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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Crown of Righteousness

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

We are frail creatures. We are not made of steel, we’re made from dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death. The next life, however, is different! In Revelation 2:10, Jesus urged the Christians in Smyrna to “be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life.”

You will also receive the crown of righteousness. Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. And now there is waiting for me, the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord will give me on that Day and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear.”

Set your heart on that day. Crowned with life. Crowned with righteousness. Forever!

From When Christ Comes

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – $560 million lottery winner can remain anonymous

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This is the best headline I’ve seen in a while: “Call Her Jane Dough: New Hampshire Lottery Winner Can Stay Anonymous, Court Says.”

Here’s the story: A woman who won the $560 million Powerball in January signed her ticket with her name, as required. Per state lottery rules, this act made her name a matter of public record.

She learned later that if she had signed her ticket with the name of a trust, she could have kept her identity secret. But lottery officials wouldn’t let her make the change. So she went to court, asking to keep her name out of the headlines.

“Her heart is in the right place”

Jane Doe was right to be concerned.

Forbes describes numerous horror stories involving past lottery winners: Craigory Burch was killed during a home invasion in Georgia after winning $430,000 in the state lottery; Andrew “Jack” Whittaker was victimized numerous times by thieves after winning $315 million; Urooj Khan was found dead of a cyanide-induced heart attack in Chicago after the check was cashed for his $1 million scratch-off win.

Continue reading Denison Forum – $560 million lottery winner can remain anonymous →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Maintaining a Quiet Spirit

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Proverbs 26:4

When conflict arises, we oftentimes want to rush in and defend our position. Perhaps we even feel justified in blaming others. However, James 1:19 gives different advice for dealing with tension and disputes: “Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” In other words, more can be accomplished through a calm approach to the situation. Scripture also suggests that we …

Pray. First, we should ask the Lord to guard our mouth and give us the right words to say (Luke 12:12). Also, we ought to request discernment with regard to the root issue and insight as to whether we might be at fault.

See with divine perspective. Our sovereign Lord works every situation for the believer’s benefit (Rom. 8:28). Not only does God use difficulties to teach us, but He also allows us to demonstrate the life of Christ by the way we respond.

Forgive. Even if someone has hurt us by causing the conflict, we should forgive. Jesus died to pardon all of our sin, and we, in turn, should forgive others. In fact, if we don’t, our lives will become burdened by resentment and broken relationships.

Respond. If we have done something wrong, we must apologize and ask forgiveness. We should express appreciation that the other person took time to share his concern. Then we ought to acknowledge his feelings and carefully consider his comments.

How do you respond to conflict? Pray for the strength to stay calm and do what is right­—even during difficult, emotional situations.

Bible in One Year: Judges 4-6

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Giving the Gift of Prayer

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Read: Romans 8:28–34 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 23–25; Mark 14:1–26

You help us by your prayers. 2 Corinthians 1:11

“I didn’t realize what a gift prayer was until my brother was sick and you all prayed for him. I cannot tell you what a comfort your prayers were!”

Laura had tears in her eyes as she thanked me for the prayers of the people in our church for her brother, who was facing a cancer diagnosis. She continued, “Your prayers have strengthened him in this difficult time and have been an encouragement to our entire family.”

Prayer is a gift to be shared.

One of the best ways to love others is to pray for them. Jesus is our ultimate example in this. The New Testament tells us about Jesus praying for others on many occasions, and even shows us that He continues to come to the Father on our behalf. Romans 8:34 says that He “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Even after showing such selfless love at the cross, the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ continues to express His care for us by praying for us at this very moment.

All around us are people who need us to follow Jesus’s example and love them with our prayers, inviting God’s help and intervention in their lives. We can ask God to help us pray for them, and He will! May our loving Lord strengthen us to generously give the gift of our prayers for others today.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for praying for me. Help me to serve You and others through faithfully praying today.

Prayer is a gift to be shared.

By James Banks

INSIGHT

Both the Spirit and the Son are interceding (praying) for us. The Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray, praying for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:26–27). Likewise the Son is interceding for us from “the right hand of God” (v. 34). How wonderful to know that two of the three members of the Trinity are praying for us!

But what about the Father? It is the Father who calls us to be part of His family (vv. 29–30). It is out of His love for us that He sent His Son to die for our sins and then raised Him to life so that we would one day be glorified and given all things (vv. 32–33). It is in the love of God that the Spirit and the Son pray for us.

Since God’s love motivates prayers on our behalf, to whom can you show love by praying for them?

J.R. Hudberg

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Ex Cruciatus

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There is a striking verse in the New Testament, in which the apostle Paul refers to the cross of Jesus Christ as foolishness to the Greek and a stumbling block to the Jew. One can readily understand why he would say that. After all, to the Greek mind, sophistication, philosophy, and learning were exalted pursuits. How could one crucified possibly spell knowledge?

To the Jewish mind, on the other hand, there was a cry and a longing to be free. In their history, they had been attacked by numerous powers and often humiliated by occupying forces. Whether it was the Assyrians or the Babylonians or the Romans, Jerusalem had been repeatedly plundered and its people left homeless. What would the Hebrew have wanted more than someone who could take up their cause and altogether repel the enemy? How could a Messiah who was crucified possibly be of any help?

To the Greek, the cross was foolishness. To the Jew, it was a stumbling block. What is it about the cross of Christ that so roundly defies everything that power relishes? Crucifixion was humiliating. It was so humiliating that the Romans who specialized in the art of torture assured their own citizenry that a Roman could never be crucified. But not only was it humiliating, it was excruciating. In fact, the very word “excruciating” comes from two Latin words: ex cruciatus, or out of the cross. Crucifixion was the defining word for pain.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Ex Cruciatus →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Prudence

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The wise in heart are called prudent, understanding, and knowing, and winsome speech increases learning [in both speaker and listener]. — Proverbs 16:21

A word we don’t hear much about today is prudence. It means “careful management: economy.”

In the Bible, prudence, or prudent, means “being good stewards or managers of the gifts God has given us to use.” Those gifts include time, energy, strength and health—even material possessions. They include our bodies, as well as our minds and spirits.

Just as each one of us has been given a different set of gifts, each of us has been given different levels of ability to manage those gifts.

Too many people burn themselves out, constantly using their gifts and abilities in ways that God did not intend them to. Instead of pushing ourselves too hard to please others or reach our own personal goals, we need to listen to God and do what He’s telling us is wise.

Trying to impress people and live up to their standards isn’t prudence. Prudence means asking God how He wants you to use your gifts and then obeying. Learn God’s prudence today and put it into practice so you can enjoy your life the way He intended.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Supernatural Wisdom – by Faith

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“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it” (James 1:5).

Often – many times a day – I need divine wisdom, not only in the multitudes of decisions that I must make daily, but also in the witnessing situations the Lord brings across my path. No doubt you recognize a similar need in your life.

All I have to do to have His presence guide me, if my heart is right with Him, is to ask in faith, and He promises the wisdom I need for each day and for each moment of the day.

If we are going to live supernatural lives, and if we are going to demonstrate to others that they, too, can live such a life, then we must begin to think and act differently. And that is possible only as we go to the source of all divine wisdom.

This verse from Scripture assures us that God’s ear is always open to this kind of prayer. And of course the wisdom to which James refers is more than factual knowledge. It is the light of life, in which we can walk without stumbling.

Why does one need to pray to gain this wisdom? Perhaps because prayer is humbling and involves an acknowledgment of our inadequacy. Prayer opens our hearts and lives to the transforming influence of the Spirit of God.

Bible Reading:James 1:6-12

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  Knowing that I need God’s wisdom if I am to serve Him effectively and please Him today, I will obey Him – and claim His supernatural work in my life – by asking for His wisdom when I face a decision.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – The Winner’s Crown

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

A crown awaits you in heaven.  We understand that in the economy of earth, there are a limited number of crowns. The economy of heaven, however, is refreshingly different.

The apostle Paul tells us heavenly rewards aren’t limited to a chosen few; but he writes in 2 Timothy 4:8, “all those who have waited with love for him to come again will receive a crown.” The three-letter word ALL is a gem! The winner’s circle isn’t reserved for a handful of the elite, but for a heaven full of God’s children.  James 1:12 describes them as children “who will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him!”

From When Christ Comes

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Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Why Billy Graham’s greatest fear should be ours

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Thousands of students, teachers, and supporters plan to walk out of schools today. Their action is intended as a memorial to those killed in the Parkland shooting and a call for stricter gun control laws.

In other news, world-famous physicist Stephen Hawking has passed away. President Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. And absentee ballots are still being counted in a much-watched special election in Pennsylvania, though NBC News has declared Democrat Conor Lamb the apparent winner.

Any of these events are worthy of a Daily Article. But my attention has been drawn to a story few reporters are still following today. I’ll explain why.

“What was most surprising to us”

It’s been three weeks since Billy Graham died. In this time, there have been hundreds if not thousands of retrospectives published on “America’s Pastor.”

The most interesting one I have seen is an interview with Nancy Gibbs, one of America’s most perceptive journalists and former editor-in-chief of Time magazine. After reading her comments on the famous evangelist, I knew I needed to discuss them with you.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why Billy Graham’s greatest fear should be ours →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Responding to Conflict

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Matthew 18:21-35

Conflict is a part of life. It may originate from misunderstandings, a difference of opinion, or deep convictions. But that discord often stems from envy, pride, or hunger for power.

We can’t control another person’s response to conflict; we’re accountable only for how we handle it. Many people naturally have unhealthy reactions to disagreement. Some repress any discomfort, ignoring the issue or pretending it doesn’t exist. Others place blame while defending themselves.

These negative responses often indicate one of three underlying scenarios. First, past hurt can leave a person emotionally insecure and unable to handle criticism. Second, perfectionists set such high benchmarks that they can never live up to their own standards—then it’s hard to acknowledge mistakes. Finally, pride makes it hard for some people to admit when they’re wrong or to ask forgiveness.

Unless we respond correctly to conflict, we limit our potential to grow, because we aren’t learning what the Lord is teaching. Also, we develop an unforgiving spirit, which leads to bitterness and resentment. Eventually, such an attitude can destroy relationships.

There is a better way to handle conflict, modeled by our Savior. Luke 23:34 reveals how Jesus responded when He was wrongly accused, unfairly judged, and crucified despite His innocence. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

How do you deal with accusations and criticism? Forgiveness is the only response that will keep you from becoming a victim of bitterness.

Bible in One Year: Judges 1-3

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Pulling Together

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Read: Hebrews 10:19–25 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 20–22; Mark 13:21–37

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24

Why do more than five million people a year pay money to run several miles over an obstacle course where they must ascend vertical walls, slog through mud, and climb up inside a vertical pipe with water pouring down on them? Some see it as a personal challenge to push their limit of endurance or conquer their fears. For others, the attraction is teamwork where competitors help and support each other. One person called it “a no-judgment zone” where people who are strangers will reach out to help each other finish the race (Stephanie Kanowitz, The Washington Post).

The Bible urges us to pursue teamwork as a model of living out our faith in Jesus. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

Father, give us eyes to see and strength to help.

Our goal is not to “finish first” in the race of faith, but to reach out in tangible ways of encouragement by setting an example and lending a helping hand along the way.

The day will come when we complete our life on earth. Until then, let’s spur each other on, be ready to help, and keep pulling together every day.

Father in heaven, give us eyes to see and strength to help each other in the race of faith today.

We run together in the race of faith.

By David C. McCasland

INSIGHT

A good example of teamwork is found in Nehemiah 3. Forty-two teams of workers—thirty-eight named individuals and hundreds more unnamed—worked together to rebuild Jerusalem’s broken walls. The high priest and fellow priests did not consider manual labor beneath them. They took the lead and set the example for the people (vv. 1, 28). Rulers, nobles, and city officials who could have ordered their servants to do the manual work, labored alongside the common people (vv. 9, 12, 17, 19). Craftsmen—goldsmiths and perfume makers who normally did artisan work—roughed it out under the hot sun (vv. 8, 31–32). Men and women worked side by side to accomplish their work (v. 12). The word next (used twenty-six times in Nehemiah 3) gives us a picture of commitment, cooperation, harmony, and unity. Each group of workers knew where to work, understood their tasks, and expeditiously completed them.

How does the teamwork of the temple workers, along with the admonition of Hebrews 10:25 to encourage each other, help you pursue teamwork in your service for Christ?

 

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Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Difficult Invitation

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Perhaps in reaching middle age, one might expect one’s thoughts to turn toward thinking more about the end of life than the beginning. It certainly seems that each year passes by faster and faster, one season racing into another and before you can blink another year is gone. The 1998 film Meet Joe Black offers a poignant glimpse into this phenomenon. On his 65th birthday, William Parrish’s last night on earth, he gives a speech to those gathered to celebrate his life. With hesitation, he shares what will be some of his last words:

“Every face I see is a memory. It may not be a perfect memory. Sometimes we’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re all together, and you’re mine for a night. And I’m going to break precedence and tell you my one wish: that you would have a life as lucky as mine, where you can wake up one morning and say, ‘I don’t want anything more.’ Sixty-five years…don’t they go by in a blink?”

The years do go by in a blink. Ancient writers and poets often wrote about the transience of our lives, even invoking the Divine to help them remember the brevity of their days: My days are swifter than a weaver’s… Our days on earth are like a shadow… You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.(1) I was reminded of this during years of service with an aging congregation. There were more funerals than births, baptisms, or weddings. And having to bury those I had just recently befriended would take a great toll.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – A Difficult Invitation →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – A Great Trade

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Cast your burden on the LORD [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail). — Psalm 55:22

Did you know that God wants to make a trade with you? He wants you to give Him all your cares, problems and failures. In return, He’ll give you His peace and joy.

God really does want to take care of us, but in order to let Him, we’ve got to stop trying to take care of ourselves and worrying about every little thing we can’t control. Many people would like for God to take care of them, but they insist on worrying or trying to figure out an answer on their own, instead of waiting for God’s direction.

God will give us peace, but we must first give Him our worries. What a great trade! We give God our worry, and He gives us His peace. We give Him all our cares and concerns, and He gives us His protection, stability and joy. That’s the amazing blessing and privilege of being cared for by Him.

 

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Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Truly Rich

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“Do you want to be truly rich? You already are if you are happy and good. After all, we didn’t bring any money with us when we came into the world, and we can’t carry away a single penny when we die” (1 Timothy 6:6,7).

If you had the choice of choosing between great wealth and good health and a happy, joyful relationship with our Lord, which would you choose? Though many would choose wealth, I am sure that if you are a Christian, you would gladly choose to live modestly the rest of your life if necessary in order to experience daily the joy of your salvation.

During all of my career, I, an agnostic, had worked hard to successfully develop my business interests. Then, in the providence of God, I was brought face to face with Christ and His Word. “What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

It was as though God touched my mind to enable me to understand that I could eat only one meal at a time, wear one suit of clothes at a time and take nothing with me when I die. I understood for the first time that being truly rich does not involve the accumulation of vast wealth, but it involves knowing and doing the will of God – in walking in intimate, vital, personal fellowship with Him daily as a way of life.

Fanny Crosby, the hymnwriter, gave us more than eight thousand gospel songs. Although blinded at the age of six weeks, she never held any bitterness in her heart because of it.

“I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when He showered so many other gifts upon you,” a friend once said to her.

“Do you know,” she responded quickly, “that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind.”

“Why?” asked the astounded clergyman.

“Because,” she replied, “when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.”

Bible Reading:Luke 12:25-31

TODAY’S ACTION POINT:  As I figuratively sit at God’s banquet table today, I will feast upon His spiritual bounties and not be satisfied with the crumbs of materialism.

 

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Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Respect Your Body

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Listen to Today’s Devotion

God has a high regard for your body. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul calls our body the “temple” of God.  Be careful how you feed it, use it, and maintain it.  You wouldn’t want anyone trashing your home; God doesn’t want anyone trashing his. After all, it is his, isn’t it? A little jogging and dieting to the glory of God wouldn’t hurt most of us.

Your body, in some form, will last forever. God will glorify your body. He will remove all weakness and disease. Isn’t that great news? Your pain will not last forever. Is your heart weak? It will be strong in heaven. Has cancer corrupted your system? There is no cancer in heaven. For a season, your soul will be in heaven while your body is in the grave. But the seed buried in the earth will blossom in heaven. And you will be just like Jesus!

From When Christ Comes

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Denison Forum – Package bombs kill two, injure two in Austin, Texas

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Two package bombs killed a teenager and wounded two women yesterday in Austin, Texas. Investigators believe the attacks are linked to a similar bombing that killed a thirty-nine-year-old man in Austin earlier this month. Given the victims’ races, it’s possible that the bombings are hate crimes.

In other news, a mother had her legs, her right arm, and the fingers on her left hand removed after she contracted sepsis in an English hospital. Officials later admitted that medical staff did not recognize the warning signs of her infection. She is now suing the hospital.

And a match between two soccer teams in Greece was suspended when the owner of one of the teams stormed onto the field while armed with a gun. He complained to a referee about a disallowed goal, though he never drew his weapon. Once the gun was identified, however, the game was suspended.

If someone passed a law that conflicts between people could no longer be reported in the news, there would be little news to report.

Imagine a world where everyone chose to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). But there are two sides to this commandment: loving our neighbors enough to do only what is best for them and loving our neighbors when they do what is evil to us. Let’s consider the latter today.

Who has hurt you most recently or most deeply? Have that person in mind as we explore God’s word together.

Hating those who hurt us Continue reading Denison Forum – Package bombs kill two, injure two in Austin, Texas →

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Devotion to Prayer

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Colossians 4:2-4

Are you devoted to prayer? That’s a convicting question, isn’t it? Almost all of us recognize that our prayer life could use some improvement. Part of the problem is that we’re inundated with pressures and activities in this fast-paced world. As a result, prayer often becomes a quick sentence or two before rushing out the door, or it’s combined with some other activity in an effort to multitask.

However, lack of time isn’t an excuse for not sitting down quietly with the Lord to read His Word and talk with Him. The real problem is our priorities. We’re consumed with the urgent and have lost sight of what’s truly important. By neglecting prayer, we forfeit greater love for Christ, a deeper relationship with Him, and His power in our weakness.

But our lack of prayer also affects other people. When Paul told the Colossians to devote themselves to prayer, he requested that they include him and his ministry. As Christians, we have been given the responsibility and privilege of interceding for each other. This is one of the ways we contribute to God’s work in the world and display our love for fellow believers.

Knowing what’s at stake is a great motivation for faithful prayer. To make this a priority in your life, begin by setting aside a time and place to meet with the Lord each day. Then find scriptural passages about people praying, and model your requests, praises, and thanksgiving after these examples. Try keeping a written record of your requests and God’s answers, and you will see your faith strengthen, your love for Christ deepen, and your devotion to prayer increase.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 23-24

 

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Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread –Three-Lettered Faith

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Read: Habakkuk 3:17–19 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 17–19; Mark 13:1–20

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:18

With a tendency toward pessimism, I quickly jump to negative conclusions about how situations in my life will play out. If I’m thwarted in my efforts on a work project, I’m easily convinced none of my other projects will be successful either, and—even though utterly unrelated—I will probably never be able to touch my toes comfortably. And, woe is me, I’m an awful mother who can’t do anything right. Defeat in one area unnecessarily affects my feelings in many.

It’s easy for me to imagine how the prophet Habakkuk might have reacted to what God showed him. He had great cause for despair after having seen the coming troubles for God’s people; long and arduous years lay ahead. Things really did look dismal: no fruit, no meat, and no creature comforts. His words lure me into a pessimistic bed of hopelessness until he jars me awake again with a small three-letter word: yet. “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:18). Despite all the hardships he anticipated, Habakkuk found cause for rejoicing simply because of who God is.

Lord, You are the reason for all my joy.

While we might be prone to exaggerate our problems, Habakkuk truly faced some extreme hardships. If he could summon praise for God in those moments, perhaps we can too. When we’re bogged down in the depths of despair, we can look to God who lifts us up.

Lord, You are the reason for all my joy. Help me to fix my eyes on You when my circumstances are painful and hard.

God is our cause for joy in the midst of despair.

By Kirsten Holmberg

INSIGHT

We don’t know much about the prophet Habakkuk. Not even his father, tribe, or hometown is provided. Yet he is believed to be a temple musician-prophet because he had his own stringed instruments (see Habakkuk 3:19). He was likely a contemporary of the prophets Nahum, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah. He prophesied in a period of violence and political chaos that began in the context of Assyria’s upheaval, continued during the Babylonian victory over Jerusalem (597 bc), and ended in Babylon’s fall to the Persians (539 bc).

 

He would have felt the impact of the death of good King Josiah, who had brought Judah back to God for a short time. Before and after Josiah’s reign, Judah had turned away from God and been characterized by moral and spiritual decay that included the worship of other gods. No wonder Habakkuk was in despair! In his little book he questions (complains to) God out of his burdened heart, and God answers. In the end, the prophet has a deeper understanding of God’s justice.

When has God given you joy in the midst of pain?

 

http://www.odb.org

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Presente

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In the 70s and 80s when death squads were operating in countries of South and Central America, a liturgy emerged in the church by which Christians dramatically enacted faith amidst the pervasive fear perpetuated by the imagination of the nation state. Where death squads spread fear by “disappearing” those bodies that stood in their way, the church saw the resurrection of Christ and his own fatally wounded and “disappeared” body as a dramatic counter-narrative of resistance. Thus, at the liturgy, someone would read out the names of those killed or disappeared, and for each name someone would call out from within the congregation, presente, “Here!”

My work brings me face to face with many who would meet this liturgical act with a dismissal of some sort. It might be a hostile dismissal or simply one expressing doubt or dismay. Like words of comfort at a difficult funeral, while the sentiment might be needed, it will not undo what has been done. Here, the objection from a place of cynicism is not unlike the one from sorrow: The death squads were hardly deterred by this communal act of rallying around a consoling word. Bodies were—and are—still disappearing. These names were the names of people actually lost. On this, determined atheists, material humanists, and despairing Christians might agree: In a heartbreakingly real sense, the disappeared were most definitely not presente.

Continue reading Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Presente →

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Sharing in His Suffering

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For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! — Romans 8:18

As Christians, we like the thought of sharing in Christ’s glory, but what about sharing in His suffering? Jesus’ sacrifice gives us the gift of eternal life and also abundant life while we’re here on this earth. But the Bible teaches that we must suffer times of trial if we are to share in His glory. Is it worth it? According to Romans 8:18, it certainly is!

We tend to believe that we suffer because of our circumstances, and if they would only change, we’d be able to act right. But God wants us to become so mature and stable that we act right even when our circumstances aren’t good. There are different levels of faith, and most of the time we want to use our faith to get rid of all suffering. But sometimes God’s plan is for us to exercise a higher level of faith that will carry us through life’s challenges.

Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengthening and enabling power. Jesus promised in John 16:33, that He will give us His peace during the trials of life and the power we need to overcome them. I encourage you today, if you are going through a time of suffering, take heart because in Christ, you will come through it and share in His glory, which shall be revealed!

 

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