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Trusting in God’s Power – John MacArthur

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“I pray that … you may know … the surpassing greatness of [God’s] power toward us who believe” (Eph. 1:18-19).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the great hope of believers. Because He lives, we will live also (John 14:19). Peter said we have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). We and what we have are protected by God’s power (v. 5).

In Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul draws two comparisons. The first is between the power God demonstrated in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, and the power He demonstrates on behalf of every believer. That power is described as God’s “working,” “strength,” and “might.” Together those synonyms emphasize the greatness of God’s power, which not only secures our salvation, but also enables us to live godly lives.

The second comparison is between our Lord’s resurrection and ascension, and ours. The grave couldn’t hold Him, nor can it hold us (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Satan himself couldn’t prevent Christ’s exaltation, nor can he prevent us from gaining our eternal inheritance.

In Christ you have all the power you will ever need. For evangelism you have the gospel itself, which “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). For difficult times you have the assurance that the surpassing greatness of God’s power is at work in you (2 Cor. 4:7). For holy living you have God Himself at work in you “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

No matter how weak or ill-equipped you may at times feel, realize God “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that [you] ask or think, according to the power that works within [you]” (Eph. 3:20). So keep striving according to that power (Col. 1:29), but do so with the confidence that ultimately God will accomplish His good in your life.

Suggestions for Prayer: Pray for greater spiritual enlightenment and a clearer understanding of your security in Christ. Nothing will rob you of your assurance quicker than unconfessed sin. If that has happened to you, confess it immediately and turn from it. Then ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation.

For Further Study: Read 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

What prerogatives did David attribute to God (vv.11-12)?

What was David’s response to God’s power (v.13)?

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The Landmine of Fear – Charles Stanley

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Isaiah 41:10-13

Humans have legitimate reasons to live in fear—our world has many dangers. But although our environment is frightening, Christians are not to accept fear as a way of life. God’s awesome promises allow us to live peacefully in our surroundings.

For our protection, God has instilled some natural apprehensions in us, like a fear of snakes or deep water. Our instinctive concern teaches us to respect these things until we know how to survive an encounter with them. The Creator also gave us a warning system so we’d react quickly to danger. For instance, if a car speeds toward us, an instant reaction of alarm could save our life.

In other words, some fears protect us. But constant, all-consuming dread is unhealthy. While we may feel afraid if we spot a snake, most of us don’t worry much about having such encounters. Some people anguish over dangers that might occur—instead of entrusting loved ones to God, they anxiously imagine all the ways injury might occur.

As anxiety grows, uncertainty builds up until it hinders our relationship with God. Fears about the welfare of loved ones, financial well-being, or eternal security all result from doubt regarding the Lord’s provision. Then our attention is centered on our concerns rather than on the One who promises to hold us in His hand.

The Lord offers us strength because He understands how fear can torment us. Don’t allow worry to blind you to His promises and thereby deprive you of the help that He always has available. The Bible reminds us: “My God shall supply all your needs” (Phil. 4:19).

 

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Our Daily Bread — Story Time

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READ: 2 Corinthians 3:1-11

You are an epistle of Christ . . . written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. —2 Corinthians 3:3

As a child, I loved it when my mom read to me. I would sit on her lap and listen to every word. As she read, I examined the details of every picture and waited eagerly to hear what was on the next page.

Have you ever thought about the idea that our lives tell a story? In every situation—good, bad, or indifferent—people around us are watching and listening to the story we are telling. Our story is communicated not only through our words but also through our attitudes and actions as we respond to life’s buffetings and blessings. Our children and grand-children, spouses, neighbors, and co-workers can all observe the story we’re telling.

Paul reminds us that as followers of Jesus, our lives are like letters “known and read by all men; . . . an epistle of Christ . . . written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God” (2 Cor. 3:2-3).

What is the story that those around us are reading through the letter of our lives? Stories of forgiveness? Compassion? Generosity? Patience? Love?

If you’ve experienced the joy of a grace-filled life that comes from the Spirit of God in you, then welcome to the joy of being one of God’s great storytellers! —Joe Stowell

Dear Lord, we love You. We want our lives to

tell the story of Your goodness and grace.

May we be a bold witness of You.

Use us in ways we never thought possible.

Let your life tell the story of Christ’s love and mercy to the world around you.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Your heavenly Father.” / Matthew 6:26

God’s people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and

they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call

him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious word is that.

Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If ye be sons,

where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an

authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is

most cheerfully rendered–which would not be withheld even if it might. The

obedience which God’s children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not

go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, but run in

the way of his commands because it is your Father’s way. Yield your bodies as

instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father’s will, and

his will should be the will of his child. Father!–Here is a kingly attribute

so sweetly veiled in love, that the King’s crown is forgotten in the King’s

face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of

mercy–the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who

wields it. Father!–Here is honour and love. How great is a Father’s love to

his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not

attempt, a father’s heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his

offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself

strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with

unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father!

He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can

reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word–Father! There is all I can

ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in

all to all eternity when I can say, “Father.”

 

Evening “All they that heard it wondered at those things.” / Luke 2:18

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very

difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the

soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God’s glory, though it may not express

itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet

it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as “the Wonderful.”

That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him

away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man’s

Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each

believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself.

It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and

royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose

itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy

wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will

cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a

love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear

Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon

you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope.

If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that

heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at

anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What

is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be

that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able

to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard,

but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the

throne, by wondering at what God has done.

 

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Maintaining a Clear Perspective – John MacArthur

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“I pray that . . . you may know . . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18).

Throughout Ephesians 1 Paul is clearly struck with the magnificence of our inheritance in Christ. Here he prays that we will know the riches of its glory.

Some commentators see “His inheritance” as a reference to believers, who are God’s inheritance or special possession (v. 14). That view stresses the value God places on us as believers, as demonstrated in Christ’s death, the forgiveness of our sins, and the abundant grace that He lavishes on us (vv. 7-8).

Others see it as referring to the believer’s inheritance, which Paul calls “His inheritance” because God is its source. Just as “His calling” (v. 18) issued from Him and was received by believers, so His inheritance issues from Him.

Both views are theologically sound but the second seems more consistent with Paul’s emphasis in verses 11 and 14. In either case Paul’s point is clear: redemption and its accompanying blessings are so profound that we must have supernatural help to understand them. That’s why he prayed for our enlightenment (v. 18).

Such enlightenment is crucial because how you perceive your spiritual resources dictates how you live. If, for example, you realize you have every resource for godly living (Eph. 1:3), you are less likely to succumb to temptation. Knowing God has given you His very best in Christ (Rom. 8:31) assures you that He won’t withhold lesser things, so you’ll not tend to worry about earthly needs. Understanding that you have already received “grace upon grace” (John 1:16), abundant life (John 10:10), and “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3) gives you confidence that God’s future grace and resources will be more than sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).

Let that motivate you to praise your rich and glorious God for His rich and glorious inheritance!

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for the privilege of being His child.

Memorize Ephesians 1:3 and 2 Peter 1:3 and recite them often as anthems of praise for the Lord’s abundant grace.

For Further Study: Read 2 Corinthians 11-12

What kinds of trials did Paul face?

How did God respond to Paul’s prayer to remove his “thorn in the flesh”?

How might Paul’s response influence you when you face difficulties?

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God Still Speaks – Greg Laurie

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Is He interested in what happens to us as individuals? Does He really have a master plan for our lives? Or are we merely victims of blind chance?

God is indeed interested in us as individuals. He does in fact have a master plan for our lives, and He does truly want to speak to us. Jesus described Himself as our Good Shepherd (see John 10:11). And as His sheep, we can hear His voice.

But how can we know when God is the one speaking? We need to remember that God speaks to us primarily through His Word. He will never lead us contrary to anything He says there. We don’t have to go any further than the Bible to know the will of God for our lives. Psalm 19:8 says, “The statutes of the Lord are right.” In the original language, this verse means that God’s Word has set out the right path for us to follow. We don’t have to lose our bearings in the fog of human opinion or let our fickle emotions lead us astray. Instead, we have a sure guide: the Word of God.

We are to think about God’s Word, we are to ponder it, and we are to meditate in it day and night. C.H. Spurgeon said, “Nobody ever outgrows Scripture. The Book widens and deepens with our years.” As a result of spending time in God’s Word, you will bring forth spiritual fruit.

So listen to your Shepherd. Read His Word, and let it bear fruit in your life.

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In Times of Temptation – Charles Stanley

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1 Corinthians 10:13

Many people mistake temptation for the actual act of sin, yet these two things are not the same. If we are to achieve victory in the Christian life, we must learn to distinguish between them.

For example, it is important to understand that the enticement to sin does not necessarily mean that the act of sin must follow. Rather, temptation involves a process through which our hearts, minds, and bodies are preparing for the sinful behavior to take place. Interrupting this process can stop the growing temptation dead in its tracks.

Let me describe the progression for you. It begins with something as simple as a glance. Isn’t this how David’s sin with Bathsheba all started in 2 Samuel 11:1-5? The enticement entered his thinking by way of the eyes, and then he began to nurse his desire.

Once the image is set in our mind, we make a choice: Am I going to continue with this desire or not? As these thoughts tumble through our minds, we begin to fantasize and then develop a great desire for the object.

After that come decision and pursuit, through which we do whatever is necessary to achieve our goal. Finally, this process culminates with the sinful action.

Sin doesn’t happen immediately; it’s the result of a process. What this means is, you have ability to stop the momentum at any time. Ask the Lord for the awareness to perceive these steps as they happen, so that you might put an end to the sinful chain of events before it’s too late.

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Our Daily Bread — Guest List

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Luke 14:7-14

When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed. —Luke 14:13-14

Qumran was a first-century Jewish community that had isolated itself from outside influences to prepare for the arrival of the Messiah. They took great care in devotional life, ceremonial washings, and strict adherence to rules of conduct. Surviving documents show that they would not allow the lame, the blind, or the crippled into their communities. This was based on their conviction that anyone with a physical “blemish” was ceremonially unclean. During their table fellowship, disabled people were never on their guest lists.

Ironically, at that same time the Messiah of Israel was at work in the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee. Jesus proclaimed His Father’s kingdom, brought teaching and comfort, and worked mighty miracles. Strikingly, He proclaimed: “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed” (Luke 14:13-14).

The contrast between Jesus’ words and the guest list of the Qumran “spiritual elite” is instructive to us. Often we like to fellowship with people who look, think, and act like us. But our Lord exhorts us to be like Him and open our doors to everyone. —Dennis Fisher

The gospel must be shared with all,

Not just with those like you and me;

For God embraces everyone

Who turns to Him to set them free. —Sper

The inclusive gospel cannot be shared by an exclusive people. —George Sweeting

 

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The Prophet – Ravi Zacharias Ministry

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“Sir, I can see you are a prophet.”

Jesus hadn’t told her future, a task many equate with prophecy. He told her past. “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband” (John 4:17-18). From this knowledge of her angst-ridden personal life, the woman at the well concluded that Jesus was no less than a prophet. As the conversation continued, she began to wonder if Jesus was not in fact the Prophet.

The storied role of a Hebrew prophet is a perspective lost in modern times. The prophets were messengers sent by God to a world hard of hearing, whether by suffering or stubbornness, sin or shame. “Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony,” writes Abraham Heschel, “a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the words of the prophet.”(1) The prophet’s words were often cries of the imminent future, but they were also exclamations for the present, insight into the past, and windows into another kingdom. The Hebrew prophets were messengers, but they were also mediators. They were called to restore the hearts of the people to the God they had abandoned. To a world that needed to be wakened, the prophet was God’s megaphone. But likewise, the prophet brought the cry of humanity before the heart of God. Standing between God and the people, the prophet cried out at times as prosecutor, at times as the defense.

It is essential to know this backdrop of Hebrew prophecy if we are to understand the person and work of Christ. Like the Hebrew prophets who came before him, Jesus was more than an individual who told the future, or a person with divine insight. He came as messenger, but he offered far more than words. He came to herald another kingdom and to restore hearts to God in the present one. He came with the message of salvation and he stood between God and humanity—even unto a cross—to give it. He came as both judge and physician, the herald of our brokenness and the bearer of that brokenness.

In fact, the woman at the well saw that Jesus was one who had no doubt “stood in the council of the LORD”—the distinguishing factor between true and false prophets given in Jeremiah 23. Even so, the conversation continued to surprise her, and she began to surmise that the one in front of her was even greater than a prophet, greater than those who stood boldly between God and humanity crying to both. Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:21-23). As seen in the reactions of this Samaritan, these words had eschatological, historical, and cosmological dimensions. This man had the voice of a prophet and something more.

Leaving the jar she came to fill, the woman at the well ran home, proclaiming out of her own silent agony the hope he voiced within it: “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

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

(1)   Abraham Heschel, The Prophets (New York: Harper Collins, 2001), 5-6.

 

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning   “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord,

according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us.” / Isaiah 63:7

And canst thou not do this? Are there no mercies which thou hast experienced?

What, though thou art gloomy now, canst thou forget that blessed hour when

Jesus met thee, and said, “Come unto me”? Canst thou not remember that

rapturous moment when he snapped thy fetters, dashed thy chains to the earth,

and said, “I came to break thy bonds and set thee free”? Or if the love of

thine espousals be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone

along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst

read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a

sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee?

Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never

in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of

thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark,

wherein thine infant–faith–may float safely on the stream. Forget not what

thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider

the days of old. Canst thou not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never

meet with thee at Hermon? Hast thou never climbed the Delectable Mountains?

Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back,

then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be

dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the

darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows

flee away. “Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for

they have been ever of old.”

 

Evening  “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the

law.” / Romans 3:31

When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old

Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new

covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your

heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a

slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are

bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will.

Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you

neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to

seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be

ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not

because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to

be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not

because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye

love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given

unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor?

Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because

Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.” Does the Word say, “Love God

with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment,

Christ hath fulfilled thee already–I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee

for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my

Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the

Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s

love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments;

for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not

the apologist of sin.

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Understanding Your Calling – John MacArthur

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“I pray that . . . you may know what is the hope of [God’s] calling” (Eph. 1:18).

In Ephesians 1:3-14 Paul proclaims the blessings of our salvation. In verse 18 he prays that we will comprehend those great truths, which he summarizes in the phrase “the hope of His calling.”

“Calling” here refers to God’s effectual calling–the calling that redeems the soul. Scripture speaks of two kinds of calling: the gospel or general call and the effectual or specific call. The gospel call is given by men and is a universal call to repent and trust Christ for salvation (e.g., Matt. 28:19; Acts 17:30-31). It goes out to all sinners but not all who hear it respond in faith.

The effectual call is given by God only to the elect. By it He speaks to the soul, grants saving faith, and ushers elect sinners into salvation (John 6:37-44, 65; Acts 2:39). All who receive it respond in faith.

The hope that your effectual calling instills is grounded in God’s promises and Christ’s accomplishments (1 Pet. 1:3), and is characterized by confidently expecting yet patiently waiting for those promises to be fulfilled. It is your hope of final glorification and of sharing God’s glory when Christ returns (Col. 3:4). It is a source of strength and stability amid the trials of life (1 Pet. 3:14-15). Consequently it should fill you with joy (Rom. 5:2) and motivate you to godly living (1 John 3:3).

As you face this new day, do so with the confidence that you are one of God’s elect. He called you to Himself and will hold you there no matter what circumstances you face. Nothing can separate you from His love (Rom. 8:38- 39)!

Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the security of your salvation.

Ask Him to impress on your heart the blessings and responsibilities of your calling.

Live today in anticipation of Christ’s imminent return.

For Further Study: Joshua’s call to lead Israel was not a call to salvation, but it illustrates some important principles for spiritual leadership. You might not see yourself as a spiritual leader, but you are important to those who look to you as an example of Christian character.

Read Joshua 1:1-9 then answer these questions:

What were the circumstances of Joshua’s call (vv. 1-2)?

What promises did God make to him (vv. 3-6)?

What did God require of him (vv. 7-9)?

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In God’s Hands – Greg Laurie

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“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”    —Luke 19:10

I have a friend whose father died and never had a relationship with God. As a matter of fact, my friend wasn’t a believer at that time, either. But my friend told me how he went to visit his father in his hospital room and noticed that one day, not long before he passed, there was a copy of the Bible there in his father’s room. It was apparent that his father had requested it, knowing the end was near.

So I told my friend, “Look, if your father was really seeking God, then God would have more than met him halfway, because God wants us to know Him more than we could ever imagine.”

When a loved one who has not made a profession of faith in Christ passes away, don’t necessarily assume that he or she is not in heaven, because you never know what prayers go through the heart of a man or a woman when they are entering into eternity. Even if someone cried out to the Lord in the last final seconds of life, you can be certain that God would save them.

Jesus extended mercy to the criminal who was being crucified next to Him on the cross. Those who were crucified at that time typically were murderers or insurrectionists or had rebelled against Rome. Yet God forgave such a person in the last moments of his life, simply because he had said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).

I am not trying to give false hope, but neither do I want to give false condemnation. Let’s leave it in the hands of God and remember that God loves us, and God loves everyone. And we need to care about them and love them as well.

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Tough Questions – Max Lucado

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Some questions aren’t always easy to answer.  Maybe that’s the way it should be!  Here’s just that kind of question:

“I get tired of hearing people brush aside troubles with the platitude in Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good.’ Isn’t saying that cruel?”

The verse says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.”  I think it’s one of the most helpful, comforting verses in the entire Bible.  It announces God’s sovereignty in any painful, tragic situation we face. Why?  Because we know God is at work for our good!  He uses our struggles to build character.

So what do we do?  We trust.  Totally!  And we remember. . .God is working for the good.  Yes, any verse can be misused, but that doesn’t make it useless!

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A Moment of Weakness – Charles Stanley

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2 Samuel 11:1-5

We all face key moments of decision, when our actions can lead to lasting consequences. The issue is, will you be ready when such a time comes?

David wasn’t prepared for the moment of decision that suddenly faced him. At a time when he was restless, lonely, and preoccupied with worries, temptation and sin caught him unprepared. We can guard ourselves against these moments of weakness by remembering one simple word: H-A-L-T.

First, never allow yourself to get too hungry. When the body is weak from lack of food, poor decisions are likely to follow. Respect your body and provide the sustenance it needs.

Second, don’t permit yourself to get too angry. Anger can cloud judgment and lead to regrettable decisions.

A third caution is not to let yourself become too lonely. When you feel isolated, you may find yourself willing to do almost anything to feel accepted or loved.

Fourth, don’t allow yourself to get too tired. Sleep is essential for wise decisions. When you deprive your mind and body of its necessary “down time,” poor choices become probable.

Being wise in these four areas can prevent thoughts of “If only I hadn’t . . .” later on.

Commit now never to make important decisions when you are too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Instead, be honest at those times and admit you’re unprepared to make sound judgments. Then delay the decision until you can approach it with prayer, patience, and godly wisdom.

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Like Jesus – Our Daily Bread

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Read: 1 John 2:5-11

He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked. —1 John 2:6

During a children’s church service, the teacher talked about the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). She suggested some ways for the kids to keep this command. She said, “Nothing should come before God—not candy, not schoolwork, not video games.” She told them that putting God first meant that time with Him reading the Bible and praying should come before anything else.

An older child in the group responded with a thought-provoking question. She asked if being a Christian was about keeping rules or if instead God wanted to be involved in all areas of our life.

Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing the Bible as a list of rules. Certainly obeying God (John 14:21) and spending time with Him are important, but not because we need to be rule-keepers. Jesus and the Father had a loving relationship. When we have a relationship with God, we desire to spend time with Him and obey Him so we can become more like Jesus. John said, “He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). He’s the example we can follow.

When we want to understand how to love, or how to be humble, or how to have faith, or even how to set our priorities, we can look at Jesus and follow His heart.

Lord, as I look ahead to another day, I give myself

to be led by Your Spirit. Give discernment in

priorities, but most of all a sensitive heart to live like

Jesus did—filled with Your love and power. Amen.

Jesus calls us to follow Him.

Bible in a Year: Exodus 9-11; Matthew 15:21-39

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What Did Jesus Mean? – Ravi Zacharias

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On the long walk up the steep hill of the historic castle in Marburg, Germany, nostalgia throbbed through every vein. If only the stones could speak and resonate with the voices that held forth within those confines–what rapture that would provide! Within the rooms of that castle a memorable meeting was held in October of 1529 at which a handful of men, principally Luther and Zwingli, were present. What occasioned that auspicious gathering, and why were the emotions so intense as the moods swung from castigating outbursts to heartfelt apologies?

The question before them was one of consolidating their theological convictions and of presenting a unified platform on what they believed and why they believed it. We read in the summation of those proceedings that of the fifteen points under debate they agreed on fourteen but with great anguish disagreed on the fifteenth. The issue that strongly divided them was the meaning of Jesus’s words “This is my body,” and the significant implications of those words upon the Christian celebration of the Lord’s Supper. To Luther it appeared to be as clear as the day—”This is my body” could only be literal. “Jesus said, ‘This is my body,’” he kept thundering forth. He was not arguing for transubstantiation, although Zwingli saw it as a capitulation to that. To Zwingli the words were only symbolic of Christ’s spiritual presence.

One has only to read the points and counterpoints made between the two and the spirit is stirred by the passion of the reformers. The contest of two different convictions, and the harshness of the words spoken in the heat of argument prompted tears and regret in each as they parted with the hope that the sharp edges of their verbal outbursts would be blunted and gentler words would prevail. Unfortunately, subsequent history unfolds a reality different to their hopes.

Today we marvel at such diatribe between people committed to Christ. But let us not lose sight of something so close to the eye that we may lose focus. For both Zwingli and Luther the fundamental question was unmistakable: What did Jesus mean? That was of supreme importance. To be absolutely sure of the answer to that question on the Lord’s Supper we may have to await the Real Presence when eternity is ushered in. But I strongly suspect that both Zwingli and Luther will be applauded for their unswerving commitment to determine God’s intent.

With the twists and turns of history, Marburg has a more sobering warning to us than a debate in a castle by a handful of reformers. The prestigious University of Marburg was founded just two years before that colloquy. In more recent times it has been the spawning ground for schools of thought that have brought havoc into theological institutions—typically not the intention of the thinker, but sadly often the consequence.

After decades of ministry, one of the deepest concerns I have lies in this twin-headed dilemma—how we approach the Scriptures and how we apply them. So much of faith today is muddied by spiritual jargon. Time and again we hear, “God spoke to me”—a mind-boggling statement, to be sure, not only to the skeptic but to many a serious student of the Word. Could such a claim not just as equally be the spiritual clothing of ambition with the verbiage of inspiration? I have seen some of the most incredible behavior justified with the words “God spoke to me.” How does one argue with that? The only way is to turn to the Scriptures and to verify whether the truth deduced is in keeping with the truth of Scripture, not just personally wrested but objectively revealed to all humanity. Further, if the life and conduct of the one to whom God is “constantly speaking” belies a disjunction between practice in day-to-day living and a precept that is harnessed to justify specific behavior, that one too has amputated the organ of fact from the feeling of faith.

From the beginning of time the most difficult question confronting humanity was in the words of the tempter, “Did God really say… ?” In a tragic and sometimes subtle sort of way we can jettison that revealed authority or else give lip service to it, breathing our own inspiration into self-chosen paths. May I suggest the latter is more dangerous, for while the former may deny the existence of God, the latter in the name of God, plays God. This may be the most important lesson to learn from the stones of Marburg. To Luther and Zwingli it was important to know what God meant when God said what God said, not what they might like it to mean. Their disagreement was based on the importance of truth. I have little doubt that to many professing Christians the choice between the two schools of thought is clear. The terrifying reality may be that in life and conduct we may be closer to playing God than we realize.

Ravi Zacharias is founder and chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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Receiving Spiritual Enlightenment – John MacArthur

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“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18).

Spiritual enlightenment doesn’t come through self-effort orintrospective meditation but through God’s Holy Spirit.

Our society has been enamored with the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, especially since the influx of Eastern thought into the West duringthe 1960s. Now we are drowning in a sea of false religions and New Age philosophies.

True enlightenment continues to elude many because they have denied itssource and have turned to gurus and teachers who have no light to give. They propagate self-effort and introspective meditation, but spiritual enlightenment doesn’t come through such means. It comes only through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14-16). That’s why Paul prayed that God Himself would enlighten the hearts of the Ephesian believers (Eph. 1:18).

We might expect Paul to pray for enlightened minds rather than hearts, butthat’s because we associate the word heart with emotions rather than with thought. But in Hebrew and Greek thinking, the heart was considered the seatof knowledge, thinking, and understanding. For example, Jesus said that evilthoughts come out of the heart (Matt. 15:19). Emotions are important, butthey must be guided and controlled by an enlightened mind.

How does the Spirit enlighten you? As you pray and study God’s Word, He transforms and renews your mind (Rom. 12:2) by filling you with “the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9). He teaches you to recognize and uphold what is excellent so that you will be “sincere and blameless” before God (Phil. 1:10). He implants Biblical truthinto your thinking so that your responses become more and more like Christ’s.

How wonderful to know that each moment of the day God is workingwithin you in such a way. Be diligent to pray and spend time in the Word sothat your spiritual progress will be evident to all (1 Tim. 4:15).

Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the Spirit’s transforming work within you.

Reaffirm your love for Him, and express your willingness to bechanged by His Spirit in any way He sees fit.

Be alert for attitudes or actionsthat need to be changed. Rely on His grace and strength in doing so.

For Further Study:  Read Genesis 27–33, noting how God used the events of Jacob’s life to transform his weak spiritual commitment to one that was strong and unconditional (see especially Gen. 28:20-22; 32:9-12).

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.” / Psalm 91:3

God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses. From, and  out of. First, he delivers them from the snare–does not let them enter it;  and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he delivers them out of it.

The first promise is the most precious to some; the second is the best to  others.    “He shall deliver thee from the snare.” How? Trouble is often the means  whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end in our  destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, “Lord, why is this?” not  knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering us from far greater  evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their sorrows and their crosses;  these have frightened the birds from the net. At other times, God keeps his  people from the snare of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength,  so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, “How can I do this great  wickedness, and sin against God?” But what a blessed thing it is that if the  believer shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out  of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though thou  hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith–“Return, O backsliding children; I  will have mercy upon you.” But you say you cannot return, for you are a  captive. Then listen to the promise–“Surely he shall deliver thee out of the  snare of the fowler.” Thou shalt yet be brought out of all evil into which  thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt never cease to repent of thy ways, yet  he that hath loved thee will not cast thee away; he will receive thee, and  give thee joy and gladness, that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No  bird of paradise shall die in the fowler’s net.

 

Evening “Martha was cumbered about much serving.” / Luke 10:40

Her fault was not that she served: the condition of a servant well becomes  every Christian. “I serve,” should be the motto of all the princes of the  royal family of heaven. Nor was it her fault that she had “much serving.” We  cannot do too much. Let us do all that we possibly can; let head, and heart,  and hands, be engaged in the Master’s service. It was no fault of hers that  she was busy preparing a feast for the Master. Happy Martha, to have an  opportunity of entertaining so blessed a guest; and happy, too, to have the  spirit to throw her whole soul so heartily into the engagement. Her fault was  that she grew “cumbered with much serving,” so that she forgot him, and only  remembered the service. She allowed service to override communion, and so  presented one duty stained with the blood of another. We ought to be Martha  and Mary in one: we should do much service, and have much communion at the  same time. For this we need great grace. It is easier to serve than to  commune. Joshua never grew weary in fighting with the Amalekites; but Moses,  on the top of the mountain in prayer, needed two helpers to sustain his hands.  The more spiritual the exercise, the sooner we tire in it. The choicest fruits  are the hardest to rear: the most heavenly graces are the most difficult to  cultivate. Beloved, while we do not neglect external things, which are good  enough in themselves, we ought also to see to it that we enjoy living,  personal fellowship with Jesus. See to it that sitting at the Saviour’s feet  is not neglected, even though it be under the specious pretext of doing him  service. The first thing for our soul’s health, the first thing for his glory,  and the first thing for our own usefulness, is to keep ourselves in perpetual  communion with the Lord Jesus, and to see that the vital spirituality of our  religion is maintained over and above everything else in the world.

 

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God’s Heart toward the Lost – Greg Laurie

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“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”—Acts 4:12

In our culture of moral relativism, the statement that Jesus Christ is the only way to God rubs a lot of people the wrong way, because the statement itself seems so narrow and dogmatic. In a way, it is. But this is what Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

The Bible clearly teaches that there is one mediator between God and man, and it is the Man Christ Jesus (see 1 Timothy 2:5). And Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Many hearing this will assume this verse means that those who have never heard about Jesus automatically will be sent to hell. But that is a false concept of God and His nature, because if the cross of Calvary proves nothing else, it proves this: God loves people deeply. Why else would the God the Father send His Son to suffer and die?

Here is God’s heart toward lost humanity. In Ezekiel 33:11, He says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

The Bible also tells us that God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). So God wants everyone to repent. You see, God is compassionate. He longs for fellowship with humanity, for friendship with us.

Jesus described God as a shepherd looking for a lost sheep (see Luke 15). That is God’s heart toward all of us. I believe that God will judge us according to what we know. God loves people. And I know He wants to save them.

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God Knows More – Max Lucado

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A young woman wrote to me,  “My boyfriend and I split up.  I applied for a job and was rejected.  Is God even listening to me?

You need to know that God knows more about life than we do! And, yes, He’s listening!  One day, my then six-year old said she wanted me leave the ministry.  “I just really wish you sold snow cones!”  An honest request from an honest heart.  To her the happiest people in the world were the guys who drove the snow-cone trucks. I heard her request, but I didn’t heed it.  Why?  Because I know more about life than she did.

Same with God. God hears our requests.  But His answer isn’t always what we’d like it to be.  Because He knows more about life than we do?  Don’t panic.  Don’t bail out.  Talk to your heavenly Father.  He’s still in control!

“Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.” Philippians 4:6-7