Morning   “Sanctify them through thy truth.”    John 17:17

 Sanctification begins in regeneration. The Spirit of God infuses into man that

new living principle by which he becomes “a new creature” in Christ Jesus. This

work, which begins in the new birth, is carried on in two ways–mortification,

whereby the lusts of the flesh are subdued and kept under; and vivification, by

which the life which God has put within us is made to be a well of water

springing up unto everlasting life. This is carried on every day in what is

called “perseverance,” by which the Christian is preserved and continued in a

gracious state, and is made to abound in good works unto the praise and glory of

God; and it culminates or comes to perfection, in “glory,” when the soul,

 being thoroughly purged, is caught up to dwell with holy beings at the right

hand of the Majesty on high. But while the Spirit of God is thus the author of

sanctification, yet there is a visible agency employed which must not be

forgotten. “Sanctify them,” said Jesus, “through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The passages of Scripture which prove that the instrument of our sanctification

is the Word of God are very many. The Spirit of God brings to our minds the

precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in

the ear, and being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of

God’s good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear

 or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in

sound living as we progress in sound understanding. “Thy word is a lamp unto my

feet and a light unto my path.” Do not say of any error, “It is a mere matter of

opinion.” No man indulges an error of judgment, without sooner or later

tolerating an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by so holding the

truth shall you be sanctified by the Spirit of God.

Evening  “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul

unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” Psalm 24:4

 Outward practical holiness is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared

that many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in

such a way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive

everlasting contempt at the last great day. If our hands are not clean, let us

wash them in Jesus’ precious blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God.

But “clean hands” will not suffice, unless they are connected with “a pure

heart.” True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the

platter as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy

altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves

 than our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and

hence the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all

others are but blind bats.

 The man who is born for heaven “hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.” All

men have their joys, by which their souls are lifted up; the worldling lifts up

his soul in carnal delights, which are mere empty vanities; but the saint loves

more substantial things; like Jehoshaphat, he is lifted up in the ways of the

Lord. He who is content with husks, will be reckoned with the swine. Does the

world satisfy thee? Then thou hast thy reward and portion in this life; make

much of it, for thou shalt know no other joy.

 “Nor sworn deceitfully.” The saints are men of honour still. The Christian man’s

word is his only oath; but that is as good as twenty oaths of other men. False

speaking will shut any man out of heaven, for a liar shall not enter into God’s

house, whatever may be his professions or doings. Reader, does the text before

us condemn thee, or dost thou hope to ascend into the hill of the Lord?

If we endure, we will also reign with him.   2 Timothy 2:12 

We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ and with Christ if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting in Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not suffering with Christ and have no hope of reigning with Him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian’s sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer.

If we are rash and imprudent and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord’s battles with the devil’s weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in troubles that come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ.

When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not suffering for God. Moreover, suffering that God accepts must have God’s glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name or win applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is required also that love for Jesus and love for His people should always be the mainspring of all our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness.

Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we do suffer in this way, what is our “slight momentary affliction”1 compared with reigning with Him? Oh, it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honor to stand in the jail with Him, that if there were no future reward, we might count ourselves happy in present honor; but when the recompense is so eternal, so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the cross with enthusiasm and go on our way rejoicing?

12 Corinthians 4:16

Family Reading Plan    Isaiah 65    Matthew 13

Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon. In fact, many believers do these yet remain stagnant in their walk. There are two elements necessary for us to become more like Jesus: instruction and involvement.

The first of these, learning truth, is vital to a healthy walk with God. Our Savior proved the importance of instruction by devoting much of His time on earth to it. The apostle Paul is another example, as he wrote letters to educate Christians about godliness.

So how can we gain knowledge and understanding? One of the most important and effective ways is to read the Word of God. Scripture instructs us that just as newborns crave milk, we are to desire His Word so that we might grow. I pray your spiritual thirst will become insatiable.

Yet simply listening to the truth does not mean that we’ve acquired it. I know many people who love attending Bible studies and expanding their knowledge base, but their lives remain unchanged. Just as today’s passage teaches, we have to apply the Word to our lives. Even so, actual growth requires more than merely inputting information. It requires action. James 2:26 states, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

Are we careless hearers, deceived into thinking that we’re growing? Or are we listening intently and abiding in the truth? If we’re truly maturing, our lives will be increasingly Christlike, and our desires will align more closely with God’s heart. Make sure that you are listening and responding to His truth.

 The concept of “shelf life” has always intrigued me. It is an expression that describes exactly what it attempts to define. For instance, Twinkies have a shelf life of twenty-five days, after which, their existence on the shelf as something edible expires. But shelf life is also an expression that is metaphorically full. One might say of “Cabbage Patch Kids” that they were once a quite a phenomenon; shoppers were injured as the dolls were pulled off the shelves and seized by anxious crowds. But the craze was relatively short-lived; as far as fads go, the shelf life was fairly brief.  

 In high school chemistry we took in the ponderous thought that everything has a shelf life. In fact, in many substances this is an incredibly important number to watch. A variety of compounds, particularly those containing certain unstable elements, become more unstable as they approach their shelf life. Chemical explosives grow increasingly dangerous over time and with exposure to certain factors in the environment becoming liable to explode without warning.

 There is a tendency to view ideas and thoughts as having a similar aging process. When something is deemed ancient or even slightly “behind the times” it is often accordingly considered obsolete. As if it has become out-dated like a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk, the aging thought or idea, in many minds, grows more unusable with time. And in many cases, history has shown this to be an accurate picture. Certain philosophies might come to mind as movements that rendered themselves useless over time and exposure to the world. Like compounds approaching their shelf life, their collapse was inevitable and they eventually imploded without warning.

 Ideas undeniably have consequences and some approach their shelf lives more dangerously than others. While some have not fully burst at the seams, signs of instability appear. Grumbles of discontent from within their own ideological camps may hint at incoherence. Even so, the noticeable shelf life of specific ideas should cause us to question the cause of their expiration, rather than assume it is time alone that moves an idea to expire. 

 This is no doubt well-studied in science. Factors that increase and decrease the shelf life of a product move well beyond time itself. When certain compounds are stored at decreased temperatures, their shelf life is increased significantly. Likewise, the development of preservatives dramatically set back the expiration dates on food in our pantries. Like compounds and breakfast items, all ideas do not expire equally. We are thus badly mistaken to dismiss a thought solely because it is old.

 The ancient psalmist speaks of God’s hope as something that does not expire. “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them” (119:140). Extending through generation after generation, the promises of God stand untouched and unphased by a changing environment. Personally I know how often I have learned the hard way, thinking that surely modern thought has improved the idea, only to find myself returning to words commanded generations ago. Again and again God’s own discover a reason to love the promising hope of Father, Son, and Spirit: “I have learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.”

 Perhaps God’s Spirit is the ultimate preservative. God’s love is not offered without depth; God’s promises are filled with the intention of life. They have been thoroughly tested and have yet to expire. 

 Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Morning    “The ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven wellfavoured and fat

kine.”     Genesis 41:4

 Pharaoh’s dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have

ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my

seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency

and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances

in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean

duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and

peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the

spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven,

the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my

soul.

 When the caterpillars of indifference, the cankerworms of worldliness, and the

palmerworms of self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my

soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me

nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no

ill-favoured hours! If every day I journeyed towards the goal of my desires I

should soon reach it, but backsliding leaves me still far off from the prize of

my high calling, and robs me of the advances which I had so laboriously made.

The only way in which all my days can be as the “fat kine,” is to feed them in

the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His

 company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than

the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy?–I am nearer the celestial hills, I

have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep

far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, “My leanness,

my leanness, woe unto me!” but may I be well-fed and nourished in thy house,

that I may praise thy name.

Evening    “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”    2 Timothy 2:12

 We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are

not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever

you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not “suffering with Christ,” and

have no hope of reigning with him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all

a Christian’s sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he

be called by God to suffer. If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions

for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question

whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion

take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of

 Scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord’s battles with the devil’s

weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in

troubles which come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are

suffering with Christ. When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted

her, she was not suffering for God. Moreover, suffering which God accepts must

have God’s glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win

applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite

also that love to Jesus, and love to his elect, be ever the mainspring of all

our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness,

 and forgiveness. Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we

do thus suffer, what is our “light affliction” compared with reigning with him?

Oh it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honour to

stand in the pillory with him, that if there were no future reward, we might

count ourselves happy in present honour; but when the recompense is so eternal,

so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the

cross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing?

To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.   Psalm 28:1 

A cry is the natural expression of sorrow, and a suitable utterance when all other modes of appeal fail us; but the cry must be alone directed to the Lord, for to cry to man is to waste our entreaties upon the air. When we consider the readiness of the Lord to hear and His ability to aid, we shall see good reason for directing all our appeals at once to the God of our salvation. It will be in vain to call to the rocks in the day of judgment, but our Rock attends to our cries.

“Be not deaf to me.” Mere formalists may be content without answers to their prayers, but genuine suppliants cannot; they are not satisfied with the results of prayer itself in calming the mind and subduing the will—they must go further and obtain actual replies from heaven or they cannot rest; and those replies they long to receive at once—they dread even a little of God’s silence.

God’s voice is often so terrible that it shakes the wilderness; but His silence is equally full of awe to an eager suppliant. When God seems to close His ear, we must not therefore close our mouths but rather cry with more earnestness; for when our note grows shrill with eagerness and grief, He will not long deny us a hearing. What a dreadful case we would be in if the Lord should become forever deaf to our prayers. “Lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.” Deprived of the God who answers prayer, we would be in a more pitiable plight than the dead in the grave and would soon sink to the same level as the lost in hell. We must have answers to prayer: Ours is an urgent case of dire necessity; surely the Lord will speak peace to our agitated minds, for He never can find it in His heart to permit His own elect to perish.

Family Reading Plan   Isaiah 64    Matthew 12

Modern-day Christians can learn some good lessons from Old Testament prayers. When Jehoshaphat beseeched God for help, he struck a balance between asking the Lord to meet his needs and proclaiming His greatness. Likewise, our requests shouldbe made with recognition of who God is. Otherwise, the focus of our prayers becomes need, weakness, failure, or fear.

Jehoshaphat cried out to God about his terrible predicament, but he also exalted the Lord’s attributes, acknowledging the great things He had done. When we pray like this, we become stronger, bolder, and more forthright. That’s why knowing the Word of God is so important. When we read about how the Lord worked in the lives of others, we understand His awesome power and might. Then we can look to the men and women of the Old Testament as an example and begin to pray in a similar way. God’s wonder-working power is still available today, and He wants His children to access it.

By proclaiming, “Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You” (v. 6), Jehoshaphat was praising God and at the same time reminding himself of the Lord’s greatness. As you pray, remind God of His mercy, talk to Him about His grace, and recall His mighty power.

Do you want to revolutionize your prayer life? If you focus as much attention on declaring the attributes of the Lord as you do on making requests, your prayers will take on a whole new dimension. They’ll cease to be self-centered and instead will become God-centered.

A powerful story is told of the bombing raids of World War II where thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. After experiencing the fright of abandonment, many of these children were rescued and sent to refugee camps where they received food and shelter. Yet even in the presence of good care, they had experienced so much loss that many of them could not sleep at night. They were terrified they would awake to find themselves once again homeless and hungry. Nothing the adults did seemed to reassure them, until someone thought to send a child to bed with a loaf of bread. Holding onto their bread, the children were able to sleep. If they woke up frightened in the night, the bread seemed to remind them, “I ate today and I will eat again tomorrow.”(1) 

Hours before he was arrested, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the time ahead of them, days they would face without his physical presence. “In a little while,” he said, “you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” Reasonably, at his words the disciples were confused. “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying,” they grumbled. Jesus answered with more than reassurance. To their confusion and uncertainty, perhaps also to their fears of the worst and visions of the best, Jesus responded with something they could hold on to. Concluding his last conversation with them before the cross, he said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  

Like children with bread holding onto what gives us life, Jesus offers peace in uncertainty, mercy in brokenness, something solid when all is lost. He speaks of peace can that transcend understanding when we cling to the one who gives us life. It is worth noting that his use of the word “peace” here portrays a quiet state of mind, which is infinitely dissimilar to a mind that has been silenced by coercion or despair—emotions some associate with religion. To these, the gospel is good news. It is as if Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you might be thoroughly quieted by what gives you life.”

When the Apostle Paul wrote down the now oft-quoted instruction “Do not worry about anything,” he had every reason to be anxious about everything. In prison and facing days unquestionably out of his control, Paul was undeniably holding on to something solid. “The Lord is near,” he wrote from a jail cell. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(2)

Paul does not promise that followers of Jesus will not see darkness or sorrow anymore than he himself was avoiding it or Jesus himself escaped it. But he does promise, as clearly as Jesus promised the disciples, that there is a reason for hope in the best and worst of times. The Lord who is near has overcome the world in which we will continue to find trouble. The mystery of Christ is that somehow even in the midst of trouble he can answer the cries of our hearts with more than reassurance.

For the Christian, to be found in Christ means to be thoroughly stilled by who Christ is. His victory gives life, and the surety of that victory gives peace that transcends all things. Like children pacified by the assurance of bread, we are invited to hold the very bread of life, a hope more solid than fear.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Story told in Dennis Linn’s Sleeping with Bread, (New York: Paulist, 1995), 1.

(2) Philippians 4:5b-7.

Morning “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them.” John 17:22

 Behold the superlative liberality of the Lord Jesus, for he hath given us his

all. Although a tithe of his possessions would have made a universe of angels

rich beyond all thought, yet was he not content until he had given us all that

he had. It would have been surprising grace if he had allowed us to eat the

crumbs of his bounty beneath the table of his mercy; but he will do nothing by

halves, he makes us sit with him and share the feast. Had he given us some small

pension from his royal coffers, we should have had cause to love him eternally;

but no, he will have his bride as rich as himself, and he will not have a glory

or a grace in which she shall not share. He has not been content

 with less than making us joint-heirs with himself, so that we might have equal

possessions. He has emptied all his estate into the coffers of the Church, and

hath all things common with his redeemed. There is not one room in his house the

key of which he will withhold from his people. He gives them full liberty to

take all that he hath to be their own; he loves them to make free with his

treasure, and appropriate as much as they can possibly carry. The boundless

fulness of his all-sufficiency is as free to the believer as the air he

breathes. Christ hath put the flagon of his love and grace to the believer’s

lip, and bidden him drink on forever; for could he drain it, he is welcome to do

 so, and as he cannot exhaust it, he is bidden to drink abundantly, for it is

all his own. What truer proof of fellowship can heaven or earth afford?

  “When I stand before the throne

Dressed in beauty not my own;

 When I see thee as thou art,

 Love thee with unsinning heart;

 Then, Lord, shall I fully know–

 Not till then–how much I owe.”

Evening “Ah Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power

and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” Jeremiah 32:17

 At the very time when the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, and when the sword,

famine and pestilence had desolated the land, Jeremiah was commanded by God to

purchase a field, and have the deed of transfer legally sealed and witnessed.

This was a strange purchase for a rational man to make. Prudence could not

justify it, for it was buying with scarcely a probability that the person

purchasing could ever enjoy the possession. But it was enough for Jeremiah that

his God had bidden him, for well he knew that God will be justified of all his

children. He reasoned thus: “Ah, Lord God! thou canst make this plot of ground

of use to me; thou canst rid this land of these oppressors; thou canst make

 me yet sit under my vine and my fig-tree in the heritage which I have bought;

for thou didst make the heavens and the earth, and there is nothing too hard for

thee.” This gave a majesty to the early saints, that they dared to do at God’s

command things which carnal reason would condemn. Whether it be a Noah who is to

build a ship on dry land, an Abraham who is to offer up his only son, or a Moses

who is to despise the treasures of Egypt, or a Joshua who is to besiege Jericho

seven days, using no weapons but the blasts of rams’ horns, they all act upon

God’s command, contrary to the dictates of carnal reason; and the Lord gives

them a rich reward as the result of their obedient faith. Would

 to God we had in the religion of these modern times a more potent infusion of

this heroic faith in God. If we would venture more upon the naked promise of

God, we should enter a world of wonders to which as yet we are strangers. Let

Jeremiah’s place of confidence be ours–nothing is too hard for the God that

created the heavens and the earth.

And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.   2 Chronicles 32:31 

Hezekiah was growing so inwardly great and priding himself so much upon the favor of God that self-righteousness crept in, and because he trusted in himself, the grace of God was for a time, in its more active operations, withdrawn. If the grace of God were to leave the best Christian, there is enough 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 to never leave us. “Take not Your Holy Spirit from me! Do not withdraw from us Your indwelling grace! Have You not said, ‘I, the LORD, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day’?1 Lord, keep us everywhere. Keep us when we’re in the valley so that we do not grumble against Your humbling hand; keep us when we’re on the mountain, so we do not lose our balance by being lifted up; keep us in youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age, when becoming conceited in our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools than those who are young and silly; keep us when we come to die, in case at the very end we should deny You! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us working, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need You, O our God!”

1Isaiah 27:3

Family Reading Plan   Isaiah 61  Matthew 9

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

God has a purpose and plan for your life, and His timing is perfect. Sometimes He answers our prayers with “yes” or “no.” But at other times, He says “not now”–when that is the case, we can avail ourselves of the rich rewards that come when we wait.

One very practical blessing is that God strengthens us as we lean on Him during delays. Isaiah 40:31 tells us that “those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.” We are given the metaphor of an eagle with wind beneath his wings. It is interesting to note that the words “wind” and “spirit” come from the same Greek word–pneuma. The spirit of God lifts us up, and His energy and strength sustain us as we abide in Him.

When we are facing a difficult decision, the real key is learning to wait. There is no verse of Scripture that tells us to take control and fight our own battles. God is the one who fights them on our behalf (2 Chron. 20:15). We are to be patient and trust in Him.

When David faced his greatest battles, he waited upon the Lord. God delivered him from destruction and set his feet on solid ground. (Ps. 40:1-3) He will do the same for you. When you abide in Him, He gives supernatural energy to accomplish the things He requires of you–His Spirit does for you what you cannot do for yourself.

In reading through the Scriptures, we see that every time one of God’s saints gains a victory, he or she is waiting and trusting in the Lord. You can likewise experience triumph in your life. When you have the omnipotent Creator of the universe acting on your behalf, you can’t lose.

 It is commendable that the city that never sleeps is at least taking naps. MetroNaps, a New York company that was founded in 2003 and tested at Carnegie Mellon University, provides a chance for over-worked employees, shoppers, and travelers to put their busy schedules on hold. The goal, to fight workplace fatigue, started with workers in Manhattan and has since spread in cities across four continents. The weary are offered a state-of-the-art sleep pod designed to maximize the invigorating effects of a brief rest. Appropriately, the gift of napping is also givable. “Nap Passes” can be purchased for stressed-out colleagues and bosses, friends, or family. 

The subject of busy lives and well-worn calendars is one that hits close to many homes. In fact, that busyness is the common denominator in so many of our lives can be seen in the marketing tactics of products from smart phones to portable breakfasts. Everything is meant to improve our demanding lives (or at least make the chains of busyness more comfortable).

 I remember an editorial which offered a proposal to counter these chains that bind us to clocks, blackberries, and inboxes, 24 hours a day. The suggestion, which the author admittedly referred to as radical, was to set aside a day, and in setting aside this day, to also set aside our electronics. Calling readers to take a day to refocus and reorder, he urged the world to give itself permission to take a full day off. “Maybe the ancients didn’t pick the number seven out of a hat,” he reasoned. “Perhaps they understood that human beings can only immerse themselves in commerce for six days at a stretch before losing touch with anything approaching a civic, social, or spiritual reality.”(1)

 The book of Exodus recounts this notion, though it is made clear it is not their idea. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day” (20:11). While each of the six days of God’s labor was pronounced good, God chose to set apart one day out of the seven, pronouncing it holy, something other, something set apart. In the form of a commandment, God then tells the people to keep it that way. Something about the seventh day was not to be forgotten. But more than rule or ritual, it was to be a sign between God and humanity for generations to come, “so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy” (Exodus 31:13). 

 But after centuries of living with the command to rest, it was a struggle to see it as anything more than a command. In this, Jesus found opportunity to remind the crowds, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath.”

 As I sit here daydreaming of sleep pods and power naps, I realize that we evidently need that reminder again and again. What if the seventh day is a gift, a nap pass—a gentle invitation? I suspect if we were to take rest seriously, we would discover that it is also a powerful sign between God and humanity. It is a day set apart from appointment books and pressing schedules to remind us that the most pressing aspect of our lives is that we are creatures made at the hands of another. Who we are is most authentically realized and most dynamically lived out when we are resting in the presence of God, sleeping like Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham and the care of a Father who guards us by day and night.(2) 

 Whether or not the notion of urban power-napping permanently catches on, the universal longing—and need—for rest may be far more important than we realize. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” said Jesus to a crowd in Galilee.(3) If we slow down long enough to consider it, we might remember that rest is not only a luxury, but that it is also a need. We might remember that the labor of God is far more significant than our own. We might remember—and rejoice—that the God who watches over us neither slumbers nor sleeps.

 Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

 (1) Douglas Rushkoff, “An Argument in Favor of a Day Off,” The New York Times, December 1999.
(2) See Luke 16:20, Psalm 121
(3) Matthew 11:28

Morning “Looking unto Jesus.” Hebrews 12:2

 It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but

Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make

us regard 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 have not the joy of his children; you have such a

wavering hold of Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we shall 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

all in all.” Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ

 that saves thee–it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee–it

is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument–it is

Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which

thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the

source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher

of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our

doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest

to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must

be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep thine eye simply on him; let his

 death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon

thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at

night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus;

follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

  “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.”

Evening “But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.” Exodus 7:12

 This incident is an instructive emblem of the sure victory of the divine

handiwork over all opposition. Whenever a divine principle is cast into the

heart, though the devil may fashion a counterfeit, and produce swarms of

opponents, as sure as ever God is in the work, it will swallow up all its foes.

If God’s grace takes possession of a man, the world’s magicians may throw down

all their rods; and every rod may be as cunning and poisonous as a serpent, but

Aaron’s rod will swallow up their rods. The sweet attractions of the cross will

woo and win the man’s heart, and he who lived only for this deceitful earth will

now have an eye for the upper spheres, and a wing to mount into celestial

 heights. When grace has won the day the worldling seeks the world to come. The

same fact is to be observed in the life of the believer. What multitudes of foes

has our faith had to meet! Our old sins–the devil threw them down before us,

and they turned to serpents. What hosts of them! Ah, but the cross of Jesus

destroys them all. Faith in Christ makes short work of all our sins. Then the

devil has launched forth another host of serpents in the form of worldly trials,

temptations, unbelief; but faith in Jesus is more than a match for them, and

overcomes them all. The same absorbing principle shines in the faithful service

of God! With an enthusiastic love for Jesus difficulties are

 surmounted, sacrifices become pleasures, sufferings are honours. But if

religion is thus a consuming passion in the heart, then it follows that there

are many persons who profess religion but have it not; for what they have will

not bear this test. Examine yourself, my reader, on this point. Aaron’s rod

proved its heaven-given power. Is your religion doing so? If Christ be anything

he must be everything. O rest not till love and faith in Jesus be the master

passions of your soul!

Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.  1 Corinthians 7:20

Some people have the foolish notion that the only way in which they can live for God is by becoming pastors, missionaries, or Bible teachers. How many would be excluded from any opportunity of spiritual usefulness if this were the case. Beloved, it is not office—it is sincerity; it is not position—it is grace that will enable us to serve and glorify God. God is definitely glorified at the workbench, where the godly worker fulfills his task singing of the Savior’s love. In this humble setting God is glorified far more than in many a lofty pulpit where official religion performs its scanty duties. The name of Jesus is glorified by the taxicab driver as he blesses God and speaks to his passengers of the living hope. He will be more useful than the popular preacher who goes about peddling the Gospel for profit. God is glorified when we serve Him in our proper vocations.

Take care, dear reader, that you do not neglect the path of duty by leaving your occupation, and take care you do not dishonor your profession while in it. Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every lawful trade may be sanctified by the Gospel to noblest ends. Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labor connected either with most daring deeds of faith or with persons whose lives have been illustrations of holiness.

Therefore do not be discontented with your calling. Whatever God has made your position or your work, remain in that, unless you are quite sure that He calls you to something else. Let your first concern be to glorify God to the best of your ability where you are. Fill your present sphere to His praise, and if He needs you in another, He will show it to you. This evening lay aside anxious ambition, and embrace peaceful content.

Family Reading Plan    Isaiah 59    Matthew 7

Christians sometimes approach obedience as a way of avoiding the negative consequences of disobedience. They see obedience as a burden, not as the road to blessing.

But God intended our walk of faith to be a great adventure, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ. Obedience is about expressing our love for and trust in God, not about avoiding unpleasant consequences. That is why John can say, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

When we place our trust in the omnipotence of the Lord and act on His prompting, life becomes worthwhile and purposeful. We need not be afraid of the future because God already knows the outcome of our obedience—and we can trust in His promise that He works everything out for our good (Rom. 8:28). Although we may not understand how, we are confident that the Lord is continuously moving us through a variety of circumstances toward His overriding purpose for our lives. However, if we fail to obey Him because of a mistaken desire for safety, we reject the opportunity for God to demonstrate His awesome power in us.

 Anyone who spends any amount of time with young children knows that continual questions accompany their journey of discovering the world around them. A recent visit with one of my nieces reminded me of the importance of questions for the development of her young mind. She fired off her questions one after another, often barely hearing my answer before rapidly and excitedly asking her next. 

Answering the persistent questions of my niece is one of the joys of my relationship with her. Every once in a while, she asks me a question that I am unable to answer for her in a way that satisfies. And so, she continues to ask the same question over and over again to no avail. Other times, she asks for things I cannot give to her, or that require me to tell her “no.” In spite of frequent “no’s” or my lack of a satisfactory answer, I am her aunt. She will continue to ask me questions because I am her aunt. She rests, even without answers, in our relationship.

 The parallels with our spiritual questions are obvious. There is hardly a day that goes by that most of us do not wonder about some puzzling question involving faith. Unlike the child-like questions of curiosity and discovery, these are often questions that fill us with doubt. These are the questions that challenge our trust; not only in the answers we’ve been given that may no longer satisfy, but also in the character of the one who does not provide the answer we are looking for or, worse, seems sometimes not to answer us at all. 

 The writings of Habakkuk recorded in the Old Testament are filled with questions and very few answers. Habakkuk is one of the final prophets of Judah prior to her exile. The situation is grim and Habakkuk is the bearer of bad news.  Indeed, the opening verse is often translated, “The burden which Habakkuk the prophet saw.”(1) Habakkuk’s burden involved carrying the weight of God’s impending judgment. Habakkuk could not understand, for example, the method of God’s judgment of Judah by the Chaldeans. Even though Habakkuk understands that God uses the Chaldeans to bring judgment, he wonders aloud, “Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without sparing?” (Habakkuk 1:13b, 17). As Habakkuk pours forth cries of woe against Judah for their oppression of the poor, their pride, and their idolatry, he still cries out for God to save. “In wrath remember mercy,” he prays.

 Habakkuk is clearly in conflict over God’s answer. The third and final chapter of this book records Habakkuk’s prayer: “Lord, I have heard the report about you and I fear.” He recounts the fearful record of God’s wrath poured out on other nations. This same wrath will come in the form of the Chaldeans against Judah, and Habakkuk trembles at the thought of it. “I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble.” Yet, in spite of the distress that is coming, Habakkuk trusts in the One who will remember mercy:

 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
and there be no fruit on the vines…
Yet, I will exalt in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.(2)
Recounting prayers made by King David and Moses before him, Habakkuk places his trust in the God who saved his people in generations long past. In this place of fearful waiting for God to answer with salvation, Habakkuk rests in a place without words or answers. It is a place of mystery and silence, a place in which the God who is and who has been his strength and salvation will again lift him up to the heights. 

 In our world of unanswered questions or in the difficult places where the answers are not what we want to hear, we are called to rest in this wordless place beyond answers.  Just as a young child rests in those relationships of trust, we can rest in God’s faithfulness from ages past. The wordless place can be for us the place of trust, instead of fear. 

 Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington. 

 (1) Habakkuk 1:1.  The word for “burden” is also translated “oracle.”  The Hebrew in Habakkuk is very difficult with many obscure Hebrew words that often do not occur anywhere else in the Old Testament. 
(2) Habakkuk 3:17, 18-19.  Verse 19 is a direct quote from 2 Samuel 22:34 and from Deuteronomy 33:29.