�s desire to conceal but to reveal. And one thing I�ve learned from studying this great book is that God has a plan,and everything is right on schedule. I�ve also discovered that the best is yet to come, and as followers of Jesus Christ, we win in the end. When we study Revelation, and Bible prophecy in general, we gain perspective. When we learn about the future, it motivates us to live righteously in the present. And howwe view the future is important. If we believe that Jesus could return at any moment, it will affect the way that we live. For instance, when you were a child and did something wrong, maybe your mother said, �Just wait until your father gets home!� Did you look forward to his arrival? No, you didn�t. When you heard his car pull into the driveway and knew he was walking up to the door, you were afraid. On the other hand, if you were good and didn�t get into trouble that day, you could hardly wait until your father got home. Now let�s apply that to the Lord�s return. If we�re right with God, then we�re looking forward to it. But if we�ve disobeyed Him, then maybe we�re dreading it. Our belief in the imminent return of Jesus has an effect on us and on the way we live. ------------------------------- StandYe Still “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of theLORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem...to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.” (2Chronicles 20:17) The Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites had organized “a great multitude” seeking to destroy Judah under King Jehoshaphat. But the king and his people came together to “seek the LORD” in prayer for deliverance, and God answered. “The Spirit of the LORD” spokethrough Jahaziel, assuring them that “the battle is not yours, but God’s” (see 2 Chronicles 20:2, 4, 14-15). Then the Lord sent what may have seemed a strange instruction. “Stand ye still,” He said. Just watch God do it! And He did. All their enemies were constrained by the Lord to fight and destroy each other, without the Israelites having to fight at all. Similarly,at the Red Sea when everything looked hopeless, “Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus14:13). So, they did, and all Pharaoh’s armies were overthrown in the midst of the sea. In Isaiah’s day, when Israel was tempted to call on pagan Egypt for help against pagan Assyria, God said concerning Israel’s armies, “Their strength is to sit still” (Isaiah30:7). As the ship was being buffeted in the storm, and the sailors in panic were about to flee in the lifeboat, Paul said, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved” (Acts27:31). So, they stayed, and God spared every man. There are times for action, of course, but the principle is this. When we have done all we can, and the situation seems hopeless, this is the time to sit still and trust God to work it out in His own good way. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm46:10). Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? God specializes in things thought impossible! HMM -------------------------------------------------------- The Forgotten Vital Organ by Katherine Britton The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. - Proverbs18:21 I have decided that many, many medical textbooks are wrong. Each and every one of them has actually left out a vital organ. Yes, they've remembered the heart and the brain and even that strange thing called a pancreas (I know it's important, I just forgetwhy sometimes). But look through the books all you want, and you'll find not one mention of the most obvious vital organ of all: the tongue. Then again, I myself often choose to ignore the importance of the tongue. I'd rather not believe it has "the power of life and death." I'd like to pretend my tongue is more like an appendix or a gall bladder - easy to forget about because it's not that important- but that's just not the case. Snapping at my family when I'm tired, nagging, and complaining all release a poison from my tongue that works its way through my whole being (James3:6). Not only that, I infect others with my attitudes and motivations. I begin to spread a disease. Contrast that with the "words of the wise," as Proverbs says many times. Their words heal and strengthen as they spread encouragement, wisdom, peace, and the Gospel message. Oh, and - get this - the wise actually use their tongues less than other people.The more powerful the tongue, the less it needs to be used. It's like the heart of a well-trained athlete - when someone is really in shape, the beats per minute actually decrease as the heart becomes more and more efficient. In the same way, why don't I conditionmy tongue to speak fewer words with more meaning? In Genesis1, God spoke into the darkness, and there was light. Those "mere words" created something from nothing, showing the power of speaking out. My pastor in college told us that this verse had meaning for us, too, since we are created in God's image. We aremeant to speak out and bring light from the darkness as He did. That's the power of the tongue in a crazy world. The question is whether we choose to speak light or just add to the darkness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes Joshua 2 Jericho was the first city that the Israelites needed to conquer in their quest for the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent a pair of spies to check it out, he probably didn't realize that he would receive a glimpse of God's impressive behind-the-scenes activity. God wants us to look at every obstacle through the lens of His unlimited strength and resources. Anything that appears to block His plans is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His sovereign power. Just because we don't see anything happening, that doesn'tmean He's inactive. Always remember that God is at work on the other side of our obstacles, arranging the details and bringing His plans to fruition. When the spies returned to Joshua, they reported that the people of Jericho were scared to death. Having heard about the Jews'deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, they were gripped by fear of the Lord. The stage was set for the conquest, yet by that point, Joshua had done nothing. Sometimes we think we need to be involved in the solution to our problem, but God is not limited with regard to whom or what He can use to accomplish His will. In this case,He worked in the hearts of the enemy by instilling demoralizing fear. For Christians, great obstacles need not be reasons for discouragement. Although much of the Lord's activity is silent and invisible, we can be sure He is dynamically working out His will for our lives. When the pieces of His plan are in place, He will moveus on to victory. ------------------------------------------------------------- Early Risers “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place,and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35) One of the best ways to meet the Lord is to rise up early in the morning, before activities of the day can interfere. This apparently was the practice of Jesus Himself. There are also many other occurrences in the Bible: “Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD” (Genesis 19:27). Inorder to set up an altar, “Jacob rose up early in the morning” (Genesis 28:18). When Moses gave the people the laws of God, he “wrote all the words of theLORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill” (Exodus 24:4). Later, when he was to receive the commandments a second time, “Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai” (Exodus 34:4). “Joshua rose early in the morning” to lead Israel over the Jordan, andthen to capture Jericho; and to take Ai, “Joshua rose up early in the morning” (Joshua 3:1; 6:12; 8:10). During the time of the Judges, Gideon “rose up early on the morrow” to prove God’s will through putting out the fleece (Judges 6:38). Hannah and Elkanah,in praying for the son who would later become Samuel, “rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:19). No doubt there are justifiable exceptions, but late sleeping is in general not a good thing. “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?...he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Proverbs6:9; 10:5). It is good to seek the Lord early each day. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17). “Myvoice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3). HMM -------------------------------------------------- The Hardest Prayer You Can Pray by Liz Kanoy “Jesus said, ’Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing’” ( Luke 23:34). The context of this verse occurs when Jesus is being crucified. Though He was innocent, He carried His cross alongside two criminals to the place where they would be crucified, called The Skull (Golgotha). On the cross, the Son of God—situated between twosinners deserving of death—spoke to His Father and said, ’Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing’” ( Luke 23:34). This was and is the worst crime in the history of the world; the only innocent Man to live on this earth, the only Man undeserving of death and punishment was put to death in the most humiliatingand unfair way … and He said what? This prayer was directed toward the taunting crowd, religious leaders happily observing His death, apathetic Roman soldiers placing bets for His clothing, and the criminals on either side of Him. Could you forgive someone for a terrible crime simply becausethey do not know God? This is the hardest prayer anyone can pray. To forgive someone undeserving of forgiveness; to forgive someone who does not even recognize their need for forgiveness. Could you pray this prayer for terrorists, for killers, for gunmen, for bullies, for family members who hurt you deeply, for friends who stab you in the back, for co-workers who use you, for any number of circumstances that cause you or someone you lovepain. On my own, I know I cannot pray this prayer—for I am far too angered by injustice, by acts of evil, by selfish deceit. But with the Holy Spirit as my Helper and my Advocate, I can seek to grow in this prayer. To see people as not just wrong or evil but incredibly lost … and to pray most of all for God to make Himself known to them, for He is the One whomall wrongs are ultimately committed against. ------------------------------------- Showing the Way of Salvation “The same [a demon-possessed servant girl] followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servantsof the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.” (Acts 16:17) Paul and Luke first witnessed to European unbelievers in Philippi and saw them wonderfully converted (v. 14), but a young “soothsayer” continually interrupted them, mocking and interfering. Paul cast out the controlling spirit of divination (v. 18), denyingher owners their source of income. In retribution, they convinced the city leaders to have them brutally flogged and thrown into the innermost prison (v. 24). But God had other plans. A mighty earthquake seemingly freed them, causing the jailer to prefer suicide rather than face capital charges for his “offense.” Paul intervened, and the jailer desperately pled, “What must I do to be saved?” (v. 30). What would cause a Roman official in a decidedly pagan culture, who had heard little (if anything) of the truth, to abruptly turn to God for salvation? Certainly the earthquake had captured his attention, as had Paul’s behavior through his trail and abuse,but what made him think the truth was with Paul? Why did he ask for salvation from an incarcerated prisoner? Perhaps during the trial he had heard of the slave girl’s testimony. In our text she had exclaimed, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.” Was this ringing testimony, given in derision but heard nonetheless,involved in his decision? We can’t know for sure, but we do know that this was the introduction of the gospel to Europe. Surely God’s ultimate plan can be seen in the events at Philippi that day. Even the unknowing truth from a demonic soothsayer contained lasting truth. Christiansshould never hesitate to declare gospel truth, for God will not allow it to go unheeded (Isaiah 55:11). JDM ------------------------------------------ TheWeight of the Wind “For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds;and he weigheth the waters by measure.” (Job28:24-25) It was only discovered by scientists in modern times that the air actually has weight. This passage in Job, however, written 35 or more centuries ago, indicated that the two great terrestrial fluids of air and water forming Earth’s atmosphere and hydrosphereare both “weighed” by God’s careful “measure” to provide the right worldwide balance of forces for life on Earth. Another remarkable “weighing” act of God is noted in Job 37:16: “Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?” Clouds are composed of liquid drops of water, not water vapor, and water is heavier than air, so how are they “balanced” in the sky? “Forhe maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly” (Job36:27-28). Meteorologists know that the weight of the small water droplets in the clouds is “balanced” by the “weight of the winds”—air rushing upward in response to temperature changes. Eventually, however, the droplets coalesce to form larger drops that overcome theseupdrafts and fall as rain. “By watering he wearieth the thick cloud” (Job37:11). The coalescence is probably triggered electrically in the clouds themselves, “when he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder” (Job28:26). Although these verses are not couched in the jargon of modern science, they are thoroughly scientific and up to date. “Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job26:14). HMM ------------------------------------------------ TheApple of the Eye “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: forhe that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zechariah 2:8) This common phrase is often used to identify an object of one’s special favor or affection. The apple of the eye, of course, is not a fruit but the pupil of the eye, so essential for sight that it becomes a peculiarly apt symbol for a prized possession. Itis used five times in the Bible as a translation of three different Hebrew nouns, none of which refer to the actual apple fruit. In each case, however, it speaks of something highly valuable to the owner. Three of these (Deuteronomy 32:10; Lamentations 2:18; and our text above) are in reference to the chosen people, Israel, as the “apple of the eye” of God Himself. God has often punished Israel for her sins and has allowed other nations to be His rod of judgment, but woe to that nation thattouches the apple of His eye in this way! That individual believers can also be so regarded by the Lord is evident from one of David’s prayers: “Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness....Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (Psalm17:7-8). To be kept by God as He would keep the very apple of His own eye requires an implicit trust in Him and His Word. In fact, His Word must become the apple of our eye! “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live;and my law as the apple of thine eye” (Proverbs 7:1-2). There are many beautiful and appropriate figures used for God’s Word (“light,” “hammer,” “sword,” “milk,” etc.) but none more personally meaningful than this. May the holy Scriptures, the indispensable Word of God, truly be the apple of the eye for each ofus. HMM ---------------------------------------------- The King's Table by Ryan Duncan In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. – John 14:2 One of my favorite Bible stories is 2 Samuel 2:1. The story begins a few years after David has finally become King of Israel. Before this, his life had been an endless string of running,fighting, and hiding, as he was mercilessly pursed by Saul, who wanted nothing more than David’s head on a spike. Now Saul was dead, and David would have been perfectly justified in dishing up some well-deserved payback on the royal family. Instead, he doessomething completely different. David reaches out to Saul’s last living grandson, a poor cripple named Mephibosheth. Despite being Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth’s life hadn’t been that great. His legs had been broken as a baby, both his parents were dead, and he was living alone in exile.When he heard David was coming, Mephiboseth probably assumed that was it for him. Just imagine his surprise at what followed, "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet. – 2 Samuel 9:7-13 ------------------------------------------------------ Always “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew28:20) A favorite old song of many senior citizens (of this writer, at least) is the sentimental “I’ll be loving you—always” ballad written long ago by Irving Berlin. The sincerity of some who sing it may be questioned, but the many “always” promises of the Biblereally mean it. Consider a few of these precious promises, for example. The apostle Paul urges believers to be “always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians15:58). And to the same Corinthian church he later wrote: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Then there is that other tremendous promise in the same epistle: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2Corinthians 9:8). The greatest such promise is that in our text, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself promised that “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew28:20). These are also a number of very important exhortations in the Scriptures involving an “always” type of commitment. For example, Jesus said “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke18:1). That is, never give up praying just because the answer seems a long time coming. Furthermore, Paul says that we should be “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians5:20). Then, we are to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). Finally, there is the command to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that askethyou a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). HMM --------------------------------------------- Oh, the Places God Will Take You! By Veronica Neffinger "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 Looking at my stash of postcards, I can’t help but think of the Dr. Seuss book title, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” I have been a lot of places (within the U.S. anyway): Bayfield, WI for their apple orchards and outdoor concert venue, winding Lombard Street in San Francisco, the mangroves of the Florida Keys, Pike’s Peak in Colorado...and the list goes on. As I look at the postcards which mark each place I’ve been, I also can’t help but think that rather than the places I’ll go, the theme for my life has been “Oh, the places the Lord will take you!” Sometimes these are literal, physical places like the ones mentioned above, but more often they are intangible places of spiritual growth. All Christians seem to love the popular Proverbs verses: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,” but oftentimes it seems we do not trust in Godto lead us down the right metaphorical path, while we do trust our GPS to get us to that scenic overlook, that historical attraction, that famed wonder of nature--all physical realities. I would wager that many of us have discovered the hard way that when you think you know better than your GPS and you override it, you usually end up lost. I don’t think it would be a stretch to claim that we often do the same with God as our guide. -------------------------------------------- Sanctification: God's Grand Plan Jeremiah 29:11 The heavenly Father has a grand plan for the life of every person, and it can be summed up in the word sanctification. If you have never been certain of the term's meaning, you are not alone--many people are unclear about its definition. However, believersshould understand it because the word defines them. In its verb form--sanctify--the term means "to make holy" or "to separate." So when something is sanctified, it is separated from its former common usage and is dedicated for sacred purposes. The Old Testament mentions a number of things that the Lord sanctified:He made the seventh day holy, set aside the Levite tribe as priests, and even consecrated places like the Holy of Holies inside the tabernacle (Gen.2:3; Num. 3). The heavenly Father still sanctifies people today. Before a person places his faith in the Savior, he is spiritually dead and, in fact, an enemy of God (Eph. 2:1-3; Rom.5:10). But the moment someone chooses to trust in Jesus Christ, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into God's family. That individual is set apart as a child of God, with a sacred purpose. This means believers are not here to chase after personalgain but to serve the Lord and bring Him honor and glory. As members of God's family who are called upon to reflect His glory, believers are referred to as "saints." We are given this moniker--which shares its root with sanctification--not because we live sinless lives, but because we live a life consistent withthe One we represent. ------------------------------------ Offering Willingly “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willinglyto the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” (1 Chronicles 29:9) As the people brought gifts for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, it is mentioned no less than six times in this chapter that their offerings were willing offerings (once in verses 6 and 14, twice each in verses 9 and 17). In fact, they were notonly willing but also joyful in their giving. Joyful giving is not the usual response to a fundraising effort for a religious cause. The great proliferation of causes today—not only for churches but for multi-church or para-church projects, usually associated with high-pressure solicitations by professionalmoney-raisers—has developed a growing cynicism in Christians toward all such appeals. That is not the way it should be, “for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The churches of Macedonia, though going through “a great trial ofaffliction” and in “deep poverty,” nevertheless “abounded unto the riches of their liberality,” and they did so in “the abundance of their joy” (2 Corinthians8:2). What made the difference was that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5). No doubt another vital factor leading to the joyful offerings of the people for the building of the temple was the example set by David’s great personal joyful generosity, followed by that of all the other leaders of Israel (1Chronicles 29:3-8). This encouraged the people also to give “with perfect heart” (today’s verse). They had evidently, like the Philippians of Macedonia, also first given themselves to the Lord. David had led them by example, not coercion, reminding himselfand his people as he prayed a prayer of thanksgiving that “all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chronicles 29:14). HMM ------------------------------------------- Remember Your Baptism by Liz Kanoy "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.'" - Acts 2:38-39 Three years ago on Pentecost, I attended my godson’s baptism. The pastor encouraged parents and godparents to remind their children and godchildren of their baptisms often. He also encouraged all believers to continually remember their own baptism and toremember what baptism means for those in the body of Christ. When I was baptized at 23, the pastor prefaced my baptism by saying “there is nothing magical about this water,” and he was right. There is no magic in the water and the water itself will not change you, but there is extraordinary power and hope in the Onewho makes baptism possible - the One who baptizes in the Spirit and transforms the heart. Whether you lean toward infant baptism or a believer’s baptism theologically, Christians can all agree that baptism is a symbol of eternal hope in Christ. For Christian parents, their baby’s baptism is a symbol of their promise to raise the child to knowand love God. For believers, baptism is a symbol of the lasting hope they possess and a reminder of the promise that has been fulfilled. Remember your baptism, but don’t just remember the day or the act - remember the gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives purpose to all baptisms. Remember that the Lord called you to Himself, and He chose you by name - not by any merit of your own but by Hisfree gift of grace. --------------------------------------------- TheFace of Jesus Christ “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the lightof the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Corinthians 4:6) The light that shines in the soul of a lost sinner when he first comes to know Jesus Christ can only be compared to the light that Christ called forth on Day One of the creation week. We met this God of glory spiritually when we first beheld in our hearts theface of Jesus Christ. But the face of Jesus Christ was not always deemed so glorious. We read of a time when ungodly men “did...spit in his face” (Matthew26:67), then took a blindfold “to cover his face” (Mark14:65), and finally with a rain of terrible blows “struck him on the face” (Luke22:64). Once His “countenance [was] as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars” (Songof Solomon 5:15), but when they finished their assault, “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah52:14). “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1Peter 3:12), however, and the time is coming very soon when all those who have turned their faces from Him will call “to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation6:16). When finally they will have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ in all its consuming strength, not even the world itself could stand, “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away” (Revelation20:11). For those who have looked on Him in faith, however, this will not be a time of judgment but blessing, for “they shall see his face” (Revelation22:4). The face of Jesus Christ, fierce as devouring fire to those He must judge, is glorious in beauty and love to those who believe. HMM -------------------------------------------- Conquering Fear Psalms63 Every one of us will experience moments of apprehension, and denial or trying to hide from it will do no good. When fear arises, ask yourself the following questions: Where does it come from? (You know it isn't from God.) Has God ever failed me in the past?Does He promise to meet all of my needs? Does He keep His promises? If we read the Bible, we'll find countless stories of God's faithfulness. For example, Paul lived through hardship, persecution, pain, and all kinds of terrible circumstances. The apostle wrote these well-known words: "God causes all things to work together for good tothose who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom.8:28). This testifies to the fact that for those who trust in Him, God turns every difficulty, loss, and separation into something good. ----------------------------------------------- Sinners Gonna Sin by John UpChurch “For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.” Philippians3:18-19 We should never be surprised by sin. Humans run to it, fill their hands with the dripping filth, and smear it over their bodies. From birth. From conception (Psalm 51:5). It’s the natural state of what it means to be afallen Homo sapiens. Often, though, it’s easy to forget our own dip into the slop. Years of following Jesus can make that mud bath indistinct and alien in our memories. We were, but are no longer (Romans 6:6). The times we plunged headfirstinto sin no longer seem real. We forget how arduous the road has been that’s brought us here—the struggles, the temptations, the urges to turn around and dive back in. We forget that each victory came with wounds. We forget why we have the scars. With that newness of rebirth comes the temptation to compare everything and everyone with where we are now. Our filth cleansed, we see clearly. And what we see are those pitiful figures still flailing in the dirt, still covering themselves with sin. It’s easy to be disgusted. The mud seems much dirtier now than it was when we were in it, more putrid to our nostrils. Certainly we would never do what they do—those still wallowing, those whose god is their every whim and desire. There’s nothing very attractivein the mess. But when you think of what will become of those who blindly grope in the sludge, when you consider the destiny of those who glory in their own shame, you start to see something else. God looked into just such filth to find a struggling wretch—one that lookedjust like you. His love wasn’t deterred by all your caked-on grime. His compassion wasn’t stopped by the junk that clung to you. He yanked you from the pit and put your feet on the rock. Then, He washed you clean. --------------------------------------------- The Side Effects of Fear - In Touch - August 20 • •2021Aug 20 August 20 The Side Effects of Fear Matthew 6:25-34 Fear obviously produces anxiety, but it also creates chaos in our lives and even affects those around us. Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins. Fear hinders us from becoming the people God wants us to be. When we are dominated by negative emotions, we cannot achieve the goals He has in mind for us. A lack of self-confidence stymies our belief in what the Lord can do with our lives. Fear can drive people to destructive habits. To numb the pain of overbearing distress and foreboding, some turn to things like drugs and alcohol for artificial relief. Fear steals peace and contentment. When we're always afraid, our life becomes centered on pessimism and gloom. Fear creates doubt. God promises us an abundant life, but if we surrender instead to the chains of fear, our prayers won’t be worth very much. What are you afraid of--loss, rejection, poverty, or death? Everybody will face such realities at some point. All you need to know is, God will never reject you. Whether you accept Him is your decision. The Bible tells us that God will meet all our needs. He feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass with the splendor of lilies. How much more, then, will He care for us, who are made in His image? Our only concern is to obey the heavenly Father andleave the consequences to Him. ---------------------------------------------------------- The Lord Jehovah “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and mysong; he also is become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2) The English name usually written LORD in English Bibles stems from the Hebrew word Yahweh, the meaning of which cannot be fully put into words. Although scholars differ (some even claiming there is no real meaning to the word at all), the consensus is that it seems to be a compound of the three tenses of the Hebrew verb “to be,” implying the ever-living nature of God to which Christ was referring when He said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation1:8). Note also the similar implications in God’s announcement of Himself to Moses: “And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am” (Exodus 3:14). On 49 special occasions (seven times seven), the name Jehovah is contracted to Jah. Many consider this to be an abbreviation of Jehovah, but no satisfactory explanation as to why it is so used has been offered. Perhaps a better suggestion is that this name is the present tense of the verb “to be,” and therefore the name Jah emphasizes the present activity of the Lord. In nearly all occurrences, the passages are strengthened by noting the present work of God. The first usage of the term Jah is found in Miriam’s Song upon deliverance from Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. “The LORD [Jah] is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation” (Exodus15:2). On several occasions, such as in our text, we see that the two names are combined, celebrating both the present and future deliveries of Jah Jehovah. “Trust ye in the LORD [Jehovah] for ever: for in the LORD [Jah] JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4). JDM ------------------------------------------- Before God�s Final Judgement - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live �Ezekiel33:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/before-gods-final-judgement/- Listen Sometimes, I think people believe that God is simply waiting to strike out and bring judgment. Actually, it�s the very opposite. The Bible teaches that God takes no delight in the death of the wicked (see Ezekiel 33:11 NLT). God doesn�t want to bring judgment, but He will because His Word is true.And He tells us there are penalties and repercussions for disobedience. For instance, the Lord gave Pharaoh chance after chance to cooperate when He spoke through His servant, Moses, and commanded him to release the Israelites from slavery inEgypt. Instead, Pharaoh resisted, and his heart got harder. As a result, a series of 10 plagues, or judgments, came upon Egypt. Pharaoh was finally worn down by them, but then he tried to mislead and deceive Moses through a seriesof compromises. Thankfully, Moses didn�t give in to them. That left one final judgment, which would be the deaths of Egypt�s firstborn. Some might see that as cruel, harsh, and extreme on the part of the Lord. But let me say thatfor all practical purposes, Pharaoh decided his own fate. How so? Moses warned Pharaoh that he would be treated the way he treated the Jews. The Lord was very clear about that when He said to Moses, �Then you will tell him, �This is whatthe Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. I commanded you, �Let my son go, so he can worship me.� But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!�� (Exodus 4:22�23 NLT). The Lord was very gentle with Pharaoh in some ways. He sent plagues, each gaining in intensity, to get Pharaoh�s attention. But Pharaoh�s heart only grew harder. And inthe end, Pharaoh had no one to blame but himself. Never play chicken with God because you�re always going to lose. ------------------------------------------ God�s GPS - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org That�s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone�s duty �Ecclesiastes 12:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/gods-gps-2/- Listen I have a love-hate relationship with my GPS because sometimes I think it takes me the wrong way. In fact, I�ve read some interesting stories about people who followed aGPS and ended up in some pretty strange places. When the Israelites left Egypt, their GPS system was very simple: they moved when the Lord told them to move, and they went where the Lord told them to go. Today, God directs us through His Word. It�s our GPS system, so to speak, confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit in our hearts. We can find everything we need to know aboutGod and about life in the pages of the Bible. Psalm 1 summarizes this for us: �Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers� (verse 1 NLT). If you want to be happy, according to Psalm 1, then don�t hang out with ungodly people, go to ungodly places, and do ungodly things. The psalmist goes on to say, �But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit eachseason. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do� (verses 2�3 NLT). God has laid out His parameters for our own protection, for our own good. And as we get older, we start seeing the repercussions of the decisions people made when they wereyounger. Solomon, the king of Israel, was renowned for his wisdom. With his unlimited resources, he decided to see for himself everything this world had to offer. Eventually, hecame to this conclusion: �Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone�s duty� (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT). It comes down to this: God�s way is the right way. ------------------------------------------------- A Personal Message from God - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the sevengold lampstands �Revelation 2:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-personal-message-from-god/- Listen Imagine if God sent you an email or if Jesus sent you a text. Would you read it? I know I would. In the same way, we can think of the book of Revelation as a personal email, text, or letter from the Lord directly to us. Revelation reveals a supernatural world�the world of Heaven and Hell, God, angels, and supernatural activity around us every day. There�s a supernatural realm coexistingwith the natural realm. There�s also a timelessness in the book of Revelation. It reveals eternity, and we realize there�s an afterlife. God, living in the eternal realm, can see the past withperfect accuracy and the future with total clarity. So when He tells us that something will happen, we can be sure that it will happen exactly as He has said it would. That�s why the Bible is the one book that dares to predictthe future not once, not twice, but hundreds of times with 100 percent accuracy. In the second and third chapters of Revelation, the words of Jesus to the seven churches speak to us prophetically. We essentially have a flyover of Church history, startingwith the church of Ephesus and concluding with the church of Laodicea. They were actual churches that followed a postal route of the day, and Jesus spoke specifically to these churches and their pastors. Jesus�s words to the seven churches not only speak to us prophetically, but they also speak to us practically. We start with a church that�s losing its passion, and we endwith a church where Jesus is on the outside, trying to get in. Jesus is aware of what�s going on in His Church, and He�s aware of what�s going on with you as an individual as well. Wherever you are, He knows what you�re facing. He knowswhat you�re going through. ------------------------------------- Recognizing the Signs of the Times - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near �Luke 21:28 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/recognizing-the-signs-of-the-times/- Listen If the sky is filled with dark clouds, you don�t have to be a meteorologist to predict that it will rain. Often, I can figure out what the day is going to look like by justlooking out the window. (And by the way, bald men are always the first to know when it�s raining.) It�s the same way with the signs of the times. We can look at events taking place in our world today and essentially see signs that are telling us the return of Christ isnear. In fact, many Americans are wondering whether the coronavirus is a sign of the end times. I think it�s a wake-up call. My friend and Bible prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock wrote in his book Corona Crisis, �prophetically significant events we see today, such asCOVID-19, are not fulfillments of specific prophecies but are setting the stage for events that will begin to unfold after the rapture.� We know the Bible tells us there�s a world leader known as the Antichrist that will come on the scene. He�ll initially be a man of peace with global solutions and economicsolutions, but then he�ll require that no one can buy or sell without the special mark that he will give them. I think we�re seeing things that will ultimately lead to that moment, but I don�t think it�s happening quite yet. I do believe, however, that we�re getting close. Therefore, we have two choices at a moment like this in history: We can look up, or we can freak out. Jesus said, �Now when these things begin to happen, look up and liftup your heads, because your redemption draws near� (Luke 21:28 NKJV). We shouldn�t be looking for the Antichrist; we should be looking for Jesus Christ. That�s where our focus should be right now.