Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Contentment

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“For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Suggested Further Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-11

The apostle Paul was a very learned man, but not the least among his manifold acquisitions in knowledge was this—he had learned to be content. Such learning is far better than much that is acquired in the schools. Their learning may look studiously back on the past, but too often those who cull the relics of antiquity with enthusiasm, are thoughtless about the present, and neglect the practical duties of daily life. Their learning may open up dead languages to those who will never derive any living benefit from them. Far better the learning of the apostle. It was a thing of ever-present utility, and alike serviceable for all generations; one of the rarest, but one of the most desirable accomplishments. I put the senior wrangler and the most learned of our Cambridge men, in the lowest form compared with this learned apostle; for this surely is the highest degree in humanities to which a man can possibly attain, to have learned in whatsoever state he is, to be content. You will see at once from reading the text, upon the very surface, that contentment in all states is not a natural propensity of man. Ill weeds grow apace; covetousness, discontent, and murmuring, are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. You have no need to sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth, upon which rests the curse; so you have no need to teach men to complain, they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener’s care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated.

For meditation: Proverbs 30:7-9: the balanced prayer of Agur, an observant and humble man. Covetousness is the enemy of contentment.

Sermon no. 320

9 July (Preached 25 March 1860)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – A Living Sacrifice

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John MacArthur

“Offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).

In Romans 12:1 Paul pleads with believers to present their bodies to God as a living and holy sacrifice, which is an appropriate and acceptable act of worship. But as someone has rightly said, the problem with living sacrifices is they tend to crawl off the altar. That’s because sacrificial living demands spiritual discipline and constant dependence on the Holy Spirit. We as Christians aren’t always willing to do that.

According to Paul, the motivation and ability for self-sacrifice are found in the mercies we’ve already experienced in Christ. In Romans 1-11 he mentions several, including love, grace, peace, faith, comfort, power, hope, patience, kindness, glory, honor, righteousness, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, security, eternal life, freedom, resurrection, sonship, intercession, and the Holy Spirit. Because you’ve received all that, you should gladly surrender every faculty you have for holy purposes.

“Body” in Romans 12:1 also includes your mind. Verse 2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” A transformed mind is the key to transformed behavior.

Prior to your salvation, you had neither the desire nor the ability to make such a sacrifice. But because you are a new creation in Christ, you are not to “go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but . . . as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom. 6:13). One practical implication? Abstain from sexual immorality. Know how to possess your own body in sanctification and honor (1 Thess. 4:3-4).

You are a holy priest, and your priestly work begins with presenting yourself as a living and holy sacrifice. Is that your desire? Are you a faithful priest?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Thank God for His bountiful mercies toward you.

Commit this day to Him, asking for the grace to live a holy life.

For Further Study:

Read Romans 6.

What choices do you have as a believer that you didn’t have as an unbeliever?

What is the benefit of being God’s slave?

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Sons and Daughters of God

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You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? —Hebrews 12:7

If we want to be led by the Spirit of God, we must be willing to grow up and become mature sons and daughters of God. We must not allow our fleshly desires, our natural appetites, the devil, our friends, our emotions, or merely what we think to lead us; we look only to God’s Spirit for leadership and direction.

The more we know God’s Word, the more we understand that He will not lead us astray or direct us into anything that is not good for us. Even things that may seem uncomfortable in the beginning will ultimately turn into great blessings in our lives if we will simply follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Learning to follow Him is part of spiritual maturity.

The Bible sometimes refers to us as “children of God” and sometimes as “sons of God.” There is a difference between children and mature sons and daughters. Though all are equally loved, mature sons and daughters enjoy liberties, privileges, and responsibilities that children are not yet old enough to have.

We come into God’s Kingdom as babes; we go through a time of being children; and then we learn how to behave as sons and daughters of God and joint heirs with Christ. God wants to do wonderful things for us, but we must grow up in Him in order to receive them. I encourage you to do everything you can to pursue spiritual maturity. Begin today to ask Him to help you in this process.

God’s word for you today: Be willing to grow up into maturity in God.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Rescued from Darkness

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“For He has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13).

A famous general invited me to his office. He was hungry for God and eager to become a Christian. Yet as we counseled together, he seemed reluctant to pray. I inquired as to his reluctance, and he said, “I don’t understand myself. I want to receive Christ, but I can’t.”

I turned to Colossians 1:13,14 and asked him to read it aloud. Then I asked him to tell me what he thought it meant. The light went on. Suddenly he realized that he was a member of Satan’s kingdom, and Satan was trying to hinder his being liberated from darkness and gloom into the glorious light of the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Satan did not want him to receive Christ into his heart.

As soon as the man realized he was a member of Satan’s kingdom, he was ready to pray and receive Christ into his life so that he would then become a member of God’s kingdom.

I, too, was once in Satan’s kingdom – not a very pleasant thought, but true. And so were you if you are a Christian. Every person born into this world is a part of Satan’s kingdom; all who are not now experiencing the saving grace and love of Christ are a part of his kingdom.

It is God the Holy Spirit who enables men to comprehend spiritual truth. It is God the Holy Spirit who liberates men from darkness into light. It is God the Holy Spirit who is responsible for the new birth that brings men into the kingdom of God.

When we go out to witness, it is not enough to know God’s plan. It is not enough to know the Four Spiritual Laws. It is not enough for us to be nicely groomed and properly scented. We need to go in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. He alone can change men.

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:10-13

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: My first concern in everything I do and every contact I make today will be that the power of God’s Holy Spirit will be operative in my life, so that others will see His supernatural qualities in my life and want to join me in following Him.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.K. – Give It Up!

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Faith, mercy, grace…it’s a gift – all of it! Don’t nonchalantly dismiss this, saying that you know this already. Stop and consider that very few things in this world deserve the description of “awesome,” but these three things do.

This is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.  I Peter 5:12

Even more, God is the one person who graciously provides them. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Why faith alone? It may be because faith is the one attitude of the heart that is the exact opposite of depending on self. Faith requires that you give up – determine that you can do nothing on your own to stand righteous before God.

Your sins deserve severe punishment, especially when held next to the purity and holiness of the Lord. Mercy saves you. On top of that, He gives you grace – transforming life now into a personal relationship with Him and giving the promise of an exciting life in the hereafter.

Receive it all as His gift. In difficult and unsettling times such as what this nation is experiencing, remember God’s love and faithfulness. He will keep you. Stand firm!

Recommended Reading: II Thessalonians 3:1-5, 13-18

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Ready to Go

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“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” —Luke 12:40

When I go on a trip, I always pack my bags the night before, especially if it is an early morning flight. I will always have everything ready to go because I want to be at the gate on time. I don’t want to miss my flight, so I prepare in advance.

That is the idea Jesus was communicating when He said, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately” (Luke 12:35–36).

In other words, have your walking shoes on and be ready to go.

To be ready for the return of Jesus is to be engaged in activities you would not be ashamed of if He were to return. It is a good thing to ask yourself periodically, This place that I am about to go, this thing that I am about to do—would I be embarrassed or ashamed to be doing this if Jesus were to come back? If the answer is yes, then don’t do it. If you can’t pray over your plans for the evening, then don’t do those things. You should be able to say, “Lord, bless our time at dinner. Lord, bless our time as we go here or there or as we do this or do that.” If you can’t, then don’t do it.

First John 3:2–3 says, “We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

If we really believe that Jesus is coming, it should cause us to live godly lives.

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – A Place at God’s Table

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God gives hope!  So what if someone was born thinner or stronger? Why count diplomas or compare resumes? What does it matter if they have a place at the head table?  You have a place at God’s table—and He’s filling your cup to overflowing!

The overflowing cup was a powerful symbol in the days of David. As long as the host kept the cup full, the guest knew he was welcome. When the cup sat empty, the host was hinting that the hour was late. On those occasions when the host really enjoyed the company of the person, he filled the cup to overflowing; he kept pouring until the liquid ran over the edge of the cup and down on the table.

Have you noticed how wet your table is? God wants you to stay. Your cup overflows with joy. Overflows with grace. Shouldn’t your heart overflow with gratitude?

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Our Convictions: Our Defense

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Charles Stanley

Genesis 39:1,4,6-9

The only way that you’re going to build a defense against untruth is to saturate your mind with truth. You must, therefore, spend time in the Bible, undergirding your belief system with God’s reality so you can easily spot error.

This is similar to the way a chef creates his own version of a well-known recipe. While adjusting ingredients, he conducts repeated taste tests; only by checking his creation against the original cuisine can he determine the accuracy of his recipe. Otherwise, it would be as futile as trying to produce Coquilles St. Jacques by comparing the flavors to a fast-food sandwich!

God’s Word is our standard. Look over your belief system. What do you believe about marriage? Is it for life? Or do you believe it’s okay to bail whenever it becomes inconvenient or cramps your style? And what about children? Friends? Finances? Morality? Church? What about those “hot button” social issues we hear so much about?

If you are unsure where to stand on any of these issues, then it is imperative that you sit down with a Bible and begin researching until you hear God’s answers. Find Scripture concerning each area, and ask the Holy Spirit, “What does this passage really mean?”

Do not simply ask, “How can I interpret this passage in a way to suit myself?” The world operates by that philosophy, which is known as moral relativism. Instead, ask the Lord to mold your convictions through His Word. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit will equip and embolden you to stand for what you believe.

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Jesus Loves Me

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Our Daily Bread

Romans 8:31-39

Keep yourselves in the love of God. —Jude 1:21

On cold days, our old dog moves around the yard, finding a sunny spot to stretch out on the grass to keep herself in the warmth of the sun.

This reminds me that we must “keep” ourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21). That doesn’t mean we have to act in some special way to make God love us (although our desire is to please Him). Because we are His children we’re loved no matter what we do or fail to do. It means instead that we should think about His love and bask in its radiance and warmth all day long.

“[Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:39). He loved us before we were born, and He loves us now. This is our identity in Christ; it is who we are—God’s beloved children. That’s something to think about throughout the day.

Five times in John’s gospel he described himself as the disciple Jesus loved (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20). Jesus loved His other disciples too, but John reveled in the fact that Jesus loved him! We can adopt John’s theme—“I am the disciple Jesus loves!”—and repeat it to ourselves all day long. Or we can sing that familiar children’s song in our hearts, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” As we carry that truth with us throughout the day, we’ll bask in the warmth of His love! —David Roper

I am so glad that our Father in heaven

Tells of His love in the Book He has given;

Wonderful things in the Bible I see—

This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me. —Bliss

God loves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is.

Bible in a year: Job 36-37 & Acts 15:22-41

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Private Faith and Public Ethics

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As a student, I was privileged to sit under an advisor for whom the field of ethics, and particularly medical ethics, was a vibrant passion and sought-after proficiency. With his careful drawl and smiling eyes, my professor slowly and gladly brought me to an understanding of ethics that would never allow me to leave it, as I might have left a stuffy, uninteresting class. He also happened to be Christian, which one readily discovered was not by coincidence. His ethics and his religion were intertwined.

In one of Dr. Verhey’s more recent works, he further describes the connection of his ethics to Scripture. “There is no Christian life that is not shaped somehow by Scripture. There is no Christian moral discernment that is not tied somehow to Scripture. There is no Christian ethic—no Christian medical ethic or sexual ethic or economic ethic or political ethic—that is not formed and informed somehow by Scripture.”(1) That is to say, Christian communities are communities who practice ethics on some real level because they live by a particular identity, because it is who they are.

Now working within the field of Christian apologetics, one of the comments that I hear most often as a reason for rejecting Christianity is that of its followers. In essence, the difficulty many have with Christianity is disappointment with Christians—whether blatant hypocrisy, disheartening unkindness, or gross abuse of power. I try to address these real disappointments, while entreating the repulsed to see the suggestion in their own logic. Christ stands for something more. I try reasoning that the abuse of a religion must never stand in the way of getting at the truth of a religion. But many will not be swayed. I often leave these conversations saddened not merely because the obstacles seem immovable, but because I fully understand the grievance. The letter of recommendation written upon the countenance of professing Christians is far too often a message that deters.

Like ethics, Christian apologetics is a daily activity writ large upon the life of Christians and Christian communities whether they realize it or not. We live in such a world where one’s choice of religion can seemingly be housed in private rooms separated from the daily choices and ethics by which we live, and sadly Christians often attempt to live similarly. And yet the world somehow knows to hold those who profess belief in Christ accountable to something that indeed cannot be locked in private rooms and hidden from the public. This is both a call to the Christian to uncompartmentalize and a call to the disappointed to reconsider the Christ they seem to sense invites us to something transformative—something worth holding accountable in the first place.

The Christian indeed goes about life confessing, commending, defending, and living the gospel, showing the world an ethic and a religion whether they speak of these things or not. Both Christian ethics and the Christian faith are thus inherently Christian activities, disciplines that must take seriously the responsibility the identity imparts. This is not to say the Christian holds every answer or always lives as one transformed. But the Christian is a person of the Book, commanded to remember the movement of God in history, the nearness of the Spirit today, and the promise of Christ’s return—in every word, in every act, in every private space and public square.

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

(1) Allen Verhey, Remembering Jesus: Christian Community, Scripture, and the Moral Life (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 2002), 54.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – The Secret Strength of Faith

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Tell me where yAlistair Beggour great strength lies.  Judges 16:6

Where does the secret strength of faith lie? It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is-an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God. And faith says, “My God could not have given this promise except from love and grace; therefore it is quite certain His Word will be fulfilled.” Then faith thinks, “Who gave this promise?” It considers not so much its greatness as, “Who is the author of it?” She remembers that it is God, who cannot lie-God omnipotent, God immutable-and therefore concludes that the promise must be fulfilled; and onward she proceeds in this firm conviction. She remembers why the promise was given-namely, for God’s glory-and she feels perfectly sure that God’s glory is safe, that He will never stain His own insignia, nor spoil the sparkle of His own crown; and therefore the promise must and will stand.

Then faith also considers the amazing work of Christ as being a clear proof of the Father’s intention to fulfill His word. “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?”1 Moreover, faith looks back upon the past, for her battles have strengthened her, and her victories have given her courage. She remembers that God has never failed her, that He never once failed any of His children. She recalls times of great peril when deliverance came, hours of awful need when as her day her strength was found, and she cries, “No, I never will be led to think that He can change and leave His servant now. Thus far the Lord has helped me, and He will help me still.”

Thus faith views each promise in its connection with the promise-giver and, because she does so, can with assurance say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!”2

1 – Romans 8:32

2 – Psalm 23:6

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – A wise desire

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“He shall choose our inheritance for us.” Psalm 47:4

Suggested Further Reading: Genesis 45:4-11

If you turn to the pages of inspiration, and read the lives of some of the most eminent saints, I think you will be obliged to see the marks of God’s providence in their histories too plainly to be mistaken. Take, for instance, the life of Joseph. There is a young man who from early life serves God. Read that life till its latest period when he gave commandment concerning his bones, and you cannot help marvelling at the wondrous dealings of providence. Did Joseph choose to be hated of his brethren? But, yet, was not their envy a material circumstance in his destiny? Did he choose to be put into the pit? But was not the putting into the pit as necessary to his being made a king in Egypt as Pharaoh’s dream? Did Joseph desire to be tempted of his mistress? He chose to reject the temptation, but did he choose the trial? No; God sent it. Did he choose to be put into the dungeon? No. And had he anything to do with the baker’s dream, or with Pharaoh’s either? Can you not see, all the way through, from first to last, even in the forgetfulness of the butler, who forgot to speak of Joseph till the appointed time came, when Pharaoh should want an interpreter, that there was truly the hand of God? Joseph’s brethren did just as they liked when they put him into the pit. Potiphar’s wife followed the dictates of her own abandoned lust in tempting him. And yet, notwithstanding all the freedom of their will, it was ordained of God, and worked according together for one great end; to place Joseph on the throne; for as he said himself, “Ye meant it for evil, but God intended it for good, that he might save your souls alive!”

For meditation: You may find yourself in undesirable circumstances, but God can take these bad things and work them together for your good and his glory if you are his child (Romans 8:28). The all-knowing God knows what is best for us and can direct us clearly by our circumstances (Isaiah 48:17).

Sermon no. 33

8 July (1855)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Offering Spiritual Sacrifices

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John MacArthur

“You . . . are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).

The primary mission of a Hebrew priest was to offer acceptable sacrifices to God. That’s why God gave detailed instructions regarding the kinds of sacrifices He required. For example, if a lamb was offered, it had to be perfect–without deformity or blemish. Then it had to be sacrificed in a prescribed manner. It was a serious offense to offer sacrifices in an unacceptable manner–a mistake that cost Aaron’s sons their lives (Lev. 10:1-2).

The Old Testament sacrificial system pictured the supreme sacrifice of Christ on the cross. When He died, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple split in two, signifying personal access to God through Christ. From that moment on, the Old Testament sacrifices ceased to have meaning. As the writer of Hebrews said, “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. . . . For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:10-14).

Christ’s sacrifice was complete. Nothing further is needed for salvation. The spiritual sacrifices that believers are to offer aren’t sacrifices for sin, but acts of praise and worship that flow from a redeemed life. They’re the fruit of salvation and are acceptable to God because they’re offered through His Son.

Since Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, your access to God is through Him alone. Anything that pleases Him is acceptable to the Father. Seeking His will, His plans, and His kingdom all are aspects of offering up acceptable spiritual sacrifices. In effect, your entire life is to be one continuous sacrifice of love and praise to God. May it be so!

Suggestions for Prayer:

When you pray, be sure everything you say and every request you make is consistent with Christ’s will.

For Further Study:

Read Hebrews 10:1-18, noting how Christ’s sacrifice differed from Old Testament sacrifices.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Decide to Be Second

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Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another. —Romans 12:10

Giving preference to others requires a willingness to adapt and adjust. It means to allow them to go first or to have the best of something. We show preference when we give someone else the best cut of meat on the platter instead of keeping it back for ourselves. We show preference when we allow someone with fewer groceries in his cart than we have in ours to go in front of us at the supermarket checkout counter, or when we are waiting in line to use a public restroom and someone behind us in line is pregnant or elderly and we choose to let that individual go ahead of us. Each time we show preference we have to make a mental adjustment. We were planning to be first, but we decide to be second. We are in a hurry, but we decide to wait on someone else who seems to have a greater need.

A person is not yet rooted and grounded in love until they have learned to show preference to others (see Ephesians 3:17 NKJV). Don’t just learn to adjust, but learn to do it with a good attitude. Learning to do these things is learning to walk in love.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Claiming Forgiveness

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“But, dearly loved friends, if our consciences are clear, we can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust, and get whatever we ask for because we are obeying Him and doing the things that please Him” (1 John 3:21,22).

What a marvelous promise – unfortunately, a promise which few Christians are able to claim. Why? Because they do not have a clear conscience in regard to their sin and when they come to God, they cannot come with confidence that He will hear and answer them. As God’s Word reminds us in Psalm 66:15, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. How wonderful to know that whatever sins have been committed, the shedding of Christ’s blood and His death on the cross have paid the penalty for them all. If we confess our sin of pride, lust, jealousy, gossip, dishonesty, greed, whatever it may be, we can by faith claim His forgiveness. Remember that if we agree with God concerning our sin, if we recognize Christ’s death on the cross has indeed paid the penalty for that sin, and if we repent or change our attitude, which results in a change of our action, we can know that we are forgiven. However, if there is no change of attitude and action, obviously there has been no true confession and therefore no forgiveness and cleansing.

If you have truly confessed your sins, you can come now into the presence of God with great joy and a clear conscience and have perfect assurance and trust that whatever you ask for, you will receive because you are praying according to the will and the Word of God.

Bible Reading: I John 3:18-24

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: One of the qualifications for supernatural living is a clear conscience. Therefore, by God’s grace I will keep my heart and motives pure through the practice of spiritual breathing knowing that when I breathe spiritually (exhale – confess, inhale – appropriate promise), I can come into God’s presence with a clear conscience and expect to receive answers to my prayers.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – His Unforgettable Love

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Dr. Robertson McQuilkin, who served as one of Columbia International University’s longest-serving presidents, received the 2010 Lifetime Service Award from the nation’s largest evangelical mission organizations. Dr. McQuilkin was also a missionary in Japan for more than a decade and is a recognized authority on biblical ethics and world evangelization as well as the author of seven books.

Loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him.  Deuteronomy 11:22

However, Dr. McQuilkin is most noted for his commitment to his late wife, Muriel, who passed away in 2003. When Muriel showed symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. McQuilkin resigned his distinguished position at the university to be her full-time caregiver. McQuilkin’s act of devotion, which he said stems from the promise to care for her until death, is captured in his book, A Promise Kept: The Story of an Unforgettable Love.

Examples of such sacrificial love seem rare today since relationships are often seen as conditional. Yet God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) His faithfulness is not dependent on your response. Thank God each day for His unconditional love. Commit to let your words and your actions reflect that to others. Pray also that the nation’s leaders will embrace God’s unforgettable love in their lives.

Recommended Reading: II Timothy 2:3-13

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Live What You Believe

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But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. —2 Peter 3:8

When I became a Christian in 1970, the Jesus Movement was in full swing. A lot of young people were coming to Christ. There was a great deal of talk about the soon return of Jesus. It was very common to see bumper stickers on cars with slogans that read, “In case of Rapture, this car will be unmanned” or “Jesus is coming!”

I don’t know how many of those I have gone through, but quite a few. And still He hasn’t come. Some would say, “You guys were all wrong. Maybe He is never coming.” But here is what the Bible says in response: “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9).

Forty-three years ago, I was praying that Jesus would come back. I would venture to guess there are many who are glad that God didn’t answer my prayers because they have become believers since then. I also think that somewhere on earth is an individual who will be the last one the Lord is waiting for to put his or her faith in Christ, and the moment this person does so, the Rapture will take place.

Peter continues, “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment” (verse 10).

If you really believe that Jesus is coming back, then it should impact the way you live. And if it doesn’t impact the way you live, then you are completely missing the point.

 

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Overflowing with Grace

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Do you ever worry that the cup of God’s mercy will run empty?  Are you afraid his grace will run out?   That your warranty will expire?  Are you afraid your mistakes are too great for God’s forgiveness?  I wonder if the apostle Paul had the same fear. Before he was Paul the apostle, he was Saul the murderer. Before he encouraged Christians, he murdered Christians. What would it be like to live with that kind of past?

Did Paul ever ask, “Can God forgive a man like me?” The answer is found in a letter Paul wrote to Timothy:  “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 1:14)

God is not a miser with His grace. Your cup may be low on cash or clout, but it’s overflowing with mercy. Your cup overflows with grace!

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Friendship with the Lord

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Charles Stanley

Would you like to know God? Would you like to be sure that you’re following His will? If you are a believer, more than likely your answer is “yes.” But you may not know how. Even if you read your Bible faithfully, pray daily, tithe, and attend church regularly, you may sense that something is lacking in your relationship with Him.

Perhaps you believe God loves you. But have you experienced the depth of His affection in an intimate and personal way? Until you begin to understand His nature and character, a spiritual window shade will remain closed in your life. You may know right from wrong in certain areas, but it’s important to know why God wants you to live a certain way. Once you begin to understand the way the Lord thinks and operates, you will know Him better. You will be able to grasp that He loves you with an eternal love. And as your knowledge of God deepens, your desire to please Him will naturally increase.

What is required?

I believe the Father reveals Himself to those who hunger to know Him. Consider how Moses responded to the burning bush: he drew near to it and was eager to know the one true God. Later he prayed, “If I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You so that I may find favor in Your sight” (Ex. 33:13, emphasis added). It is obvious that Moses had one clear goal: to know his Creator, not simply know about Him. He wanted to relate to God on an intimate level—something much deeper than simply realizing that He exists. Moses’ quest to know the Lord led him to a relationship with the Almighty that changed his life forever.

In order to draw near to God, we must be willing to seek Him fervently, rather than pursuing solely our own comfort or ambitions. For example, David passionately sought the Lord and His ways. He wrote, “As the deer pants for water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps. 42:1-2). As a result, he became the person the Lord called “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 NIV).

And consider Mary, the mother of our Savior—she made a sacrificial choice to surrender to God’s will. When the angel told Mary she would bear a child conceived of the Holy Spirit, she knew obedience would make her life difficult. Yet she replied, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

As Moses, David, and Mary discovered, getting to know God may include walking with Him through life’s darkest valleys. But in these times, we gain tremendous insight into the Father’s character. Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned have come as a result of inexpressible heartache. God could have spared me from disappointment, but that was not His will for my life. He had greater things He wanted to teach me, and they could be learned only through sorrow and suffering.

Should we pray for trouble? No. But when it does strike, I counsel people to ask God to reveal what He wants them to learn through the situation. He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). And as we draw near to the Father, He will reveal “great and mighty things” to our hearts and minds (Jer. 33:3).

What about you?

Perhaps you’ve wondered, Where is God? What is He like? Can I know Him personally? Does He care about me? The good news is that the Lord is here, right now, right beside you. His presence is with you constantly. The Lord calls to you as He did to Moses—inviting you to draw near and learn of His ways so that you may know and experience the depths of His lovingkindness.

My desire is for you to pray, “Let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight” (Ex. 33:13). When you begin to understand God’s mind and the way He works, you suddenly have the right tools to live an abundant life—one that is full and complete. Beyond this, you will have the Holy Spirit abiding within you, and He delights in supplying you with knowledge, love, peace, joy, intimacy, and hope. You will never know all there is to know about the Father’s ways, but you will learn quickly that He is in control and willing to guide you at every turn.

Nothing is more valuable than knowing God. The world may entice you to search for wisdom in any number of ways, but there is only one Source of ultimate truth. He patiently waits to reveal Himself to you.

 

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Our Daily Bread

Isaiah 55:1-9

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. —1 Samuel 16:7

A beautifying project on the main road of my town prompted the demolition of a church built in the 1930s. Although the windows of the empty church had been removed, the doors remained in place for several days, even as bulldozers began knocking down walls. Each set of doors around the church building held a message written in giant, fluorescent-orange block letters: KEEP OUT!

Unfortunately, some churches whose doors are open convey that same message to visitors whose appearance doesn’t measure up to their standards. No fluorescent, giant-size letters needed. With a single disapproving glance, some people communicate: “You’re Not Welcome Here!”

How people look on the outside, of course, is not an indicator of what is in their hearts. God’s focus is on the inner life of people. He looks far below the surface of someone’s appearance (1 Sam. 16:7) and that’s what He desires for us to do as well. He also knows the hearts of those who appear to be “righteous” but are “full of hypocrisy” on the inside (Matt. 23:28).

God’s message of welcome, which we are to show to others, is clear. He says to all who seek Him: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters” (Isa. 55:1). —Cindy Hess Kasper

Thank You, Lord, that You welcome all into

Your family, and You have welcomed me. Show me

how to be as accepting of others as You are.

May I reveal Your heart of love.

No one will know what you mean when you say, “God is love”—unless you show it.

Bible in a year: Job 34-35 & Acts 15:1-21

Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.