The Real Jesus
Read: Matthew 16:13-20
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. —Matthew 16:16
Who is Jesus? Observing the ways He is portrayed these days, it's almost impossible to recognize Him as the Jesus of the Bible. Some groups add to what the Bible says about Him, while others diminish Him to simple humanity, claiming that He was merely a wise teacher or a master moralist. Some would like to make Him disappear altogether.
But this is nothing new. It's been happening for nearly 2,000 years. This reminds me of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the US Declaration of Independence. He went through the New Testament Gospels with scissors and cut out all references to Jesus' deity and the supernatural. This is known as The Jefferson Bible. Even recently, people have approached the Gospels in similar ways.
When Jesus asked His 12 disciples what people were saying about who He was, some answers were Elijah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist, but these answers were all inadequate. Peter was correct when he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
Don't be deceived by fuzzy, watered down, or false descriptions of Jesus that you read, see, or hear about. Stick to the Bible. When people try to minimize His identity, tell them in no uncertain terms who the real Jesus is! —Dave Egner
All glory to Jesus, begotten of God,
The great I AM is He;
Creator, sustainer—but wonder of all,
The Lamb of Calvary! —Peterson
To know Jesus is to know God.
daily bread
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Mirror Image
By Kathy Schultz
My prayer is that I can learn to do as the two neighbor boys did with their earthly father. I want to be a "mirror image" of the Father and His Son.
Saturday was grass-cutting day. This is a chore I dread due to my lack of strength in being able to start the lawnmower. Since some tasks are easier for men, and starting a lawnmower is one of them, sometimes I do succeed in getting it started, but not this day. Have you heard that women can do almost anything a man can? Well, that sounds good, but from my experience, it isn't always so. God created us differently. I've come to realize this more and more since I lost my husband.
Before I had time to complain to God about my predicament, I saw my neighbor in his yard. I quickly went over to ask him to start the lawnmower. My neighbor, Mike, stopped what he was doing, and came right over to help.
The youngest of his children, three-year-old Ross, was standing with him. I watched the little boy follow right behind him, almost matching him step-by-step. This time the lawnmower wouldn't start, even for him. Mike immediately went to get his tools to fix the problem. As he started to his garage, so did his little boy. He returned with a few tools in hand, and walking with him, holding some of his play tools, was Ross. Mike stooped down and began looking at the lawnmower, unscrewing nuts and bolts, with Ross stooping right beside him, imitating everything he did. It was a picture I will carry with me for a long time, father and son sharing such a special bond.
In a few moments, the oldest son joined the pair fixing the lawnmower. Christopher looked at me, and with great confidence in his Dad's abilities said, "if it can be fixed, my Dad can do it." I was now observing the father's bond with the eldest, as well as the youngest child.
God showed me a few nuggets of truth, right there in my own front yard.
1. I need to be childlike, just as those two boys were with their father.
I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt: 18:4).
2. I am to imitate my heavenly Father, just as the youngest one did his earthly dad. I need to be close to Him, watching and learning.
3. Like the oldest son, I need to have confidence in my Heavenly Father. I know my God can fix anything! This son's confidence in his dad was based on knowing him and seeing him fix things before. He had been where the youngest was now sitting. There was no doubt in his mind, he was confident that his dad could fix my lawnmower.
Do I have that same confidence in God? Do I know my heavenly Father as those two boys know their earthly dad?
Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring (Hosea 6:3 New Living Translation, The Book).
It won't happen unless I do as they did … spend time with my Dad and watch what He is doing, listen to what He is saying, and then do as He does.
The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does (John 5:19).
My prayer is that I can learn to do as the two neighbor boys did with their earthly father. I want to be a "mirror image" of the Father and His Son.
Also, let's remember to have confidence in God for our needs. We have seen Him fix things before and we know He can do it again! He has even fixed us in that He saved us so we can live with Him for all eternity. We have great reason to be confident!
cbn
By Kathy Schultz
My prayer is that I can learn to do as the two neighbor boys did with their earthly father. I want to be a "mirror image" of the Father and His Son.
Saturday was grass-cutting day. This is a chore I dread due to my lack of strength in being able to start the lawnmower. Since some tasks are easier for men, and starting a lawnmower is one of them, sometimes I do succeed in getting it started, but not this day. Have you heard that women can do almost anything a man can? Well, that sounds good, but from my experience, it isn't always so. God created us differently. I've come to realize this more and more since I lost my husband.
Before I had time to complain to God about my predicament, I saw my neighbor in his yard. I quickly went over to ask him to start the lawnmower. My neighbor, Mike, stopped what he was doing, and came right over to help.
The youngest of his children, three-year-old Ross, was standing with him. I watched the little boy follow right behind him, almost matching him step-by-step. This time the lawnmower wouldn't start, even for him. Mike immediately went to get his tools to fix the problem. As he started to his garage, so did his little boy. He returned with a few tools in hand, and walking with him, holding some of his play tools, was Ross. Mike stooped down and began looking at the lawnmower, unscrewing nuts and bolts, with Ross stooping right beside him, imitating everything he did. It was a picture I will carry with me for a long time, father and son sharing such a special bond.
In a few moments, the oldest son joined the pair fixing the lawnmower. Christopher looked at me, and with great confidence in his Dad's abilities said, "if it can be fixed, my Dad can do it." I was now observing the father's bond with the eldest, as well as the youngest child.
God showed me a few nuggets of truth, right there in my own front yard.
1. I need to be childlike, just as those two boys were with their father.
I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt: 18:4).
2. I am to imitate my heavenly Father, just as the youngest one did his earthly dad. I need to be close to Him, watching and learning.
3. Like the oldest son, I need to have confidence in my Heavenly Father. I know my God can fix anything! This son's confidence in his dad was based on knowing him and seeing him fix things before. He had been where the youngest was now sitting. There was no doubt in his mind, he was confident that his dad could fix my lawnmower.
Do I have that same confidence in God? Do I know my heavenly Father as those two boys know their earthly dad?
Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring (Hosea 6:3 New Living Translation, The Book).
It won't happen unless I do as they did … spend time with my Dad and watch what He is doing, listen to what He is saying, and then do as He does.
The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does (John 5:19).
My prayer is that I can learn to do as the two neighbor boys did with their earthly father. I want to be a "mirror image" of the Father and His Son.
Also, let's remember to have confidence in God for our needs. We have seen Him fix things before and we know He can do it again! He has even fixed us in that He saved us so we can live with Him for all eternity. We have great reason to be confident!
cbn
Friday, August 29, 2003
Fretting Is A Waste
Read: Psalm 90:10-17
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12
The older we get, the shorter life seems. Author Victor Hugo said, "Short as life is, we make it still shorter by the careless waste of time."
There's no sadder example of wasted time than a life dominated by fretting. Take, for example, an American woman whose dream of riding a train through the English countryside came true. After boarding the train she kept fretting about the windows and the temperature, complaining about her seat assignment, rearranging her luggage, and so on. To her shock, she suddenly reached her journey's end. With deep regret she said to the person meeting her, "If I'd known I was going to arrive so soon, I wouldn't have wasted my time fretting so much."
It's easy to get sidetracked by problems that won't matter at life's end—difficult neighbors, a tight budget, signs of aging, people who are wealthier than you. Moses acknowledged the brevity of life and prayed, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).
Instead of fretting, feed on God's Word and apply it to yourself. Strive to grow in God's wisdom every day. Stay focused on eternal values. Make it your goal to greet your waiting Savior one day with a heart of wisdom, rather than a heart of care. —Joanie Yoder
Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear. —Berg
Worry casts a big shadow behind a small thing.
daily bread
Read: Psalm 90:10-17
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12
The older we get, the shorter life seems. Author Victor Hugo said, "Short as life is, we make it still shorter by the careless waste of time."
There's no sadder example of wasted time than a life dominated by fretting. Take, for example, an American woman whose dream of riding a train through the English countryside came true. After boarding the train she kept fretting about the windows and the temperature, complaining about her seat assignment, rearranging her luggage, and so on. To her shock, she suddenly reached her journey's end. With deep regret she said to the person meeting her, "If I'd known I was going to arrive so soon, I wouldn't have wasted my time fretting so much."
It's easy to get sidetracked by problems that won't matter at life's end—difficult neighbors, a tight budget, signs of aging, people who are wealthier than you. Moses acknowledged the brevity of life and prayed, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).
Instead of fretting, feed on God's Word and apply it to yourself. Strive to grow in God's wisdom every day. Stay focused on eternal values. Make it your goal to greet your waiting Savior one day with a heart of wisdom, rather than a heart of care. —Joanie Yoder
Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear. —Berg
Worry casts a big shadow behind a small thing.
daily bread
Thursday, August 28, 2003
READY FOR THE RETURN
Matthew 24:42-46
42 Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. 45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him so doing when he returns.
Here's an update on the deployment of my GI buddies (Campus Journal, January 30, 2003). So far, they have made it back safely. Other soldiers have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but the soldiers I know best have not faced that test yet.
One of my best friends, Brandon, left his prized possession--a '97 Mustang 5.0--in my care. The plan was for me to register the car, update the insurance, and get it serviced right before he returned.
So he calls December 20: He might be on the next plane out of Afghanistan! False alarm.
He calls again: Now it looks like he will be leaving on January 3. So I get everything done. He e-mails: delayed again.
As I write this article at the end of January, Brandon still hasn't left Afghanistan. And even when he makes it to Germany, the returning GIs are piling up there. So it might still take a while--but I'm ready.
If only I were that ready for our Savior to return. Jesus Himself warned the disciples that wise people keep their house in order, anticipating the imminent return of their master. Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to be lulled into semiconscious complacency. Our words offer lip service to the belief that Jesus will return soon; our actions say otherwise.
Books like the Left Behind series have increased interest in the endtimes. Not everyone agrees with their theology, but the vigilance the books promote is valuable. Am I recommending that you sell everything and head for the hills to wait for the Lord? I guess that depends on how nice the hills are.
You can wait for the Lord right where you are. It's not a matter of stopping everything you're doing. As you do things, consider their worth in the context of approaching eternity.
I know I'll be happy when I see Brandon return. But when I see Jesus . . . man, that is a whole 'nuther matter. I want to be ready! --John Carvalho
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I know someone who is in the military and has deployed or might deploy to another country? How will I feel when my friend returns?
* In what ways does my life show I am ready/not ready for Jesus to return?
* How will I change to become better prepared?
LINKS:
What Can We Know About The Second Coming?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1204
What Can We Know About The Endtimes?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1201
bottom line: Watch and pray--Jesus may return today!
soul journey
Matthew 24:42-46
42 Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. 45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him so doing when he returns.
Here's an update on the deployment of my GI buddies (Campus Journal, January 30, 2003). So far, they have made it back safely. Other soldiers have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but the soldiers I know best have not faced that test yet.
One of my best friends, Brandon, left his prized possession--a '97 Mustang 5.0--in my care. The plan was for me to register the car, update the insurance, and get it serviced right before he returned.
So he calls December 20: He might be on the next plane out of Afghanistan! False alarm.
He calls again: Now it looks like he will be leaving on January 3. So I get everything done. He e-mails: delayed again.
As I write this article at the end of January, Brandon still hasn't left Afghanistan. And even when he makes it to Germany, the returning GIs are piling up there. So it might still take a while--but I'm ready.
If only I were that ready for our Savior to return. Jesus Himself warned the disciples that wise people keep their house in order, anticipating the imminent return of their master. Unfortunately, we allow ourselves to be lulled into semiconscious complacency. Our words offer lip service to the belief that Jesus will return soon; our actions say otherwise.
Books like the Left Behind series have increased interest in the endtimes. Not everyone agrees with their theology, but the vigilance the books promote is valuable. Am I recommending that you sell everything and head for the hills to wait for the Lord? I guess that depends on how nice the hills are.
You can wait for the Lord right where you are. It's not a matter of stopping everything you're doing. As you do things, consider their worth in the context of approaching eternity.
I know I'll be happy when I see Brandon return. But when I see Jesus . . . man, that is a whole 'nuther matter. I want to be ready! --John Carvalho
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I know someone who is in the military and has deployed or might deploy to another country? How will I feel when my friend returns?
* In what ways does my life show I am ready/not ready for Jesus to return?
* How will I change to become better prepared?
LINKS:
What Can We Know About The Second Coming?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1204
What Can We Know About The Endtimes?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1201
bottom line: Watch and pray--Jesus may return today!
soul journey
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Bank of Bad Habits
By Aaron Bull
Bad habits which at times can become idols we hide at all costs, will catch up with us some day.
Here’s a confession…I listen to Jimmy Buffett. There are some songs I object to, but overall it’s the escapism of being at the beach anytime I want to go simply by listening to one of his songs that I enjoy.
There’s one song that I particularly enjoy due to its biblical basis. It’s called the "Bank of Bad Habits." For those of you who listen to or have listened to Buffett in the past, it will be no surprise that it’s a bouncy song with a beach/blues sound.
The song talks about (I don’t mean to point out the obvious) a bank of bad habits where we make deposits and withdrawals. However, at this bank it’s not money, CDs, etc.… it’s a bank where we deposit and withdrawal our bad habits.
Believe it or not, the bad habits he lists are, as I mentioned before, in the Bible. They are pride, coveting, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. One of the reasons I enjoy this song so much is that when I commit one of these sins a little song starts playing in my head. Can you guess which one? It seems almost as if it’s God’s comical way of reminding me of what I’m in the midst of. For those of you who object to me inferring that God has a sense of humor, let me answer you with a joke. How do you make God laugh? Make plans. I digress.
Another part of the song has the following lyrics:
Bank of bad habits…One by one they'll do you in
They're bound to take their toll
Here’s the other truth of the song. These same habits, which at times can become idols we hide at all costs, will catch up with us some day. They will reveal us either at work, home, with our kids or spouse. Usually it’s at the most inopportune time.
Numbers 32:23 says, Be sure your sin will find you out.
How do we resolve these sins? How do we break free from them? Pray, pray and then pray some more. We have to ask for forgiveness for each of them. Identify them one by one as best you can. We also need to truly repent of each sin, going so far as to ask God to help you break free. However, the decision is still ultimately up to you as to choosing God’s will or your own. He will never let the temptation be stronger than what you can handle and He will always give you a way out. He promises it in scripture:
1 Corinthians 10:14
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
To give Buffett some credit, one of the other lines in the song is:
"So put away those alibis
You can't fool that Banker in the sky"
Boy is that the truth! So what will it be today…a deposit or withdrawal…or possibly a permanent closing of the account?
cbn
By Aaron Bull
Bad habits which at times can become idols we hide at all costs, will catch up with us some day.
Here’s a confession…I listen to Jimmy Buffett. There are some songs I object to, but overall it’s the escapism of being at the beach anytime I want to go simply by listening to one of his songs that I enjoy.
There’s one song that I particularly enjoy due to its biblical basis. It’s called the "Bank of Bad Habits." For those of you who listen to or have listened to Buffett in the past, it will be no surprise that it’s a bouncy song with a beach/blues sound.
The song talks about (I don’t mean to point out the obvious) a bank of bad habits where we make deposits and withdrawals. However, at this bank it’s not money, CDs, etc.… it’s a bank where we deposit and withdrawal our bad habits.
Believe it or not, the bad habits he lists are, as I mentioned before, in the Bible. They are pride, coveting, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. One of the reasons I enjoy this song so much is that when I commit one of these sins a little song starts playing in my head. Can you guess which one? It seems almost as if it’s God’s comical way of reminding me of what I’m in the midst of. For those of you who object to me inferring that God has a sense of humor, let me answer you with a joke. How do you make God laugh? Make plans. I digress.
Another part of the song has the following lyrics:
Bank of bad habits…One by one they'll do you in
They're bound to take their toll
Here’s the other truth of the song. These same habits, which at times can become idols we hide at all costs, will catch up with us some day. They will reveal us either at work, home, with our kids or spouse. Usually it’s at the most inopportune time.
Numbers 32:23 says, Be sure your sin will find you out.
How do we resolve these sins? How do we break free from them? Pray, pray and then pray some more. We have to ask for forgiveness for each of them. Identify them one by one as best you can. We also need to truly repent of each sin, going so far as to ask God to help you break free. However, the decision is still ultimately up to you as to choosing God’s will or your own. He will never let the temptation be stronger than what you can handle and He will always give you a way out. He promises it in scripture:
1 Corinthians 10:14
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
To give Buffett some credit, one of the other lines in the song is:
"So put away those alibis
You can't fool that Banker in the sky"
Boy is that the truth! So what will it be today…a deposit or withdrawal…or possibly a permanent closing of the account?
cbn
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
MY "CONSTELLATION"
1 John 1:5-10
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.
I was riding along in my truck listening to Dr. Laura offer advice and moral guidance to her radio callers. She had given good insight to a young woman, then told her to go back and apply it to her "constellation." She was referring to the people who make up this woman's world, her "galaxy." Family, friends, co workers, roommates, and even distant relatives make up our "constellation"--our universe of influence.
John Donne (1572-1631), celebrated English clergyman and author, knew full well that we are interconnected with many people. What touches one, he said, touches all. Our words and deeds affect those around us--sometimes profoundly. Likewise, the events of other lives influence us.
In Meditation 17, Donne wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent; a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less." He went on to make it personal: "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
In Donne's day, a church bell tolled to announce the death of a member of the parish. Its ringing forced people to think of their own death. It's still true. Death touches us, as did the perishing of the seven astronauts aboard the Columbia, because we are all connected by our shared humanity.
Here's the point: Our words, our deeds, and our gestures impact those who are part of our world. The bad choices we make extend to the far reaches of our "constellation." So do our wise decisions, our acts of kindness, and our expressions of respect, concern, and love.
Jesus, the Light of the world, told us, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Let's impact the constellation of our influence for man's good and God's glory. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* What recent account of kindness or good news cheered me? Inspired me?
* Does a death usually make me think of my own mortality? How does it help me to think about it as a believer in Jesus?
* Is the overall impact of my life positive or negative? How can I find out?
LINKS:
Is There Life After Death?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1205
bottom line: Our constellation needs Jesus' revelation.
soul journey
1 John 1:5-10
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.
I was riding along in my truck listening to Dr. Laura offer advice and moral guidance to her radio callers. She had given good insight to a young woman, then told her to go back and apply it to her "constellation." She was referring to the people who make up this woman's world, her "galaxy." Family, friends, co workers, roommates, and even distant relatives make up our "constellation"--our universe of influence.
John Donne (1572-1631), celebrated English clergyman and author, knew full well that we are interconnected with many people. What touches one, he said, touches all. Our words and deeds affect those around us--sometimes profoundly. Likewise, the events of other lives influence us.
In Meditation 17, Donne wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent; a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less." He went on to make it personal: "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
In Donne's day, a church bell tolled to announce the death of a member of the parish. Its ringing forced people to think of their own death. It's still true. Death touches us, as did the perishing of the seven astronauts aboard the Columbia, because we are all connected by our shared humanity.
Here's the point: Our words, our deeds, and our gestures impact those who are part of our world. The bad choices we make extend to the far reaches of our "constellation." So do our wise decisions, our acts of kindness, and our expressions of respect, concern, and love.
Jesus, the Light of the world, told us, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Let's impact the constellation of our influence for man's good and God's glory. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* What recent account of kindness or good news cheered me? Inspired me?
* Does a death usually make me think of my own mortality? How does it help me to think about it as a believer in Jesus?
* Is the overall impact of my life positive or negative? How can I find out?
LINKS:
Is There Life After Death?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q1205
bottom line: Our constellation needs Jesus' revelation.
soul journey
Monday, August 25, 2003
Christ-Centered Faith
Read: Colossians 2:1-10
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. —Colossians 2:6
Some Christians try to live from one dramatic mountaintop experience to another. Their relationship with the Lord is based on their feelings at the moment. They go from Bible conferences to seminars to Bible studies, trying to maintain an emotional high.
Author Creath Davis, referring to his early Christian life, wrote, "I felt that if something spectacular was not transpiring, my faith was weakening. As a result, I missed most of what was going on in the valleys, waiting to get back to the mountain."
What's an effective antidote for a feelings-centered faith? According to the apostle Paul in Colossians 2, being Christ-centered is the answer. Having received Christ Jesus by faith, we are instructed to continue to "walk in Him" by faith (v.6) through both the highs and lows of life. By walking in close fellowship with Him each day, we become "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith" (v.7). We grow steadily into maturity as we focus on Christ and what He has done for us, and not on our feelings.
Mountaintop experiences can be beneficial, but nothing is more profitable than an ongoing, Christ-centered life of faith. —Joanie Yoder
With faith in Christ we walk each day,
Accepting all that comes our way;
So let us view each task at hand
As being His divine command. —D. De Haan
True faith needs no feelings to rest upon.
daily bread
Read: Colossians 2:1-10
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. —Colossians 2:6
Some Christians try to live from one dramatic mountaintop experience to another. Their relationship with the Lord is based on their feelings at the moment. They go from Bible conferences to seminars to Bible studies, trying to maintain an emotional high.
Author Creath Davis, referring to his early Christian life, wrote, "I felt that if something spectacular was not transpiring, my faith was weakening. As a result, I missed most of what was going on in the valleys, waiting to get back to the mountain."
What's an effective antidote for a feelings-centered faith? According to the apostle Paul in Colossians 2, being Christ-centered is the answer. Having received Christ Jesus by faith, we are instructed to continue to "walk in Him" by faith (v.6) through both the highs and lows of life. By walking in close fellowship with Him each day, we become "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith" (v.7). We grow steadily into maturity as we focus on Christ and what He has done for us, and not on our feelings.
Mountaintop experiences can be beneficial, but nothing is more profitable than an ongoing, Christ-centered life of faith. —Joanie Yoder
With faith in Christ we walk each day,
Accepting all that comes our way;
So let us view each task at hand
As being His divine command. —D. De Haan
True faith needs no feelings to rest upon.
daily bread
Sunday, August 24, 2003
MY HERO
1 Corinthians 1:25-31
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before Him. 30 It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Professional football quarterbacks have to be tough, physically and emotionally. One of the toughest was Jim Kelly, who passed for more than 35,000 yards and led the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowls, enduring the disappointment of never winning a championship ring. But it's likely that people will remember Kelly's biggest victory being the remarks he made in Canton, Ohio, in August 2002 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Instead of basking in the fame and glory that was rightfully his, Kelly turned the spotlight on his son.
Five-year-old Hunter Kelly suffers from Krabbes disease, a rare degenerative disorder of the nervous system which has left him without motor skills. Kelly spoke of never being able to play catch or go camping with his son, yet feeling blessed by having a special-needs child. His one prayer has been that Hunter would live to see his dad enter the Hall of Fame.
At the end of his remarks, Jim Kelly turned toward his son and said: "It has been written throughout my career that toughness is my trademark. Well, the toughest person I've ever met in my life is my hero, my soldier, my son Hunter. I love you, buddy." And 17,000 people stood to applaud and cry.
Life has a way of rearranging our concepts of weakness and strength. And God definitely measures influence by His own unique scale.
Paul told the Corinthians: "Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
In Christ, the weakest person of sincere faith is a hero in God's hall of fame. --Dave McCasland
DESTINATION POINTS
* What weakness have I often wished I did not possess?
* Why would God choose the foolish, weak, lowly, and despised to make Himself known in this world?
* What have I learned from Hunter Kelly, the apostle Paul, and Almighty God today?
LINKS:
http://www.krabbes.com
http://www.huntershope.org
My Dad, My Hero
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/9c6/9c6025.html
bottom line: Strong faith overcomes our weakness.
soul journey
1 Corinthians 1:25-31
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before Him. 30 It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Professional football quarterbacks have to be tough, physically and emotionally. One of the toughest was Jim Kelly, who passed for more than 35,000 yards and led the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowls, enduring the disappointment of never winning a championship ring. But it's likely that people will remember Kelly's biggest victory being the remarks he made in Canton, Ohio, in August 2002 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Instead of basking in the fame and glory that was rightfully his, Kelly turned the spotlight on his son.
Five-year-old Hunter Kelly suffers from Krabbes disease, a rare degenerative disorder of the nervous system which has left him without motor skills. Kelly spoke of never being able to play catch or go camping with his son, yet feeling blessed by having a special-needs child. His one prayer has been that Hunter would live to see his dad enter the Hall of Fame.
At the end of his remarks, Jim Kelly turned toward his son and said: "It has been written throughout my career that toughness is my trademark. Well, the toughest person I've ever met in my life is my hero, my soldier, my son Hunter. I love you, buddy." And 17,000 people stood to applaud and cry.
Life has a way of rearranging our concepts of weakness and strength. And God definitely measures influence by His own unique scale.
Paul told the Corinthians: "Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
In Christ, the weakest person of sincere faith is a hero in God's hall of fame. --Dave McCasland
DESTINATION POINTS
* What weakness have I often wished I did not possess?
* Why would God choose the foolish, weak, lowly, and despised to make Himself known in this world?
* What have I learned from Hunter Kelly, the apostle Paul, and Almighty God today?
LINKS:
http://www.krabbes.com
http://www.huntershope.org
My Dad, My Hero
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/9c6/9c6025.html
bottom line: Strong faith overcomes our weakness.
soul journey
Saturday, August 23, 2003
I Can Only Imagine
By Martha Noebel
God's presence is so powerfully wonderful. It brings us into a oneness with God that cannot be explained and barely fathomed.
My favorite song, "I Can Only Imagine", won the award for Song of the Year at the Dove Awards, 2002. Songwriter/Singer Bart Millard of the group Mercy Me won the award. I was so excited. It is a wonderful song that always stirs my heart.
In the song, the thought is presented that we "can only imagine" what it will be like when we stand before God. Here are a few of the words:
I can only image what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine
Surrounded by your glory; what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah; will I be able to speak at all?
I can only image…I can only imagine
As I listened to the song on the radio, I envisioned myself in heaven. I was standing in the middle of a large crowd of people that were all facing Jesus Who was standing in front of His throne. I started jumping up and down waving my hands because I wanted Jesus to see me. I knew there was no way He could see all of us. But there I was with my little 5'3'' self, jumping up and down, waving my hands like a schoolgirl, trying to get God's attention. (Well, I guess I know now what I would do if I ever get that close to God. There would not be that quiet, shy, "nothing to say" thing going on. I would be too excited.)
Then all of a sudden I felt God speak to my heart. He spoke to me and I felt His presence. I saw a bright light shine over me at the very spot where I was standing (ok, jumping). He said He was with me and He made me feel like I was the only one there. His presence was so sweet. I knew I was so important to Him. I felt His awesome love for me.
He knows how to make each of us feel special; as if we are the only ones around. Even in the crowd, I felt like He saw only me. And yet the people beside me felt the same way. God's presence is so powerfully wonderful. It brings us into a oneness with God that cannot be explained and barely fathomed.
I can only imagine…what about you? Can you see yourself smiling in the face of God? Can you laugh with great joy knowing God loves you so much that others seem to disappear when you need an audience alone with Him? Imagine it…because it's real.
cbn
By Martha Noebel
God's presence is so powerfully wonderful. It brings us into a oneness with God that cannot be explained and barely fathomed.
My favorite song, "I Can Only Imagine", won the award for Song of the Year at the Dove Awards, 2002. Songwriter/Singer Bart Millard of the group Mercy Me won the award. I was so excited. It is a wonderful song that always stirs my heart.
In the song, the thought is presented that we "can only imagine" what it will be like when we stand before God. Here are a few of the words:
I can only image what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine
Surrounded by your glory; what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah; will I be able to speak at all?
I can only image…I can only imagine
As I listened to the song on the radio, I envisioned myself in heaven. I was standing in the middle of a large crowd of people that were all facing Jesus Who was standing in front of His throne. I started jumping up and down waving my hands because I wanted Jesus to see me. I knew there was no way He could see all of us. But there I was with my little 5'3'' self, jumping up and down, waving my hands like a schoolgirl, trying to get God's attention. (Well, I guess I know now what I would do if I ever get that close to God. There would not be that quiet, shy, "nothing to say" thing going on. I would be too excited.)
Then all of a sudden I felt God speak to my heart. He spoke to me and I felt His presence. I saw a bright light shine over me at the very spot where I was standing (ok, jumping). He said He was with me and He made me feel like I was the only one there. His presence was so sweet. I knew I was so important to Him. I felt His awesome love for me.
He knows how to make each of us feel special; as if we are the only ones around. Even in the crowd, I felt like He saw only me. And yet the people beside me felt the same way. God's presence is so powerfully wonderful. It brings us into a oneness with God that cannot be explained and barely fathomed.
I can only imagine…what about you? Can you see yourself smiling in the face of God? Can you laugh with great joy knowing God loves you so much that others seem to disappear when you need an audience alone with Him? Imagine it…because it's real.
cbn
When You Say, "I'm Sorry"
Read: Hosea 6:1-6
Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted. —2 Corinthians 7:10
With tears in his eyes a man said to me, "I told my wife I was sorry, but she says she won't continue to live with me. First John 1:9 says that God forgives us when we confess our sins. Please talk to her and tell her that if God forgives, she should too."
I knew this man had "repented" several times before, only to revert to his abusive behavior. So I said, "No, I'm not going to tell her that. In your case, saying 'I'm sorry' isn't enough." His wife insisted that he receive counseling and give evidence of a genuine change before returning home. She was right.
Just saying "I'm sorry" is not enough for God either. The leaders of Israel, in the face of trouble brought on by their sin, thought that merely returning to prescribed sacrificial offerings would solve their problems. But God rejected that kind of "repentance." It was as fleeting as "a morning cloud" and "the early dew" that fades away with the first rays of sunlight (Hosea 6:4).
Merely saying "I'm sorry" is no different than the empty rituals of the Israelites. God said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (v.6). He meant that repentance must result in a change of heart and a change in behavior. That's "godly sorrow" (2 Corinthians 7:10). —Herb Vander Lugt
Repentance is to leave the sin
That we had loved before,
And showing we are grieved by it
By doing it no more. —Anon.
Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it.
daily bread
Read: Hosea 6:1-6
Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted. —2 Corinthians 7:10
With tears in his eyes a man said to me, "I told my wife I was sorry, but she says she won't continue to live with me. First John 1:9 says that God forgives us when we confess our sins. Please talk to her and tell her that if God forgives, she should too."
I knew this man had "repented" several times before, only to revert to his abusive behavior. So I said, "No, I'm not going to tell her that. In your case, saying 'I'm sorry' isn't enough." His wife insisted that he receive counseling and give evidence of a genuine change before returning home. She was right.
Just saying "I'm sorry" is not enough for God either. The leaders of Israel, in the face of trouble brought on by their sin, thought that merely returning to prescribed sacrificial offerings would solve their problems. But God rejected that kind of "repentance." It was as fleeting as "a morning cloud" and "the early dew" that fades away with the first rays of sunlight (Hosea 6:4).
Merely saying "I'm sorry" is no different than the empty rituals of the Israelites. God said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (v.6). He meant that repentance must result in a change of heart and a change in behavior. That's "godly sorrow" (2 Corinthians 7:10). —Herb Vander Lugt
Repentance is to leave the sin
That we had loved before,
And showing we are grieved by it
By doing it no more. —Anon.
Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it.
daily bread
Thursday, August 21, 2003
God Longs for You
By Dena J. Dyer
God sent his only Son far away, when he could have held Jesus close to his side, because he loves you so much.
Scripture: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34, NIV
Last week, I was gone to a writing conference in Colorado, and I had to leave my son and husband behind for a few days.
I don't like to be away from home, but I knew God was opening a door for me to go to this conference, and I needed a spiritual retreat. It was a wonderful time in the mountains, surrounded by nature and by other people who shared my passion for the written word. But by the third day, I was so homesick for my 3 year-old, Jordan, that my arms literally ached to hold him.
As I prayed and cried that night before falling asleep, God spoke to my heart. "I long for my children that way," he seemed to say to me. And with a start, I realized that in the scripture God is often portrayed with emotions like a mother's.
Are you running from God? Do you feel as if he's forgotten you? Maybe you think he should have intervened to help you with a problem that continues to trouble you.
Just remember: John 3:16 says that God sent his only Son far away, when he could have held Jesus close to his side, because he loves you so much.
And even now, his arms ache to hold you close.
Lord, help me to remember that you love me even more than I can imagine. Thank you that you never leave me or forsake me.
cbn
By Dena J. Dyer
God sent his only Son far away, when he could have held Jesus close to his side, because he loves you so much.
Scripture: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34, NIV
Last week, I was gone to a writing conference in Colorado, and I had to leave my son and husband behind for a few days.
I don't like to be away from home, but I knew God was opening a door for me to go to this conference, and I needed a spiritual retreat. It was a wonderful time in the mountains, surrounded by nature and by other people who shared my passion for the written word. But by the third day, I was so homesick for my 3 year-old, Jordan, that my arms literally ached to hold him.
As I prayed and cried that night before falling asleep, God spoke to my heart. "I long for my children that way," he seemed to say to me. And with a start, I realized that in the scripture God is often portrayed with emotions like a mother's.
Are you running from God? Do you feel as if he's forgotten you? Maybe you think he should have intervened to help you with a problem that continues to trouble you.
Just remember: John 3:16 says that God sent his only Son far away, when he could have held Jesus close to his side, because he loves you so much.
And even now, his arms ache to hold you close.
Lord, help me to remember that you love me even more than I can imagine. Thank you that you never leave me or forsake me.
cbn
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
ELECTRIC BLANKET
Mark 9:17-26
17 "Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. . . . I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." 19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me." . . . 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" 22 "From childhood," he answered. ". . . But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23 " 'If You can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," He said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.
Some followers of Jesus expect the Christian life to go as smoothly and easily as sliding into a warm, comfortable bed--no discomfort, no complaints, no stress.
Trouble is, it doesn't usually work that way--as you've probably already discovered. Sometimes we begin to suspect that God is picking on us. We may even begin to struggle with our faith.
Flannery O'Connor, a brilliant American writer and a believer in Jesus Christ, had some thoughts about that. She once observed, "I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is. But I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think it is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross."
More than one Christian has gone through periods of doubt, perhaps even bordering on despair. They often don't realize that the act of crying out for help is a demonstration that faith is very much present and alive in them.
In a letter to a college student who expressed doubts about the Christian faith, O'Connor wrote, "Even in the life of a Christian, faith rises and falls like the tides of an invisible sea. It's there even when he can't see it or feel it."
Our misery is the evidence of our faith. When we cry out with the distraught father in today's text, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24), we are expressing our faith. In His way and in His time, God will give us the assurance we need. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I experience occasional bouts of spiritual doubt? Depression? What do I do about them?
* Why do some believers expect the Christian life to be as comfortable as a big electric blanket?
* What Scripture has helped me when I've doubted?
LINKS:
Why Christians Doubt http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0717
bottom line: The Way does not ensure the easiest way.
soul journey
Mark 9:17-26
17 "Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. . . . I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." 19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me." . . . 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" 22 "From childhood," he answered. ". . . But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23 " 'If You can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," He said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.
Some followers of Jesus expect the Christian life to go as smoothly and easily as sliding into a warm, comfortable bed--no discomfort, no complaints, no stress.
Trouble is, it doesn't usually work that way--as you've probably already discovered. Sometimes we begin to suspect that God is picking on us. We may even begin to struggle with our faith.
Flannery O'Connor, a brilliant American writer and a believer in Jesus Christ, had some thoughts about that. She once observed, "I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is. But I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think it is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross."
More than one Christian has gone through periods of doubt, perhaps even bordering on despair. They often don't realize that the act of crying out for help is a demonstration that faith is very much present and alive in them.
In a letter to a college student who expressed doubts about the Christian faith, O'Connor wrote, "Even in the life of a Christian, faith rises and falls like the tides of an invisible sea. It's there even when he can't see it or feel it."
Our misery is the evidence of our faith. When we cry out with the distraught father in today's text, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24), we are expressing our faith. In His way and in His time, God will give us the assurance we need. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I experience occasional bouts of spiritual doubt? Depression? What do I do about them?
* Why do some believers expect the Christian life to be as comfortable as a big electric blanket?
* What Scripture has helped me when I've doubted?
LINKS:
Why Christians Doubt http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0717
bottom line: The Way does not ensure the easiest way.
soul journey
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
STRAY STAR
Luke 15:11-20
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 Theyounger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. . . . 17 When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
The newspaper headline announced: "Young star pulled by wrong crowd may be destined to stray forever." The article wasn't about a promising Hollywood actor or pop musician whose personal life was disintegrating. This star was of the outer-space variety.
Known to astronomers as Tauri Sb, the relatively small star (20 percent of the mass of our sun) had been part of a four-star family. For 20 years, researchers have been watching its movements. They noticed that the small star was drawn toward a larger pair, coming close enough so that as it passed them, Tauri Sb doubled its speed and shot off away from its original solar family. It looks like Tauri Sb will end up wandering through space.
What happens in outer space is similar to what happens to people on our little planet. No doubt you've seen it happen. Like the young son in the parable Jesus told, a person pursues bad relationships and wanders far from home. That "home" may be a family, a church, or friends. It also usually means wandering away from God. And it's all too easy to find "friends" who will encourage the wanderer to keep going.
The big difference between Tauri Sb and the prodigal in Jesus' parable is that the star, if it ever turns back home, will be in an orbit far distant from its original relationship to its family. But the young son came back--and he came back to his father's open arms.
The same can be true for you and me if one day we come to our senses and realize that we have allowed ourselves to be pulled away from a close relationship with God. We don't have to wonder if the Lord wants us back--He does. We don't have to wait light-years to try to fix up our lives--He wants us back right away. (See Luke 15:17-24.)
Who's influencing us today? Where are our lives headed? Do we need to come home? --Kurt De Haan
DESTINATION POINTS
* Why do so many Hollywood stars mess up their lives? * How have I seen others get pulled away from family and friends because they were influenced by people who weren't good for them?
* Where am I in my relationship with Jesus today? Am I in another solar system, wandering through space, or in a close orbit?
bottom line: It's never too soon to come home to God.
soul journey
Luke 15:11-20
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 Theyounger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. . . . 17 When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
The newspaper headline announced: "Young star pulled by wrong crowd may be destined to stray forever." The article wasn't about a promising Hollywood actor or pop musician whose personal life was disintegrating. This star was of the outer-space variety.
Known to astronomers as Tauri Sb, the relatively small star (20 percent of the mass of our sun) had been part of a four-star family. For 20 years, researchers have been watching its movements. They noticed that the small star was drawn toward a larger pair, coming close enough so that as it passed them, Tauri Sb doubled its speed and shot off away from its original solar family. It looks like Tauri Sb will end up wandering through space.
What happens in outer space is similar to what happens to people on our little planet. No doubt you've seen it happen. Like the young son in the parable Jesus told, a person pursues bad relationships and wanders far from home. That "home" may be a family, a church, or friends. It also usually means wandering away from God. And it's all too easy to find "friends" who will encourage the wanderer to keep going.
The big difference between Tauri Sb and the prodigal in Jesus' parable is that the star, if it ever turns back home, will be in an orbit far distant from its original relationship to its family. But the young son came back--and he came back to his father's open arms.
The same can be true for you and me if one day we come to our senses and realize that we have allowed ourselves to be pulled away from a close relationship with God. We don't have to wonder if the Lord wants us back--He does. We don't have to wait light-years to try to fix up our lives--He wants us back right away. (See Luke 15:17-24.)
Who's influencing us today? Where are our lives headed? Do we need to come home? --Kurt De Haan
DESTINATION POINTS
* Why do so many Hollywood stars mess up their lives? * How have I seen others get pulled away from family and friends because they were influenced by people who weren't good for them?
* Where am I in my relationship with Jesus today? Am I in another solar system, wandering through space, or in a close orbit?
bottom line: It's never too soon to come home to God.
soul journey
Monday, August 18, 2003
TWO DESERTERS
Luke 22:47-62
47 While He was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him, 48 but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" . . . 56 A servant girl saw [Peter] seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with Him." 57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know Him," he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean." 60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The name Judas doesn't appear on any list of popular baby names. Apparently parents don't want to name their newborns after the man whose name is synonymous with betrayal. But the truth is, none of us can avoid the association, because all of us have betrayed Jesus in some way, at some time--even those we think of as being the most devout.
The biblical passage that tells about Judas also tells about another infamous act. But the guilty person in the parallel storyis remembered not as a deserter but as a dedicated disciple. His name is Peter, and today we remember him as the one Jesus warmly welcomed back into His fold and to whom He said, "Feed My sheep" (John 21:17).
What made the difference? Why did the life of one disciple end in hopeless suicide and the other continue in hopeful service?
Some might suggest that it was because Judas didn't repent, but he did admit his guilt. "I have sinned," Judas said to those who paid him for handing over his Friend, "for I have betrayed innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). Why then did he go out and kill himself?
Like Peter, Judas had remorse. But sorrow for sin doesn't necessarily lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). I think he knew he was guilty but didn't believe he could be forgiven. Therefore Judas concluded that death was the only way to get rid of his guilt, and he took it on himself to be his own judge
and executioner.
Worldly sorrow led Judas to admit his sin but then try to eradicate it by destroying himself. Godly sorrow led Peter to admit his sin and then to let Jesus remove it.
The sin that ended in death for Judas was not his betrayal of Jesus, but his failure to ask Jesus to forgive him. --Julie Ackerman Link
DESTINATION POINTS
* What self-destructive habit do I have? Does it involve eating (or not eating)? Drinking? Spending? Reckless driving? Self-sabotage? (for example: failure to show up at work or to keep promises).
* For what sins am I trying to punish myself?
bottom line: Only Jesus' death can cover sin's stain.
soul journey
Luke 22:47-62
47 While He was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him, 48 but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" . . . 56 A servant girl saw [Peter] seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with Him." 57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know Him," he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean." 60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The name Judas doesn't appear on any list of popular baby names. Apparently parents don't want to name their newborns after the man whose name is synonymous with betrayal. But the truth is, none of us can avoid the association, because all of us have betrayed Jesus in some way, at some time--even those we think of as being the most devout.
The biblical passage that tells about Judas also tells about another infamous act. But the guilty person in the parallel storyis remembered not as a deserter but as a dedicated disciple. His name is Peter, and today we remember him as the one Jesus warmly welcomed back into His fold and to whom He said, "Feed My sheep" (John 21:17).
What made the difference? Why did the life of one disciple end in hopeless suicide and the other continue in hopeful service?
Some might suggest that it was because Judas didn't repent, but he did admit his guilt. "I have sinned," Judas said to those who paid him for handing over his Friend, "for I have betrayed innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). Why then did he go out and kill himself?
Like Peter, Judas had remorse. But sorrow for sin doesn't necessarily lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). I think he knew he was guilty but didn't believe he could be forgiven. Therefore Judas concluded that death was the only way to get rid of his guilt, and he took it on himself to be his own judge
and executioner.
Worldly sorrow led Judas to admit his sin but then try to eradicate it by destroying himself. Godly sorrow led Peter to admit his sin and then to let Jesus remove it.
The sin that ended in death for Judas was not his betrayal of Jesus, but his failure to ask Jesus to forgive him. --Julie Ackerman Link
DESTINATION POINTS
* What self-destructive habit do I have? Does it involve eating (or not eating)? Drinking? Spending? Reckless driving? Self-sabotage? (for example: failure to show up at work or to keep promises).
* For what sins am I trying to punish myself?
bottom line: Only Jesus' death can cover sin's stain.
soul journey
Sunday, August 17, 2003
TELL ME WHY, GOD!
Luke 13:1-5
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Few people are grief-stricken when they hear of criminals or ruthless dictators dying as a result of their offenses. But when "innocent" people perish, perhaps as a result of some natural disaster or act of terrorism, all of us tend to ask why.
This has always been the case. Job, one of the oldest books of the Bible, is one big question: "Why do the 'innocent' suffer?" In Luke 13, two tragedies that had occurred also raised the question, "Why?"
For thousands of years in Jewish culture it was commonly believed that people suffered primarily because God was punishing them for some specific sin--which sometimes was the case. Jesus, however, emphasized that all people must repent before a holy God (Luke 13:37).
Why is that? There really are no innocent people. As Paul told us, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). God is not accountable to us to explain why tragedies occur, but we are accountable to God to confess our sins so that we can be in a right relationship with Him.
When thousands of people died on September 11, 2001, people all over the world asked, "Why?" As far as I know, God hasn't given us a direct answer to that question. What's better, however, is that God has given us this promise: If we repent and accept Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, our death will not be the end. We are assured that our souls will live on--forever!
Knowing that, we can easily understand why our need for repentance is more important than our demand to know why. --Dean Ohlman
DESTINATION POINTS
* When I stand before God one day, will He demand from me an explanation for human suffering?
* What will be said when He asks, "Who speaks for the innocence of this person?" Have I repented of my sin so that Jesus may reply, "Father, My death and resurrection has paid for the sin of this, Your child"?
LINKS:
10 Reasons To Believe In A God Who Allows Suffering
http://www.rbc.net/rtb/4rsn
bottom line: God requires repentance.
soul journey
Luke 13:1-5
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Few people are grief-stricken when they hear of criminals or ruthless dictators dying as a result of their offenses. But when "innocent" people perish, perhaps as a result of some natural disaster or act of terrorism, all of us tend to ask why.
This has always been the case. Job, one of the oldest books of the Bible, is one big question: "Why do the 'innocent' suffer?" In Luke 13, two tragedies that had occurred also raised the question, "Why?"
For thousands of years in Jewish culture it was commonly believed that people suffered primarily because God was punishing them for some specific sin--which sometimes was the case. Jesus, however, emphasized that all people must repent before a holy God (Luke 13:37).
Why is that? There really are no innocent people. As Paul told us, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). God is not accountable to us to explain why tragedies occur, but we are accountable to God to confess our sins so that we can be in a right relationship with Him.
When thousands of people died on September 11, 2001, people all over the world asked, "Why?" As far as I know, God hasn't given us a direct answer to that question. What's better, however, is that God has given us this promise: If we repent and accept Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, our death will not be the end. We are assured that our souls will live on--forever!
Knowing that, we can easily understand why our need for repentance is more important than our demand to know why. --Dean Ohlman
DESTINATION POINTS
* When I stand before God one day, will He demand from me an explanation for human suffering?
* What will be said when He asks, "Who speaks for the innocence of this person?" Have I repented of my sin so that Jesus may reply, "Father, My death and resurrection has paid for the sin of this, Your child"?
LINKS:
10 Reasons To Believe In A God Who Allows Suffering
http://www.rbc.net/rtb/4rsn
bottom line: God requires repentance.
soul journey
Saturday, August 16, 2003
LIFE WITHOUT PROTEINS
Luke 7:11-15
11 Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him. 12 As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "Don't cry." 14 Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
What would life be without proteins?" That's what a member of the Nobel Prize committee asked when introducing the 2002 winners in chemistry. Three scientists had come up with a way to identify proteins and create 3-D images of them.
I'm no scientist, and I don't know a whole lot about proteins. But I imagine that life without them would be very different. Proteins regulate our blood pressure. They break down all that fat and sugar we eat, and they even keep our skin in one piece. Without proteins, we'd literally fall apart.
No doubt the widow in Luke 7 believed her life was falling apart. She had already lost her husband, and now her only son was dead. That's when Jesus came and "His heart went out to her" (v.13). He saw that her heart was breaking, so He offered her His own. The woman would not have to endure life without her son--Jesus gave him back to her (v.15).
You may have suffered a lot of losses in your life, and it's easy for you to understand that woman's anguish. Or maybe you haven't yet lost anything or anyone all that important to you. Take a few minutes and imagine your life if you suddenly lost your job, your best friend, the ability to walk, your family. Pretty grim.
Now imagine your life without your faith--without Jesus. Faith can keep life's pressures from overwhelming you. Faith cuts through all the worldly influences you take in each day and reminds you of what you really need. Faith in Jesus can help you keep it together when everything is falling apart.
Your faith in Jesus can help you endure the pain of any loss. There's no substitute. Faith in Him is what saves your soul, heals your heart, and moves the mountains that seem so overwhelming. When you suffer loss, turn in faith to Jesus. His heart will reach out to you. --Tracy Carbaugh
DESTINATION POINTS
* What losses have I suffered? What role has my faith played in helping me cope?
* What's the state of my faith right now? Strong? Wavering? Gone?
* Have I not yet put my faith in Jesus? Why? These verses tell me about faith: Matthew 9:27-30, Luke 5:17-20, Ephesians 2:1-10.
LINKS:
How Can I Live With My Loss?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/cb921
Do I Have The Right Kind Of Faith?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0603
bottom line: If you have faith in Jesus, you have it all.
soul journey
Luke 7:11-15
11 Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him. 12 As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "Don't cry." 14 Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
What would life be without proteins?" That's what a member of the Nobel Prize committee asked when introducing the 2002 winners in chemistry. Three scientists had come up with a way to identify proteins and create 3-D images of them.
I'm no scientist, and I don't know a whole lot about proteins. But I imagine that life without them would be very different. Proteins regulate our blood pressure. They break down all that fat and sugar we eat, and they even keep our skin in one piece. Without proteins, we'd literally fall apart.
No doubt the widow in Luke 7 believed her life was falling apart. She had already lost her husband, and now her only son was dead. That's when Jesus came and "His heart went out to her" (v.13). He saw that her heart was breaking, so He offered her His own. The woman would not have to endure life without her son--Jesus gave him back to her (v.15).
You may have suffered a lot of losses in your life, and it's easy for you to understand that woman's anguish. Or maybe you haven't yet lost anything or anyone all that important to you. Take a few minutes and imagine your life if you suddenly lost your job, your best friend, the ability to walk, your family. Pretty grim.
Now imagine your life without your faith--without Jesus. Faith can keep life's pressures from overwhelming you. Faith cuts through all the worldly influences you take in each day and reminds you of what you really need. Faith in Jesus can help you keep it together when everything is falling apart.
Your faith in Jesus can help you endure the pain of any loss. There's no substitute. Faith in Him is what saves your soul, heals your heart, and moves the mountains that seem so overwhelming. When you suffer loss, turn in faith to Jesus. His heart will reach out to you. --Tracy Carbaugh
DESTINATION POINTS
* What losses have I suffered? What role has my faith played in helping me cope?
* What's the state of my faith right now? Strong? Wavering? Gone?
* Have I not yet put my faith in Jesus? Why? These verses tell me about faith: Matthew 9:27-30, Luke 5:17-20, Ephesians 2:1-10.
LINKS:
How Can I Live With My Loss?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/cb921
Do I Have The Right Kind Of Faith?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0603
bottom line: If you have faith in Jesus, you have it all.
soul journey
Friday, August 15, 2003
Always Thankful
By Steven Halter
We should be thankful everyday, not just when we attend a church service or observe a special day of thanks. This is because there is always something to be grateful for.
After a long hard day, isn't it wonderful to sit down and relax in your favorite chair or sofa? But have you ever tried sitting on a three-legged stool, when one of the legs was missing? It's impossible to rest and relax on a stool with only two legs. You could try it for a while, but you wouldn't be able to feel secure enough to really rest and relax on it. Because one of the pieces was missing, the stool would be unbalanced. It wouldn't be the source of strength, security and rest it was designed to be.
It's the same way with our spiritual lives. We have a magnificent three-legged source of support, strength, and rest available to us. We could have one or two of the three legs in our lives, but without all three there would be something lacking. We need all three working together to be truly balanced and strong.
These three legs are the spiritual disciplines of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. The apostolic team of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy wrote to the church in Thessalonica:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, NRS).
This is not just God's will for the Thessalonians, it is His will for us, too. If we as believers would practice these three spiritual disciplines, then we would incorporate into our lives a source of rest, strength and balance.
It is perhaps the third of these spiritual disciplines that is the most neglected today. In the stressful and troubled world in which we live, it can seem difficult for us to find something to be thankful for. When we listen to or read the news, it is mostly bad news that is reported. We hear of crime, terrorism, tragedies and disasters. We rush about at a hectic pace day after day, trying to keep up with the demands of modern life. And the list of problems could go on and on.
Yet, it is precisely because of the problems around us that we need to devote ourselves to giving thanks. When darkness grows around us, we cannot afford to become neglectful in this spiritual practice of giving thanks. Instead, we need to renew our commitment to giving thanks. In fact, being thankful can be therapeutic. It can bring healing to a troubled heart. On the other hand, a lack of thankfulness can lead to depression as we focus on negative things. However, Paul the apostle wrote that we should not let our minds dwell on negative thoughts. Instead, we should dwell on those things that are pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). When we make a practice of thanking God for His many blessings, we will be focusing on the good things He has given us, and He can begin to bring healing and strength to us.
Always Being Thankful
There are some key points to keep in mind concerning giving thanks. The first is that we should always be thankful. We should be thankful everyday, not just when we attend a church service or observe a special day of thanks. This is because there is always something to be grateful for.
We always have our spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. For example, we have been forgiven of our sins through Jesus' death on the cross (Matt. 26:28). Despite our present imperfections, God has declared us to have right standing before Him (2 Cor. 5:21). By God's grace and mercy we have been adopted as children of God (Rom. 8:15). We are unconditionally loved by the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth (Rom. 5:8).
In Old Testament times, the people of God would often sing something like this:
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting (1 Chronicles 16:34, NAU).
There are also the temporal blessings we receive from God. He sends us rain, sunshine, and provides us with natural resources. Many of us have abundant food and more than adequate shelter. These and many other blessings are often taken for granted, but we need to have hearts full of gratitude for all of the wonderful things he has given us, whether great or small.
In All Circumstances
As mentioned above, we live in a troubled world that can threaten to overwhelm us with the magnitude and pervasiveness of its troubles. This depressing force can affect us not just in our global outlook, but also in our individual lives. But no matter how bad our circumstances may be, we can always be thankful to God. Our circumstances themselves may not always inspire thankfulness, but if we turn our thoughts to God's many blessings, both spiritual and temporal, our hearts will again be filled with thankfulness to Him.
Furthermore, even in difficult circumstances, we should continually keep in mind that God desires to bring good out of the situation that we are in.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28, NIV).
This does not mean that every situation is good in and of itself, or that every situation leads to something good by itself. On the contrary, it is when God actively works in a situation that good can come out of it - even in the darkest of situations.
Often the good that comes out of a situation may not be readily apparent. We shouldn't expect God to turn every outward circumstance in our favor. Instead, God often works in situations to strengthen us inwardly by His Spirit and to mold us into the image of Christ. This is brought out clearly by the context in the following verse.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29, NIV).
However, we need to be cooperative with what God desires to do in our hearts for the molding process to be the most effective.
The Extent of Our Thankfulness
A crucial issue for believers is the issue of how much we should be thankful for. An important verse to consider is the following:
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20, NIV).
So then, should we be thankful for every single thing, or only for every good thing? For many Christians, the answer to this question will be determined largely by their theological or church background. However, when we carefully study this verse in the context of the whole Bible, it will be easier to determine what the best answer to that question is.
First, we need to recognize that the Bible contains many figures of speech. In this verse, Paul is not intending that we understand him to mean that we should give thanks for "everything without exception". When we consider the context of the whole book of Ephesians, we see that Paul is referring to every blessing that comes from God. For in Ephesians, Paul speaks often of God's blessings. In Ephesians we find the word "grace" twelve times, the word "love" fourteen times, and a reference to spiritual "riches" four times.
Clearly, Paul is not telling us to be thankful even for things that are evil. Can you imagine saying, "I give thanks to God the Father for this evil thing, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"? It would be unbiblical and ungodly. Paul elsewhere wrote, "Hate what is evil" (Rom. 12:9). The psalmist wrote, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil" (Psalm 97:10). Hebrews says that Jesus Himself "hated wickedness" (Heb. 1:9). These verses reveal that it is impossible to rightly understand Ephesians 5:20 as saying that we should be thankful for all things without exception. Evil is certainly an exception.
Seeing this one exception can help us to understand this verse better. It is better understood to mean that we should give thanks for "every good thing", "every blessing", or "everything that is worthy of thanks". We don't need to give thanks for evil, or for every adversity or difficulty. Those things that are of God we should be thankful for. But those things that are from Satan we should take spiritual authority against. And adversities that are a result of this fallen world we should pray about, and even take action to change them as we are led by the Word and the Spirit. We must beware of falling into the trap of passivity concerning those things that are not of God.
Summing It Up
How can we sum up all of these principles? Here is one suggestion concerning how we should align our hearts, words, and actions regarding thankfulness to God:
Always be thankful to God in all circumstances and for all the good things that He has given us.
cbn
By Steven Halter
We should be thankful everyday, not just when we attend a church service or observe a special day of thanks. This is because there is always something to be grateful for.
After a long hard day, isn't it wonderful to sit down and relax in your favorite chair or sofa? But have you ever tried sitting on a three-legged stool, when one of the legs was missing? It's impossible to rest and relax on a stool with only two legs. You could try it for a while, but you wouldn't be able to feel secure enough to really rest and relax on it. Because one of the pieces was missing, the stool would be unbalanced. It wouldn't be the source of strength, security and rest it was designed to be.
It's the same way with our spiritual lives. We have a magnificent three-legged source of support, strength, and rest available to us. We could have one or two of the three legs in our lives, but without all three there would be something lacking. We need all three working together to be truly balanced and strong.
These three legs are the spiritual disciplines of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. The apostolic team of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy wrote to the church in Thessalonica:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, NRS).
This is not just God's will for the Thessalonians, it is His will for us, too. If we as believers would practice these three spiritual disciplines, then we would incorporate into our lives a source of rest, strength and balance.
It is perhaps the third of these spiritual disciplines that is the most neglected today. In the stressful and troubled world in which we live, it can seem difficult for us to find something to be thankful for. When we listen to or read the news, it is mostly bad news that is reported. We hear of crime, terrorism, tragedies and disasters. We rush about at a hectic pace day after day, trying to keep up with the demands of modern life. And the list of problems could go on and on.
Yet, it is precisely because of the problems around us that we need to devote ourselves to giving thanks. When darkness grows around us, we cannot afford to become neglectful in this spiritual practice of giving thanks. Instead, we need to renew our commitment to giving thanks. In fact, being thankful can be therapeutic. It can bring healing to a troubled heart. On the other hand, a lack of thankfulness can lead to depression as we focus on negative things. However, Paul the apostle wrote that we should not let our minds dwell on negative thoughts. Instead, we should dwell on those things that are pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). When we make a practice of thanking God for His many blessings, we will be focusing on the good things He has given us, and He can begin to bring healing and strength to us.
Always Being Thankful
There are some key points to keep in mind concerning giving thanks. The first is that we should always be thankful. We should be thankful everyday, not just when we attend a church service or observe a special day of thanks. This is because there is always something to be grateful for.
We always have our spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. For example, we have been forgiven of our sins through Jesus' death on the cross (Matt. 26:28). Despite our present imperfections, God has declared us to have right standing before Him (2 Cor. 5:21). By God's grace and mercy we have been adopted as children of God (Rom. 8:15). We are unconditionally loved by the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth (Rom. 5:8).
In Old Testament times, the people of God would often sing something like this:
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting (1 Chronicles 16:34, NAU).
There are also the temporal blessings we receive from God. He sends us rain, sunshine, and provides us with natural resources. Many of us have abundant food and more than adequate shelter. These and many other blessings are often taken for granted, but we need to have hearts full of gratitude for all of the wonderful things he has given us, whether great or small.
In All Circumstances
As mentioned above, we live in a troubled world that can threaten to overwhelm us with the magnitude and pervasiveness of its troubles. This depressing force can affect us not just in our global outlook, but also in our individual lives. But no matter how bad our circumstances may be, we can always be thankful to God. Our circumstances themselves may not always inspire thankfulness, but if we turn our thoughts to God's many blessings, both spiritual and temporal, our hearts will again be filled with thankfulness to Him.
Furthermore, even in difficult circumstances, we should continually keep in mind that God desires to bring good out of the situation that we are in.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28, NIV).
This does not mean that every situation is good in and of itself, or that every situation leads to something good by itself. On the contrary, it is when God actively works in a situation that good can come out of it - even in the darkest of situations.
Often the good that comes out of a situation may not be readily apparent. We shouldn't expect God to turn every outward circumstance in our favor. Instead, God often works in situations to strengthen us inwardly by His Spirit and to mold us into the image of Christ. This is brought out clearly by the context in the following verse.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29, NIV).
However, we need to be cooperative with what God desires to do in our hearts for the molding process to be the most effective.
The Extent of Our Thankfulness
A crucial issue for believers is the issue of how much we should be thankful for. An important verse to consider is the following:
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20, NIV).
So then, should we be thankful for every single thing, or only for every good thing? For many Christians, the answer to this question will be determined largely by their theological or church background. However, when we carefully study this verse in the context of the whole Bible, it will be easier to determine what the best answer to that question is.
First, we need to recognize that the Bible contains many figures of speech. In this verse, Paul is not intending that we understand him to mean that we should give thanks for "everything without exception". When we consider the context of the whole book of Ephesians, we see that Paul is referring to every blessing that comes from God. For in Ephesians, Paul speaks often of God's blessings. In Ephesians we find the word "grace" twelve times, the word "love" fourteen times, and a reference to spiritual "riches" four times.
Clearly, Paul is not telling us to be thankful even for things that are evil. Can you imagine saying, "I give thanks to God the Father for this evil thing, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"? It would be unbiblical and ungodly. Paul elsewhere wrote, "Hate what is evil" (Rom. 12:9). The psalmist wrote, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil" (Psalm 97:10). Hebrews says that Jesus Himself "hated wickedness" (Heb. 1:9). These verses reveal that it is impossible to rightly understand Ephesians 5:20 as saying that we should be thankful for all things without exception. Evil is certainly an exception.
Seeing this one exception can help us to understand this verse better. It is better understood to mean that we should give thanks for "every good thing", "every blessing", or "everything that is worthy of thanks". We don't need to give thanks for evil, or for every adversity or difficulty. Those things that are of God we should be thankful for. But those things that are from Satan we should take spiritual authority against. And adversities that are a result of this fallen world we should pray about, and even take action to change them as we are led by the Word and the Spirit. We must beware of falling into the trap of passivity concerning those things that are not of God.
Summing It Up
How can we sum up all of these principles? Here is one suggestion concerning how we should align our hearts, words, and actions regarding thankfulness to God:
Always be thankful to God in all circumstances and for all the good things that He has given us.
cbn
Thursday, August 14, 2003
OUR WALL OF DEFENSE
Psalm 18:2-36
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. . . . . 30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You give me your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; stoop down to make me great. 36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
One of the most amazing wonders of the world is the Great Wall of China. Built over many centuries, primarily during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was constructed to keep out invaders--including the fierce and cruel Mongols. Imagine a defense barrier stretching thousands of miles and rising several stories high. China's Great Wall has become a symbol for protection and safety. If only a shield like that could keep us safe from our enemies!
But the Great Wall of China is not all it's cracked up to be. That's because Western journalists and Chinese patriotic writers have romanticized and exaggerated it. Here's the truth:
It is not continuous, as many believe. In fact, numerous segments of the wall have been discovered throughout China, running generally but not necessarily from east to west. They were built during several dynasties.
Second, the Great Wall is commonly thought to be more than 2,000 years old. That also is untrue. Some minor segments were built during the Warring States Era (403-221 BC), but the most impressive and major segments were built 500-600 years ago.
Third, we have been told in source after source that the Great Wall can be seen from the moon. One Western author suggested it, and many writers have repeated it. But it simply is not true. From satellites and space shuttles, yes, but not from the moon.
One defense system, however, is continuous, impenetrable, and invincible. God Himself is our fortress (Psalm 18:2). His powerful walls cannot be breached by our enemy. By faith, we trust in the promises of God, who doesn't allow us to be destroyed by fiery darts or flaming arrows. False accusations, angry words, subtle attacks, or fierce temptations cannot overpower His strength.
Yes, we are more safe in Jesus than we are anywhere in the universe. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Who are my enemies? Are any of them more powerful than God?
* What temptation grips me with the most force? How do I take my stand against it?
LINKS:
How Do I Resist Temptation?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2001/003/15.10.html
bottom line: Jesus' shield will never yield.
soul journey
Psalm 18:2-36
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. . . . . 30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You give me your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; stoop down to make me great. 36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
One of the most amazing wonders of the world is the Great Wall of China. Built over many centuries, primarily during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was constructed to keep out invaders--including the fierce and cruel Mongols. Imagine a defense barrier stretching thousands of miles and rising several stories high. China's Great Wall has become a symbol for protection and safety. If only a shield like that could keep us safe from our enemies!
But the Great Wall of China is not all it's cracked up to be. That's because Western journalists and Chinese patriotic writers have romanticized and exaggerated it. Here's the truth:
It is not continuous, as many believe. In fact, numerous segments of the wall have been discovered throughout China, running generally but not necessarily from east to west. They were built during several dynasties.
Second, the Great Wall is commonly thought to be more than 2,000 years old. That also is untrue. Some minor segments were built during the Warring States Era (403-221 BC), but the most impressive and major segments were built 500-600 years ago.
Third, we have been told in source after source that the Great Wall can be seen from the moon. One Western author suggested it, and many writers have repeated it. But it simply is not true. From satellites and space shuttles, yes, but not from the moon.
One defense system, however, is continuous, impenetrable, and invincible. God Himself is our fortress (Psalm 18:2). His powerful walls cannot be breached by our enemy. By faith, we trust in the promises of God, who doesn't allow us to be destroyed by fiery darts or flaming arrows. False accusations, angry words, subtle attacks, or fierce temptations cannot overpower His strength.
Yes, we are more safe in Jesus than we are anywhere in the universe. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Who are my enemies? Are any of them more powerful than God?
* What temptation grips me with the most force? How do I take my stand against it?
LINKS:
How Do I Resist Temptation?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2001/003/15.10.html
bottom line: Jesus' shield will never yield.
soul journey
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Today's scripture is Mark 4:16-17
"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."
There seems to be an abundance of "stony ground" Christians these days. Initially, they get excited about the Word of God. They'll hear a message on prosperity, for instance, and they'll go home saying, "Hallelujah! I'm going to prosper in the Name of Jesus!" But then, somehow, things don't work out like they thought they should.
Their bank balance doesn't double overnight. They go through some disappointments. They suffer some criticism. Then, before you know it, their faith has withered away.
If you don't want that to happen to you, make up your mind right now that you're not going to let the rough times defeat you. Decide now that you're going to hang onto the Word even when the persecutions and afflictions come, because I can guarantee you, they will come.
bible shack
"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."
There seems to be an abundance of "stony ground" Christians these days. Initially, they get excited about the Word of God. They'll hear a message on prosperity, for instance, and they'll go home saying, "Hallelujah! I'm going to prosper in the Name of Jesus!" But then, somehow, things don't work out like they thought they should.
Their bank balance doesn't double overnight. They go through some disappointments. They suffer some criticism. Then, before you know it, their faith has withered away.
If you don't want that to happen to you, make up your mind right now that you're not going to let the rough times defeat you. Decide now that you're going to hang onto the Word even when the persecutions and afflictions come, because I can guarantee you, they will come.
bible shack
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
LIMP OF GRACE
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect
in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
One of my favorite praise tunes is "Come, Now Is the Time To Worship." It's a call to worship--a song that grabs you and says, "Hey, lift your eyes off yourself and look to Jesus!"
The writer of that song is Brian Doerksen. The Canadian songwriter and worship leader is renowned for his obvious talent and passionate heart for God.
Brian and his wife Joyce have six children. Three of their kids have Fragile X Syndrome. This genetic disorder causes varying degrees of mental retardation. One son, 10-year-old Benjamin, requires constant care--brushing his teeth, changing his diapers, maintaining his special diet.
When his kids were diagnosed, Brian considered leaving his music ministry behind to become a stay-at-home dad. Instead, he decided to "continue with a 'limp,' sharing God's heart through music and the arts, and leading worship not just from a place of strength, but a place of weakness."
The apostle Paul knew a lot about feeling weak on the frontlines of ministry. He experienced a thorn--some kind of affliction that would not go away. He prayed three times for relief. The Lord responded with the profound words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul exhibited power in his life, but he also knew weakness. Just like Jesus, whose weakness (humanity) was evident in His death on a cross and whose transforming power was seen in His resurrection, Paul needed both of those things to be complete for his calling.
Neither Paul nor Brian Doerksen desired a "limp" in their lives. But God's grace and the power it contains turns thorns into beautiful blossoms.
Jesus can make your "limp" a part of His ongoing work of grace in your life. Let His power be seen in your weakness. --Tom Felten
DESTINATION POINTS
* Why has God given me a "limp"?
* How can I glorify Him through this weakness?
LINKS:
http://www.briandoerksen.com
bottom line: A "limp" comes from God in love.
soul journey
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect
in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
One of my favorite praise tunes is "Come, Now Is the Time To Worship." It's a call to worship--a song that grabs you and says, "Hey, lift your eyes off yourself and look to Jesus!"
The writer of that song is Brian Doerksen. The Canadian songwriter and worship leader is renowned for his obvious talent and passionate heart for God.
Brian and his wife Joyce have six children. Three of their kids have Fragile X Syndrome. This genetic disorder causes varying degrees of mental retardation. One son, 10-year-old Benjamin, requires constant care--brushing his teeth, changing his diapers, maintaining his special diet.
When his kids were diagnosed, Brian considered leaving his music ministry behind to become a stay-at-home dad. Instead, he decided to "continue with a 'limp,' sharing God's heart through music and the arts, and leading worship not just from a place of strength, but a place of weakness."
The apostle Paul knew a lot about feeling weak on the frontlines of ministry. He experienced a thorn--some kind of affliction that would not go away. He prayed three times for relief. The Lord responded with the profound words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Paul exhibited power in his life, but he also knew weakness. Just like Jesus, whose weakness (humanity) was evident in His death on a cross and whose transforming power was seen in His resurrection, Paul needed both of those things to be complete for his calling.
Neither Paul nor Brian Doerksen desired a "limp" in their lives. But God's grace and the power it contains turns thorns into beautiful blossoms.
Jesus can make your "limp" a part of His ongoing work of grace in your life. Let His power be seen in your weakness. --Tom Felten
DESTINATION POINTS
* Why has God given me a "limp"?
* How can I glorify Him through this weakness?
LINKS:
http://www.briandoerksen.com
bottom line: A "limp" comes from God in love.
soul journey
Monday, August 11, 2003
The Hypocrite Excuse
Read: Galatians 2:11-18
The rest . . . also played the hypocrite with him. —Galatians 2:13
I have a neighbor who can't stand hypocrites. In fact, he tells me that he stopped going to church because he saw too many hypocrites there.
He's not alone. That's one of the most popular reasons people give for rejecting Christianity. My neighbor is right—there are too many hypocrites in the church.
The problem of hypocrisy, though, is not the issue to pursue with people who reject the gospel. The key is validity. Does the presence of hypocrites in the church invalidate the gospel message?
In today's Bible reading, Paul accused Peter of hypocrisy (Galatians 2:13). Did that invalidate the gospel Peter preached? Some people may think so, perhaps because they expect Christians to be perfect. What might surprise them, however, is that Jesus Himself warned against and condemned hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1-18; 23:13-33). He hates it more than they do.
That brings us to a key point: The validity of Christianity is not based on imperfect Christians but on the perfect Christ. Therefore, if a person could show that Jesus was a hypocrite, he would have an argument. But that's impossible. Jesus was sinless and without fault (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus is the answer to the hypocrite excuse. —Dave Branon
Lord, help me make my witness clear,
And labor faithfully,
So friends and neighbors turn to Christ
Through what they hear from me. —Anon.
Instead of looking at hypocrites, look at Jesus.
daily bread
Read: Galatians 2:11-18
The rest . . . also played the hypocrite with him. —Galatians 2:13
I have a neighbor who can't stand hypocrites. In fact, he tells me that he stopped going to church because he saw too many hypocrites there.
He's not alone. That's one of the most popular reasons people give for rejecting Christianity. My neighbor is right—there are too many hypocrites in the church.
The problem of hypocrisy, though, is not the issue to pursue with people who reject the gospel. The key is validity. Does the presence of hypocrites in the church invalidate the gospel message?
In today's Bible reading, Paul accused Peter of hypocrisy (Galatians 2:13). Did that invalidate the gospel Peter preached? Some people may think so, perhaps because they expect Christians to be perfect. What might surprise them, however, is that Jesus Himself warned against and condemned hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1-18; 23:13-33). He hates it more than they do.
That brings us to a key point: The validity of Christianity is not based on imperfect Christians but on the perfect Christ. Therefore, if a person could show that Jesus was a hypocrite, he would have an argument. But that's impossible. Jesus was sinless and without fault (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus is the answer to the hypocrite excuse. —Dave Branon
Lord, help me make my witness clear,
And labor faithfully,
So friends and neighbors turn to Christ
Through what they hear from me. —Anon.
Instead of looking at hypocrites, look at Jesus.
daily bread
Sunday, August 10, 2003
WORK BRINGS FREEDOM
Titus 3:3-8
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
In a small town near Munich, Germany, is a museum. Both are known by the same name--Dachau. The memorial museum, which is located on the grounds of the infamous Nazi concentration camp, has become an attraction for millions of curious history buffs. But it is also a place of horror for those who revisit where they had been imprisoned.
An odd phrase is welded on the iron gate where prisoners once entered: "ARBEIT MACHT FREI"--Work Makes You Free!
It is odd, because anyone who knows the Nazi agenda knows that that phrase was a cynical and cruel lie to give false hope to the wretched souls who entered. Most of them would die within the walls of their prison.
There's another lie that gives false hope--taught in some churches: "Be good and do as many good things as you can and you will (hopefully!) make it to heaven!"
The reality is that to pass God's standard of perfection we would have to live a totally sinless life. No one has ever done that!
No one, that is, but Jesus. It is only through Him that we are made right in God's eyes. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our sin and offered us grace. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, . . . not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
So, don't good works fit somewhere in God's plan? Of course! The works that God requires of us come after we put our faith in Jesus. "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (v.10), and "those who have trusted in God" should "devote themselves to doing what is good" (Titus 3:8).
Don't ever believe the lie that your "works" will save you from eternal death. It is only through Jesus' work on the cross that we can have real freedom from sin. --Cindy Kasper
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I sometimes think that I'm not so bad compared to other people?
* If someone never admits that he is a sinner, in his own eyes does he have any need for a Savior? * Do I understand why I can't earn a place in heaven? How would I explain the concept to someone else?
LINKS:
Religion Or Christ: What's The Difference?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0206
bottom line: Works can't save us--only Jesus can.
soul journey
Titus 3:3-8
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
In a small town near Munich, Germany, is a museum. Both are known by the same name--Dachau. The memorial museum, which is located on the grounds of the infamous Nazi concentration camp, has become an attraction for millions of curious history buffs. But it is also a place of horror for those who revisit where they had been imprisoned.
An odd phrase is welded on the iron gate where prisoners once entered: "ARBEIT MACHT FREI"--Work Makes You Free!
It is odd, because anyone who knows the Nazi agenda knows that that phrase was a cynical and cruel lie to give false hope to the wretched souls who entered. Most of them would die within the walls of their prison.
There's another lie that gives false hope--taught in some churches: "Be good and do as many good things as you can and you will (hopefully!) make it to heaven!"
The reality is that to pass God's standard of perfection we would have to live a totally sinless life. No one has ever done that!
No one, that is, but Jesus. It is only through Him that we are made right in God's eyes. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our sin and offered us grace. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, . . . not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
So, don't good works fit somewhere in God's plan? Of course! The works that God requires of us come after we put our faith in Jesus. "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (v.10), and "those who have trusted in God" should "devote themselves to doing what is good" (Titus 3:8).
Don't ever believe the lie that your "works" will save you from eternal death. It is only through Jesus' work on the cross that we can have real freedom from sin. --Cindy Kasper
DESTINATION POINTS
* Do I sometimes think that I'm not so bad compared to other people?
* If someone never admits that he is a sinner, in his own eyes does he have any need for a Savior? * Do I understand why I can't earn a place in heaven? How would I explain the concept to someone else?
LINKS:
Religion Or Christ: What's The Difference?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0206
bottom line: Works can't save us--only Jesus can.
soul journey
Saturday, August 09, 2003
BLESSING OR CURSE?
Genesis 4:19-24
19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
Today is the 58th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. In a blinding flash some 70,000 people perished--no doubt the most people to have ever died en masse in a single instant in world history. It's estimated that both the immediate and long-term results of that blast and the one that struck Nagasaki the following day eventually took the lives of a quarter-million Japanese people.
This came at the end of a troubled period of human history that saw the massacre of as many as 30 million human beings. And it all came in conjunction with the efforts of scientists, engineers, and technicians who developed some of the world's most awful weapons of mass destruction--ones that still threaten the world today.
In Genesis 4, we read of the "fathers" of specific aspects of human development--early pioneers of animal husbandry, musical instruments, and metallurgy: Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain.
It's interesting to me that it's part of the opening account of the impact of original sin on humankind that eventually led to God's destruction of the world's first civilization. Right from the start, human development is mentioned in tandem with human good and evil.
The truth is that development itself is not evil. It's basically nothing more than people using their ingenuity positively to do their work. Ideally, people will use their God-given creativity to develop God-created resources for the good of mankind.
A biblical worldview gives us some guidance for the use of developing resources: It shouldn't be done for selfish gain, for abuse of the creation, for gaining advantage over the poor and helpless, for careless destruction, nor for the indiscriminate slaughter of others who bear--along with us--the image of God. --Dean Ohlman
DESTINATION POINTS
* What abilities can I develop to bring glory to God?
* How doesGod view human development?
LINKS:
God's Gift, Our Responsibility
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/8c1/belknap.html
bottom line: Development can lead to blessing or a curse.
soul journey
Genesis 4:19-24
19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
Today is the 58th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. In a blinding flash some 70,000 people perished--no doubt the most people to have ever died en masse in a single instant in world history. It's estimated that both the immediate and long-term results of that blast and the one that struck Nagasaki the following day eventually took the lives of a quarter-million Japanese people.
This came at the end of a troubled period of human history that saw the massacre of as many as 30 million human beings. And it all came in conjunction with the efforts of scientists, engineers, and technicians who developed some of the world's most awful weapons of mass destruction--ones that still threaten the world today.
In Genesis 4, we read of the "fathers" of specific aspects of human development--early pioneers of animal husbandry, musical instruments, and metallurgy: Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain.
It's interesting to me that it's part of the opening account of the impact of original sin on humankind that eventually led to God's destruction of the world's first civilization. Right from the start, human development is mentioned in tandem with human good and evil.
The truth is that development itself is not evil. It's basically nothing more than people using their ingenuity positively to do their work. Ideally, people will use their God-given creativity to develop God-created resources for the good of mankind.
A biblical worldview gives us some guidance for the use of developing resources: It shouldn't be done for selfish gain, for abuse of the creation, for gaining advantage over the poor and helpless, for careless destruction, nor for the indiscriminate slaughter of others who bear--along with us--the image of God. --Dean Ohlman
DESTINATION POINTS
* What abilities can I develop to bring glory to God?
* How doesGod view human development?
LINKS:
God's Gift, Our Responsibility
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/8c1/belknap.html
bottom line: Development can lead to blessing or a curse.
soul journey
Today's scripture is Jeremiah 30:17
"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord"
God wants you well! He wants you healthy and strong in every single area of your life. He wants you to be spiritually strong. Strong in faith. Strong in the Word. Strong in redemption. Strong in the love of God.
Jesus gave Himself in death so that we could be well. He was raised in life, ever making intercession for us now so that we can be well. And He wants us to be healthy and strong as a witness in these last days to a world that's filled with terror--a witness of His love, His grace, and His power.
Receive Jesus' healing power in every area of your life. Start applying it by faith right now. Commit yourself to getting well and growing strong in every area of your life today!
bible shack
"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord"
God wants you well! He wants you healthy and strong in every single area of your life. He wants you to be spiritually strong. Strong in faith. Strong in the Word. Strong in redemption. Strong in the love of God.
Jesus gave Himself in death so that we could be well. He was raised in life, ever making intercession for us now so that we can be well. And He wants us to be healthy and strong as a witness in these last days to a world that's filled with terror--a witness of His love, His grace, and His power.
Receive Jesus' healing power in every area of your life. Start applying it by faith right now. Commit yourself to getting well and growing strong in every area of your life today!
bible shack
Thursday, August 07, 2003
FOCUS
2 Kings 14:1-12
1 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. . . . 5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 6 Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded. . . . 7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: "Come, meet me face to face." 9 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: . . . 10 "You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?" 11 Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. . . . 12 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
We leaned against the churning machines in the barracks laundry room, two US Navy reservists whose lives had been inverted by a volatile ideology that ignited on September 11, 2001. As our clothes sloshed and spun, we discussed the agitated condition of the world since our recall to active duty. Inevitably, our conversation turned to God.
My new friend told me he shared my faith in Jesus Christ. Back home, he had been a youth group leader. But here, he said, "So often I just lose focus." I found his candor refreshing. Here was an honest Christian, unconcerned with the need to impress me.
Why is it that we "lose focus" so readily? How can we enjoy spiritual victory and the peace of God one moment, then suffer a discouraging defeat the next?
Amaziah, one of the lesser known kings in the Bible, accomplished a few good things but quickly lost focus. He showed mercy to the sons of his father's assassins. He also won a great victory over hostile Edom, a neighboring country (2 Kings 14:3-6).
But Amaziah lost sight of the source of his victory and challenged the other half of God's divided kingdom, Israel. The result: a crushing defeat (vv.7-14).
We won't achieve any meaningful success in our own strength. Without God, we have nothing. So how do we maintain focus?
* Read the Bible. Time spent with God's Word should be as essential to us as our daily food.
* Work on your prayer life! If your mind wanders like mine, make your prayers brief, but pray more often.
* Learn to rely on the Holy Spirit every day.
* Find Christian friends to pray with and be accountable to.
The Christian life isn't complicated, but it isn't easy either. Jesus said we must take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). If we aren't doing that, we're sure to lose focus. --Tim Gustafson
DESTINATION POINTS
* How often do I read the Bible?
* Do I regularly keep a prayer list? Am I careful to note answers to prayer? * Who are my closest friends and how do they help me in my spiritual life?
bottom line: If you think you've arrived, look out!
soul journey
2 Kings 14:1-12
1 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. . . . 5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 6 Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded. . . . 7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: "Come, meet me face to face." 9 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: . . . 10 "You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?" 11 Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. . . . 12 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.
We leaned against the churning machines in the barracks laundry room, two US Navy reservists whose lives had been inverted by a volatile ideology that ignited on September 11, 2001. As our clothes sloshed and spun, we discussed the agitated condition of the world since our recall to active duty. Inevitably, our conversation turned to God.
My new friend told me he shared my faith in Jesus Christ. Back home, he had been a youth group leader. But here, he said, "So often I just lose focus." I found his candor refreshing. Here was an honest Christian, unconcerned with the need to impress me.
Why is it that we "lose focus" so readily? How can we enjoy spiritual victory and the peace of God one moment, then suffer a discouraging defeat the next?
Amaziah, one of the lesser known kings in the Bible, accomplished a few good things but quickly lost focus. He showed mercy to the sons of his father's assassins. He also won a great victory over hostile Edom, a neighboring country (2 Kings 14:3-6).
But Amaziah lost sight of the source of his victory and challenged the other half of God's divided kingdom, Israel. The result: a crushing defeat (vv.7-14).
We won't achieve any meaningful success in our own strength. Without God, we have nothing. So how do we maintain focus?
* Read the Bible. Time spent with God's Word should be as essential to us as our daily food.
* Work on your prayer life! If your mind wanders like mine, make your prayers brief, but pray more often.
* Learn to rely on the Holy Spirit every day.
* Find Christian friends to pray with and be accountable to.
The Christian life isn't complicated, but it isn't easy either. Jesus said we must take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). If we aren't doing that, we're sure to lose focus. --Tim Gustafson
DESTINATION POINTS
* How often do I read the Bible?
* Do I regularly keep a prayer list? Am I careful to note answers to prayer? * Who are my closest friends and how do they help me in my spiritual life?
bottom line: If you think you've arrived, look out!
soul journey
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Copycats
By Kathy Schultz
God spoke to me and asked, "Whom was I copying"? Was it He? I have to admit that often my eyes look at the person beside me.
My five-year old granddaughter, Alexandra, was to sing with the children's choir. Her mom and I were thrilled, as we loved watching her. Our advice to her was "just watch Mrs. Justice," the choir director. She knew the song and had attended all the practices. She was ready. There she stood with her peers, ready to sing, and whom did she watch? It wasn't the choir director. It was the child standing next to her. The little girl tossed her hair back and forth, she was nervous. What did Alex do? She did the same thing, even down to the mannerisms. It was comical, but sad. She was singing the words, but not the way she should have because she was not looking at the director. "Copycat" is what we would have said when I was in elementary school.
Styles and times change, but other things do not. Adults, as well as, children are still "copycats."
God spoke to me and asked, "Whom was I copying"? Was it He? I have to admit that often my eyes look at the person beside me. That is not always wrong. Sometimes the person reflects Christ, but often I am imitating things that are not godly. Be imitators of Christ the Bible says.
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation, The Book)
The Lord let me see that the problem was not in the copying, but in whom are you copying. He showed me my granddaughter would be copying others her entire life. This was only the beginning. As she went to school, she would be copying many things such as words and actions of her playmates, teachers, coaches, and many others. In fact, this was one of the ways she would learn. Some things she would copy would be beneficial and not others. Discernment and wisdom is what she needs and so do I.
"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding" (Proverbs 3:13 KJV).
The Lord also made me aware not only was I copying others, but other people are copying me as well. Were my children and grandchildren seeing Christ in me? Was I a good role model? Was Christ living in me? I had to admit some of my behavior was not worth copying. This reminded me to keep my actions in line with what God wanted. The only way I knew to do that was to keep praying and reading His Word, being obedient to what God says. I will then stand in approval from God not others. I will become a "Copycat" of God…not others!
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 New International Version).
cbn
By Kathy Schultz
God spoke to me and asked, "Whom was I copying"? Was it He? I have to admit that often my eyes look at the person beside me.
My five-year old granddaughter, Alexandra, was to sing with the children's choir. Her mom and I were thrilled, as we loved watching her. Our advice to her was "just watch Mrs. Justice," the choir director. She knew the song and had attended all the practices. She was ready. There she stood with her peers, ready to sing, and whom did she watch? It wasn't the choir director. It was the child standing next to her. The little girl tossed her hair back and forth, she was nervous. What did Alex do? She did the same thing, even down to the mannerisms. It was comical, but sad. She was singing the words, but not the way she should have because she was not looking at the director. "Copycat" is what we would have said when I was in elementary school.
Styles and times change, but other things do not. Adults, as well as, children are still "copycats."
God spoke to me and asked, "Whom was I copying"? Was it He? I have to admit that often my eyes look at the person beside me. That is not always wrong. Sometimes the person reflects Christ, but often I am imitating things that are not godly. Be imitators of Christ the Bible says.
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation, The Book)
The Lord let me see that the problem was not in the copying, but in whom are you copying. He showed me my granddaughter would be copying others her entire life. This was only the beginning. As she went to school, she would be copying many things such as words and actions of her playmates, teachers, coaches, and many others. In fact, this was one of the ways she would learn. Some things she would copy would be beneficial and not others. Discernment and wisdom is what she needs and so do I.
"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding" (Proverbs 3:13 KJV).
The Lord also made me aware not only was I copying others, but other people are copying me as well. Were my children and grandchildren seeing Christ in me? Was I a good role model? Was Christ living in me? I had to admit some of my behavior was not worth copying. This reminded me to keep my actions in line with what God wanted. The only way I knew to do that was to keep praying and reading His Word, being obedient to what God says. I will then stand in approval from God not others. I will become a "Copycat" of God…not others!
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 New International Version).
cbn
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?
Matthew 5:3-10
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Count Leo Tolstoy, a wealthy Russian aristocrat born in 1828, went through a life-changing religious crisis in his forties. Dissatisfied with traditional Russian religion, he discovered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). He began to try to live up to its message of simplicity, love, and forgiveness. He gave away most of his fortune, founded many charitable institutions, and proclaimed the gospel. You probably know him for his classic novel War and Peace.
In later life Tolstoy wrote numerous short stories and parables that told of the advantage of living by the principles of the Sermon on the Mount. One of them, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" tells the story of Pahóm, a peasant who wanted to own property. "If I had plenty of land," he said, "I shouldn't fear the devil himself."
The devil heard Pahóm's boast and saw to it that Pahóm had opportunities to obtain more and more land. But he was never satisfied, so he moved to the wilds of interior Russia in his quest. There a local chief presented him with a huge challenge. He could start out walking in the morning and own all the land he could encircle by sunset.
He left at dawn and, driven by greed, tried to circle a huge plot of wilderness. He stumbled back to the starting point right at sunset, exhausted. As his hand reached out to touch the finish line, he fell to the ground. Pahóm was dead. Tolstoy concluded with these words: "Six feet from his head to his heels was all
[the land] he needed."
When we're obsessed with acquiring anything--from land to cars to designer clothes--we're choosing to follow the devil. Satan's got us. He will use our greed to destroy us. Our highest goals should be giving, not getting. After all, that's what the Sermon on the Mount is all about. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Which parable of Jesus does Pahóm's story remind me of? * Have I ever wanted anything so much that I would do anything to get it?
* How can an awareness of life's brevity help us live more successfully?
LINKS:
To read How Much Land Does a Man Need? and other works by Tolstoy, go to http://www.ccel.org/t/tolstoy
bottom line: Life is short--make yours count!
soul journey
Matthew 5:3-10
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Count Leo Tolstoy, a wealthy Russian aristocrat born in 1828, went through a life-changing religious crisis in his forties. Dissatisfied with traditional Russian religion, he discovered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). He began to try to live up to its message of simplicity, love, and forgiveness. He gave away most of his fortune, founded many charitable institutions, and proclaimed the gospel. You probably know him for his classic novel War and Peace.
In later life Tolstoy wrote numerous short stories and parables that told of the advantage of living by the principles of the Sermon on the Mount. One of them, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" tells the story of Pahóm, a peasant who wanted to own property. "If I had plenty of land," he said, "I shouldn't fear the devil himself."
The devil heard Pahóm's boast and saw to it that Pahóm had opportunities to obtain more and more land. But he was never satisfied, so he moved to the wilds of interior Russia in his quest. There a local chief presented him with a huge challenge. He could start out walking in the morning and own all the land he could encircle by sunset.
He left at dawn and, driven by greed, tried to circle a huge plot of wilderness. He stumbled back to the starting point right at sunset, exhausted. As his hand reached out to touch the finish line, he fell to the ground. Pahóm was dead. Tolstoy concluded with these words: "Six feet from his head to his heels was all
[the land] he needed."
When we're obsessed with acquiring anything--from land to cars to designer clothes--we're choosing to follow the devil. Satan's got us. He will use our greed to destroy us. Our highest goals should be giving, not getting. After all, that's what the Sermon on the Mount is all about. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* Which parable of Jesus does Pahóm's story remind me of? * Have I ever wanted anything so much that I would do anything to get it?
* How can an awareness of life's brevity help us live more successfully?
LINKS:
To read How Much Land Does a Man Need? and other works by Tolstoy, go to http://www.ccel.org/t/tolstoy
bottom line: Life is short--make yours count!
soul journey
Monday, August 04, 2003
What Will Last?
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:18
I have a friend who was denied a doctorate from a prestigious West Coast university because of his Christian worldview. As he was approaching the conclusion of his studies, his advisor invited him to come into his office and informed him that his dissertation had been rejected.
My friend's first thought was of thousands of dollars and 5 years of his life taking flight, and his heart sank. But then he thought of the words of the hymn by Rhea Miller: "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; . . . I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today." And then my friend laughed—for he realized that nothing of eternal value had been lost.
How we respond to loss is all a matter of perspective. One person is absorbed with the permanent; the other with the passing. One stores up treasure in heaven; the other accumulates it here on earth. One stays with a difficult marriage because heaven is on ahead; another moves out and looks for happiness in another mate. While one believes that happiness is found in being rich and famous, Christ's followers are willing to suffer poverty, hunger, indignity, and shame because of "the glory that will be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1).
Wouldn't you "rather have Jesus"? —David Roper
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name. —Miller
Living only for temporary gain leads to eternal loss.
daily bread
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:18
I have a friend who was denied a doctorate from a prestigious West Coast university because of his Christian worldview. As he was approaching the conclusion of his studies, his advisor invited him to come into his office and informed him that his dissertation had been rejected.
My friend's first thought was of thousands of dollars and 5 years of his life taking flight, and his heart sank. But then he thought of the words of the hymn by Rhea Miller: "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I'd rather be His than have riches untold; . . . I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today." And then my friend laughed—for he realized that nothing of eternal value had been lost.
How we respond to loss is all a matter of perspective. One person is absorbed with the permanent; the other with the passing. One stores up treasure in heaven; the other accumulates it here on earth. One stays with a difficult marriage because heaven is on ahead; another moves out and looks for happiness in another mate. While one believes that happiness is found in being rich and famous, Christ's followers are willing to suffer poverty, hunger, indignity, and shame because of "the glory that will be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1).
Wouldn't you "rather have Jesus"? —David Roper
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name. —Miller
Living only for temporary gain leads to eternal loss.
daily bread
Sunday, August 03, 2003
PROVE IT?
1 John 3:11-24
11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. . . . 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. . . . 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. . . . 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. . . . 23 And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. 24 Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.
Every year, 40 million children come into this world with no formal proof of their existence. Most of them are from developing countries where many people are not officially registered at birth.
But just because they don't have a birth certificate doesn't mean they aren't alive. It only means that they can't produce an official document to prove it.
When was the last time someone challenged you to prove that you're a Christian? "You're kidding yourself by saying you know God is in your life," a skeptic might say. "There's no way you can be absolutely sure." Sometimes the demand for proof comes from a fellow believer who declares that unless you can name the time and place you accepted Christ as your Savior, you're not really "born again."
But the apostle John put the issue in perspective by saying that belief and behavior are two sides of the same coin, and they witness to our faith in Jesus Christ.
HEADS: "This is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ." TAILS: "And to love one another as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23).
When doubts about your relationship with God come in, ponder these words of John: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers" (v.14). "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence" (v.19). "And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us" (v.24).
The next time someone challenges you to prove that you're a Christian, why not smile and say, "I can't prove it." Then set out to demonstrate it John's way. When we love others with the love of Jesus, the recipients rarely demand proof of our existence. --Dave McCasland
DESTINATION POINTS
* How do I respond to people who ask how I can be sure I'm a Christian?
* Why might it be troubling for some professing Christians to use their behavior as an indication of their faith? What about me?
* I will write down the name of one person who is skeptical about my faith, and I'll ask God for an opportunity to love that person today.
bottom line: Love speaks louder than argument.
soul journey
1 John 3:11-24
11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. . . . 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. . . . 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. . . . 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. . . . 23 And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. 24 Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.
Every year, 40 million children come into this world with no formal proof of their existence. Most of them are from developing countries where many people are not officially registered at birth.
But just because they don't have a birth certificate doesn't mean they aren't alive. It only means that they can't produce an official document to prove it.
When was the last time someone challenged you to prove that you're a Christian? "You're kidding yourself by saying you know God is in your life," a skeptic might say. "There's no way you can be absolutely sure." Sometimes the demand for proof comes from a fellow believer who declares that unless you can name the time and place you accepted Christ as your Savior, you're not really "born again."
But the apostle John put the issue in perspective by saying that belief and behavior are two sides of the same coin, and they witness to our faith in Jesus Christ.
HEADS: "This is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ." TAILS: "And to love one another as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23).
When doubts about your relationship with God come in, ponder these words of John: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers" (v.14). "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence" (v.19). "And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us" (v.24).
The next time someone challenges you to prove that you're a Christian, why not smile and say, "I can't prove it." Then set out to demonstrate it John's way. When we love others with the love of Jesus, the recipients rarely demand proof of our existence. --Dave McCasland
DESTINATION POINTS
* How do I respond to people who ask how I can be sure I'm a Christian?
* Why might it be troubling for some professing Christians to use their behavior as an indication of their faith? What about me?
* I will write down the name of one person who is skeptical about my faith, and I'll ask God for an opportunity to love that person today.
bottom line: Love speaks louder than argument.
soul journey
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Go Tell it on the Mountain
By Martha Noebel
The bottom line is ready or not, He's coming!
I went to the mountain to pray on the Friday after the Sept. 11 disaster as the mayor of Virginia Beach had asked us to do. I felt that if I went with the other approximate 10,000 people that gathered on Mt. Trashmore, that I would feel closer to those who were hurting in New York, Washington, D.C., and around the world. I loved the chance to stand and pray with the many people who stood beside me in the night, candles lit, and hearts sharing the same pain for those who lost their lives so unnecessarily.
I felt the Lord prompt my heart with the title for this article a couple of weeks before the incident even happened. It had a nice ring to it; I just didn't know what it would mean to me. Then on that Friday, as I stood on that mountain looking at the sea of faces and lights, I knew why I needed to write the article.
"Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does" (Psalm 96:1-3, New Living Translation).
God wanted to remind us of His soon return. We need to stand on the mountaintop and tell others. That night many people heard about God and His love for them in the midst of this crisis. The chaplain from the Virginia Beach Police Department shared the message of God's love, offering hope to those who needed to know more about God. Several of the local ministers came forward to pray for those who needed something more. It was an awesome sight.
Then today the Lord reminded me of the article I had written at the beginning of the year, Looking For God?. It felt a little strange to see what the Lord had put on my heart then and to compare it to what was happening now. People are now thinking about God like they have never before. They are reevaluating their lives and their walk with God. We are becoming a "God conscious" nation. It wasn't that way back in January 2001 when I wrote the first article concerning our lack of interest in God.
The bottom line is ready or not, He's coming! Jesus is coming back for a people looking for Him. He is coming to take with Him those who have asked forgiveness of their sins. There is not a better time to turn to God. Now is the appointed hour.
"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge" (Psalms 62:5-8, New Living Translation).
Whether it is on a mountain or in your front yard, take time to tell others of a loving God who wants to know them in a personal way. Time is short.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
cbn
By Martha Noebel
The bottom line is ready or not, He's coming!
I went to the mountain to pray on the Friday after the Sept. 11 disaster as the mayor of Virginia Beach had asked us to do. I felt that if I went with the other approximate 10,000 people that gathered on Mt. Trashmore, that I would feel closer to those who were hurting in New York, Washington, D.C., and around the world. I loved the chance to stand and pray with the many people who stood beside me in the night, candles lit, and hearts sharing the same pain for those who lost their lives so unnecessarily.
I felt the Lord prompt my heart with the title for this article a couple of weeks before the incident even happened. It had a nice ring to it; I just didn't know what it would mean to me. Then on that Friday, as I stood on that mountain looking at the sea of faces and lights, I knew why I needed to write the article.
"Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does" (Psalm 96:1-3, New Living Translation).
God wanted to remind us of His soon return. We need to stand on the mountaintop and tell others. That night many people heard about God and His love for them in the midst of this crisis. The chaplain from the Virginia Beach Police Department shared the message of God's love, offering hope to those who needed to know more about God. Several of the local ministers came forward to pray for those who needed something more. It was an awesome sight.
Then today the Lord reminded me of the article I had written at the beginning of the year, Looking For God?. It felt a little strange to see what the Lord had put on my heart then and to compare it to what was happening now. People are now thinking about God like they have never before. They are reevaluating their lives and their walk with God. We are becoming a "God conscious" nation. It wasn't that way back in January 2001 when I wrote the first article concerning our lack of interest in God.
The bottom line is ready or not, He's coming! Jesus is coming back for a people looking for Him. He is coming to take with Him those who have asked forgiveness of their sins. There is not a better time to turn to God. Now is the appointed hour.
"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge" (Psalms 62:5-8, New Living Translation).
Whether it is on a mountain or in your front yard, take time to tell others of a loving God who wants to know them in a personal way. Time is short.
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
cbn
Friday, August 01, 2003
Operation Enduring Sleep
By Dena J. Dyer
God has given me (and you) so many precious promises, and He has offered His peace to me whenever I feel anxious.
Exodus 33:14--"My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
We call it Operation Enduring Sleep. My husband and I, the two-member coalition in this war on sleep-deprivation, take our assignment very seriously. The mission: to transfer our sleeping toddler, Jordan, from his carseat to his bed without waking him.
After we deploy ourselves, our first step is to unhook the buckle on his restraining device. Jordan sighs, and we freeze. Our lips purse, our foreheads crease, and we both wonder if we’ll make it.
After unhooking our little soldier, we give silent instructions to one another. Carey mouths, "You get him, I’ll get the door." I nod in agreement.
Holding my breath, I slip Jordan’s carseat strap over his head. So far, so good. Now the most dangerous part: the hoist. I carefully bring my son’s heavy arms up over my shoulders, wrap one arm around his waist and cover his head—so as not to bump it on the car door and accidentally end the operation.
My brave husband holds the door for me, and I walk past him. Trooper that he is, Carey has already been on a stealth mission in our son’s bedroom. We both know that any miscalculation or stumble on my part would prove fatal to our plan, so Hubby has pulled the bedcovers back, darkened the room and conducted a ground search for stray objects in Jordan’s room.
As I reach the target, Jordan stirs a bit. I hesitate, re-calculate, and start humming a lullaby. Carey follows stealthily behind me, whispering encouragement. "Almost there," he says.
Then ever so gently, I place Jordan on his bed, take off his shoes and cover his body with a blanket. I tiptoe away, giving Carey the thumbs-up sign. Mission accomplished.
"Mommy," I hear. Carey groans quietly. My heart starts to race. No, I think. We’ve come too far to fail now! And I need a nap, too. I decide to walk away slowly, ignore my child and hope he’s not really awake.
"Mommy!" Jordan cries, louder this time. I grimace at Carey. He shrugs, and I turn back around. Our son is sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes. "I’m not tired now."
"You need more rest," I whisper. "Go back to sleep."
Jordan hops off his bed, runs to my side and raises his arms. "I want to hold you!" he says.
And so the mission is aborted. Sneaky kid, I think. He knows my weak spots, and he isn’t afraid to exploit them.
The whole operation has me thinking — sometime, I am a toddler who won’t stay asleep. God has given me (and you) so many precious promises, and He has offered His peace to me whenever I feel anxious.
When I say my prayers, and give the Lord my troubles, I "go to sleep." But in the next few minutes, I "wake up" by listening to the lies Satan whispers in my ear (God isn’t working on your problem, so you need to! or What if the money never comes?).
Instead of worrying, I need to remember who’s in charge of my battles, and let Him fight for me.
Lord, help me to remember that your presence goes with me. Help me to rest in you.
cbn
By Dena J. Dyer
God has given me (and you) so many precious promises, and He has offered His peace to me whenever I feel anxious.
Exodus 33:14--"My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
We call it Operation Enduring Sleep. My husband and I, the two-member coalition in this war on sleep-deprivation, take our assignment very seriously. The mission: to transfer our sleeping toddler, Jordan, from his carseat to his bed without waking him.
After we deploy ourselves, our first step is to unhook the buckle on his restraining device. Jordan sighs, and we freeze. Our lips purse, our foreheads crease, and we both wonder if we’ll make it.
After unhooking our little soldier, we give silent instructions to one another. Carey mouths, "You get him, I’ll get the door." I nod in agreement.
Holding my breath, I slip Jordan’s carseat strap over his head. So far, so good. Now the most dangerous part: the hoist. I carefully bring my son’s heavy arms up over my shoulders, wrap one arm around his waist and cover his head—so as not to bump it on the car door and accidentally end the operation.
My brave husband holds the door for me, and I walk past him. Trooper that he is, Carey has already been on a stealth mission in our son’s bedroom. We both know that any miscalculation or stumble on my part would prove fatal to our plan, so Hubby has pulled the bedcovers back, darkened the room and conducted a ground search for stray objects in Jordan’s room.
As I reach the target, Jordan stirs a bit. I hesitate, re-calculate, and start humming a lullaby. Carey follows stealthily behind me, whispering encouragement. "Almost there," he says.
Then ever so gently, I place Jordan on his bed, take off his shoes and cover his body with a blanket. I tiptoe away, giving Carey the thumbs-up sign. Mission accomplished.
"Mommy," I hear. Carey groans quietly. My heart starts to race. No, I think. We’ve come too far to fail now! And I need a nap, too. I decide to walk away slowly, ignore my child and hope he’s not really awake.
"Mommy!" Jordan cries, louder this time. I grimace at Carey. He shrugs, and I turn back around. Our son is sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes. "I’m not tired now."
"You need more rest," I whisper. "Go back to sleep."
Jordan hops off his bed, runs to my side and raises his arms. "I want to hold you!" he says.
And so the mission is aborted. Sneaky kid, I think. He knows my weak spots, and he isn’t afraid to exploit them.
The whole operation has me thinking — sometime, I am a toddler who won’t stay asleep. God has given me (and you) so many precious promises, and He has offered His peace to me whenever I feel anxious.
When I say my prayers, and give the Lord my troubles, I "go to sleep." But in the next few minutes, I "wake up" by listening to the lies Satan whispers in my ear (God isn’t working on your problem, so you need to! or What if the money never comes?).
Instead of worrying, I need to remember who’s in charge of my battles, and let Him fight for me.
Lord, help me to remember that your presence goes with me. Help me to rest in you.
cbn