Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  John 6:37

There is no expiration date on this promise. It does not merely say, “I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming,” but “I will never cast him out.” The original reads, “I will not, not cast out,” or “I will never, never cast out.” The text means that Christ will not at first reject a believer, and that as He will not do it at first, so He will not to the last.

But suppose the believer sins after coming? “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”1 But suppose that believers backslide? “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.”2 But believers may fall under temptation! “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”3 But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but He will “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”4

Once in Christ, in Christ forever,

Nothing from His love can sever.

Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”5 What do you say to this, O trembling, feeble mind? This is a precious mercy. Coming to Christ, you do not come to One who will treat you well for a little while and then send you about your business, but He will receive you and make you His bride, and you shall be His forever! Live no longer in the spirit of bondage to fear, but in the spirit of adoption, which cries, “Abba, Father!” Oh, the grace of these words: “I will never cast out.”

11 John 2:1 2Hosea 14:4 31 Corinthians 10:13 4Psalm 51:7

5John 10:28

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 26  Mark 12

 Matthew 5:3-16

Contrary to popular but poor theology, salvation doesn’t guarantee an easy life. It’s tempting to present the Christian faith as a safe haven from which to watch the world swirl past, the door keeping out hardship and letting in only obvious blessings. That brand of “faith” might sell well in the marketplace, but it isn’t real.

The truth is that in this world, we cannot escape conflict but must learn to face it with courage and wisdom. The joy of our faith is that the Lord gives us all we need to deal with whatever comes our way–and He’s able to use difficult things for good in our lives. We may feel tempted to just keep quiet and blend in rather than deal with ridicule. But while we’re called to be peacemakers, that doesn’t mean isolating ourselves from all who oppose our faith.

Consider the Lord’s example. While Jesus was fully God, He was also fully human; He understood the sting of rejection, just as we do (Heb. 4:15). Yet He was so fearless in challenging the status quo that religious leaders called for His death. He was at the center of controversy throughout His ministry, which is one reason He so often slipped away for time alone with His Father. So, when we are in the midst of persecution, we can come to know Him in a deep, new way.

Just as salt brings out the true flavor in food, our presence can impact those around us even when they criticize or reject us. Make a powerful impact on the world simply by being the person God created you to be. As you practice faithfulness, trust that He is at work!

 On any given week, three to five biographies make The New York Times best-seller list for non-fiction. Though historical biographies have changed with time, human interest in the genre is long-standing. The first known biographies were commissioned by ancient rulers to assure records of their accomplishments. The Old Testament writings, detailing the lives of patriarchs, prophets, and kings, are also some of the earliest biographies in existence. Throughout the Middle Ages, biographical histories were largely in the hands of monks; lives of martyrs and church fathers were recorded with the intention of edifying readers for years to come. Over time and with the invention of the printing press, biographies became increasingly influential and widely read, portraying a larger array of lives and their stories. 

 The popularity of the genre is understandable. As writer Thomas Carlyle once said, “Biography is the most universally pleasant and profitable of all reading.” Such books are pleasant because in reading the accounts of men and women in history, we find ourselves living in many places; they are profitable because in doing so, we hear fragments of our own stories. The questions and thoughts we considered our own suddenly appear before us in the life of another. The afflictions we find wearying are given meaning in the story of one who overcame much or the life of one who found hope in the midst of loss. Perhaps we move toward biography because we seem to know that life is too short to learn only by our own experience.  

 Christianity embraces a similar thought. The most direct attempt in Scripture to define faith is done so by the writer of Hebrews. The eleventh chapter begins, “Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.” To be honest, it is a definition that has always somewhat eluded me, and I was thankful to read I am not alone. John Wesley once observed of the same words, “There appears to be a depth in them, which I am in no wise able to fathom.” Perhaps recognizing the weight and mystery of faith and the difficulty of defining it, the writer of Hebrews immediately moves from this definition to descriptions of men and women who have lived “sure of hope” and “certain of the unseen.” From Noah and Abraham, to Rahab and saints left unnamed, we find faith moving across the pages of history, the gift of God sparkling in the eyes of the faithful, the hope by which countless lives were guided. In this brief gathering of biographies, the writer seems to tell us that faith is understood functionally as much as philosophically, and that our own faith is more fully understood by looking at lives God has changed long before ours. For in between the lines that describe any faithful man or woman is the God who makes faith possible in the first place. 

 At the end of his compelling list, the writer of Hebrews thus concludes: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The lives of those who followed Christ before us urge other onward, strengthening hearts with stories of faith, stirring minds at the thought of God’s enduring influence, reminding us that God moves in our biographies and yet beyond them. 

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

 Morning “Exceeding great and precious promises.” / 2 Peter 1:4

 If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy

them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are

like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow.

Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their

fulfilment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking

will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise

has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even

while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever

he was led to lay the promise near his heart.

 But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as

being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus, “If I were dealing with a

man’s promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character of

the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must

not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy–that may stagger me; as

upon the greatness of the promiser–that will cheer me. My soul, it is God,

even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of his which

thou art now considering is as true as his own existence. He is a God

unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of his mouth,

nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth he lack any power;

it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can

he fail in wisdom as to the time when he will bestow the favours, for he

knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing

that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I

will and must believe the promise.” If we thus meditate upon the promises, and

consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their

fulfilment.

Evening “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” / Romans 8:33

 Most blessed challenge! How unanswerable it is! Every sin of the elect was

laid upon the great Champion of our salvation, and by the atonement carried

away. There is no sin in God’s book against his people: he seeth no sin in

Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel; they are justified in Christ forever. When

the guilt of sin was taken away, the punishment of sin was removed. For the

Christian there is no stroke from God’s angry hand–nay, not so much as a

single frown of punitive justice. The believer may be chastised by his Father,

but God the Judge has nothing to say to the Christian, except “I have absolved

thee: thou art acquitted.” For the Christian there is no penal death in this

world, much less any second death. He is completely freed from all the

punishment as well as the guilt of sin, and the power of sin is removed too.

It may stand in our way, and agitate us with perpetual warfare; but sin is a

conquered foe to every soul in union with Jesus. There is no sin which a

Christian cannot overcome if he will only rely upon his God to do it. They who

wear the white robe in heaven overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and we

may do the same. No lust is too mighty, no besetting sin too strongly

entrenched; we can overcome through the power of Christ. Do believe it,

Christian, that thy sin is a condemned thing. It may kick and struggle, but it

is doomed to die. God has written condemnation across its brow. Christ has

crucified it, “nailing it to his cross.” Go now and mortify it, and the Lord

help you to live to his praise, for sin with all its guilt, shame, and fear,

is gone.

 “Here’s pardon for transgressions past,

 It matters not how black their cast;

 And, O my soul, with wonder view,

 For sins to come here’s pardon too.”

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  Romans 8:33

Most blessed challenge! How unanswerable it is! Every sin of the elect was laid upon the great Champion of our salvation, and by the atonement carried away. There is no sin in God’s book against His people: He sees no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel; they are justified in Christ forever. When the guilt of sin was taken away, the punishment of sin was removed. For the Christian there is no stroke from God’s angry hand—no, not so much as a single frown of punitive justice. The believer may be chastised by his Father, but God the Judge has nothing to say to the Christian except “I have absolved you: you are acquitted.”

For the Christian there is no penal death in this world, much less any second death. He is completely freed from all the punishment as well as the guilt of sin, and the power of sin is removed too. It may stand in our way and agitate us with perpetual warfare; but sin is a conquered foe to every soul in union with Jesus. There is no sin that a Christian cannot overcome if he will only rely upon his God to do it. They who wear the white robe in heaven overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and we may do the same. No lust is too mighty, no besetting sin too strongly entrenched; we can overcome through the power of Christ.

Do believe it, Christian—your sin is a condemned thing. It may kick and struggle, but it is doomed to die. God has written condemnation across its brow. Christ has crucified it, nailing it to His cross. Go now and mortify it, and may the Lord help you to live to His praise, for sin with all its guilt, shame, and fear is gone.

Here’s pardon for transgressions past,

It matters not how black their cast;

And, O my soul, with wonder view,

For sins to come here’s pardon too.

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 23  Mark 9

Genesis 37-39

When we don’t understand what God is doing or why, His ways can seem perplexing. The times when ungodly people seem to triumph over the righteous make us scratch our heads and wonder why the Lord doesn’t intervene. But the truth is, He oftenuses the wicked to accomplish His purpose.

Joseph faced one hard-hearted individual after another during his years in exile. His brothers shipped him off to Egypt. His boss’s wife accused him of an unspeakable crime. And even those he helped, like Pharaoh’s cupbearer, forgot about him (Gen. 40:23). The actions (or seeming inactions) of God make little sense at this point.

But once the story of Joseph’s life was written in full, it was clear that everyone who harmed or neglected the young man contributed to God’s plan. The Lord used numerous people across several years to bring a humbled young Hebrew unexpectedly to power at the right moment to spare his family–who were the Messiah’s ancestors–from the effects of famine.

In our circumstances, we can see God’s actions only from the limited vantage point of our humanness. We experience the events He has allowed or caused but can’t discern what He is thinking. Often the Lord’s goals and purposes are hidden from us until His plans come to fruition.

God is sovereign over all the earth. We may wonder at the strange or even terrifying turns our lives take, but we can be certain that He is in control and at work. The wicked may triumph for a season, but the final, eternal victory belongs to Christ and His righteous followers.

 “Why would a theologian have anything to contribute to any worthwhile discussion, on any subject whatsoever?”(1) So asks Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion. He further articulates his disgust for theology in his 2006 article in The Free Inquiry magazine:

 “What has theology ever said that is of the smallest use to anybody? When has theology ever said anything that is demonstrably true and is not obvious? I have listened to theologians, read them, debated against them. I have never heard any of them ever say anything of the smallest use, anything that was not either platitudinously obvious or downright false. If all the achievements of scientists were wiped out tomorrow, there would be no doctors but witch doctors, no transport faster than horses, no computers, no printed books, no agriculture beyond subsistence peasant farming. If all the achievements of theologians were wiped out tomorrow, would anyone notice the smallest difference? Even the bad achievements of scientists, the bombs, and sonar-guided whaling vessels work! The achievements of theologians don’t do anything, don’t affect anything, don’t mean anything. What makes anyone think that ‘theology’ is a subject at all?”(2)

 Dawkins scornfully dismisses not only theologians but the subject of theology, too. Francis Schaeffer similarly recalls in his book The God Who Is There meeting a successful young man when he was on a boat crossing the Mediterranean. “He was an atheist, and when he found out I was a pastor he anticipated an evening’s entertainment, so he started in.”(3) It seems not taking theologians seriously is hardly a new phenomenon. As a theologian, I might be tempted to respond to these provocations with the words of the Psalmist: The fool has said in his heart that there is no God. Nevertheless, skeptical commentators like Dawkins might also make me ask other questions. For instance, from where did people get the idea that theology is meaningless and also detached from other subjects? Do others think the same about theologians? Did the theological community contribute in any way to this impression? Are religious leaders guilty of indulging in spiritual talk divorced from reality?

When the apostle Paul visited Athens “his spirit was provoked” as he observed the city full of idols. Nevertheless, when he addressed the Areogagus gathering he commended them for being a religious people. Having spent time understanding their religious and philosophical beliefs he begins his message by finding a bridge in their idolatry with “The unknown god.” He knew that bridges could not be build without starting at their end of the shore. And he knew their ideas and interests well enough to be able to quote pagan poets and prophets.

 The Christian is always encouraged to take stewardship of this world of commerce, science, literature, philosophy, and every other field seriously. Where Christianity is lived well, the charge that theologians can engage only in the pursuit of theology devoid of contemporary issues should sound false to the ears of this generation. For all truth is God’s truth. As hymn writer Maltbie Babcock wrote more than a century ago:

 This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres. 
This is my Father’s world: 
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

 This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker’s praise. 
This is my Father’s world: 
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

 This is my Father’s world. 
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet. 
This is my Father’s world: 
why should my heart be sad? 
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! 
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

 Cyril Georgeson is a member of the speaking team with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Delhi, India.

 (1) Richard Dawkins as quoted in “What’s so heavenly about the God particle?” Newsweek, January 2, 2012.
(2) Richard Dawkins, “The Emptiness of Theology,” Free Inquiry magazine, Volume 18, Number 2.
(3) Francis Shaeffer, The God Who Is There in The Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy (Wheaton: Crossway, 1990), 68.

 Morning “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge,

etc.” / 2 Peter 1:5-6

 If thou wouldest enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith, under

the blessed Spirit’s influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture tells

thee, “Give diligence.” Take care that thy faith is of the right kind–that it

is not a mere belief of doctrine, but a simple faith, depending on Christ, and

on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to thy courage. Plead with God that he

would give thee the face of a lion, that thou mayest, with a consciousness of

right, go on boldly. Study well the Scriptures, and get knowledge; for a

knowledge of doctrine will tend very much to confirm faith. Try to understand

God’s Word; let it dwell in thy heart richly.

 When thou hast done this, “Add to thy knowledge temperance.” Take heed to thy

body: be temperate without. Take heed to thy soul: be temperate within. Get

temperance of lip, life, heart, and thought. Add to this, by God’s Holy

Spirit, patience; ask him to give thee that patience which endureth

affliction, which, when it is tried, shall come forth as gold. Array yourself

with patience, that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your afflictions.

When that grace is won look to godliness. Godliness is something more than

religion. Make God’s glory your object in life; live in his sight; dwell close

to him; seek for fellowship with him; and thou hast “godliness”; and to that

add brotherly love. Have a love to all the saints: and add to that a charity,

which openeth its arms to all men, and loves their souls. When you are adorned

with these jewels, and just in proportion as you practise these heavenly

virtues, will you come to know by clearest evidence “your calling and

election.” “Give diligence,” if you would get assurance, for lukewarmness and

doubting very naturally go hand in hand.

Evening “That he may set him with princes.” / Psalm 113:8

 Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. “Among princes” is the

place of select society. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with

his Son Jesus Christ.” Speak of select society, there is none like this! “We

are a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood.” “We are come

unto the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are

written in heaven.” The saints have courtly audience: princes have admittance

to royalty when common people must stand afar off. The child of God has free

access to the inner courts of heaven. “For through him we both have access by

one Spirit unto the Father.” “Let us come boldly,” says the apostle, “to the

throne of the heavenly grace.” Among princes there is abundant wealth, but

what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? for

“all things are yours, and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” “He that

spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with

him also freely give us all things?” Princes have peculiar power. A prince of

heaven’s empire has great influence: he wields a sceptre in his own domain; he

sits upon Jesus’ throne, for “He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and

we shall reign forever and ever.” We reign over the united kingdom of time and

eternity. Princes, again, have special honour. We may look down upon all

earth-born dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what

is human grandeur to this, “He hath raised us up together, and made us sit

together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”? We share the honour of Christ,

and compared with this, earthly splendours are not worth a thought. Communion

with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in imperial diadem. Union with

the Lord is a coronet of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.

…To make them sit with princes.   Psalm 113:8 

 Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. “With princes” is the place of select society. “Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”1 There is no more select society than this! “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”2 “. . . to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.”3

The saints have direct and immediate access: Princes are admitted to royalty when common people must stand afar off. The child of God has free access to the inner courts of heaven. “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”4 “Let us then with confidence draw near,” says the apostle, “to the throne of grace.”5

Among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? For “all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”6 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”7 Princes have peculiar power. A prince of heaven’s empire has great influence: He wields a scepter in his own domain; he sits upon Jesus’ throne, for “You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”8 We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity.

Princes, again, have special honor. We may look down upon all earthborn dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what is human grandeur to this: “[He] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”?9 We share the honor of Christ, and compared with this, earthly splendors are not worth a thought. Communion with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in a royal crown. Union with the Lord is an emblem of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.

11 John 1:3 21 Peter 2:9 3Hebrews 12:23 4Ephesians 2:18 5Hebrews 4:16 61 Cor 3:22-23

7Romans 8:32     8Revelation 5:10      9Ephesians 2:6

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 22 Mark 8

Psalm 62:1-2

Having been saved by faith in Christ, we express our love and gratitude through devotion to Him. Regular Bible study and prayer will be an integral part of our daily lives. In addition, our commitment to the Lord will be revealed through a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant’s heart.

1. Obedience. David sought to obey God all his life. As a shepherd boy, he faithfully tended the animals in his father’s fields. While king, he set aside his desire to build the temple and let Solomon lead the effort, as God had commanded. Although David lived imperfectly, his desire was to do what the Lord asked. We see from Jesus’ words in John 14:15 that obedience should be our high priority as well: He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
2. Humility. After David killed Goliath, the crowds shouted praise about the young man. However, he did not become prideful. Instead, he remained in King Saul’s service and waited for God to make him the ruler of Israel. Even as king, he remained humble. He knew that what had been accomplished was because of the Lord’s actions and not his own (2 Sam. 7:18).
3. Service. Whether David was a lowly shepherd or a mighty king, his goal was to obey God and serve Him.

This man after God’s own heart was devoted to his Lord. He sought to know Him and longed to carry out His will. David’s actions reflected His humble attitude of servanthood and his longing to please his heavenly Father. Take steps each day to be sure your life expresses commitment to Jesus

 When a book titled Life Together landed on my desk as a college student, the subtitle promising “a discussion of Christian fellowship,” to say the least I was skeptical.  Wary of Christian culture and preferring to remain on the fringes, I saw fellowship primarily as a means of enclosing oneself in self-affirming circles. I was weary of feel-good religion; I was also bothered by the charade of unity carried on in pluralistic crowds. But the book was given to me, and the giver was insistent that its author, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was someone who would turn skepticism and self-affirmation on their heads. 

 Life Together was written in the thick of a mounting Nazi regime during Bonhoeffer’s unique experience with 25 vicars in an underground seminary. It took me only a few pages to realize that he was speaking with weighted words on a topic I had long judged as fluff. Almost immediately I was uncomfortably aware of the skepticism that kept me on the outskirts of community, clutching an impaired image of the Christianity I professed. “Christianity,” Bonhoeffer announced in the first few pages, “means community through Jesus Christ, and in Jesus Christ.”(1) The two are inseparable.

 In the community of believers, the Christian is said to be encouraged and admonished, uplifted and stretched (a few of the reasons I suspect many try to avoid it). As the priests called out to the crowds in the book of Nehemiah, the Christian is called to attention, called to remember in community the one who unites us: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting,” said Nehemiah. In community, the Christian is repeatedly shown that Christ has called us to die to ourselves and live in him—together. An invitation to be three.   

 Bonhoeffer thus reminds the cynical not to overlook the opportunity of Christian fellowship. “It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians. Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the cross he was utterly alone.”(2) Being in the presence of other believers is indeed a hopeful gift. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus repeatedly cried out to his disciples that they stay awake and keep watch with him.  While in prison, the apostle Paul called for Timothy, his “true child in the faith,” to come and visit. 

 Christian fellowship is vital—though not as an end in itself, but in and of the God we profess. Thus we must not avoid being a part of a believing community, but neither should we believe that gathering is the extent of the call.  Christ’s call to the disciples was a call to community even as it was a call to a common vision to reach the world with the reality of God’s love. Before going to the cross, he asked the Father that “they might be one even as we are one… so that the world may know that you sent me” (John 17:11). Surrounded by a world of belief, the collective praise of the Son is a compelling testimony of God’s presence to a world the Father longs to reach. 

 Consequently, even as Bonhoeffer himself recognized the privilege of living with fellow Christians, he chose to live in the midst of enemies as well. Given the opportunity to move outside of Nazi Germany, he declined. 

 God’s people remain scattered throughout the nations, but held together in Jesus Christ. This is part and parcel of the invitation of Christ. Even as God places people around us that we can learn from and grow with, the reach of a believing community goes beyond physical presence. Hearing a song written by Fernando Ortega recently, “Take heart, my friend, the Lord is able,” I was stirred by words God knew I needed to hear, and moved to worship with the songwriter himself. “Where two or three are gathered in my name,” Jesus told them, “there I am among them.” United to Christ, we are invited to be members of a community beyond our imagination because of the one in our midst. And thus we can be encouraged by the believer beside us or a person we have not met, and heartened at the God who knows us both. A thousand voices tuned to the same instrument are automatically in tune with each other. And so we take heart; Christ is among us as we sing.

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

 (1) Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (New York: Harper and Row, 1954), 24.
(2) Ibid., 17.

Morning “With loving kindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3

 The thunders of the law and the terrors of judgment are all used to bring us to

Christ; but the final victory is effected by loving kindness. The prodigal set

out to his father’s house from a sense of need; but his father saw him a great

way off, and ran to meet him; so that the last steps he took towards his

father’s house were with the kiss still warm upon his cheek, and the welcome

still musical in his ears.

 “Law and terrors do but harden

All the while they work alone;

But a sense of blood-bought pardon

Will dissolve a heart of stone.”

 The Master came one night to the door, and knocked with the iron hand of the

law; the door shook and trembled upon its hinges; but the man piled every piece

of furniture which he could find against the door, for he said, “I will not

admit the man.” The Master turned away, but by-and-bye he came back, and with

his own soft hand, using most that part where the nail had penetrated, he

knocked again–oh, so softly and tenderly. This time the door did not shake,

but, strange to say, it opened, and there upon his knees the once unwilling host

was found rejoicing to receive his guest. “Come in, come in; thou hast so

knocked that my bowels are moved for thee. I could not think of thy pierced hand

leaving its blood-mark on my door, and of thy going away houseless, Thy head

filled with dew, and thy locks with the drops of the night.’ I yield, I yield,

thy love has won my heart.” So in every case: lovingkindness wins the day. What

Moses with the tablets of stone could never do, Christ does with his pierced

hand. Such is the doctrine of effectual calling. Do I understand it

experimentally? Can I say, “He drew me, and I followed on, glad to confess the

voice divine?” If so, may he continue to draw me, till at last I shall sit down

at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Evening “Now we have received … the spirit which is of God; that we might know the

things that are freely given to us of God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:12

 Dear reader, have you received the spirit which is of God, wrought by the Holy

Ghost in your soul? The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart

may be clearly seen from this fact, that all which has been done by God the

Father, and by God the Son, must be ineffectual to us, unless the Spirit shall

reveal these things to our souls. What effect does the doctrine of election have

upon any man until the Spirit of God enters into him? Election is a dead letter

in my consciousness until the Spirit of God calls me out of darkness into

marvellous light. Then through my calling, I see my election, and knowing myself

to be called of God, I know myself to have been chosen in the eternal purpose. A

covenant was made with the Lord Jesus Christ, by his Father; but what avails

that covenant to us until the Holy Spirit brings us its blessings, and opens our

hearts to receive them? There hang the blessings on the nail–Christ Jesus; but

being short of stature, we cannot reach them; the Spirit of God takes them down

and hands them to us, and thus they become actually ours. Covenant blessings in

themselves are like the manna in the skies, far out of mortal reach, but the

Spirit of God opens the windows of heaven and scatters the living bread around

the camp of the spiritual Israel. Christ’s finished work is like wine stored in

the wine-vat; through unbelief we can neither draw nor drink. The Holy Spirit

dips our vessel into this precious wine, and then we drink; but without the

Spirit we are as truly dead in sin as though the Father never had elected, and

though the Son had never bought us with his blood. The Holy Spirit is absolutely

necessary to our well-being. Let us walk lovingly towards him and tremble at the

thought of grieving him.

…In their distress earnestly seek me.   Hosea 5:15 

Losses and adversities are frequently the means that the Great Shepherd uses to bring home His wandering sheep; like fierce dogs they worry the wanderers back to the fold. Well-fed lions defy our attempts to tame them; they must be brought down from their great strength, and their stomachs must be lowered, and then they will submit to the tamer’s hand. How often have we seen the Christian rendered obedient to the Lord’s will by the absence of bread and the presence of difficulty. When rich and increased in goods, many professors carry their heads much too loftily and speak exceeding boastfully. Like David, they flatter themselves: “My mountain stands firm; I shall never be moved.”1

When the Christian grows wealthy, is in good repute, or has good health and a happy family, he too often admits Mr. Carnal-Security2 to feast at his table, and then if he is a true child of God there is a rod preparing for him. Wait awhile, and perhaps you will see his substance melt away as a dream. There goes a portion of his estate—how soon the acres change hands. That debt, that dishonored bill—how fast his losses roll in; where will they end? It is a blessed sign of divine life if, when these embarrassments occur one after another, he begins to be distressed about his backslidings and turns afresh to God. Blessed are the waves that wash the mariner upon the rock of salvation!

Losses in business are often sanctified to our soul’s enriching. If the chosen soul will not come to the Lord full-handed, it shall come empty. If God, in His grace, finds no other means of making us honor Him among men, He will cast us into the deep; if we fail to honor Him on the pinnacle of riches, He will bring us into the valley of poverty. Yet do not faint, heir of sorrow, when you are rebuked in this fashion; rather, recognize the loving hand that chastens and say, “I will arise and go to my Father.”3

1See Psalm 30:6-7 2The Holy War (John Bunyan) 3Luke 15:18

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 21 Mark 7

Acts 13:16-22

King David made several big mistakes in his life. Yet he was called a man after God’s own heart and was mightily used by the Lord to lead the Israelites. What set him apart was the priority he placed on his relationship with the heavenly Father.

David delighted in knowing God and sought Him earnestly. Writing, “My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and weary land,” he declared that God’s love was better than life and pledged to praise Him all his days (Ps. 63:1, 3-4).

David viewed the world from a God-centered perspective. He marveled at the Lord’s creative power in the world, relied on Him for protection and strength, and proclaimed allegiance in his writings. He also prayed fervently and frequently, lifting requests in the morning and expectantly awaiting a response (Ps. 5:3). At night he’d continue communing with God (Ps. 63:6).

Both actions–praying and meditating on God’s character–fueled his trust in the Lord. His faith sustained him throughout life: when he was a shepherd boy protecting sheep from attacks by wild animals, a young man defeating the giant Goliath, and the nation’s anointed leader escaping King Saul’s murderous plans. Whatever his circumstances, he sought the Lord and gave priority to their relationship.

The Psalms record David’s desire to know God and be known by Him. He sought the Lord’s guidance through prayer and had a heart for Him. Jesus invites us to draw near and spend our time learning from Him (Matt. 11:28-29). Have you made following Christ the priority of your life?

 The catchy beat was disarming. Driving down the highway with my hands tapping out the rhythm on my steering wheel, I thought this was just another clever pop tune with bubblegum lyrics. Then the words to the chorus caught my attention:

 “I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When we think it will all become clear
I’m being taken over by The Fear.”(1)

This song sung by the young British pop star, Lily Allen, was not just another slickly produced tune without substanc. Allen sings of the destructive impact of materialism:

 “I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I want loads of clothes and loads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

 Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars and passing each other
But it doesn’t matter because I’m packing plastic
and that’s what makes my life so fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and it’s not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
Cause I’m being taken over by fear.”

Among other things, the song laments the vacuity of mindless consumption and its pervasiveness in our society. Consumption, as Allen points out, can be like any other form of addiction, providing an initial high that hooks us, but never again delivers what it promises. Instead, it leads us down the path toward diminishing returns and never ultimately calms our fear.

 Over 200 years before Ms. Allen stepped onto the pop music scene in the United Kingdom, John Wesley articulated the dangers of materialism. “I fear, wherever riches have increased,” he wrote, “the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore, I do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of religion to continue long….[A]s riches increase, so will pride, anger and love of the world in all its branches.”(2) Even as thousands and thousands were joining his ranks, he spoke prophetically about the inevitable decline and dissolution of this revival as a result of the increase of wealth arising from Christian diligence and frugality.

 Indeed, it is well known to students of human societies that an increase in prosperity often brings with it a precipitous decline in religious involvement. After all, why would anyone need God when there is Master Card and Visa?  The declining numbers in churches in the Western World seem to affirm that Wesley’s fears were warranted. Christian leaders speculate that if current trends continue in England, for example, Methodists will cease to exist in that country in thirty years.(3) Of course, long before Wesley uttered his fears, Jesus warned his disciples: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches” (Luke 16:13). Jesus warns of the idolatry that so easily entraps us, luring us away from faithful allegiance.

 We might be tempted to disregard any such warning in times of economic “slow down.” How can people be tempted to serve “the master” of money, after all, when there is so much less of it? Yet even in its absence, we can find our hearts soothed more by money than by God and behold the signs of a dangerous dependence. When our hearts find salvation and security in having more and more material gain—whether we actually hold it or not—we are reminded of “the deceitfulness of riches” and the narcotic effects of material success.

 Thus clearly, the abolition of wealth or production is not the answer to materialism! Rather, the answer Jesus suggests lies in the proper use of wealth in our world: as a blessing for others and not just for our own use. Jesus instructed disciples to “sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven….For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:33-34).

 John Wesley understood this, too, and in the spirit of Jesus reiterates the same idea: “We ought not to forbid people to be diligent and frugal: we must exhort all Christians, to gain all they can, and to save all they can… What way then (I ask again) can we take that our money may not sink us to the nethermost hell? There is one way, and there is no other under heaven. If those who gain all they can, and save all they can, will likewise give all they can, then the more they gain, the more they will grow in grace, and the more treasure they will lay up in heaven.”(4)

 In difficult economic times, this is far from unnecessary counsel. It may be, in fact, the very idea that finally breaks the chains of addiction and reveals a far better treasure.

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

 (1) Lily Allen, “The Fear” from It’s Not Me, It’s You, Regal Records, United Kingdom, January 26, 2009.
(2) Cited in an article by Philip Yancey, “Traveling with Wesley” Christianity Today, November 2007, vol. 51, No. 11.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Cited from The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, vol. XV (London: Thomas Cordeux, 1786).

 Morning “He left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” / Genesis 39:12

 In contending with certain sins there remains no mode of victory but by

flight. The ancient naturalists wrote much of basilisks, whose eyes fascinated

their victims and rendered them easy victims; so the mere gaze of wickedness

puts us in solemn danger. He who would be safe from acts of evil must haste

away from occasions of it. A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to

look upon the cause of temptation, for such sins only need a spark to begin

with and a blaze follows in an instant. Who would wantonly enter the leper’s

prison and sleep amid its horrible corruption? He only who desires to be

leprous himself would thus court contagion. If the mariner knew how to avoid a

storm, he would do anything rather than run the risk of weathering it.

Cautious pilots have no desire to try how near the quicksand they can sail, or

how often they may touch a rock without springing a leak; their aim is to keep

as nearly as possible in the midst of a safe channel.

 This day I may be exposed to great peril, let me have the serpent’s wisdom to

keep out of it and avoid it. The wings of a dove may be of more use to me

today than the jaws of a lion. It is true I may be an apparent loser by

declining evil company, but I had better leave my cloak than lose my

character; it is not needful that I should be rich, but it is imperative upon

me to be pure. No ties of friendship, no chains of beauty, no flashings of

talent, no shafts of ridicule must turn me from the wise resolve to flee from

sin. The devil I am to resist and he will flee from me, but the lusts of the

flesh, I must flee, or they will surely overcome me. O God of holiness

preserve thy Josephs, that Madam Bubble bewitch them not with her vile

suggestions. May the horrible trinity of the world, the flesh, and the devil,

never overcome us!

Evening “In their affliction they will seek me early.” / Hosea 5:15

 Losses and adversities are frequently the means which the great Shepherd uses

to fetch home his wandering sheep; like fierce dogs they worry the wanderers

back to the fold. There is no making lions tame if they are too well fed; they

must be brought down from their great strength, and their stomachs must be

lowered, and then they will submit to the tamer’s hand; and often have we seen

the Christian rendered obedient to the Lord’s will by straitness of bread and

hard labour. When rich and increased in goods many professors carry their

heads much too loftily, and speak exceeding boastfully. Like David, they

flatter themselves, “My mountain standeth fast; I shall never be moved.” When

the Christian groweth wealthy, is in good repute, hath good health, and a

happy family, he too often admits Mr. Carnal Security to feast at his table,

and then if he be a true child of God there is a rod preparing for him. Wait

awhile, and it may be you will see his substance melt away as a dream. There

goes a portion of his estate–how soon the acres change hands. That debt, that

dishonoured bill–how fast his losses roll in, where will they end? It is a

blessed sign of divine life if when these embarrassments occur one after

another he begins to be distressed about his backslidings, and betakes himself

to his God. Blessed are the waves that wash the mariner upon the rock of

salvation! Losses in business are often sanctified to our soul’s enriching. If

the chosen soul will not come to the Lord full-handed, it shall come empty. If

God, in his grace, findeth no other means of making us honour him among men,

he will cast us into the deep; if we fail to honour him on the pinnacle of

riches, he will bring us into the valley of poverty. Yet faint not, heir of

sorrow, when thou art thus rebuked, rather recognize the loving hand which

chastens, and say, “I will arise, and go unto my Father.”

His camp is exceedingly great. Joel 2:11 

Consider, my soul, the mightiness of the Lord who is your glory and defense. He is a man of war; Jehovah is His name. All the forces of heaven are at His command; legions wait at His door; cherubim and seraphim, watchers and holy ones, principalities and powers are all attentive to His will. If our eyes were not blinded by the dust of sin, we should see horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the Lord’s servants. The powers of nature are all subject to the absolute control of the Creator: Stormy wind and tempest, lightning and rain, snow and hail, and the soft dews and cheering sunshine come and go at His decree.

The bands of Orion He looses, and He binds the sweet influences of the Pleiades.1 Earth, sea, and air and the places under the earth are the barracks for Jehovah’s great armies; space is His camping ground, light is His banner, and flame is His sword. When He goes forth to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence smites the nations, hurricane sweeps the sea, tornado shakes the mountains, and earthquake makes the solid world to tremble.

As for animate creatures, they all own His dominion, and from the great fish that swallowed the prophet down to “all manner of flies,” which plagued the field of Zoan,2 all are His servants, and even the caterpillars and the worms are squadrons of His great army, for His camp is very great. My soul, see to it that you are at peace with this mighty King. Be sure to enlist under His banner, for to war against Him is madness, and to serve Him is glory.

Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is ready to receive recruits for the army of the Lord: If I am not already enlisted, let me go to Him before I sleep and beg to be accepted through His merits; and if I be already, as I hope I am, a soldier of the cross, let me be of good courage, for the enemy is powerless compared with my Lord, whose camp is very great.

1Job 38:31 2Psalm 78:43-45

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 20  Mark 6

Hebrews 4:12-13

Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God’s perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts. The Bible is His unchanging, infallible revelation of Himself. However, the Lord doesn’t simply give us a list of facts about His character and ways. All throughout the pages of Scripture, He illustrates who He is and how He operates.

Although the Bible is ancient, it’s not a dead book. It’s alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the principles and applications are current and relevant. It’s our instruction book about how to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation.

God’s Word is active and piercing. The words don’t simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people don’t like to read the Bible. But self-discernment is essential if we don’t want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Some Christians live on a surface level, never understanding why they react to situations the way they do. But if we’ll approach the Word of God with an open spirit, it will bring to light our hidden motives and reveal unrecognized sins.

Spiritual discernment involves seeing not just our circumstances but also ourselves from God’s perspective. Have you learned to embrace the piercing sword of Scripture, or have you avoided doing so because it makes you uncomfortable? Remember, God’s Word cuts only so that it can heal.

 Every so often I am too tired to yield to pangs of thirst, and get myself a glass of water before going to sleep for the night. And it is often on these nights that I have the most frustrating dreams (and unsettled sleep). Whether I’m driving through the countryside or solving crimes in Washington, D.C., the events in my dreams carry on as usual. But amidst moving scenes and thickening plots, I am continually stopping to gulp down glass after glass of water. I have even stopped dream conversations in mid-sentence to tell the person I am talking to that I just can’t seem to get enough water. Upon waking the frustrated lesson is palpable. I couldn’t dream my thirst away because my body knew it was real. 

 Apparently such dreams and the dreamers they frustrate are not uncommon. Centuries before me, the prophet Isaiah described them perfectly. “Just as when a hungry person dreams of eating and wakes up still hungry, or a thirsty person dreams of drinking and wakes up faint, still thirsty, so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.”(1) The passage is one of several prophecies God gave Isaiah concerning the nation of Israel. Isaiah was describing the attitude of their invaders, who believed they were tasting victory, but would wake to disappointment. It was a promise to the people of God: those who lick their lips at the thought of their demise will ultimately be frustrated. Certainly there have been, and will continue to be, similar occasions when the world has prematurely celebrated the unraveling of belief and believer. Yet “the trees of the LORD are well watered,” praised the psalmist.

 Even so, though frustrated-thirst was promised of God’s enemies, in the same chapter of Isaiah, God laments over the dry and empty faith of Israel itself. “[T]hese people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote.”(2) They were dreaming of well-running springs and manmade reservoirs, putting the kind of water to their lips that would only leave them thirsty. Isaiah describes a people surrounded by the living waters of the kingdom but preoccupied with make-believe mansions and their pools.

 Today the frustrated dreamer the prophet describes is closer to home than ancient Israel. Dryness of faith and heart is a struggle as unsettling as unquenchable thirst. Spirituality is popular, religion is dismissed, and faith is often obscured or synthetic. At times it is like my dream; we can’t seem to get enough water because we are drinking from artificial wells. Other times dryness comes without explanation. We stand before living water unable to drink and be satisfied, seeing that the well is deep but having nothing left to draw with.

 As a Christian longing to know and to be known by God, dryness of faith does not elude me. An old song written by musician Keith Green has often captured my prayer in the midst of thirst and drought. “My eyes are dry, my faith is old. My heart is hard; my prayers are cold. And I know how I ought to be—alive to You and dead to me. Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it up with oil and wine. The oil is You, Your spirit of love. Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood.” Men and women throughout Scripture found similar respite for maddening thirst as they cried out to God within the very pangs of that thirstiness: Our thirst, too, is something we can give to God. Though the land is weary, our hearts faint for the one who promises to reach weariness with sustenance and hunger with an actual meal for bodies that know the difference. “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever” (John 4:14). To the dry and emptied faith of Israel God provided a spring. And for generations long thereafter, the water of life remains a gift for the thirsty.  

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

(1) Isaiah 29:8. 
(2) Isaiah 29:13. 

 Morning “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” / Exodus 14:13

 These words contain God’s command to the believer when he is reduced to great

straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he

cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he

now to do? The Master’s word to him is, “Stand still.” It will be well for him

if at such times he listens only to his Master’s word, for other and evil

advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, “Lie down and die;

give it all up.” But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in

our worst times, rejoice in his love and faithfulness. Cowardice says,

“Retreat; go back to the worldling’s way of action; you cannot play the

Christian’s part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles.” But,

however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you

are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength,

and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course.

What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew

thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, “do

something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness.” We must

be doing something at once–we must do it so we think–instead of looking to

the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption

boasts, “If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle.” But

Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to

Precipitancy, but it hears God say, “Stand still,” and immovable as a rock it

stands. “Stand still;”–keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action,

expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing

voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as

Moses said it to the people of Israel, “Go forward.”

Evening  “His camp is very great.” / Joel 2:11

 Consider, my soul, the mightiness of the Lord who is thy glory and defence. He

is a man of war, Jehovah is his name. All the forces of heaven are at his

beck, legions wait at his door, cherubim and seraphim;, watchers and holy

ones, principalities and powers, are all attentive to his will. If our eyes

were not blinded by the ophthalmia of the flesh, we should see horses of fire

and chariots of fire round about the Lord’s beloved. The powers of nature are

all subject to the absolute control of the Creator: stormy wind and tempest,

lightning and rain, and snow, and hail, and the soft dews and cheering

sunshine, come and go at his decree. The bands of Orion he looseth, and

bindeth the sweet influences of the Pleiades. Earth, sea, and air, and the

places under the earth, are the barracks for Jehovah’s great armies; space is

his camping ground, light is his banner, and flame is his sword. When he goeth

forth to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence smites the nations,

hurricane sweeps the sea, tornado shakes the mountains, and earthquake makes

the solid world to tremble. As for animate creatures, they all own his

dominion, and from the great fish which swallowed the prophet, down to “all

manner of flies,” which plagued the field of Zoan, all are his servants, and

like the palmer-worm, the caterpillar, and the cankerworm, are squadrons of

his great army, for his camp is very great. My soul, see to it that thou be at

peace with this mighty King, yea, more, be sure to enlist under his banner,

for to war against him is madness, and to serve him is glory. Jesus, Immanuel,

God with us, is ready to receive recruits for the army of the Lord: if I am

not already enlisted let me go to him ere I sleep, and beg to be accepted

through his merits; and if I be already, as I hope I am, a soldier of the

cross, let me be of good courage; for the enemy is powerless compared with my

Lord, whose camp is very great.