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The Joy of Kindred Spirits – John MacArthur

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“Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:1).

Timothy was Paul’s trusted companion in the gospel. In Philippians 2:20 Paul describes him as a man “of kindred spirit.” That is, they were likeminded, sharing the same love for Christ and His church.

Elsewhere Paul described Timothy as his beloved and faithful child in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17) and fellow worker in the gospel of Christ (Rom. 16:21; 1 Thess. 3:2). Those are significant compliments coming from Paul, whose standard of ministry and personal integrity was very high.

However, as godly and useful as Timothy was, he apparently struggled with many of the same weaknesses we face. For example, 2 Timothy implies he might have been intimidated by the false teachers who challenged his leadership (1:7). He perhaps was somewhat ashamed of Christ (1:8) and tempted to alter his theology to avoid offending those who disagreed with sound doctrine (1:13- 14). He might have been neglecting his studies in the Word (2:15) and succumbing to ungodly opinions (2:16-17). Other struggles are implied as well.

Paul wrote to strengthen Timothy’s spiritual character and encourage him to persevere in the face of severe trials.

Despite those apparent weaknesses, Paul valued Timothy highly and entrusted enormous ministerial responsibilities to him. In addition, Timothy’s friendship and ministry was a source of great joy and strength to Paul.

I pray that you have people of kindred spirit in your life– brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage you, pray for you, and hold you accountable to God’s truth. Like Timothy, they may not be all you want them to be, but they are precious gifts from God. Esteem them highly and pray for them often. Do everything you can to reciprocate their ministry in your life.

If perhaps you lack such friends, seek the fellowship of a local church where Christ is exalted, His Word is taught, and holy living is encouraged. Build relationships with mature Christians who will stimulate you to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24).

Suggestions for Prayer: Identify three people who are of kindred spirit with you. Pray for them and tell them how much you appreciate their examples and ministries.

For Further Study: Read 2 Timothy 1:1-14.

What were Paul’s admonitions to Timothy?

How might they apply to you?

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The Reason for Resistance – Greg Laurie

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“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”—John 3:19

Why is it that some people never respond to the gospel? They are not necessarily mean about it, though they may be. They are simply not open to it.

Some people will say no with a smile. When you tell them all about your faith in Christ, they will say that is very nice for you. But when you ask them if they would like to become a Christian, they will decline.

Then there are others who are hostile or argumentative. They may point to a problem they have with a certain teaching of the Bible or want to know why God allows suffering. Or, they may say the Bible is full of contradictions or claim there are a lot of hypocrites in the church.

Yet I think their reason for not responding doesn’t have to do with any of these things. Because the moment you start to address the actual issues with an intelligent and biblical response, they will change the subject. It is seldom about any of the issues they raise; it is simply about one thing: they want you to go away.

Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The bottom line is they don’t want to change. They don’t want to stop doing what they know, deep down inside, is a sin before God. The bottom line is they don’t want to admit their weakness and their need for God. They just don’t want to believe.

So what should we do? We should pray for them. We should ask the Lord to open their eyes and help them see their need for Jesus Christ.

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What If? – Max Lucado

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What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you? Waking up in your bed, walking in your shoes, assuming your schedule?  With one exception—nothing about your life changes. Not your circumstances. Your schedule.  Your problems.  Only one change occurs!  His priorities govern your actions. His love directs your behavior.

What would you be like?  Would people notice a change? What about the less fortunate?  Would you treat them the same? And your friends?  Would they detect more joy?

Pause and think about your schedule. Obligations.  Engagements.  Appointments.  Would anything change? Keep working on this for a moment.  Adjust the lens of your imagination until you have a clear picture of Jesus leading your life. Then frame the image. What you see is what God wants. He wants you to “think and act like Christ Jesus.” God wants you to be just like Jesus!

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

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Taking Care of Burdens By Charles F. Stanley

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We were not designed to carry the weight of our own struggles.

Have you ever watched people endure painful burdens and heartache in life? If so, you might have noticed that some face trials with a remarkably positive attitude while others are shattered by their difficulties. Since no one’s life is entirely free of hardships, it is important to understand how God wants us to bear them.

There are three different sources for the struggles we encounter. Sometimes they are situations we bring upon ourselves, while other times they are purely the work of the Devil. Some tests, meanwhile, come directly from God’s hand.

Our challenges vary greatly: a single Christian mom may have the awesome responsibility of raising children in an ungodly world that seeks to destroy them; an angry misunderstanding may leave the head of a household without a job; or a past sin can result in deep scars of guilt that weigh a person down. Regardless of the type of problem or its source, the question is, How are we to handle the burdens that come our way?

Jesus never vows to totally remove our difficulty, but He promises to deal with our trial in such a way that we no longer have to carry its weight. Some distressing situations—like terminal illness, caring for a disabled relative, or the death of a loved one—are permanent, as far as this life is concerned. Some people might find the idea of an ongoing trial discouraging, but the Christian must remember that we are not to handle these matters in our own strength. God wants to lift our load and carry it for us. He personally invites every one of us who is weary to find refreshment in Him. (1 John 5:3)

Of course, all of us would prefer to bypass painful circumstances, but the Lord knows that our hardships and heartaches—the things we are unable to handle on our own—form the fertile soil for our spiritual growth and increasing dependence upon Him. How can we know Jesus Christ as the burden-bearer unless we get under a burden ourselves, try to deal with it our own way, and then experience the relief of letting Him carry its weight?

Oftentimes, the difficulties God has sent or allowed in my life have been so unpleasant that I prayed He would remove them. However, when I looked back later and realized all that my suffering had taught me about the Lord, I prayed, “Thank You that You knew better than I did. Thank You for not making it easy.”

It goes without saying that we all prefer a comfortable and trouble-free life, but what we have to ask is, Do I want what the flesh wants, which is ease, comfort, and pleasure, or do I want to become the godly person God wants me to be? It’s a choice all believers have to make.

At the same time, while hardships are to be expected, we should recognize God never intended that the Christian life itself be difficult. (John 16:33) He wants us to know that, no matter what our burden is, when we come to Him, He will lift the weight of it if we allow Him to do so.

Whenever you are dealing with a heavy burden, turn to Matthew 11:28-30 for God’s wisdom on how to proceed: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” From this passage, we can learn four steps to take.

Humble Yourself. It is humbling to admit you are struggling with a problem you cannot handle. Some people will not let down their façade of being in control; they insist they can and will handle the situation, no matter what. But there are burdens in life that no person in his or her own strength can bear successfully. Why do you think drugs are so prevalent and bars are full? There is nothing happy about “Happy Hour,” which caters to people trying to run from inescapable burdens. The world’s answer is often to seek help by means of substances, a new relationship, or perhaps a dishonest act or statement—none of these work.

God’s solution, on the other hand, is simply “Come.” Christ is the one-stop place for burdens—He and He alone is able to deal with your affliction, but first you must admit that you have the problem. True humility, in fact, occasionally involves more than opening up to the Lord; He may also want you to share your burden with someone He has sent to help you carry it. Oftentimes the barrier to God’s help is that we are too proud.

Submit. After talking about our being heavy-laden, Jesus says, “Take My yoke upon you.” His audience’s first reaction must have been, “Wait a minute! He is making His appeal to people who feel burdened under the weight of life’s cares, and He says to take a yoke upon us?” The piece of equipment described here was a wood log shaped to harness two oxen and keep them locked together so that they share the load being carried. In the Scriptures, a yoke also implied slavery or an obligation. But Jesus is not speaking of adding to our burden. Instead, He is telling us to submit to His will; then, when we get in the yoke with Him, we can walk together and pull together. In fact, when we submit to Christ, our load will lighten because our omnipotent Lord will bear the weight of it.

However, we cannot simply cast our care upon the Lord and walk away, free of the burden—that is not how God works. We must also submit ourselves to Him. After all, what are burdens? They are not just problems that can be surgically eliminated from our life; rather, they are the way we think and the feelings that weigh us down. The only way the Lord will lift your burden is by getting under the load with you; then when you submit yourself to Him, He will begin to control you! The weight of your problem will eventually disappear because you will start responding to your situation in a totally different fashion. If you want Him to take your burden, He must have all of you, not simply the problem you want removed. As you allow Christ to control you, He will, in fact, be dealing with your burden.

Learn of Him. Jesus tells us that He wants us to walk in unison with Him under His yoke of love. We can move in step with the Lord only as we learn about who He is, which is prerequisite to our being able to obey Him. It would be a terrible contradiction to think that we could unload our heartaches and problems on God and then proceed to live any sinful way we want. The reason we keep living under the weight of burdens is that we are not submissive to Him, but rather insist on having our own way.

If a Christian sins against the Lord, the Holy Spirit will convict that person of wrongdoing. All of a sudden, there will be no peace, no joy, and no fellowship with the heavenly Father. It becomes painfully obvious that something is wrong as the child of God feels a burden of conviction. In order to be released from the weight of that load, the believer may need to make a specific decision to end a behavior that he or she would prefer to continue.

Trust. While God does not say He will remove the burden, verse 29 promises what He will give: rest for our soul. Lugging around a weighty problem is like taking a mountain hike with a 100-pound knapsack strapped to our back—before long, we become fatigued and discouraged, and we can easily start to despair. Our caring Father offers relief so that we will no longer be worn and weary. As you trust God and begin to act on His most generous offer, you place yourself in a position to receive His promised blessings.

Trusting God with our burden does not mean we will never give another thought to the situation. Rather, we will start thinking about it in a new light: the light of the person of Jesus Christ, who is our sufficiency; the light of the promises of God, who has pledged not to let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22); the light of His power, which allows you to tackle the challenge and keep going. Trusting God lessens our load.

Are you carrying an oppressive burden today? Jesus Christ is offering you another way. Remember that His yoke is light. It will not bend you, break you, or destroy you. On the contrary, submission to the Lord will actually lift you up. Let God take the weight of the burden you were never meant to carry by yourself. In exchange, He will give you the Holy Spirit’s power to enable you to face any of life’s challenges.

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Our Daily Bread — Savor The Flavor

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Nehemiah 8:1-12

All the people went their way to eat and drink . . . and rejoice greatly. —Nehemiah 8:12

In a fast-paced culture of “eat and run,” few people make time to enjoy a leisurely meal in the company of friends. Someone has even remarked that the only way to enjoy a seven-course meal today is to get it all between two pieces of bread!

After many of the Israelite exiles in Babylon returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the walls of the city, they gathered to hear Ezra read from the Book of the Law given by God through Moses (Neh. 8:1). They listened to God’s Word for hours, while teachers among them “gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading” (v.8).

When they wept because of their shortcomings, Ezra, along with Nehemiah the governor, told them this was not a time for sorrow but a time for rejoicing. The people were told to prepare a feast and share it with those who had nothing, “for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (v.10). Then “all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them” (v.12).

The spiritual banquet God has prepared for us in His Word is a cause for great joy. It is worth taking time to savor. —David McCasland

Lord, give us a hunger and a thirst to know You more

that can be satisfied only by time spent with You in Your

Word. Help us to savor that time and, as we do,

to grow more in love with You each day.

Christ the Living Bread satisfies our spiritual hunger through the Living Word.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.” / Romans 8:12

As God’s creatures, we are all debtors to him: to obey him with all our body,  and soul, and strength. Having broken his commandments, as we all have, we are  debtors to his justice, and we owe to him a vast amount which we are not able  to pay. But of the Christian it can be said that he does not owe God’s justice  anything, for Christ has paid the debt his people owed; for this reason the  believer owes the more to love. I am a debtor to God’s grace and forgiving  mercy; but I am no debtor to his justice, for he will never accuse me of a  debt already paid. Christ said, “It is finished!” and by that he meant, that  whatever his people owed was wiped away forever from the book of remembrance.  Christ, to the uttermost, has satisfied divine justice; the account is  settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and we  are debtors to God’s justice no longer. But then, because we are not debtors  to our Lord in that sense, we become ten times more debtors to God than we  should have been otherwise. Christian, pause and ponder for a moment. What a  debtor thou art to divine sovereignty! How much thou owest to his  disinterested love, for he gave his own Son that he might die for thee.  Consider how much you owe to his forgiving grace, that after ten thousand  affronts he loves you as infinitely as ever. Consider what you owe to his  power; how he has raised you from your death in sin; how he has preserved your  spiritual life; how he has kept you from falling; and how, though a thousand  enemies have beset your path, you have been able to hold on your way. Consider  what you owe to his immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, he  has not changed once. Thou art as deep in debt as thou canst be to every  attribute of God. To God thou owest thyself, and all thou hast–yield thyself  as a living sacrifice, it is but thy reasonable service.

 

Evening  “Tell me … where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon.”

/ Song of Solomon 1:7

These words express the desire of the believer after Christ, and his longing  for present communion with him. Where doest thou feed thy flock? In thy house?  I will go, if I may find thee there. In private prayer? Then I will pray  without ceasing. In the Word? Then I will read it diligently. In thine  ordinances? Then I will walk in them with all my heart. Tell me where thou  feedest, for wherever thou standest as the Shepherd, there will I lie down as  a sheep; for none but thyself can supply my need. I cannot be satisfied to be  apart from thee. My soul hungers and thirsts for the refreshment of thy  presence. “Where dost thou make thy flock to rest at noon?” for whether at  dawn or at noon, my only rest must be where thou art and thy beloved flock. My  soul’s rest must be a grace-given rest, and can only be found in thee. Where  is the shadow of that rock? Why should I not repose beneath it? “Why should I  be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?” Thou hast  companions–why should I not be one? Satan tells me I am unworthy; but I  always was unworthy, and yet thou hast long loved me; and therefore my  unworthiness cannot be a bar to my having fellowship with thee now. It is true  I am weak in faith, and prone to fall, but my very feebleness is the reason  why I should always be where thou feedest thy flock, that I may be  strengthened, and preserved in safety beside the still waters. Why should I  turn aside? There is no reason why I should, but there are a thousand reasons  why I should not, for Jesus beckons me to come. If he withdrew himself a  little, it is but to make me prize his presence more. Now that I am grieved  and distressed at being away from him, he will lead me yet again to that  sheltered nook where the lambs of his fold are sheltered from the burning sun.

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The Joy of Exalting Christ – John MacArthur

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“Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:1).

Next to the Lord Himself, Paul is perhaps the greatest illustration that joy is not necessarily related to one’s circumstances.

Paul wrote to the Philippians from a prison cell, yet he spoke of joy and contentment. His life was a series of difficulties and life-threatening situations (see 2 Cor. 11:23-33). In fact the Lord, shortly after confronting him on the road to Damascus, said, “[Paul] is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). Yet in every situation Paul found cause for rejoicing.

His compelling desire to exalt Christ drove him to endure trial after trial. When Christ was exalted, Paul rejoiced. That was evident in Philippi where, after a brief ministry in which God redeemed a businesswoman named Lydia and expelled demons from a slave girl, Paul and Silas were falsely accused, unjustly beaten, and thrown into prison. Even that didn’t stifle their joy, for at “about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25).

That was such a powerful testimony to the joy of the Lord that soon afterward the jailer and his entire family believed the gospel and were saved.

Even when imprisonment prevented Paul from ministering as effectively as he desired, and when others usurped his apostleship and preached Christ out of envy and strife, he remained undaunted (Phil. 1:18). His circumstances were secondary to the priority of exalting Christ.

Is that your perspective? It can be! If your priority is to exalt Christ in every circumstance, whatever furthers that purpose will bring you joy.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Ask the Lord to help you maintain the priority of exalting Christ in every area of your life.

If you feel envy or resentment toward others who proclaim the gospel (Phil. 1:15-17), confess that and learn to rejoice whenever Christ is exalted.

For Further Study: Read Exodus 15:1-21 and Psalm 99. How did Moses, Miriam, and the psalmist exalt the Lord?

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Understanding Your Call – Charles Stanley

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Luke 9:57-62

Our Father has specific plans for each of His children. Toward that end, He has placed a three-fold call on the life of every believer:

l. We are called to salvation in Jesus. Trusting Christ as our Savior initiates a personal relationship with Him through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. He wants us to lay down the burden of trying to work out salvation ourselves. Instead, He invites us to trust Him to do the transforming work in us. (Matt. 11:28-29)

2. We are called to abide in Jesus. Abiding in the Lord means: listening to Him speak through Scripture; living in growing dependence on Him; learning to know Him more intimately; and drawing upon His power to live a godly life. Jesus calls us to make our relationship with Him primary above all other relationships and to remain with Him without interruption all of our days.

3. We are called to follow Jesus. To follow someone requires knowing his character, his plans, and how he desires to carry them out. The Bible clearly tells us everything we need to know in order to live under Jesus’ leadership. The evidence that we are following Him will show in our attitudes, conduct, character, conversation, and relationships.

Without the Holy Spirit’s presence—which we received at salvation—we can’t abide in Jesus. (John 15:4, 26). Without abiding in Christ, we won’t know Him well enough to follow. If we choose not to follow, we’ll miss out on the joy God has planned for us. Are you living out His three-fold call?

 

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Our Daily Bread — New Eyes

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Ephesians 1:15-21

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know . . . the riches of the glory of His inheritance. —Ephesians 1:18

A college student I met had recently placed her faith in Christ. She described her initial life-change this way: “When I trusted Christ for salvation, it felt like God reached down from heaven and placed a new set of eyes in my eye sockets. I could understand spiritual truth!”

It was moving to hear how her encounter with the Savior brought new spiritual perception. But her experience is not unique. Everyone is endowed with spiritual sight when they trust Christ as their Savior. Yet, at times a “fog” rolls in and our spiritual vision becomes cloudy and unclear. That happens when we neglect our relationship with Him.

In Paul’s fervent prayer for believers’ spiritual sight, we see how important it is to fully appreciate all that God has done and will do for us through Christ. He prayed that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened that we “may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18).

Each believer has been given new eyes to discern spiritual truth. As we keep our hearts tuned to God, He will help us to see with our spiritual eyes all that He has given to us in Christ. —Dennis Fisher

My soul within me yearns for Thee

Till Christ be fully formed in me;

Let love divine enlarge my heart,

Then all Thy fullness, Lord, impart. —Stewart

I once was blind but now I see!

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Joy Versus Happiness – John MacArthur

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Not long ago it was common to see bumper stickers proclaiming every conceivable source for happiness. One said, “Happiness is being married.” Another countered, “Happiness is being single.” One cynical sticker read, “Happiness is impossible!”

For most people happiness is possible but it’s also fickle, shallow, and fleeting. As the word itself implies, happiness is associated with happenings, happenstance, luck, and fortune. If circumstances are favorable, you’re happy. If not, you’re unhappy.

Christian joy, however, is directly related to God and is the firm confidence that all is well, regardless of your circumstances.

In Philippians 3:1 Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord” (emphasis added). The Lord is both the source and object of Christian joy. Knowing Him brings joy that transcends temporal circumstances. Obeying Him brings peace and assurance.

Joy is God’s gift to every believer. It is the fruit that His Spirit produces within you (Gal. 5:22) from the moment you receive the gospel (John 15:11). It increases as you study and obey God’s Word (1 John 1:4).

Even severe trials needn’t rob your joy. James 1:2 says you should be joyful when you encounter various trials because trials produce spiritual endurance and maturity. They also prove that your faith is genuine, and a proven faith is the source of great joy (1 Pet. 1:6-8).

You live in a world corrupted by sin. But your hope is in a living God, not a dying world. He is able to keep you from stumbling and make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy (Jude 24). That’s your assurance of future glory and eternal joy! Until that time, don’t neglect His Word, despise trials, or lose sight of your eternal reward. They are key ingredients of your present joy.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank the Lord for any difficult circumstances you might be facing. Ask Him for continued grace to see them through His perspective and not lose heart (Gal. 6:9).

Be aware of any sinful attitudes or actions on your part that might diminish your joy. Confess them immediately.

For Further Study:  Read Acts 16:11-40.

What difficulties did Paul and Silas face in founding the Philippian church?

How did God use their difficulties for His glory?

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Plug In and Keep Charged – Greg Laurie

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When I travel, I take my laptop computer with me, because I try to work on my messages. But often I must work off the battery, so whenever I get the opportunity, I plug in to the nearest electrical outlet. Why? Because my battery is running down, and I need to recharge.

I think a lot of us function that way as believers. We come to church and get plugged in spiritually, and then we try to run off that energy all week long. We don’t realize that the power is wherever we go. We need to get plugged in all the time.

But we have to make time for it. We must grab it where we can get it. Read some Scripture verses when you get up in the morning. Listen to some worship music or a Bible study on your way to work or school. Take the moments where you can find them to plug in constantly and stay tapped into all that God has for you.

The Bible is our portable battery. We can take it with us everywhere, and it will always provide us with the energy and inspiration we need to keep moving forward. So when you are feeling distressed, or you are not sure you have the energy to keep spreading the message, make sure to spend time in the Word. Plug yourself into the outlet of God’s truth that always keeps you charged.

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When We Feel Inferior – Charles Stanley

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Ephesians 2:10

Many Christians wrestle their whole life with a crippling sense of inferiority. Such feelings, which can be devastating, are a barrier to good relationships and genuine contentment. There is, however, a way out for the believer. Feelings of inferiority can be healed.

After salvation, the first step toward healing is to get God’s viewpoint of yourself. Ephesians 2:10 spells that out clearly: it says you are His workmanship—He is at work in you, and He doesn’t turn out shoddy products. In fact, the word workmanship here means “masterpiece.” Would He allow His masterpiece to end up inferior? Absolutely not! His work in you is perfect. If you doubt that, you might be looking at others and thinking that you don’t measure up to them. Of course you don’t. God has designed something different for them. Because you are unique, there’s no one with whom you can compare yourself. God is fitting you for a purpose like no one else’s.

Another step in the healing process involves understanding what God expects of you. Too many believers set higher standards than God does, and they count on instant maturity. Of course, God wants us to become full-grown and reflect His image, but He doesn’t expect it overnight.

Our Creator knows the weakness of our human frame, and He is supremely patient with us. When we fall, He expects us to come to Him for cleansing and then to keep on moving ahead. Each of us is “a work in progress,” and in due time, God will complete His masterpiece.

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Our Daily Bread — Heart Attitude

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Ephesians 6:5-9

Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. —Ephesians 6:6

I love watching the skill and passion of great athletes as they give their all on the field. It shows their love for the game. Conversely, when a long season is winding down and a team is already eliminated from any opportunity for championship or playoff games, sometimes it seems that the players are merely “going through the motions.” Their lack of passion can be disappointing to fans who have paid to watch a good game.

Passion is a key aspect of our personal lives as well. Our heart attitude toward the Lord is revealed in how we serve Him. The apostle Paul said that our service includes the way we go about our daily work. In Ephesians 6:6-7, we read that we are to approach our work, “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men.”

For me, the key in that verse is “from the heart.” I have a heavenly Father who loves me deeply and sacrificed His Son for me. How can I do anything less than give my very best for Him? The passion to live for God that comes “from the heart” provides our best response to the One who has done so much for us. —Bill Crowder

Father, every day offers opportunities for me to express

my love for You. May the passion with which I live, work,

serve, and relate to others be a fitting expression of my

gratitude for Your love for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The love of God motivates us to live for God.

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Coming Home – Ravi Zacharias Ministry

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There is a line in the story of the prodigal son that is easy to miss. It comes as the transition in the story, but it also seems to mark the transition in the son. The story is familiar. Not long after the younger son demands the right to live as he pleases, after he leaves with his father’s money and gets as far away as possible, and after he loses everything and is forced to hire himself out in the fields, the story reads that the prodigal “came to himself” and, at this, he decides to turn back to the father.

Today it is often translated that the son “came to his senses,” as we might describe a man or woman who, on the precipice of a bad decision or impulsive act, decides to turn around. But the phrase in the Greek literally describes the prodigal as coming to himself, and seems to point at something far more than good decision-making. In a sermon titled “Bread Enough and to Spare,” popular English preacher Charles Spurgeon notes that this Greek expression can be applied to one who comes out of a deep swoon, someone who has lost consciousness and comes back to himself again. The expression can also be applied to one who is recovering from insanity, someone who has been lost somewhere within her own mind and body, only to come back to herself once again.

With both of these metaphors, the son is one who wakes to health and life again, having been unconscious of his true condition. Standing in a foreign field hungry and alone, the son comes to something more than a good decision. He is waking to an identity he knew in part but never fully realized. He is remembering life in his father’s house again, though for the first time.

Human identity seems a succession of inquiry and wakefulness. For some of us, who we are is discovered in layers of life and realization, questioning and consciousness. Essayist Annie Dillard articulates this progression of awareness and the rousing of self as something strangely recognizable—”like people brought back from cardiac arrest or drowning.” There is a familiarity in the midst of our awakenings. We wake to mystery, she writes, but so somehow we wake to something known.

The Christian tells a similar story of waking to life in the most fully human sense of the word. We are like those who have lost consciousness, caught in the madness of our own condition, longing to be released, until we are awakened to life despite ourselves with one so eager for our homecoming. The apostle concurs:

“You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient… But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”(1)

Coming to ourselves, we wake to human need, to human condition, to our poverty and our dignity, claiming in our very identities our need for resurrection, our need for home.

One further use of this expression comes out of the old world fables of enchantment. With this metaphor, “coming to ourselves” is like coming out of a magician’s spell and assuming once again our true forms. It is reminiscent of the scene in The Silver Chair where the children are trapped beneath Narnia in the land called Underworld and persuaded to believe there is no such thing as a Narnian. The Queen of Underworld, who is really a witch, has thrown a green powder into the fire that produces a sweet and drowsy smell. In this enchanting haze, their identity as Narnians becomes hazy, and the world they thought they knew begins to disappear. But it is at this moment of despair that Puddleglum makes a very brave move. With his bare foot he stomps on the fire, sobering the sweet and heavy air. “One word, Ma’am,” he says coming back from the fire, limping, because of the pain. “Suppose we have only dreamed, or made-up, all those things… Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world.  Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one… We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow… I’m on Aslan’s side, even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as much like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, we’re leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland.”

Coming out of their enchantment, the prisoners of Underland remembered they were children of another kingdom. Coming to themselves, they began to realize who they were all along. What if waking to our identities as children of the Father is like uncovering the people God has created us to be from the start? What if coming to ourselves is like remembering we are citizens of a better kingdom, a kingdom we vaguely recall and yet long to return? The prodigal’s awakening came as the startling recognition that there was plenty in his father’s house, and that he himself was starving.  Waking to this, we reclaim the very identities given to us in the beginning. And doing so, we come to ourselves because we are setting out for home again. We come to ourselves because we are going to the Father.

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

(1) Ephesians 2:1-5.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “They shall sing in the ways of the Lord.” / Psalm 138:5

The time when Christians begin to sing in the ways of the Lord is when they  first lose their burden at the foot of the Cross. Not even the songs of the  angels seem so sweet as the first song of rapture which gushes from the inmost  soul of the forgiven child of God. You know how John Bunyan describes it. He  says when poor Pilgrim lost his burden at the Cross, he gave three great  leaps, and went on his way singing–

“Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be

The Man that there was put to shame for me!”

Believer, do you recollect the day when your fetters fell off? Do you remember  the place when Jesus met you, and said, “I have loved thee with an everlasting  love; I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud  thy sins; they shall not be mentioned against thee any more forever.” Oh! what  a sweet season is that when Jesus takes away the pain of sin. When the Lord  first pardoned my sin, I was so joyous that I could scarce refrain from  dancing. I thought on my road home from the house where I had been set at  liberty, that I must tell the stones in the street the story of my  deliverance. So full was my soul of joy, that I wanted to tell every  snow-flake that was falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus, who had  blotted out the sins of one of the chief of rebels. But it is not only at the  commencement of the Christian life that believers have reason for song; as  long as they live they discover cause to sing in the ways of the Lord, and  their experience of his constant lovingkindness leads them to say, “I will  bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” See  to it, brother, that thou magnifiest the Lord this day.

“Long as we tread this desert land,    New mercies shall new songs demand.”

 

Evening  “Thy love to me was wonderful.” / 2 Samuel 1:26

Come, dear readers, let each one of us speak for himself of the wonderful  love, not of Jonathan, but of Jesus. We will not relate what we have been  told, but the things which we have tasted and handled-of the love of Christ.  Thy love to me, O Jesus, was wonderful when I was a stranger wandering far  from thee, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Thy love  restrained me from committing the sin which is unto death, and withheld me  from self-destruction. Thy love held back the axe when Justice said, “Cut it  down! why cumbereth it the ground?” Thy love drew me into the wilderness,  stripped me there, and made me feel the guilt of my sin, and the burden of  mine iniquity. Thy love spake thus comfortably to me when, I was sore  dismayed–“Come unto me, and I will give thee rest.” Oh, how matchless thy  love when, in a moment, thou didst wash my sins away, and make my polluted  soul, which was crimson with the blood of my nativity, and black with the  grime of my transgressions, to be white as the driven snow, and pure as the  finest wool. How thou didst commend thy love when thou didst whisper in my  ears, “I am thine and thou art mine.” Kind were those accents when thou  saidst, “The Father himself loveth you.” And sweet the moments, passing sweet,  when thou declaredst to me “the love of the Spirit.” Never shall my soul  forget those chambers of fellowship where thou has unveiled thyself to me. Had  Moses his cleft in the rock, where he saw the train, the back parts of his  God? We, too, have had our clefts in the rock, where we have seen the full  splendours of the Godhead in the person of Christ. Did David remember the  tracks of the wild goat, the land of Jordan and the Hermonites? We, too, can  remember spots to memory dear, equal to these in blessedness. Precious Lord  Jesus, give us a fresh draught of thy wondrous love to begin the month with.  Amen.

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Joy and Godliness – John MacArthur

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“I rejoice and share my joy with you” (Phil. 2:17).

Philippians is often called the epistle of joy–and rightly so because the believer’s joy is its major theme. Paul loved the Philippian Christians and they loved Him. When they learned that he had been imprisoned for preaching the gospel, they were deeply concerned.

Paul wrote to alleviate their fears and encourage their joy. Of his own circumstances he said, “Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me” (Phil. 2:17- 18).

Often a Jewish animal sacrifice was accompanied by a libation or drink offering (e.g., Num. 15:1-10). The animal was the greater sacrifice; the libation the lesser. Drawing from that picture, Paul placed greater significance on the faith and spiritual well-being of his readers than on his own life. To suffer for Christ’s sake brought him joy, and he wanted the Philippians to understand that perspective and rejoice with him.

He also wanted them to understand that joy doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It’s directly related to godly living. Christ is its source; obedience is its sustenance. We see that in David’s cry of repentance: “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” (Ps. 51:12). Paul knew the joy of the Lord because he trusted Christ and obeyed His will.

The scarcity of joy and godliness in the world today makes it imperative that Christians manifest those characteristics. As we do, others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

This month we will highlight various aspects of joy and godliness from Philippians 1:1-11 and Colossians 1:9-12. I pray you will be eager to learn from God’s Word, and willingly obey what you learn, for therein is “joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).

Suggestions for Prayer:  Ask the Holy Spirit to use our daily studies to strengthen your joy and increase your godliness.

Seek to emulate Paul’s attitude of preferring others to yourself–a key element in joyful living.

For Further Study:  Read the book of Philippians, noting each reference to joy.

What brought joy to Paul?

On what or whom do you rely for joy?

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“Why, God?” – Greg Laurie

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I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”—Psalm 42:9

I don’t think it is ever a bad thing to ask God why. Some people will say that we should never question God. But I question God all the time. I don’t mean that I doubt His existence. But I do say, “Lord, I don’t understand why you have done (thus and so). . . . Why, Lord?”

As you read the psalms, you see that many times the psalmist cried out, in essence, “Why, God? Why have You allowed this in my life?”

And Jesus Himself asked, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:45–47).

So don’t think it is wrong to ask, “Why, God?” It isn’t wrong. But let me add this: don’t expect an answer, necessarily. You can ask all you want. And maybe the Lord will give you an answer. But in most cases, He won’t. Quite frankly, I think that if He did, we wouldn’t understand it anyway.

So here is what we need to say: “Well, Lord, I don’t understand, but I trust you.”

Even Jesus struggled with God’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, under intense pressure, “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus literally was perspiring sweat and blood, and He said, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (verse 42).

There has to come a point when we say, “All right, Lord. I will do it. I don’t feel like doing it. I don’t want to do it. I don’t even think it is a good idea to do it. But I am going to do it, because You told me to.”

That is what Jesus did. And that is what we need to do as well.

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Just Like Jesus – Max Lucado

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When they were young, my daughters loved playing “dress-up.”  They’d put on their mom’s shoes, fill up a grown-up purse with crayons and pretend grown-up scenarios.  For the moment, they wanted to be just like mom.

Don’t we do the same?  We look at ourselves, with our immaturity, our sinfulness, and we want to clothe ourselves in something better.  We want to be just like Jesus.  This seems like an impossible goal until we accept one simple truth:  God will help us.  He loves us. Not only does God love each of us exactly as we are, but he wants us, little by little, to become like him. Why?  Because he wants us to have a heart like his.

Need to hear that message a few more times? Don’t we all? God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way!  He wants you to be just like Jesus!

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).

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Leaning on the Lord – Charles Stanley

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Acts 9:1-20

God is calling us—His children—to take certain risks. He wants us to stop playing it safe and to step out in obedience. While doing so creates uncertainty in our lives, there are some things of which we can be confident.

• We will be challenged. Whether it’s because of complex relationships, hard work, or situations requiring greater faith, God will stretch us. As we take risks, we may feel doubt, indecision, and fear. Or, we might think we’re incapable or inadequate. These aren’t reasons to refuse God’s assignment; they are opportunities to trust the Lord.

• We can count on God’s presence. It is impossible for believers to live a single day without the presence of God. (Heb. 13:5) The relationship we have with Him through Jesus Christ is permanent. Our Father’s love for us is deep and abiding, and His promises are sure. When He calls us to venture outside our “comfort zone,” we can obey because He’s right there at our side.

• The Holy Spirit’s enabling power is ours. The Spirit of God lives within each believer and gives us the divine strength to be victorious. When we falter, He strengthens us. When we stumble, He steadies us. And when we fall, He picks us up.

What is God asking of you that poses a challenge? Remember that when He says to step out amidst uncertainty and take risks, we can rely on His presence and His power to equip us. If you’ve said yes to the challenge, then you’ve become a risk-taker for God!

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Our Daily Bread — Rescued

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1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 20-25

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. —Acts 16:31

Manuel Gonzalez was the first rescue worker to reach the 33 miners trapped for 69 days in a Chilean mine explosion in 2010. At great risk to his own life, he went underground more than 2,000 feet to bring the trapped men back to the surface. The world watched in amazement as one by one each miner was rescued and transported to freedom.

The Bible tells us of an even more amazing rescue. Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, all of mankind is trapped in sin (Gen. 2:17; 3:6,19; Rom. 5:12). Unable to break free, everyone faces certain death—physically and eternally. But God has provided a Rescuer—Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Everyone who accepts the free gift of salvation offered through His death and resurrection is freed from sin’s grip and its resulting death penalty (Rom. 5:8-11; 10:9-11; Eph. 2:1-10).

Jesus Christ is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). He was the first to be raised from the dead, never to die again. Likewise, all will be given life who put their faith in Christ (Rom. 8:11).

Are you still trapped in your sins? Accept Jesus’ gift of salvation and enjoy the freedom of life in Christ and eternity with Him (Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13). —C. P. Hia

Thinking It Over

What keeps you from calling out to God for spiritual

rescue? Do you fear that you are too bad for God’s

grace? Read and think about Romans 3:23-26.

Through His cross, Jesus rescues and redeems.