Useful Gloves
Read: Ephesians 3:14-21
[God] is able to do . . . above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. —Ephesians 3:20
Jennifer had just heard a disturbing report about an increase in cases of depression among women. The report cited a related upswing in alcoholism and an increased reliance on prescription drugs.
"So what are You doing about it, Lord?" Jennifer prayed. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt that God was asking her to do something. All she could see, however, were her own limitations.
To help her think it through, she listed some reasons that were keeping her from action: shyness, fear of getting involved, lack of time, a cold heart, feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure—a daunting list!
As she finished her list, she saw that it was time to pick up her children from school. She put on her coat, then reached for her gloves. They were lying limp and useless—until she slipped her hands inside them. At that moment she realized that God didn't want her to think about her limitations. Rather, He wanted to put His power into her and work through her, just as her gloves became useful when she put her hands into them.
Why do we feel inadequate for the work God has given us? He wants to love others through us, "according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20). —JEY
The Lord will give you help and strength
For work He bids you do;
To serve Him from a heart of love
Is all He asks of you. —Fasick
When God gives an assignment, it comes with His enablement.
daily bread
Monday, September 30, 2002
Sunday, September 29, 2002
What's The Good News?
Read: Matthew 28:1-10,16-20
As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country. —Proverbs 25:25
What's the good news today? I ask that question sometimes of people I know. If the person is a Christian, he might smilingly reply, "The same as it was yesterday. God loves us." And both he and I rejoice that it will be the same tomorrow.
Those who don't know Christ, though, don't have such good news to share. We can understand why pessimistic novelist T. C. Boyle says, "If God doesn't exist . . . and you have no purpose on Earth, then it's a mighty mean place, ruled by accident. . . . I'd like to have a lot better news for everybody, but I don't."
Despite personal disappointments and the evils we see in this world, life is not just a series of accidents. Our God is in ultimate control, making even man's wrath contribute to the fulfillment of His wise and loving purposes.
Faith in the One who died on Calvary's cross and rose from the tomb is the antidote to dark despair. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ gives a realistic reason for hope.
When Jesus rose from the grave, He told two women to tell His disciples He was alive. Later He commanded His followers to take that news to all nations (Matthew 28:9-10,19).
That's the good news we can proclaim to others. It's the answer to the riddle of our existence. —VCG
Oh, may our lives ring loud and clear
With God's good news for all,
So people who are lost in sin
Will clearly hear His call. —Sper
The good news is not that Jesus lived and died, but that He died and lives.
daily bread
Read: Matthew 28:1-10,16-20
As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country. —Proverbs 25:25
What's the good news today? I ask that question sometimes of people I know. If the person is a Christian, he might smilingly reply, "The same as it was yesterday. God loves us." And both he and I rejoice that it will be the same tomorrow.
Those who don't know Christ, though, don't have such good news to share. We can understand why pessimistic novelist T. C. Boyle says, "If God doesn't exist . . . and you have no purpose on Earth, then it's a mighty mean place, ruled by accident. . . . I'd like to have a lot better news for everybody, but I don't."
Despite personal disappointments and the evils we see in this world, life is not just a series of accidents. Our God is in ultimate control, making even man's wrath contribute to the fulfillment of His wise and loving purposes.
Faith in the One who died on Calvary's cross and rose from the tomb is the antidote to dark despair. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ gives a realistic reason for hope.
When Jesus rose from the grave, He told two women to tell His disciples He was alive. Later He commanded His followers to take that news to all nations (Matthew 28:9-10,19).
That's the good news we can proclaim to others. It's the answer to the riddle of our existence. —VCG
Oh, may our lives ring loud and clear
With God's good news for all,
So people who are lost in sin
Will clearly hear His call. —Sper
The good news is not that Jesus lived and died, but that He died and lives.
daily bread
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Managing Your Money
WE HAVE SUPPOSEDLY left the high-flying 1980s decade of greed. In 1985 Ivan Boesky was commencement speaker at a prestigious school of business administration in California. He said to the graduating class, "Greed is all right, by the way. I want you to know that I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself." Sad, yes. And the response of those young men and women was just as sad. They laughed and applauded. A year and a half later Boesky was in prison for his runaway greed. The two parables in our present chapter show Jesus' judgment on the proper use of money.
Warming Up to God
Why do you like money?
Read Luke 16.
Discovering the Word
1. Jesus' parable in verses 1-18 is quite straightforward. His application, however, seems not as clear (vv. 8b-9). At first reading, how does he seem to be applying the parable to his disciples?
2. Where in the context could you show that Jesus is not condoning greed and dishonesty? 3. According to Jesus in verses 10-15, what does our management of money have to do with our standing before God?
3. In the first part of the parable in verses 19-31 Jesus contrasts the earthly status of Lazarus and the rich man, and then their different eternal states. What does Jesus want the Pharisees to see about the relationship of money in this life and in the life after death?
4. In the second part of the parable we learn more about life after death (vv. 26-31). What facts and implications do you observe about this dimension of existence?
Applying the Word
1. How should these parables affect your present use of money?
2. What practical actions would help you to use your money more effectively?
Responding in Prayer
Our relatives and friends are not all skeptics. Pray that Jesus' teaching on life after death may spur you to more personal evangelism with those who are still open.
inter varsity press
WE HAVE SUPPOSEDLY left the high-flying 1980s decade of greed. In 1985 Ivan Boesky was commencement speaker at a prestigious school of business administration in California. He said to the graduating class, "Greed is all right, by the way. I want you to know that I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself." Sad, yes. And the response of those young men and women was just as sad. They laughed and applauded. A year and a half later Boesky was in prison for his runaway greed. The two parables in our present chapter show Jesus' judgment on the proper use of money.
Warming Up to God
Why do you like money?
Read Luke 16.
Discovering the Word
1. Jesus' parable in verses 1-18 is quite straightforward. His application, however, seems not as clear (vv. 8b-9). At first reading, how does he seem to be applying the parable to his disciples?
2. Where in the context could you show that Jesus is not condoning greed and dishonesty? 3. According to Jesus in verses 10-15, what does our management of money have to do with our standing before God?
3. In the first part of the parable in verses 19-31 Jesus contrasts the earthly status of Lazarus and the rich man, and then their different eternal states. What does Jesus want the Pharisees to see about the relationship of money in this life and in the life after death?
4. In the second part of the parable we learn more about life after death (vv. 26-31). What facts and implications do you observe about this dimension of existence?
Applying the Word
1. How should these parables affect your present use of money?
2. What practical actions would help you to use your money more effectively?
Responding in Prayer
Our relatives and friends are not all skeptics. Pray that Jesus' teaching on life after death may spur you to more personal evangelism with those who are still open.
inter varsity press
Friday, September 27, 2002
Faith Won't Wait
By Cathy Irvin
When we least feel like proclaiming a shout of praise and victory about our trials and circumstances, that is the time to do it. We must say what God has said and speak to that wall or mountain in our lives and watch it crumble.
is a lot of talk about faith. Do we really understand it? Let's think about the story of the Jericho walls. The people marched around, blew the trumpets, and raised a great shout. (Joshua 6:1-20) What happened then? The walls came down. Was it because there was an earthquake? No, it was their faith in believing what the Lord said to do. They put action with their faith and were obedient. At the right moment, they SHOUTED.
Faith does not wait for the walls to fall down. Faith shouts them down.
When we least feel like proclaiming a shout of praise and victory about our trials and circumstances, that is the time to do it. We must say what God has said and speak to that wall or mountain in our lives and watch it crumble. SPEAKING and SHOUTING are the actions we need to do. It is our response to what we believe in our hearts to be true. It is the key to seeing the walls fall.
God told Joshua that he had given him the city and how long it would take to possess it. Do we give up too soon when we are waiting on a situation to change? We need to remember to keep on believing. When God reveals the time for your victory, you can shout. His timing is perfect.
We march to the orders of the Lord. We blow the trumpet once we hear the sound of urgency for a situation. The Lord speaks to our spirits and gives us faith. Then we will know our victory is right around the bend. Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith and not lose hope.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
The Amplified version says it best.
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Also in James 2:17, it reads:
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Joshua's wall was a literal, physical wall, but it can be any wall. Our walls can be the need for a healing, a financial breakthrough, relationships restored, etc. We must exercise our faith by seeing beyond the walls. The Wall that looks so incredibly difficult will come down with the SHOUT (action on our part) of faith. We can know that our victory will be on the other side.
In my own life recently, I had an opportunity to put this into action. My new great granddaughter became ill with a cold and a fever. I felt that I should go and pray for her even though I was sick myself. Within hours after arriving home, her fever had come down and was normal by morning. This is where faith couldn't wait. Like shouting the walls down, I acted on what God's Word tells us to do. Even though I didn't have an abundance of faith at that moment, I knew I needed to believe and leave the end result in God's hands.
So if in your life you find a wall that needs to come down, begin to SPEAK and SHOUT, because FAITH WON'T WAIT.
cbn
By Cathy Irvin
When we least feel like proclaiming a shout of praise and victory about our trials and circumstances, that is the time to do it. We must say what God has said and speak to that wall or mountain in our lives and watch it crumble.
is a lot of talk about faith. Do we really understand it? Let's think about the story of the Jericho walls. The people marched around, blew the trumpets, and raised a great shout. (Joshua 6:1-20) What happened then? The walls came down. Was it because there was an earthquake? No, it was their faith in believing what the Lord said to do. They put action with their faith and were obedient. At the right moment, they SHOUTED.
Faith does not wait for the walls to fall down. Faith shouts them down.
When we least feel like proclaiming a shout of praise and victory about our trials and circumstances, that is the time to do it. We must say what God has said and speak to that wall or mountain in our lives and watch it crumble. SPEAKING and SHOUTING are the actions we need to do. It is our response to what we believe in our hearts to be true. It is the key to seeing the walls fall.
God told Joshua that he had given him the city and how long it would take to possess it. Do we give up too soon when we are waiting on a situation to change? We need to remember to keep on believing. When God reveals the time for your victory, you can shout. His timing is perfect.
We march to the orders of the Lord. We blow the trumpet once we hear the sound of urgency for a situation. The Lord speaks to our spirits and gives us faith. Then we will know our victory is right around the bend. Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith and not lose hope.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
The Amplified version says it best.
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Also in James 2:17, it reads:
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Joshua's wall was a literal, physical wall, but it can be any wall. Our walls can be the need for a healing, a financial breakthrough, relationships restored, etc. We must exercise our faith by seeing beyond the walls. The Wall that looks so incredibly difficult will come down with the SHOUT (action on our part) of faith. We can know that our victory will be on the other side.
In my own life recently, I had an opportunity to put this into action. My new great granddaughter became ill with a cold and a fever. I felt that I should go and pray for her even though I was sick myself. Within hours after arriving home, her fever had come down and was normal by morning. This is where faith couldn't wait. Like shouting the walls down, I acted on what God's Word tells us to do. Even though I didn't have an abundance of faith at that moment, I knew I needed to believe and leave the end result in God's hands.
So if in your life you find a wall that needs to come down, begin to SPEAK and SHOUT, because FAITH WON'T WAIT.
cbn
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Today's scripture is Hebrews 2:9
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Death. It's not a popular topic--even among believers. In fact, a great many are just plain scared of it. Oh yes, they talk about having eternal life. Yet when the devil tries to threaten their earthly survival with sickness or calamity, they panic.
Why? Because they haven't learned to look at death through God's eyes. Even though their spirit has been made immortal, they haven't renewed their minds to include that truth. If they had, when the devil tried to push their panic button, they'd just laugh and say, "You can't scare me, devil. I've done all the dying I'm ever going to do!"
That's true, you know. The Word of God says that you, as a born-again believer, are never going to see death (John 8:51). Jesus has been your substitute. He suffered death, so you wouldn't have to. And when He was raised, Hebrews 2:14-15 says, "He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 2:9-15
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Death. It's not a popular topic--even among believers. In fact, a great many are just plain scared of it. Oh yes, they talk about having eternal life. Yet when the devil tries to threaten their earthly survival with sickness or calamity, they panic.
Why? Because they haven't learned to look at death through God's eyes. Even though their spirit has been made immortal, they haven't renewed their minds to include that truth. If they had, when the devil tried to push their panic button, they'd just laugh and say, "You can't scare me, devil. I've done all the dying I'm ever going to do!"
That's true, you know. The Word of God says that you, as a born-again believer, are never going to see death (John 8:51). Jesus has been your substitute. He suffered death, so you wouldn't have to. And when He was raised, Hebrews 2:14-15 says, "He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 2:9-15
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Pride and Provision
By Ruth Waff
My pride had almost robbed me of the blessing of an answered prayer.
It was Sunday morning and I was excited. Monday would be the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Our church had a one-year program called Training Bible School. When people asked me what that meant, I used to joke saying we go jogging with the Bible under our arms. Actually it was a combination of Bible school and street evangelism. I had felt God directing me to join the program, and tomorrow would be my first day.
I thanked God for a new day, and I prayed that He would provide the $20 I needed to buy a one-month pass for the subway. I lived with my parents, and they provided all I needed. So right or wrong, I put a little condition in my prayer. I said, "Lord, Mom and Dad have been so good to me. Please, let the money for the pass come some other way. They have done so much for me already."
I jumped out of bed and got ready for church. I forgot all about my prayer…
Later that day, we went back to church for the evening service. After the meeting, people gathered talking and laughing in small circles in front of the church. I was in one of them with some of my friends when I felt someone putting something in my pocket. I turned around and saw my friend Rose-Marie walking back to her little circle. I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled up what I thought might be a note. Instead, I pulled out a twenty-dollar bill… for all around me to see. I was shocked and very embarrassed.
My pride had kicked in. I walked over and pulled Rose-Marie aside. I said, "Why did you give me the money? I don’t need any money!"
She looked me straight in the eye and said firmly, "If God told me you need it, I know you need it. Don’t cheat me out of the blessing of doing what He wants me to do."
I was quiet for a little while and a tear started rolling down my cheek. I gave her a big hug and apologized for not being truthful. I told her about my prayer that morning and her face broke into a radiant smile. "See? God is so good. He's blessing me by blessing you."
What was I thinking? That the money was going to fall down from heaven? I have heard of that happening, but it is a rare thing. Most of the time He uses people like Rose-Marie, who are sensitive to His voice and willing to serve. My pride had almost robbed me of the blessing of an answered prayer.
I learned something that evening. If you ask God to provide for you, you have to be willing to open your hand and receive. You have to trust He knows best and receive His provision in whatever way He chooses to bring it to you.
"Don't worry whether God will provide it for you. These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern" (Luke 12:29b-31, NLT).
When I paid for my subway pass Monday morning I felt pure joy. The new chapter in my life had started with a great little miracle. I could not wait to see what was ahead of me.
"What's next, Lord? I am ready for whatever you have in store!"
cbn
By Ruth Waff
My pride had almost robbed me of the blessing of an answered prayer.
It was Sunday morning and I was excited. Monday would be the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Our church had a one-year program called Training Bible School. When people asked me what that meant, I used to joke saying we go jogging with the Bible under our arms. Actually it was a combination of Bible school and street evangelism. I had felt God directing me to join the program, and tomorrow would be my first day.
I thanked God for a new day, and I prayed that He would provide the $20 I needed to buy a one-month pass for the subway. I lived with my parents, and they provided all I needed. So right or wrong, I put a little condition in my prayer. I said, "Lord, Mom and Dad have been so good to me. Please, let the money for the pass come some other way. They have done so much for me already."
I jumped out of bed and got ready for church. I forgot all about my prayer…
Later that day, we went back to church for the evening service. After the meeting, people gathered talking and laughing in small circles in front of the church. I was in one of them with some of my friends when I felt someone putting something in my pocket. I turned around and saw my friend Rose-Marie walking back to her little circle. I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled up what I thought might be a note. Instead, I pulled out a twenty-dollar bill… for all around me to see. I was shocked and very embarrassed.
My pride had kicked in. I walked over and pulled Rose-Marie aside. I said, "Why did you give me the money? I don’t need any money!"
She looked me straight in the eye and said firmly, "If God told me you need it, I know you need it. Don’t cheat me out of the blessing of doing what He wants me to do."
I was quiet for a little while and a tear started rolling down my cheek. I gave her a big hug and apologized for not being truthful. I told her about my prayer that morning and her face broke into a radiant smile. "See? God is so good. He's blessing me by blessing you."
What was I thinking? That the money was going to fall down from heaven? I have heard of that happening, but it is a rare thing. Most of the time He uses people like Rose-Marie, who are sensitive to His voice and willing to serve. My pride had almost robbed me of the blessing of an answered prayer.
I learned something that evening. If you ask God to provide for you, you have to be willing to open your hand and receive. You have to trust He knows best and receive His provision in whatever way He chooses to bring it to you.
"Don't worry whether God will provide it for you. These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern" (Luke 12:29b-31, NLT).
When I paid for my subway pass Monday morning I felt pure joy. The new chapter in my life had started with a great little miracle. I could not wait to see what was ahead of me.
"What's next, Lord? I am ready for whatever you have in store!"
cbn
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Today's scripture is Romans 10:10
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Do you need a miracle? Then believe it, confess it and receive it! If you don't have enough faith yet to believe for the miracle you need, then you can get it. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). So start filling the ears of your heart with the Word until faith for your miracle is born.
That's what the woman did who had the issue of blood. She believed in her heart that Jesus would heal her. Then she spoke her faith out loud. Then she acted on that faith--and she received her miracle.
It wasn't Jesus' decision. He didn't suddenly say, "You know, I think I'll work a miracle for that little lady today." No. She made it happen. She took her faith and drew on the power of God. That's why Jesus said, "Daughter, your faith has made you whole" (Matt. 9:22).
You have that same opportunity. God's power is always present everywhere. Your faith will bring it into your life, body or circumstances. So reach out to Jesus. Believe, confess and receive your miracle today.
SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 9:18-31
bibleshack
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Do you need a miracle? Then believe it, confess it and receive it! If you don't have enough faith yet to believe for the miracle you need, then you can get it. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). So start filling the ears of your heart with the Word until faith for your miracle is born.
That's what the woman did who had the issue of blood. She believed in her heart that Jesus would heal her. Then she spoke her faith out loud. Then she acted on that faith--and she received her miracle.
It wasn't Jesus' decision. He didn't suddenly say, "You know, I think I'll work a miracle for that little lady today." No. She made it happen. She took her faith and drew on the power of God. That's why Jesus said, "Daughter, your faith has made you whole" (Matt. 9:22).
You have that same opportunity. God's power is always present everywhere. Your faith will bring it into your life, body or circumstances. So reach out to Jesus. Believe, confess and receive your miracle today.
SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 9:18-31
bibleshack
Monday, September 23, 2002
Cut-Flower Christians
Read: John 15:1-8
Without Me you can do nothing. —John 15:5
I enjoy buying or receiving a fresh bouquet of cut flowers. After admiring and smelling them, I waste no time getting them into water. Even though fresh and beautiful when I get them, their days are numbered. Because they've been severed from their life-source, they will soon wither and die. I know that one day I will have to throw them away.
Author Lloyd Ogilvie sees in this a picture of the Christian whose spiritual vitality has faded and shriveled. Such a person has become a "cut-flower Christian." Jesus used a similar illustration about a vine and its branches to describe our relationship to Him. Just as a branch can't bear fruit by itself, He explained, we can't bear spiritual fruit unless we abide in Him, the true vine (John 15:4).
If a branch could speak, it wouldn't apologize for its need to depend on the vine for bearing fruit. It would say instead, "For this I was made!" Jesus knew we were made for dependence on Him, our life-source—no apology needed! In fact, such dependence is the only way to avoid becoming a "cut-flower Christian."
Let's embrace His declaration, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). As we depend on Him, we will bear much fruit—and for this we were made. —JEY
Closer yet I'd cling, dear Savior,
You're the all-sufficient Vine;
You alone can make me fruitful,
Blessed source of strength divine. —Bosch
Fellowship with Christ is the secret of fruitfulness.
daily bread
Read: John 15:1-8
Without Me you can do nothing. —John 15:5
I enjoy buying or receiving a fresh bouquet of cut flowers. After admiring and smelling them, I waste no time getting them into water. Even though fresh and beautiful when I get them, their days are numbered. Because they've been severed from their life-source, they will soon wither and die. I know that one day I will have to throw them away.
Author Lloyd Ogilvie sees in this a picture of the Christian whose spiritual vitality has faded and shriveled. Such a person has become a "cut-flower Christian." Jesus used a similar illustration about a vine and its branches to describe our relationship to Him. Just as a branch can't bear fruit by itself, He explained, we can't bear spiritual fruit unless we abide in Him, the true vine (John 15:4).
If a branch could speak, it wouldn't apologize for its need to depend on the vine for bearing fruit. It would say instead, "For this I was made!" Jesus knew we were made for dependence on Him, our life-source—no apology needed! In fact, such dependence is the only way to avoid becoming a "cut-flower Christian."
Let's embrace His declaration, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). As we depend on Him, we will bear much fruit—and for this we were made. —JEY
Closer yet I'd cling, dear Savior,
You're the all-sufficient Vine;
You alone can make me fruitful,
Blessed source of strength divine. —Bosch
Fellowship with Christ is the secret of fruitfulness.
daily bread
Sunday, September 22, 2002
The Greatest Wrong
Read: Acts 2:22-36
God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. —Acts 2:36
Followers of Christ see His crucifixion as the greatest wrong in all of history. Yet they decorate church buildings with the cross, wear it as jewelry, and sing about it. Why would anyone cherish such a terrible symbol of suffering and shame?
In ancient times many criminals and rebels died by crucifixion. It's said that in the unrest after the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC, Roman soldiers lined a road in Galilee with 2,000 crosses, each bearing the body of an insurrectionist. Their purpose was to strike terror into the heart of anyone who even contemplated rebellion against Rome.
Jesus' death, however, was unlike any of these. Yes, He endured the same physical agony, but He underwent such a terrible sense of abandonment that He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34). As the Son of God, He was experiencing the righteous wrath of His Father against the sin of all mankind. In dying, He fully paid the penalty for our sin and broke the power of death. To vindicate Christ's work on the cross, God raised Him up from the grave (Acts 2:24; Romans 1:4).
History's greatest wrong secured our pardon from sin. And His resurrection assures our ultimate victory over death. That's why we cherish the cross! —HVL
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. —Bennard
© Renewal 1941 The Rodeheaver Co.
The cross of Christ reveals God's love at its best and man's sin at its worst.
daily bread
Read: Acts 2:22-36
God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. —Acts 2:36
Followers of Christ see His crucifixion as the greatest wrong in all of history. Yet they decorate church buildings with the cross, wear it as jewelry, and sing about it. Why would anyone cherish such a terrible symbol of suffering and shame?
In ancient times many criminals and rebels died by crucifixion. It's said that in the unrest after the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC, Roman soldiers lined a road in Galilee with 2,000 crosses, each bearing the body of an insurrectionist. Their purpose was to strike terror into the heart of anyone who even contemplated rebellion against Rome.
Jesus' death, however, was unlike any of these. Yes, He endured the same physical agony, but He underwent such a terrible sense of abandonment that He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34). As the Son of God, He was experiencing the righteous wrath of His Father against the sin of all mankind. In dying, He fully paid the penalty for our sin and broke the power of death. To vindicate Christ's work on the cross, God raised Him up from the grave (Acts 2:24; Romans 1:4).
History's greatest wrong secured our pardon from sin. And His resurrection assures our ultimate victory over death. That's why we cherish the cross! —HVL
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. —Bennard
© Renewal 1941 The Rodeheaver Co.
The cross of Christ reveals God's love at its best and man's sin at its worst.
daily bread
Saturday, September 21, 2002
When Evil Is Good
Read: Isaiah 5:20-25
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness! —Isaiah 5:20
In the early 1970s, political cartoonist Wayne Stayskal illustrated an age-old problem. In the first of three pictures, a father and his son are watching a violent television show together. From the tube blares the words: "Bang! Bang! Kill! Stab! Boom! Zap! Rat-a-tat-tat! Murder!"
In the second picture a news bulletin interrupts the program: "And now news from Vietnam." The TV shows scenes of mutilated bodies of Vietnamese children, some in their mothers' arms. The father is aghast as he shields the boy's eyes with his hands. "What are they showing that stuff on TV for!" he yells.
Stayskal raises a vital issue. How can we entertain ourselves with fictional scenes that glorify violence but be horrified when watching the real thing? Hollywood began asking the same question after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 200l. They postponed the release of some films with terrorist themes. But how long will such restraint last?
Sin is so dangerous because it is blind to itself. The prophet Isaiah said that God's people were redefining good and evil. Incredible! But people are still doing it in the 21st century. Only God's Word can safeguard any of us from calling "evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). —DJD
O Lord, correct my vision,
So dim and warped by sin,
That through Your Spirit's blessing
Your truth may shine within. —Bosch
If sin were not deceitful, it would not seem delightful.
daily bread
Read: Isaiah 5:20-25
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness! —Isaiah 5:20
In the early 1970s, political cartoonist Wayne Stayskal illustrated an age-old problem. In the first of three pictures, a father and his son are watching a violent television show together. From the tube blares the words: "Bang! Bang! Kill! Stab! Boom! Zap! Rat-a-tat-tat! Murder!"
In the second picture a news bulletin interrupts the program: "And now news from Vietnam." The TV shows scenes of mutilated bodies of Vietnamese children, some in their mothers' arms. The father is aghast as he shields the boy's eyes with his hands. "What are they showing that stuff on TV for!" he yells.
Stayskal raises a vital issue. How can we entertain ourselves with fictional scenes that glorify violence but be horrified when watching the real thing? Hollywood began asking the same question after the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 200l. They postponed the release of some films with terrorist themes. But how long will such restraint last?
Sin is so dangerous because it is blind to itself. The prophet Isaiah said that God's people were redefining good and evil. Incredible! But people are still doing it in the 21st century. Only God's Word can safeguard any of us from calling "evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). —DJD
O Lord, correct my vision,
So dim and warped by sin,
That through Your Spirit's blessing
Your truth may shine within. —Bosch
If sin were not deceitful, it would not seem delightful.
daily bread
Friday, September 20, 2002
Tinder in His Hand
By Laura Bagby
As we stoke the fires to fend off the chill of an autumn night, I am reminded of the power of death.
Yes, that's right.
What we see sitting around the campfire or at home cozy by the fireplace is to the natural eye no more than a billowing, pulsating mass of orange flame. But in my mind's eye I sense something more, a spiritual overtone.
You see, what we are really seeing is the result of death.
You can't start a fire with wet wood, because it will never light. And you can try unseasoned wood, but it will smoke so bad you will soon be wheezing.
No. If you know what you are doing, you pick the driest, best-seasoned stock you can find. This stuff is deader than dead.
That's what makes the fire burn.
And so it is with our spiritual lives. How can God shine His light through us before all men, if our will is still kicking and screaming, 'Me, me, me?!' Only after we essentially die to our own dreams can God place His spark of His plan and ignite our inner man with power, with peace, with joy, with His ultimate will.
To us who are dying to our dreams, dying to our whims, our will, our ways, our passions, our routines, it may look like God is through with us. He has abandoned us for some other project. We hurt and He doesn't seem to be listening.
I have said it myself, 'Well, that's it. I am no longer any use to the Lord. I am tired; I am broken. I don't know what I want to do and I can't seem to do it anyway. I missed the way. I lost the skills. I lost my popularity. '
Whatever it is that you have lost when you got serious about God, know that God is not through with you yet. You are on the precipice of greater things. You are being refined.
And yes, brothers and sisters, soon it will be your day to burn. But unlike the past, you will not burn out.
Just as the flame of the Most Holy God as He appeared within the burning bush in the story of Moses never actually burned the bush, so the Spirit of God shall ignite you, and you will not grow weary for your source of strength is the Lord alone. What others will see is not the bush, but the incredible, everlasting flame of God's glory.
But first comes death. It is necessary, believe me, but you will be amazed at the results. For it is the deadest, driest wood that causes a fire to burn. Nothing is impossible with God.
cbn
By Laura Bagby
As we stoke the fires to fend off the chill of an autumn night, I am reminded of the power of death.
Yes, that's right.
What we see sitting around the campfire or at home cozy by the fireplace is to the natural eye no more than a billowing, pulsating mass of orange flame. But in my mind's eye I sense something more, a spiritual overtone.
You see, what we are really seeing is the result of death.
You can't start a fire with wet wood, because it will never light. And you can try unseasoned wood, but it will smoke so bad you will soon be wheezing.
No. If you know what you are doing, you pick the driest, best-seasoned stock you can find. This stuff is deader than dead.
That's what makes the fire burn.
And so it is with our spiritual lives. How can God shine His light through us before all men, if our will is still kicking and screaming, 'Me, me, me?!' Only after we essentially die to our own dreams can God place His spark of His plan and ignite our inner man with power, with peace, with joy, with His ultimate will.
To us who are dying to our dreams, dying to our whims, our will, our ways, our passions, our routines, it may look like God is through with us. He has abandoned us for some other project. We hurt and He doesn't seem to be listening.
I have said it myself, 'Well, that's it. I am no longer any use to the Lord. I am tired; I am broken. I don't know what I want to do and I can't seem to do it anyway. I missed the way. I lost the skills. I lost my popularity. '
Whatever it is that you have lost when you got serious about God, know that God is not through with you yet. You are on the precipice of greater things. You are being refined.
And yes, brothers and sisters, soon it will be your day to burn. But unlike the past, you will not burn out.
Just as the flame of the Most Holy God as He appeared within the burning bush in the story of Moses never actually burned the bush, so the Spirit of God shall ignite you, and you will not grow weary for your source of strength is the Lord alone. What others will see is not the bush, but the incredible, everlasting flame of God's glory.
But first comes death. It is necessary, believe me, but you will be amazed at the results. For it is the deadest, driest wood that causes a fire to burn. Nothing is impossible with God.
cbn
Thursday, September 19, 2002
Salvation: The Long And The Short Of It
By Ellen Prohaska
I can't do it for you. Your parents couldn't do it for you. Your church can't do it for you. It all comes down to you. You make the decision. God gave each of us a free will and only we can chose for ourselves if we will walk in His plan or our own.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, Old things have passed away, all things have become new. Today is the day of salvation. Harden not your hearts.
What kind of a title is that? Well a long time ago God created everything. Stuff like the earth, and sky, and sea, and then everything that lives in or on them. That of course includes you and me (or at least our ancestors). Then God rested. God was happy. He had a plan. But first Satan, and then man, opted to try and do it a better way.
Then, not so long ago, Jesus came to this earth. He was sent by God our Father to try and get us back to following God's plan. He fed people, preached, healed their bodies, and set them free … He did all this in only 3 years, but it changed the world forever. Once again Satan and man thought there was a better plan. So they killed Him in order to try and keep things the way they had been.
But the short of this is that part of God's plan included Jesus' death on the cross to reconcile us back to Him. Separation from God entered our world through Adam's disobedience and self will. Reconciliation entered our world through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection. But the real long and short of it is that salvation will only enter your personal life when you acknowledge what Jesus did to pay your debt for sin and rebellion and accepting His sacrifice for you. I can't do it for you. Your parents couldn't do it for you. Your church can't do it for you. It all comes down to you. You make the decision. God gave each of us a free will and only we can chose for ourselves if we will walk in His plan or our own.
Now go back and read those Scriptures you skimmed over at the top. Today is the day of salvation. Harden not your heart. God has been calling out to you. Take the time now to align yourself with His plan for your life. Take a moment and pray this prayer:
Father, I admit that I have sinned and fallen away from you and your plan for my life. I acknowledge that Jesus is your Son and that He came to this earth to try and win me back to you. I know His death paid my debt for sin and I now realize no one but me can set the record straight with you. So today, right now, I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I accept what Jesus did in my behalf and I want to walk in your plan for my life. Thank you Jesus. I accept you as my Savior and Lord. Amen.
cbn
By Ellen Prohaska
I can't do it for you. Your parents couldn't do it for you. Your church can't do it for you. It all comes down to you. You make the decision. God gave each of us a free will and only we can chose for ourselves if we will walk in His plan or our own.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, Old things have passed away, all things have become new. Today is the day of salvation. Harden not your hearts.
What kind of a title is that? Well a long time ago God created everything. Stuff like the earth, and sky, and sea, and then everything that lives in or on them. That of course includes you and me (or at least our ancestors). Then God rested. God was happy. He had a plan. But first Satan, and then man, opted to try and do it a better way.
Then, not so long ago, Jesus came to this earth. He was sent by God our Father to try and get us back to following God's plan. He fed people, preached, healed their bodies, and set them free … He did all this in only 3 years, but it changed the world forever. Once again Satan and man thought there was a better plan. So they killed Him in order to try and keep things the way they had been.
But the short of this is that part of God's plan included Jesus' death on the cross to reconcile us back to Him. Separation from God entered our world through Adam's disobedience and self will. Reconciliation entered our world through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection. But the real long and short of it is that salvation will only enter your personal life when you acknowledge what Jesus did to pay your debt for sin and rebellion and accepting His sacrifice for you. I can't do it for you. Your parents couldn't do it for you. Your church can't do it for you. It all comes down to you. You make the decision. God gave each of us a free will and only we can chose for ourselves if we will walk in His plan or our own.
Now go back and read those Scriptures you skimmed over at the top. Today is the day of salvation. Harden not your heart. God has been calling out to you. Take the time now to align yourself with His plan for your life. Take a moment and pray this prayer:
Father, I admit that I have sinned and fallen away from you and your plan for my life. I acknowledge that Jesus is your Son and that He came to this earth to try and win me back to you. I know His death paid my debt for sin and I now realize no one but me can set the record straight with you. So today, right now, I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I accept what Jesus did in my behalf and I want to walk in your plan for my life. Thank you Jesus. I accept you as my Savior and Lord. Amen.
cbn
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
God's Grace III
SCRIPTURE READING:
Ezekiel 44:1 - 46:24
THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE MEMORY VERSE: "The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow Me"(John 1:43).
Did you get the message about our February trip to India? If you can partner with us, send a gift to: Fresh Wind Ministries, PO Box 124, Homer, Illinois 61849 or donate online at: www.freshwind.org/resource Our first goal is $500 by Sept 30th. May the Lord lead you!
I know my share of imperfect people. It my case, it takes one to know one. I am imperfect. I've tried to be perfect, but it is impossible. Maybe you've failed at being the perfect spouse, the perfect pastor, the perfect church member, the perfect employee or parent. I have found one area of perfection in my life. I am perfectly loved by Jesus. I am a perfect candidate for His grace! You too?
Let me tell you about Christianity. A perfect God loving and granting grace to His imperfect creation. That's grace. An aspect of God's grace that has helped me so much is to confess to Jesus that I am not perfect, but I am progressing. Maybe you've seen people wearing shirts that says, "God Isn't Finished With Me Yet".
God's grace has a perfecting element to it. Any of us could correctly say, "I'm not perfect" and in so doing, even find comfort to continue on in our sins and imperfections. However, the Apostle Paul said, "But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"(Romans 5:20b - 6:2).
Grace should not just be seen as a wash rag between sins. Sure, grace covers our sins, but grace must also compel us to go and sin no more. To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus said, "Go now and leave your life of sin"(John 8:11b).
Grace should never make us think that we should stop progressing in our Spiritual growth and simply accept our imperfections and expect others to accept them too. While "love covers a multitude of sins" it calls us into a deeper state of gratitude for His grace and love and compels us to ask His Spirit to help us to progress--not to be sinless but to sin less.
Today, understand God's grace this way: God's perfect work on the cross makes us perfect in Christ. That is, we are perfectly loved and perfectly covered by His grace. If you journal, take a few minutes today to write down some areas you are trying to be perfect in. Then, pray about these areas and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into greater Spiritual maturity through God's process of growth.
Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your grace. While we are not perfect, we are progressing onward toward being more like Jesus. In His Name, AMEN!
fresh wind
SCRIPTURE READING:
Ezekiel 44:1 - 46:24
THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE MEMORY VERSE: "The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow Me"(John 1:43).
Did you get the message about our February trip to India? If you can partner with us, send a gift to: Fresh Wind Ministries, PO Box 124, Homer, Illinois 61849 or donate online at: www.freshwind.org/resource Our first goal is $500 by Sept 30th. May the Lord lead you!
I know my share of imperfect people. It my case, it takes one to know one. I am imperfect. I've tried to be perfect, but it is impossible. Maybe you've failed at being the perfect spouse, the perfect pastor, the perfect church member, the perfect employee or parent. I have found one area of perfection in my life. I am perfectly loved by Jesus. I am a perfect candidate for His grace! You too?
Let me tell you about Christianity. A perfect God loving and granting grace to His imperfect creation. That's grace. An aspect of God's grace that has helped me so much is to confess to Jesus that I am not perfect, but I am progressing. Maybe you've seen people wearing shirts that says, "God Isn't Finished With Me Yet".
God's grace has a perfecting element to it. Any of us could correctly say, "I'm not perfect" and in so doing, even find comfort to continue on in our sins and imperfections. However, the Apostle Paul said, "But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"(Romans 5:20b - 6:2).
Grace should not just be seen as a wash rag between sins. Sure, grace covers our sins, but grace must also compel us to go and sin no more. To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus said, "Go now and leave your life of sin"(John 8:11b).
Grace should never make us think that we should stop progressing in our Spiritual growth and simply accept our imperfections and expect others to accept them too. While "love covers a multitude of sins" it calls us into a deeper state of gratitude for His grace and love and compels us to ask His Spirit to help us to progress--not to be sinless but to sin less.
Today, understand God's grace this way: God's perfect work on the cross makes us perfect in Christ. That is, we are perfectly loved and perfectly covered by His grace. If you journal, take a few minutes today to write down some areas you are trying to be perfect in. Then, pray about these areas and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into greater Spiritual maturity through God's process of growth.
Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your grace. While we are not perfect, we are progressing onward toward being more like Jesus. In His Name, AMEN!
fresh wind
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
UP Words
Words are powerful. It's amazing how placing a simple word or two in the wrong spot can convey a completely different meaning than intended. A mistaken accent here, a missed syllable there and you can find yourself in a colossal misunderstanding. As a matter of fact, even perfectly ordered words can carry sneaky double meanings that can get you into hot water.
The other day, for instance, I told my family I wanted to try out a new recipe and that I needed a guinea pig. My kids ran screaming out of the room and immediately started hiding their pets. All I wanted was someone to try my new dish! "Guinea Fricassee" was the farthest thing from my mind, believe me. I have to admit, however, I thought about smacking my lips with something like, "Mmm, tastes like chicken." Too bad the kids were already running through the house taking an animal inventory.
These miscommunications happen to others too. My brother, Randy, was in the car with his 12 and 13-year-old boys. The talk show on the radio brought up the topic of spanking. One caller was bragging, "I got my last spanking at 12 years old when I learned I could outrun my parents." Randy had to get out at that point and put gas in the car.
When he got back, his oldest son tattled, "Dad, Benny said he could outrun you!"
Benny was indignant. "Did not! I said anyone could outrun Dad!"
Sometimes a tough time is not necessarily a result of someone misinterpreting words. It's a result of choosing to say the wrong ones. Words seem cheap. They don't weigh anything, you can't see them, they're not fattening and once they're off the lips there's hardly any physical evidence they've been there. But we shouldn't kid ourselves. They're potent. They can heal or hurt, build up or tear down. I've decided that words are sort of directional. The up or down of my words is my choice. Proverbs 12:25 is a directional example: "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."
I want to make a point of using "up" words. Words that "build up, lift up, cheer up"-- in general "stir up" good. One of my favorite Bible verses is Hebrews 10:24. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works."
Words are a giant part of my life. I write them and speak them every day. My children watch how I use them. They can also sense the direction of the words that I send their way. I want each word to go in the right direction and from the right direction-- from a clean heart UP! I think IÃll let Ephesians 4:29 be my word compass. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others UP according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
UP words will leave a good taste in my mouth every time-- not necessarily like chicken.
daily wisdom
Words are powerful. It's amazing how placing a simple word or two in the wrong spot can convey a completely different meaning than intended. A mistaken accent here, a missed syllable there and you can find yourself in a colossal misunderstanding. As a matter of fact, even perfectly ordered words can carry sneaky double meanings that can get you into hot water.
The other day, for instance, I told my family I wanted to try out a new recipe and that I needed a guinea pig. My kids ran screaming out of the room and immediately started hiding their pets. All I wanted was someone to try my new dish! "Guinea Fricassee" was the farthest thing from my mind, believe me. I have to admit, however, I thought about smacking my lips with something like, "Mmm, tastes like chicken." Too bad the kids were already running through the house taking an animal inventory.
These miscommunications happen to others too. My brother, Randy, was in the car with his 12 and 13-year-old boys. The talk show on the radio brought up the topic of spanking. One caller was bragging, "I got my last spanking at 12 years old when I learned I could outrun my parents." Randy had to get out at that point and put gas in the car.
When he got back, his oldest son tattled, "Dad, Benny said he could outrun you!"
Benny was indignant. "Did not! I said anyone could outrun Dad!"
Sometimes a tough time is not necessarily a result of someone misinterpreting words. It's a result of choosing to say the wrong ones. Words seem cheap. They don't weigh anything, you can't see them, they're not fattening and once they're off the lips there's hardly any physical evidence they've been there. But we shouldn't kid ourselves. They're potent. They can heal or hurt, build up or tear down. I've decided that words are sort of directional. The up or down of my words is my choice. Proverbs 12:25 is a directional example: "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."
I want to make a point of using "up" words. Words that "build up, lift up, cheer up"-- in general "stir up" good. One of my favorite Bible verses is Hebrews 10:24. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works."
Words are a giant part of my life. I write them and speak them every day. My children watch how I use them. They can also sense the direction of the words that I send their way. I want each word to go in the right direction and from the right direction-- from a clean heart UP! I think IÃll let Ephesians 4:29 be my word compass. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others UP according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
UP words will leave a good taste in my mouth every time-- not necessarily like chicken.
daily wisdom
Monday, September 16, 2002
A New Name
Isaiah 43:1B God says " I have called you by name, you are mine."
When I was born my parents gave me a name. It was special to them, for it was the name of Daddy’s sister. As a child, I was called a variety of names by my sister and friends; some complimentary and some downright mean! When I met my husband to be, I received another name- honey. That was a good one!
Then I was named Mom by my two daughters, and not long ago I gave myself the name Grandma, as our precious grandchild arrived. Now that he is 16 months old, I have a new name, and he calls me Nana, which is fine with me. I knew I would answer to any name he would call me, thrilled with the fact that he recognized me as someone – someone special… his Nana!
God has a name for me, too. He also has one for you. He tells us in Isaiah 49:16- "See, I have written your name on my hand." And in Isaiah 43:1B God says " I have called you by name, you are mine." What wonderful promises from God! To think He loves each of us so much he has called and claimed us, and written our names on His righteous and almighty hand is so wonderful. How blessed we are to be children of the Father.
daily wisdom
Isaiah 43:1B God says " I have called you by name, you are mine."
When I was born my parents gave me a name. It was special to them, for it was the name of Daddy’s sister. As a child, I was called a variety of names by my sister and friends; some complimentary and some downright mean! When I met my husband to be, I received another name- honey. That was a good one!
Then I was named Mom by my two daughters, and not long ago I gave myself the name Grandma, as our precious grandchild arrived. Now that he is 16 months old, I have a new name, and he calls me Nana, which is fine with me. I knew I would answer to any name he would call me, thrilled with the fact that he recognized me as someone – someone special… his Nana!
God has a name for me, too. He also has one for you. He tells us in Isaiah 49:16- "See, I have written your name on my hand." And in Isaiah 43:1B God says " I have called you by name, you are mine." What wonderful promises from God! To think He loves each of us so much he has called and claimed us, and written our names on His righteous and almighty hand is so wonderful. How blessed we are to be children of the Father.
daily wisdom
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Be A Spark
Read: Hebrews 10:19-25
Let us consider one another . . . , not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. —Hebrews 10:24-25
Churchgoing has fallen on difficult times lately. For some Christians it is a weak substitute for a picnic on a rainy Sunday. Excuses are as plentiful as quarters in the collection plate. The fact is, many professing Christians don't think church is all that important. They think they can be perfectly good Christians without being part of a local congregation.
The author of Hebrews disagreed! For one thing, our own spiritual welfare is not to be our only concern. We go to church not just to get but to give—to spur on other Christians to "love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). If we stay away, we may give them an excuse to be careless.
On the other hand, if we attend with enthusiasm, we encourage other believers in their ambition to draw near to Christ. If we are faithful in meeting together with them, we will honor the Lord, grow in our faith, and give a strong witness to the world.
The Christian faith allows no room for rugged individualists. To have a fire, you need more than one coal. You also need a spark and a draft of air. One humble, open, involved individual—perhaps you—set on fire by Christ, can be the spark. And the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, may blow on that spark and set a congregation ablaze. —HWR
If we are honest, we must say
Our hearts are sometimes cold;
But fellowship can kindle warmth
And make our witness bold. —Hess
Fellowship builds us up and binds us together.
daily bread
Read: Hebrews 10:19-25
Let us consider one another . . . , not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. —Hebrews 10:24-25
Churchgoing has fallen on difficult times lately. For some Christians it is a weak substitute for a picnic on a rainy Sunday. Excuses are as plentiful as quarters in the collection plate. The fact is, many professing Christians don't think church is all that important. They think they can be perfectly good Christians without being part of a local congregation.
The author of Hebrews disagreed! For one thing, our own spiritual welfare is not to be our only concern. We go to church not just to get but to give—to spur on other Christians to "love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). If we stay away, we may give them an excuse to be careless.
On the other hand, if we attend with enthusiasm, we encourage other believers in their ambition to draw near to Christ. If we are faithful in meeting together with them, we will honor the Lord, grow in our faith, and give a strong witness to the world.
The Christian faith allows no room for rugged individualists. To have a fire, you need more than one coal. You also need a spark and a draft of air. One humble, open, involved individual—perhaps you—set on fire by Christ, can be the spark. And the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, may blow on that spark and set a congregation ablaze. —HWR
If we are honest, we must say
Our hearts are sometimes cold;
But fellowship can kindle warmth
And make our witness bold. —Hess
Fellowship builds us up and binds us together.
daily bread
Friday, September 13, 2002
Starter Marriages
READ:
Ephesians 5:22-33
Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
You’ve likely heard of starter marriages. The trendy wisdom behind this concept is that you select a mate with the idea that you won’t stay married for long. After a few years you “trade up.”
Wow! Talk about a romance buster! So what do you trade up to? A more spacious model? A spouse with central air and a bigger backyard? A mate who comes equipped with an all-weather deck and vinyl siding?
Going into a marriage while planning to bail out of it is reprehensible to God. Jesus didn’t use people, and neither should we. Trying someone on like a pair of jeans that will soon be out of fashion is just plain wrong.
That’s a danger we have to guard against even in our more casual relationships. . . .
• Do you go out with that girl just because she looks good?
• Are you leading that guy on merely because you’re afraid to be alone?
• Are you feeding your ego by dating several people at the same time?
Jesus set an amazing example of selfless love by literally giving His life away. He paid for our sins with His life so that He could present us “to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27).
Those words challenge us—especially men—to aspire to the same kind of love. “Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church,” Paul wrote to husbands (v.25). Treating a date as a test-drive doesn’t prepare a man for that kind of loving relationship.
Instead of approaching potential relationships with the question, “What’s in it for me?” let’s start asking, “How does God want me to give my life away?”
There’s no greater freedom than to know we’re loved unconditionally by One who has given us everything. Are we willing to love in the same way? —Tim Gustafson
REFLECTION
• How do I view my relationship with God?
• Do I approach Him only with requests? Does praising Him come easily for me?
• Do I use my friends to get what I want? What about my romantic interests? Are my relationships honoring to God?
“Selfless love” should be a redundancy.
campus journal
READ:
Ephesians 5:22-33
Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
You’ve likely heard of starter marriages. The trendy wisdom behind this concept is that you select a mate with the idea that you won’t stay married for long. After a few years you “trade up.”
Wow! Talk about a romance buster! So what do you trade up to? A more spacious model? A spouse with central air and a bigger backyard? A mate who comes equipped with an all-weather deck and vinyl siding?
Going into a marriage while planning to bail out of it is reprehensible to God. Jesus didn’t use people, and neither should we. Trying someone on like a pair of jeans that will soon be out of fashion is just plain wrong.
That’s a danger we have to guard against even in our more casual relationships. . . .
• Do you go out with that girl just because she looks good?
• Are you leading that guy on merely because you’re afraid to be alone?
• Are you feeding your ego by dating several people at the same time?
Jesus set an amazing example of selfless love by literally giving His life away. He paid for our sins with His life so that He could present us “to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27).
Those words challenge us—especially men—to aspire to the same kind of love. “Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church,” Paul wrote to husbands (v.25). Treating a date as a test-drive doesn’t prepare a man for that kind of loving relationship.
Instead of approaching potential relationships with the question, “What’s in it for me?” let’s start asking, “How does God want me to give my life away?”
There’s no greater freedom than to know we’re loved unconditionally by One who has given us everything. Are we willing to love in the same way? —Tim Gustafson
REFLECTION
• How do I view my relationship with God?
• Do I approach Him only with requests? Does praising Him come easily for me?
• Do I use my friends to get what I want? What about my romantic interests? Are my relationships honoring to God?
“Selfless love” should be a redundancy.
campus journal
Thursday, September 12, 2002
Jailed To Free Others
Read: Hebrews 11:1-6,32-40
Faith without works is dead. —James 2:26
The missionary had been in jail for more than 2 weeks. He was stuck behind bars in a Kosovo prison because he had tried to tell others about Jesus Christ.
Other missionaries tried to negotiate for his freedom, but day after day they were turned down. Eventually they received the good news that their friend would soon be released, so they went to the jail to tell him.
The missionaries discovered that their friend had been witnessing to his fellow inmates, and when they told him that he was about to be let out of jail, he said, "No, not yet. Give me another week. I need more time to share the gospel with these people."
What does it take for a person to be so burdened for others that he is willing to stay locked up so he can continue to proclaim the gospel? First, it takes an unwavering faith that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Hebrews 11:1-6) and that life without Him leads to a hopeless future. Second, it takes a faith that God is in control and that He can be trusted with our lives when we are not in control at all (Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 11:32-40). And third, it takes a faith that results in action—not just thoughts and words (James 2:26).
Do we have that kind of faith? —JDB
Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,
To reach out to sinners and meet their needs;
Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,
With mercy and love that flows from within. —Fitzhugh
True faith produces a life full of actions, not a head full of facts.
daily bread
Read: Hebrews 11:1-6,32-40
Faith without works is dead. —James 2:26
The missionary had been in jail for more than 2 weeks. He was stuck behind bars in a Kosovo prison because he had tried to tell others about Jesus Christ.
Other missionaries tried to negotiate for his freedom, but day after day they were turned down. Eventually they received the good news that their friend would soon be released, so they went to the jail to tell him.
The missionaries discovered that their friend had been witnessing to his fellow inmates, and when they told him that he was about to be let out of jail, he said, "No, not yet. Give me another week. I need more time to share the gospel with these people."
What does it take for a person to be so burdened for others that he is willing to stay locked up so he can continue to proclaim the gospel? First, it takes an unwavering faith that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Hebrews 11:1-6) and that life without Him leads to a hopeless future. Second, it takes a faith that God is in control and that He can be trusted with our lives when we are not in control at all (Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 11:32-40). And third, it takes a faith that results in action—not just thoughts and words (James 2:26).
Do we have that kind of faith? —JDB
Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,
To reach out to sinners and meet their needs;
Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,
With mercy and love that flows from within. —Fitzhugh
True faith produces a life full of actions, not a head full of facts.
daily bread
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
One For All And All For One
By Martha Noebel
We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us.
Understanding the principle of how one man's sin could affect everyone for generations to come is hard for us. But I have good news for you.
"Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight" (Romans 5: 18, 19 NLT).
Adam sinned and his ONE sin affected ALL those who would come after him. Thus, we have the first part of our title, One For All.
The sin nature, something we cannot see, smell, hear, feel or touch, was born into the lives of every child. Sin is not acceptable in God's eyes. Romans 3:23 says, "For ALL have sinned: ALL fall short of God's glorious standard."
This sounds like a terrible sentence to place on innocent people but that is what sin did. It attached itself around the heart and spirit of mankind like a deadly cancer. It sounds like there is no hope for us, but there is good news.
The second part of our two verses says, "…but Christ's ONE act of righteousness makes ALL people right in God's sight and gives them life…But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight." Yes, Jesus is that ONE we are ALL thankful for, thus ALL for ONE.
We can all be set free from the curse of sin thanks to the ONE sacrifice, Jesus Christ. He left His home in heaven to be born a man, to live a life as an example for everyone, and to die for ALL our sins. He carried the sins of the whole world with Him to the cross. His great love for us made Him willing to do this for everyone.
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners" (Romans 5:8).
We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us. We only need to ask Him to come into our hearts and to forgive us of our sinful nature. The penalty for sin is removed when we accept Christ as the payment for our sin.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved" (Romans 10:9,10).
If you have never committed the life-changing act of asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins, now is a good time. Romans 10:11 says, "…anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."
How cool is that? If you even for one moment thought that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ was a questionable thing to do…well forget it. The Word of God promises you will not be sorry.
So accept Jesus today. Allow Him to cast your sins into the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered again. God doesn't look back on our sins when He forgives them. He gets rid of them.
"…You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" (Micah 7:19b NLT).
Audio Adrenaline sings a great song entitled, Ocean Floor. The words say it all.
They're all behind you
They'll never find you
They're on the ocean floor
Sins are forgotten
They're on the bottom
They're on the ocean floor.
Adam may have caused it to be One for All, but through Jesus Christ, it's All for One! Thank you Jesus.
cbn
By Martha Noebel
We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us.
Understanding the principle of how one man's sin could affect everyone for generations to come is hard for us. But I have good news for you.
"Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight" (Romans 5: 18, 19 NLT).
Adam sinned and his ONE sin affected ALL those who would come after him. Thus, we have the first part of our title, One For All.
The sin nature, something we cannot see, smell, hear, feel or touch, was born into the lives of every child. Sin is not acceptable in God's eyes. Romans 3:23 says, "For ALL have sinned: ALL fall short of God's glorious standard."
This sounds like a terrible sentence to place on innocent people but that is what sin did. It attached itself around the heart and spirit of mankind like a deadly cancer. It sounds like there is no hope for us, but there is good news.
The second part of our two verses says, "…but Christ's ONE act of righteousness makes ALL people right in God's sight and gives them life…But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight." Yes, Jesus is that ONE we are ALL thankful for, thus ALL for ONE.
We can all be set free from the curse of sin thanks to the ONE sacrifice, Jesus Christ. He left His home in heaven to be born a man, to live a life as an example for everyone, and to die for ALL our sins. He carried the sins of the whole world with Him to the cross. His great love for us made Him willing to do this for everyone.
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners" (Romans 5:8).
We are not without hope. The answer to sin is found in accepting what Jesus did for us. We only need to ask Him to come into our hearts and to forgive us of our sinful nature. The penalty for sin is removed when we accept Christ as the payment for our sin.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved" (Romans 10:9,10).
If you have never committed the life-changing act of asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins, now is a good time. Romans 10:11 says, "…anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."
How cool is that? If you even for one moment thought that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ was a questionable thing to do…well forget it. The Word of God promises you will not be sorry.
So accept Jesus today. Allow Him to cast your sins into the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered again. God doesn't look back on our sins when He forgives them. He gets rid of them.
"…You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" (Micah 7:19b NLT).
Audio Adrenaline sings a great song entitled, Ocean Floor. The words say it all.
They're all behind you
They'll never find you
They're on the ocean floor
Sins are forgotten
They're on the bottom
They're on the ocean floor.
Adam may have caused it to be One for All, but through Jesus Christ, it's All for One! Thank you Jesus.
cbn
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
A New Story
READ:
Isaiah 43:16-25
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Dan Hurley has been called “The Human Story Machine.” At the age of 25, on a whim, he carried his typewriter to Michigan Avenue in Chicago and set up shop on the sidewalk. A sign taped to his typewriter said, “60-Second Novels Written While You Wait.” When a couple said, “Write one for us,” Hurley asked their names and a few personal questions. As he typed away, a crowd gathered to watch. When Dan pulled the page from his typewriter, someone shouted, “Read it!” and he did. At the end of the story, everyone applauded.
Today, two decades and thousands of one-minute novels later, Hurley is still at it, writing the quick, custom-made stories. “People seem to open up to me,” he says. “They give me their trust. I give them stories. But before I type the first word, I give them something else: my ears, my eyes, my total, 200-percent attention.”
Many of us long for someone to write the story of our lives in a new and exciting way. The beginning of a school year can be filled with fresh resolve to put old habits and sins behind us. But our soaring hopes are dragged to earth by failure and the feeling that we will never change. We begin to think that what has been will continue to be, and we just have to get used to it.
If that’s how you’re feeling today, consider these words from the Lord: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
The life-story God wants to write for each of us is based on His faithfulness and power. It begins with His promise: “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (v.25).
As we open up to Christ and trust Him, we will begin seeing our story in a new and wonderful way. —Dave McCasland
REFLECTION
• What new chapter in my life-story would I like to see written by God?
• Why does it seem too good to be true to think that this can happen?
• Knowing that God made a way through the Red Sea for Moses (Isaiah 43:16-17), what do I think that kind of power can do in my life?
Let God be the Author of your life story.
campus journal
READ:
Isaiah 43:16-25
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Dan Hurley has been called “The Human Story Machine.” At the age of 25, on a whim, he carried his typewriter to Michigan Avenue in Chicago and set up shop on the sidewalk. A sign taped to his typewriter said, “60-Second Novels Written While You Wait.” When a couple said, “Write one for us,” Hurley asked their names and a few personal questions. As he typed away, a crowd gathered to watch. When Dan pulled the page from his typewriter, someone shouted, “Read it!” and he did. At the end of the story, everyone applauded.
Today, two decades and thousands of one-minute novels later, Hurley is still at it, writing the quick, custom-made stories. “People seem to open up to me,” he says. “They give me their trust. I give them stories. But before I type the first word, I give them something else: my ears, my eyes, my total, 200-percent attention.”
Many of us long for someone to write the story of our lives in a new and exciting way. The beginning of a school year can be filled with fresh resolve to put old habits and sins behind us. But our soaring hopes are dragged to earth by failure and the feeling that we will never change. We begin to think that what has been will continue to be, and we just have to get used to it.
If that’s how you’re feeling today, consider these words from the Lord: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
The life-story God wants to write for each of us is based on His faithfulness and power. It begins with His promise: “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (v.25).
As we open up to Christ and trust Him, we will begin seeing our story in a new and wonderful way. —Dave McCasland
REFLECTION
• What new chapter in my life-story would I like to see written by God?
• Why does it seem too good to be true to think that this can happen?
• Knowing that God made a way through the Red Sea for Moses (Isaiah 43:16-17), what do I think that kind of power can do in my life?
Let God be the Author of your life story.
campus journal
Monday, September 09, 2002
Suffering in Silence
READ:
Colossians 3:12-17
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
In the shadows I see her rocking alone.
On the fringe he’s fighting a war all his own.
It’s easy for me to just turn away,
but Jesus tells me to take time to stay.
In compassion I hold her passive, cold hand.
With concern I bend down and help him to stand.
I don’t feel assured in what I should do,
yet Jesus guides me as His love shines through.
In a moment I’m gripped by this solemn thought:
My own mind may one day be sick and distraught.
What a gift from God it surely would be
for Jesus to draw someone close to me!
In the present, I have these hours to spend,
showing love as I help the fallen to mend.
In the future I’ll know just what took place,
as Jesus used me to brighten a face,
and how He led others to show me His grace.
—Tom Felten
REFLECTION
• Can I think of some people who are hurting emotionally? What prevents me from helping them? What will I do to get past my reluctance?
• How will I encourage one of them today by showing him or her God’s love?
Help heal the hurting.
campus journal
READ:
Colossians 3:12-17
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
In the shadows I see her rocking alone.
On the fringe he’s fighting a war all his own.
It’s easy for me to just turn away,
but Jesus tells me to take time to stay.
In compassion I hold her passive, cold hand.
With concern I bend down and help him to stand.
I don’t feel assured in what I should do,
yet Jesus guides me as His love shines through.
In a moment I’m gripped by this solemn thought:
My own mind may one day be sick and distraught.
What a gift from God it surely would be
for Jesus to draw someone close to me!
In the present, I have these hours to spend,
showing love as I help the fallen to mend.
In the future I’ll know just what took place,
as Jesus used me to brighten a face,
and how He led others to show me His grace.
—Tom Felten
REFLECTION
• Can I think of some people who are hurting emotionally? What prevents me from helping them? What will I do to get past my reluctance?
• How will I encourage one of them today by showing him or her God’s love?
Help heal the hurting.
campus journal
Sunday, September 08, 2002
Roast Preacher
Read: Hebrews 13:15-25
They watch out for your souls . . . . Let them do so with joy and not with grief. —Hebrews 13:17
People who have "roast preacher" for Sunday dinner need a change of diet. And a pastor who "chews out" his congregation needs to look again at his mission. A caring preacher will build up his church, and a caring church will build up its preacher.
In Hebrews 13:17, church leaders are called to watch over their flock as those who must give account before God. That's a tall order, but it's what God appoints them to do. And in the same verse, members of the congregation are reminded of their responsibility to their leaders. They are to be submissive to them and open to their correction. Their leaders will then have joy rather than grief as they seek to be faithful in carrying out their God-appointed duties.
How tragic that many church members have never learned this! All week long they criticize their pastor, and on Sunday they listen negatively as he preaches his heart out. Then they go home and have their favorite Sunday dinner—not fried chicken, but roast preacher.
Whatever our place in the body of Christ, let's build others up through mutual caring. Then instead of devouring one another, we will find joy in seeing pastors and their people being nourished and fed by one another. —JEY
The faithful pastor leads with love—
He serves the church for God above;
So may our criticism die,
And then his joy will multiply. —Branon
Pastors who preach God's Word need a good word from God's people.
daily bread
Read: Hebrews 13:15-25
They watch out for your souls . . . . Let them do so with joy and not with grief. —Hebrews 13:17
People who have "roast preacher" for Sunday dinner need a change of diet. And a pastor who "chews out" his congregation needs to look again at his mission. A caring preacher will build up his church, and a caring church will build up its preacher.
In Hebrews 13:17, church leaders are called to watch over their flock as those who must give account before God. That's a tall order, but it's what God appoints them to do. And in the same verse, members of the congregation are reminded of their responsibility to their leaders. They are to be submissive to them and open to their correction. Their leaders will then have joy rather than grief as they seek to be faithful in carrying out their God-appointed duties.
How tragic that many church members have never learned this! All week long they criticize their pastor, and on Sunday they listen negatively as he preaches his heart out. Then they go home and have their favorite Sunday dinner—not fried chicken, but roast preacher.
Whatever our place in the body of Christ, let's build others up through mutual caring. Then instead of devouring one another, we will find joy in seeing pastors and their people being nourished and fed by one another. —JEY
The faithful pastor leads with love—
He serves the church for God above;
So may our criticism die,
And then his joy will multiply. —Branon
Pastors who preach God's Word need a good word from God's people.
daily bread
Saturday, September 07, 2002
Do The Right Thing
Read: Proverbs 1:1-9
Receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. —Proverbs 1:3
Management expert Peter Drucker once wrote that too often people focus on efficiency (doing things right), instead of on effectiveness (doing the right thing). "There are few things less pleasing to the Lord, and less productive," Drucker says, "than an engineering department that rapidly turns out beautiful blueprints for the wrong product. Working on the right things is what makes . . . work effective." Those are wise words for anyone seeking business success, and for those trying to live a good life.
How can we be sure we are doing the right thing—that which is morally correct and pleasing to God—instead of doing the wrong thing in an efficient way? Solomon wrote his proverbs so that his son would "receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity." Or, as one translation puts it, to acquire "a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair" (Proverbs 1:3 NIV).
Through His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God will teach us what is right and enable us to do it. Our most important task is doing what is grounded in "justice, judgment, and equity."
Today, by God's wisdom and power, let's do the right thing. —DCM
Lead me, Lord, in tender mercy,
Leave me not to walk alone;
Let Your wisdom guide me ever,
For I dare not trust my own. —Reed
Be wise—do right.
Read: Proverbs 1:1-9
Receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. —Proverbs 1:3
Management expert Peter Drucker once wrote that too often people focus on efficiency (doing things right), instead of on effectiveness (doing the right thing). "There are few things less pleasing to the Lord, and less productive," Drucker says, "than an engineering department that rapidly turns out beautiful blueprints for the wrong product. Working on the right things is what makes . . . work effective." Those are wise words for anyone seeking business success, and for those trying to live a good life.
How can we be sure we are doing the right thing—that which is morally correct and pleasing to God—instead of doing the wrong thing in an efficient way? Solomon wrote his proverbs so that his son would "receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity." Or, as one translation puts it, to acquire "a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair" (Proverbs 1:3 NIV).
Through His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God will teach us what is right and enable us to do it. Our most important task is doing what is grounded in "justice, judgment, and equity."
Today, by God's wisdom and power, let's do the right thing. —DCM
Lead me, Lord, in tender mercy,
Leave me not to walk alone;
Let Your wisdom guide me ever,
For I dare not trust my own. —Reed
Be wise—do right.
Thursday, September 05, 2002
"Dumbbells, Get Moving!"
Read: Ephesians 1:1-14
God created man in His own image. —Genesis 1:27
A drill sergeant barked out an order to a bunch of recruits: "All you dumbbells, get moving!" All but one obeyed. Angered by his seeming defiance, the sergeant marched up to him and growled, "Well?" The young recruit replied, "There certainly were a lot of them, Sir!"
It would be great if more of us as Christians felt that good about ourselves. It's not wrong to affirm our worth. The Bible does. We have been created to reflect the moral and personal nature of God (Genesis 1:26). Sin has marred that image, but because of love, God sent His Son to die for our sins. By trusting Jesus as our Savior, we are "accepted," just as the Father accepts Him (Ephesians 1:6).
We may feel unworthy of such love and grace, but we can still have a healthy sense of self-worth, belonging, and confidence. Because Christ has removed the guilt of our sin by paying its penalty on the cross, we know that we are fully accepted by Him (vv.7-14).
Feelings of self-condemnation may still come over us, but we must affirm our worth in Christ. When an inner voice keeps shouting, "You're a dumbbell!" silence it by saying to yourself, "God made me. Christ saved me. And that makes me a person of great worth!" —DJD
Though sin deformed creation's crown,
God says, "My child, do not despair,
For in My image you were made,
And in Christ's death you fully share." —D. De Haan
Nothing speaks more clearly of God's love than the cross of Christ.
daily bread
Read: Ephesians 1:1-14
God created man in His own image. —Genesis 1:27
A drill sergeant barked out an order to a bunch of recruits: "All you dumbbells, get moving!" All but one obeyed. Angered by his seeming defiance, the sergeant marched up to him and growled, "Well?" The young recruit replied, "There certainly were a lot of them, Sir!"
It would be great if more of us as Christians felt that good about ourselves. It's not wrong to affirm our worth. The Bible does. We have been created to reflect the moral and personal nature of God (Genesis 1:26). Sin has marred that image, but because of love, God sent His Son to die for our sins. By trusting Jesus as our Savior, we are "accepted," just as the Father accepts Him (Ephesians 1:6).
We may feel unworthy of such love and grace, but we can still have a healthy sense of self-worth, belonging, and confidence. Because Christ has removed the guilt of our sin by paying its penalty on the cross, we know that we are fully accepted by Him (vv.7-14).
Feelings of self-condemnation may still come over us, but we must affirm our worth in Christ. When an inner voice keeps shouting, "You're a dumbbell!" silence it by saying to yourself, "God made me. Christ saved me. And that makes me a person of great worth!" —DJD
Though sin deformed creation's crown,
God says, "My child, do not despair,
For in My image you were made,
And in Christ's death you fully share." —D. De Haan
Nothing speaks more clearly of God's love than the cross of Christ.
daily bread
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Praying About Your Role in the Body of Christ
By Craig von Buseck & Lisa Wentland
Charles Finney wrote about our position within the local church -- and about the importance of understanding true spirituality. "Some dear souls do not realize that there is such a thing as mundane spiritual activity and aggressiveness," he declared. "True spirituality implies true faith that is in sympathy with Christ, and true Christianity is always and necessarily the spirit of missions, of revival, and of self-sacrifice."
"It is a living, energizing principle that holiness in man is just what it was in Christ. Holiness is always one and the same thing -- benevolence or goodwill -- and by a law of its own nature is continually putting forth efforts to realize its great end: the highest good to all. True Christianity is the law of love written in the heart by the Holy Spirit and acted out in practical life."
"The mistake of many people is that they do not distinguish between faith that consists in a persuasion of the intellect, accompanied by a corresponding state of feeling -- without assent of the heart or will, and faith by which the heart or will fully yields to perceived and admitted truth. Faith must be of the heart or will to be a powerful and active principle."
"The manner in which they expect and profess to be led by the Spirit seems to be that of impulse rather than divine illumination through the Word. They seem to think that the Spirit leads the people of God by impressions upon their sensibility or feelings rather than enlightening their intelligence and leading them to act rationally and in accordance with the written Word."
"True religion does not consist in obeying our feelings, but in conforming our heart to the law of our intelligence. God has given us reason, and requires us to understand what we are about. He has given us the written Word, and the Holy Spirit to illuminate it, to make us understand its great principles and the application of them to all the circumstances and duties of life."
"A true Christian is active, but his activity and energy arise out of a deep identification with the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Christ is formed within him; the Spirit of Christ is the energizing power of his soul."
ACTION POINT
Are you walking in the Spirit today? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you -- not through some mystical feeling -- but by illuminating the Word of God that is planted in your heart? Are you exhibiting true Christianity as Finney described it: the law of love written in the heart by the Holy Spirit and acted out in practical life?
As you examine your role in the church, it is important to walk in humility. No matter what you do in your congregation, no one is indispensable and therefore more valuable than any other member is. It is important that you recognize the gifts God has given you and put them to use in the Body. Day 27 covered 1 Corinthians 12, which highlights spiritual gifts. Review that now and compare it to Romans 12. What gifts do you think God has given you? How can you use them to benefit the Body of Christ? Do not neglect your gifts, given to you by God for the enrichment of the Church, but allow God to use them to touch people with the love of Christ.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I want to be used by you to touch a lost world with the love of God. I don't want to be led by my feelings, but by your Holy Spirit. Help me to have my senses exercised to discern your voice -- as your Word promises, solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
Help me to use the spiritual and natural gifts that you have given me to display the law of love among my brothers and sisters in my local church -- and in my community.
cbn
By Craig von Buseck & Lisa Wentland
Charles Finney wrote about our position within the local church -- and about the importance of understanding true spirituality. "Some dear souls do not realize that there is such a thing as mundane spiritual activity and aggressiveness," he declared. "True spirituality implies true faith that is in sympathy with Christ, and true Christianity is always and necessarily the spirit of missions, of revival, and of self-sacrifice."
"It is a living, energizing principle that holiness in man is just what it was in Christ. Holiness is always one and the same thing -- benevolence or goodwill -- and by a law of its own nature is continually putting forth efforts to realize its great end: the highest good to all. True Christianity is the law of love written in the heart by the Holy Spirit and acted out in practical life."
"The mistake of many people is that they do not distinguish between faith that consists in a persuasion of the intellect, accompanied by a corresponding state of feeling -- without assent of the heart or will, and faith by which the heart or will fully yields to perceived and admitted truth. Faith must be of the heart or will to be a powerful and active principle."
"The manner in which they expect and profess to be led by the Spirit seems to be that of impulse rather than divine illumination through the Word. They seem to think that the Spirit leads the people of God by impressions upon their sensibility or feelings rather than enlightening their intelligence and leading them to act rationally and in accordance with the written Word."
"True religion does not consist in obeying our feelings, but in conforming our heart to the law of our intelligence. God has given us reason, and requires us to understand what we are about. He has given us the written Word, and the Holy Spirit to illuminate it, to make us understand its great principles and the application of them to all the circumstances and duties of life."
"A true Christian is active, but his activity and energy arise out of a deep identification with the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Christ is formed within him; the Spirit of Christ is the energizing power of his soul."
ACTION POINT
Are you walking in the Spirit today? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you -- not through some mystical feeling -- but by illuminating the Word of God that is planted in your heart? Are you exhibiting true Christianity as Finney described it: the law of love written in the heart by the Holy Spirit and acted out in practical life?
As you examine your role in the church, it is important to walk in humility. No matter what you do in your congregation, no one is indispensable and therefore more valuable than any other member is. It is important that you recognize the gifts God has given you and put them to use in the Body. Day 27 covered 1 Corinthians 12, which highlights spiritual gifts. Review that now and compare it to Romans 12. What gifts do you think God has given you? How can you use them to benefit the Body of Christ? Do not neglect your gifts, given to you by God for the enrichment of the Church, but allow God to use them to touch people with the love of Christ.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I want to be used by you to touch a lost world with the love of God. I don't want to be led by my feelings, but by your Holy Spirit. Help me to have my senses exercised to discern your voice -- as your Word promises, solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
Help me to use the spiritual and natural gifts that you have given me to display the law of love among my brothers and sisters in my local church -- and in my community.
cbn
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
Beautiful And Broken
Read: Psalm 139:1-6
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. —Psalm 139:1
I was walking in the woods behind my home the other day when I saw a beautiful, red-faced Western Tanager on the ground. The small bird had been attacked by a predator and was dragging a broken wing.
I gathered the bird in my hands—rough hands it must've seemed to him. Perhaps because he feared more abuse like he had already endured, he fought me ferociously, screeching in defiance, pecking my hands until he drew blood.
But I saw beyond the fury to his fear. I felt his heart racing under my fingers, so I held him close until he calmed down, then tucked him under my shirt. I took him to the "Bird Lady," a neighbor who is known for nursing injured birds back to health. She would know what to do.
Some people are like that bird. They lash out in fury against those who try to help them. But God knows the fear and brokenness that lie underneath. We can all say with David, "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You . . . are acquainted with all my ways" (Psalm 139:1,3).
Let's pray and ask the Lord to help us see beyond others' behavior and be sensitive to their hurt. Let's respond with love, draw them close to us, and take them to the One who can heal their broken hearts. —DHR
God wants to bind the broken heart
And wipe each teardrop dry;
He'll calm and soothe the troubled soul
Who looks to God on high. —Brandt
God can mend your broken heart, but you must give Him all the pieces.
daily bread
Read: Psalm 139:1-6
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. —Psalm 139:1
I was walking in the woods behind my home the other day when I saw a beautiful, red-faced Western Tanager on the ground. The small bird had been attacked by a predator and was dragging a broken wing.
I gathered the bird in my hands—rough hands it must've seemed to him. Perhaps because he feared more abuse like he had already endured, he fought me ferociously, screeching in defiance, pecking my hands until he drew blood.
But I saw beyond the fury to his fear. I felt his heart racing under my fingers, so I held him close until he calmed down, then tucked him under my shirt. I took him to the "Bird Lady," a neighbor who is known for nursing injured birds back to health. She would know what to do.
Some people are like that bird. They lash out in fury against those who try to help them. But God knows the fear and brokenness that lie underneath. We can all say with David, "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You . . . are acquainted with all my ways" (Psalm 139:1,3).
Let's pray and ask the Lord to help us see beyond others' behavior and be sensitive to their hurt. Let's respond with love, draw them close to us, and take them to the One who can heal their broken hearts. —DHR
God wants to bind the broken heart
And wipe each teardrop dry;
He'll calm and soothe the troubled soul
Who looks to God on high. —Brandt
God can mend your broken heart, but you must give Him all the pieces.
daily bread
Monday, September 02, 2002
A New Job
Read: Colossians 3:1-4,22-25
Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. —Colossians 3:23
A survey by the Families and Work Institute found that 70 percent of people in the United States often dream about doing something different for a living. Books, consultants, and employment agencies offer to help us land our dream job. But is finding a different occupation always the solution to job dissatisfaction? Or could the key be discovering a new approach to our present situation?
Twice in Colossians 3, Paul used the phrase "whatever you do" as a call for wholehearted service to the Lord. He wrote, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (v.17). And again, "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men" (v.23).
If we're working for a critical, ungrateful boss, we'll tend to put forth minimum effort. But if our work is done for Christ, we'll strive to do our best all the time. The boss may sign our paycheck, but the Savior issues our reward (v.24).
It's not wrong to seek work that fits our skills and interests. But it's futile to move from one job to another without settling the issue of whom we are serving.
An old job can become new when we choose to do it for the Lord. —DCM
Thinking It Over
What is your dream job? What makes it hard to do your work with a good attitude? How will doing your work "as to the Lord" change your attitude and work habits?
Daily work takes on eternal value when it's done for God.
daily bread
Read: Colossians 3:1-4,22-25
Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. —Colossians 3:23
A survey by the Families and Work Institute found that 70 percent of people in the United States often dream about doing something different for a living. Books, consultants, and employment agencies offer to help us land our dream job. But is finding a different occupation always the solution to job dissatisfaction? Or could the key be discovering a new approach to our present situation?
Twice in Colossians 3, Paul used the phrase "whatever you do" as a call for wholehearted service to the Lord. He wrote, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (v.17). And again, "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men" (v.23).
If we're working for a critical, ungrateful boss, we'll tend to put forth minimum effort. But if our work is done for Christ, we'll strive to do our best all the time. The boss may sign our paycheck, but the Savior issues our reward (v.24).
It's not wrong to seek work that fits our skills and interests. But it's futile to move from one job to another without settling the issue of whom we are serving.
An old job can become new when we choose to do it for the Lord. —DCM
Thinking It Over
What is your dream job? What makes it hard to do your work with a good attitude? How will doing your work "as to the Lord" change your attitude and work habits?
Daily work takes on eternal value when it's done for God.
daily bread
Sunday, September 01, 2002
Unexpected Help
Read: Galatians 6:7-10
Let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. —Galatians 6:10
Gary, a youth pastor in Michigan, set off in the church van with a group of teenagers and headed for North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. The purpose of their trip was to experience adventure, bonding, and spiritual challenge in the Great American West. The idea was good, but the aging van didn't cooperate—nor did certain people along the way.
When the van broke down somewhere in Montana, Gary called a church in his denomination. He asked if the young people could spend the night in the church building. They all had sleeping bags and could sleep on the floor. Sadly, the church's leaders said no. So the group had to stay in a motel while they waited 2 days for repairs on the van to be completed.
Time dragged on and the young people were getting restless. Aware of their plight, a local woman took them to her ranch. She taught them to ride horses, let them help with the chores, and fed them wonderful meals. Meanwhile, the mechanic repaired their van on a cost-only basis. Ironically, neither the rancher nor the repairman were churchgoers.
It's humbling, but sometimes God uses the unchurched to remind Christians to "do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). —DCE
Do good to all and kindness show—
That's what God's Word commands;
For when we're serving in Christ's name,
We are His feet and hands. —Fitzhugh
Our love for Christ is only as real as our love for our neighbor.
daily bread
Read: Galatians 6:7-10
Let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. —Galatians 6:10
Gary, a youth pastor in Michigan, set off in the church van with a group of teenagers and headed for North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. The purpose of their trip was to experience adventure, bonding, and spiritual challenge in the Great American West. The idea was good, but the aging van didn't cooperate—nor did certain people along the way.
When the van broke down somewhere in Montana, Gary called a church in his denomination. He asked if the young people could spend the night in the church building. They all had sleeping bags and could sleep on the floor. Sadly, the church's leaders said no. So the group had to stay in a motel while they waited 2 days for repairs on the van to be completed.
Time dragged on and the young people were getting restless. Aware of their plight, a local woman took them to her ranch. She taught them to ride horses, let them help with the chores, and fed them wonderful meals. Meanwhile, the mechanic repaired their van on a cost-only basis. Ironically, neither the rancher nor the repairman were churchgoers.
It's humbling, but sometimes God uses the unchurched to remind Christians to "do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). —DCE
Do good to all and kindness show—
That's what God's Word commands;
For when we're serving in Christ's name,
We are His feet and hands. —Fitzhugh
Our love for Christ is only as real as our love for our neighbor.
daily bread