Seek Him in Trouble

Oh, that I knew where I might find him.

Job 23:3

In Job’s extremely trying circumstances, he cried for the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is to see his Father’s face once more. His first prayer is not “Oh, that I might be healed of the disease that now spreads through my body!” nor even “Oh, that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property returned to me from the hand of the thief!” The first and foremost cry is, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, who is my God, that I might come even to His seat!” God’s children run home when the storm comes. It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul to seek shelter from all ills beneath the wings of Jehovah. “He who has made God his refuge” might serve as the title of a true believer.

A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction and, like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him; but not so the true heir of heaven, who kisses the hand that struck him and seeks shelter from the rod in the heart of the God who frowned upon him. Job’s desire to commune with God was intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation.

The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends and looked up to the heavenly throne, just as a traveler turns from his empty water jug and makes a beeline for the well. He bids farewell to earthborn hopes and cries, “Oh, that I knew where I might find my God!” Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth’s hives, where we find no honey but many sharp stings, we rejoice in Him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble we should first seek to realize God’s presence with us. Only let us enjoy His smile, and then we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart for His dear sake

Strength Comes with Waiting ISAIAH 40:28-31

Exhaustion is a by-product of over committed schedules and never-ending responsibilities. In an effort to accomplish all that is expected, we often try to move faster and cram in more by multitasking. But in the process, we end up emotionally and physically fatigued. The Lord offers a radically different mode of living and grants renewed strength and stamina.

Those who wait upon the Lord are promised His supernatural energy. In fact, Scripture says it will surpass the natural strength and endurance of the young. Access to this divine power is achieved not by moving faster but by going slower, stopping to take time to focus on the Father, seek His direction, and ask for His strength to accomplish what He is calling you to do.

Earlier in my life, I wore myself out by impatiently pushing ahead, trying to do ministry in my own way and time. Since then, I have learned that when I pause and humble myself, admitting that I have no strength without Him, the Lord sustains me with both emotional and spiritual energy. There is no human explanation for what God is willing and able to do in a yielded human body. His Holy Spirit is like the wind beneath our wings, enabling us to soar like eagles.

The next time you are at the point of exhaustion, take some time out to focus on the Lord. Are you walking in step with Him, or have you gone ahead on your own? Align your pace with His, and take the energy He freely offers to those who walk obediently in His will.

Why Wait? PSALM 25:4-5

On life’s road, crucial decisions are like intersections that call for a choice of direction. If we barrel through without seeking the mind of Christ, the road we pick may lead to regret and heartache. Although the Lord is ready and willing to offer clear direction, He doesn’t always give it quickly. Knowing that He has very good reasons for withholding immediate instruction can help us wait patiently at the intersection for His guidance.

At times God leaves us in our confusion because He wants to get our attention. When everything is running smoothly, we tend to forget the Lord. But uncertainty draws us back to Him like a magnet. By aligning our steps with His and walking in submission to the Spirit, we open our ears to hear His voice.

Our waiting time is God’s preparation time. In bringing about His sovereign purposes, He may put us on hold while He coordinates events to line up with His will. Sometimes the Lord has work to accomplish in us before we are ready to handle what He has planned for our future. If we instantly received His direction, we would never grow in faith. Spiritual maturity is evidenced in the ability to wait in peaceful confidence, trusting that in His time, we will know what to do.

If impatience tempts you to jump ahead of God’s timing at a crossroad of decision, you risk stepping outside of His will and missing His blessings. But by waiting until He gives clear direction, you will walk in His peace with certainty, instead of stumbling around in anxiety and confusion.

Everyday Dangers

He who splits logs is endangered by them.

Ecclesiastes 10:9

Oppressors may enforce their will on poor and needy men just as easily as they can split logs of wood, but they better be careful, for it is a dangerous business, and a splinter from a tree has often killed the woodsman. Jesus is persecuted in every injured saint, and He is strong to avenge His loved ones. Success in treading down the poor and needy is a thing to be trembled at: If the persecutors do not face immediate danger, they will face great danger in the end.

To split logs is a common everyday business, and yet it has its dangers. So then, reader, there are dangers connected with your calling and daily life that it will be good for you to be aware of. We do not refer to hazards by flood and field or by disease and sudden death, but to perils of a spiritual sort. Your occupation may be as humble as log splitting, and yet the devil can tempt you in it. You may be a domestic servant, a farm laborer, or a mechanic, and you may be greatly shielded from temptations to the bigger vices, and yet some secret sin may undo you. Those who live at home and do not mingle with the rough world may still be endangered by their very seclusion. The one who thinks himself safe is safe nowhere! Pride may enter a poor man’s heart; greed may reign in a cottager’s bosom; uncleanness may venture into the quietest home; and anger and envy and malice may insert themselves into the most rural dwelling.

Even in speaking a few words to a doorman we may sin; a small purchase at a shop may be the first link in a chain of temptations; the mere looking out of a window may be the beginning of evil. Lord, how exposed we are! How shall we be saved! To keep ourselves is a work too hard for us: Only You Yourself are able to preserve us in such an evil world. Spread Your protection over us, and we, like little chickens, will cower down beneath You and feel ourselves safe!

Surrendered to God EPHESIANS 5:15-17

T o make us useful servants for His kingdom. God desires to break our self-will–our independent streak that puts “self” first. He doesn’t want to break us; He just wants to transform those parts of us that do not reflect Jesus Christ.

Our heavenly Father sees who we really are, so He targets those areas in our life that will hinder Christian growth. Attitudes of pride, jealousy, anger, and unforgiveness need to be dealt with so that His divine love and truth will flow through us to others (Eph. 4:31-32). To promote change, He will bear down on us and maintain pressure until we respond. The Lord desires what is good for us and will do what is necessary to bring transformation in our thought life, attitudes, actions, and priorities.

I remember when our church staff were few in number. We had two live television programs to produce along with the rest of the responsibilities, so we all worked very hard. Eventually, great weariness forced me to stop serving for three months. I wondered what would happen in the congregation during my absence. It turns out the church grew in attendance, giving, and serving without me. The Lord knew that pride in my pastoral position would be a hindrance to future service. So He took steps to change me.

Through that time of brokenness, the Lord taught me a great lesson. Being yielded and obedient to God is what makes my service valuable to Him. Have you been cooperating with His work in your life? Transformation will take place when you surrender to the Father and cooperate with His Spirit.

That Long-Expected Day

Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty.

Isaiah 33:17

The more you know about Christ, the less will you be satisfied with superficial views of Him; and the more deeply you study His transactions in the eternal covenant, His engagements on your behalf as the eternal Security, and the fullness of His grace that shines in all His offices, the more truly will you see the King in His beauty. Learn to look at Him this way. Long increasingly to see Jesus.

Meditation and contemplation are often like windows of gold and gates of silver through which we behold the Redeemer. Meditation puts the telescope to the eye and enables us to see Jesus in a better fashion than we could have seen Him if we had lived in the days of His earthly sojourn. Our conversation ought to be more in heaven, and we should be more taken up with the person, the work, the beauty of our incarnate Lord. More meditation, and the beauty of the King would flash upon us with more splendor.

Beloved, it is very probable that we will have such a sight of our glorious King as we never had before when we come to die. Many saints in dying have looked up from amidst the stormy waters and have seen Jesus walking on the waves of the sea and heard Him say, “It is I—do not be afraid.” Yes, when the building begins to shake, and the mortar falls away, we will see Christ through the studs, and between the rafters the sunlight of heaven will come streaming in. But if we want to see the King face to face in all His beauty, we must go to heaven for the sight or the King must come here in person.

If only He would come on the wings of the wind! He is our Husband, and we are widowed by His absence; He is our fair and faithful Brother, and we are lonely without Him. Thick veils and clouds hang between our souls and their true life: When will the day break and the shadows run away? Let the long-expected day begin!

God’s Pathway of Brokenness 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10

To the human mind, the word “brokenness” can mean something needs to be fixed, is not as good as it was, or is no longer usable. In God’s kingdom, the word refers to a key element of the sanctification process–one that is beneficial for us.

At salvation, we received a new nature that desires to please God, but we still have our old selfish ways. These ingrained habits, attitudes, and values are based on a common theme–an inward desire to act independently of the Lord.

To become effective servants for God, we must let go of our self-righteousness that says, “I know what is right,” our self-will that claims, “I know what is best for me,” and our self-centeredness that declares, “What I want is most important.” Brokenness is one of the Lord’s tools for replacing self-serving attitudes with Christlike ones. During this difficult but vitally important process, the Holy Spirit works to remove every obstacle that prevents our complete surrender to Christ’s lordship and obedience to Him.

Why do we resist letting go of our own plan and embracing God’s? Sometimes we’re wrapped up in worldly entanglements and don’t want to release them. At other times we may fear what will happen if we follow God’s way.

When we resist the Holy Spirit’s leading, our relationship with the heavenly Father will suffer, and our influence and service will be negatively affected. But if we cooperate with the transformation process, we’ll discover that God’s power to change lives will be visible in our brokenness.

God’s Power on Our Behalf

Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.

Psalms 68:28

It is wise, as well as necessary, to beseech God continually to strengthen what He has worked in us. Failure to do so finds many Christians blaming themselves for those trials and afflictions of spirit that arise from unbelief. It is true that Satan seeks to flood the fair garden of the heart and make it a scene of desolation, but it is also true that many Christians leave open the floodgates themselves and let in the dreadful deluge as a result of carelessness and lack of prayer to their strong Helper.

We often forget that the Author of our faith must be the Preserver of it also. The lamp that was burning in the temple was never allowed to go out, but it had to be replenished every day with fresh oil; in the same way, our faith can only live by being sustained with the oil of grace, and we can only obtain this from God Himself. We will fail if we do not secure the needed sustenance for our lamps. He who built the world upholds it, or it would fall in one tremendous crash. He who made us Christians must maintain us by His Spirit, or our ruin will be speedy and final.

So let us, then, evening by evening, go to our Lord for the grace and strength we need. We have a strong argument to plead, for it is His own work of grace that we ask Him to strengthen—”the power . . . by which you have worked for us.” Do you think He will fail to protect and provide that? Let your faith simply take hold of His strength, and all the powers of darkness, led by the master fiend of hell, cannot cast a cloud or shadow over your joy and peace. Why faint when you can be strong? Why suffer defeat when you may conquer? Take your wavering faith and faltering graces to Him who can revive and replenish them, and earnestly pray, “Summon your power, O God . . . by which you have worked for us.”

Standing Firm with Jesus JOHN 10:7-10

In our daily routine, it is easy to live with a worldly mindset. When our thoughts turn away from God, we can become dangerously self-dependent. In such situations, there is a spiritual battle ensuing, with high stakes. Victory demands more than floating through each day. This war requires our alert and purposeful reliance upon Christ.

First Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The Enemy knows our nature and weaknesses. He whispers doubt and deception in order to accomplish his goal.

We know that the ultimate victory is God’s, but Satan’s traps still lead many astray. How can we avoid giving in to the temptation that leads away from God’s best for our lives and causes devastation?

Jesus was tempted during His 40-day fast in the wilderness. Consider how He stood firm against the Enemy: He stayed connected to His Father and submitted to God’s will. We can likewise surrender daily to the Father’s way, dying to our own desires and plans. And notice that when our Lord encountered a temptation, He resisted Satan with Scripture. The best weapon for fighting falsehood is truth. And we can emulate Jesus, who knew He had authority over Satan and commanded him to flee.

Don’t let the world lull you into managing life on your own. There’s a battle raging, and you have an enemy whose goal is to take your eyes off Christ, to destroy your life, and to steal glory from God. Our King has the victory, but we must remain alert and connected to His truth.

The Church’s Special Privilege

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray.

Luke 18:1

Jesus has sent His Church into the world on the same errand upon which He Himself came, and this mission includes intercession. What if I say that the Church is the world’s priest? Creation is dumb, but the Church finds a mouth for it. It is the Church’s high privilege to pray with acceptance. The door of grace is always open for her petitions, and they never return empty-handed. The curtain was torn for her; the blood was sprinkled upon the altar for her; God constantly invites her to bring her requests. Will she refuse the privilege that angels might envy? Is she not the bride of Christ? Can she not approach her King at any hour? Will she allow the precious privilege to be unused?

The Church always needs to pray. There are always some among her who are declining or falling into open sin. There are lambs to be prayed for, that they may be carried in Christ’s bosom; the strong, lest they grow presumptuous; and the weak, lest they become despairing. If we kept up prayer-meetings twenty-four hours a day all the days in the year, we might never be without a special subject for supplication.

Is there ever a time when no one is sick or poor or afflicted or wavering? Is there ever a time when we do not seek the conversion of relatives, the reclaiming of backsliders, or the salvation of the lost? With congregations constantly gathering, with ministers always preaching, with millions of sinners lying dead in trespasses and sins—in a country over which the darkness of religious formalism is certainly descending—in a world full of idols, cruelties, devils—if the Church does not pray, how will she excuse her neglect of the commission of her loving Lord? Let the Church be constant in supplication; let every private believer give himself to the ministry of prayer.

Enduring Satanic Attacks EPHESIANS 6:10-14

Every believer faces temptation. Take a moment to recall a particularly enticing situation involving something that would displease God. Did you realize you were involved in a satanic battle?

The Devil is real. Scripture reveals that he leads an army of fallen angels and is prideful enough to think he can gain victory over God. By definition, a satanic attack is a deliberate assault upon an individual, which is designed to cause spiritual, physical, material, or emotional harm. Satan desires to thwart the Lord’s purpose in believers’ lives, to rob them of joy and peace, and ultimately to deny God the worship He receives through yielded followers.

As in any war, knowing the enemy’s plan helps us prepare for the attack. First, be aware that the battlefield takes place in our minds. To walk in a godly manner with Christ, we must first be sure that our thoughts are in submission to His Spirit. This takes daily surrender and time in God’s Word. Second, Satan tempts us during vulnerable moments. Be cautious when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (This is often known as the H.A.L.T. warning). Third, he is deceptive; we won’t recognize the trap as an evil scheme. Instead, it will seem good, and we’ll likely wrestle with some sort of doubt.

As Christians, we should walk closely with Jesus. Satan desires to lure us into destructive actions that rob us of God’s plan for a good, full life. Stay connected to the Savior: read the Word, pray, and fellowship with other believers. These are weapons we use against the Devil in spiritual war.

Christ’s Example

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

If ever a man might have lived without prayer, it was our spotless, perfect Lord, and yet no one ever prayed as much as He! His love for His Father was such that He loved to be in communion with Him. His love for His people was such that He desired to be regularly interceding for them.

The fact that Jesus placed such importance on prayer is a lesson for us—He has given us an example that we may follow in His steps. The time He chose was admirable—it was the hour of silence when the crowd would not disturb Him, the time of inaction when everyone else had stopped work, and the season when sleep made men forget their difficulties and stop applying to Him for relief. While others found rest in sleep, He refreshed Himself with prayer. The place was also well selected. He was alone where none would intrude, where none could observe: And so He was free from Pharisaic ostentation and vulgar interruption. Those dark and silent hills provided a suitable prayer chapel for the Son of God. Heaven and earth in midnight stillness heard the groans and sighs of the mysterious Being in whom both worlds were blended.

The continuance of His pleadings is remarkable: The passing hours were not too long; the cold wind did not chill His devotions; the grim darkness did not cloud His faith or loneliness prevent His persistence. We fail to watch with Him for one hour, but He never fails to watch for us night and day. The occasion for this prayer is notable; it was after His enemies had been enraged. Prayer was His refuge and solace; it was before He dispatched the twelve apostles. Prayer was the gate of His enterprise, the herald of His new work. Should we not learn from Jesus to resort to special prayer when we are under peculiar trial or considering new ventures for the Master’s glory? Lord Jesus, teach us to pray

The Wages of Sin ROMANS 6:21-23

God sent His Son to take your punishment by dying in your place. Unless believers understand this provision, they will doubt their salvation. We can’t be good enough to earn heaven. Man is born with a corrupted nature; therefore, we will at times sin, no matter how hard we try not to. The Bible compares our attempts at righteous deeds to filthy rags (Isa. 64:6).

On its own, mankind has but one option with regard to sin: to die in it and spend eternity separated from God. But the Father so loved the world that He chose to punish His Son in our place (John 3:16). It was a severe price to pay. Holy God cannot look upon the filth of sin, so when Jesus became sin for all mankind, the Father had to turn away (2 Cor. 5:21). The physical suffering of crucifixion was terrible, but nothing compared to Jesus’ wrenching horror when the Father turned His back. The devastated Messiah cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34).

Throughout eternity past, the Father and Son had never been separated. Jesus accepted this ultimate punishment so we wouldn’t have to. When Paul said that the wages of sin was death, he was referring to eternal separation from God (Rom. 6:23). We are saved and live forever with the Lord because of what Jesus has done.

The Savior took our place and accepted humanity’s punishment for sin. He and the Father have done the hard work of salvation so we can reap the benefits and rewards of faith. If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He died for your sins, then you are saved.

The Best for You

He chose our heritage for us.

Psalms 47:4

Believer, if your inheritance is meager, you should be satisfied with your earthly portion; for you may rest assured that it is best for you. Unerring wisdom ordained your lot and selected for you the safest and best condition. When a ship of large tonnage is to be brought up a river that has a large sandbank, if someone should ask, “Why does the captain steer through the deep part of the channel and deviate so much from a straight line?” his answer would be, “Because I could not get my ship into harbor at all if I did not keep to the deep channel.”

In the same way you would run aground and suffer shipwreck if your divine Captain did not steer you into the depths of affliction where waves of trouble follow each other in quick succession. Some plants die if they have too much sunshine. It may be that you are planted where you get only a little, but you are put there by the loving Farmer because only in that situation will you produce fruit unto perfection.

Remember this: If any other condition had been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there. You are placed by God in the most suitable circumstances, and if you could choose your lot, you would soon cry, “Lord, choose my heritage for me, for by my self-will I am pierced through with many sorrows.” Be content with the things you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God. Busy self and proud impatience must be put down; it is not for them to choose, but for the Lord of Love!

Trials must and will befall—
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,
This is happiness to me.

Assurance of Salvation 1 JOHN 5:10-13

Many of the people who call In Touch have questions about their salvation. They are frustrated to feel uncertainty about such an important issue. Today’s devotion is a three-part salvation assessment. Answer yes to every question, and you can be sure that you are in God’s family and destined for an eternity in His presence. Answer no, and you’ll know exactly what issue to talk over with your pastor or a spiritual mentor.

1. Do I trust Scripture? Salvation is a simple process: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Either we trust that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world (including ours), or we don’t (John 3:16).

2. Do I accept the witness of the Holy Spirit? Anyone who believes in Jesus has the witness dwelling within his or her being. That is, the Spirit testifies to our identity as God’s children (Rom. 8:16). It’s not about whether we feel saved; God’s Spirit offers an abiding conviction that we are.

3. Do I walk like a follower of Jesus? Those who are in Christ are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). If we have been transformed, there are going to be changes in our life. Simply put, true believers are creatures who seek the things of God–they desire to read and understand His Word, they want to gather with His people, etc.

Confirmed Christ-followers still sin. Some even backslide for a time. No matter how crooked our walk of faith, the Holy Spirit continues to convict. He cannot allow us to be satisfied with wrongdoing. That tug of guilt over sin is yet another assurance that you have placed yourself in God’s grip.

Expect Persecution

It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher.

Matthew 10:25

No one will dispute this statement, for it would not be proper for the pupil to be exalted above his Teacher. When our Lord was on earth, what was the treatment He received? Were His claims acknowledged, His instructions followed, His perfections worshiped by those whom He came to bless? No. “He was despised and rejected by men.”¹ His place was outside the city: Cross-bearing was His occupation. Did the world provide Him with comfort and rest? “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.”² This inhospitable country provided Him no shelter: It cast Him out and crucified Him.

If you are a follower of Jesus and maintain a consistent, Christlike walk and behavior, you must expect to experience persecution and rejection also. Your Christian testimony will be scrutinized and criticized. People will treat it as they treated the Savior—they will despise it. Do not imagine that pagans will admire you or that the more holy and the more Christlike you are, the more peaceably people will act toward you. If they did not prize the polished gem, do you think that they will esteem the rough cut jewel? If they have referred to Jesus as Satan, how much more will they denigrate the teacher’s disciples? If we were more like Christ, we would be more hated by His enemies.

It is a sad dishonor to a child of God to be the world’s favorite. It is a very bad omen to hear a wicked world clap its hands and shout “Well done” to the Christian man. He may begin to look to his character and wonder whether he has been doing wrong when the unrighteous give him their approval. Let us be true to our Master and have no friendship with a blind and base world that scorns and rejects Him. Far be it from us to seek a crown of honor where our Lord found only a crown of thorns.

¹Isaiah 53:3 ²Matthew 8:20

Instruction from the Lord MATTHEW 16:21-24

At times we may struggle with directions we receive from the Lord. We question whether they are from Him because they . . .

Clash with our personal desires. The mother of James and John asked that her sons sit beside Jesus in heaven. The Lord said no to her selfish ambition and called her sons to a life of humble service to others (Matt. 20:20-28).

Conflict with our human reasoning. Some of the disciples expected Jesus to rule as the long-prophesied King. When He told them He was going to be killed by the religious leaders, His words didn’t line up with their thinking about the future.

Challenge our faith. Christ told the disciples that He would be resurrected on the third day (Matt. 16:21). Peter and the others had to accept Jesus’ words even though many people of the day–including some religious leaders–did not believe in the resurrection of the body (Matt. 22:23).

God’s direction may call for courage as well. We see this clearly in Joshua’s life. The Lord appointed him as the leader who would take Israel into the Promised Land (Josh. 1:1-6). Our heavenly Father may ask us to become a leader in our local church, to participate in a missions trip, or to serve those who are hard to love. He wants us to step forward bravely and obey.

Following God shouldn’t involve guesswork. Scripture is a good source for confirming divine direction, as our Father won’t give any guidance that is contrary to biblical principles. Receiving godly counsel from a pastor or mature believer can also reassure us that we’ve heard correctly (Prov. 15:22).

Do Not Doubt

His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Isaiah 33:16

Christian, do you doubt whether God will fulfill His promise? Will the fortresses of rock be swept away by a storm? Will the storehouses of heaven fail? Do you think that your heavenly Father, even though He knows that you need food and clothes, will forget you? When not a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge, and the very hairs of your head are all numbered, will you mistrust and doubt Him? Perhaps your affliction will continue upon you until you dare to trust God, and then it will end.

There have been many who have been tried and troubled until at last they have been driven in sheer desperation to exercise faith in God, and the moment of their faith has been the instant of their deliverance; they have seen whether God would keep His promise or not. So I urge you, doubt Him no longer! Do not please Satan, and do not trouble yourself by indulging any more those hard thoughts of God. Do not imagine that it is a small matter to doubt Jehovah. Remember, it is a sin; and not a little sin either, but in the highest degree criminal. The angels never doubted Him, nor the devils either.

We alone, out of all the beings whom God has fashioned, dishonor Him by unbelief and tarnish His honor by mistrust. Shame on us for this! Our God does not deserve to be so poorly treated; in our past life we have proved Him to be true and faithful to His word, and with so many instances of His love and of His kindness as we have received and are daily receiving at His hands, it is base and inexcusable that we allow a doubt to lodge within our heart. From now on let us resolve to wage constant war against doubts of our God—enemies to our peace and to His honor—and with an unstaggering faith believe that what He has promised He will also perform. “I believe; help my unbelief!”¹

¹Mark 9:24

Recognizing God’s Voice JOHN 10:14-16

Children seem to have special hearing when it comes to their parents’ voices. They recognize when their mother or father is talking, regardless of how many other people are around.

In a similar way, Jesus assures us that we will be able to distinguish His voice among the insistent cries and conflicting opinions of our world (John 10:27). He promises we will be able to “hear” Him, even though He doesn’t speak in audible words–one reason is that He has given us His Holy Spirit, who knows exactly what Christ is saying and will provide us with the wisdom to understand.

Have you ever noticed the way some children pretend not to hear their parents so they won’t have to obey? Sometimes we can be like that–we might fail to recognize the heavenly Father’s direction because of our own self-centeredness. We intently focus on what we want and ignore any opposing instruction.

There is another obstacle to hearing the Lord: impatience. Just like the culture we live in, we want answers right now. This tendency can cause us to listen to the wrong speaker. Surrendering our personal desires and fixing our attention on what matters to God will make it easier for us to discern His voice.

When Peter acted on his own ideas, he encountered difficulty. But when he gave up his way and listened to Jesus, he became a disciple to whom Christ could entrust kingdom work (John 21:17). Have you learned to distinguish the Lord’s voice from the noise around you?

Invite Him In

The teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?

Mark 14:14

Jerusalem at the time of the Passover was one great inn; each householder had invited his own friends, but no one had invited the Savior, and He had no dwelling of His own. It was by His own supernatural power that He found Himself an upper room in which to keep the feast. This is still the case today—Jesus is not received among the sons of men except when by His supernatural power and grace He makes the heart anew. All doors are open enough to the prince of darkness, but Jesus must clear a way for Himself or lodge in the streets.

On account of the mysterious power exerted by our Lord, the householder raised no question but at once cheerfully and joyfully opened his guest room. Who he was and what he was we do not know, but he willingly accepted the honor that the Redeemer proposed to confer upon him. In similar fashion we can still discover who are the Lord’s chosen and who are not, for when the Gospel comes to some, they fight against it and will not have it; but where men receive it, welcoming it, this is a sure indication that there is a secret work going on in the soul and that God has appointed them to eternal life. Are you willing, dear reader, to receive Christ?

Then there is no difficulty in the way. Christ will be your guest; His own power is working with you, making you willing. What an honor to entertain the Son of God! The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and yet He condescends to find a house within our hearts! We are not worthy that He should come under our roof, but what an unutterable privilege when He condescends to enter! For then He makes a feast and causes us to feast with Him upon His royal provision; we sit at a banquet where the food is immortal and provides immortality to those who feed on it. Blessed among the sons of Adam is he who entertains the angels’ Lord.