Everyone faces challenges in life. Whether our struggles are financial, vocational, relational, or physical, we can be certain that nobody is exempt. Fortunately, we serve a God who is both interested in our problems and able to take care of them.

When trouble looms, prayer is always a good first step to take. But having a foundation upon which to build our prayers also makes a difference. Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, faced an enormous challenge. Three different tribes–the Moabites,Amonites, and Meunites–simultaneously waged war against him. Most leaders would have crumbled under such pressure, or at the very least taken drastic measures, but Jehoshaphat was a wise king. Though afraid, he did not strike out against his enemies.Instead, knowing that God was interested in his dilemma, he “turned his attention to seek the Lord” and proclaimed a fast throughout the land (2 Chron. 20:1-3).

Jehoshaphat also knew that God, who was greater than any earthly problem, had done miraculous things for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Daniel. That same God would help him, too, in his hour of need. We should never underestimate the Lord’s interest in our affairs. He helped our ancestors in the Bible, and He can and will help His children today.

It’s easy to think our problems are unimportant in the eyes of God, but He doesn’t feel that way at all. Whatever concerns us concerns Him. If we, like Jehoshaphat, turn right to God and proclaim His power, He will intervene. And no matter how great our challenges are, God is greater.

With the numerous religions in the world, how can Christians claim exclusivity? I am often asked this question in different settings. But I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that the Christian faith is the only one that seems to have this question posed. The truth is that every major religion in the world claims exclusivity, and every major religion in the world has a point of exclusion.

 Hinduism, for example, is often represented as being the most tolerant and accepting of other faiths. That is just not true. All Hindus believe in two fundamental, uncompromising doctrines—the Law of Karma, and the belief in reincarnation. These will not be surrendered. In fact, Buddhism was born out of the rejection of two other very dogmatic claims of Hinduism. Buddha rejected the authority of the vedas and the caste system of Hinduism. The issue here is not who was right or wrong. The truth is that they were systemically different—both claiming rightness.

 Islam, as you know, is very clearly an exclusive claim to God. A Muslim will never tell you that it doesn’t matter what you believe or that all religions are true.

 But before we get upset with such claims, let us remember that it is the very nature of truth that presents us with this reality. Truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true. If everything is true, then nothing is false. And if nothing is false then it would also be true to say everything is false. We cannot have it both ways. One should not be surprised at the claims of exclusivity. The reality is that even those who deny truth’s exclusivity, in effect, exclude those who do not deny it. The truth quickly emerges. The law of non-contradiction does apply to reality: Two contradictory statements cannot both be true in the same sense. Thus, to deny the law of non-contradiction is to affirm it at the same time. You may as well talk about a one-ended stick as talk about truth being all-inclusive.

 So where does that leave us? We must not be surprised at truth claims but we must test them before we believe them. If the test demonstrates truth then we are morally compelled to believe it. And this is precisely the point from which many are trying to run. As G.K. Chesterton said, the problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried.

 Christ is either the immeasurable God or one dreadfully lost. Apply the tests of truth to the person and the message of Jesus Christ. You see not only his exclusivity, but also his uniqueness. 

 Ravi Zacharias is founder and chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

 

Morning    “Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”   1 Thessalonians 4:14

 Let us not imagine that the soul sleeps in insensibility. “Today shalt thou be

with me in paradise,” is the whisper of Christ to every dying saint. They “sleep

in Jesus,” but their souls are before the throne of God, praising him day and

night in his temple, singing hallelujahs to him who washed them from their sins

in his blood. The body sleeps in its lonely bed of earth, beneath the coverlet

of grass. But what is this sleep? The idea connected with sleep is “rest,” and

that is the thought which the Spirit of God would convey to us. Sleep makes each

night a Sabbath for the day. Sleep shuts fast the door of the soul, and bids all

intruders tarry for a while, that the life within may enter

 its summer garden of ease. The toil-worn believer quietly sleeps, as does the

weary child when it slumbers on its mother’s breast. Oh! happy they who die in

the Lord; they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. Their

quiet repose shall never be broken until God shall rouse them to give them their

full reward. Guarded by angel watchers, curtained by eternal mysteries, they

sleep on, the inheritors of glory, till the fulness of time shall bring the

fulness of redemption. What an awaking shall be theirs! They were laid in their

last resting place, weary and worn, but such they shall not rise. They went to

their rest with the furrowed brow, and the wasted features, but they

 wake up in beauty and glory. The shrivelled seed, so destitute of form and

comeliness, rises from the dust a beauteous flower. The winter of the grave

gives way to the spring of redemption and the summer of glory. Blessed is death,

since it, through the divine power, disrobes us of this work-day garment, to

clothe us with the wedding garment of incorruption. Blessed are those who “sleep

in Jesus.”

 

Evening “Howbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent

unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to

try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” 2 Chronicles 32:31

 Hezekiah was growing so inwardly great, and priding himself so much upon the

favour of God, that self-righteousness crept in, and through his carnal

security, the grace of God was for a time, in its more active operations,

withdrawn. Here is quite enough to account with the Babylonians; for if the

grace of God should leave the best Christian, there is enough of sin in his

heart to make him the worst of transgressors. If left to yourselves, you who are

warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness:

you who are sound in the faith would be white with the leprosy of false

doctrine; you who now walk before the Lord in excellency and integrity would

reel to and fro,  and stagger with a drunkenness of evil passion. Like the moon, we borrow our

light; bright as we are when grace shines on us, we are darkness itself when the

Sun of Righteousness withdraws himself. Therefore let us cry to God never to

leave us. “Lord, take not thy Holy Spirit from us! Withdraw not from us thine

indwelling grace! Hast thou not said, I the Lord do keep it; I will water it

every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day’? Lord, keep us

everywhere. Keep us when in the valley, that we murmur not against thy humbling

hand; keep us when on the mountain, that we wax not giddy through being lifted

up; keep us in youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age,

 when becoming conceited of our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools

than the young and giddy; keep us when we come to die, lest, at the very last,

we should deny thee! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us labouring, keep us

suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere

we need thee, O our God!”

Looking to Jesus.  Hebrews 12:2 

It is always the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus. But Satan’s work is just the opposite; he is constantly trying to make us look at ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you do not have the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold on Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within.

But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that Christ is everything. Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you–it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you–it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, although that is the instrument–it is Christ’s blood and merits.

Therefore, do not look so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ as to Christ; do not look to your hope but to Jesus, the source of your hope; do not look to your faith, but to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith.

We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our deeds, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we are to overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking to Jesus.”

Keep your eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession be fresh upon your mind. When you waken in the morning look to Him; when you lie down at night look to Him. Do not let your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Family Reading Plan   Isaiah 60   Matthew 8