Today’s Scripture: Acts 19-20

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. – 1 Peter 1:23

Sports commentators often remind us how difficult it is for a visiting team to play at someone else’s home court or field, because the home fans are so fanatical about their team. But any coach will tell you that in order to be successful and win on the road, a team must be able to overcome all the jeers and cheers.

Have you noticed in the book of Acts that Paul rarely had the home field advantage? He was usually preaching the gospel in difficult venues. In Acts 19, we find him in the city of Ephesus. Here stood the great temple to Artemis–a worship built around the practice of immorality. The city reeked with all the pollutions of paganism, while the people were dominated by sorcery, black magic, witchcraft, and demonism.

Paul didn’t have the home field advantage, but his message was the power of God unto salvation. The book he carried in his heart was the Word of God. And his life was under the control of the Spirit of God. Soon, many people from this city gripped by Satan’s power responded in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Against the backdrop of an evil power that seemed unstoppable, once again the Bible proved to be alive and powerful.

What will it take to change the lives of people we know and to clean up our towns that are in the grip of drugs, alcohol, false religions, materialism, and secularism? In Ephesus, it took the Bible. I’m sure it will take nothing less today. Let’s study the Word, live it, share it, and watch God work!

Prayer

Lord, I am reminded today that Your Word has given me the home field advantage in the war against Satan. I love Your powerful Word. Amen.

To Ponder

The Word of the Lord endures forever.

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Today’s Scripture: Acts 2:42

But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. – James 1:25

Think about the last airplane flight you took. When it came time for the flight attendant to impart the vital information about oxygen masks, exit doors, and the workings of your seat belt, how closely did you or your fellow travelers pay attention? Most people were probably knitting, reading, chatting–anything but listening to the attendant.

I’m usually just as lackadaisical, but there was one particular flight in which I hung on the flight attendant’s every word. I was flying from Bogota, Colombia, over the high, rugged peaks of the Andes Mountains, to Loma Linda, the Wycliffe Bible Translators jungle base. The airplane had gone into service in the 1930s and was not equipped with an automatic oxygen system for high altitude, so all of us on board were instructed in the use of the emergency oxygen system that might keep us alive. I not only listened and paid attention, I asked the steward questions to make sure I had it right.

In many ways, going to church on Sunday morning is like an airplane ride. You’ve heard it all before. You’ve sung the hymns a hundred times; the sermon topic is familiar. So your mind drifts, and you don’t really listen to the vital information passed along by the minister of Christ, the steward of the mysteries of God. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Ask God to give you the spirit of our early ancestors in the faith, who devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. Ask the Lord to give you the same hunger God’s people exemplified when they gathered together to hear the Word of God expounded and hung on to every word. Be one of those who truly hears the Word.

Prayer

Lord, only You have the words of life. As I sit in church this Sunday, give me a passion for what I hear, and keep me from taking Your truth for granted. Amen.

To Ponder

“The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6).

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Today’s Scripture: Acts 5-7

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. – 1 Corinthians 1:21

The Bible says that you and I are not called to be spiritual judges or lawyers, but witnesses. The apostles of Jesus understood this well, and their actions speak clearly in Acts 5:25: “Then someone came and said, ‘Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.’”

The Jewish authorities complained that the apostles had filled Jerusalem with their teaching, and they were right. But they couldn’t stop them. Even after they were imprisoned, beaten, and threatened, Acts 5:42 says, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

What qualifies a person as a good witness for Christ? The witness must be familiar with the subject under consideration. The apostles had not been off in Egypt or Spain during the public ministry of Jesus; they had been with Him and were eyewitnesses of His life, death, and resurrection. Because of their actions and their reputations for courage and integrity, their words were taken seriously. Acts 4:13 sums it up: “When they [the Jewish authorities] saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Christian, how do you stack up as a witness for Christ? Are you willing to speak courageously to others of what you know of Him? Why not share with a friend today something that you know personally about Jesus Christ. In the drama of life, you have a key role as a witness for the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, help me to speak in such a way that people would be drawn to You. Amen.

To Ponder

We are called to be witnesses of the risen Christ.

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Today’s Scripture: Jeremiah 40-45

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” – Matthew 7:22-23

As I have talked with people over the years, I’ve noticed a great deal of confusion over the assurance of salvation. There are multiplied thousands of people who have never received Christ as their Savior and Lord, yet they feel confident they will go to heaven–if there is a heaven. They have a false assurance that everything is right between themselves and God.

In Jeremiah 43, we are told that a group of Jews had left the land of Judah and gone to live in Egypt in direct disobedience of God’s command. They thought that in Egypt they would be safe from all the calamity of their homeland. They burned incense and worshiped a deity called the Queen of Heaven, whom they believed would bring them health and prosperity. When the prophet Jeremiah warned them, we find their reply in Jeremiah 44:16-17: “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! …We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her.” The people were convinced that everything would be all right, even after God’s prophet told them otherwise.

Today there are millions of people who have a false assurance about their eternal destiny. Some trust in the fact that they are church members or that they’ve been baptized or confirmed. Some trust in their good works or a moving experience they once had on a weekend retreat. But the Bible urges us to place our confidence in Jesus Christ alone.

Prayer

Lord, You are my only source of strength, and my certainty of eternal life. Amen.

To Ponder

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6).

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Today’s Scripture: Jeremiah 26-29

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

There are millions of people in the world who believe God is out to get them, that His thoughts toward them are not thoughts of love and peace, but thoughts of evil and destruction.

I recall going into a beautiful temple in one of the most magnificent cities in Asia. Inside there were about two hundred people staring blankly at the huge statue of their god as they sat cross-legged on the floor, moaning and crying out in fear. They were convinced that their god was intent on destroying their crops. They knew nothing of our gracious God.

Some of the most encouraging words ever written are found in Jeremiah 29:11-14: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me…and I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.”

When we know that God’s plans for us are good, we will call on Him in faith, not in fear. When we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us in all His gracious love. Now Christian, the blinded masses cringing in fear before a pagan idol aren’t the only ones who need to hear about God. There are people in your neighborhood and your place of work who don’t know the Lord. Many of them feel they have no future and no hope. But we have the gospel of Christ, a message that can turn their lives completely around.

Prayer

Lord, prompt me to speak words of persuasion to people for whom You died. Amen.

To Ponder

God’s ways are revealed to me if I pray and seek His will.

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Today’s Scripture: 1 Timothy 1-3

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. – Philippians 3:12

Mention the great leaders of this century and Winston Churchill immediately comes to mind. During World War II, the people of England were blasted night after night by Nazi bomber planes. Yet Churchill was able to rally them to the cause of winning the war in spite of overwhelming odds.

You see, one thing a good leader does is help his people stay on target, so they give their lives for what really matters. That’s what the apostle Paul did in his relationship with churches, and with many individuals, especially Timothy, his son in the faith. Paul trained Timothy for a significant leadership role in the first-century church. In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he gave him a clear picture of the goal: “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

Paul reminded Timothy that when teachers wander from this central issue of love, their ministry soon degenerates into vain arguments and meaningless talk. His advice was to give no importance to those people who occupy themselves with useless speculations that promote controversies.

Paul’s instruction and modeling clearly has given all of us God’s standard for evaluating the direction and effectiveness of our lives. Christian, are you on target today? Are you growing in love, as Christ commanded?

Let’s make sure our lives are on target for Christ and that we love and lead others along the right way.

Prayer

Lord, help me to keep my focus on You and Your objectives detailed in the Word. Amen.

To Ponder

We can only help others hit the mark when we have taken correct aim ourselves.

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Chronicles 26-28

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

In our city, the police cars all bear the slogan “Serve with pride.” Now I think that’s a positive thing, because it deals with dignity and self-respect. As Christians, we need to cultivate pride and self-esteem while avoiding the cost of egotism and conceit.

Much of my life has been spent in working with young men and women in a discipleship ministry. All along this narrow pathway lurk hazards to their growth and development. And one of them is the deadly sin of arrogant pride. Whenever I spot the warning signs of this kind of pride in the life of a person with whom I’m working, we stop everything and do a Bible study on 2 Chronicles 26.

Here we are introduced to King Uzziah, who was sixteen years old when he became king. As long as he sought the Lord, God caused him to prosper. He had victory in the battle against the Philistines, their ancient foe. He built mighty towers and fortified the city of Jerusalem. He had a great, well-equipped, standing army, along with war machines to shoot arrows and hurl large stones.

With all that going for him, you’d think he would be safe. But he wasn’t. The Bible says, “When he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” He fell, through the sin of pride. When he had grown great in power, popularity, and wealth, he did not lift up the name of God in gratitude. His prosperity puffed him up, and down he went.

I have seen this sin of pride, more than any other, take its toll in people’s lives.

Prayer

Lord, help me to see the warning signs of pride so that I can walk humbly with You. Amen.

To Ponder

Pride is one of the most subtle sins Satan uses to bring us down.

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Today’s Scripture: John 1-2

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. – 1 John 1:3

I always enjoy traveling with someone who knows where they’re going, don’t you?

John the Baptist knew exactly where he was going. He had a definite purpose in mind and knew exactly how to reach his goal. The message in the book of John is that he wants you and me to find life in Jesus Christ. Everything in his gospel points us to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus.

In John 1:7, we are introduced to John the Baptist and told that “he came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.” The focus is not on the baptismal ministry of John the Baptist or his call to the nation of Israel to repent. He is presented primarily as a witness to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

Christian, when people observe your life, what do they see? A person frantically busy doing Christian activities? A person who says one thing and does another? Or do they see a person who knows where he’s going? Make it your goal today to point people to the Savior.

Prayer

Lord, today I need You to refocus my sight on the task You’ve given me to do. Amen.

To Ponder

Witnessing involves all that we are and all that we do.

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Today’s Scripture: Matthew 26-28

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” -Matthew 24:14

In the sixteenth century, a man named Suleiman ruled the Ottoman Empire in Eastern Europe. To the world, he was known simply as “the magnificent.” His goal was to set up a worldwide kingdom that would be known for its justice and humanity. But then Suleiman died, his son who ruled after him was a drunken and immoral man, and the kingdom that Suleiman had worked so hard to build began to collapse.

How different it is with Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. When Jesus was crucified, it appeared that all hope for the coming kingdom of God had been destroyed. The faith of the disciples burned at a low ebb. They had followed Jesus and believed Him, but had seen Him die on the cross.

And then with heart-stopping joy, Jesus came to them, alive forevermore, with these words: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He had defeated even death itself. And while the disciples looked at Him in awe and wonder, He gave them a command that would change the course of their lives, and of the world. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

These are the words of a king who has given a royal commission. It begins with a royal claim, proceeds to a royal command, and ends with a royal covenant to His followers.

Prayer

Lord, by Your power and presence I want to help fulfill the Great Commission. Amen.

To Ponder

We have been commissioned by a King whose kingdom will come, and it will have no end.

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Today’s Scripture: Joel 1-3

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9

Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if people stopped having children? I don’t mean a few people in some parts of the world, I mean everyone, everywhere. There would certainly be less joy, laughter, and unselfishness. But the ultimate result, within less than a century, would be the extinction of the human race. And the same is true of the church of Jesus Christ. If we fail to have spiritual children, to lead others to Christ and help them grow, then the Christian church is only one generation away from extinction.

During the days of the prophet Joel, a great plague of locusts came on the people of Israel as a judgment from God. It was not meant to destroy them but to bring them back to God. Here is the command Joel gave the people after the plague: “Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation” (1:2-3).

Our responsibility toward God is twofold: We are to obey Him today and to teach His truth to the next generation. I’m talking about spiritual great-great-grandchildren. And we don’t have to wait seventy or eighty years to see it happen. From the prophet Joel to the apostle Paul, from the Old Testament to the New, we are commanded to be spiritually fruitful. We are to be God’s witnesses, to raise up new generations of men and women who will love and follow Him.

Prayer

Lord, I want to be spiritually fruitful and multiply Your children. Guide me as I share the good news of eternal life with another person today. Amen.

To Ponder

When we lead just one person to Christ, we’ve had a part in leading untold future numbers to salvation.

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Today’s Scripture: John 15:1-8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

My dad was a gardening genius. He knew just when and how to plant to get the maximum yield. But one year he did something that astounded me, and I’ve never forgotten it. He surrounded the entire garden with nasturtiums. I wondered why he’d planted those flowers around the perimeter of the garden, and toward the end of summer I found out. A plague of millions of grasshoppers came through, demolishing gardens and crops. They gobbled up those nasturtiums that surrounded our garden and moved on to the next one, leaving our garden intact.

In John 15, we are introduced to the greatest gardener of all. Every good gardener knows you have to prune your plants and trees to get maximum yield. And so with God. Jesus said, “My father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (15:1-2).

Notice two things here. First, there is a severity in this picture of God. And second, there is a single-mindedness in this picture of God. As a gardener, He has one interest–that the branches bear lots of fruit. If He doesn’t find any, Jesus says He takes that branch away. And every branch that bears fruit He prunes to bring more fruit. God takes whatever action is necessary to cleanse His people so they will produce fruit for His glory. The key to it all is that the people of God must abide in–live in close, day-by-day fellowship with–Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Lord, may this connection and this dependency thrill my soul forever. Amen.

To Ponder

If God is pruning your life, you can rejoice that you’re a fruitful branch, and He wants your life to be even more fruitful for His glory.

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Today’s Scripture: Luke 13-16

In Joppa there was a disciple named [Dorcas], who was always doing good and helping the poor. – Acts 9:36

One of the first things we seem to learn in life is to make excuses for not doing what we should. It reminds me of the three people the Lord talked about in Luke 14:16-20.

A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, “I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.” Another said, “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.” Still another said, “I just got married, so I can’t come.”

One lame excuse after another. What good businessman would buy land he had not seen? Who would test oxen after buying them instead of before?

Now, Christian, let me ask you, what have you been putting off for one excuse or another? Have you decided to be more diligent in memorizing the Word of God, but you keep putting it off? Have you vowed to witness to your neighbors and invite them to church? Have you talked about establishing the practice of morning prayer and Bible reading? It’s so easy to get sidetracked with other things and never finish what we set out to do. And whenever we talk about it, we always have a new excuse why we haven’t done it yet.

The truth here is, when God issues the invitation, there is no good excuse for refusing to accept. Whatever God is calling you to do, do it.

Prayer

Lord, I want to start a schedule of spending more time with You. Help me to take the first step today. Amen.

To Ponder

What spiritual discipline have you been telling the Lord you would get back to soon, but you haven’t yet found the time?

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 1-3

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. – 1 Corinthians 1:9

It is essential for every Christian to understand the difference between relationship and fellowship. Relationship is fixed and cannot be broken. Once we come to God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we are His sons and daughters, and nothing can change that.

I remember talking to a businessman who was bowled over by this truth. He couldn’t fathom the depth of the grace of God. He was convinced there was something he had to do, some work that would buy him a ticket to heaven. I told him it was too late, Jesus Christ had died on the cross to pay the penalty for his sins, and nothing more was needed.

Fellowship, on the other hand, is fluid and must be constantly renewed. We do it by confessing our sins and asking His forgiveness. Once restored, we must maintain our fellowship with God. In Mark 1:35, we read these words about our Lord Jesus Christ: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” The previous verses tell us that the evening before, the whole town had gathered at Jesus’ door after sundown, and He had healed many. No doubt He had been up late. But long before sunrise, He left His bed and went to prayer.

Have you come to God through faith in Jesus Christ? If so, nothing can change your relationship with Him. But are you spending time with Him each day in prayer and reading the Word? Relationship and fellowship–one depends on God’s action, the other depends on our own.

Prayer

Lord, it is beyond my understanding that You have made me Your child–forever. Please give me the faithfulness to come to You every day in fellowship. Amen.

To Ponder

Relationship has to do with our standing in Christ while fellowship concerns our walk with God.

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Today’s Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. – Psalm 84:11

Several years ago, our local paper reported a car accident on U.S. Highway 24 near Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. The car had plummeted 323 feet down an embankment, rolling over twice, according to the state patrol. Our son Randy was admitted to Penrose Hospital with a broken foot and shoulder injuries.

As soon as we were notified, we left for the hospital emergency room. After they set the bone in his foot and got his foot in a cast, we all went home. None of us slept very well that night. We were a bit shaken over the ordeal, but our number-one inclination was to praise the Lord that no one was seriously hurt. The foot healed, the cast came off, and our household returned to normal. Well, almost normal.

That winter Randy, who loved to ski, hung up his skis, poles, and boots and didn’t touch them again that entire ski season. Finally, he talked about it. Skiing had become his life. He had put it first above anything else. Time on the slopes meant far more to him than time with the Lord. Through the accident, the Lord had reminded him of this. He accepted the rebuke and recommitted his life to the Lord and decided for that year, at least, skiing had to go.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in some activity, possession, or person, and thereby squeeze the Lord out of our lives. How about it? Are you putting anything before God? If so, deal with it now. Confess it to the Lord, turn to Him with a repentant spirit, and recommit your life to Him.

Prayer

Lord, fill my life with Yourself. Amen.

To Ponder

Is anything crowding the Lord out of first place in your life?

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