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Living in Grace

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2 Corinthians 5:17

Before the apostle Paul’s conversion, if someone had suggested that he would impact the world for Jesus, he’d probably have laughed. In fact, his original goal was to rid the world of Christians.

God’s grace can impact anyone; no sin is beyond the reach of His forgiveness. This amazing gift of redemption changes lives. Contrary to what many think, being a Christian does not mean adding good deeds to one’s life. Instead, believers receive forgiveness by God’s grace, and a completely new nature. Our inward transformation results in obvious outward changes.

A beautiful illustration of this is the butterfly’s metamorphosis. Once it’s in a chrysalis, a caterpillar doesn’t merely act or appear different from the outside; it truly has changed inwardly as well.

Transformation for believers occurs in many areas. For example, our attitudes change–salvation by God’s grace results in humility and gratitude. Out of thankfulness for this undeserved free gift flows compassion for the lost and a desire to share the gospel with them. Experiencing Christ’s forgiveness also results in a longing to serve Him. This does not need to be in a formal church setting; we serve Him by loving others, helping those in need, and telling them about salvation.

While there are still natural consequences for our sin, God offers us forgiveness and redemption through Jesus. He made a way to restore our broken relationship with Him. What’s more, our Father transforms our lives so we will become more like His Son and reflect His heart to others.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people … Thou shalt

in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” / Leviticus

19:16-17

Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the teller, the hearer,

and the person concerning whom the tale is told. Whether the report be true or

false, we are by this precept of God’s Word forbidden to spread it. The

reputations of the Lord’s people should be very precious in our sight, and we

should count it shame to help the devil to dishonour the Church and the name

of the Lord. Some tongues need a bridle rather than a spur. Many glory in

pulling down their brethren, as if thereby they raised themselves. Noah’s wise

sons cast a mantle over their father, and he who exposed him earned a fearful

curse. We may ourselves one of these dark days need forbearance and silence

from our brethren, let us render it cheerfully to those who require it now. Be

this our family rule, and our personal bond–Speak evil of no man.

The Holy Spirit, however, permits us to censure sin, and prescribes the way in

which we are to do it. It must be done by rebuking our brother to his face,

not by railing behind his back. This course is manly, brotherly, Christlike,

and under God’s blessing will be useful. Does the flesh shrink from it? Then

we must lay the greater stress upon our conscience, and keep ourselves to the

work, lest by suffering sin upon our friend we become ourselves partakers of

it. Hundreds have been saved from gross sins by the timely, wise, affectionate

warnings of faithful ministers and brethren. Our Lord Jesus has set us a

gracious example of how to deal with erring friends in his warning given to

Peter, the prayer with which he preceded it, and the gentle way in which he

bore with Peter’s boastful denial that he needed such a caution.

 

Evening   “Spices for anointing oil.” / Exodus 35:8

Much use was made of this anointing oil under the law, and that which it

represents is of primary importance under the gospel. The Holy Spirit, who

anoints us for all holy service, is indispensable to us if we would serve the

Lord acceptably. Without his aid our religious services are but a vain

oblation, and our inward experience is a dead thing. Whenever our ministry is

without unction, what miserable stuff it becomes! nor are the prayers,

praises, meditations, and efforts of private Christians one jot superior. A

holy anointing is the soul and life of piety, its absence the most grievous of

all calamities. To go before the Lord without anointing is as though some

common Levite had thrust himself into the priest’s office–his ministrations

would rather have been sins than services. May we never venture upon hallowed

exercises without sacred anointings. They drop upon us from our glorious Head;

from his anointing we who are as the skirts of his garments partake of a

plenteous unction. Choice spices were compounded with rarest art of the

apothecary to form the anointing oil, to show forth to us how rich are all the

influences of the Holy Spirit. All good things are found in the divine

Comforter. Matchless consolation, infallible instruction, immortal quickening,

spiritual energy, and divine sanctification all lie compounded with other

excellencies in that sacred eye-salve, the heavenly anointing oil of the Holy

Spirit. It imparts a delightful fragrance to the character and person of the

man upon whom it is poured. Nothing like it can be found in all the treasuries

of the rich, or the secrets of the wise. It is not to be imitated. It comes

alone from God, and it is freely given, through Jesus Christ, to every waiting

soul. Let us seek it, for we may have it, may have it this very evening. O

Lord, anoint thy servants.

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The Joy of the Harvest

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Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.   —Psalm 126:5–6

As a pastor and evangelist, I have had people tell me that I saved them. But God is the one who saves people—not me. I simply declare the truth of the gospel, and people put their faith in Jesus. He saves them.

While I don’t have to worry about being the one who saves people, I do have to concern myself with telling them how to find salvation. God will bring about the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me” (John 6:44). Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, but God uses the seed of His Word in that person’s heart.

Here is an interesting thing to consider: there is no person in the New Testament who came to faith apart from the agency of a human being. We can find example after example. Take the Philippian jailer (see Acts 16). God could have reached him in many ways. Instead, he chose to reach him when Paul and Silas were incarcerated in his cell. And he ultimately said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).

Then there was Cornelius, a centurion. An angel appeared to him one afternoon, and instead of preaching the gospel, the angel directed Cornelius to Peter, who then delivered the gospel. Angels are not the primary agents God uses to bring the gospel. Primarily, God will use people to reach people.

And even though the apostle Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, I believe that young Stephen, through his witness, was instrumental in his conversion.

God reaches people through people. It gets hard at times, but we need to stay with it, because there is great joy when someone responds to the gospel.

GregLaurie@harvestdirect.org

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How Grace Changes Everything

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1 Timothy 1:12-17

Our lives are hopeless without God. We are born with a “flesh” nature and continue to choose wrong paths throughout our lives. The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God. No one is exempt from this biblical truth. And there is nothing that any of us can do to change the situation.

Enter God’s grace, His unmerited favor toward us. We can’t do anything to earn it. He blesses us according to His goodness, apart from anything we have done.

Consider the apostle Paul, whose original intent was to persecute anyone claiming the name of Jesus. He played a significant role in the brutal violence aimed at Christians and, in his own words, was the “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15 kjv). Nothing he did deserved God’s love.

Divine grace led the Almighty to reach down and forgive this hateful zealot who blasphemed Jesus’ name. God lovingly transformed him into a man who dedicated himself to sharing the gospel message. Paul’s life illustrates grace beautifully.

We are unable to do enough good deeds to earn our way to heaven. Salvation is possible only because by grace, Christ died on the cross. The one who took the punishment for our sin deserves all credit for our redemption.

Jesus’ death covered the sins of the entire world. There is no transgression too great for Him to forgive. We can add nothing to His act of atonement; all we can do is receive this free gift. If we trust in Christ as Savior, God will save us, making us His children forever.

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Accepting God’s Provisions

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“By faith [Moses] kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned” (Heb. 11:28-29).

When the time came for Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, everything on the human level said it couldn’t be done. Pharaoh wasn’t about to let two to three million slaves just pack up and leave. His formidable army was ready to insure that no such exodus occurred.

But when God devises a plan, He always makes the necessary provisions for carrying it out. On this occasion, His provision came in the form of ten terrifying plagues designed to change Pharaoh’s mind.

The tenth and worst plague was the death of all the first- born (Ex. 11:5). To protect themselves from this plague, the Israelites sprinkled the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. When the angel of death saw the blood, he passed over that house. Thus the Passover was instituted.

The blood from those first Passover lambs had no intrinsic power to stave off the death angel, but its presence demonstrated faith and obedience, thus symbolizing the future sacrifice of Christ (cf. John 1:29).

Pharaoh got the message and allowed the Israelites to leave. But soon afterward he changed his mind and commanded his army to pursue them. Again God intervened by parting the Red Sea, allowing His people to walk across on dry land. He then drowned the entire Egyptian army when it followed the Israelites into the sea.

That was a graphic demonstration of a lesson every believer must learn: God’s provisions are always best. They may sometimes seem foolish to the human intellect–just as “the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:18)– but the man or woman of faith trusts God and receives His provisions gratefully.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for the wise and gracious provisions He has made for your salvation and ongoing Christian walk.

For Further Study:  Read the account of the Passover and the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 11-14.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth

that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” / 3 John 3

The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in the truth. If the first had not

been the case, the second could never have occurred; and if the second could

not be said of him the first would have been a mere pretence. Truth must enter

into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value. Doctrines

held as a matter of creed are like bread in the hand, which ministers no

nourishment to the frame; but doctrine accepted by the heart, is as food

digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body. In us truth

must be a living force, an active energy, an indwelling reality, a part of the

woof and warp of our being. If it be in us, we cannot henceforth part with it.

A man may lose his garments or his limbs, but his inward parts are vital, and

cannot be torn away without absolute loss of life. A Christian can die, but he

cannot deny the truth. Now it is a rule of nature that the inward affects the

outward, as light shines from the centre of the lantern through the glass:

when, therefore, the truth is kindled within, its brightness soon beams forth

in the outward life and conversation. It is said that the food of certain

worms colours the cocoons of silk which they spin: and just so the nutriment

upon which a man’s inward nature lives gives a tinge to every word and deed

proceeding from him. To walk in the truth, imports a life of integrity,

holiness, faithfulness, and simplicity–the natural product of those

principles of truth which the gospel teaches, and which the Spirit of God

enables us to receive. We may judge of the secrets of the soul by their

manifestation in the man’s conversation. Be it ours today, O gracious Spirit,

to be ruled and governed by thy divine authority, so that nothing false or

sinful may reign in our hearts, lest it extend its malignant influence to our

daily walk among men.

 

Evening “Seeking the wealth of his people.” / Esther 10:3

Mordecai was a true patriot, and therefore, being exalted to the highest

position under Ahasuerus, he used his eminence to promote the prosperity of

Israel. In this he was a type of Jesus, who, upon his throne of glory, seeks

not his own, but spends his power for his people. It were well if every

Christian would be a Mordecai to the church, striving according to his ability

for its prosperity. Some are placed in stations of affluence and influence,

let them honour their Lord in the high places of the earth, and testify for

Jesus before great men. Others have what is far better, namely, close

fellowship with the King of kings, let them be sure to plead daily for the

weak of the Lord’s people, the doubting, the tempted, and the comfortless. It

will redound to their honour if they make much intercession for those who are

in darkness and dare not draw nigh unto the mercy seat. Instructed believers

may serve their Master greatly if they lay out their talents for the general

good, and impart their wealth of heavenly learning to others, by teaching them

the things of God. The very least in our Israel may at least seek the welfare

of his people; and his desire, if he can give no more, shall be acceptable. It

is at once the most Christlike and the most happy course for a believer to

cease from living to himself. He who blesses others cannot fail to be blessed

himself. On the other hand, to seek our own personal greatness is a wicked and

unhappy plan of life, its way will be grievous and its end will be fatal.

 

Here is the place to ask thee, my friend, whether thou art to the best of thy

power seeking the wealth of the church in thy neighbourhood? I trust thou art

not doing it mischief by bitterness and scandal, nor weakening it by thy

neglect. Friend, unite with the Lord’s poor, bear their cross, do them all the

good thou canst, and thou shalt not miss thy reward.

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How Will They Hear?

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How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?—Romans 10:14

We don’t know his name; the Bible simply identifies him as “a man of Ethiopia.” He essentially had everything this world had to offer that was supposed to bring happiness and fulfillment. As the one in charge of Ethiopia’s treasury, he would have had wealth, influence, and fame. Yet there was something missing in his life that sent him on a search for God.

This search led him to the spiritual capital of the world, Jerusalem. This foreign man, who probably worshipped false gods, believed the answer to life’s questions would be found in this city.

But he didn’t find what he was looking for in Jerusalem. Instead, he found it in a conversation with Philip. He had an appointment with God in the desert.

God could have sovereignly spoken to this Ethiopian dignitary, but He instead chose Philip, who was the right man in the right place at the right time. And as he read from the scroll of Isaiah, Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading.

He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31).

We need to engage people, because God has chosen to primarily reach people through people.

God could text-message everyone instantaneously. He could appear to us. He could write His message in the sky. He could do whatever He wants. But God has chosen to reach others through people, using verbal communication. That is what the Bible says: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

Have you ever thought about engaging a person in a conversation about Christ? As believers, we are all called to do our part in evangelism.

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Christ, the King

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Most of us only know of kings and queens through fairy tales. Especially those who reside in North America, we have not witnessed the coronation of a royal, nor visited the museum that houses crown jewels. For most of us living in the modern world, kings and queens are the product of legend and myth, or remembered through history classes as those often tyrannical figures overthrown by revolution.

Yet, if you are part of a church that journeys through the liturgical church year, then you’ll be aware that this past Sunday, November 25 was the Sunday of Christ, the King. This special Sunday marks the end of the church year, and inaugurates the Advent Season that includes Christmas Day. This day, for Christians, celebrates and recalls the rule of Christ over all creation. Special hymns, Scripture readings, and prayers fill the day captured by the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians: “God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”(1)

For many living today, the language of kingship may seem outdated or oppressive. And perhaps for many, the dominant images of kings and kingdoms conjure up thoughts of tyrants. We think of ancient feudal societies with despotic rulers and overlords, or power-hungry leaders who will stop at nothing, nor think twice about stepping over anyone who gets in their way. As a result, these images often negatively impact thoughts about Christ being called the King.

But the biblical imagery and descriptions of Christ’s kingship are not despotic or oppressive. The ancient Hebrew prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, both envision a Messiah who presents an alternative vision to the stereotypical understanding of kingship:

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…the wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox…they shall do no evil or harm in all my holy mountain, says the Lord….Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness I the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is his name by which he will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’”(2)

In addition to this prophetic vision, the way in which Jesus lives radically alters the human understanding of kingship. For, the earthly ministry of Jesus was not one of power, military might or oppression. Indeed, Jesus turns the whole concept on its head in a discussion with his disciples:

“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.“(3)

Jesus argued before Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. He understood all too well popular images of kings and lords and he specifically sought to undermine them. Jesus demonstrated that as king and as ruler of all, he would be the servant of all. Indeed, even the Incarnation celebrated on Christmas day is an example of this: God the Son, King of all creation, humbled himself to become human, even sharing the ultimate fate of his would-be captive subjects: human death.

For those who care to see and hear in a new way during this season of Advent, Christ, the King Sunday points us to King Jesus who did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of humans. It is before the rule of this servant-king that one day all will bow.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

(1) Philippians 2:9-11.

(2) Isaiah 65:17, 25; Jeremiah 23:5-6.

(3) Mark 10:42-45.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord.” / Zechariah

3:1

In Joshua the high priest we see a picture of each and every child of God, who

has been made nigh by the blood of Christ, and has been taught to minister in

holy things, and enter into that which is within the veil. Jesus has made us

priests and kings unto God, and even here upon earth we exercise the

priesthood of consecrated living and hallowed service. But this high priest is

said to be “standing before the angel of the Lord,” that is, standing to

minister. This should be the perpetual position of every true believer. Every

place is now God’s temple, and his people can as truly serve him in their

daily employments as in his house. They are to be always “ministering,”

offering the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, and presenting

themselves a “living sacrifice.” But notice where it is that Joshua stands to

minister, it is before the angel of Jehovah. It is only through a mediator

that we poor defiled ones can ever become priests unto God. I present what I

have before the messenger, the angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus; and

through him my prayers find acceptance wrapped up in his prayers; my praises

become sweet as they are bound up with bundles of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia

from Christ’s own garden. If I can bring him nothing but my tears, he will put

them with his own tears in his own bottle for he once wept; if I can bring him

nothing but my groans and sighs, he will accept these as an acceptable

sacrifice, for he once was broken in heart, and sighed heavily in spirit. I

myself, standing in him, am accepted in the Beloved; and all my polluted

works, though in themselves only objects of divine abhorrence, are so

received, that God smelleth a sweet savour. He is content and I am blessed.

See, then, the position of the Christian–“a priest–standing–before the

angel of the Lord.”

 

Evening  “The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” / Ephesians

1:7

Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word “forgiveness,”

when it sounds in a guilty sinner’s ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to

the captive Israelite? Blessed, forever blessed be that dear star of pardon

which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope

amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine,

can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and forever? Hell is my portion as a

sinner–there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon

me–can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the

adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or

the doors be lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear.

Forever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that

pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have

believed in the appointed propitiation, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my

sins are at this moment, and forever, forgiven by virtue of his

substitutionary pains and death. What joy is this! What bliss to be a

perfectly pardoned soul! My soul dedicates all her powers to him who of his

own unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption

through his blood. What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To

forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive forever! Here

is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how

dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was

the method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering

worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the

cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God,

through whom I am this night a pardoned soul.

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Bearing the Reproach of Christ

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Moses considered “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen” (Heb. 11:26-27).

How could Moses, who lived 1,500 years before Christ, bear His reproach? Christ is the Greek form of the Hebrew title Messiah, the Anointed One. Many Old Testament personalities were spoken of as being anointed for special service to the Lord. Some have suggested that Moses was thinking of himself as a type of messiah, for he delivered his people from the Egyptian bondage. They would translate verse 26 as, “Considering the reproach of his own messiahship as God’s deliverer.”

However, it seems best to see this verse as a reference to Jesus Himself, the future great Deliverer. We don’t know how much knowledge Moses had of Jesus, but certainly it was more than Abraham, of whom Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56).

The Messiah has always been identified with His people. When they suffer for righteousness’ sake, they suffer in His place. That’s why David said, “The reproaches of those who reproach Thee have fallen on me” (Ps. 69:9). Speaking from a New Testament perspective, Paul made a similar statement: “I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus” (Gal. 6:17).

There’s also a sense in which Christ suffers with His people. When Jesus confronted Paul, who was heavily persecuting the church, He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? . . . I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5).

Moses chose to turn his back on Pharaoh’s household and identify with God’s people because he knew that suffering for Christ was far better than enjoying the riches of Egypt. At some point in time you too will be persecuted for Christ’s sake (2 Tim. 3:12), so be prepared. When that time comes, follow Moses’ example of faith and courage, knowing that God will be your shield and your reward (cf. Gen. 15:1).

Suggestions for Prayer:  Follow the examples of the apostles by thanking God for the privilege of bearing a small portion of the reproach that the world aims at Christ (Acts 5:27-41).

For Further Study: Memorize Psalm 27:1 as a source of encouragement when facing difficulty.

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Counterfeit Faith

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But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.”—Acts 8:20–21

Not everyone who responds to the gospel is necessarily a Christian.

The book of Acts tells the story of a sorcerer named Simon. His sorcery was a mixture of science and superstition, combining astrology, divination, and occult practices with mathematics and astronomy Simon had been deceiving people in Samaria with his acts of sorcery.

By the way, the devil can do miracles—lying wonders. Writing about the Antichrist, the apostle Paul said, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

It may be that Simon’s acts were devilish deeds, or they may have been sleights of hand. We don’t really know exactly, but he was doing his thing, and everyone thought he was someone great.

Then Philip came to town and started preaching the gospel with the authentic power of God. A revival broke out, and people were abandoning Simon. Simon started realizing that Philip was bad for business, but there was no way that he could compete with him. So Simon faked a conversion. We know it wasn’t a genuine conversion, because later, when Peter and John arrived, they were doing true miracles by the hand of God.

When Simon offered them money in an attempt to buy the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter rebuked him and said, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God” (Acts 8:20–21). Clearly this is not a description of a true believer.

You can’t buy the power of God. There is no substitute for a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

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Two-Staged Miracles

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In a 1944 radio series called “Books that Have Influenced Me,” author E.M. Forster made the comment that the only books which influence us are those for which we are actually ready, those “which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have yet got ourselves.”(1)

I am most comfortable reading with a pen in my hand. The quality is not unique. Navigating through the pages with circles and highlights is for some of us a way of remembering where we have been and charting wisdom for where we hope to go. And yet, how often I have returned to a book previously read only to wonder curiously why I drew so much attention to underlining paragraph three and seemed to completely overlook sentence seven. As we experience more of life, more of self, world, and neighbor, we learn to see things differently.

In an account of a miracle unlike any other found in any of the gospel accounts, Mark describes Jesus healing a blind man in stages. Touching the man’s eyes once, Jesus asks, “Do you see anything?”

“I see people,” the man replies. “They look like trees walking around.”

Then putting his hands on the man once more, Jesus restores the blind man’s sight.(2) And the man walks away seeing clearly.

A two-staged miracle seems very much like a contradiction in terms. But here, in this particular place in the book of Mark, the story is charged with symbolism. Following an exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees (who are looking for Jesus to give them a miraculous sign), and an exchange between Jesus and the disciples (who have been in the presence of such miracles and yet keep failing to see), Jesus seems to tell all of them that seeing takes time. Moreover, as Jesus returns his hands to the blind man’s eyes so that he might see more than walking trees, he demonstrates an interesting hope. Namely, this man who claims to be God is persevering with those who truly long to see it.

Adding even more to this provoking theme of sight, Mark places his account of the transfiguration of Jesus near these events as well. As Peter, James, and John climb a mountain with their teacher, they are suddenly terrified as Elijah and Moses appear before them. The clothes of Jesus become dazzling white and just then a cloud appears and envelopes them, and a voice thunders from the heavens, saying: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Suddenly once again, as they look around, they see no one but Jesus.

Mark here imparts a profound mystery: Seeing clearly can be just as disturbing as not seeing at all. Whether in blindness or in partial sight, overwhelmed by reality or consumed by darkness, seeing is described, I think accurately, as a business beyond us. But here hopefully, Mark imparts, the one willing to be helped is helped. As Emily Dickinson once penned:

As Lightening to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind–

A wise old man with a most encouraging gleam of hope in his blind eyes once told me that though he had sat in church all of his life, it was well into his 46th year when Jesus became in his eyes one who is really loved. The truth dazzled gradually, until it was given its proper place.

What if in the task of seeing we are truly not alone? What if no eye has really seen, nor ear heard, nor mind conceived what God has prepared for those who would love him—Father, Son, and Spirit? Though partial sight is itself a gift, the God who comes near intends more. “Do you see anything?” The miracle may well come in stages.

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

(1) E.M. Forster, The Creator as Critic: And Other Writings by E.M. Forster, Jeffrey Heath, Ed., (Toronto: Dundurn Group, 2008), 364.

(2) See Mark 8:24.

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Rejecting the World’s Passing Pleasures

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“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:24-25).

For forty years Moses enjoyed the best of everything Egypt had to offer: formidable wealth, culture, education, and prestige (Acts 7:22). Yet he never forgot God’s promises toward his own people, Israel.

Then, “when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him; but they did not understand” (vv. 23-25).

Somehow Moses knew he was to deliver his people from Egyptian oppression. Although it would be another forty years before he was fully prepared for the task, by faith he forsook the pleasures and prestige of Egypt and endured ill-treatment with God’s chosen people.

Humanly speaking, Moses made a costly choice. He seemed to be sacrificing everything for nothing. But the opposite was much more the case since Moses considered “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the [greater] reward” (Heb. 11:26).

Sometimes obedience to Christ seems very costly, especially when evil people prosper while many who faithfully serve God suffer poverty and affliction. Asaph the psalmist struggled with the same issue: “Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure” (Ps. 73:12-13).

But be assured that the eternal rewards of Christ far outweigh the passing pleasures of sin. The wicked have only judgment and hell to look forward to; you have glory and heaven. So always choose obedience, and trust God to guide your choices, just as He did with Moses.

Suggestions for Prayer:    Praise God that the righteous will one day be fully rewarded.

Seek God’s grace to be obedient when you’re faced with difficult choices.

For Further Study:  Read Stephen’s account of Moses in Acts 7:20-39.

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God’s Purpose for Adversity

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Have you ever wondered why the Lord allows tragedy, sickness, and other suffering in our lives? Part of the answer lies in the fact that we inhabit a fallen world; the sin of Adam and Eve altered God’s original creation. However, the good news is that God uses adversity to show us our profound need for Him.

The Old Testament saint Jacob experienced something that forever changed how he related to God. The Lord weakened him physically to strengthen him spiritually. In a similar way, God wants to use adversity in our lives to draw us into a closer relationship with Him.

Jacob’s Journey

Read Genesis 32:1-32.

As Jacob traveled to the land of his parents, what troublesome news came to him (Gen 32:6-8)?

Why would Jacob expect the worst from his brother? (See Genesis 27:30-42 if necessary.)

On a practical level, how did Jacob prepare to meet his brother (Gen. 32:4-8, Gen. 32:13-20)?

Jacob also turned to the Lord in prayer. Summarize each section of his petition (vv. 9-12).

Example: v. 9—Jacob reminded God of His promise to prosper him.

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

From Jacob’s prayer, what can you learn about how to approach God regarding your own problems?

After Jacob sent his family away (v. 23), he wrestled with a mysterious man. At first, he may have thought he was fighting one of Esau’s men, but later, he says he saw God (v. 30). In a similar way, we sometimes have a hard time recognizing how the Lord is at work in adversity. That can happen when we are busy blaming other people, ourselves, or the Devil.

What difficulty are you facing right now?

Who or what do you have a tendency to blame for your problems?

What purpose might God have for your hardship?

As the fight continued, the man touched Jacob’s hip and dislocated it. This may have alerted Jacob to the fact that he was wrestling with a supernatural being. He determined to hold on until he received a blessing (v. 26).

When we are facing adversity, we may need to wrestle with God—that is, stay at the throne of grace and mercy until we have what we need from Him (Heb. 4:14-16).

In your time alone with God, do you tend to wait until you hear from Him or sense His comforting presence?  Why or why not?

Many scholars believe the man Jacob wrestled was the pre-incarnate Christ (Jesus before He was born as a baby). Others think Jacob fought an angel. Either way, this supernatural being changed the patriarch’s name.  Jacob literally means “heel catcher,” an idiomatic expression that meant “trickster” or “supplanter.” Israel means “he struggles with God” or perhaps “a prince with God.”

Jacob became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. Why do you think it was important for him to have a new name?

After this incident, Jacob walked with a limp (Gen. 32:31). With a dislocated hip, he would have found it almost impossible to defend himself against Esau. Jacob was forced to depend completely on God’s ability to protect him.

What does Esau’s greeting show about his feelings toward Jacob (Gen. 33:4)?

Jacob learned that he could rely on God more completely when he was weak. This is the same lesson Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” taught him (2 Cor. 12:7-10). The apostle wrote, “I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10).

Give an example of a time when your weakness provided an opportunity to rely successfully on The Lord’s power.

How could your present adversity help you lean more fully on God?

As we depend on the Lord, we learn more about who He is. After God spoke to Job, revealing His character and incredible power, Job said, “I have heard of You . . . but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5).

What new insight has hardship given to you about God or the Christian life?

Adversity shows us how much we lack spiritually. Give an example of a time when difficulty revealed your weaknesses and need for God.

Apart from the Father’s help, we can never handle all our problems, consistently resist temptation, or avoid bitterness. In fact, when we attempt to wage spiritual battles on our own, not only do we wander away from God, but we ultimately fail.

Jude 1:24 says that God “is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.” According to this study, what is a believer’s role in handling problems, temptations, and suffering?

Prayer: Father, thank You for being willing to carry me through the challenges of life. Teach me to rely more on Your power rather than on my own strategies and coping abilities. Show me how You want to use the difficulties I face to draw me into a more intimate relationship with You. Amen.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning “To preach deliverance to the captives.” / Luke 4:18

None but Jesus can give deliverance to captives. Real liberty cometh from him

only. It is a liberty righteously bestowed; for the Son, who is Heir of all

things, has a right to make men free. The saints honour the justice of God,

which now secures their salvation. It is a liberty which has been dearly

purchased. Christ speaks it by his power, but he bought it by his blood. He

makes thee free, but it is by his own bonds. Thou goest clear, because he bare

thy burden for thee: thou art set at liberty, because he has suffered in thy

stead. But, though dearly purchased, he freely gives it. Jesus asks nothing of

us as a preparation for this liberty. He finds us sitting in sackcloth and

ashes, and bids us put on the beautiful array of freedom; he saves us just as

we are, and all without our help or merit. When Jesus sets free, the liberty

is perpetually entailed; no chains can bind again. Let the Master say to me,

“Captive, I have delivered thee,” and it is done forever. Satan may plot to

enslave us, but if the Lord be on our side, whom shall we fear? The world,

with its temptations, may seek to ensnare us, but mightier is he who is for us

than all they who be against us. The machinations of our own deceitful hearts

may harass and annoy us, but he who hath begun the good work in us will carry

it on and perfect it to the end. The foes of God and the enemies of man may

gather their hosts together, and come with concentrated fury against us, but

if God acquitteth, who is he that condemneth? Not more free is the eagle which

mounts to his rocky eyrie, and afterwards outsoars the clouds, than the soul

which Christ hath delivered. If we are no more under the law, but free from

its curse, let our liberty be practically exhibited in our serving God with

gratitude and delight. “I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou

hast loosed my bonds.” “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

 

Evening  “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I

will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” / Romans 9:15

In these words the Lord in the plainest manner claims the right to give or to

withhold his mercy according to his own sovereign will. As the prerogative of

life and death is vested in the monarch, so the Judge of all the earth has a

right to spare or condemn the guilty, as may seem best in his sight. Men by

their sins have forfeited all claim upon God; they deserve to perish for their

sins–and if they all do so, they have no ground for complaint. If the Lord

steps in to save any, he may do so if the ends of justice are not thwarted;

but if he judges it best to leave the condemned to suffer the righteous

sentence, none may arraign him at their bar. Foolish and impudent are all

those discourses about the rights of men to be all placed on the same footing;

ignorant, if not worse, are those contentions against discriminating grace,

which are but the rebellions of proud human nature against the crown and

sceptre of Jehovah. When we are brought to see our own utter ruin and ill

desert, and the justice of the divine verdict against sin, we no longer cavil

at the truth that the Lord is not bound to save us; we do not murmur if he

chooses to save others, as though he were doing us an injury, but feel that if

he deigns to look upon us, it will be his own free act of undeserved goodness,

for which we shall forever bless his name.

How shall those who are the subjects of divine election sufficiently adore the

grace of God? They have no room for boasting, for sovereignty most effectually

excludes it. The Lord’s will alone is glorified, and the very notion of human

merit is cast out to everlasting contempt. There is no more humbling doctrine

in Scripture than that of election, none more promotive of gratitude, and,

consequently, none more sanctifying. Believers should not be afraid of it, but

adoringly rejoice in it.

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Accepting God’s Plan

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“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict” (Heb. 11:23).

It has been wisely said that trying to improve on God’s plan is more pretentious than trying to improve the Mona Lisa with an ink pen. All you’d do is ruin the masterpiece.

The story of Amram and Jochebed, the parents of Moses, is about two people who refused to ruin the masterpiece. They trusted God implicitly and did everything possible to see His plan for their son come to fruition.

Because of the number and might of the Hebrew people in Egypt, the pharaoh enslaved them and ordered that all male Hebrew babies be put to death. In direct defiance of that wicked edict, Moses’ parents hid their baby for three months, then placed him in a waterproofed basket along the banks of the Nile River near the place where Pharaoh’s daughter bathed. One can only imagine the faith it took for them to risk their own lives, as well as the life of their baby, by placing him into that basket and introducing him into the very household of the one who wanted all male Hebrew babies slain.

By God’s providence, Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, took pity on him, and adopted him into her family. More than that, the Lord used Moses’ quick-thinking sister, Miriam, to arrange for Jochebed to nurse and care for her own son! That gave Moses’ family the opportunity to teach him of God’s promises for Israel to inherit the Promised Land, become a mighty nation, and be a blessing to all nations. They helped instill within Moses the faith in God that would later characterize his life.

You may never be called on to make the kind of sacrifice that Moses’ parents made, but no matter what the risks, remember God always honors your obedience.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for His plan for your life. Seek wisdom and grace to live accordingly.

For Further Study:  Read of Israel’s oppression and Moses’ birth in Exodus 1:1–2:10.

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The Fountain of Youth?

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It Starts with Caring

When he reached the age of 70, historian Will Durant said, “To live forever would be the greatest curse imaginable.”

Will we live forever? The answer is “yes” and “no.” Will our bodies live forever? No. Will our bodies cease to exist at one point? Absolutely. But the soul is immortal. Each one of us has a soul. It is the soul that gives each of us uniqueness and personality. . .and that part of us that will live forever.

Today, many people are searching for immortality, that elusive fountain of youth. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to accept the fact that life is passing and death is approaching. One day, you will wake up and realize you have more life behind you than you have in front of you. But the question we should be asking is not, “Can I find immortality?” Rather, it should be, “Where will I spend my immortality?”

If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and have asked Him to forgive you of your sin, the Bible teaches that you will go immediately into the presence of God in heaven when you die. That is God’s promise to you.

But God not only promises life beyond the grave. He also promises life during life, not just an existence, but a life that’s worth living. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 NLT).

In Romans 5:17, the apostle Paul declares: “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (NIV).

Reign in life! No matter what our circumstances, we are sons and daughters of the great King. He will watch over us through our days on earth, and take us home to be with Him when this brief life is over. That’s the hope and promise for all Christians. And that’s why the believer does not have to be afraid to die. . .or afraid to live.

WEEKEND BIBLE READING: Matthew 20-22; Matthew 23-25

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Acknowledging God’s Sovereingty

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“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones” (Heb. 11:22).

God uses your present circumstances to accomplish His future purposes.

Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Joseph was an heir to the covenant promises of God. His hope was firmly fixed on God, and he knew that some day his people would be at home in the Promised Land.

Although he spent all his adult life in Egypt, never seeing the Promised Land for himself, Joseph’s faith never wavered. At the end of his life, he instructed his brothers to remove his bones from Egypt and bury them in their future homeland (Gen. 50:25). That request was fulfilled in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19).

But Joseph’s faith wasn’t in the promises of future events only, for his life was marked by exceptional trust in God and personal integrity. His understanding of God’s sovereignty was unique among the patriarchs. Even though he suffered greatly at the hands of evildoers (including his own brothers, who sold him into slavery), Joseph recognized God’s hand in every event of his life and submitted to His will.

Joseph said to his brothers, “Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life . . . and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:5, 7-8). Later, after their father’s death, he reassured them again: “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to . . . preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:19- 20).

The genius of Joseph’s faith was understanding the role that present circumstances play in fulfilling future promises. He accepted blessing and adversity alike because he knew God would use both to accomplish greater things in the future.

Joseph is the classic Old Testament example of the truth that God works all things together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). That’s a promise you can rely on too.

Suggestions for Prayer:   Reaffirm your trust in God’s sovereign work in your life.

For Further Study:  Read of Joseph’s life in Genesis 37-50.

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From Jacob to Israel

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“By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped” (Heb. 11:21).

Jacob’s life can be outlined in three phases: A stolen blessing, a conditional commitment, and a sincere supplication.

From the very beginning it was God’s intention to bless Jacob in a special way. But Jacob, whose name means “trickster,” “supplanter,” or “usurper,” tricked his father into blessing him instead of his older brother, Esau (Gen. 27:1-29). As a result, Jacob had to flee from Esau and spend fourteen years herding flocks for his Uncle Laban.

As Jacob traveled toward Laban’s house, God appeared to him in a dream (Gen. 28:10-22) and made him the recipient of the covenant promises first made to his grandfather, Abraham, then to his father, Isaac.

Jacob’s response is revealing, for he “made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God'” (vv. 20-21, emphasis added). Jacob’s conditional vow said in effect, “God, if you’ll give me what I want, I’ll be your man.”

Despite Jacob’s selfish motives, God did bless him, but He humbled him too. By the time he left Laban’s house, Jacob was ready to yield to God’s will unreservedly. Note his change of heart in Genesis 32:10: “I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which Thou hast shown to [me].”

Then the Lord appeared in the form of a man and wrestled with Jacob all night (v. 24). Jacob refused to let Him go until he received a blessing. That wasn’t a selfish request, but one that came from a heart devoted to being all God wanted him to be. That’s when the Lord changed Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which means “he fights or persists with God.”

Like Abraham and Isaac before him, Jacob never saw the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. Yet on his spiritual journey from Jacob to Israel, from selfishness to submission, he learned to trust God and await His perfect timing.

Suggestions for Prayer: Pray for grace to consistently pursue God’s will, and patience to wait on His perfect timing.

For Further Study: Read Jacob’s story in Genesis 27-35.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning “Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.” / Hosea 12:12

Jacob, while expostulating with Laban, thus describes his own toil, “This

twenty years have I been with thee. That which was torn of beasts I brought

not unto thee: I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it,

whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought

consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.”

Even more toilsome than this was the life of our Saviour here below. He

watched over all his sheep till he gave in as his last account, “Of all those

whom thou hast given me I have lost none.” His hair was wet with dew, and his

locks with the drops of the night. Sleep departed from his eyes, for all night

he was in prayer wrestling for his people. One night Peter must be pleaded

for; anon, another claims his tearful intercession. No shepherd sitting

beneath the cold skies, looking up to the stars, could ever utter such

complaints because of the hardness of his toil as Jesus Christ might have

brought, if he had chosen to do so, because of the sternness of his service in

order to procure his spouse–

“Cold mountains and the midnight air,

Witnessed the fervour of his prayer;

The desert his temptations knew,

His conflict and his victory too.”

It is sweet to dwell upon the spiritual parallel of Laban having required all

the sheep at Jacob’s hand. If they were torn of beasts, Jacob must make it

good; if any of them died, he must stand as surety for the whole. Was not the

toil of Jesus for his Church the toil of one who was under suretiship

obligations to bring every believing one safe to the hand of him who had

committed them to his charge? Look upon toiling Jacob, and you see a

representation of him of whom we read, “He shall feed his flock like a

shepherd.”

 

Evening  “The power of his resurrection.” / Philippians 3:10

The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is

the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone

of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the

streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the

resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that he

has risen, and to have fellowship with him as such–communing with the risen

Saviour by possessing a risen life–seeing him leave the tomb by leaving the

tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious. The doctrine

is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the

root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely

than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the

dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible

for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I

beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the

disciples, see him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the

eye of faith; and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not “touch” him, yet

may you be privileged to converse with him, and to know that he is risen, you

yourselves being risen in him to newness of life. To know a crucified Saviour

as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a

risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that he has bestowed upon

me new life, having given me to be a new creature through his own newness of

life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest

satisfied. May you both “know him, and the power of his resurrection.” Why

should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of

worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.