Jesus--Our Hope

Here we are at the end of another year! It just doesn't seem possible but the reality is that another whole 'new' year is now behind us. May the year ahead be bright with the Light of the Lord. May this nation bend its knee before Jesus again. May integrity be restored at the individual and personal level and at the corporate level and at the governmental level, for apart from Him, we have no hope.

Words

December 31

All the uplifting words from the lips of a gracious man that sweeten life like honey when spoken to the heartbroken or frightened or sorrowful; all the words of wisdom of the Word of God itself cannot be of any avail until they have been drunk in by the thirsting soul and have done the work that God sent them to do.

In Isaiah 55:11 the Lord says through His prophet, “My word, that goes forth out of My mouth, shall not return to Me void but shall accomplish that which I please and shall prosper in the thing to which I send it.” The Word of God, if received by a man, shall be his salvation. If rejected, it shall be his downfall, his damnation.

We who believe that Jesus is the Living Word of God bear a great responsibility to convey the message of salvation, the Truth, the Word, to everyone with whom we have association. Ezekiel 3:18-21 indeed states very emphatically that the believer is required to share God’s truth. What is done with that truth by the hearer is between the hearer and God, but if the truth goes unspoken, the one who professes faith but did not speak is held accountable by the Lord.

Therefore, when we have received the knowledge of Christ our Savior and Lord, we must pass it along to others. In I Thessalonians 4:1, Paul says, “We ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God, do so even more.” Let us resolve at the close of the old year and threshold of the new to walk and please God by scattering seeds of the truth of Jesus among everyone we encounter.

Why?

December 30

With the confidence that God’s promises are ‘yea and amen,’ why then does it sometimes appear that Christians suffer defeat? Why does every believer not always triumph over every foe? Why are the faithful sometimes overcome by something as simple as failing to attain financial security or matters as weighty as succumbing to disease and death?

Hebrews, Chapter 11, often referred to as 'The Hall of Faith,’ begins with a glimpse of the explanation. In the first verse it says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This makes it very clear that true faith holds to the Lord, even when the fruit of faith remains unrealized.

There is indeed a comprehensive list of the people of God given in this chapter who did not receive the thing for which they prayed. Hebrews 11:39-40 says, “They did not receive what was promised since God had provided something better...” What is that “something better”? After all, what can be better than seeing miracles in response to our prayers?

Ultimately, the Lord does not want us to follow Him because of what He can do for us. He wants us to follow Him because of what He has done for us. Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin. If He did nothing else in our behalf, that would yet be the great, “unspeakable gift” of II Corinthians 9:15, the gift of eternal life, which all those in ‘The Hall of Faith’ received—and so can we.

Stand Without Fear

December 29

God doesn’t want His people to fret. He wants His children to go forward in confidence—confidence that is borne of the knowledge that Jesus has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This wonderful promise was quoted by Paul in Hebrews 13:5.

We can 'know that we know' yet today that Jesus will always be with us, for His promises stand forever. In Matthew 24:35, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” The Word of God is surer than anything earthly, on which man can build his hope.

With the promises of God in mind, and with the awareness that every word God utters is true, Jesus says to His followers in Matthew 6:34, “Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.” Though we may have trials and tribulations that assail on any given day, the promises of God will stand on the day of testing.

We needn’t worry or be concerned about the ‘What if?’ concerns that stir in our minds. We need not fear about the foes described in Psalm 91—pestilence, destruction, war, etc.—for “…There shall be no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near thy dwelling, for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways…” Stand on His Word and we will not faint with fear.

The Acceptable Day of Salvation

December 28

There is a day coming when time shall be no more. The ancient texts of many religions and cultures predict a time of catastrophic proportion when life as we know it on earth shall be greatly altered--perhaps shall cease.

There is a lot of excitement at this juncture about the writings of the Mayans because they have established a time in December of 2012 when this event will occur. As of this writing, the date is almost exactly one year away.

Whether we give credence to the musings of pagan soothsayers or not, there is one highly reliable source upon which Christians base their anticipation of events that will precede and accompany the return of Jesus to earth to claim His bride. Of that day, the Bible speaks in many places, including in Jeremiah 13:16.

Here the Word of God declares to mankind, “Give glory to the Lord your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk.” If we are to escape the wrath of God on that day, we must receive Jesus as Lord today, which II Corinthians 6:2 says is, “the acceptable day of salvation.”

Master of the Extraordinary

December 27

Our God is the Master of the extraordinary. People of faith, theologians, doubters, scoffers have tried to water Him down through the ages, but the fact remains that our God is an awesome God. Whether life and time began as they are detailed in the Biblical book of Genesis or with the ‘big bang’ some scientists theorize triggered the creation of the universe, the event was exceptional.

Amazing though creation may be, we who call ourselves Christians, we who are believers in the salvation provided by the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, would say that the most extraordinary of the miracles performed by our wonder-working God must be the resurrection of the Lord from the tomb on the third day.

This one, well-documented event of history establishes for all time and eternity the single most glorious and significant event in time. Yet there is another that must be mentioned when a list is being compiled of God’s great and wondrous acts in the behalf of the children of men. That one amazing event is found in Joshua where it is recounted that time stood still so the Israelites could gain a victory over their foes.

In Joshua 10:14 it is recorded of the day, “There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel.” Though He did not don armor and wield a sword in the conflict, the God of Israel, our God, showed Himself strong and mighty by this extraordinary way of partnering with His people. He still partners with us in amazing ways. Look for Him at the point of your need and you, too, will see His glory.

What's in a Name?

December 26

Ebenezer is one of those old-fashioned names we rarely hear these days. Every Christmas we watch again the classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens and we hear it, but it’s certainly not among the list of top names for boys for today’s parents. After all, who wants to name a child after Ebenezer Scrooge?

We hear names like Trevor and Kyle that have been selected for newborns—and they are perfectly good names—but we rarely hear the old names found in scripture that are filled with meaning. Perhaps parents should look through the ‘name’ books with not only the sound but also the meaning of the name in mind.

The name Ebenezer, for example, means ‘stone of help.’ In I Samuel 7:12, it says, “He named it Ebenezer, explaining, ‘The Lord has helped us to this point.’” This is where the prophet Samuel set up an altar of praise to the Lord for the help He had given His people Israel in defeating the Philistines.

Names like Ebenezer remind us of the all-encompassing presence of the Christ we serve. They remind us of His faithfulness. They remind us of His power that exceeds the might of our foes. They remind us that when we are confronted with the difficulties of life, Jesus, the Rock of our salvation, is "Immanuel, God with us" Matthew 1:23.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

December 25

"Behold! I bring you good tidings of great joy...for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!" (Luke 2:10, 11)

Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. Jesus, the One who spoke and the worlds were formed (John 1:1-3); that mghty Jesus is still with us. If we will allow Him, He will live within our hearts. If we will invite Him back into our lives, back into our families, back into our government, He will manifest Himself again to us.

He is the only Solution to the world's woes. HE can fix our faltering economy. He can restore our diminishing well-being. He can save our children from the mockery of the distorted 'history' that's being taught in our schools. He can save us from the corrupt 'laws' of misguided politicians that fly in the face of His immutable ordinance. He can cause us to abide in honor and live in victory once again.

Let us daily pray the prayer of II Chronicles 7:14 over our land, remembering His promise in II Chronicles 16:9, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth, seeking to show Himself strong in the behalf of those who love Him."

Merry Christmas!

We come to this day with the exultant sounds of the Hallelujah Chorus ringing in our ears. We hear in our inner man the sweet strains of JOY that will redound to the glory of God at Easter. We know the Baby born at Bethlehem came to die on the cross at Calvary and He arose.

We know that the celebration of His arrival and the joy of His departure as He returned to the realm of glory were separated by a life set apart, by a life that was unique among men, because it was lived for all men.

What seemed to begin in a stable while his mother was complying with a Roman census requirement—“While they were there, the time came for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn Son” Luke 2:6-7—was actually planned in the corridors of Heaven before time began (Revelation 13:8).

Because Jesus came in the fullness of time, we have the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation He came to bestow upon us. We may sing the redounding hallelujahs to His glory and we may anticipate the joy of His triumph over death! Because of Him, we may triumph over sin and death! Halleluiah! Joy!

Receive the Joy

We stand at the threshhold of the celebration of the incarnation--Immanuel, God with us. May we allow our incarnate God, our Savior our Lord, to be the heart of our joy.

December 24

Most believers have imagined themselves to have been at the Nativity scene. We’ve pondered the wonder of hearing the angel chorus announce the birth of the One who came to be Prince of Peace. We’ve contemplated the amazement of the humble shepherds who were privy to such grand news.

We think of the wise men, indeed wise beyond the knowledge of the astrological signs they analyzed in order to discern the arrival of One highly favored and anointed. This One, they knew, was unique among the potentates born into the realm of man; was worthy of their finest gifts of treasure and of homage.

When we think of how we would have acted or what we would have done, we know we would have been struck with awe and wonder, even as were the shepherds. And like them, we would have heard the angels reassure, “Don’t be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy that is for all people” Luke 2:10.

Perhaps we would have proclaimed as did the elderly father of John the Baptist when he heard the news of Mary’s pregnancy and the imminent birth of the long-awaited One, “Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dayspring from on High has visited us” Luke 1:78. Perhaps we would have rejoiced to have Jesus as our Savior. That joy is still available to anyone who will receive it.

Separated from the Father

December 23

As we approach the night that we celebrate the nativity of the Lord, the night the Second Person of the Trinity entered the world as a Babe and began His trek through human experience, living the sinless life we were incapable of living and vicariously providing restored fellowship with our Heavenly Father, we cannot but think beyond the manger to the cross.

The beautiful Baby, lying in Mary’s arms, held tenderly to her breast would one day be roughly handled by disdainful religious leaders and cruel soldiers. He would endure the mockery of a trial; He would hear those who’d felt the gentle touch of His healing hand cry, “Crucify Him!”

He would bear the reproach of men and He would feel the Father with whom He was One turn away from Him. He would pray to His Father, “All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will but what You will be done” Mark 14:36. Christ bore the pain and the mockery inflicted by men without complaint.

But He anguished at the breech between Himself and His Father who would not look upon Him while He bore our sin upon Himself. The great cost to Christ as He hung upon the cross, was not the wounds he endured on His back or the crown of thorns that pierced His brow or the nails that bound Him to the tree. He anguished that for the only time in all eternity, He was separated from the Father.

Despise the Gift

December 22

Some of us, even believers, have taken the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain. To those who are not inclined toward faith, His name is a mere cuss word in a repertoire of unsavory epithets that are uttered to express distain for a situation or an individual.

Those who are well-practiced in the blasphemous usage of the “Name that is given above all names, the only Name by which men may be saved” (Acts 4:12) will have a rude awakening one day when the light of truth illumines the darkness in which they have chosen to live their lives.

In Matthew 17:6, we get a preview of the power of that Name, the Name that can save and the Name that can condemn to eternal darkness. Here we get a glimpse of the transfiguration of Jesus. The disciples hear a voice from Heaven declaring that God is well-pleased with Christ—and these men who had walked with the Lord, “fell face down and were terrified.”

If they who knew Him as companion and brother, they who walked with Him and talked with Him and saw His love extended to the masses fell on their faces in fear and trepidation at the revelation of His glory, we can only shudder to think of the horror of the blasphemer, the hater of God, the mocker of truth when he recognizes Who it is who offered him life and he despised the Gift.

The Splendor of the City

December 21

Many immigrants to the United States at the turn of the Twentieth Century came to this country with tales of the splendor of the nation’s cities dancing in their imaginations. Their disappointment must have been great upon their arrival when they found the sprawling urban poverty where they would live.

Oh, yes, they found opportunity here and many of them rose, through their own hard work and ingenuity, to attain the wealth they thought would be available for the taking upon their arrival. But many of their number did not realize the dream—at least not to the degree they’d anticipated.

There is another City whose appearance is described in superlatives. It is the place John saw (Revelation 21:2), of which he said, “I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”

There won’t be disappointment upon our arrival to that wondrous place where Christ dwells. There won’t be any ghetto neighborhoods. The Word tells us that the beauty of the place is staggering. The wonder of it pales only by comparison to the glory we will behold when we see Jesus—face to face in all His glory!

The Embodiment of Who We Are

December 20

Peter. Disciple. Apostle. Hero of the faith. Failure. Perhaps no one embodies the best and the worst of all we who believe endeavor to be and actually are than does Peter, the impetuous one. Than Peter, the one who was quick to declare his resolve to follow Jesus to the end and quick to fall from it.

It is easy to grasp that Peter recognized Jesus was no mere man. A fisherman does not abandon a thriving business to walk the dusty streets of Galilee with an itinerant preacher and sometime carpenter. No, Peter saw there was something beyond the ordinary in Jesus.

And, rightly he should have for he had been present for the miracles. Perhaps a miracle that might have touched him most was the one Jesus did while aboard Peter’s own fishing vessel. The nets were empty after a long night of fishing. Jesus suggested that Peter have his crew drop the net on the other side of the boat.

Illogical? Yes, but Peter said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night long and have caught nothing, but at Your word, I’ll let down the net.” The net nearly broke with the size of the catch! (Luke 5:5). Jesus does the same for us. When He wants to really make us grasp the magnitude of who He is, He touches us where we are. So, expect a miracle at the point of your need.

Lost Nothing; Gained All

December 19

God has allowed man no latitude for boasting of himself. Oh, that is not to say that unregenerate man is not boastful and proud in his own conceit. That is not to say that even among the redeemed there are not those whose estimation of themselves is far too high. That is to say, GOD has allowed man no latitude for boasting for we are nothing; He is everything.

God loves man and has given His “unspeakable Gift” (II Corinthians 9:15) for man but that is because God loves, not because man is worthy. When Jesus, Heaven’s sinless perfection, came and took the punishment upon Himself that sinful man deserves, it was a complete exchange.

Holiness overcame evil for every man who would be willing to exchange his sin and failure for the Lord’s perfect righteousness. As Paul says in Titus 3:7, “Having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.” We lay aside all that we are and receive all that He is.

We forsake our earthly treasure and receive to ourselves His eternal reward. If our eyes are consumed with the things of life, we may feel we give up something to become His heirs; but if we see life as the vapor that it is, we know we have lost nothing. We who are nothing have gained all.

Our God Is Faithful

December 18

The God we serve is faithful. He is the God of integrity and honor. He is the God of truth and justice. His Word is yea and amen. There is no variance in His decrees. What He said long ago is viable today. The commands that He gave to Moses when he led the Israelites out of bondage, He expects us to follow today.

God does not change His mind. He does not have a ‘light bulb moment’ when He comes up with a better idea. He doesn’t reconsider His law and say to Himself, ‘Gee, I wish I had stated that another way.’ No. His way is perfect. It has always been perfect; Jesus is the Living Word and He is perfect.

The psalmist said of Him in Psalm 25:10, “All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep His covenants and decrees.” If there is any time that the veracity of the Lord’s honor, the essence of His being is not visible to us, it is because we have somehow reneged on our part of the covenant. We deceive ourselves if we think we have not failed to uphold His holy decrees

If we are honest with ourselves, we will acknowledge that we have failed to keep His covenants. We have gone back on our portion of the agreement between ourselves and our Holy God. But we also know that Jesus has washed us clean of all our sin and failure. We can be restored to right fellowship through our Lord and Savior; and we can enjoy the fruit of His steadfast faithfulness.

Busy!

December 17

Busy, busy, busy, busy!!!! We have so many things to do. We have so many places to go. We have so much responsibility that we wonder at times if we shall ever be able to manage all that we have taken upon ourselves. Sometimes, we allow ourselves to be imposed upon by other people. Sometimes our hyper activity reflects our own choices—our own compulsion to maintain a frenetic pace.

The Word of God tells us that we are indeed to do everything with which we are charged as though we were doing it for the Lord. We are not to give short shrift to any task to which we have committed ourselves. The question then becomes, to what tasks should we commit ourselves?

We know we have great responsibilities. We have families to support and jobs to perform and careers to manage. We have relationships that require our investment of not only our time but our heart. We cannot neglect the people within the sphere of our influence who are depending upon us. Yet there is but one task with which the Word charges us and that is found in Mark 12:30.

Here Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.” He knows if we do that, we will not neglect to hear Him guide us into other areas of responsibility to which He desires that we go, nor will we neglect those precious people to whom we owe due diligence in living God’s truth before them.

Satisfied. Filled.

December 16

Satisfied. Filled. Most of us who have been blessed to have been born in Twentieth/Twenty-first Century America have never had to contemplate the significance of these two words. We take them for granted because we have never been without the benefit of them.

Oh, yes, we may have had our ups and downs in life, we’ve endured our share of disappointed hopes, but we have never had to grovel in poverty; we have never known stomach-wrenching hunger. When it has come to life’s basic needs, we have been satisfied and filled.

Psalm 107:9 says, “He has satisfied the thirsty and filled the hungry with good things.” We in the modern West tend to associate that statement with our economic abundance. We claim the prosperity gospel that suggests we should all abound in temporal wealth. Yet, there is a far deeper, more profound essence to these words.

What the Lord God is promising here is that we may enjoy the abundance of satisfaction and be filled to overflowing within our spirit! No matter what our external circumstances may be, we may abound in the fruit of His presence—we may overflow with faith—a faith that assures our complete provision of spirit for time and eternity.

Time for the Promises

December 15

We profess our belief in Jesus. Most people who have heard of Him affirm that He was ‘a good man.’ They believe He exemplified principles of interaction between men that, if they were to be followed, would allow peace to reign upon the earth.

Some attest that He was a prophet, a man sent by God to lay the groundwork for the purposes of the Most High to be fulfilled. We who call ourselves Christians, we who are born again, take belief a step further. We acknowledge that Jesus is the righteous Son of our Holy God—the One who sacrificed Himself to redeem mankind from sin.

So, if we believe in Him, if we are ‘people of the Book,’ people of faith in the unique Man among men, why don’t we see more evidence of the work He said we would do if we believe? In Mark 9:23, Jesus Himself uttered these words of power, “…Everything is possible to the one who believes.” To one degree or another, most people believe in Him.

Even if we eliminate people on the periphery of faith, what about those of us who have embraced Him as Savior and Lord, as God incarnate? Why don’t we see the fruit of His remarkable promise? Can it be that we are so content with the trappings of time that we haven’t the time to tap into the promises that are ours?

To Be and to Do

December 14

What does man truly desire from life? Certainly, it would be wonderful to ‘have it all,’ yet that illusory prize is not extended to many of us. Though we may not be the leader of the free world or the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize or the holder of an Academy Award, we do indeed desire to make our mark.

We want our voice to be heard amidst the cacophony of claims and counter-claims regarding various religious and political views. We want to promote our point of view within the limited scope of our influence because we believe it has merit, that others will be advantaged if they embrace it.

So we endeavor within our small circle of influence to impact the world around us. If we esteem the Christ and desire to serve His Kingdom’s purposes, we will render to Him the best service we can. If we believe that the natural man must serve an eternal purpose, that we are bought with a price and we are not our own, our gifts will be surrendered to Jesus.

We will stand on the promise found in II Corinthians 9:8 that says, “God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in every way, in all things, you will have everything you need in order to excel.” We don’t have to strive for ascendency; we need only to rely upon the God who assures us we will accomplish all HE sets before us to be and to do.

He Knows Our Hearts

December 13

It is an observable, if not measurable phenomenon that it is often the people who know the least regarding a matter who virtually demand to be in charge. To put this mindset into a 'spiritual nutshell', we could say that this type of individual is concerned about his own aggrandizement more than he is in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.

Put another way, if the person in question is a Christian, he is following Christ ‘for the loaves and fishes.’ Indeed, it is true, some of us who name the name of the Lord Jesus are followers because of the advantage we attain for doing so rather than because we have allowed Him to be Lord of our lives.

In I Timothy 1:7, Paul says to his spiritual son, “They want to be teachers of the law although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting upon.” Because human nature doesn’t change apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, this observation is still true today. Some who profess faith in Jesus are very desirous of holding positions of authority within the body.

They enjoy being on the board or counseling new Christians or expounding their purported wisdom, but it is for their own aggrandizement not for the glory of Christ that they volunteer their service. Mere observers of men’s actions cannot rightly judge their motives, but God sees hearts and knows men’s motives. May we assure that what He sees in us flows from genuine love for Jesus.

Let the Evidence Speak

December 12

Would anyone enter an apple orchard with the hope of harvesting tomatoes? Do shoppers go into a grocery store to purchase a new car? Can we expect a real estate agent to serve the needs of someone injured in an accident? Silly questions.

When assistance is needed, the corresponding source of supply must be sought. We must ascertain the credentials of an individual to determine whether he has the skills and the resources to provide our need. A painter who specializes in single-level dwellings is not someone who we’d hire to paint a multi-story building.

When Jesus walked the dusty roads of Palestine, He acquired a reputation. He was known as One who not only did good among the needy but also as One who possessed extraordinary power. The people of the countryside round about knew that if they could but be in His presence, their needs would be fully met. So they flocked to Him. One such individual was a man who had been blind from birth.

When he received his sight from Jesus, the religious leaders of the day who continually found fault with the Lord said he had been healed by an evil man. Rather than argue, the healed man simply said, “Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. But I do know that once I was blind and now I see” John 9:25. We, like that wise beggar, must recognize that our faith will at times be challenged. When it is, like him, we must simply allow the evidence to speak for itself.

He Will Not Forget

December 11

It is the nature of man to desire some acknowledgement, if not reward, for the labor upon which he expends himself. Whether the work that is done is tedious and frustrating or stimulating and challenging, it is worthwhile in the end if there is a simple, ‘Thank you,’ from those who have benefitted from it.

Often, however, there are no thanks given at the conclusion of a task. It is an unfortunate reality of the nature of man that diligent effort usually goes unnoticed. To gain the attention of the people round about, one must perform a colossal blunder!

To gain a reward, therefore, is not a sure thing—except in the spiritual realm. The God we serve, the One in whose harvest field we labor to reap souls for the Kingdom of Christ, is mindful of the labor of love that we perform. It is not that our goal is to attain recognition. Rather, it is our hearts’ longing to see many lost souls brought from darkness to the Light of Christ.

But as a by-product of our labor of love for our Savior that motivates our outreach to the lost, we are promised a reward. Hebrews 6:10 states very clearly that, “He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you continually serve the saints.” Because He loves us, it is His desire to reward our service in the behalf of His Kingdom and His people.

Your Garden of Flourishing Fruit

December 10

The garden of life flourishes with fruit. Each of God’s children has harvested much from the lush fare of life. He has withheld nothing from those who believe in His name, yet there may be inconsistencies among us that make us question the fairness of how His fruits are distributed.

When we indulge the futility of comparison, we allow ourselves to become distracted from our main purpose—that of sharing His salvation message with the lost. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to conform us into the image of Christ; we are to reflect Him more and more; we are to win others to Him by the light of His truth that we allow to shine in our lives.

We are to so live before Him that we may, as stated in Isaiah 61:3, “…be called trees of righteousness, planted by the Lord, to glorify Him.” We must recognize that we possess no righteousness of our own, that we are like other men. We know nothing good dwells within us, yet, when Jesus lives in our hearts, our lives become a reflection of His goodness.

When we shine His love and truth and salvation through the living epistle of our lives, everyone whose life touches ours may see the fruit our lives bear and everyone whose life touches ours may feast upon that fruit. Love, truth, goodness, mercy, honor, kindness, hope, faith—all the things that Jesus is—become evident in us and we distribute them as He gives opportunity.

It's Not about Us

December 9

It’s not about us. No matter who we are. The only One who may lay claim to the reality that it is all about Him is Jesus. We may, as Shakespeare observed, “strut our hour upon the stage,” for indeed, we all have our role to perform, but in having completed our part excellently, the performance is still not about us.

We may even fancy ourselves to be stars in the drama of life, but no matter how large a part we may have, no matter how crucial our role may be to the outcome of ‘the play,’ we are expendable. Each of us can be replaced. None of us is uniquely qualified to speak our lines—except Jesus.

Nobody can slip into His role. He has no understudy—He did not take one with Him to the cross. The Lord fulfilled His role and because He did, everyone who believes may complete his own performance to the utmost of his ability. No matter what circumstances may befall our lives, we may know with certainty that we will deliver our lines effectively.

Paul said in II Timothy 2:9, “For this I suffer, to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound.” Paul, the great apostle, the one whose life touched more souls for the Kingdom than any other but the Lord’s, knew that it wasn’t about him. Paul knew that though he might be imprisoned and executed, the truth he bore could never be stopped.

Stumbling Block to Stepping Stone

December 8

Romans 9:33 makes a clear point that lends itself to a vivid analogy. It says, “I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over and a rock to trip over, yet the one who believes on Him will not be put to shame.” The Jews had an expectation of their Messiah. He would be a conqueror.

Jesus, humble and mild did not fit the bill. They could not reconcile the concept of the “Suffering Messiah” of Isaiah 53 with their anticipation of the Liberator who would set them free from the yoke of their harsh Roman masters. So, they stumbled, and in their stumbling, the plan of salvation was opened to the gentiles.

What could have been a devastating end became a new beginning. What was a stumbling block to God’s chosen people became a stepping stone to the rest of the world’s people! We who would have been left out entirely if the Jews had simply recognized and embraced their Messiah when He came, now have a future and a hope; we, too can be co-heirs with Christ of Heaven’s riches.

Yet, as Paul says in Romans 11:8-23, the Jews have not fallen that they may be lost. No! Though a somnolence has fallen over them for a season, they will be re-gathered into the fold of faith. Indeed, in these last days we see a mighty move of the Spirit of the Living God sweeping over His ancient people, awakening them to the reality that Jesus is the One for whom they have waited.

Real Faith Stands

December 7

Real faith stands. Yes. Real faith stands. It isn’t shaken by adverse winds. You can’t argue real faith away. You can’t vote real faith away. You can’t legislate real faith away. You can’t discourage real faith away. You can’t rationalize real faith away. You can’t torture real faith away. Real faith stands.

Ask Moses who was willing to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of Egypt for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Ask Paul who was willing to relinquish the esteem of his nation in order to propagate the gospel under great persecution (Philippians 3:4-9).

Ask anyone who has placed faith in Christ at the pinnacle of his life and he will affirm that abiding in Him is worth the cost. And, there will be cost. Everyone who takes the yoke of the Lord upon himself gives something up—but gains so much more. One thing that will be notably discerned as part of what must be let go, is the esteem of ones fellows. Many people will consider the believer to have taken leave of his senses.

To dispute with those who do not believe is to abdicate the high ground of faith. Mark 9:14-19 tells us what Jesus said to His disciples when they found themselves arguing with doubters: “What are you arguing about...O, faithless generation! How long shall I suffer you?” It is apparent here that to engage in argumentation is to diminish the believer’s faith and his power to do what Jesus has sent him to accomplish. Jesus expects His followers to stand! To stand in real faith!

Heaven's Great Work

December 6

Some people believe that though there is indeed a Creator God who fashioned the universe, He is not involved in the affairs of the vast creation of His hand today. They subscribe to the theory that He made everything, wound it up and then pretty much left it to itself.

This erroneous notion flies in the face of all the evidence. We who have prayed and received answers to our prayers would be among those who would testify to His profound involvement in the affairs of men. Many scientists understand that concepts like gravitational pull would fail without His keeping power.

If physical evidence in the natural realm is not sufficient to convince us that God sees and hears and cares about what is going on in the universe He fashioned, we have the words of Jesus in John 5:17 that attest to the fact that the One who made us endeavors continually to accomplish His plan for His people. Here the Lord says, “My Father is still working and I am working also.”

The primary work that God is striving to complete is the salvation of souls. That is the great scheme of Heaven—to bring as many as will believe home to glory. The Holy Spirit that stirs in your heart is striving to lead you home—God’s great and glorious work then, the work that was established in Heaven (Revelation 13:8) and completed by Jesus on the cross is to share heaven with you, with me

Stand for Itself

December 5

Sometime there’s just no point in arguing. We’ve all put ourselves through the ordeal of trying to justify our words or our actions. We’ve put ourselves through the wringer in order to clarify something said or done that someone simply didn’t grasp as we’d intended it.

Though we may count ourselves to be skilled wordsmiths, we have to acknowledge that we never were able to make our point. The one who did not understand initially, still didn’t ‘get it’ when we’d gone through our hoops of attempting to explain, to clarify.

Jesus must have felt the same way when at His mockery of a trial Pontius Pilate inquired of Him, “’Don’t You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?’ But He kept silent and did not answer anything” Mark 14:60, 61. Jesus did not argue before His accusers. He knew the futility of debate and He knew that in order for the plan of salvation to be implemented, this moment had to come.

But, beyond that, He knew that if these people had seen His miracles—blind eyes that were opened, deaf ears that were unstopped, demon-possessed lives that were set free from oppression—and yet did not believe Him, there was no point of further clarification that He could state that would change their hearts. Like Him, we must let the living epistle of our lives stand for itself.

What Is That to You?

December 4

There is a verse in scripture (II Corinthians 10:12) that says, “….they who compare themselves among themselves are not wise.” The Bible is quite clear that if we believe in Christ, have settled in our hearts and minds that we are His and we will follow wherever He leads, there is no place in us for second guessing His choice.

There is no place for negotiation for a ‘better deal.’ If He calls us into a mission field in some far-flung corner of the world, we must trust that it is because He knows His plan for us will be best accomplished there and His plan for that part of the globe will be best accomplished because of our presence there.

If He tells us to remain in our hometown and share our faith with the people among whom we grew up, we cannot lament the lack of adventure in our lives. Again, He knows where we will be most effectively discipled and where we will be best equipped to draw new disciples to Jesus. Even Peter wrestled with the question of where he was to go in order to serve the Kingdom of Christ—and where his fellow Apostle John would go, and how he would die.

Jesus had described Peter’s martyrdom in John 21: 18, 19. When in John 21:21, Peter asked, “And what shall this man (John) do?” The Lord’s answer silenced him. It should silence us when we ponder the role of fellow believers in His Kingdom. In John 21:22, He said, “If I want him to tarry until I come, what is that to you?” His polite way of saying that another person's life and ministry are none of our business effectively shuts us up, as it did Peter.

Equality

December 3

Perhaps in your field of endeavor there is a ‘pecking order.’ The most discernable evidence of such will be the salaries of the individuals employed at your place of work. The CEO or the superintendent or the president or the manager will be paid more than the lower echelon employees.

If you are one of the ‘underlings,’ you probably don’t even know what your upper management officials make. Although you’re probably convinced that they’re out of touch with the nuts and bolts of what keeps the wheels of the organization turning and the importance of the ordinary folk who keep them greased, you know in spite of that, they make way more than you do!

As the old saying goes, ‘Life ain’t fair. Get over it.’ But, in spite of the discrepancies that abound everywhere you turn—not only at work but in virtually every area of interaction with other individuals, there is one place where you will find absolute equity; and that is with God. He has no favorites. He values every individual’s contribution to the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ.

Whether you’re Billy Graham or Billy Smith the usher at the corner church, He values you. In I Corinthians 3:8, we’re told, “The one who plants and the one who waters are equal; each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” There is no vying for favor, and no need to impress the boss. Simply do what He called you to do in the field to which He sent you—and your reward will be great.

Demonstrate Diligence, Realize Hope

December 2

God’s expectation of Abram, that he would make the things of the Lord his top priority, is also His expectation of us. Scripture is replete with examples of the men and women who were used of God who had to first be willing to lay their own reason, their own goals, aside to simply trust the Almighty.

When Gideon was told that his army was too big, that he would have to whittle it down (Judges 7:2-7), it required profound faith for Gideon to trust that the great army of the Midianites could be defeated by the 300 men that God allowed Gideon to keep.

When we are asked to dispense with human reason, with our own prior experience and our finite understanding of how things work and how problems can best be resolved, God has a plan that exceeds our very limited scope. He has a plan that will not disappoint us, if we will but trust in His power—if we will but trust in His love.

The Word says in Hebrews 6:11, “We want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope.” Abraham trusted God in every matter of importance—from leaving his homeland to believing for his promised heir when he and his wife were beyond child-bearing years (Genesis 21:2). God wants us to evidence Abraham’s level of faith, trust and obedience in our lives.

So Must We

December 1

God’s promises are conditional. Much like a contractual agreement, they are contingent upon the compliance of both parties with the terms stipulated. Because God will never renege on any aspect of His word, we understand that any departure from the terms of the promises comes from man.

One of the big qualifiers for receiving the fulfillment of any promise we claim is our own faith. If we do not believe, if we do not trust God in a matter, He is no longer under any obligation to fulfill the promise we claim. Hebrews 11:6 states clearly that we cannot please God without faith.

Another very clear requirement set forth in the Word regarding our receipt of the benefits the Bible says are ours when we ask in faith is that we step out when God calls us. He does not require the same degree of compliance from every individual but He does expect that when we are asked to leave our comfort zone to follow Him in faith, we will do it.

As early as Genesis 12:1, Abram is called to, “Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land I will show you.” Here Abram demonstrated the faith that God expects from all who believe. He left all that was familiar, he left the inheritance that was his as the son of his father in order to receive the inheritance his heavenly Father, his God, had for him. So must we.

Surrender Today and Tomorrow

November 30

As much as we delight in the stories of God’s working among His ancient people the Israelites and as much as we are awed by the commitment of the Apostles to take the gospel of Christ to the known world of their day, yet we are most blessed when we contemplate the Lord’s touch upon our own lives.

We are awed by His faithfulness. We are humbled by His mercy and grace. We know our frame. We know we can be trying—even to other people, let alone to the One who came to earth as the Perfect Man whose sinless life sets us free from the penalty of sin that we incurred to ourselves.

So we bow before Him, we surrender our today and our tomorrows to Him. We commit ourselves to serving Jesus all our days and to sharing our knowledge of Him with others. It is our goal to be part of His ‘team’ that will go where He leads and speak His truth to all nations and tribes.

Why would we sacrifice ‘self’ in order to promote His Kingdom? Because we can proclaim as did the Psalmist in 139:14, “I will praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful and I know this very well.” We cannot deny His goodness to us so everything within us yearns to serve Him.

Yearning for Home

November 29

We live in an expansive country that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Although a commercial airliner can traverse the land in a matter of three hours, the journey of the pioneers who originally explored and settled this nation required months of arduous travel. Why did they do it?

What motivated them to brave the cold, the deprivation, the attack of unfriendly tribes who saw them as intruders who’d come to steal their land? There were many motivating factors—some negative; some positive—from a desire to tap into the wealth of the land to a yearning to share Christ with native Americans.

One undeniable reason held by many who bore great hardship to help expand the borders of this nation was national pride—a great love of America. The Jewish people, too, have a deep love for the land God has given to them. It began with Joseph, who, when he was expelled from his country by his brothers who sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:27) received the blessing of his father prior to his death that would bring him back to the land of his birth.

Though Joseph had been sold from his homeland but elevated in Egypt, yet he embraced the prayer of Israel in Genesis 48:21, “Look! I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.” We might think he’d prefer to remain in the land where he’d been made second in command with Pharaoh receiving all his counsel, but he yearned after his homeland—as followers of Jesus from all nations yearn for their heavenly home.

Our Jealous God

November 28

Our God says of Himself that He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). He will not share His glory with another. Neither man nor devil have the right to the worship that is God’s due from mankind. Whether we bow our heart before riches or power or ‘self’ in any form—or hell’s devil—we are an offense to our Holy God.

Most of us haven’t any inclination whatsoever toward the idolatry that was prevalent in the day the Bible was penned by the prophets and scribes who chronicled the Word of God as He set it before them. We don’t bow before idols made with hands, but we bow before our achievements.

We don’t bow before the devil in the form of grotesque ‘gods’ in shrines to demons, but we bow before the demons of our lusts—for power, for wealth, for esteem. And along the way, as we grasp these false gods to ourselves, we may even give a nod toward faith in Jesus. We may give Him ‘lip service’ while our hearts are far from Him.

He says in Luke 9:62, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God. We deceive ourselves if we believe the Lord is content with part of our heart—remember, He won’t, “share His glory with another.” If we say we’re born again, if we claim that we walk after Him, we had better let it be true! He knows our hearts. He demands our full commitment.

All the Way Home

November 27

In Ecclesiastes 12:13, Solomon, the wisest mere mortal who ever lived said, “Fear (reverence) God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” In Matthew 22:38 and 39, Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The outcome of adhering to these Biblical admonitions are essentially, two. If we follow the Word in this regard we shall have wonderful relationships in life. We will, “esteem others above ourselves,” as Paul admonished the Philippians in Chapter 2, verse 3, and we will abound in love.

Further, beyond the brief span of time that is allotted to us in this tabernacle of flesh, we shall, because we embraced Jesus as our Savior and allowed His Word to govern us, be co heirs with Him of the unimaginable eternal glory that God has prepared for those who love Him (I Corinthians 2:9).

Like Enoch, a devout man who loved God in the midst of perversity, we shall, “…walk with God” (through life) and slip into eternity with Him at the close of our days (Genesis 5:22-24). There is no greater blessing than to slip our hand into that of Jesus and allow Him to lead us through life’s journey—all the way home.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

May our hearts overflow with thanks today because we serve a God who not only fashioned us but who loves us and who set us free from the bonds of sin. We serve a Christ who has taken all our sin and our poverty of spirit upon Himself and given us in its place the righteousness that is His that we might be heirs of the treasure of eternity.

Though He was rich, He became poor for us, that we may be rich (Philippians 2:6,7).
As Thanksgiving bounty overflows our tables and His abundance lavishes our lives, may we be people of gratitude to Jesus who loves us.

Be happy and blessed--and be thankful.

Needn't Ponder

November 25

The sun comes up each morning in an amazing blaze of color across the eastern sky and sets in the west each evening with the same glorious display of vibrant beauty. The seeds that are planted in Spring burst forth to mature in the sunshine and rain of Summer, producing an Autumn harvest of earth’s bounty.

Each day, each season has its wonders to behold as all nature attests to the exquisite imagination of the God who fashioned them. Whether we love Him or not, He has given us eyes to see, ears to hear, tongues to taste, hands to handle the fine works of art and sustenance that He has fashioned for us.

Yet, there is more. If we will, He will lavish us with not only the wonders of the natural world but also with the treasure trove of spiritual riches that He has provided for those who will believe—and who will appropriate them. He has said that He will meet our every need, according to the riches of all He owns.

What an amazing God we serve! In Judges 13:18 He asks, “Why do you ask My name…since it is wonderful!” He challenges us to prove the wonder of who He is! He invites us to behold the glory of Himself! We needn’t ponder the majesty of God. We need only invite Him into our lives that we may see Him as He is.

Safe through the Storm

November 24

People of faith can become conflicted in their faith. Our desire is to be steadfast and firm in our resolve to be God’s people. We pronounce words of truth and profess to stand on the truth of the Word that we proclaim. But there are times in our walk that we falter, times when life’s storms cause us to cower in dread.

We look to the psalmist, with whose words we can identify, and see a man whose heart is unwavering in faith but whose expectation can be compromised by the winds and torrents he is required to face. Like him, we can be tossed about in our resolve by the ebb and flow of life’s waves.

In Psalm 43:2 David says, “You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?” While affirming the safety found in the Holy One, while acknowledging the refuge of the fortress of His love, yet the reality of the tumultuous waves overwhelms the believer who cries, “Why?” in his desperation.

Many of us have uttered that, “Why?” Our faith, too, has been shaken by the tempestuous storms of life. Yet, the Lord our God is faithful. He takes us safely through the storms. The storms reveal to us the intensity of the onslaught of the enemy we face, and the storms build our faith, as we recognize the great power of the Lord who takes us through the winds and waves to safety.

Those Wonderful Words

November 23

Who is Jesus? There are many answers to that question and to one degree or another, many of them are right. We could say that He was an itinerant preacher who never left the Galilean countryside where He grew up. We could say He was a charismatic personality who drew people to Himself. He was a good man, a profound thinker, a man of sterling character—He never lied, stole or harmed anyone. Some say He embodied all that is noble in the human character.

Some may distort His personhood—claim that He may have done a few good things but that the ultimate assessment of Him requires that He be deemed a liar, for He claimed to be God in the flesh. A Christian writer has said that Jesus was either a liar or a lunatic—or—He is indeed, the LORD!

Revelation 1:17 shares the Apostle John’s vision of Jesus after His death and resurrection. This man who walked beside Him, who saw Him die, then fished with Him after He arose from the grave said, “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His hand upon me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid.’” Like John, we will one day see Jesus in the glory of His Godhead.

It will either be our last view of Him before He points us toward the eternal pit our rejection of Him as Savior requires or it will be our first glimpse of eternity with Him in Heaven. May we be quick to receive Him as Lord and Savior today so we will, like John, hear Him say those wonderful words of comfort as He receives us to Himself, “Don’t be afraid.”

Promises

November 22

The psalmist makes a promise in Psalm 71:14-15 that sounds virtually impossible for most of us to keep. Here he says, “I will hope continually and will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell about Your righteousness…all day long.” Continually. More and more. All day long.

Most of us don’t have quite that much confidence in our ability to be steadfast and faithful. Most of us have buckled under pressure. We know our frame. We know we can be weak instead of strong. We can be doubting rather than faithful. We can be empty rather than filled when we need faith most.

But the Lord who loves us has taken our frailty into account. He knows that we have the inclination to falter when the burden we are carrying becomes more than we can bear. So Jesus invites us to, “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you” I Peter 5:7.

He further gives the assurance that when we are weak, His strength will, “…be made perfect within us” II Corinthians 12:9. As His grace saves us through our faith (Ephesians 2:8), so does His grace keep us when we are unable to stand strong in the faith that we profess (Jude 24).

Refrain from Naughtiness

November 21

At times we think God is totally opposed to anything we do that smacks even slightly of ‘fun.’ He seems to have a very rigid standard to which He holds us if we profess to believe in Him. From engaging in illicit romantic activity to cheating on taxes, He holds our feet to the fire.

One area that we may not readily discern as being on His list of ‘Don’ts,’ is the words that we utter. We enjoy a good joke. Slightly off-color humor is part and parcel of our TV watching fare and we certainly hear the nuance of suggestive humor from the masters-of-ceremony of gatherings of almost every sort.

It’s inoffensive humor to all but the most straight-laced among us, but it’s not inoffensive to God. Many of us can personally attest to lapses into questionable comments that we might make in order to prove ourselves to be witty or to be one of the guys. We don’t want to seem prudish so we allow small compromises to enter our speech.

In II Timothy 2:16, the Apostle Paul writes to his spiritual son, “Avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness.” What seems to be a harmless utterance, according to Paul, has the potential of opening the floodgate of questionable communication. In order to be in God’s will, we must refrain from all naughtiness of not only action but also speech.

Jacob's Dysfunctional Family

November 20

Jacob had a dysfunctional family. His children were the offspring of two mothers, one of whom was loved and the other who was not. The children of these women grew up with the shadow of their father’s inequity toward their mothers hanging over them. Many children today are under that same shadow.

The consequence of Jacob’s favoritism toward the child of his preferred wife had devastating ramifications. His older children hated their younger sibling because their father loved him best –and he made no secret of his preference. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers; their father was told that he was dead, so Jacob spent years without knowing his son was alive and thriving!

Jacob suffered deep anguish at the apparent loss of Joseph. He must have reflected many times upon the role he had played and the punishment that seemed to have been meted out against him by God for his unfairness to his older sons. But imagine His joy when he discovered that Joseph had not died! That he was alive and well and ruling Egypt! Imagine his recognition of the goodness of God when he realized that Joseph had forgiven all!

In Hebrews 11:21, we are given a snippet of the work of healing that the Lord did in Jacob’s dysfunctional family. Here, “By faith Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and he worshiped.” The son he had loved and lost was restored to him. He saw his grandchildren. He was given the privilege of seeing his entire family reconciled. We who have also made mistakes in child rearing, have the same God in Whom to hope for family healing.

Poor Today but Heir Tomorrow

November 19

We’ve all chuckled at the old joke, “You may be richer but my kids are better looking.” It’s our way of laughing at the discrepancies that exist among us and recognizing that though some may be favored in one area, life ‘balances out’ in the final analysis.

As the Word says, “The sun shines on the just and on the unjust. The rain falls on the just and on the unjust” Matthew 5:45. Though we may not always have things as we’d prefer them to be, we must acknowledge that ultimately, God is fair.

The one area of human existence in which the reality of that plays out most significantly is in the spiritual realm. All men need a Savior and Jesus has come to rescue every man who will allow Him to have Lordship of his life from the ravages of sin. It’s not just the smart, the attractive, the wealthy who may come.

People from every nation, kindred and tribe; from every social strata, are invited to Jesus. James 2:5 says, “Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom He has promised to those who love Him?” We may not be wealthy, but through Christ all men can become heirs of heaven.

Stand on the Word

November 18

Tumultuous times are forecast for the end of days. Biblical references flow through the pages of scripture that tell of the wars, pestilence, disease, and anarchy that will accompany man’s departure from the Word and his embrace of the world system that will overarch all areas of life prior to Jesus’ return.

What are we to do as believers when we see our government turn from its lofty foundation of faith in Nature’s God and the truth proclaimed in His holy Word the Bible? What are we to do as we see men’s hearts failing them for fear as the end of all things looms before us?

In Psalm 74:19-20, we are given an insight into the heart of God whose servant penned the words found here. The psalmist says, “Do not forget the lives of Your poor people forever. Consider the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of violence.”

When evil seems to be on the ascendancy, when faith and reason no longer seem to be in agreement in the earth, the man of faith must affirm the covenant he has made with the Holy One. Jesus has given Himself and the believer has placed his life at His feet. No matter what evil tidings befall, stand on the Word who cannot fail.

The Face of the Father

November 17

Disappointment abounds. Family, friends, lovers, governments have had their part in undermining the hope of virtually everyone who’s ever walked the earth. As Jesus hung on the cross, even He cried out to His Father, “…Why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34)

Although we know God had to turn His back on Jesus as He bore the sin all mankind had committed and suffered the death all mankind deserved to die because He cannot look upon sin—and, of course, Jesus knew that—still at the moment He yearned most for the oneness He had with the Father, He had it not.

The abandonment of Jesus to the consequence of our sin was a one-time event. It was required that He be the sole bearer of God’s righteous requirement that sin be punished and He agreed to it when our Triune God took counsel with Himself and devised the plan before the foundation of the earth (Revelation 13:8).

For the rest of us, there is no turning of the face of the Father from our need. Along with our death, Jesus took our abandonment. In Luke 18:7 we receive the words of assurance of His ever-present help: “Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? He will not delay His help to them.”

The High Price of Recalcitrance

November 16

Our Father God desires the best for His people in every area of life. We tend to count our blessings in the things we can touch, taste, spend. He does not. The Lord wants us to have sufficiency in all things, but He does not count ‘things’ as being our sufficiency.

If He did, why would He allow any believer to go to bed hungry? Why would the child of any person of faith be without a good education? Why would revival not cover the earth and every lost, unbelieving soul be swept into the arc of safety before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives?

The fact that this is not happening is evidence that God, although He wants to bless mankind with every good and perfect gift, will not force His gifts upon anyone. Nehemiah 9:20 says, “You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths.” God’s supply is complete, but man’s receptivity to it is sometimes negligible.

When we fail to employ wisdom in our agricultural or business or governmental arenas, He will not supersede our choices. When we turn our backs on the eternal salvation He has provided through the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, He will not force acceptance upon us. Yet there is a price to pay—in time and in eternity—for our recalcitrance.

Fiscal and Spiritual Responsibility

November 15

The United States and the world are facing rough economic times. Greece has gone bankrupt, and the richest, most powerful nation that has ever existed just may follow close behind. Some government officials who value fiscal responsibility have stated they won’t be party to perpetuating an untenable debt.

In Luke 14:28, Jesus posed this timeless question to His followers: “Which of you, before building a tower, doesn’t first sit down to calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” The Lord’s clear meaning is that His people are not to ‘bite off more than they can chew’ when it comes to debt.

Yet, there is a deeper meaning in these words the Lord spoke to His disciples. Yes, we are to be responsible with our financial resources. Yes, we are to assure our ability to pay before we incur debt. No, we are not to leave others hanging with the consequences of our default. But there is a spiritual element to what Jesus said whose importance transcends that of any mere financial agreement to which we may enter.

Jesus always maintains His focus on the spiritual. He will never prioritize the temporal over the eternal. We, then, must weigh the consequences of our decisions in the light of eternity. Boiled down to its essence, what He is saying is, “Do not be focused on the matters of time. Be focused on the matters of eternity. Do not become rich in the things of the world at the expense of the spiritual treasure you must lay up in heaven.”

Sustaining Truth

November 14

One thing an unregenerate man cannot abide is the notion that apart from God he is nothing. That simply does not compute for the individual who thinks he is a self-made man. It is impossible for someone who thinks he’s in charge of his life to reconcile the Lord’s assertion in John 15:5, “Without Me, you can do nothing,” to himself.

Instead of leaning upon the omnipotence of God and taking comfort in the power He extends to man to gain wealth, to accrue knowledge, to discover the wonders of the universe, to simply draw his next breath, the denier of the Lord simply closes his eyes to the reality of the ‘God factor’ in his life.

Conversely, the individual who acknowledges the keeping and sustaining power of God, who leans upon Him, who abides in His mercy and grace, takes great comfort in the awareness that it is not his own strength, his own wisdom, or his own ability that assure his success in life’s endeavors.

The person of faith builds the totality of his life upon the reality stated in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils.” Without Him, we are mere dust. With Him, we have the God-infused breath of life coursing through us—that is sustaining truth!

Comfort vs. Disconcertion

November 13

Depending upon the status of your relationship with God or your lack thereof, it is very comforting or very disconcerting to know that He is totally aware of you – He sees your inner man and your external circumstances with utmost clarity. There is nothing about you that is hidden from Him.

This gives great comfort to the individual who yearns after the presence of God in his life and desires to see the manifestation of the power of the Holy One in all that regards his existence. To the one who is fleeing from God, living a life contrary to His will, this is a worrisome notion, for he prefers to keep his deeds secret.

Yet, the omnipresence of God is a reality. Whether in the life of the believer who longs to be near Him or that of the scoffer who denies Him, He is an ever-present, all knowing entity. Psalm 139 conveys the reality of His presence. It sets forth an awesome array of the aspects of our glorious Lord’s attendant watch-care upon His people. There is an amazing truth in verses 7-10:

“Where can I flee from Your Spirit? If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in hell, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost depths of the sea, even there shall Your hand lead me…” The conclusion of the passage in vs. 14, “…marvelous are Your works…” adds to our comfort in knowing He knows us—or to our disconcertion!

One Way

November 12

There are myriad paths to destruction, but there is only one way to Heaven and that one way is Jesus. We have all heard of the fervency of the religious pilgrim who is willing to crawl on his knees to the shrine of one of his many ‘gods,’ dragging his forehead along the ground to reach the object of his worship.

We know too well of the zealot who is willing to strap explosives to his body in order to kill and maim those unfortunate, innocent individuals whose beliefs do not embrace his own. We know of the sacrifice of the children of animists to their false gods.

We stand aghast at the demonic ideas that misguided souls are willing to impose upon those who do not share their belief system, that require the shedding of blood—their own and that of others. To live, someone must bleed and die. In just one belief system is it God who dies so man may live. Only JESUS’ blood can cover our sin.

Our Triune God spoke of the infallibility of His plan in Isaiah 45:18-19, where He said, “I am the Lord and there is no other…I, the Lord, speak truthfully. I say what is right.” No other plan works. No other god saves. Only that plan set forth in the Throne Room of Heaven of “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth,” Revelation 13:8, can satisfy the Lord’s just requirement for sin.

HONOR OUR VETERANS

May we honor our VETERANS--those who have served bravely so our nation may be strong and free.

May we humbly ask of the Lord to heal this land, to restore it to its Christian foundation. May He not allow indifferent citizens and unpatriotic politicians to squander away what the VETERANS have sacrificed so much to secure.

Jesus Is Truth

November 11

The TRUTH is in Jesus. Jesus is the TRUTH. Anything apart from that simple assessment of the veracity of faith is contrary to TRUTH and therefore contrary to Jesus Himself. We cannot, in other words, establish our own truth. We can find TRUTH. We can embrace TRUTH. We can reject TRUTH.

We have no other options. In the feast of religious information that exists regarding matters of time, and more essentially matters of eternity, God has not set a smorgasbord before us. He has set absolutes before us. Oh, yes, there is a smorgasbord of religious notions, but God is not responsible for misinformation.

The enemy of our souls has sought from his first encounter with man in the garden to interject error into human perception of truth. Man has from that time forward, sought to pick and choose his beliefs and often has selected tenets of faith that are not Biblical and are not TRUTH. The evil one has instilled a fervency in those who err. And his lies expedite their destruction.

Ephesians 4:20, 21 points out that all which is purported to be truth is not: “That is not how you learned about the Messiah, assuming you heard Him and were taught by Him, because the TRUTH is in Jesus.” If we stray from the Lord’s own representation of Himself, we are lost in error and need the Word to help us find our way back to Him, back to the TRUTH.

Human Wisdom vs. the Spirit

November 10

I Corinthians 2:13 says, “We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit.” This makes it abundantly clear that the wisdom of God is not something that is acquired by human understanding.

The natural pursuit of knowledge does not impart spiritual wisdom to a man. Though he may be wise in the ways of the world, his ‘human wisdom’ will avail him nothing in the realm of the eternal. The insight that can promote a man’s interests in life, accrue nothing to his spiritual account.

Because we were designed for eternity, there is a longing deep within us that will remain unsatisfied if all we do is toward the end of our temporal advancement. We are created for fellowship with the Holy One and unless and until we direct our endeavors toward Him, we cannot be spiritually wise.

If, however, we apply ourselves to the things of the Lord, we have His assurance that the One He has sent, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will teach us all things (John 14:26). It is those things taught to us by the Holy Spirit that shall illumine our eyes to see the things that matter not only in time but in eternity.

Knowledge vs. Wisdom

November 9

Knowledge is something that is acquired through diligent application of study. Our pursuit of facts can lead us into volumes of books and into intent observation of what is transpiring around us. We seek insight into financial, social, and geo-political matters and our understanding increases as we study.

We can become expert in a particular field of knowledge. Our astute application of facts in an area of endeavor may establish our reputation as being one of great influence in matters of finance, for example, or as individuals to whom others may turn for guidance in areas of personal concern.

But there is one realm where diligent study does not afford us a strong fortress of knowledge from which we may securely survey our interests. That one realm involves wisdom. Wisdom, unlike knowledge, is not acquired through study. Wisdom comes from being at the feet of Jesus and asking it of Him.

In James 1:5 we are told, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally…and it will be given to him.” The Lord imparts wisdom to those who are close to Him relationally, to those who sit at His feet and allow Him to pour of Himself upon them.

Don't Be Afraid

November 8

We shudder to think of the tribulation and misfortune that befell the apostles of Jesus. The reality of their lives was a far cry from the pleasant, pastoral paintings in our children’s story books. The idyllic pictures that portray their labor to propagate the good news of Christ just scratch the surface of reality.

We know they were misunderstood and mocked. We know they were beaten and stoned and left for dead when angry mobs wearied of their message. Even the forces of nature were at times arrayed against them as they journeyed the known world to share the gospel.

Their courage under the hostility of man and the ravages of nature reminds us that we must face the tribulations of life with the same resolve that compelled them to go forward despite adversity. We have their example of perseverance to fortify our own determination to witness Jesus to the lost. We also have the word of the Lord Himself to Paul when he was shipwrecked while endeavoring to reach Italy so he could minister there.

In Acts 27:24 Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar and God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.” As with Paul, our purpose will be achieved. He has set our course and He will enable us to attain our destination. We and those with us will reach the goal He has charted for us. We may have a dangerous journey over a tumultuous sea but He will see us to our destination as He has done for the faithful through the ages.

Fervent and Steadfast

November 7

It is important to be fervent and steadfast in prayer. The inclination of most of us is not to press forward with our requests to the Lord but to stop short of the realization of the thing for which we supplicate. How is it that we give up rather than pray through? Why do we give up?

There is a mindset that has infested the Christian outlook and it is not scriptural. We have become so accustomed to the quick fix mentality, to the instant gratification syndrome of the age that we apply the world’s mindset to the Word and to the promises contained within our holy book.

We have forgotten the words of the Apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 1:11 which adjure us to, “…always pray...that our God will…fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith.” We are to always pray. It doesn’t say we are to pray until we weary of waiting!

We must recognize that the Lord has a dual purpose for our prayers—to fulfill every desire for goodness within us and our circumstances and to accomplish the work of faith. As we pray, as we wait upon Him, we are perfected in the inner man and we are equipped to further His purposes in the lives of those around us.

Sure

November 6

How can we be sure the words of the Bible are true for us today? How can we know the Lord didn’t mean the gifts and promises for just the early church? Some theorize that the extraordinary evidence of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in believers was necessary to ‘jump start’ the church.

They further believe that such means are no longer necessary because we have the entirety of the Bible now—and that is all we need for effective Christian living. One major fallacy to that argument is the question that springs logically from it: How can having the Bible be enough if part of it isn’t true any longer?

No, it seems people of faith have simply found a convenient argument to rationalize their own lack of power! We can no longer say as did Peter in Acts 3:6 when he encountered the lame beggar at the Temple, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk,” so we argue the gifts of the Spirit away!

But this doesn’t seem to be what God had in mind in Deuteronomy 7:9 where Moses said of Him, “God keeps His gracious covenant loyally for a thousand generations with whose who love Him and keep His commands. For a thousand generations? Indeed, this seems to affirm that His Word—all of it—shall stand forever!

Mighty Then, Mighty Now

November 5

What made Jesus so effective as a healer and a preacher in His day? Why did throngs of people follow Him into the desert and to the seashore? Why did they abandon their daily routines in order to hear this itinerant rebel proclaim the Word of God in a new way?

There are the standard reasons given for His amazing influence over the people who heard Him, and there is great veracity to each of them. Yes, people flocked to hear Jesus because there was little in the way of diversion available to them--and He provided an extraordinary one.

Yes, miraculous events occurred wherever He went and this was a tremendous blessing—blind eyes were opened, lame legs could walk, deaf ears could hear, broken lives were made new in whatever way the need required. In an age when medical and financial resources were negligible, Jesus offered free solutions to life’s most challenging problems.

But it was more than any one or than the sum of all of those reasons that compelled people to turn to Jesus and to follow Him. It is the same reason Paul tells us will compel the unbelievers of our day to turn to the Lord. In Ephesians 4:15 he says, “Speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way to be like Christ Jesus.” The truth in love—mighty then; mighty now—is just like Jesus.

False Accusations

November 4

False accusations. There’s hardly a person alive who has not at some point in life borne the weight of being, if not falsely accused, at least misunderstood. Many have spent time incarcerated due to the misinterpretation of evidence that resulted in prison sentences. Jesus was sentenced to death on trumped up charges.

The weight of being ill perceived due to erroneous argumentation that affirmed guilt is a heavy burden. It is perhaps heavier than the weight of bearing actual guilt. When our actions are misrepresented, or our motives are misunderstood, we are perplexed—it caused the Lord to cry out to the Father, “Why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34).

Paul knew what it was like to be misunderstood. He had spent a lifetime building a reputation within the Hebrew religion. He was, by his own account, “a Hebrew of the Hebrews…a Pharisee…” Philippians 3:5, but by verse 8, Paul had concluded that all he’d accomplished in his own strength was, “…but dung.” So when in Acts 19:26, it was said of him, “This man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods,” the apostle was able to stand against the lies!

Paul was able to continue to proclaim Jesus boldly. Though he stood before judges who misunderstood and maligned him, he remained faithful. Though he faced hardship and imprisonment and torture and ultimately death for doing so, he would not be silent! Like him, may we not be intimidated by erroneous perceptions of ourselves or our motives. Though our faith may be maligned, our motives distorted, may we be emboldened by the truth we bear to steadfastly declare it to the lost—no matter what the cost!

Another Bout with Another Problem

November 3

Another bout with another problem. The cycle seems endless. The enemy proverbially, ‘’comes in like a flood,’’ and the Lord, ‘‘raises up a standard against him’’ Isaiah 59:19, according to His promise. The believer has experienced the faithfulness of God many times, but he is weary.

The evil one plays upon his understanding of the human propensity to become exhausted under the pressure of trial—and he understands that if he can simply remind a believer of how many battles he’s already fought, wear him down to the point of rendering him unfit for the current battle, he’ll do it!

Jesus understands our frame far better than His old nemesis the devil, for He has Himself walked in a tabernacle of flesh. He knows what it’s like to be weary—without bending. Jesus knows what it’s like to be tempted—without succumbing. Because He’s borne our grief and sorrow, He can succor us when we are bowed under the weight of all that besets us.

In I Peter 2:21, the apostle reminds us that, “You were called to this because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so you should follow in His steps.” Peter couldn’t overcome his problems alone. He needed Jesus to attain victory. The Lord knows you can’t gain mastery over your many battles on your own either. As He helped Peter, Jesus will help you—no matter what you face.

Eternity's Victor

November 2

From sports events to financial investments, everyone likes to associate with winners. When it comes to that uniquely American sport, football, a tried and true fan can reiterate the statistics that have been pertinent to his team for the last several decades. In the realm of finance, markets are closely watched.

In the religious arena, there are many more ‘teams’ playing in the league in the United States of America than there were when our founding fathers declared that there was to be religious freedom for all. They didn’t have any idea of the influx of ideas that would come into the country with the passage of time.

They couldn’t have imagined that there would be other religions besides Judaism and the various denominations of Christianity that exist here in our day. Yet, the Lord has always known. He knows the end from the beginning, and He is never intimidated when His ancient enemy seems to be making inroads into territory that is rightfully His.

Jesus doesn’t want us to be intimidated either. In I Corinthians 15:58, Paul said to the believers of his day and penned for all who would follow them, “My dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” We may stand on the assurance that though governments, financial institutions, football teams may rise and fall, Jesus stands eternity’s Victor!

Receive His Amazing Gift

November 1

We tend to get wrapped around the axel rather easily. It doesn’t take too much provocation to render us fearful and anxiety ridden. One would think that the longer we have walked with the Lord, the less inclined we would be to allow these negative emotions to have sway over us, but many of us do.

Our ‘common sense,’ that natural attribute that requires us to ponder things from a logical perspective, declares that our fears are unfounded, for we are people of faith and power in Christ. Our common sense dictates that we turn our negative thoughts over to Jesus and allow Him to fill our minds with peace.

Our Lord Himself asked in Luke 24:38, 39, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your heart?” These words were spoken by Jesus to His disciples after His crucifixion and resurrection. They were spoken when He came to them after dying before their eyes and then returning to them.

He went on to give them the solution to their doubts and fears. It is the solution to ours, too: “…Look at My hands and My feet.” Jesus is here making it very clear that He bore these wounds to deliver His people from all that besets us—disease, doubt, sin, death. Our part is to receive His amazing gift.

Serving and Waiting

October 31

The great Apostle Paul rested his hope on Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. Paul, highly esteemed in the hierarchy of the Jewish faith, whose academic and theological training had prepared him to assume a high position among the scholars and religious men of his day, set it all aside when he found Christ.

Of himself after his experience with Jesus on the Road to Damascus, Paul said, “I am determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified” I Corinthians 2:2. Paul knew that none of his accomplishments or accolades were of any consequence compared to the great gift of salvation Jesus gives.

It had become his passion to share this great gift Christ had bestowed upon him with all those he could reach with the knowledge of the gospel. Although he had a great longing to lay aside his tabernacle of flesh and go home to the Lord, he was determined that until he drew his last breath, he would serve the purposes of the Kingdom.

In II Corinthians 5:6-9, Paul declared, “While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight and we are confident that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So, we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.” Like Paul, we must devote ourselves to serving Jesus—and awaiting our moment to be with Him.

By the Power of His Name

October 30

The people of Christ have been given great and precious promises. Our Lord has empowered His followers to do works that parallel those He did when He traversed the dusty streets of Palestine . We ply these gifts with varying degrees of faith and varying levels of success, but we do endeavor to use them.

Perhaps the least noticed, least dramatic of the gifts is the salvation of the lost. How many times we have sat in church, heads bowed, eyes closed while hands were raised by those desirous of receiving salvation. It’s rather comical—as though we’re trying to sneak people into the Kingdom of Christ !

Less concealable is the healing of the sick. People who have suffered from affliction, whether physical or mental or emotional, are transformed immediately when the balm of Gilead has poured over them. Financial needs, too, are generally received with jubilation. But whatever the nature of the miracle may be, one thing we who endeavor to stand on the Word and receive the promises know for certain—it is not in our strength that the good work is done.

As Peter said in Acts 3:6-16 when he encountered the lame beggar on the steps of the Temple, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Then he said to the amazed onlookers, “Why are you astounded at this? Why do you stare at us as though we did this in our own power or godliness? It is the power of Jesus that made this man whole.” So we, by the power of Jesus name, will see His glory.

By the Power of His Name

October 30

The people of Christ have been given great and precious promises. Our Lord has empowered His followers to do works that parallel those He did when He traversed the dusty streets of Palestine . We ply these gifts with varying degrees of faith and varying levels of success, but we do endeavor to use them.

Perhaps the least noticed, least dramatic of the gifts is the salvation of the lost. How many times we have sat in church, heads bowed, eyes closed while hands were raised by those desirous of receiving salvation. It’s rather comical—as though we’re trying to sneak people into the Kingdom of Christ !

Less concealable is the healing of the sick. People who have suffered from affliction, whether physical or mental or emotional, are transformed immediately when the balm of Gilead has poured over them. Financial needs, too, are generally received with jubilation. But whatever the nature of the miracle may be, one thing we who endeavor to stand on the Word and receive the promises know for certain—it is not in our strength that the good work is done.

As Peter said in Acts 3:6-16 when he encountered the lame beggar on the steps of the Temple, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Then he said to the amazed onlookers, “Why are you astounded at this? Why do you stare at us as though we did this in our own power or godliness? It is the power of Jesus that made this man whole.” So we, by the power of Jesus name, will see His glory.

Betwixt and Between

October 29

Apart from faith in Jesus, we are a conflicted people. A prime example of that realistic assessment of our human foible is the fact that if we want for financial resources, we fret inconsolably about our lack. If, however, we possess financial abundance, we concern ourselves about the threat of its loss.

If we are ill, we spend our substance to regain the health we’ve lost. If we are well, we spend our substance to maintain physical viability. If we are intellectually challenged, we are counted as fools. If we possess mental acuity, we strive to possess the ascendancy our knowledge opens to us.

We seem ever to be ‘betwixt and between.’ Yet the Word of God addresses our condition and addresses our preoccupation with it. In Luke 12:25, 26, Jesus says, “Can any of you add a cubit to your stature by worrying? If then you cannot do even a little thing like this, why worry about the big things?”

Those of us who are vertically challenged may attempt to augment our height by wearing high heels and by selecting our clothing to deceive the eye into elongating our stature, but we cannot change it. Jesus tells us, that we must leave this and all matters—trifles in the eternal scheme of things—in His hand.

Consider the Ravens

October 27

Other than the paramount purpose of the entirety of scripture, to establish the absolute necessity man has for a Savior and the undeniable reality that Jesus is the only Savior there is, the one factor that the Bible conveys with utmost clarity is the total dependence of man upon our God—for everything.

We may delude ourselves into thinking we are self-sufficient, that we can make our own way in life. We may convince ourselves that by our intellect or our skillful ability we can attain financial success. We may consider ourselves to be wise communicators who can chart the course of our relationships effectively.

We may be fully persuaded that we have insight into the character of God Himself that enables us to effect what we believe are His purposes, but even in this, we cannot succeed if we do not lean fully upon the Lord and allow His Holy Spirit to guide our efforts.

Our ineptitude is apparent from what Jesus says in Luke 12:24. Here He clearly conveys the fullness of our supply—supply that is not contingent upon ourselves. Rather, He says, “Consider the ravens. They don’t sow or reap; they don’t gather into barns, yet God feeds them.” Our provision, too, is from His hand.

Open to Requests

October 26

Jesus is rather like the ‘oldies but goodies’ station on the radio—He’s open to requests. He has made it abundantly clear in His Word that He desires to do good things for His people. Jesus is in the prayer-answering business. Yet there may be times when we are denied. What provokes those times?

There is an example in Luke 10:40 that may give some insight into the ‘Why?’ of that perplexity. In this situation, Jesus is a guest in the home of Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. We can assume that they were close followers of Jesus and that He was in their home frequently.

We can further assume that there was a familiarity among them that is a trait of all people who are close to each other—whether family members or intimate friends—there is an openness that allows each to express his heart. Martha obviously felt this ability to be herself with Jesus. She felt put upon and freely told Him so. ”Martha was distracted by her many tasks and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister Mary has left me to serve alone?” Martha wanted Jesus to reprimand Mary for neglecting to be a hostess.

Instead, He denied Martha—He would not allow Mary to be relegated to service at the expense of her time with Him. He wanted Martha to set aside her serving and focus on Him as well. The times He denies us the things we supplicate may be when those things would ultimately lead us away from Him. He will deny us the things that would cause us to focus on the mundane things of time rather than the treasures of eternity. He wants our value system to be based on His, not on the paltry trappings the world considers precious.

Where Can You Find Jesus?

October 25

Where can you find Jesus? Your heart is longing for Him and you know in your mind that you are incapable of saving yourself. Sin has you wrapped around its axle and there’s no extricating yourself from its control over you without the intervention of the Savior.

Oh, you’re not a horrid person. You don’t murder, you don’t steal, you don’t harbor hatred or prejudice within your heart—you simply suffer from the consequence of the fall as do all men born of flesh. You know you must be reborn in your spirit and for that to happen, you must allow the Spirit of God to touch you.

How do you then open yourself to Him, so He may “guide you into all truth”? (John 16:13) A profound key to unlocking this quandary is in Luke 2:46. The family of twelve-year-old Jesus had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Upon the third day of their journey back home, they discovered that Jesus was not among the group. They retraced their steps to find Him.

“After three days they found Him in the temple complex, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” Today’s searcher may still find Jesus among the people of God, among the ones who ponder the profound questions of life. A wonderful starting place for the search is in God’s house, with people who have found Him and seek to know Him better.

Faithful--Like Him

October 24

We sometimes ask ourselves why we should continue to try. Why should we continue to expend our energy to maintain fiscal soundness in an economy that is inscrutable to the ordinary investor and that is unraveling under the watch of those who are tasked with maintaining its stability?

Why should we strive to keep our family together when tempers flare and wills clash at every provocation? Why not simply acknowledge our incompatibility and walk away from a bad situation? Why continue to beseech heaven on the behalf of needs that continue to go unmet? Why not simply resign to fate?

Because that’s not what the God who fashioned us intends for us to do! He has given us the power to transform our circumstances through our faithfulness—our faithfulness to work diligently to improve them, our faithfulness to strive lovingly to transform them, our faithfulness to pray fervently to overcome them!

In Hebrews 10:23, Paul says, “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.” We can be faithful because the One who promised, the One we trust, is faithful. We pattern ourselves after His example, then we may be sure we will see the beneficent outcome of faithfulness!

The Best

October 23

We want what’s best for our children, our families, for ourselves. We do our best to achieve financial goals that will assure the security we desire well into the future. We make lifestyle choices that will facilitate the good ends we yearn for our loved ones to enjoy. We vote for political candidates who promise hope.

Sometimes we are misled. Our good intentions along with our best efforts go awry. Our financial investments result in loss rather than gain. Our food and activity choices do not measure up to our expectations. Our elected officials renege on the promises that caused us to place our hopeful expectation in their leadership.

Although life on planet Earth is fraught with disappointment and dashed expectation, we have the assurance from the Author and Finisher of life that if we will but turn our expectation toward Him, we will never be disappointed. The Word says, “My people shall be satisfied with My goodness” Jeremiah 31:14.

I Thessalonians 5:23 goes on to say, “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely and may your spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless.” The totality of that blessing covers it all. With sanctification through the shed blood of Christ comes eternal salvation as well as well being of spirit, soul and body.

That Unavoidable Moment

October 22

There is a day coming for which we do not want to be unprepared. It is the day when our Savior and Lord, the God of all Creation will call us home. We prefer not to reflect too frequently upon that day and its inevitability, but it is approaching for each of us and none of us knows the day or the hour.

It may be that we will be taken suddenly and without warning—an accident might occur that will expedite us to our eternal reward. It may be a prolonged illness that will achieve its dire end and we shall be gone from the land of the living.

It could be that we will be among those on that day when the “…trump of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise first and those who are alive and remain shall be caught up to be forever with the Lord…” I Thessalonians 4:16, 17. However, whenever that day comes for us, it surely will come.

Luke 21:34 admonishes us therefore to, “Be on your guard so that your minds are not dulled…or that day will come on you unexpectedly.” There is but one thing we can and must do to be prepared for that day and we are here reminded that we cannot leave it undone. We must receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord so we will not be lost when that unavoidable moment arrives.