Posts
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
1 Peter 5
As an ex-marine I am often the brunt of jokes told by ex-dogfaces and ex-swabbies. Since my outfit is viewed as the guys with more muscles than brains, the jokes usually portray leathernecks as disciplined yet dull, brawny oxen with IQs about six points above a plant. I heard another hilarious one last weekend at a men's conference I attended.
In America they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your children are?"
In France they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your wife is?"
In Italy they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know where your car is?"
In the marines they say, "It's 10:00. Do you know what time it is?"
Marines aren't the only ones notorious for being thick and tired of life. Evangelical Christians run a close second!
We get our theological ducks in a row, we make sure our eternal destination is sealed in a fireproof safe, we surround ourselves with a predictable schedule that protects us from contamination with the lost world, and then, like a 600-pound grizzly, we settle down for a long winter's snooze.
Only one problem. The battle continues to rage, no matter what the season. Whether we choose to believe it or not.
It is so easy to forget that our adversary, like our Advocate, neither slumbers nor sleeps. With relentless, unslacking energy . . . as sure as this morning's dawn, he's on the prowl, "seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).
He's been at it for centuries. By means of a brilliant strategy, an insidious scheme, he takes advantage of our mental dullness. Surprise attacks are his specialty.
Small wonder Jesus kept urging His followers to "be on the alert," to "watch," to "resist," to keep a clean crop, free of stuff that "chokes the word, making it unfruitful."
Why? Because you never know when you are in the crosshairs of the enemy's high-powered rifle. It could be today that you will be the target. When you least expect it . . . in the lazy days of summer, in the cool days of autumn, in the fog of false security, under the frost of a laid-back lifestyle.
He's looking for you. He's primed and ready to fire. And he doesn't wait for hunting season. In fact, as far as Satan is concerned, it's always open season on Christians.
Are you alert to the danger?
If you're going to stand firm in the faith, you can't be lying down.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/30/09
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who
fears the LORD is to be praised. ~ Proverbs 31:30
THOUGHT:
Want to find a really good woman? Look for one who honors and
reveres the LORD with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Appearance, physical strength, and even personality can change and
degrade. A woman whose heart is anchored and enlivened by the
presence of God in her life will be a life-long blessing and a
woman worthy of our praise, and the praise of her God.
PRAYER:
Father, once again, I want to thank you this week for the
important women in my life who helped shape my faith and who helped
me find my way to you. Please help me to value godly women in ways
that bless them, honor you, and build up your Church. In Jesus'
name. Amen.
A portrait of a saint – Christian Devotional
by Selwyn Hughes at Crosswalk.com
Colossians 1:15-29
"... the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (v.27)
The Christian in whom the fruit of the Spirit is fully evident is the best picture of saintliness it is possible to find. How would we go about painting a portrait of a saint? Some sections of the Church say that a saint has to have several qualifications -- faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance -- and all of them in an heroic degree. Others take from Scripture its own catalog of the virtues begotten in the human soul by the Holy Spirit. They see, therefore, in Paul's list an inspired catalogue of the qualities that characterize a saint.How then does God go about painting a portrait of a saint? His canvas is the Scriptures -- the Word of God. The colors He puts on His palette are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. The absence of any one of these virtues would be serious, for every one is needed if the portrait is to be a masterpiece. These colors, by the way, are not pastel shades -- every one is deep and rich and vibrant. The model He uses is the peerless example of His own dear Son, in whom every quality is seen to its utmost perfection and wondrously balanced by every other. Even now, as you read these lines, His brush strokes are at work, gently and lovingly caressing into your nature all the lineaments of your Lord's character. All He asks is that you hold still -- that you stop trying and start trusting. Do this -- and in the truest sense of the word, you will become a saint.
Prayer:
My Father and my God, help me hold still as You go about the task of painting in me the portrait of a saint. Let every brush stroke reflect the beauty and loveliness of Your eternal Son. I ask this in and through His precious Name. Amen.
For Further Study
1 John 4:1-13; Ezek. 36:27; John 14:16-17; Rom. 8:11
1. Write out a list of the fruit of the Spirit.
2. Ask God for a fresh anointing of His Spirit today.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/29/09
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for him .… Philippians 1:29
THOUGHT:
Suffer! How is suffering a privilege? It's not unless it is for
Jesus. Remember how the early apostles were joyful because they
were counted worthy to suffer for the name? (cf. Acts 5:41.) You
see, he suffered for us so we could be saved. When we face
suffering for the cause of Christ and his Kingdom, we help inspire
others to live faithfully in adversity and show to all the
genuineness of our faith. So few have anything worthy of their
living, dying, or suffering. We have reason for all three: our
lives will be caught up in Jesus' victory! (cf. Rom 8:32-39; 1 Cor.
15.)
PRAYER:
Make me courageous, O God! Help me to be faithful in times of
trouble and strong in times of persecution, hardship, and
suffering. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Cordiality – Christian Devotional for 11/29/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
The heart of the term "cordial" is the word "heart." And the heart of "heart" is kardia, a Greek term that most often refers to the center of our inner life—the source or seat of all the forces and functions of our inner being. So when we are cordial, we are acting on something that comes from and affects the very center of life itself. Maybe that's why Webster defines "cordial" as "of or relating to the heart; vital, tending to revive, cheer or invigorate, heartfelt, gracious."
Being cordial literally starts from the heart, as I see it. It begins with the deep-seated belief that the other person is important, genuinely significant, deserving of my undivided attention, my unrivaled interest, if only for a few seconds. Encouraged by such a belief, I am prompted to be sensitive to that person's feelings. If he is uneasy and self-conscious, cordiality alerts me to put him at ease. lf she is shy, cordiality provides a relief. If he is bored, cordiality stimulates and invigorates him. If she is sad, cordiality brings cheer. What a needed and necessary virtue it is! How do we project cordiality? Try these four basic ingredients:
1. A warm smile. A smile needs to become a natural part of your whole person, reflecting genuine friendliness. Nothing is more magnetic or attractive than your smile, and it will communicate volumes to the other person.
2. A solid handshake. Never underestimate the value of this cordial expression, my friend. The handshake is a rare remaining species in the family of touch, and it is threatened with extinction.
3. Direct eye contact. Accompanying every handshake and conversation, no matter how brief, ought to be an eyeball-to-eyeball encounter. The eyes reflect deep feelings enclosed in the secret chamber of your soul . . . feelings that have no other means of release. Eye contact allows others to read these feelings. Cordiality cannot be expressed indirectly.
4. A word of encouragement. Keep this fresh, free from clichés, and to the point. Call the person by name and use it as you talk. Be specific and natural, and deliberately refuse to flatter the person. Let your heart be freely felt as your words flow.
"Oil and perfume make the heart glad, / So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend" (Prov. 27:9).
Spread some sweetness . . . have a heart . . . convey cordiality!
How are you doing in the cordiality department?
Try to be conscious of it this week, without being self-conscious.
Christian Calling – 11/28/09
Obama Makes History: Thanksgiving Proclamation First Ever to Omit Direct Mention of God - Earlier this year Obama similarly made history on Inaguration Day by explicitly referencing "non-believers" in his speech, which, according to USA Today, was the first time in history that a President had done so. Obama has also said on more than one occasion that the United States is "not a Christian nation." Full Story
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and
he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them
all." Proverbs 31:28-29
THOUGHT:
When's the last time you praised a godly woman for her life of
faith and grace? Why not take time to write a note or two of
appreciation and thanks to several of these women today. Where
would we be today without the faithfulness of godly women? I can't
imagine, and don't want to! Let's tell them today how precious they
are to us and our faith.
PRAYER:
Father, I thank you for the following godly women who have
shaped my life and helped me have faith ... God, I thank you for
the great women of faith in Scripture who did so much for your
people. Help us, your Church, your children of faith, to find every
way possible to show these great ladies how much they mean to us.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Contentment – Christian Devotional for 11/28/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Philippians 4
Laurence J. Peter and I are close friends. Although I've never laid eyes on him, I've smiled at his comments and nodded at his conclusions . . . amazed at his remarkable insight into my own life and those around me.
The simple answer to the riddle is this: I own a copy of his book The Peter Prescription, and you should too! It's an insignificant looking paperback filled with significant, sound principles. He says it talks about "How to Be Creative, Confident, and Competent," but I think he overlooked a better word: how to beContent.
Isn't it strange that we need a book to help us experience what ought to come naturally? No, not really. . . not when we've been programmed to compete, achieve, increase, fight, and worry our way up the so-called ladder of success (which few can even define).
Face it. You and I are afraid that if we open the door of contentment, two uninvited guests will rush in: loss of prestige and laziness. We really believe that "getting to the top" is worth any sacrifice. To proud Americans, contentment is something to be enjoyed between birth and kindergarten . . . retirement and the rest home . . . or (and this will hurt) among those who have no ambition.
Stop and think. A young man with keen mechanical skills is often counseled against being contented to "settle" for a trade right out of high school. A teacher who is competent, contented, and fulfilled in the classroom is frowned upon if she turns down an offer to become a principal. The owner of Super-Duper Hamburgers on the corner has a packed-out joint every day, but chances are selfish ambition won't let him rest until he opens ten other joints and gets rich---leaving contentment behind.
Now, listen to Jesus: "Be content with your wages" (Luke 3:14). Hear Paul: "I am well content with weaknesses," and, "If we have food and covering . . . be content!" (2 Cor. 12:10; 1 Tim. 6:8). And hear another apostle: "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have" (Heb. 13:5).
I warn you: This isn't easy to implement. You'll be outnumbered and outvoted. You'll have to fight the urge to conform. Even the greatest of all the apostles admitted, "I have learned to be content" (Phil. 4:11). It's a learning process . . . and it isn't very enjoyable marching out of step until you are convinced you're listening to the right drummer.
When you're fully convinced, however, you'll be free, indeed!
"Striving to better, oft we mar what's well" (William Shakespeare)
Philippians 4
Laurence J. Peter and I are close friends. Although I've never laid eyes on him, I've smiled at his comments and nodded at his conclusions . . . amazed at his remarkable insight into my own life and those around me.
The simple answer to the riddle is this: I own a copy of his book The Peter Prescription, and you should too! It's an insignificant looking paperback filled with significant, sound principles. He says it talks about "How to Be Creative, Confident, and Competent," but I think he overlooked a better word: how to beContent.
Isn't it strange that we need a book to help us experience what ought to come naturally? No, not really. . . not when we've been programmed to compete, achieve, increase, fight, and worry our way up the so-called ladder of success (which few can even define).
Face it. You and I are afraid that if we open the door of contentment, two uninvited guests will rush in: loss of prestige and laziness. We really believe that "getting to the top" is worth any sacrifice. To proud Americans, contentment is something to be enjoyed between birth and kindergarten . . . retirement and the rest home . . . or (and this will hurt) among those who have no ambition.
Stop and think. A young man with keen mechanical skills is often counseled against being contented to "settle" for a trade right out of high school. A teacher who is competent, contented, and fulfilled in the classroom is frowned upon if she turns down an offer to become a principal. The owner of Super-Duper Hamburgers on the corner has a packed-out joint every day, but chances are selfish ambition won't let him rest until he opens ten other joints and gets rich---leaving contentment behind.
Now, listen to Jesus: "Be content with your wages" (Luke 3:14). Hear Paul: "I am well content with weaknesses," and, "If we have food and covering . . . be content!" (2 Cor. 12:10; 1 Tim. 6:8). And hear another apostle: "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have" (Heb. 13:5).
I warn you: This isn't easy to implement. You'll be outnumbered and outvoted. You'll have to fight the urge to conform. Even the greatest of all the apostles admitted, "I have learned to be content" (Phil. 4:11). It's a learning process . . . and it isn't very enjoyable marching out of step until you are convinced you're listening to the right drummer.
When you're fully convinced, however, you'll be free, indeed!
"Striving to better, oft we mar what's well" (William Shakespeare)
Friday, November 27, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/27/09
“It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their own
independence upon the overruling power of God ... and to
recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and
proved by all history, that those nations only are blest whose
God is the Lord.” Abraham Lincoln
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear
about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one
spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without
being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign
to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be
saved--and that by God. ~ Philippians 1:27-28
THOUGHT:
Let's live as if we've been redeemed! Let's show our love and
character in our daily lives. Let's especially work together, with
one voice and spirit, making a vigorous effort to share the Gospel
with those who have never heard of the grace of God in the ministry
of Jesus. In the face of opposition, let's not be deterred or
divided. Instead, let's work hand-in-hand for the cause of the
Gospel.
PRAYER:
O LORD, give us greater unity of purpose, greater love for each
other, and greater courage in the face of opposition so that we can
show the world that we are your children and Jesus' disciples. In
the name of our Lord and Christ we pray. Amen.
Q & A about God's Will – Christian Devotional for 11/27/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
2 Corinthians 6:14--18
As a pastor, I often get asked questions regarding God's will. Let's consider four of the more common ones.
1. What if I know the will of God but deliberately do not do it? Unhappily, this does occur. Imperfect human beings are, at times, openly disobedient. What happens on those occasions? As in every area of life, when we don't play by the rules, we must pay the consequences. But consequences don't usually happen immediately. In fact, for a temporary period of time, things may run along smoothly. Hebrews 11:25 mentions enjoying the passing pleasures of sin. Sin offers its pleasures . . . but they are short-lived.
Remember Jonah? He bought a ticket on the ship leaving for Tarshish and was even able to fall asleep. But by and by, he found himself in a threatening storm and finally in the belly of the fish. God brings discipline upon His children. This includes external consequences as well as internal conflicts. Guilt and heartache rage within. If you question that, check out David's words in Psalm 32:3--4. After his disobedience connected with the Bathsheba affair, the man admits maximum misery within.
On top of all this, there can be public embarrassment and shame as fellow Christians in the body of Christ experience the impact of your disobedience. When necessary discipline must be administered by the church (Matthew 18:15--17), the transgression you tried to keep secret becomes public knowledge. Your family also suffers. We are not isolated individuals. Like dominoes standing on end, when one falls, others are affected.
2. Can't I rely on my feelings? This is frequently asked with regard to things we really want to do---but which lack biblical support. Take the case of a young woman madly in love with the man of her dreams. She is a Christian, but he is not. With all her heart, she believes he will someday become a Christian. How does she think marrying him is God's will? Her feelings.
But the Bible states unequivocally that to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever is NOT God's will, her feelings notwithstanding. Second Corinthians 6:14--18 and 1 Corinthians 7:39 are not eased by romantic moonlit nights. No matter how strong our feelings may be, when there are biblical precepts and/or principles that point us in a certain direction, we dare not ignore or disobey God's Word.
3. Can I be in the will of God and not know it? Yes, indeed. In fact, I'm of the opinion many Christians are! While it is true God desires us to be "filled with the knowledge of His will" (Colossians 1:9), many believers are not at that level of awareness. Furthermore, there is the weird yet popular idea that God's will is always something uncomfortable, painful, or unfulfilling. To some, it is inconceivable that God's will could be enjoyable---even delightful. Romans 12:2 states very clearly that His will is "good and acceptable and perfect." Yes, we can say and do certain things that are in harmony with God's will and yet not be aware of it.
4. What about specifics that aren't addressed in Scripture? The Bible doesn't tell the Christian specifically where to live. Or which career to pursue. Or where to go to college. If it did, how easy it would be. Yet how little faith we would need! That would reduce the Bible to a vocational guidance handbook, nothing more than a divinely inspired telephone directory . . . and just about as interesting. Our spiritual maturity would be no deeper than a third-grader's.
The emphasis in Scripture is on who a person is and what a person does rather than on where a person lives. If the Lord wants you to get a specific message and to respond in an explicit manner, He has dozens of ways to communicate that to you. No mumbo-jumbo, no skywriting, no magic tricks or middle-of-the-night voices need to be sought. Those who really want to do His will, will know it (John 7:17).
Each believer is independently accountable to God for his or her response to the Lord's specific leading, even though others don't understand or agree.
2 Corinthians 6:14--18
As a pastor, I often get asked questions regarding God's will. Let's consider four of the more common ones.
1. What if I know the will of God but deliberately do not do it? Unhappily, this does occur. Imperfect human beings are, at times, openly disobedient. What happens on those occasions? As in every area of life, when we don't play by the rules, we must pay the consequences. But consequences don't usually happen immediately. In fact, for a temporary period of time, things may run along smoothly. Hebrews 11:25 mentions enjoying the passing pleasures of sin. Sin offers its pleasures . . . but they are short-lived.
Remember Jonah? He bought a ticket on the ship leaving for Tarshish and was even able to fall asleep. But by and by, he found himself in a threatening storm and finally in the belly of the fish. God brings discipline upon His children. This includes external consequences as well as internal conflicts. Guilt and heartache rage within. If you question that, check out David's words in Psalm 32:3--4. After his disobedience connected with the Bathsheba affair, the man admits maximum misery within.
On top of all this, there can be public embarrassment and shame as fellow Christians in the body of Christ experience the impact of your disobedience. When necessary discipline must be administered by the church (Matthew 18:15--17), the transgression you tried to keep secret becomes public knowledge. Your family also suffers. We are not isolated individuals. Like dominoes standing on end, when one falls, others are affected.
2. Can't I rely on my feelings? This is frequently asked with regard to things we really want to do---but which lack biblical support. Take the case of a young woman madly in love with the man of her dreams. She is a Christian, but he is not. With all her heart, she believes he will someday become a Christian. How does she think marrying him is God's will? Her feelings.
But the Bible states unequivocally that to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever is NOT God's will, her feelings notwithstanding. Second Corinthians 6:14--18 and 1 Corinthians 7:39 are not eased by romantic moonlit nights. No matter how strong our feelings may be, when there are biblical precepts and/or principles that point us in a certain direction, we dare not ignore or disobey God's Word.
3. Can I be in the will of God and not know it? Yes, indeed. In fact, I'm of the opinion many Christians are! While it is true God desires us to be "filled with the knowledge of His will" (Colossians 1:9), many believers are not at that level of awareness. Furthermore, there is the weird yet popular idea that God's will is always something uncomfortable, painful, or unfulfilling. To some, it is inconceivable that God's will could be enjoyable---even delightful. Romans 12:2 states very clearly that His will is "good and acceptable and perfect." Yes, we can say and do certain things that are in harmony with God's will and yet not be aware of it.
4. What about specifics that aren't addressed in Scripture? The Bible doesn't tell the Christian specifically where to live. Or which career to pursue. Or where to go to college. If it did, how easy it would be. Yet how little faith we would need! That would reduce the Bible to a vocational guidance handbook, nothing more than a divinely inspired telephone directory . . . and just about as interesting. Our spiritual maturity would be no deeper than a third-grader's.
The emphasis in Scripture is on who a person is and what a person does rather than on where a person lives. If the Lord wants you to get a specific message and to respond in an explicit manner, He has dozens of ways to communicate that to you. No mumbo-jumbo, no skywriting, no magic tricks or middle-of-the-night voices need to be sought. Those who really want to do His will, will know it (John 7:17).
Each believer is independently accountable to God for his or her response to the Lord's specific leading, even though others don't understand or agree.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
by Conn Carroll at The Heritage Foundation
Thanksgiving was not formally made a federal holiday until 1941. However, it has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November annually since President Abraham Lincoln delivered the address below in 1863. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Heritage Foundation.
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
by Conn Carroll at The Heritage Foundation
The drawing power of humility – Christian Devotional for 11/26/09
By Selwyn Hughes at Crosswalk
Proverbs 18:1-13
"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor" (v.12)
In 1 Peter 3:15 we read: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you ... But do this with gentleness and respect." Real Christian witness always has a gracious gentleness about it which is far more effective than the aggressive approach which tries to ram the Gospel down people's throats. As someone has put it: "To win some you must be winsome."A final text we explore is James 3:13 -- "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." The real ornament of life which is precious in the sight of God is a meek and quiet spirit. Those who think they are not gifted by temperament to relate to people in this way need not despair. The Spirit who dwells in you will, if you allow Him, transform your temperament into the image of Christ.Paul's spiritual progress may be measured by the fact that in 1 Corinthians 15:9, he says: "I am the least of the apostles," and writing later to the Ephesians (3:8), he says he is less than the least -- not now of the apostles -- but "of all God's people." Still later, when writing to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:15), he says that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- "of whom I am the worst." Oh, the wonder of humility. God said through Isaiah: "I dwell ... with him who has a contrite and humble spirit" (57:15, NKJV). James said, "God resists the proud" -- He repels their advances. The haughty He knows only from afar: it is the humble whom the Almighty respects.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I can have too much of many things but I cannot have too much of You. I cannot be too much like You or have too much of Your Spirit. Fill me to overflowing so that I become more and more like You. Amen.
For Further Study
Luke 18:9-14; 1 Cor. 4:18; Rev. 3:17
1. What was Jesus teaching in this parable?
2. What was the message to the Laodiceans?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/25/09
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
VERSE:
The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The
LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
THOUGHT:
I love the coast of Maine. The craggy shorelines, the crashing
surf, and the lighthouses perched at strategic and well-fortified
points along the coastline. I cannot help but think of our heavenly
Father when I watch the gloom gather as an impending storm noisily
makes its way on shore. There in the storm -- with lightning
ripping through the sky, winds howling, and the surf crashing --
stands the light that guides the way, strong against the elements
and a beacon of direction and hope. Yes, the LORD, Yahweh the God
of Israel, the Almighty Creator of all things, is my light and my
salvation. My life, the eternal part of me, is entrusted to him. I
choose not to fear. I place my trust in him.
PRAYER:
Father in heaven, I praise you for your faithfulness through the
ages. I thank you for your steadfast love that has blessed each
generation, giving hope in times of darkness, salvation in times of
wantonness, and strength in times of weakness. Now I ask that you
be with several people I love, who need your palpable presence as
they fight their battles. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20091125
Thinking Theologically – Christian Devotional for 11/25/09
By Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Hebrews 6:17-18
I confess to you, at times I've doubted God's purpose and promise. I say that to my own embarrassment. When things hadn't worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes or a yes instead of a no as an answer to prayer, when I couldn't unravel a situation and fit it with the character of God . . . those have been times when I've said, "I know down inside this isn't right."
When the bottom drops out of your life, when hope starts to wear thin, when human logic fails to make much sense, think theologically! Read Hebrews 6:17-18. The theological facts are: (1) there is an unchangeable purpose with God, and (2) that purpose is guaranteed with an oath.
It's at this juncture I should add: Don't try to explain it all to someone else. You can't. If you could, you would be God. The only thing you can explain theologically is that the issue you struggle with is part of His unchangeable purpose, guaranteed with an oath, neither of which is a lie. That's theological thinking. As Solomon states so well: "[God] has made everything appropriate in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11a).
Let me give you a syllogism---a theological syllogism:
God is in control of the times and seasons.
Some times are hard, and some seasons are dry.
So the conclusion is:
God is in control of hard times and dry seasons.
We are quick to give God praise when the blessings flow: when the checking account is full and running over; when the job is secure, and a promotion is on the horizon; when the salary is good; when our health is fine. But we have a tough time believing when those things aren't true.
There are benefits that come from thinking theologically, as found in Hebrews 6:18:
So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
One benefit to thinking theologically is you will have "strong encouragement." Logical thinking will discourage you, but theological thinking will encourage you. And you will also have a refuge of hope. Encouragement is the opposite of discouragement. Hope is the opposite of despair. When you accept the fact that sometimes seasons are dry and times are hard and that God is in control of both, you will discover a sense of divine refuge, because the hope then is in God and not in yourself.
In those seasons when it's difficult to see God's purpose and promise, remember where your hope and encouragement are found---in the person and purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 6:17-18
I confess to you, at times I've doubted God's purpose and promise. I say that to my own embarrassment. When things hadn't worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes or a yes instead of a no as an answer to prayer, when I couldn't unravel a situation and fit it with the character of God . . . those have been times when I've said, "I know down inside this isn't right."
When the bottom drops out of your life, when hope starts to wear thin, when human logic fails to make much sense, think theologically! Read Hebrews 6:17-18. The theological facts are: (1) there is an unchangeable purpose with God, and (2) that purpose is guaranteed with an oath.
It's at this juncture I should add: Don't try to explain it all to someone else. You can't. If you could, you would be God. The only thing you can explain theologically is that the issue you struggle with is part of His unchangeable purpose, guaranteed with an oath, neither of which is a lie. That's theological thinking. As Solomon states so well: "[God] has made everything appropriate in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11a).
Let me give you a syllogism---a theological syllogism:
God is in control of the times and seasons.
Some times are hard, and some seasons are dry.
So the conclusion is:
God is in control of hard times and dry seasons.
We are quick to give God praise when the blessings flow: when the checking account is full and running over; when the job is secure, and a promotion is on the horizon; when the salary is good; when our health is fine. But we have a tough time believing when those things aren't true.
There are benefits that come from thinking theologically, as found in Hebrews 6:18:
So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
One benefit to thinking theologically is you will have "strong encouragement." Logical thinking will discourage you, but theological thinking will encourage you. And you will also have a refuge of hope. Encouragement is the opposite of discouragement. Hope is the opposite of despair. When you accept the fact that sometimes seasons are dry and times are hard and that God is in control of both, you will discover a sense of divine refuge, because the hope then is in God and not in yourself.
In those seasons when it's difficult to see God's purpose and promise, remember where your hope and encouragement are found---in the person and purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Persevering through Pressure – Christian Devotional for 11/24/09
Charles Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Hebrews 6:18
Doubts often steal into our lives like termites into a house. These termite-like thoughts eat away at our faith. Usually, we can hold up pretty well under this attack. But occasionally, when a strong gale comes along---a sudden, intense blast---we discover we cannot cope. Our house begins to lean. For some people it completely collapses. It is during these stormy times, during the dark days and nights of tragedy and calamity, that we begin to feel the destructive effects of our doubts---running like stress fractures through the structure of our lives.
For me, there are three times when the intensity of doubt reaches maximum proportions.
One such time is when things I believe should never happen, occur. There are times when my loving, gracious, merciful, kind, good, sovereign God surprises me by saying yes to something I was convinced He would say no to. When bad things happen to good people.
I once received a letter from a woman who heard a talk I had given entitled "Riding Out the Storm." Little did she know how meaningful it would be to her. Just as she was entering into the truth of that message, she arrived at home to discover that her young, recently married daughter had been brutally murdered.
Why did God say yes to that? Why did that bad thing happen to that good person? The effect of such termites within our soul is great. They eat away at us, and doubt wins a hearing.
Doubts also increase when things I believe should happen, never occur (the other side of the coin). When I expected God to say yes but He said no. Numerous parents of young men and women have said good-bye and sent their children away to war, convinced God would bring them home again. But sometimes He says no.
Joni Eareckson Tada (and a thousand like her) trust confidently for awhile that the paralysis will go away---that God will say, "Yes, I'll get you through this. I'll teach you some deep lessons, and then I will use you with full health in days to come as I heal you completely." But God ultimately says no. When we expect Him to say yes and He says no, doubts multiply.
The third situation in which doubts grow takes place when things that I believe should happen now, occur much, much later. Of all the doubts which creep into our soul perhaps few are more devastating than those that happen when we are told by God, in effect. "Wait, wait, wait, wait . . . wait . . . wait!" All of us have wrestled greatly with His timing.
These "pressure points" provide a perfect introduction to the verses in Hebrews 6. This is that great chapter that begins with a strong warning, continues with words of affirmation, and closes with words of reassurance and ringing confidence. It addresses the Christian hanging on by his fingernails as he feels himself sliding down the hill. It shouts: "Persevere! Hang tough! Be strong! Don't quit!" Even when God says no, and you expected yes. Even when He says yes, and you anticipated no. And especially when He says to wait, and you expected it now.
If you're in that painful space right now, my word for you is: persevere! Hope in God---this is not the end.
Hebrews 6:18
Doubts often steal into our lives like termites into a house. These termite-like thoughts eat away at our faith. Usually, we can hold up pretty well under this attack. But occasionally, when a strong gale comes along---a sudden, intense blast---we discover we cannot cope. Our house begins to lean. For some people it completely collapses. It is during these stormy times, during the dark days and nights of tragedy and calamity, that we begin to feel the destructive effects of our doubts---running like stress fractures through the structure of our lives.
For me, there are three times when the intensity of doubt reaches maximum proportions.
One such time is when things I believe should never happen, occur. There are times when my loving, gracious, merciful, kind, good, sovereign God surprises me by saying yes to something I was convinced He would say no to. When bad things happen to good people.
I once received a letter from a woman who heard a talk I had given entitled "Riding Out the Storm." Little did she know how meaningful it would be to her. Just as she was entering into the truth of that message, she arrived at home to discover that her young, recently married daughter had been brutally murdered.
Why did God say yes to that? Why did that bad thing happen to that good person? The effect of such termites within our soul is great. They eat away at us, and doubt wins a hearing.
Doubts also increase when things I believe should happen, never occur (the other side of the coin). When I expected God to say yes but He said no. Numerous parents of young men and women have said good-bye and sent their children away to war, convinced God would bring them home again. But sometimes He says no.
Joni Eareckson Tada (and a thousand like her) trust confidently for awhile that the paralysis will go away---that God will say, "Yes, I'll get you through this. I'll teach you some deep lessons, and then I will use you with full health in days to come as I heal you completely." But God ultimately says no. When we expect Him to say yes and He says no, doubts multiply.
The third situation in which doubts grow takes place when things that I believe should happen now, occur much, much later. Of all the doubts which creep into our soul perhaps few are more devastating than those that happen when we are told by God, in effect. "Wait, wait, wait, wait . . . wait . . . wait!" All of us have wrestled greatly with His timing.
These "pressure points" provide a perfect introduction to the verses in Hebrews 6. This is that great chapter that begins with a strong warning, continues with words of affirmation, and closes with words of reassurance and ringing confidence. It addresses the Christian hanging on by his fingernails as he feels himself sliding down the hill. It shouts: "Persevere! Hang tough! Be strong! Don't quit!" Even when God says no, and you expected yes. Even when He says yes, and you anticipated no. And especially when He says to wait, and you expected it now.
If you're in that painful space right now, my word for you is: persevere! Hope in God---this is not the end.
Christian Calling – 11/23/09
Two-minute Warning - Video on The Manhattan Declaration, a very important activist Christian document. There is also more here…
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
VERSE:
Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all
you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:23-24
THOUGHT:
Love the LORD! Be strong because of your hope in the LORD. In
other words, recognize where your strength is. Acknowledge your
source of grace. Give praise to God for his abundant mercy and
power lavished on us through his Holy Spirit. The LORD God does
preserve his people. He does honor faithfulness even if it is
mocked in this world. The LORD will bless his people and deal
justly with those who mock and abuse them.
PRAYER:
Give me strength, O LORD, for I find myself in trying times with
enemies at my door and opponents on every side. Please give me
wisdom to see your grace that leads me. Please give me courage to
stand up for what is right, pure, and holy. Please give me vision
to see the things you want to use me to do for your glory. Please
keep my hope passionately alive as I wait for your work in me to be
accomplished. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Servants Maintain a Low Profile – Christian Devotional for 11/23/09
From Rick Warren at PurposeDriven.com
And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5 (TEV)
*** *** *** ***
Real servants maintain a low profile. Servants don't promote or call attention to themselves. Instead of acting to impress and dressing for success, they "put on the apron of humility, to serve one another" (1 Peter 5:5 TEV).
If recognized for their service, they humbly accept it but don't allow notoriety to distract them from their work. Paul exposed a kind of service that appears to be spiritual but is really just a put-on, a show, an act to get attention. He called it "eyeservice," serving in order to impress people with how spiritual we are (Ephesians 6:6 KJV; Colossians 3:22 KJV).
This was a sin of the Pharisees. They turned helping others, giving, and even prayer into a performance for others. Jesus hated this attitude and warned, "When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1 CEV).
Self-promotion and servanthood don't mix. Real servants don't serve for the approval or applause of others. They live for an audience of One. As Paul said, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NIV).
You won't find many real servants in the limelight; in fact, they avoid it whenever possible. They are content with quietly serving in the shadows.
Joseph is a great example. He didn't draw attention to himself, but quietly served Potiphar, then his jailer, then Pharaoh's baker and wine taster, and God blessed that attitude. When Pharaoh promoted him to prominence, Joseph still maintained a servant's heart, even with his brothers, who had betrayed him.
Unfortunately, many leaders today start off as servants but end up as celebrities. They become addicted to attention, unaware that always being in the spotlight blinds you.
You may be serving in obscurity in some small place, feeling unknown and unappreciated. Listen: God put you where you are for a purpose! He has every hair on your head numbered, and he knows your address.
And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5 (TEV)
*** *** *** ***
Real servants maintain a low profile. Servants don't promote or call attention to themselves. Instead of acting to impress and dressing for success, they "put on the apron of humility, to serve one another" (1 Peter 5:5 TEV).
If recognized for their service, they humbly accept it but don't allow notoriety to distract them from their work. Paul exposed a kind of service that appears to be spiritual but is really just a put-on, a show, an act to get attention. He called it "eyeservice," serving in order to impress people with how spiritual we are (Ephesians 6:6 KJV; Colossians 3:22 KJV).
This was a sin of the Pharisees. They turned helping others, giving, and even prayer into a performance for others. Jesus hated this attitude and warned, "When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1 CEV).
Self-promotion and servanthood don't mix. Real servants don't serve for the approval or applause of others. They live for an audience of One. As Paul said, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NIV).
You won't find many real servants in the limelight; in fact, they avoid it whenever possible. They are content with quietly serving in the shadows.
Joseph is a great example. He didn't draw attention to himself, but quietly served Potiphar, then his jailer, then Pharaoh's baker and wine taster, and God blessed that attitude. When Pharaoh promoted him to prominence, Joseph still maintained a servant's heart, even with his brothers, who had betrayed him.
Unfortunately, many leaders today start off as servants but end up as celebrities. They become addicted to attention, unaware that always being in the spotlight blinds you.
You may be serving in obscurity in some small place, feeling unknown and unappreciated. Listen: God put you where you are for a purpose! He has every hair on your head numbered, and he knows your address.
A Mutt, A Marine and a Miracle
This is a lovely, lovely dog story with the added bonus of a USMC component!
You can also read this wonderful story here. It’s the kind of story that makes your day, that gives you hope for mankind, that renews your faith in the good people – and dogs – of this world! I thank “Nubs” for pushing me to look up to Him today!
The Destruction of Baal’s Altar – Christian Imagery
The destruction of Baal's altar
- drawing with pen and brush, 1550-55
- Teylers Museum, Haarlem
- scripture link: Judges 6:25
Saturday, November 21, 2009
When Logic Fails – Christian Devotional – 11/22/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Hebrews 6:20
Human logic breaks down in crisis. The mystery is enormous, and it is the enormity of it all that calls for faith. I'm sorry if that sounds like an overused bromide. But if we could unravel it, why would we need faith? If that were true, all we'd really need is the answer in the back of the book and someone to point it out to us; we'd read it, and that's all there would be to it. But God's plan is that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is faith and patience that stretch us to the breaking point. Such things send doubt running.
When you find yourself dealing with doubt, let me give you three things to remember. First, God cannot lie. He can test, and He will. He can say no, and He sometimes will; He can say yes, and He will; He can say wait, and occasionally He will---but God cannot lie. He must keep His word. Doubt says, "You fool, you're stupid to believe in a God who puts you through this." By faith, keep remembering that God cannot lie.
Here's the second piece of advice that helps me: We will not lose. Doubt says, "You lose if you trust God through this. You lose." If I read anything in this whole section of Hebrews 6, I read that in the mysterious manner of God's own timing, for some unexplainable and yet unchangeable purpose, those of us who trust Him ultimately win---because God ultimately wins.
There's a little chorus Christians love to sing. It is quiet and tender, yet tough and true:
In His time, in His time,
He makes all things beautiful
In His time.
Lord, please show me every day,
As You're teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say,
In Your time.¹
God cannot lie. We will not lose. Your mate has walked away from you, an unfair departure---you will not lose, child of God. Your baby has been born and for some reason, it has been chosen to be one of those special persons on this earth. You will not lose. You've waited and waited, and you were convinced things would improve, yet things have only gotten worse---keep remembering, you will not lose. God swears on it with an oath that cannot change. You will not lose.
Third---and I guess it's the best of all---is that our Lord Jesus does not leave. To quote a verse from Scripture, He "sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).
"Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever . . ." Hebrews 6:20. That means He is there at any time . . . and always.
God cannot lie. He will always keep His Word.
You cannot lose. God is trustworthy.
Our Lord Jesus does not leave. He is with you even now.
Hebrews 6:20
Human logic breaks down in crisis. The mystery is enormous, and it is the enormity of it all that calls for faith. I'm sorry if that sounds like an overused bromide. But if we could unravel it, why would we need faith? If that were true, all we'd really need is the answer in the back of the book and someone to point it out to us; we'd read it, and that's all there would be to it. But God's plan is that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is faith and patience that stretch us to the breaking point. Such things send doubt running.
When you find yourself dealing with doubt, let me give you three things to remember. First, God cannot lie. He can test, and He will. He can say no, and He sometimes will; He can say yes, and He will; He can say wait, and occasionally He will---but God cannot lie. He must keep His word. Doubt says, "You fool, you're stupid to believe in a God who puts you through this." By faith, keep remembering that God cannot lie.
Here's the second piece of advice that helps me: We will not lose. Doubt says, "You lose if you trust God through this. You lose." If I read anything in this whole section of Hebrews 6, I read that in the mysterious manner of God's own timing, for some unexplainable and yet unchangeable purpose, those of us who trust Him ultimately win---because God ultimately wins.
There's a little chorus Christians love to sing. It is quiet and tender, yet tough and true:
In His time, in His time,
He makes all things beautiful
In His time.
Lord, please show me every day,
As You're teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say,
In Your time.¹
God cannot lie. We will not lose. Your mate has walked away from you, an unfair departure---you will not lose, child of God. Your baby has been born and for some reason, it has been chosen to be one of those special persons on this earth. You will not lose. You've waited and waited, and you were convinced things would improve, yet things have only gotten worse---keep remembering, you will not lose. God swears on it with an oath that cannot change. You will not lose.
Third---and I guess it's the best of all---is that our Lord Jesus does not leave. To quote a verse from Scripture, He "sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).
"Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever . . ." Hebrews 6:20. That means He is there at any time . . . and always.
God cannot lie. He will always keep His Word.
You cannot lose. God is trustworthy.
Our Lord Jesus does not leave. He is with you even now.
Christian Calling – 11/21/09
ACTION! Sign The Manhattan Declaration for sanctity of human life, dignity of marriage & liberty rights: http://ow.ly/EjjQ
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to
him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -- Ephesians 3:20-21
THOUGHT:
What grand "Kingdom dreams" do you have for God's glory? What
incredible ideas can you imagine requesting that God would bring to
fruition? What are your expectations of heaven with God? Now that
you have stretched mind, challenged your imagination, and loaded up
your expectations, are you ready for some down to earth truth
straight from the Marvel of heaven? God is able to do far more than
any of that. His power is at work in us to do his glorious will and
accomplish his eternal purposes. So let's not set our sights too
low and expect too little. Live for his glory and expect to see it
at work in your life.
PRAYER:
O LORD, God of heavens and earth, my Abba Father and loving
Shepherd, please stir my thoughts by your Spirit to dream bigger
dreams and have higher hopes than my earthbound and selfish brain
can imagine. Give me a sense of wonder and expectation as I live
for your glory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
ttp://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20091121
Friday, November 20, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/20/09
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
VERSE:
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy
to my soul. Psalm 94:19
THOUGHT:
God is our comforter, sustainer, and Lord. Only his gracious
presence and tender blessings can bring consolation and comfort to
our restless and discouraged souls. So let's turn to him, honestly
confessing both our sins and our sorrows. Let's ask him to take our
anxiety away and restore to us the passion, the joy, and the
confidence of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Almighty Shepherd, in the noise and confusion of many thoughts
burdened by many concerns, minister to me through your Holy Spirit.
I need your comfort and peace. I ask for your presence and your
grace. In Jesus' name I ask. Amen.
I wish I could run this video continuously at every store that wished me a Happy Holiday!
There is no miraculous cure for heartache. With all the wonder drugs there is no instant and wondrous cure for sorrow. We cannot use force of will to reach in and tear the sackcloth from our souls. But we can achieve healing through faith. We can share our troubles with our Heavenly Father. ~ William Silverman
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Hope You Need – Christian Devotional for 11/20/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Hebrews 6:19
Somewhere along the many miles of southern California shoreline walked a young, 20-year-old woman with a terminal disease in her body and a revolver in her hand.
She had called me late one evening. We talked for a long time. A troubled young woman, her mind was filled with doubts. She had advanced leukemia. The doctors told her she would not live much longer. She checked herself out of a hospital because, as she put it, she "couldn't take another day of that terrible isolation."
Her husband had left her.
Her two-month-old daughter had recently died.
Her best friend had been killed in an auto accident.
Her life was broken. She'd run out of hope.
She and I spoke calmly and quietly about what was happening. I did a lot of listening. There were periods when there was silence on the phone for thirty to forty-five seconds. I didn't know where she was. I still don't know her full name. She spoke of taking her husband's revolver and going out on the beach to finish it all. She asked me a lot of questions about suicide.
In what seemed an inappropriate moment . . . I felt peace, a total absence of panic. I had no fear that she would hang up and take her life. I simply spoke very, very quietly about her future. I made no special promise that she would immediately be healed. I knew that she might not live much longer, as her doctors were talking to her in terms of a very few weeks---perhaps days. I spoke to her about Christ and the hope He could provide. After a sigh and with an ache that was obvious, she hung up.
Thirty minutes later my phone rang again. It was the same young woman. She had a friend who was a nurse, who used to come to our church. The nurse had given her a New Testament in which she had written my name and phone number and had said, "If you really are in deep need, I think he will understand." By the way, the nurse---her closest friend---was the one who had been killed in the auto accident. She had nothing to cling to from that friendship but memories and this Testament. She read from it.
I said, "What does that little Book say to you?"
"Well, I think the first part of it is biography and the last part is a group of letters that explain how to do what's in that biography." (That's a good analysis of the New Testament.)
I said, "Have you done that?" And she had called back to say, "Yes, I've done that. I decided, Chuck, that I would, without reservation, give myself to Jesus Christ. I'm still afraid; I still have doubts. I still don't know what tomorrow's going to bring, but I want you to know that I have turned my life over to Jesus, and I'm trusting Him through this. He has given me new hope . . . the one thing I really needed."
It's very possible that someone reading these words right now feels the very same way. You're thinking thoughts that you have never entertained before, and you're thinking them more often and more seriously. Without trying to use any of the clichés on you, I would say that this hope Christ can bring is the only way through. I have no answer other than Jesus Christ. I can't promise you healing, nor can I predict that your world will come back right side up. But I can promise you He will receive you as you come in faith to Him. And He will bring back the hope you need so desperately. The good news is this: That hope will not only get you through this particular trial, it will ultimately take you into God's presence when you die because you have received the gift of eternal life through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ your Lord.
Hebrews 6:19
Somewhere along the many miles of southern California shoreline walked a young, 20-year-old woman with a terminal disease in her body and a revolver in her hand.
She had called me late one evening. We talked for a long time. A troubled young woman, her mind was filled with doubts. She had advanced leukemia. The doctors told her she would not live much longer. She checked herself out of a hospital because, as she put it, she "couldn't take another day of that terrible isolation."
Her husband had left her.
Her two-month-old daughter had recently died.
Her best friend had been killed in an auto accident.
Her life was broken. She'd run out of hope.
She and I spoke calmly and quietly about what was happening. I did a lot of listening. There were periods when there was silence on the phone for thirty to forty-five seconds. I didn't know where she was. I still don't know her full name. She spoke of taking her husband's revolver and going out on the beach to finish it all. She asked me a lot of questions about suicide.
In what seemed an inappropriate moment . . . I felt peace, a total absence of panic. I had no fear that she would hang up and take her life. I simply spoke very, very quietly about her future. I made no special promise that she would immediately be healed. I knew that she might not live much longer, as her doctors were talking to her in terms of a very few weeks---perhaps days. I spoke to her about Christ and the hope He could provide. After a sigh and with an ache that was obvious, she hung up.
Thirty minutes later my phone rang again. It was the same young woman. She had a friend who was a nurse, who used to come to our church. The nurse had given her a New Testament in which she had written my name and phone number and had said, "If you really are in deep need, I think he will understand." By the way, the nurse---her closest friend---was the one who had been killed in the auto accident. She had nothing to cling to from that friendship but memories and this Testament. She read from it.
I said, "What does that little Book say to you?"
"Well, I think the first part of it is biography and the last part is a group of letters that explain how to do what's in that biography." (That's a good analysis of the New Testament.)
I said, "Have you done that?" And she had called back to say, "Yes, I've done that. I decided, Chuck, that I would, without reservation, give myself to Jesus Christ. I'm still afraid; I still have doubts. I still don't know what tomorrow's going to bring, but I want you to know that I have turned my life over to Jesus, and I'm trusting Him through this. He has given me new hope . . . the one thing I really needed."
It's very possible that someone reading these words right now feels the very same way. You're thinking thoughts that you have never entertained before, and you're thinking them more often and more seriously. Without trying to use any of the clichés on you, I would say that this hope Christ can bring is the only way through. I have no answer other than Jesus Christ. I can't promise you healing, nor can I predict that your world will come back right side up. But I can promise you He will receive you as you come in faith to Him. And He will bring back the hope you need so desperately. The good news is this: That hope will not only get you through this particular trial, it will ultimately take you into God's presence when you die because you have received the gift of eternal life through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ your Lord.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Reality of Heaven – Christian Devotional for 11/19/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Revelation 21:1-6
The same Bible that develops the subject of hell also reveals the truth about heaven. What is heaven like? Playing harps all day? Lounging around on Cloud Nine? Living in enormous mansions along solid gold streets? Does it mean we'll all have long white robes with matching sandals, glowing halos, and big flapping wings? Hardly!
Heaven is an actual place. A prepared place, designed for God's redeemed people, those who have accepted God's free gift of His Son.
In heaven we'll have a face-to-face, exclusive relationship with our Savior, gloriously enjoyed without interruption or heartache or grief or sin or the threat of death. God promised that He would make all things new in heaven.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband . . .Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. (Revelation 21:1-2, 6)
Heaven will be the destiny of those who take God at His Word, believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, and coming, by faith, to salvation . . . without cost.
Can something this good really be free? Even free of works? You decide after reading these Scripture verses.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)
Yes, salvation comes to us "free and clear" of any hidden charges or religious deeds or human effort. We come to God through Christ . . . lost, sinful, without hope, and deserving of hell. In grace, He sees us in Christ and in grace loves us, forgives us, accepts us into His family, and promises us an eternal home with Him in heaven, the ultimate destination of all His people.
Salvation is the single most important issue in all of life. Yet, if we are not careful, we'll put it off until later; we'll even put it completely out of our minds. Salvation is an urgent matter and is yours for the taking.
I ask you, will you do so today?
Revelation 21:1-6
The same Bible that develops the subject of hell also reveals the truth about heaven. What is heaven like? Playing harps all day? Lounging around on Cloud Nine? Living in enormous mansions along solid gold streets? Does it mean we'll all have long white robes with matching sandals, glowing halos, and big flapping wings? Hardly!
Heaven is an actual place. A prepared place, designed for God's redeemed people, those who have accepted God's free gift of His Son.
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3)According to this and other New Testament verses, heaven will be a place of beauty, peace, constant health, and happiness, filled with people from all the earthly ages who have one thing in common: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world.
In heaven we'll have a face-to-face, exclusive relationship with our Savior, gloriously enjoyed without interruption or heartache or grief or sin or the threat of death. God promised that He would make all things new in heaven.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband . . .Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. (Revelation 21:1-2, 6)
Heaven will be the destiny of those who take God at His Word, believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, and coming, by faith, to salvation . . . without cost.
Can something this good really be free? Even free of works? You decide after reading these Scripture verses.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)
Yes, salvation comes to us "free and clear" of any hidden charges or religious deeds or human effort. We come to God through Christ . . . lost, sinful, without hope, and deserving of hell. In grace, He sees us in Christ and in grace loves us, forgives us, accepts us into His family, and promises us an eternal home with Him in heaven, the ultimate destination of all His people.
Salvation is the single most important issue in all of life. Yet, if we are not careful, we'll put it off until later; we'll even put it completely out of our minds. Salvation is an urgent matter and is yours for the taking.
I ask you, will you do so today?
Christian Calling – 11/18/09
Born Again - Great music video from Third Day
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT 
VERSE:
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
-- 2 Peter 3:18
THOUGHT:
Where do you need to grow in your walk with the Lord? How about
keeping the tandem targets of grace and knowledge together as your
goal. So often we pursue one or the other. But something seems to
come unhinged in our soul when either of those becomes more
important than the other. Let's keep grace and knowledge together
because we see them together in our Savior.
PRAYER:
Holy God, I want to grow to be more like Jesus. I know I cannot
do that without your Spirit's power and my heart's desire. In
addition, dear Father, I want to grow in being a gracious person. I
want to know and experience Jesus' presence in my life. Please
bless me in this holy quest. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
We Serve God by Serving Others – Christian Devotional for 11/18/09
by Rick Warren at PurposeDriven.com
Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Mark 10:43 (MSG)
The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.
Jesus, however, measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you.
This is so contrary to the world's idea of greatness that we have a hard time understanding it, much less practicing it. The disciples argued about who deserved the most prominent position, and 2,000 years later, Christian leaders still jockey for position and prominence in churches, denominations, and parachurch ministries.
Thousands of books have been written on leadership, but few on servanthood. Everyone wants to lead; no one wants to be a servant. We would rather be generals than privates. Even Christians want to be "servant-leaders," not just plain servants. But to be like Jesus is to be a servant. That's what he called himself.
While knowing your shape is important for serving God, having the heart of a servant is even more important. Remember, God shaped you for service, not for self-centeredness. Without a servant's heart, you will be tempted to misuse your shape for personal gain. You will also be tempted to use it as an excuse to exempt yourself from meeting some needs.
God often tests our hearts by asking us to serve in ways we're not shaped. If you see a man fall into a ditch, God expects you to help him out, not say, "I don't have the gift of mercy or service."
While you may not be gifted a particular task, you may be called to do it if no one who is gifted at it is around. Your primary ministry should be in the area of your shape, but your secondary service is wherever you're needed at the moment.
Your shape reveals your ministry, but your servant's heart will reveal your maturity. No special talent or gift is required to stay after a meeting to pick up trash or stack chairs. Anyone can be a servant. All it requires is character.
It is possible to serve in church for a lifetime without ever being a servant. You must have a servant's heart.
How can you know if you have the heart of a servant?
Jesus said, "You can tell what they are by what they do" (Matthew 7:16 CEV).
Monday, November 16, 2009
Free Offer – Christian Devotional for 11/17/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
It doesn't take a Ph.D. in English Literature to observe that God offers us a gift in salvation. The gift is eternal life, which is directly connected to His Son.
Now let's be clear and cautious. Becoming a member of a church is not the way to salvation---just believing in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Neither does God require a long list of heavy-duty accomplishments. Nor vast sums of money. God is coming to the rescue of those who are lost by offering the free gift of eternal life to those who will simply believe. Those who do may know they have been rescued.
"But it seems too easy," you say. "Something as vital as eternal salvation seems far more valuable than that." Don't misunderstand. It is valuable . . . the most priceless possession one can have. But because we don't have to work for it or pay for it does not mean it's cheap or that nobody paid a handsome price. Someone did. His name? Jesus. Perhaps you already forgot that this gift of salvation is directly connected to God's Son, Christ Himself. Because He paid the full price, because He opened the way for us, we are able to take it as a gift.
It's funny, but most of us are suspicious of free gifts. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" is more than a line out of a comedian's script. We have too much skepticism (or pride) to believe we can get something for nothing. So it's understandable that we'd be reluctant to accept a gift as important as eternal salvation if it has the appearance of a "free lunch," right?
In all honesty, to say that God's rescue offer costs nobody anything is misleading. It costs us nothing today, but it cost His Son's life. That's the part we forget about.
When sin first reared its ugly head on earth, the holy God of heaven could no longer enjoy a close relationship with the human race. And the longer mankind practiced his or her wicked ways, the wider the gap grew between man and God. This sin disease, contracted at birth and inescapably contagious, spread like wildfire from one generation to the next. With sin came death, as this verse of Scripture declares:
When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned. (Romans 5:12 TLB)
Yes, everything. In fact, this universal sin disease impacted every part of our being. Hard as it may be to read these words, please do s
As the Scriptures say, 'No one is good---no one in all the world is innocent.' No one has ever really followed God's paths, or even truly wanted to. Every one has turned away; all have gone wrong. No one anywhere has kept on doing what is right; not one. (Romans 3:10-18 TLB).
That's the way we are in God's sight. Being lost, we are in such a miserable spiritual condition that we have no hope of finding our way to Him on our own. Sin separates us from our Creator. His rightful requirement is that sin must be punished. Someone who is qualified must rescue mankind by satisfying God's wrath against sin. Someone must pay the awful price, dying as our substitute, taking our place and bearing our sin before God.
Jesus Christ did just that.
Don't simply believe my words . . . believe the words from the Bible:
For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us! (2 Corinthians 5:21 TLB)
We aren't saved from sin's grasp by knowing the commandments of God, because we can't and don't keep them, but God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours---except that ours are sinful---and destroyed sin's control over us by giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins. (Romans 8:3 TLB)
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life . . . . And all who trust him---God's Son---to save them have eternal life; those who don't believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them. (John 3:16, 36 TLB)
Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners, although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. (1 Peter 3:18 TLB)
Yes, it certainly cost somebody something. I repeat, it cost Jesus Christ His life. But because He paid the price in full on our behalf, we are able to accept God's offer free and clear of any cost to us. The payment has been made. The ransom has been provided in full.
The only issue that remains is this: Will you accept the gift God offers you today? Now that the remedy for sin has been provided, all that remains is receiving it.
Christian Calling - 11/16/09
VERSE:
Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
THOUGHT:
Want to know something you can do that will please God? Rejoice
in his grace. Pray for others. Give thanks for your blessings. It's
simply something that he wants us to do.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father and Almighty God, I am thrilled at the very
thought of being your child. Abba Father, please hear my prayer of
concern for several people who are on my heart today ... Loving
God, thank you so much for the blessings you pour into my life each
day. In Jesus' holy name I pray. Amen.
Thanks to Heartlight.org
Two-minute Warning
The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number
In the debate over health care reform, we’re hearing a lot of people talk about doing “the greatest good for the greatest number.” Sounds logical, doesn’t it? Watch and listen as Chuck Colson discusses how applying “the greatest good for the greatest number” to patient care actually endangers the lives of those who aren’t lucky enough to be numbered among “the greatest number.”
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Misery is a Choice – Christian Devotional for 11/16/09
from sheridanhouse.org
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
1 Peter 4:12, NIV
Some people become overly cautious about trials and try to avoid them at all costs. A man who heard that most accidents occur within three miles of home, moved because he did not want to live in such a dangerous place!
The Lord could not make it clearer. Being a Christ follower does not exempt you from accidents, malignancies, financial disaster, hail storms or hurricanes. Trouble is not an elective in life; it is a required course. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) If you have a pulse, you will have pain.
God is going to allow us to suffer. We cannot control that. But we can control our response to suffering.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)
One reason we can rejoice in suffering is it deepens our character. Problems provide opportunities for us to grow at a rapid pace. Suffering expedites the maturing process. That is why we can welcome trials. But if we always choose comfort over character we will resent trials as intruders.
Tim Hansel was seriously injured in a mountain-climbing accident years ago and he now lives every day with severe back pain. In spite of daily adversity, he wrote a book entitled You Gotta Keep Dancin’ in which he relates the importance of joy in the Christian life. Hansel said, “Suffering is inevitable, but misery is optional. Pain and struggles are inevitable; misery is a choice.” Abraham Lincoln said, “Most people are about as happy as they make their mind up to be.”
QUESTION: What suffering are you going through right now? Are you growing through it or just going through it? Finally, are you choosing misery or joy?
Christian Calling – 11/15/09
VERSE:
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in
the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed
their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
-- Acts 16:30-32
THOUGHT:
Faith in Jesus is the absolutely crucial response to God's grace
and is such a life-transforming blessing. For the jailer, faith
meant hearing the gospel of Jesus as Lord and responding by
believing that message, being baptized immediately, demonstrating a
life change, and sharing in fellowship with other believers (cf.
Acts 2:42-47). Imagine going from being the jailer over men to
washing their wounds in your own home! Think about being
responsible for the painful incarceration of men, then having these
men baptize you and your family that same night! Imagine locking in
chains men who would later sit at your table sharing a meal! Isn't
God incredible! Isn't his grace indescribable! No wonder we rejoice
when those who are lost truly believe! Life is forever different.
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for the surprises you have brought to me by
your grace. Please bless me as I try to share your grace by
presenting the Gospel of Jesus this week to those I love. In the
name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.
Thanks to Heartlight.org
Four Secrets to Answered Prayer – Christian Devotional for 11/15/09
by Rick Warren at PurposeDriven.com
“Then [Nehemiah] said, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! . . . I confess that we have sinned against you . . . Please remember what you told your servant Moses: If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored . . . Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me’” (Nehemiah 1:5-11 NLT).
Here are four secrets to answered prayer from the life of Nehemiah:
Base your request on God’s character--Pray like you know God will answer you: "I’m expecting You to answer this prayer because of Who You are. You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. You can handle this problem, God!"
Confess the sins of which you’re aware--After Nehemiah based his prayer on who God is, he confessed his sins. He says, "We’ve sinned." He says "I confess . . . myself . . . my father’s house . . . we have acted wickedly . . . we have not obeyed." It wasn’t Nehemiah’s fault that Israel went into captivity. He wasn’t even born when it happened and he was most likely born in captivity. Yet, he’s including himself in the national sins. He says, "I’ve been a part of the problem.”
Claim the promises of God--Nehemiah prays to the Lord, saying, "I want You to remember what You told your servant Moses." Can you imagine saying "remember" to God? Nehemiah reminds God of a promise He made to the nation of Israel. In effect, he prays, “God, you warned through Moses that if we were unfaithful, we would lose the land of Israel. But you also promised that if we repent, You’d give it back to us.
Does God have to be reminded? No. Does He forget what He’s promised? No. Then why do we do this? Because it helps us remember what God has promised.
Be very specific in what you ask for--If you want specific answers to prayer, then make specific requests. If your prayers consist of general requests, how will you know if they’re answered?
Nehemiah is not hesitant to pray for success. He’s very bold in his praying. Have you ever prayed, "Lord, make me successful?” If you haven’t, why haven’t you? What is the alternative? A failure?
Is it OK to ask God to make you successful? It all depends on your definition of success! I believe a good definition of success is--"Fulfilling God’s purpose for my life in faith, love, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and expecting the results from God.” That is a worthy life objective that you should be able to pray for with confidence.
Consider this--If you can’t ask God to make you a success at what you’re doing, you should be doing something else. God doesn’t want you to waste your life.
You can learn more about what God wants for you by reading The Purpose Driven Life.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Christian Corner – 11/14/09
THOUGHT:
Paul is talking about passing judgment on folks in matters that
are central to our faith. He reminds us whose job it is to judge
these sorts of matters. He also reminds us that the person we are
judging actually belongs to the Lord and what right do we have to
pass judgment on that person. So often we can find fault with
others, pass judgment on them about some inconsequential matter,
but then never deal with the blatant sin in our own life. Let's
remember that we will answer to God for what we do every bit as
much as someone we are wrongly passing judgment upon.
PRAYER:
Father, forgive me. I confess that I have wrongly passed
judgment on others when I had no right or authority to do so. I
know Jesus died to redeem them. I know you love them and have a
plan for each of them. Please use me to be an encouragement, never
a stumbling block, to them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thanks to Heartlight.org
The Church as Agent of Change by T. M. Moore
"You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world...let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16
As the temple, nation, and servants of the Lord Jesus, church members are weapons of righteousness in His hands, equipped, sent, and active in seeking first the Kingdom of God and His beauty, goodness, and truth in the world.
Jesus is building His Church as an agent of change, an epicenter of transformation to reflect the good purposes and character of the Lord in a world of unbelief and sin. Read Entire Article
Friday, November 13, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/13/09
VERSE:
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead,
make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in
your brother's way. Romans 14:13
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Romans+14:13
THOUGHT:
It is so easy to be judgmental of others. We don't know their
struggles. We don't know their situation. Most of all, we don't
know their hearts. When we are judgmental, we erect a barrier
between others and ourselves. We often spread that judgmental
impression to others in gossip. Our stubbornness to only view them
with a judgmental spirit erects a barrier, a stumbling block, which
can cause them to become discouraged and stumble.
PRAYER:
Father, please be with my attitude toward others. Help me be
more patient with the failures of others, just as you are patient
with mine. Forgive me for not being more of an encouragement to
those who are weak and struggling. Forgive me for sometimes being a
hindrance to others. Please use me to be a blessing. In Jesus'
name. Amen.
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20091113
Today's Verse is also available in:
PORTUGUESE - http://www.iluminalma.com.br/dph/4/1113.html
SPANISH - http://www.laluzdelalma.com/vdh/4/1113.html
God's heart is the most sensitive and tender of all. No act goes
unnoticed, no matter how insignificant or small. -- Richard J. Foster
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Relating with Our Friends – Christian Devotional for 11/13/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
After God made man, He observed a need inside that life, a nagging loneliness that Adam couldn't shake.
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18)
As a fulfillment to the promise to help Adam with his need for companionship, God got involved:
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)
Later we read that the Lord came to relate to His creatures "in the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:8). I take it that such a time must have been a common practice between the Lord God and Adam and Eve.
He considered them valuable, so the infinite Creator-God took time to relate with His friends in the Garden of Eden. He got personally involved. He observed their needs. He carved out time and went to the trouble to do whatever to help them. He cultivated that friendship. He saw it as a worthwhile activity.
I was amused at a cartoon that appeared in a magazine. It was the picture of a thief wearing one of those "Lone Ranger" masks. His gun was pointed toward his frightened victim as he yelled: "Okay, gimmee all your valuables!"
The victim began stuffing into the sack all his friends.
How valuable are relationships to you? If you have trouble answering that, I'll help you decide. Stop and think back over the past month or two. How much of your leisure have you spent developing and enjoying relationships?
Jesus, God's Son, certainly considered the relationship He had with His disciples worth His time. They spent literally hours together. They ate together and wept together, and I'm sure they must have laughed together as well. Being God, He really didn't "need" those men. He certainly didn't need the hassle they created on occasion. But He loved those twelve men. He believed in them. They had a special relationship, a lot like Paul, Silas, and Timothy; David and Jonathan; Barnabas and John Mark; and Elijah and Elisha.
As the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once put in his poem "Youth and Age," "Friendship is a sheltering tree." How very true! Whatever leisure time we are able to invest in relationships is time well spent. And when we do, let's keep in mind we are imitating God, for His Son certainly did.
Christian Calling – 11/12/09
Marvin Olasky at Townhall.com: Morality Without God? : Confirmation of biblical wisdom came earlier this fall from an unlikely source: an Ivy League savant who says it's wrong to depend on the Bible. (As a once “Ivy League savant” I urge you to read this so you can see what I put up with.)
Daily Christian Oswald Chambers devotional here: http://bit.ly/nPV0H
All that I had, He took; all that He has, He has given me in Jesus Christ! ~ Subodh Sahu
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
Topic for Today: Evangelism
We have greater work to do here than merely securing our own salvation. We are members of the world and Church, and we must labour to do good to many. We are trusted with our Master's talents for His service, in our places to do our best to propagate His truth, and grace, and Church, and to bring home souls, and honour His cause, and edify His flock, and further the salvation of as many as we can. All this is to be done on earth, if we will secure the end of all in heaven. ~ Richard Baxter
Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon
yield to that which is about us. ~ P.T. Forsyth
"Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ." ~ William Romaine
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1
ACTION! Sign the easy CCA petition to stop government takeover of health care due to abortion support! http://bit.ly/wICmz #tcot
Getting Control of Your Money – Christian Devotional for 11/12/09
from Sheridanhouse.org
“Jesus told his disciples: ‘There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’”
Luke 16:1-2, NIV
The following statement appeared in the January 2002 issue of the Southwest Airline Spirit Magazine. “Twenty-eight percent of Americans say their biggest personal fear is going broke.” Humanist Henry Youngman said, “I had plastic surgery last week. I cut up my credit cards.”
Finances are quickly becoming one of the major problems of the American home. As a young pastor in my mid-twenties, I remember couples coming to me for counseling. Seldom was there a mention of trouble with finances. Now, I am a pastor in my mid-fifties and it is interesting that so many American families are struggling with finances.
Money is neither good nor bad. It is what we do with our money that gives it purpose. As families struggle to get control of their money, it is important to realize that everything we have absolutely belongs to God.
In the study of Luke 16, a steward is to give an account of his money. Money is important. Having wealth is not wrong. When wealth becomes our god, that is wrong.
Theologian John Haughey wrote, “It is absolutely false to ever use the words ‘my wealth.’ It is a radical fallacy to consider wealth as mine. If there is anything worth leaving, it is the statement: ‘My’ must never again be attached to the noun ‘wealth.’ Rather, it is my responsibility about the Master’s wealth.”
Living within our means is a discipline that provides a sense of security. When we can understand our money is given to us for a time and we are stewards of the funds, which really belong to God, it is amazing how contented we can be. Remember, God has sovereign rights to all that we possess. It all belongs to Him!
QUESTION: Do you pray about what you should do with the money God gives to you? Do you sense an accountability to God about how you use your money?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Christian Calling – 11/11/09
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
Putting the Thanks Back into Thanksgiving by Chuck Colson
Ecce Homo
John 19:5
[work by Caravaggio]
On Christ the Solid Rock by Tullian Tchividjian
Here's a perspective from a bona fide Christian realist who refuses to underestimate either the seriousness of our remaining sin or the sweetness of God's restoring salvation...
Read the full article here
Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness. ~ Mother Teresa
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Give Yourself Permission – Christian Devotional – 11/10/11
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Since most humans suffer from a lack of balance in their lives, our best counsel on living a steady and stable life comes from God's Word. In Paul's letter to the Christians in Ephesus, he includes this most unusual command:
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children . . ." (Ephesians 5:1 NIV)
Maybe you never realized such a statement was in the Bible. It seems unusual: "imitators of God"! The Greek term translated "be imitators" is mimeomai, from which we get the English word mimic. One reliable scholar says this verb "is always used in exhortations, and always in the continuous tense, suggesting a constant habit or practice."¹
In other words, this is neither a passing thought nor a once-in-a-blue-moon experience. The practice of our being people who "mimic God" is to become our daily habit. We are to do what He does. Respond to life as He responds. Emulate similar traits. Model His style.
But to do that, to be an imitator of God, requires that we come to terms with the value of quietness, slowing down, coming apart from the noise and speed of today's pace and broadening our lives with a view of the eternal reach of time. It means saying no to more and more activities that increase the speed of our squirrel cage, knowing God requires that we "be still" (Psalm 46:10 NIV).
To be God-mimics, we must begin to realize that leisure is not a take-it-or-leave-it luxury.
Please understand that leisure is more than idle time not devoted to paid occupations. Some of the most valuable work done in the world has been done at leisure . . . and never paid for in cash. Leisure is free activity. Labor is compulsory activity. In leisure, we do what we like, but in labor, we do what we must. In our labor, we meet the objective needs and demands of others—our employer, the public, people who are affected by and through our work. But in leisure, we scratch the subjective itches within ourselves. In leisure, our minds are liberated from the immediate, the necessary. As we incorporate leisure into the mainstream of our world, we gain perspective. We lift ourselves above the grit and grind of mere existence.
Interestingly, "leisure" comes from the Latin word licere, which means "to be permitted." If we are ever going to inculcate leisure into our otherwise utilitarian routine, we must give ourselves permission to do so.
Give Yourself Permission – Christian Devotional – 11/10/09
by Charles R. Swindoll at Crosswalk.com
Since most humans suffer from a lack of balance in their lives, our best counsel on living a steady and stable life comes from God's Word. In Paul's letter to the Christians in Ephesus, he includes this most unusual command:
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children . . ." (Ephesians 5:1 NIV)
Maybe you never realized such a statement was in the Bible. It seems unusual: "imitators of God"! The Greek term translated "be imitators" is mimeomai, from which we get the English word mimic. One reliable scholar says this verb "is always used in exhortations, and always in the continuous tense, suggesting a constant habit or practice."¹
In other words, this is neither a passing thought nor a once-in-a-blue-moon experience. The practice of our being people who "mimic God" is to become our daily habit. We are to do what He does. Respond to life as He responds. Emulate similar traits. Model His style.
But to do that, to be an imitator of God, requires that we come to terms with the value of quietness, slowing down, coming apart from the noise and speed of today's pace and broadening our lives with a view of the eternal reach of time. It means saying no to more and more activities that increase the speed of our squirrel cage, knowing God requires that we "be still" (Psalm 46:10 NIV).
To be God-mimics, we must begin to realize that leisure is not a take-it-or-leave-it luxury.
Please understand that leisure is more than idle time not devoted to paid occupations. Some of the most valuable work done in the world has been done at leisure . . . and never paid for in cash. Leisure is free activity. Labor is compulsory activity. In leisure, we do what we like, but in labor, we do what we must. In our labor, we meet the objective needs and demands of others—our employer, the public, people who are affected by and through our work. But in leisure, we scratch the subjective itches within ourselves. In leisure, our minds are liberated from the immediate, the necessary. As we incorporate leisure into the mainstream of our world, we gain perspective. We lift ourselves above the grit and grind of mere existence.
Interestingly, "leisure" comes from the Latin word licere, which means "to be permitted." If we are ever going to inculcate leisure into our otherwise utilitarian routine, we must give ourselves permission to do so.
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