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Max Lucado – Do it God’s Way

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In the game of golf, logic says, “Don’t go for the green.” Golf 101 says, “Don’t go for the green.”  But I say, “Give me my driver, I’m going for the green!”  Golf reveals a lot about a person.  I don’t need advice—whack!  I can handle this myself—clang!

Can you relate? We want to do things our way.  Forget the easy way and forget the best way. Forget God’s way. Too much stubbornness. Too much independence.  Too much self-reliance.  All I needed to do was apologize, but I had to argue.  All I needed to do was listen, but I had to open my big mouth.  All I needed to do was be patient, but I had to take control.  All I had to do was give it to God, but I tried to fix it myself.

Scripture says, “Do it God’s way.”  Experience says, “Do it God’s way.”  And every so often, we do!  We might even make the green.

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Charles Stanley – Our Need for Spiritual Discernment

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Philippians 1:8-11

Have you ever asked yourself, How do I know this is the right decision? Often there’s no scripture that addresses in detail the particular choice we need to make—for example, what kind of car to buy, the best investment to make, which job to accept, or whether to work or spend time with the family when overtime hours are offered. Rather than specifying exhaustive rules that speak to every possible situation in life, God’s Word contains principles and instructions to guide our decision making.

That is not to say God hands us His Book and then leaves us alone. To ensure that our feet remain on the right path, He grants us spiritual discernment—the capacity to judge between right and wrong, wise and unwise, good and best.

In cultivating such discernment, we’re inviting God to be intimately involved in all our decisions; there is no matter too insignificant for His consideration and assistance. A plan that is outside the Lord’s will—or even good decisions formulated without consulting Him—can short-circuit His plan to give us His best.

Spiritual discernment protects us from making decisions based on what looks good or feels right. We are limited to five senses and our experience, but God views our lives from a vantage point of infinite knowledge. Our instructor, the Holy Spirit, teaches us the wisdom of God’s way and knows precisely how to apply it to our unique circumstances. As we develop a habit of following His promptings, our senses become trained to distinguish good from evil, and we mature spiritually (Heb. 5:14).

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Our Daily Bread — Leading From The Front

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Psalm 23

He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. —Psalm 23:2-3

Stephen Ambrose’s book Band of Brothers follows the US Army’s Easy Company from training in Georgia through the Normandy Invasion of D-Day (June 6, 1944) and ultimately to the end of World War II in Europe. For the bulk of that time, Easy Company was led by Richard Winters. Winters was an especially good officer because he led from the front. The most commonly heard words from Winters in combat were, “Follow me!” Other officers may have sought the safety of the rear areas, but if Winters’ men were going into combat, he was going to lead them.

Jesus is the one true Leader of His children. He knows what we need and where we are most vulnerable. His leading is part of what makes Psalm 23 the most beloved song in the Bible’s hymnal. In verse 2, David says that the Shepherd “leads me beside the still waters,” and in verse 3 he adds, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” These twin ideas reveal why His care is so complete. Whether it is times of refreshing and strengthening (“still waters”) or seasons of doing what pleases Him (“paths of righteousness”), we can follow Him.

As the old song says, “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness; all I have to do is follow.” —Bill Crowder

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness;

All I have to do is follow.

Strength for today is mine always

And all that I need for tomorrow.

—Sidney Cox. © Renewal 1979 Singspiration.

Jesus knows the way—follow Him!

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Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Why the Rules Make Sense

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Christianity is nothing more than a set of rules! Have you ever heard this before? The question or objection, depending on how it is phrased, comes from both Christians and skeptics. So what does Christianity have to say to this?

It is helpful first to acknowledge that the Bible is indeed full of commands and instructions. But the role that the rules play is often misunderstood. Rules, even going back to the Ten Commandments, were not meant simply to tell us what to do and what not to do. They were intended to be a means by which humanity could come close to God and relate to God. If we think of how rules are applied in other areas of life, it is quite easy to understand how this works. Discipline, guidelines or putting deadlines in place are not an end in themselves; they are the means by which we achieve what we want to accomplish.

While I was doing undergraduate studies in Toronto I worked for the Toronto Blue Jays ground crew. While working there I noticed that the elite players would always be the ones to arrive at the ballpark early and leave late. They would come in early for strength and conditioning purposes, then perhaps look over strategies or game plans. Then they would join the rest of the team once the normal daily routines began. This was hard work and made for long days. Here is the point: the discipline of getting to the stadium early, doing an extra work out, working over game plans were not the goal. These were the means by which this player would attain the ultimate goal: victory.

The rules set out in Scripture were never meant to inhibit pleasure or desire, but to do the exact opposite. Desire gave birth to commands, but somehow we have understood it the other way around, as if the commands were meant to create desire.

There is actually a moment documented in the Old Testament in which the people of Israel say that they would like to follow God’s commandments. However, Joshua, their leader at the time, turns them down. Effectively, he says, ‘You don’t have what it takes. You will turn away from God. So, please, don’t commit to it.’ They push back and insist that they truly want to follow God. Joshua reluctantly gives in and grants them their desire to form a covenant binding them to follow God’s rules.

The rules and statutes implemented into the life of Israel stemmed from a desire to serve the Lord. Rules were not put in place to prevent desire from finding its fulfillment. Rather, the rules were put in place to fulfill desire and avoid destruction.

A question that we need to ask ourselves is, ‘Where do rules find their starting point?’ In the Christian sense, does obedience come from a sense of duty or from a desire for God? If the drive to live for God comes from a sense of duty, our faith will become one long arduous journey. But duty is not where the gospel asks us to begin. We begin with a love and desire for God.

Imagine that I have just been away from home on a long business trip. When I return home I decide to stop off at the florist’s near my home because I want to get flowers for my wife. I purchase the flowers, then walk up to the door with flowers behind my back and knock on the door. My wife opens the door and I reveal the flowers to her. She says, ‘Nathan, you shouldn’t have done this! Why did you get me these flowers?’ I reply, ‘Because it is my duty!’

What do you think her response will be after she hears this? What if I respond to her question by saying that I got her those flowers because I love her—that there is nothing more I love than the sweet relationship I have with her.(1)

This gets at the heart of Christian discipleship. Christianity does not start with rules, but the rules do make sense. They are put in place to fulfill our desire for God; not to coerce us into loving God.

Nathan Betts is a member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Toronto, Canada.

(1) Story as told by Michael Ramsden, director for the European office of RZIM.

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Alistair Begg – Even the Outcasts

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Behold, I am of small account. Job 40:4

Here is a cheering word for you, poor lost sinner! You think you shouldn’t come to God because you are of small account.

Now, there is not a saint alive on earth who has not felt this way. If Job and Isaiah and Paul were all obliged to say, “I am of small account,” then, sinner, will you be ashamed to join in the same confession? If divine grace does not eradicate all sin from the believer, how do you hope to do it yourself? And if God loves His people while they are of small account, do you think your condition will prevent Him from loving you?

Believe on Jesus, you outcast of the world’s society! Jesus calls you, and just as you are.

Not the righteous, not the righteous;

Sinners, Jesus came to call.

Declare, even now, “You have died for sinners. I am a sinner, Lord Jesus; sprinkle Your blood on me.” If you will confess your sin, you will find pardon. If now, with all your heart, you will say, “I am unclean, wash me,” you will be washed now. If the Holy Spirit enables you to cry from your heart

Just as I am, without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bid me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

you will rise from reading this morning’s portion with all your sins pardoned; and though you woke this morning with every sin that man has ever committed on your head, you will rest tonight accepted in the Beloved. Although you were once degraded with the rags of sin, you will be adorned with a robe of righteousness and appear as white as the angels are.

For “now,” mark it, “Now is the favorable time.”1 If you “trust him who justifies the ungodly,”2 you are saved. May the Holy Spirit give you saving faith in Him who receives those who are of small account.

1 – 2 Corinthians 6:2

2 – Romans 4:5

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Charles Spurgeon – The report of the spies

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“And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” Numbers 13:32 and 14:6-7

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 2:17-24

Every unguarded word you use, every inconsistent act, puts a slur on Christ. The world, you know, does not find fault with you—they lay it all to your Master. If you make a slip tomorrow, they will not say, “That is John Smith’s human nature;” they will say, “That is John Smith’s religion.” They know better, but they will be sure to say it; they will be sure to put all the mischief at the door of Christ. Now, if you could bear the blame yourself you might bear it manfully; but do not allow Christ to bear the blame—do not suffer his reputation to be tarnished—do not permit his banner to be trampled in the dust. Then there is another consideration. You must remember, if you do wrong, the world will be quite sure to notice you. The world carries two bags: in the bag at the back they put all the Christian’s virtues—in the bag in front they put all our mistakes and sins. They never think of looking at the virtues of holy men; all the courage of martyrs, all the fidelity of confessors, and all the holiness of saints, is nothing to them; but our iniquities are ever before them. Please do recollect, that wherever you are, as a Christian, the eyes of the world are upon you; the Argus eyes of an evil generation follow you everywhere. If a church is blind the world is not. It is a common proverb, “As sound asleep as a church,” and a very true one, for most churches are sound asleep; but it would be a great falsehood if anyone were to say, “As sound asleep as the world,” for the world is never asleep. Sleeping is left to the church. And remember, too, that the world always wears magnifying glasses to look at Christians’ faults.

For meditation: Like Mary our souls and words may magnify the Lord (Luke 1:46), but does any area of our lives allow the unbelieving world to magnify our sins instead?

Sermon no. 197

6 June (1858)

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John MacArthur – Receiving the Word in Purity

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“Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness . . . receive the word” (James 1:21).

When the psalmist said, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word” (Ps. 119:101), he was acknowledging a key principle of spiritual growth: you must set aside sin if you expect to benefit from God’s Word. Peter was expressing the same thought when he said, “Putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:1-2). Likewise, James admonished us to put off sin and receive the Word (James 1:21).

Neither James nor Peter were addressing unbelievers, because without Christ, people have no capacity to set sin aside or receive God’s Word. But we as Christians are characterized by our ability to do both, and must continually purify our lives through confession of sin, repentance, and right choices. That’s why Paul said, “Just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification” (Rom. 6:19).

The Greek word translated “putting aside” in James 1:21 originally meant taking off dirty, soiled clothes. “Filthiness” translates a Greek word that was used of moral vice as well as dirty clothes. Its root word was sometimes used of ear wax, which impedes a person’s hearing. Similarly, sin impedes reception of the Word. “Wickedness” speaks of any evil intent or desire. Together they stress the importance of setting aside all evil actions and intentions.

Simply stated, you should never presume on God’s grace by approaching His Word with unconfessed sin. David prayed, “Keep back Thy servant from presumptuous [deliberate] sins; let them not rule over me; then I shall be blameless” (Ps. 19:13). He wanted to be pure before the Lord. I pray that you share his desire and will always receive the Word in purity.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Memorize Psalm 19:14. Make it your prayer as you study God’s Word.

For Further Study:

Read Colossians 3:5-17.

What does Paul admonish you to put off? Put on?

Why is it important to heed his admonitions?

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Joyce Meyer – A Fun, Generous, Wonderful God

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In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence)…in accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him. —Ephesians 1:7-9

It’s amazing what God will do for you if you just love Him. We complicate Christianity to the point of losing the joy of our salvation. The primary thing we need to do is receive the love of God, learn how to love ourselves in a balanced way, love God back, and then let that love flow through us to the world full of hurting, dying people. God will give back to us not only what we give away but will also give us a great deal of joy with it.

The world is full of rich people who have “things” but are miserable. It’s good to be materially prosperous, but it’s even better to be happy and biblically blessed along with prosperity. The doors that God has opened for us amaze us. I can’t figure it out; but I am determined that as long as I can breathe, I will keep walking through them in trying to help as many people receive God’s joy in their lives as I can.

Our society today is in a major, major, major mess, and people don’t realize that they need God! So many people have an impression of God that is just not true, and they don’t know to turn to Him to solve their problems. God called Dave and me to a ministry in which we can show the world an exciting God Who is fun, generous, wonderful, and who can solve their problems.

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Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Everything Is Possible

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“Jesus looked at them intently, then said, ‘Without God, it is utterly impossible. But with God everything is possible'” (Mark 10:27).

“An hour in prayer can give the believer enough power to overcome the second most powerful force in the universe,” sagely declared an anonymous observer.

God’s Word gives us many “exceeding great and precious promises” that confirm the truth of this wise observation – and the truth of the scriptural promise that with God everything is possible. One of these precious promises declares, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31,KJV).

Sometimes renewed strength – spiritual strength, God’s strength – is all we need to face the problem or difficulty or testing or trial that confronts us.

In the gigantic tasks God has given us to do in the work of Campus Crusade for Christ, often it is the confirmed realization that with God everything is possible that keeps us going on, trusting God to do that which no man could possibly do.

God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, making possible the supernatural life, constantly empowers and enables us to reach out and attempt great and mighty things for God – always an outreach that involves the needs of others more than our own personal needs, as great as they may seem to be at times.

Bible Reading: Mark 10:23-27

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: “Dear Lord, give me a heart like Yours – one that reaches out to the ends of the earth, and the end of the block, with the good news of the gospel, always believing that nothing is impossible with Your help.”

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Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Rescue Will Come

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Did you know around 27 million people are trapped in modern-day slavery? The mother of a 15-year-old girl in Southeast Asia sold her daughter’s virginity to pay off a $600 debt. Scared and alone, this girl was unsure when undercover investigators, empowered by the organization Exodus Road, visited her brothel. Later, when they returned, she slipped them a note. “Rescue me.” After that night, she waited until the day they were finally able to kick down the door and bring freedom.

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. Psalm 46:10

Sometimes God asks you to be still and allow Him to work. As Moses told the Israelites, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14)

There are many battles ongoing in America – prayer in school, the Ten Commandments in the courthouse, and late-term abortions just to name a few. Pray for wisdom to know when it’s time to stand up and speak out…and when it’s time to “be still and know” as today’s verse exhorts. Pray for the millions of people trapped in modern-day slavery, that rescue will come. Intercede, too, for your U.S. Supreme Court judges, that they would recognize He is God and rule according to biblical principles.

Recommended Reading: Exodus 14:10-22

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Greg Laurie – Nothing to Show

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“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.” —Revelation 3:11

Did you know that it is possible to have a saved soul and a lost life? A saved soul means that you are saved because you believe in Jesus and not because of the works you do. You have turned from your sin and put your faith in Christ. And God has a plan for your life: He wants you to serve Him.

But a lot of Christians don’t do that much for the Lord, though they should. And this means they have a lost life. The Bible says that we will stand before God one day, and our work will be tested to see what sort it is (see 1 Corinthians 3:12–14). If it is built on the wrong foundation, then it will be burned up, but our soul will be saved.

Jesus said, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Hold fast. Hang on. Don’t let go. Don’t relax your grip. If you do, you could lose your crown.

The crown is a symbol of rewards that are awaiting Christians. To lose your crown means to lose your reward. The Bible speaks of a crown that God gives for our faithfulness to Him (see Revelation 3:11). First Thessalonians 2:19 mentions a crown of rejoicing, which would appear to be a crown for winning souls. Then, in 2 Timothy 4:8, there is a crown of righteousness. James 1:12 speaks of a crown of life for enduring temptation and persevering under trial.

These are the rewards God will give to each of us. But how sad it will be for those who stand before Him on that day and have nothing to show for the life that was given to them.

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Max Lucado – Your Middle C

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When author Lloyd Douglas attended college, he lived in a boardinghouse with a retired music professor who lived on the first floor. Douglas would stick his head in the door and ask, “Well, what’s the good news?” The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his chair and say, “That’s middle C.  It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now.  The tenor upstairs sings flat. The piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, that is middle C!”

You and I need a middle C.  A still point in a turning world.  An unchanging Shepherd. A God who can still the storm.  A Lord who can declare the meaning of life.  And according to David in Psalm 23—you have one. The Lord is your shepherd!  He is your middle C!

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Charles Stanley – The Price of Prayerlessness

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Matthew 11:28-30

Prayer was a priority in the Savior’s life—Jesus continually communed with His Father. Likewise, praying is essential for anyone today who wants to be used mightily by God. In other words, if you desire to walk in the Spirit and live a holy life, time spent with the Lord must be a regular part of your routine.

If we allow our time alone with the Lord to stop being a priority, we open ourselves up to discouragement, doubt, disillusionment, and eventually disaster. Then, if we pull away and cease to fellowship with our Father, we will begin to feel the spiritual, emotional, and physical weight of our earthly circumstances.

Prayer lifts up our burdens so that we do not have to bear their weight. Whether they are given to us by the Lord in order to teach us or are self-imposed as a result of the decisions we make, God tells us to cast our burdens upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). Bearing a load we were not intended to carry takes a spiritual toll on us. What’s more, it can leave us physically and emotionally beaten as well.

Weary believers are prime targets for the Enemy’s attacks. First, he strikes us with discouragement. Then, when we lose hope, we’re primed for his next weapon: doubt. The Devil knows that a doubting Christian can easily be pushed into disillusionment. So he whispers things like, “Where is God?” and “The Christian life doesn’t work!” Listening to him can breed disaster.

Remember, prayer isn’t just a comfort in times of need; it is essential for our survival. Like Jesus, we should depend upon prayer for guidance.

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Our Daily Bread — More Than Information

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John 15:1-13

Abide in Me, and I in you. —John 15:4

How is behavior altered? In his book The Social Animal, David Brooks notes that some experts have said people just need to be taught the long-term risks of bad behavior. For example, he writes: “Smoking can lead to cancer. Adultery destroys families, and lying destroys trust. The assumption was that once you reminded people of the foolishness of their behavior, they would be motivated to stop. Both reason and will are obviously important in making moral decisions and exercising self-control. But neither of these character models has proven very effective.” In other words, information alone is not powerful enough to transform behavior.

As Jesus’ followers, we want to grow and change spiritually. More than two millennia ago, Jesus told His disciples how that can happen. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Jesus is the Vine and we, His followers, are the branches. If we’re honest, we know we’re utterly helpless and spiritually ineffective apart from Him.

Jesus transforms us spiritually and reproduces His life in us—as we abide in Him. —Marvin Williams

Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;

Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.

Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;

I now surrender, Lord—in me abide. —Orr

A change in behavior begins with Jesus changing our heart.

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Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Public, the Private, and the Practical

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There is no mistaking the presence of unique challenges to belief in our modern day world. Our secularist, privatized, consumerist worldview has wielded a religion (indeed many religions) that has little or nothing to do with life itself. Coupled with secularism’s privatizing of religion from the public realm, consumerism’s pull creates a context whereby the choice of belief is not only a personal matter, but a matter entirely divorced from the history and communities that inform these beliefs. As professor David Wells notes, “God has been evacuated from the center of our collective life, pushed to the edges of our public square to become an irrelevance to how our world does its business. Marxism rested on a theoretical atheism; our secularized world rests on a practical atheism in the public domain, though one that coexists with private religiosity.”(1) This chasm between public and private, sacred and secular, forces a theology whereby God is largely absent, unknown in the public arena, and silent unless spoken to.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with our evacuation of God and subsequent practical atheism, we live within an understanding of unbounded freedom to pursue and consume whatsoever we will. While we may recognize secularism for what it is, Wells warns: “[W]e do not recognize the corrupting power of our affluence for what it is…. We consider our abundance as essentially harmless and, what is just as important, we have come to need it. The extraordinary and dazzling benefits of our modernized world, benefits that are now indispensable to our way of life, hide the values which accompany them, values which have the power to wrench around our lives in very damaging ways.”(2) Far more than a matter of wealth, our sheer appetites, which we readily appease as if angry gods, bring us to the conclusion that we ourselves are the center of collective life, echoing the call of secularism that God is exactly where God belongs—in quiet, private corners. Even within the church, this outlook is often practically lived if not publicly admitted.

Yet, this dichotomy that is now readily accepted between matters of private faith and public life belies a betrayal of the very identity Jesus sets forth for his followers. The hope within the Christian is not something we are able to keep private—for if the very public act of Christ’s resurrection from the dead was not real, then the very faith our culture would have us keep in private is futile. The events of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, and the faith that upholds them, do not allow for the dichotomies of public and private, spiritual and physical, sacred and secular. The call of Christ is one that encompasses every possible realm, thus making “private faith” an unintelligible distinction.

Nonetheless, while the challenges of “practical atheism” may indeed be the outworking of a unique cultural moment, it is hardly a new way of life. Though the causes and contexts are certainly different, our current cultural mood is in some ways comparable to the scene Paul discovered in Athens. Standing before these men and women, Paul gently bid them to see that their philosophy amounted to little more than practical atheism. Where there was belief that amounted to very little, where gods were acknowledged but unknown, and worship was offered in ritual, fear, and apathy, Paul set before them the God who is there, the God who is known. While the cultural challenges before us are intricate and unyielding, Christ brings the countercultural hope of a life touched by the God who is there. Practical atheism is unlivable when it is placed beside the one who is known.

Thus we might be encouraged in any attempt to believe, for regardless of the risks and opportunities that fill the world around us, so it is filled of the unfailing love of a present God. And it is this reality that despite ourselves or our obstacles compels the blind to see. On such matters of the Spirit, 18th-century preacher Jonathan Edwards once noted, “Though great use may be made of external arguments…for they may be greatly serviceable to awaken unbelievers, and bring them to serious consideration, and to confirm the faith of true saints… [T]here is no spiritual conviction…but what arises from an apprehension of the spiritual beauty and glory of divine things. And such a direct apprehension is a gift mediated only by the Holy Spirit of God.”(3) In our pluralistic, privatized, and practically atheistic culture this Spirit indeed continues to move.

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

(1) David Wells, “This Unique Moment: The Changing of the Guard and What It Means For Christians Today,” Modern Reformation, Sept./Oct. Vol. 4, No. 5, 1995, 10.

(2) Ibid., 11.

(3) Jonathon Edwards, Treatise on the Religious Affections (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959), 307.

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Alistair Begg – Closed in

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And the Lord shut him in.  Genesis 7:16

Noah was shut in away from all the world by the hand of divine love. The door of God’s electing purpose separates us from the world, which lies in the wicked one. We are not of the world even as our Lord Jesus was not of the world. Into the sin, the folly, the pursuits of the crowd we cannot enter; we cannot play in the streets of Vanity Fair with the children of darkness, for our heavenly Father has shut us in.

Noah was shut in with his God. “Come into the ark,” was the Lord’s invitation, by which He clearly showed that He Himself intended to dwell in the ark with Noah and his family. In this manner all the chosen live in God and God in them. Happy people to be enclosed in the same circle that contains God in the Trinity of His persons–Father, Son, and Spirit. Let us never be inattentive to that gracious call, “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.”

Noah was so shut in that no evil could reach him. Floods simply lifted toward heaven, and winds helped him on his way. Outside the ark all was ruin, but inside all was rest and peace. Without Christ we perish, but in Christ Jesus there is perfect safety.

Noah was so shut in that he could not even desire to come out, and those who are in Christ Jesus are in Him forever. They are there forever because eternal faithfulness has shut them in, and infernal malice cannot drag them out. God closes, and no man opens; and when in the last days as Master of the house He shall rise and close the door, it will be futile for mere professors to knock and cry, “Lord, Lord open for us,” for that same door which closes in the wise virgins will shut out the foolish forever. Lord, close me in by Your grace.

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Charles Spurgeon – The believer’s challenge

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“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:34

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 6:1-11

Christ was in his death the hostage of the people of God. He was the representative of all the elect. When Christ was bound to the tree, I see my own sin bound there; when he died every believer virtually died in him; when he was buried we were buried in him, and when he was in the tomb, he was, as it were, God’s hostage for all his church, for all that ever should believe on him. Now, as long as he was in prison, although there might be ground of hope, it was but as light sown for the righteous; but when the hostage came out, behold the first fruit of the harvest! When God said, “Let my Anointed go free, I am satisfied and content in him,” then every elect vessel went free in him; then every child of God was released from imprisonment no more to die, not to know bondage or fetter for ever. I do see ground for hope when Christ is bound, for he is bound for me; I do see reason for rejoicing when he dies, for he dies for me, and in my room and stead; I do see a theme for solid satisfaction in his burial, for he is buried for me; but when he comes out of the grave, having swallowed up death in victory, my hope bursts into joyous song. He lives , and because he lives I shall live also. He is delivered and I am delivered too. Death has no more dominion over him and no more dominion over me; his deliverance is mine, his freedom mine for ever. Again, I repeat it, the believer should take strong draughts of consolation here. Christ is risen from the dead, how can we be condemned?

For meditation: The reality of having been united with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection should be acted out in believer’s baptism; but it should also be acted out in believer’s daily living (1 Peter 3:21-4: 2).

Sermon no. 256

5 June (1859)

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John MacArthur – Be Slow to Anger

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“Let everyone be . . . slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

Have you ever started reading your Bible, thinking everything was fine between you and the Lord, only to have the Word suddenly cut deep into your soul to expose some sin you had neglected or tried to hide? That commonly happens because God seeks to purge sin in His children. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to penetrate the hidden recesses of the heart to do His convicting and purifying work. How you respond to that process is an indicator of the genuineness of your faith.

“Anger” in James 1:19-20 refers to a negative response to that process. It is a deep internal resentment accompanied by an attitude of rejection. Sometimes that resentment can be subtle. Paul described those who “will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” (2 Tim. 4:3). They’re the people who drift from church to church in search of someone who will tell them what they want to hear–or a congregation that wants a pastor who will make them feel good about themselves instead of preaching the Word and setting a high standard of holiness.

Sometimes resentment toward the Word ceases to be subtle and turns to open hostility. That happened when the crowd Stephen confronted covered their ears, drove him out of the city, and stoned him to death (Acts 7:57-60). Countless others throughout history have felt the fatal blows of those whose resentment of God’s truth turned to hatred for His people.

Receiving the Word includes being quick to hear what it says and slow to anger when it disagrees with your opinions or confronts your sin. Is that your attitude? Do you welcome its reproof and heed its warnings, or do you secretly resent it? When a Christian brother or sister confronts a sin in your life, do you accept or reject their counsel?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank God for the power of His Word to convict you and drive you to repentance. Welcome its correction with humility and thanksgiving.

For Further Study:

Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5, noting the charge Paul gave to Timothy and his reason for giving it.

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Joyce Meyer – Our Responsibility—God’s Responsibility

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So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. —Matthew 6:34

Every believer has the responsibility to live right—to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. Motivated by the reverential fear of the Lord, we can learn to live carefully and begin to make a difference in the world we live in. You and I need to be careful about what we allow into our spirits and how we live our lives. Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our heart with all diligence because out of it flows the issues of life. I believe we should have a careful attitude about how we live—not a casual or a careless one. We need to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, what we think about, and who our friends are.

I’m not saying we need to live according to the strict and demanding dictates of man. Some would say we must not wear makeup or that we must wear colorless clothing from our necks to our ankles. That is nothing more than legalistic bondage to a bunch of rules and regulations. I had a very ­legalistic relationship with God for years and was miserable, so the last thing I want to do is teach legalism. What I am saying is that we shouldn’t compromise. We should recognize our responsibility as Christians to live our lives in such a way that unbelievers will be attracted to God by our behavior.

James 4:17 says, “…any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.” In other words, if we are convicted that something is wrong, then we must not do it—even if we see a hundred other people doing it and getting by with it. They may seem to be getting by with it, but sooner or later, we will all reap what we sow.

We know that worry and anxiety are not characteristics of a godly Christian. Yet still, many Christians worry. You can choose to worry, or you can reject worry and choose to live with joy and peace. Most people don’t want to hear that message, and they seem to find an odd comfort in thinking that worrying is beyond their control. It is not. Worry is a sin against God.

As long as I’ve been in the church, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make that statement. But it is sin. It is calling God a liar. It is saying that God is not sufficiently able to take care of you and provide for your needs.

Faith says, “God can do it.” Worry says, “God isn’t able to help me.”

When you worry, you not only call God a liar, but you have also allowed the devil to fill your mind with anxious thoughts. The more you focus on the problems, the larger they become. You start to fret and may even end up in despair.

Think of the words of the great apostle: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Philippians 4:13). Or think of the words from the psalmist: “Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).

Jesus told His disciples not to be anxious and, as quoted above, not to worry about tomorrow. But He did more than teach those words; He lived them out: “And Jesus replied to him, Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have lodging places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). That wasn’t a complaint but a simple fact of life. Jesus trusted His Father’s provision for Him even when He didn’t know where He would sleep or what He would eat.

Jesus taught that we are not to worry about anything in life. He wasn’t speaking about planning and thinking ahead. He was saying that some people never act because fear holds them back. They can always tell you ten things that can go wrong with every plan. Jesus wants us to live a stress-free life. If you are worrying about what might happen, you’re hindering God from working in your life.

I heard about a couple whose daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness that wasn’t covered by insurance. The parents were struggling to pay all the medical bills. Not knowing what else to do, they both went into their bedroom for a lengthy time of prayer. Afterward the husband said, “It was really quite simple. I am God’s servant. My responsibility is to serve my Master. His responsibility is to take care of me.”

The next day, the doctors told them that their daughter was eligible to be part of an experimental surgery and all expenses would be paid. The wife smiled and said, “God is responsible, isn’t He?” What a testimony to their faith and trust in God who remains faithful and responsible at all times and in all things. God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He will do for another (see Romans 2:11). I encourage you to stop worrying and start trusting in Him.

Lord God, I know that worry is a sin against You. In the name of Jesus, help me overcome all anxieties and worry and enable me to trust You to provide for every need I have. Amen.

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Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – The Most Vital Food

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“Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul. They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me. How proud I am to bear Your name, O Lord” (Jeremiah 15:16).

In my earlier years – as perhaps was true of yours – one thing that seemed to sustain me more than anything else was food: three square meals a day, and sometimes something in between. Food is still vital – I would not understate its value – but I have found something far more vital to my happiness and success as a believer in Christ.

Now, I can truly say with the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, that the very words of God are what really sustain me. They are food to my hungry soul. And they accomplish immeasurable good in my life, and thus in the lives of thousands of people whom I am privileged to meet throughout the world.

God’s Word brings joy to my sorrowing heart. Why? Because it has an answer – the answer – to every need, every burden, every problem I will face this day, and in the days to come. Furthermore, it will provide the answers for others whom I contact.

God’s Word truly delights me, as it did Jeremiah. When I need encouragement, I turn to the Psalms. When I need practical wisdom for daily decisions, I turn to the Proverbs of Solomon. And so on with every kind of need I face.

All of this being true – God’s Word sustaining me, being food to my hungry soul, bringing joy to my sorrowing heart, and delighting me – “How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord!”

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 15:15-21

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My spiritual food must take priority over all other considerations in my life.